334 You broke him again!

Her lavender-colored cheeks blushed, and she stood up from such unexpected words. Sakura looked at Vincent, but he was smiling at her as if he wasn’t bothered at all.

“Let’s go.” Vincent stood up and extended his hand. “This is our date day.”

historical

Sakura hesitated at first, but she accepted his hand a few seconds later. Soon, the two of them left.

“Koss. Those two remind me of when we were young, hehe.” Yula mumbled after she saw Vincent and Sakura leaving hand in hand.

Later, Vincent and Sakura visited the workshop. The workshop looked stunning. It wasn’t huge, yet it was large enough to allow Sakura the freedom to do anything her heart desired.

Inside was as good-looking as the outside. Heavy tools were neatly placed, and lighter tools hung on the wall.

There was a wall of windows close to one another fitted on one side. There was a furnace built in between the wall of windows for ventilation. Furthermore, one-third of the furnace was inside, while two-thirds of it was outside.

Additionally, in the blacksmithing area were two anvils of different sizes. The small portable one was on a metal reinforced table, and the larger stationed one was not too far from the furnace.

On the opposite side were tools primarily used for fixing or refurbishing items of different materials. Sakura mentioned doing wood sculptures as a hobby. This was the part of the workshop where she might probably lose the sense of time in her hobby.

.....

Beside the entrance was a stairway, but Vincent heard nothing regarding the first floor, so he believed it was empty.

[I feel nervous now. Byron gave us so much that I feel we can’t repay this favor with a simple thank you.]

Vincent frowned. He started to believe that this gift was too grand for helping his son Vopor and his friend Leonis.

“Is my workshop ugly?” Sakura asked after noticing the frown on Vincent’s face.

Vincent shook his head. “No. Nothing like that.”

“Then?” Sakura became interested to know what was on his mind. He frowned after entering the workshop, after all.

“This workshop feels more professional and grand than Kazumi, and I expected it to be. I feel Byron Sunrise has given us too much. ” Vincent told her about his and Kazumi’s worries.

Sakura placed two chairs next to the reinforced table. She grabbed a log, a couple of carving tools and sat down. “I want to make something as an apology. What do you like me to make.” She said in an apologetic tone.

Vincent sat beside her. His eyes went over to her horns, and an idea flashed in his mind. “I want to have horns like yours. Make me a mask with horns, and make it with scary fangs and intimidating so that I can wear it. I want it to look like the demon people are terrified of.”

Sakura became shocked by the unexpected request. However, she soon heard Vincent continue, “I can wear this mask while I am beside you and show those that glare at you how a real demon looks like.”

[A mask, huh? Not a bad idea. Concealing your identity might be necessary if we one day, let’s say, need to take out the trash, hehe.]

‘Wild imaginations as usual.’ Vincent thought. He simply wanted to make Sakura feel less burdened because of her race.

Vincent grabbed Sakura’s hands and smiled reassuringly at her. “So use these large delicate hands, and let’s scare some fools, hehe.” He winked at her and let go of her hands. “We have a day together. Why don’t we spend it here? Just the two of us without being bothered by anyone.”

Sakura took a while to regain her thought process. The man she loves wants to receive hate instead of her. He wants to protect her even after she reduced him to this state for only one night with her.

‘I... I don’t deserve a man like Vincent.’ Sakura covered her face while this thought caused tears to fall. Later, she wiped her tears and decided to do what Vincent requested.

However, Sakura soon frowned and looked at the wooden block as it was a block of unscratchable metal. “... I...” She blushed and averted her gaze. “I can’t envision a scary demon right now... I try so hard to be feminine and act weak that...”

“I understand.” Vincent interrupted. He stood up and stretched his body.

“Overheat.” He started mutating, and his presence of dread increased. He wanted to help Sakura with the demon mask project.

Vincent glared at Sakura with his soul-piercing glowing gaze, yet she was primarily unaffected. Sakura was his retainer, and the mutation influencing his intent dampened the effects on Sakura instead of increasing it. Furthermore, Sakura experienced what being tortured to the brink of death feels like.

