Betrayed, I Met The Demon Lord-Chapter 133 – SIDE: Van & Alicia

HELLO THERE!

Just to clarify—

The previous chapter took place 10 years after Van and Alicia left the Demonic Realm and Royal Capital behind.

That means it happened a full decade after the events of chapters 1 through 130.

This chapter, however, picks up only two days after the end of chapter 130.

Hope you enjoy!

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'Okay…' Van thought as he walked hand in hand with Alicia.

He glanced above her—no aura. Nothing.

He had succeeded in erasing it. Neither the Archdevil nor the Goddess would be able to trace her now. She still retains her prime strength.

'Now what?' he wondered as the breeze brushed across their faces. 'Hmm… Do we build a home for ourselves?'

He looked at the woman clinging to his arm. 'I guess we start there, right?'

"Hey," Van said aloud. "We're supposed to build a house now, right?"

"Yes," Alicia replied. "A house. One for me. One for you." Her gaze stayed fixed on the path ahead.

Van narrowed his eyes. "I don't—A separate one for each of us?"

"Of course," she answered with a sigh. "Do you think I'm ready to give up my autonomy just because we're married?"

'That's not what I meant…' Van thought.

"No, but most couples live together. Look at Varlog," he said, deadpan.

"Varlog is… I'm the…" She struggled, then shook her head. "No. I'm not ready. I've never shared a house with anyone before."

"...Not even your parents?"

"Dead. I lived with servants. And Varlog."

"So you have lived with someone—"

"I JUST NEED SOME SPACE!" she snapped, pushing him off with a frown.

Van stood silent, his chest tightening as he looked at her.

"I just LEFT my whole kingdom for you," Alicia said, rubbing her temples. "Your previous tricks—those little games, saying that I'm just using this to ensnare you—they won't work a second time. I need… I need my own space."

"...Alright," Van sighed. "Then I'll build us some houses—"

"With what?" she cut in. "Your hands?"

"...Uh, yeah? It's me, after all," Van muttered, scratching the back of his head.

"Do you have any idea how architecture works? House planning? I'm not living in some half-collapsed hut. I'll build it with my magic," she said sharply, her tone flaring.

Van swallowed. "...I can just learn as I go. We have time. I don't think it's a problem—"

"I said, I'll build the house!!" she shouted.

"You took me out of my home of over forty years. And now I'm supposed to play pretend—act like the loving wife and agree to everything you say, too?! No! I… I've never done anything like this. You never had a home to lose the way I did. Let me have this!" Her voice cracked as she clenched her teeth.

Van clicked his tongue and looked to the sky, the irritation clawing its way up from his stomach.

"...Alright, then. Where?" he asked, voice lower now.

"In the mountains," she answered, pointing toward a distant ridge. "Somewhere open, where we can see everything."

Van narrowed his eyes. "Like the demonic realm, then?"

"...Do you have a problem with that?" she asked, her voice almost a snarl.

Van sighed again. "No. Just..." He clenched his jaw. "...Confirming."

"Oh. You're angry now? YOU!?" She let out.

"…"

Van took a slow breath.

"...Everything I'd say," he began quietly, "including confirming whether I'm angry or not…"

His eyes dropped half-lidded, heart pounding in his ears—not with warmth, but with pressure.

"...would be a threat. Considering just how much stronger than you I am."

He let the words hang in the air, his fist tightening at his side.

"Build two houses. One. Or go back. Do as you like." He turned without another word. "I'll hunt for food."

"I—I'm not done with—"

"What was it you said?" Van cut her off, stopping in place.

"I never had a home to lose, right?" His voice was low but clear.

Alicia flinched.

"Then I'm in no rush to feel at home," he growled. "Take your fucking time."

He walked off without looking back.

'...Was this…'

'…a mistake?' Van wondered as his gaze fell to the dirt beneath his feet.

Behind him, Alicia stood still. She swallowed hard, then turned in silence and made her way toward the mountain site they'd agreed on.

A few hours later…

Van stood near a wide lake in the heart of the forest—dozens of boars and dead beasts piled beside him. He simply sat and stared at the heap.

'I need more. I can't go back with just this,' he thought, even though he knew it was more than enough.

The truth was simple.

'I'm not sure if I want to go back.' He lay on the grass, arms resting behind his head. 'I always thought it would be effortless. That's how it was with Amoria, after all. Was I too idealistic?'

'Is love even worth it? Is this what love is? More fighting?' He looked up at the high-noon sun, its light pouring down like judgment.

"Ah?" a voice called from somewhere nearby.

'A voice…?' He blinked. 'I didn't notice anyone…'

Van narrowed his eyes and turned toward the source.

A young man stepped out from between the trees. His eyes glowed faintly blue. His hair—dark as a moonless sky—fell slightly over his face, and a black, loose robe clung to his slender frame. His skin was flawless, his expression light. Calm. As if he hovered constantly on the edge of a warm smile.

He stood about Van's height. Not too tall. Not too short.

