historical

Lily panicked and waved her hands, "No, no, why did you say that?? Don't make those kinds of promises. If you break them, it can form an internal demon in your heart!"

Damien chuckled and hugged Lily whose face flushed pink, "Hehe, it's too late for that princess."

Rather than standard demons or devils, internal demons or 'Heart Devils' are a practitioner's negative emotions and other mental barriers which hinder their training/cultivation. It is an inner belief, set of ideas or understanding about life that when talked about seems easy for others to deal with, but when trying to work around it yourself, manifest past it or just try to be alone with it, you feel you are at war with your own mind.

But even if Damien was really a cripple, an internal demon could still affect him since he would never have a peaceful mind unless he controls his inner demons.

Lily was worried and at the same time she was moved seeing how sincere Damien was in wanting to help her.

But thinking that he is a cripple, she didn't want anything to happen to him because of her. Otherwise, she would never be able to forgive herself.

She wondered how Damien could even help her within these two years or what he is going to do. But she didn't want to say that he was powerless to help her in order to not hurt his feelings. Even if she did, she knew Damien wouldn't budge. After all, she best knew how stubborn Damien could be.

Once he sets his mind on something, nobody can make him stop.

But Damien meant every word he said. Realizing that there are still two years left, he was confident enough to raise his cultivation to such an extent that he could save Lily from her fate easily. He didn't want to have any regrets like he did in his past life...where he watched the people who cared and loved him suffering a cruel fate.

This time he wanted to take the initiative before anything can happen to Lily.

He already had all the means to better himself, the rest was all up to him on how to use them and develop himself as fast as possible.

Lily sighed seeing how nonchalant Damien was, even when she told that if he broke his promise, he may end up with an internal demon in his heart.

Shyly being in his embrace she looked at Damien's face, feeling the seriousness and concern from his charming eyes, her heartbeat became rapid. His starry eyes seemed like she was getting pulled into it slowly.

After the death of her father, no one ever cared about what she wanted or about her feelings. She had no one to rely on and talk about her worries.

Damien was the only person in these few years to show her care and concern...someone who cared about her wishes and feelings. Someone who most of all wished to help her no matter what.

She always enjoyed and felt comfortable in his company and realized that she was starting to develop some inexplicable feelings towards Damien.

'What is this feeling? Do I...like him?' But she shook her head inwardly, 'No! What am I even thinking? He is just concerned about me as a friend. I shouldn't think too much about it.'

Lily couldn't believe the thoughts and feelings she was having right now. She didn't know how liking someone felt like. She was curious about love but never found the right person.

Damien was unaware of the thoughts going through Lily's mind and was busy thinking about the next steps he should take within these two years.

If anyone knew that Lily was having feelings towards Damien, before thinking how unbelievable it was for an imperial princess to fall in love with a crippled servant, they would skin Damien alive.

Lily also knew that her thoughts were too dangerous, not only for her but for Damien as well.

Even if somebody saw Damien and Lily casually talking, one couldn't even tell how many death warrants Damien would have to face.

This is exactly why Lily wanted to have her training sessions in her inner courtyard. Even though that itself seemed suspicious, she had no other choice.

And she didn't have the heart to treat her old friend as a servant after everything he had been through.

After seeing the miserable state of Damien in the slave market, she knew he must have been through a lot and might have even changed from the Damien she knew.

But now she realized that even if he really changed, there were some parts of him, especially his heart, that didn't seem to change at all.

That's how she felt but she didn't know that Damien would only be like this towards her.

When Damien saw Lily's entrancing face up close, he felt his heart skip a beat. Previously, he was looking at Lily with a different mindset, someone he was a little wary of. But now Lily looked different in his eyes.

But after learning the truth, all the barriers between him and Lily were broken down and he unknowingly opened his heart towards her.

Remembering how she saved him and the care and concern she showered on him, stirred his soul.

'Why does she look more beautiful than ever? Am I having feelings for her? No...if she knew what kind of a person I have become, she wouldn't love someone like me. Besides if she knew about Sophie...' Damien wondered whether his heart was moved by Lily but he didn't dwell on it since he thought a kind girl like Lily may not be able to accept the person he has become now.

"Uhem.." Lily cleared her throat as she awkwardly came out of Damien's embrace. She felt that being in his embrace felt too comfortable that she might think of some unnecessary thoughts if she stayed in his hold any longer.

Feeling her soft body distancing from him, Damien didn't stop her as he realized how brazen he was when he hugged her a few times. He had embraced her without thinking much and only because he wanted to comfort her. So, he wondered if Lily got flustered or uncomfortable being hugged by him.

But seeing her expression, he sighed with relief inwardly knowing that she wasn't spooked out.

'Maybe my position as a friend has a big place in her heart.' Damien thought.

"Ahem, since the empress of our empire is your step-mother, why don't you try asking her for help?" Damien posed this question as he wondered why the imperial family would let go of someone as talented as Lily without any resistance.

Lily said in a sad smile, "The empress? She is the one who is most eager to sell me off to other other empires. She and my half-brother are in cahoots with them. There is absolutely no hope but only trouble from their side."

'So even her own family is working against her. How did she live amongst these greedy dogs all these years?' Damien felt sorry that Lily had to face all these alone without anyone to support her.

"Don't worry. You don't have to rely on anyone but me. You can trust me and believe in your Master. I won't let anything happen to you." Damien said with a reassuring smile.