Vincent needed to up the pace if he wanted to show Sakura a scary concept. He placed his hand on her shoulder and said with a hoarse voice, “I will help my woman envision how everyone has a demon inside. Let me begin by eating you.”

Soon, loud noises of tools falling and tables moving forcefully echoed nearby. But only trees and a double-layered wall were nearby. The workshop was sturdily built, yet it could be seen shaking from up close.

*A few hours later*

“It’s done! This mask looks scary, intimidating and it also has horns like mine. I will come to find you, my love, next time I need inspiration.” Sakura said with a delighted smile.

Sakura raised a mask with a wide mouth, revealing sharp fangs. The horns were exactly like hers, and as Vincent requested, it had a mean glare with a deep frown.

Sakura went next to a sleeping body... Vincent lying on a moved reinforced table. She placed the mask on his face and said, “Yep, perfect fit. Even the eyeholes are in the precise eye position. I made this mask without taking Vincent’s head size for reference. Is it because of my new class, or did Vincent inspire me too much?”

Kazumi used her power to talk to Sakura and tease her about how Vincent was K.O. Sakura then spent some time rearranging everything in place. She cleaned Vincent and placed him on her shoulder.

The demon and her man dangling on her shoulder like a corpse entered the mansion. Lupa cried and kept saying how her mate was now officially broken. Sakura handling Vincent like a sack of potatoes didn’t help much with the current situation.

Previously, Kazumi asked Sakura to take Vincent to the mansion however she pleased. Kazumi was to inform and let Ester take care of the situation. Additionally, Kazumi promised Sakura that she would only mention Vincent offering more inspiration than he could handle.

Sakura placed Vincent on the sofa in the guest hall and let Ester handle the rest. She apologized, placed the mask on his face, and left to the kitchen.

“Sister Ester, why stop me? Bad sister broke my mate.” Lupa asked Ester.

*Sigh* “Let’s place Vincent on the bed.” Ester looked at the worrying Iris and continued, “Sister Iris can check his condition and leave him to me. I will take care of Vincent in my nighttime with our man.”

Surprisingly, Lilith approached Lupa and whispered something in her ear. Lupa placed Vincent on her shoulder, shapeshifted to combat form for more strength, and ran upstairs with Vincent dangling left and right.

“Be careful!” Iris ran after Lupa.

“Sister Lilith... what did you tell our excited and naive Lupa?” Ester asked.

As time passed and Lilith was getting used to everyone around her, Lilith’s true nature was becoming apparent. Good or bad, they had to wait to find out...

“Our lovely sister wants me to read her more of ~my~ books, hehe. Lupa is a connoisseur of love like me, hehe.” Lilith joked with lightly blushed cheeks.

Ester watched Lilith leave with a frown on her face.

‘Kazumi might not be the only one we need to worry about tainting our innocent Lupa.’ She thought.

Ester lifted the mask, and a chill ran down her spine. “Sakura is really expressive. Her fine work is intimidating me.” Ester looked at the mask more assertively, yet she couldn’t find any flaws as if the mask was a masterpiece.

“Was this made by inspiration alone? What did Vincent have to do to give Sakura so much vivid and expressive emotions.” Ester questioned while following the others upstairs.

Later, everyone but Vincent had dinner as he remained deep asleep. Ester let Plow enter the bedroom without a time condition, and the excited little blue fox praised Ester until she went to sleep.

“Kazumi, could you wake me up if Vincent wakes up? I think he will need to know how we didn’t do anything to Sakura after making our hearts skip a beat from the scare. Watching Vincent hanging on Sakura’s shoulder as if he was a pelt sacred me.” Ester said.

Kazumi entered into Ester’s Soul Domain and agreed to her proposal. However, both of them didn’t know Vincent would sleep for more than twelve hours to regain his energy.

*Day 74*

A new morning welcomed the Lionheart mansion. Vincent opened his eyes and stretched his body after hours of sleep. He turned his head and saw the sunlight entering the window and lighting the bedroom.

‘Shit! I think I am in trouble...’ He thought.

Vincent turned his head on the other side, and *Gahh!* his heart skipped a beat from a jump scare.

On the bed beside him was a woman with red hair, crimson eyes staring at him without blinking, and a mask more intimidating and expressive than he ever saw in his life.