To test someone’s loyalty, the best way is to hurt them.
The harder the better.
Because if they are truly loyal to you, they won’t say a word of complaint.
No matter what happens, they will always be by your side..
And that was what Evelyn needed in a relationship.
She didn’t need flatterers, nor did she need ordinary friends.
Because they could betray her at any time.
Just like in the past.
The villainess just needed someone loyal enough.
Someone who would always be by her side, no matter what the cost.
Someone who, even if the whole world turned their backs on her, would still stand by her side.
Fighting with Evelyn until her last breath.
The villainess had feelings for Kael Draven.
But she wasn’t sure if he could actually meet the conditions she set.
That was another truth.
That was the reason for this test.
That was why the villainess was now strangling Kael.
Giving him a slow, but painful torture.
Anyone with a past like Evelyn would lose faith in humanity, becoming like her.
If Kael could pass this test, then everyone would be happy.
But if it was the opposite...
Unfortunately, he already knew too many secrets.
It was hard to breathe.
Kael’s mind was heavy, and it was becoming more and more hazy.
His brain was struggling, like a drowning man who couldn’t swim.
But his body didn’t react at all.
Kael was like a fish on a chopping board.
There was nothing he could do.
But what was even more painful was when he saw the sadness hidden in Evelyn’s blood-red eyes.
The villainess was distrusting him, for some reason.
It was probably related to her past, a past that Kael didn’t know about.
Because it wasn’t told in Tower of Glory.
If he couldn’t handle this, then he might have to kill the villainess.
Just like what Hans Varun did in the game.
A glimmer of determination flashed in his eyes.
As solid as a giant mountain, unshakeable.
How could Kael kill the person he loved?
"Yes... I love you more than anything else..."
He replied with difficulty.
His voice was tired and small because he was suffocating.
The air was slowly dissipating.
Evelyn silently stared at him.
Then, she used more force to strangle him.
Because of this, his eyes widened, his face turned pale, the expression of someone about to faint from lack of oxygen.
Kael really didn’t hate this that much.
On the contrary... he felt quite good.
It felt like using drugs, even though Kael had never done it before.
His eyes became more indescribable.
...Filled with... lust... and satisfaction?
How perverted. How sick.
’Please... continue...’
A smile of enjoyment appeared on the corner of his lips.
If the villainess had succeeded in doing something, then she had definitely succeeded in corrupting Kael Draven.
No, to be more precise, Evelyn had successfully awakened his primal traits.
The villainess raised her eyebrows, feeling a little confused by Kael’s strange reaction.
But she didn’t pay too much attention to it.
"Lies..." Evelyn continued.
"Many people have said such sweet words to me. But what was the result? When I was no longer useful, they mercilessly threw me away."
It turned out that the villainess’s problem was even worse than he had imagined.
If he had to compare it, it was like an apple that had been completely eaten by a worm.
"Please... trust me for once, okay... Evelyn? I’m not... the "they" you mentioned. I’m... Kael Draven."
She looked him up and down.
As if she was looking at a piece of merchandise.
But that only made his feelings for Evelyn stronger.
Now, it had truly become a train that had lost its brakes.
There was no stopping it.
"...You don’t hate me? Even after I did this to you?"
With all his remaining strength, Kael forced a smile.
"Of course... You might not believe it, but you’re the person I love the most in the world..."
She let go, giving him a chance to fill his lungs with air so he wouldn’t faint.
And then strangled him again.
That was the villainess’s goal.
She wanted to torture him both physically and mentally.
And if Kael was that person, then when everything ended, he would still be by Evelyn’s side, and love her with everything he had.
Just like that, she repeated that action five times.
And all the while, Evelyn kept repeating those questions over and over again to determine Kael’s love.
And on the 5th time, when Kael’s facial expression became extremely complicated due to lack of oxygen, she let him go.
It was time to test the results.
"I’ll ask you one last time, will you truly love me, and always be with me forever?"
Kael, despite constantly inhaling air into his body, still had to answer the villainess.
"...Of course. I will always be with you, love you, no matter what happens."
A sickly pale smile appeared on the corner of his lips.
In response to Kael’s smile, Evelyn slightly curled her lips.
Then, she lifted that damn spell, the spell that had made him unable to move during the entire process.
At the same time, she also chanted another one in her mind.
It would activate immediately if Kael tried to kill her.
But it seemed that this time, her preparation was completely useless.
Because the first thing he did after his body was released was not to push her away, nor to try to take her life.
He immediately hugged her into his arms.
Extremely tightly, as if if he let go, she might disappear forever.
Of course, this was something Evelyn had not expected.
And when he was satisfied, Kael lifted her face, so that her ruby eyes and his sapphire eyes met.
"Hey, can I ask you something, Evelyn?"
"Did you do all this just to test my love?"
"Isn’t the answer obvious? I don’t like idiots."
"But that means... you have feelings for me, right? Like lovers, not friends."
Kael said, his face neither embarrassed nor red.
"...Take a guess." Evelyn replied with a meaningful smirk.
And that was all he needed.
The answer was obvious.
Happy, Kael blurted out.
"Evelyn, can I kiss you?"
The villainess was stunned.
Her long platinum hair fell down, partially covering his face.
Then, she smiled softly.
Gentle, but filled with intense love.
Kael embraced her tightly.
Their breaths mingled together.
The kiss lasted for a minute.
But they wanted more.
So, they repeated it.
A satisfied smile appeared clearly on the corner of Kael’s lips.
Eventually, Evelyn stopped, one hand caressing his soft lips, while the other hand caressed his features.
Then, her lips closed the distance to his ear.
"If you dare betray me, I will definitely kill you. No matter what."
But it was nothing to Kael.