Betrayed, I Knocked Demon Lord's Door - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

Knock, knock.
The instant the door was knocked on, Caitlyn's voice rang out, cold as ice.
"It's class time. If anyone else dares to interrupt, I'll make sure you regret it."
Her words, dripping with impatience and open disdain, crashed over the people outside like a tidal wave, nearly knocking them off their feet.
Inside the classroom, everyone froze. Just moments ago, their professor looked like a lovestruck girl. But then, no one dared make a sound, completely baffled by her sudden fury.
A bold student by the window tried to sneak a peek at who was outside, but Caitlyn shot him a frosty glare.
She snapped, "If you're that curious, why don't you go out and see for yourself?"
The student shuddered, quickly sat up straight, head down, cold sweat running down his back.
It felt like he'd just been targeted by something terrifying. One wrong move, and he'd be done for.
Outside, the group exchanged glances, finally turning their eyes to the elder standing in the middle.
He let out a sigh, silently stepped back, bowed his head, and said nothing.
The others followed suit, standing at attention.
The air was thick with tension, so heavy that it was almost suffocating.
Caitlyn frowned, her irritation only growing.
After a moment's hesitation, she switched the slide and said, "I'll explain this problem in a bit. For now, think about how this magic array is structured and how it works."
If she stalled any longer, Leon was going to show up.
With a stern expression and frosty eyes, Caitlyn's whole demeanor shifted. In a heartbeat, she went from a laid-back teacher to the ruthless empress of the battlefield—cold, decisive, and merciless, her every move spelling blood and death.
She pushed open the door, and before anyone outside could speak, she said coldly, "Not here. Follow me."
Outside the academic building, in a pavilion, Caitlyn glanced sideways at the tree beside her. Its small yellow blossoms were blooming bravely in the dead of winter, a sharp contrast to the bleak, chilly campus.
Caitlyn said expressionlessly, "You've got five minutes. Say what you need to, then get lost."
The old man stepped forward, neither humble nor arrogant, and looked up at her, his eyes steady and grave.
"Lady Caitlyn, please, don't be so stubborn. Come back quickly. We... the Demons need you."
Caitlyn let out a cold laugh, shooting him a sidelong glance.
"The Demons? Or is this just about the family losing its grip to Caesar?"
The old man answered, "Yes. As a member of the Morrow family, my biggest wish in coming here today is for you to return and kick out the guy trying to take your place!
"Let him know that you're still the Demon Lord!"
"I already had Germaine pass along my answer. I quit being Demon Lord a long time ago," Caitlyn said flatly, not even sparing him another look.
"Lady Caitlyn! Please stop this nonsense!" The old man suddenly raised his voice, locking eyes with her.
Caitlyn paused, turning her head slightly to glance at him. "Ethan, how dare you talk to me like this?"
Her voice was calm and light, but Ethan let out a muffled groan, his body instinctively sinking lower, as if a mountain had suddenly landed on his back, nearly crushing his old bones.
The people behind him started to move to help, but Caitlyn shot them a look, and they froze in place, not daring to move.
One of the younger men flushed red, glaring at her and bracing himself against the pressure, his eyes nearly spitting fire!
Caitlyn didn't even glance his way. The next moment, a heavy thud sounded on the ground.
The young man who'd just glared at her dropped to his knees with a crash, then collapsed, pinned to the ground by an invisible force. His body grew heavier and heavier until he was sprawled flat, eyes wide with rage, but unable to make a sound.
A moment later, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold.
The rest of them kept their heads down, not daring to say a word.
But Ethan stiffened his neck, gritting his teeth against the crushing pressure, and forced himself to look up at Caitlyn. His lips trembled as he said, "This is also the family head, your father's will!
"Lady Caitlyn, being the Demon Lord isn't something you can just walk away from and live your own carefree life!
"I'm sure you know that better than anyone!"
"So what? If I refuse, what can you do about it?" Caitlyn's expression stayed cool and detached, as if none of this mattered to her.
Ethan replied in a low voice, "We can't force you, but we'll keep coming. We'll keep searching for you until you agree to return to the family!"
"Ethan, are you threatening me?" Caitlyn finally fixed her gaze on him, her eyes frighteningly calm.
"No, Lady Caitlyn. I'm just telling you this is the family's resolve and the Demons' resolve! No matter what you think, until you come back, you're still the Demon Lord.
"Even if I die, others will come for you, whether they're from the family or not.
"And your father will never give up what he's got so easily. I'm sure you know that."
"Get out. If I see any of you in Ekavine City again, I'll tear the Morrow family apart myself."
Leon hummed the cheerful little tune he'd picked up from Keith, ambling toward the academic building to wait for Caitlyn to finish class.
It still wasn't perfect.
But at that moment, his cooking skills were good enough to guarantee a whole 'Love Feast' where everything was edible, and, more importantly, nothing tasted bad!
He'd even spent the last couple of days practicing his cake-baking!
Heh, with Caitlyn's sweet tooth, wouldn't she be totally won over by him the next day?
He reached the classroom door, and almost the moment he stopped, the bell signaling the end of class rang out.
As the noisy bell echoed through the hallway, mixed with the thunder of footsteps and the scraping of desks and chairs, Leon glanced at the door, a faint smile unconsciously appearing on his lips.
Picking her up after class was always something to look forward to.
The door swung open, and as always, she was the first one out.
Caitlyn glanced up at the man by the door, her face blank, then silently walked around him and headed outside.
Leon hurried after her, took her hand, and leaned in to ask softly, "Still mad? Want to hit me a couple more times when we get home to let off steam?"
Caitlyn kept her eyes down, not answering right away. She just squeezed Leon's warm hand tighter, her heart in turmoil.
Leon's brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he watched her, a restless anxiety creeping in.
"Did someone mess with you? Who was it? Just say the word, and I'll go and tear them to pieces!"
His voice was rough, brimming with real anger. It was no empty threat.
Caitlyn finally stopped, slowly turned, and lifted her pretty face to look at Leon.
A cold wind picked up, making the blonde strands on her forehead dance.
The breeze made her frown, and sorrow rippled in her eyes. Seeing Leon so furious, she trembled a little.
She tried to hide it but just couldn't.
"Who upset you? Will you tell me?" Leon took a steadying breath, trying his best to sound calm.
But the look on Caitlyn's face made it impossible for him to keep up the act—his expression twisted, almost frightening.
He looked like a starving wolf trying to coax a rabbit out of its burrow.
Undoubtedly, if Caitlyn said a name, that person would be in pieces in no time.
Her eyes wavered, and she slowly lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.
But the fire burning in her chest only grew fiercer, like it was about to burst right through her.
Leon's worry deepened as he looked at her, anxiety twisting into frustration, and a dangerous edge creeping into his thoughts.
But before he could say anything, Caitlyn suddenly stepped forward, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her face in his chest.
Leon froze, his whole body going stiff in surprise.
A chilly wind picked up, and she instinctively hugged him tighter.
Ripples spread across the lake, waves crashing against the shore in layers, while the bare branches kept swaying, determined to stand out on campus.
Tiny yellow flowers shivered in the cold, left exposed without any leaves for shelter, but even in the dry chill, they still looked bright and lively.
"Just let me hold you for a bit. Friends do this to keep warm, right? It's totally normal..."
Her voice was soft, like the flutter of butterfly wings, but Leon heard every word.
She hugged him even tighter.