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“Raea?” Palan asked, raising an eyebrow as he stared at the angel who buried her head in his chest. Andrea pouted at the side, but she remained silent and approached Selena’s side.

“Shush,” Raea said as she squeezed him tighter. “Don’t say anything because you’ll ruin the moment.”

“I—”

“Shh,” Raea said, raising her head and glaring at him. He fell silent. Raea nodded. “That’s better.” She sighed and rested her chin on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

Palan’s gaze shifted onto Selena, who shrugged. Andrea was staring at him with her cheeks puffed out and lips pursed. She resisted the urge to run over and ruin Raea’s happy moment. She thought Palan would do that after his contract with Raea was broken, but he hadn’t made any motion to stop her. Maybe he really liked her? Andrea sighed, releasing the pent up air in her mouth, and squatted, drawing circles on the ground with her finger.

Raea sighed again. She kept her eyes closed while she said, “You know, I really didn’t get what I wanted after accompanying you. Sure, we made it back to the capital, but it wasn’t the way I was expecting it,” she said with a small smile. “I thought I could gather merits and return as a smalltime officer, yet we came back as conquerors. I mean, look at the place. It’s in ruins.”

“Well—”

“Shhh!” Raea nipped his ear, causing him to flinch. “I’m not done yet.” She fell silent as Palan’s tails fidgeted behind him. “I’m not going to ask you for another contract. Clearly, you like your freedom more than you like being with me, but just because we’re not contracted doesn’t mean we can’t still be together, right?” She pulled back and bit her lower lip as she met Palan’s gaze. “I won’t get angry anymore, but if you refuse me right now, I promise I’ll stay glued to your side and scare away every woman that ever tries to approach you for the rest of your life.”

“Ray…,” Selena said, furrowing her brow. “Do you know how desperate that sounds?”

“I don’t care,” Raea said and placed her hands on her hips. “He’s mine even if we’re not contracted. Besides, I don’t think he can ever trust anyone enough to fall for them. Except me, of course.”

Palan raised an eyebrow. “Stay together even though we’re not contracted?”

Raea pumped her fist and smiled at Selena. “See? It worked.”

“But he didn’t agree?” Selena asked.

Raea laughed. “If he doesn’t disagree right away, then that means he agrees,” she said and glanced at Palan. “Right?”

Palan stroked his chin. “If I don’t want to?”

“I already said I’d stay glued to your side. Don’t tell me you won’t even let me do that,” Raea said and crossed her arms. “What’s with that expression? You want to fight?”

“No…,” Palan said. He didn’t want to fight. He actually wasn’t sure what he wanted. Wait a minute. Was he even being given a choice in the matter? “Wait. If I agree to stay with you, we’ll be together. If I refuse to stay with you, we’ll be together. Am I understanding this correctly?”

“For a demon of wisdom, you’re really slow,” Raea said and rolled her eyes. “Whether you like it or not, I’m not giving you a choice just like you didn’t give me a choice when you brought me back from the dead. This is your punishment.”

Palan’s brow furrowed. “I think I liked you better when you were broodier and less bubbly,” he said. Raea’s face fell, and Palan’s stomach twinged. He sighed. It went against all the principles he accumulated during his life in Eljiam, but he decided to do it anyway because it’d feel wrong if he didn’t. He stepped forward and hugged Raea. “But this is fine too.”

Raea’s eyes widened as she raised her head. “Then that means…?” she asked. Her eyes widened even further. Was Palan embarrassed? He was actually embarrassed! A smile blossomed across her face as she hugged him back.

“Yes. Yes it does,” Palan said.

Selena cleared her throat at the two who didn’t seem like they’d be separating anytime soon. “What does it mean? You should say it clearly or someone might misunderstand.”

“Be quiet, Ms. Inferences,” Andrea said and tugged on Selena’s hand. “Even I’m not ruining their moment.”

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