Betrayed, I Knocked Demon Lord's Door - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

She didn't respond.
Leon gave a helpless smile and pulled a small dessert box out from behind his back.
"Alright, alright, it's my fault. I came back late, didn't text, and left poor Caitlyn all alone at home like a total jerk... So, here's my peace offering."
He plopped down beside her, tilted his head slightly, and held out the box with both hands.
"Cream puffs. Your favorite."
Caitlyn's frosty little face finally cracked. Her crimson eyes darted toward him, lips faintly pursed.
"Did you eat dinner?"
Leon glanced at the coffee table, then the dining area. Not a single crumb. At this hour, she probably hadn't eaten anything yet.
He nodded to himself. "Let's order delivery. You can snack on these first. If I cook now, it'll be too late. Can't let you go hungry."
As he spoke, he opened the box. Inside were eight large cream puffs, nestled neatly.
A gentle sweetness wafted into the room, making Caitlyn's gaze waver, her eyes involuntarily drawn toward the puffs.
'They smell so good...' he thought.
Leon picked one up and teasingly moved it toward his mouth. Caitlyn's pupils shrank in anticipation—until he turned suddenly and pressed it gently against her lips.
"I swear I was handling something important today," he murmured. "It's a surprise for later, so I can't tell you yet. Caitlyn... will you forgive me for being late?"
Caitlyn parted her lips and bit down. The sweet, creamy flavor exploded on her tongue, and her eyes lit up in pure delight.
She couldn't hold back anymore. She opened her mouth wider and devoured the puff in just a few bites, then licked the cream from her lips with her pink tongue, squinting in bliss.
Leon's fingers trembled slightly as he withdrew the hand that had just grazed her soft lips.
He thought, 'She's just like a kitten... soft, sweet... ridiculously cute.'
"You can come back whenever you want," Caitlyn muttered as she reached for a second puff, her voice aloof even as her eyes sparkled. "It's not like I was mad or anything."
She hadn't eaten all day. No appetite earlier—but now she was starving.
Leon shook his head and said softly, "Still, I'll try to come home earlier. And if I can't, I'll let you know next time."
She glanced at him but didn't answer.
'Fine... since he brought dessert, I'll let him off the hook a little. Just a little. Not that I was mad to begin with.'
"How did you know I like these?" she asked, licking her fingers after downing her third puff.
"Because... I remember, back when I first arrived in Ekavine City, I once saw you standing in front of a pastry shop, staring at the cream puffs through the glass, completely entranced."
Caitlyn paused, then blinked at him. "That was years ago... You still remember that?"
Leon grinned. "Not just that. I remember I asked you something, and you blasted me with a fireball in return. Gave me a full-blown explosion afro."
"That was during peak tension with the Human Alliance! Reflexes like that were normal..."
She turned her eyes away, clearly flustered.
Leon gave her a sideways glance. "Don't worry. I'm the forgiving type—I never hold grudges."
'So what, is she implying I'm the petty one now? Hmph.'
"You want one?" she asked.
"I bought them for you."
"You bought them for me, not that you can't eat them too..." she muttered, closing the box with a pout.
"I'll save the rest for after dinner."
Just then, her expression stiffened. She hugged the pillow tighter and lowered her head.
Leon's brows furrowed. "You feeling unwell?"
"Just a bit of stomach pain, nothing serious," Caitlyn replied softly, lips slightly pale. "When did it start?" he asked, voice dropping.
"This morning... not long after you left..." She trailed off, her voice catching unexpectedly. "It's not a big deal. It happens every month."
Though she said it lightly, her tone faltered—clearly holding back a storm of unspoken frustration.
Her lashes dropped. Lips pressed into a line. Beneath the surface, her eyes shimmered with the threat of tears.
Some things are fine until you talk about them. But once you do, it's like poking a hole in a dam—the pressure bursts out all at once, flooding everything in its path.
The fact she wasn't already crying was a testament to her willpower.
Leon sat quietly for a long moment.
He took a deep breath, tried to speak—then stopped.
'If she had just sent a message, I'd have rushed back immediately. But no—she had to be stubborn even when she's in pain.'
"I'll go make some nutrient soup..."
Rain had started again. It wasn't heavy, but the chill in the air seeped into the apartment.
Caitlyn sipped slowly at the warm broth, eyes flicking to Leon now and then. Her mood had clearly improved.
Still... he didn't look happy.
'Hmph. That's what you get for leaving so early.'
Leon looked at the sulky Demon Lord and asked, "Want me to go get you something sweet? Soup might be too bland."
"No," she said suddenly, reaching out and grabbing a corner of his shirt. Her eyes flickered with something close to panic—before she realized it and quickly let go.
"I just think... it's not necessary."
Leon hesitated for a second—then caught her hand just as it slipped away.
Caitlyn flinched, turned her eyes aside... but didn't pull away.
