Chapter 116: Who Wants to Merge with You? - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

Chapter 116: Who Wants to Merge with You? It's so hot. This was Eileen’s only sensation now. It felt as if her entire body was heating up, the warmth spreading from her calves and enveloping her whole form. It was like being roasted over an open flame. Eileen felt like she might just burst into flames. A couple of unconscious whimpers escaped her lips. It was as if someone had flipped a switch on her body, and she began to feel oddly unusual. The only relief she found was in clinging tightly to Lucius, whose comforting scent seemed to ease her symptoms just a bit. This resulted in a rather comical scene. Even though Eileen’s awareness was almost completely dissipated, she refused to let go, clinging to Lucius like a koala bear. The intensity of her grip made it seem as if she wished to meld into him entirely. Lucius looked on with a mix of helplessness and bewilderment. He exchanged a glance with Selina. Selina tentatively suggested, "Maybe we should just let it be for now and see how things go later?" Lucius nodded, "There really isn't any other solution at the moment, so we just have to wait." And so, for the next few hours, he and Eileen remained in this strange position. Whether eating or walking, it was the same. Luckily, the manor was void of other people, so Lucius didn’t have to worry too much. The only part that irked Lucius slightly was that Eileen wouldn’t stay still in his embrace. Every so often, she'd whimper and nuzzle her head into his neck, revealing two small canine teeth as if preparing to bite. If he hadn't noticed that Eileen was indeed still in a daze, Lucius might have pulled her from him and given her a firm lecture. You're a witch, not a vampire. What are you doing biting my neck? With this novel experience, it was not until late at night that the girl in his arms slowly woke up. Her long lashes fluttered slightly, and her rosy, thin lips moved unconsciously. Then, Eileen suddenly opened her eyes, relaxing only when she saw that it was Lucius holding her. To her, letting Lucius have an advantage over her was more acceptable than anyone else. It was already deep into the night, the room quiet, lit only by a single candle. The man was seated at his desk as usual, flipping through a book rapidly and with intense focus, seemingly unaware of the girl waking in his arms. Eileen didn’t make a sound. From her vantage point, she took in Lucius’s perfectly sculpted jawline. She watched silently for a while, though something unknown crossed her mind, causing her to turn away. Her gaze fixed on Selina, who lay asleep at one side of the desk. By all rights, Selina should have returned to her room to sleep by this time, but she had been too worried about Eileen's condition to leave the study. Eileen felt a surge of gratitude. She extended a finger, lightly poking Lucius on the chest. Feeling the movement from the girl in his arms, Lucius glanced down. He met the eyes of the now-awake girl. Seeing Eileen looking flushed but otherwise normal, Lucius’s eyes brightened, his tense heart finally at ease. He was about to say something when Eileen, quick as a flash, pressed a finger to his lips. She shook her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper, "Selina's asleep. Don't wake her." Lucius turned his head to check and, indeed, saw Selina slumped over the other side of the desk, having succumbed to sleep at some point. He responded with a quiet "hmm," using his eyes to enquire. “How are you feeling?” Eileen didn’t answer aloud. Instead, she straightened up a bit, leaning close to Lucius’s ear. For some reason, the previous aversion Eileen felt toward Lucius had begun to fade. Initially, any physical contact would make her instinctively feel repulsed, but now she was willing to initiate interaction. These changes went unnoticed by Eileen herself. “Let’s go outside and talk.” Her voice was deliberately low. Lucius didn't refuse. Carefully he rose, carrying her with him. The chair scraped against the floor with a faint sound of friction. Selina’s delicate features twitched slightly but, thankfully, she didn’t awaken. Lucius cast a lightening spell on himself, quickly stepping out of the room with Eileen in his arms. After some time, they were far from the room. Practically silent, back in the dim study room, the girl lying on the desk quietly opened her eyes. ... ... Tonight's corridor seemed darker than usual. Large patches of cloud shrouded the moon, its light unable to penetrate the thick cover. Lucius carried Eileen along the corridor. He didn’t go too far; there was no need. As long as they didn’t disturb Selina’s sleep, that was enough. Stopping in the corridor, he slightly lowered his head, speaking in a hushed tone, "How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Lucius maintained the posture of carrying her. Because of this, when he spoke, he was inevitably very close to Eileen. Close enough for Eileen to feel his every breath. Normally, Eileen would have already hurled insults. Words like pervert, beast, disgusting, and many more. But today, all she did was blush slightly without scolding him. She thought to herself that perhaps she wasn’t really changing; it was simply because the other person was showing care towards her. Concern can cloud judgment; overlooking these details seemed understandable. Eileen, thus, offered Lucius a comforting excuse. Snapping back to reality, she tried to push away from Lucius’s embrace. But her extended hand was weak, seemingly devoid of strength. Instead of seeming resistant, it looked more like she was playfully avoiding contact. Lucius, puzzled by her slight gesture, stood befuddled, "W-What’s wrong?" Eileen’s face grew even redder. Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath. Then she huffed coldly, "What do you mean ‘what’? How long do you plan to keep holding me?!" Lucius paused, taken aback. So that's what you’re upset about... He was a bit speechless, "You were the one clinging onto me earlier and refused to let go, how is it that you’re now putting the blame on me?" Finished speaking, Lucius grudgingly let go of the girl. But as soon as he released his hold, he noticed her legs weaken, and she nearly fell. So he quickly reached out to support her. Meeting Eileen’s slightly embarrassed eyes, his expression was innocent. “Now, you can’t possibly blame me for this, can you?” Eileen averted her gaze without replying. Leaning back against the cold wall, she quietly crouched down. Seeing this, Lucius squatted down with her. “I’m okay.” After a moment, Eileen softly spoke. Even though she looked unharmed, hearing her say it herself brought a smile to Lucius’s face. “That’s good, really good.” “I almost thought we’d become conjoined for life…” Hearing that, Eileen shot him a glare. Her small face was fierce, “Who wants to be conjoined with you?!” (End of Chapter)