I Became My Son's First Love

Chapter 66

"Yes, you're not a demon."

Dane, caressing the feather pen, sank into deep thought again.

***

A man, standing tall and noble in the darkness, was a striking figure exuding wild charisma. His fierce appearance softened with a single smile.

"I like you."

Thinking about her flushed cheeks, the slight trembling of her pupils, and the unwavering voice, his body heated up. Azazel suppressed the rising power that surged in response to his emotions. The power, once tightly reined in for so long, now thrashed about violently, as if making up for all the time it had been restrained.

The more his power raged, the further his reunion with Eve was delayed. Knowing this, Azazel swiftly subdued the energy, forcing it back down. Just as the power settled deep inside him, a bright light, powerful enough to banish all the surrounding darkness, invaded Azazel's world.

The light was familiar. Normally, Azazel would have attacked the white light aggressively, but in his weakened state, he knew there was no chance of victory. His power, ever cunning, retreated swiftly into him.

Azazel stood still, gazing at the source of the white light. It was none other than Gabriel—though he was in the form of Aeshath. Like Azazel, Gabriel had shed his human guise, revealing silver hair tied high and donned in armor, glaring fiercely at him.

"Deceitful and cunning as always."

Azazel, still in a good mood, nodded leisurely. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Do you enjoy playing along to the tune of your own lies?"

"Of course, it was intoxicating."

Aeshath, or rather Gabriel, clicked his tongue in disapproval as Azazel flashed him a sly smile. Azazel's reply wasn't an answer to the question but rather an introspective murmur, lost in the memory of recent events.

The moment Eve saw his eyes and realized that the Count of Hound had been spying on them, Azazel quickly devised a plan. He calculated how to gain what he wanted while swiftly removing the bothersome human and getting Eve for himself.

Though Azazel knew how much Dane Hound loathed him for being a demon, he still sent Eve to the man, hoping that she would ultimately choose him, Azazel, in the end. It was also a way to provoke Eve into facing her feelings, which she was avoiding due to societal norms, her personal safety, and some guilt over Dane Hound.

Confident in his strategy, Azazel sent Eve to Dane, but despite himself, he often imagined the worst. If his luck had been truly terrible, Eve might have gone down the worst path—doubting her own feelings for him. How could Azazel control Eve like that?

Azazel never wanted to win Eve's heart through something as crude as mind control, nor could his power even affect her. While it might have worked on souls that were weak or completely under his influence, like the Hound family, someone with a powerful soul like Eve's was immune to his abilities.

If it hadn't been for the impulsive gift of the music box containing his inner thoughts, things could have turned out very differently. And if Dane Hound hadn't resorted to stabbing him...

Azazel hadn't followed Dane out of fear of the dagger at his throat. He wasn't a demon weak enough to be defeated by a mere dagger. No, he followed Dane because he needed that dagger.

'She said she couldn't trust me...'

Azazel planned to place the dagger in Eve's hand. If being stabbed would put her mind at ease, then enduring the pain a few times would be worth it. When Dane hesitated after the first strike, Azazel briefly considered forcibly taking the other dagger. But then Eve arrived, and Azazel changed his plan on a whim. He decided to let Eve see him being stabbed.