'Just friends... Holding hands is normal for friends... right?'
"Then I'm not going anywhere," Leon said quietly.
The room fell silent. Caitlyn focused on the TV, wrapped in her blanket. Her cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink as his warm hand gently enclosed hers.
Given the situation, Leon didn't go for anything greasy. He found a proper restaurant, bought a bowl of black chicken soup and a few light dishes.
Caitlyn ate surprisingly well. That eased Leon's mind—at least she hadn't lost her appetite.
She, of course, never mentioned that she hadn't eaten lunch at all.
She knew if Leon found out... there might be consequences.
Later, she hugged the box of cream puffs, watching him clear the table with a content little sparkle in her eyes. Her mood had lifted significantly.
"These puffs are amazing," Caitlyn said.
Leon hesitated before glancing at her. "I'm gonna go take out the trash."
"Oh..." she replied flatly.
Seeing that she didn't look particularly upset, Leon finally stepped out with an umbrella, briskly tossing the trash at the apartment's waste station before hurrying back.
When he first came home, Caitlyn had been noticeably grumpy and disinterested...
But after feeding her and quietly sitting together for a while, her mood had visibly softened.
In fact, she seemed even gentler than usual today.
When he came back, Caitlyn's eyes met his immediately—only to quickly turn away, pretending she hadn't been watching.
"If you're full, don't keep snacking," Leon said, grabbing his sleepwear. "Too much cream can make it hard to sleep, especially on your period."
"I looked it up—hot foot soaks help with cramps. I'll prep that for you. Showering might not be great today, though. If you do, be careful not to get chilled. I'll go warm the bathroom first."
Caitlyn just stared at him, her lips still dabbed with cream, blinking slowly like a kitten sizing up its human.
Leon met her gaze for a beat, then rubbed the back of his neck and walked off.
'Why does it feel like Caitlyn gets even more adorable when she's on her period...?'
He stepped under the cold water to clear his head, shivering as he adjusted the temperature.
His wounds had scabbed over, and while the internal damage from law fragments would take time to fully recover, a hot shower wouldn't hurt.
As the steam filled the bathroom, Leon leaned against the tiles, his thoughts spinning.
Just how bad was she feeling today...?'
Her damn tsundere personality made it even harder to know.
Just one message. That's all it would've taken, and he would've come running back in a heartbeat...
Leon thought again of the sight that greeted him when he got home—Caitlyn curled up on the sofa, hugging herself in silence, all alone. That quiet, pitiful look on her face clenched something deep in his chest. His fists tightened.
"Stubborn idiot," he muttered under his breath.
At first, he really did think she was just mad because he came back late. But now... thinking it through... it was more than that. So much more.
The chill in the air seeped through the windows, wind howling outside, the living room left in shadows—no lights, no warmth. Caitlyn sat curled up alone on the sofa, the TV droning on with some cheesy drama where the leads were wrapped in a sweet embrace.
Then, without warning, a sharp pain twisted in her stomach. Cold sweat broke out across her forehead as she hunched in on herself, hugging her arms tightly around her. The silence made the loneliness feel like it could drown her.
All she could do was endure it, curled up and staring at the door, waiting—hoping—for Leon to walk in any moment.
She waited... and waited... the phone stayed silent, the sky outside darkened, and the room grew even dimmer.
Just picturing that scene made Leon want to slam his head against the wall.
He came out of the shower emotionally wrecked. Seeing Caitlyn looking relatively okay now was the only thing helping him stay grounded.
Toweling off his wet hair under her mildly confused gaze, he quietly slipped back into the bathroom—to prepare the foot soak.
It had been a day.
For a guy whose primary skill set involved killing monsters, Leon was really reaching the limits of his emotional bandwidth.
Andrew had chewed him out. Then Caitlyn had kind of chewed him out. Now she looked soft and content again, but...
Leon's brain was basically steaming.
"Try the water," he said, placing the small bucket gently in front of her.
Caitlyn gave him a look, then peeked at the bucket before slowly sticking out a pair of small, pale feet from beneath the blanket.
Leon's gaze flickered, then immediately darted away.
Yeah, no way was he turning into some creepy middle-aged chef. He had standards.
He liked her—not all women.
Caitlyn dipped a toe into the water, only to immediately jerk back with a tiny squeak. "Hot."
Leon calmly poured in some cool water, stirred it with his hand, and said in a low voice, "Try now."
Caitlyn gave him a puzzled look, not quite getting why he suddenly looked so serious over a bucket of water.
But her brain was running on low power now, so she didn't overthink it. She raised her foot again and eased it in.
"Still a bit hot…" she murmured.
Leon took a breath, then gently reached out and cupped both of her feet in his hands.
Caitlyn froze. Her breath hitched, and instinct nearly made her kick him straight in the jaw.
Her face went bright red as she glared down at him, voice trembling, "W-What are you doing?"