The Demon King's Beloved Daughter

19

It was midnight, she never expected him to wake up. Arche was a light sleeper, but there was still a time when he would fall into a deep sleep. Plus, he hadn't slept for a week.

After confirming he was asleep, Freya tip-toed to the balcony and stared emotionlessly at the man with light brown hair and hot pink eyes. He gave off the temperament of a cheetah with his curved eyes, his playfulness held some arrogance.

The gentleness in Freya's eyes vanished like the person singing the lullaby before wasn't her. A fake smile adorned her face.

"You put him back to sleep?" James hummed as she nodded. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, using hypnosis on your own father. Well whatever, here's the poison, 5 gold."

Freya did use hypnosis that she learned from Luca on Arche. Luca specialized in using the guqin as his weapon, so he knew many pieces of music that can affect a person's mind. Freya used a simple tune to make Arche go back to sleep, her father looked too tired. 

Freya snapped her fingers as coins fell into the man's palm. He smiled satisfyingly at the money and mused, "You have a soft spot for your family don't you?"

Freya didn't deny what he said and smiled, "That's right. Bring me another dose next month, increase the amount. Ah right, do you sell poisonous smoke? In bullet form."

"What type of ammo?" The man tilted his head.

"45ACP."

"Got it, no problem." James nodded after thinking.

"Thanks, gramps." Freya pushed her messy hair back.

Thinking back to when she saw him at the academy, an indescribable feeling flashed through her eyes. Did brother Luca know his best friend was at least a thousand years old? Attending the academy just to feel young again, this old grandpa.

"Tsk, you should call me older brother, look at how handsome I am." He boasted making Freya scrunch her face. She let out a perfunctory 'whatever' making James fake cry.

"Well, pleasure doing business with you. See you next month." James jumped backward and waved, making Freya nod.

It all happened when she was six, the system told her she had to consume a certain type of poison to increase her powers. It'll help when facing off with the hero. And so, she contacted the place the system told her behind Arche's back.

'Cherry Cake', when she first heard the shop's name, she held some doubt. Who wouldn't be skeptical after hearing this name unless it's a dessert store? But this was indeed the perfect shop to buy poison from.

With a blood oath, they guaranteed to protect the customer's identity and never accept assassination requests. Plus, they're not nosy and the boss is strong enough to sneak in the palace without Arche noticing.

It's not because the barrier's flawed, it's because James specialized in portals and teleportation. What Freya liked was that he won't ask her why an eight-year-old is buying poison as long as she paid.

Before she drank the poison, Freya slit her wrist and stored up some of her blood inside a glass bottle. She was going to let her dad drink it later, he looked too ghastly. After making sure it was enough, she licked the cut so that it'll heal faster.

Freya pulled the cork and drank the bitter liquid she received. Can't they make it honey-flavored? She let out a grunt and fell onto her knees. She felt her body drowning in cold sweat as she fought the burning pain.

Freya felt as if her skin was melting off and thousands of mites have burrowed into her skin, eating out her organs slowly. She felt as if someone was pricking her heart with needles, slowly one by one, the needles penetrated through the most vulnerable organ a demon could have.

Freya gripped onto her skirt and bit her collar to prevent her whimpering from getting louder. She must not close her eyes when the poison was in action, or else she'd be a goner.

She fought with the poison for hours, until the sun rose. The sun in the demon realm was blue, the whole sky turned purple with strokes of pink here and there. It was beautiful.

She sat there catching her breath and wiping away her sweat. Her eyes were empty as though she had detached herself from the world. Her butterflies have some limitations.

First, she can't heal herself with them. Second, the pain of the victim will be transferred to her. Third, unless she had mana, the butterflies won't heal. Fourth, she could heal only one person at a time.

The main reason for the fourth limitation is that the pain of the victim will distract her. If it was a cut, she can heal up to four people simultaneously, but if it's during a war, how can she heal an army with broken limbs without dying from the pain?

That's where the poison she bought, The Devil's Tears, comes in. This poison is used to make prisoners admit and reveal secrets, one drop of it can make a grown demon babble. It doesn't have much impact on one's health, but the effect of it is excruciatingly painful.

The first time, Freya only had a drop and she felt like her skin was burning away from her muscles. This is exactly what she wanted, to train herself to endure the pain until she grows numb to it. That way, even if all of the people precious to her fall ill at the same time, she could heal them.

Freya smiled particularly to no one as her tears from the residue pain glide down her cheeks. The sunlight gently caressed her face, making her porcelain face glow. There was happiness in her eyes but her quivering eyelashes made one's heart hurt for her.

[Good job. It's all for them, you can do it.]

Freya let out a sound of acknowledgment as the pink rectangle glowed. Her eyes were extremely loving as she supported her head with the wall. She closed her eyes, It was fine, endure it for them.

"...ah, dad's going to wake up. I should go back." She slapped her cheeks and got up.

Freya wiggled into the blankets and snuggled against Arche. She hugged her beluga plush toy tightly as her eyes darkened, those who are precious to her, she will protect them, she will not lose them. Anyone who dares interfere and break this peace will die in her hands.