And yet, even now—seeing him clearly—Van couldn't sense him at all. It felt like looking at a ghost rather than a man. Still, oddly… he felt at peace.

"Whoa, that's a big pile of dead animals!" the stranger said, eyes wide with awe.

Van stared at him for a few seconds, unsure what to make of the man's sudden presence.

"Y-… Yeah," Van finally answered. "I killed them for… food."

"Oh, I see!" The stranger smiled as he approached and sat beside him without hesitation. "You feeding a tribe?"

Van, caught off guard by the innocent assumption, started to chuckle.

"Hahaha… You… haha… you could say that," he said, glancing at the pile, his shoulders beginning to loosen.

"…?" The stranger tilted his head, waiting silently, gaze curious but patient.

'Ah, fuck it,' Van thought, exhaling.

"I recently married," he began. "We agreed she'd build a house, and I'd gather food. This should be more than enough, I bet… But…" He frowned. "I'm not sure if this is what I want anymore."

"Her, you mean?" the stranger asked.

Van paused before replying. "…Yeah. Her. It's almost like… now that I've got her to myself, like I always wanted…" His voice grew quiet. "I feel like… I'm done."

He looked down.

"Like I have nothing left to… get."

"It's almost like you didn't expect her to—"

"—Have personality," the stranger said at the same time.

Van's breath caught. He turned sharply, staring at the man beside him.

His expression hadn't changed. Still gentle. Still easy. Still warm.

"How… do you know that?" Van asked, studying his face.

The stranger didn't flinch. He met Van's eyes with unwavering calm.

"Such is love," he said softly, and smiled.

Van inhaled sharply as the stranger turned to gaze at the pile of animals.

"When you first seek it—you can only see yourself. That's natural," he said. This time, his smile was softer. Almost fragile.

"You look for love not because you care about others," the stranger continued, "but because you want to be held. You want to be holding. Accepted. Needed."

"That's…" Van gulped. "That's selfish—"

"—Completely normal," the stranger interrupted lightly.

"To yearn to be needed is normal."

Van's mouth parted slightly. He stared.

"…And the fact you're still sitting here, staring at this pile, not walking away—that means you still want that. I'd bet, for you—it's not a high you hit once and then it's over."

Van lowered his gaze again.

Silence followed. A breeze swept gently over them, rustling the leaves.

Then the stranger spoke again.

"I bet," he said, "she feels the same way… if she chose you."

Van's eyes widened.

"She also wants to be held—and to hold. Love is always a two-person effort. And effort…" he looked back at the pile with childlike awe, "…is often hard."

He smiled again.

"But that's why it's so worth it… when you reach it."

He turned slowly to face the lake. Van followed his gaze.

"Isn't this lake… beautiful?" the stranger asked.

Van's eyes shifted to the water. The sun reflected across the surface like glass. Trees curved around the edge in a perfect circle. In that moment, it truly did look like the heart of the world.

"Go, Van," the stranger said gently. "Your wife is waiting for you, isn't she?"

"…" Van stayed quiet. "What if she's not?" he finally asked.

The stranger didn't answer immediately. He let the question float in the air, his face calm. His gaze never left the lake.

"…No," Van whispered. "She is."

He stood slowly, turned toward the pile of animals, and hoisted several onto his shoulder.

"And, uh…" He glanced back. The stranger still sat there, peaceful as ever, watching the lake.

"Thanks."

"You are very welcome," the stranger said, nodding slightly. "Good luck, Van."

Van gave him a small nod in return—then leapt off, disappearing into the woods with his burden.

Only once he had gained a fair distance did he realize just how strange the whole encounter had been. But curiously, he didn't feel any urge to turn back.

He felt at peace with what he'd said.

And with what he'd heard.

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He finally reached where Alicia was. She sat on a rock, looking down. No house stood nearby.

As he landed in the mountains, he walked over to her and sat beside her.

"...."They were both quiet, looking away from each other—yet their expressions were calm.

"If you want to go back," Van said, "I'd... I'd understand." frёewebnoѵēl.com

She looked at him.

"But," he added, "I'd hate it."

"...."

"I want this to work, Alicia," he said. "And I get it... You left your home, and all I did was lash out."

She kept staring blankly, listening.

"I'm sorry," Van finished.

"...."

"...I'm..." She gulped. "I... didn't mean to belittle your past. I also... apologize. It was rude and... unbecoming of a queen."

"Yeah," Van sighed. "It really wasn't. It was horrible."

"You...!!" She looked at him, ready to growl—then noticed his laid-back expression.

"But what I did was also horrible."

He gently pressed his forehead against hers.

"I love you, Alicia. And I want to love you even more." He said it plainly. No snide remark, no cleverness.

It was so simple, it almost made her laugh. She was baffled. He was usually so witty with his forwardness... but this time, there was none of that.

'Your heart's right in the open, dumbass... Someone might hurt it if you keep it open like that,' she thought.

"Me... me too," she murmured with a soft sigh. "For now... me too. I... also want that."

"Then we'll build it together," Van said, looking out over the open field.

"One brick at a time."

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