The Devil's Disciple

Chapter 10: He Must Have Had His Own Reasons

Chapter 10

"What are you doing here?"Adran hissed, grabbing his friend by the scruff of his neck.

Luca winced, seeing the pure rage on his friend's face.

"I am fine on my own here," Luca defiantly answered.

Luca was shaking inside, a total contrast to his defiance. In fact, it was quite a feat his voice didn't waver just then.

"You are fine on your own?" he asked in a dangerous voice, "If you were fine on your own then what was that happening over there?! You definitely won't be able to escape his blows today!"

"Then, just let him beat me! It's time I learn! I'm not some little kid! I'm a grown man just like you! Stop protecting me!" Luca snapped, tears crawling up to his eyes and threatening to slip out.

"A man? A man does not cry so easily! Look at you! You cry so easily! You're as fragile as a glass vase! How can I not protect you?" Adran scoffed. "To put it in layman's terms, you're a sissy!"

"Now, this is how things are going to work. I do not want to hear any peeps from you anymore. You're going to go to the cook, and relay that human girl's order. After that, you will not step a foot outside the kitchen. I will take your place and fix whatever mistakes you made. Do you understand?" Adran snarled.

"Ok," Luca's feeble voice came out, finally relenting.

Luca slowly turned around and walked away from his friend. He pressed his sleeve to his face, trying to get rid of the traces of his tears. He wasn't going to lie. It really hurt to be called a sissy. That too by his dear friend. But he knew more than anyone else that what Adran had said about him was true. He had noticed it when he was much younger. Adran was so valiant. His little mind had yearned to be valiant just like his friend. Alas, he possessed a weak mind.

"Luca, why are you dragging your feet?! Come here and tell me quick what my lady ordered! I've been waiting for eons! I do not wish to get in trouble because of you, Luca!" the cook growled.

"Don't you already know? She ordered the chicken feast," Luca sniffed. Here, in this place that's called a hellhole by Adran, there was no possibility of anyone looking out for another person. Everyone always looked out for only themselves. Of course, he had already known about the work environment when he applied for a job here. It was just that he was so desperate for money and independence.

"Were you crying just now?" the cook asked in disbelief pulling Luca from his thoughts. The cook shook his head. "You were crying just now weren't you? You're so lucky you have that friend to protect you. You probably wouldn't have even survived a day here without him."

Luca threw a bitter smile onto his face while walking away. Adran. That was something he regretted. Was it really worth it to work at this job at the expense of Adran's promising future? This question had run through his head many times. He really didn't mean to ruin Adran's dreams. But it had happened like that. Now, he was slowly crumbling inside with guilt. Maybe it was time to turn his resignation in.

Luca's shoulders slumped. He sat on the cold, hard ground, lying to himself that everything was going to be ok. Everything was not going to be ok. If he gave up this job, he wouldn't just be giving up this job. He would be giving up his mother's life too.

Luca's stomach lurched at the thought of his sick and frail mother. Usually devils wouldn't get ill so easily. Someone had poisoned her and he didn't even know why.

"Boy! I heard you from before! You almost exposed everything!" a familiar, roaring voice made Luca jump up.

"I've been watching you since day one! You're absolutely inept at everything! All this time that guy's been protecting you! Now I finally get to take my anger out on you!" the owner, Mr. Allen, yelled.

Luca tried to escape the coming punch, but Mr. Allen was too strong and too fast. Mr. Allen's fist connected with Luca's face.

-----

"Here is your meal. Please enjoy your food, my lady," Adran smiled at Ildra, while setting down four platters onto the table.

Adran helplessly glanced towards the kitchen. He needed to get back to the kitchen as soon as possible. He always felt uneasy whenever he left Luca somewhere other than at his home. He was even more uneasy now because he had left him alone in this dump. It wasn't like anyone else in the kitchen would lift a hand to help Luca if he got into any trouble.

"Do you need anything else, my lady?" Adran asked.

He silently prayed the lady wouldn't ask for anything else. For some reason he was getting a really bad feeling that something might have happened to Luca. For some reason, he felt that Luca sorely needed him right now.

H-

Adran frowned. Was that Luca who just tried to contact him right now? Suddenly, a sense of urgency hit Adran. Mindlinking had been a way of communication since a long time ago for the devils. However, there was a consequence to using mindlink. Mindlink could help the devil's brain deteriorate faster, making the transition between devil and demon beast faster. Especially for common people like him, it was really risky to use mindlink.

"I do have some questions I would like to ask you," Ildra replied, completely unaware of Adran's dilemma. Though she could sense there was something off about him. "I can see by your tag that your name is Adran. Well, Adran, where did those bruises on your arms come from?" she asked, not expecting a truthful or complete answer.

"That is none of your business," Adran coldly answered, crossing his arms. Luca did not want anyone to be told of the happenings of this place, so he wouldn't tell. Furthermore, this lady was not important anymore. Luca was and always will be the most important to him. Not giving a chance for Ildra to respond, Adran briskly walked away.

Wendy glared at the man. "Princess, that man was so disrespectful to you!"

"It's quite alright. He must have had his own reasons." Ildra had recognized the desperation on Adran's face. It was with that same desperation she waited for any stories from the Devil's continent. It was with that same desperation Wendy continued to work in the palace.

Ildra set her fork down, thinking about those bruises.

"Wendy, go use the bathroom," she ordered.

"Um, okay?"

"Just go, and inform me if you hear something wrong."

"Ok, princess." Wendy was quick to get up. She walked towards the bathroom, which was right across from the kitchen.

However, she paused at the kitchen door as she had heard a harsh slam from the room. She leaned her ear closer to the door to be able to hear what was going on.

"No, let him go! Please stop hitting him! Hit me, instead! Adran, why do you always have to protect me?! Why can't I protect you instead?!"

Wendy backed away from the door, her eyes widening. Without a hint of hesitation, she immediately ran back to her mistress.

"What is it?" Ildra asked, seeing her maid's frantic face.

However, she really didn't need to ask as she had already inferred what had happened. But still there would be no harm in confirming her inference.

"Princess, it's terrible! The workers are being beat up here! We must quickly do something about this! The waiter from before who had the notepad is begging! Princess, we have to help them! Princess, please!" Wendy cried. Those beatings had inadvertently taken her back to her life before the princess in the palace. Though she was never beaten up, it was the same as being beaten up. She didn't want others to feel the same pain she had. Not now. Not never.

Dear Readers,

Do you think Ildra will take action? What do you guys think of the new characters? Also, does any other author have side character syndrome? I'm getting this feeling where I want to explore more into the side characters rather than the main characters, even though this is not the side characters' story.

Please read, vote, and comment!

Sincerely,

Ms. Author