Chapter 649: The Awakening Of A Love Demon

Seeing her friend in such a state, Maria didn’t dare agitate her further.

Honestly, she was a little scared Diana might actually bite her.

So instead, she quietly sat down on her seat like an obedient little girl, folding her hands in her lap and waiting patiently for Diana to speak again.

The silence stretched.

One minute.

Two.

Three.

Finally, Diana stirred.

But surprisingly, when she looked, she wasn’t agitated anymore.

Her expression had shifted to something much calmer, almost serene.

It was as if she had made up her mind about something during those quiet moments.

She looked at Maria with gentle eyes.

"Maria." She said softly. "You’re interested in Cassius, aren’t you?"

Maria immediately flustered at the statement that came out of nowhere.

"W-What?! No, I—I don’t—I mean—" She waved her hands frantically, her face burning.

Diana simply chuckled, a knowing sound.

"Don’t lie to me, dear."

She tilted her head, her eyes warm but perceptive.

"The fact that you’re asking questions like whether Cassius would be interested in you tells me everything I need to know. You’re interested in him."

Maria’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

"I was looking at you just now." Diana continued. "Watching how flustered you got. How you reacted to everything I said about him. It’s quite obvious that you want something to do with him."

She leaned forward slightly.

"And I’m not stupid, Maria. I can tell that you probably already feel something for him."

"So honestly tell me—is it true or not?"

Maria wanted to deny it.

The words were right there on the tip of her tongue, ready to spill out and protect her from this vulnerability.

But then she looked into Diana’s eyes.

There was no judgment there. No teasing. No hidden agenda.

Just genuine concern. Just a friend who wanted to hear the truth, whatever it might be.

Maria let out a long sigh.

"Fine." She whispered. "I’ll tell you."

She took a breath, gathering herself.

"The truth is..." She gulped. "I do find myself thinking about Cassius sometimes. More than sometimes, actually."

Diana’s face broke into a warm smile.

"I don’t know why." Maria continued, her voice growing softer. "But he keeps appearing in my head. And every time anyone speaks of him, my impression of him gets even better."

She quickly added,

"But that’s of course because everyone keeps talking about him and praising him! It’s only natural that I’d think about someone who seems like some sort of saint in this world!"

She gestured vaguely.

"And it’s also because I feel bad about rejecting him! I feel pity for him because of that! That’s the reason, not anything else!"

Diana didn’t look convinced.

"Is that really what you’re going to tell me?" She asked gently. "Do you really not feel anything for Cassius? Nothing at all in the depths of your heart?"

"Nothing that stirs you up, even a little bit?"

Maria froze.

And in that moment, despite herself, she thought about it.

She thought about him.

And more than anything, she thought about the first time they had met.

The proposal and the way he had looked at her with such sincerity, such vulnerability, such love in that moment.

She remembered how warm that made her feel. How cherished. How wanted.

Especially when he cried.

He had actually cried for her. Tears streaming down his face because he was so afraid she would say no, because he wanted her so badly, because he loved her.

No one had ever cried for her before.

No one had ever wanted her that much.

The thought of it made her heart flutter. Made her stomach feel warm. Made her lips curve into a small, involuntary smile.

Then she realized Diana was still watching her.

She quickly covered her face with her hands, but it was too late.

Diana had seen everything.

Maria peeked through her fingers, a reluctant, slightly pity-filled smile on her face.

"To be honest, Diana..." She said quietly. "...even if I did feel something for him, even if I did want something from him it’s just a passing feeling. It won’t last. After all, once again, I’m too old for him."

She lowered her hands.

"I’m a mother. Like you said. And even if I could get past that, there’s still the fact that I’m a sister dedicated to the Goddess. I really can’t go past that."

She forced a big smile onto her face—the kind of smile that was clearly fake, clearly forced, clearly meant to hide everything she was really feeling.

"So no matter what you say, no matter what you believe, and no matter what I myself might think..." She shook her head. "I don’t think I can ever get together with Cassius."

"He’s...He’s better off without me."

Hearing this, Diana let out a deep sigh.

Because she could see it so clearly.

Maria wanted something else.

She wanted to want him, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

And this wasn’t just because of Cassius.

Diana had been watching her friend for years now.

Paying attention to the small changes, the subtle shifts in behavior.

In the past, Maria hadn’t really thought about romantic affairs at all.

Love and relationships weren’t on her radar. She was completely satisfied with being with her daughter, spending her time praying, helping people, doing charitable deeds.

That was enough for her. It had been enough for the previous quarter of her life.

But recently?

Over the past few years, something had shifted.

Probably because of age.

Probably because loneliness was finally catching up to her.

Probably because she had spent so many years giving and giving without ever receiving anything in return.

Whatever it was, recently she would often talk about relationships when they spoke.

Mention a couple she had seen walking down the road, and how happy they seemed.

Gush over a wedding she had attended, describing every detail with such longing that it was almost like she was imagining her own.

Another time, she had talked about how nice it would be to have Joy as a baby again.

To nurse her and feed her and hold her close.

And Diana had recognized that longing for what it was—a desire for another child.

A desire for a family of her own.

Slowly, indirectly, Maria was subconsciously moving toward wanting a relationship.

Toward wanting love in her life. Toward wanting to experience that for herself.

The feeling had been blooming inside her for years.

Diana had even tried to suggest, gently, that she could pursue a relationship if she wanted.

But Maria always brushed it off. Called her ridiculous. Said she was reading too much into things.

And Diana couldn’t push. Couldn’t force. Could only watch and wait and hope.

But now?

Now it was most definite.

Maria was interested in Cassius.

Diana had confirmation.

But at the same time, Maria was fighting it with everything she had. Using every excuse she could find—her age, her status as a mother, her vows to the Goddess.

But those weren’t the real reasons.

The real reason was deeper.

Her insecurities.

Her vulnerabilities.

That terrible, poisonous thought that she couldn’t be loved.

That anyone who claimed to love her would eventually abandon her, just like he had.

If Maria gave Cassius a chance—if she just let him properly into her life—Diana knew exactly what would happen.

He would break through those walls.

He would show her what true love felt like.

He would change her into a different woman entirely.

But she had rejected him. Never even gave him a chance.

And now here she was, sitting across from Diana, forcing a smile while her eyes betrayed everything she was really feeling.

Diana’s heart ached for her friend.

This could have been the turning point. The moment when Maria finally achieved true happiness.

But she had pushed it away, and now she was stuck in this painful limbo of wanting and denying.

Diana felt so bad.

If only she could do something about it. If only she could change things. If only she could give Cassius another opportunity—give Maria another opportunity.

But she couldn’t.

’...Or could I?’

The thought stopped her cold.

Why shouldn’t she take this opportunity and intervene?

Why shouldn’t she try to bring them together, to give them both the happiness they deserved?

The moment that thought crystallized in her mind—

A big smile spread across her face.

Not her usual gentle, elegant smile.

Something else entirely.

Something mischievous. Something playful.

Something that made her look less like the Holy Healer of the human kingdom and more like a little devil who had just hatched a wonderful plan.

Or rather, a love demon.

A love demon who was ready to stir up some trouble.

All for the sake of making her best friend and her husband get together.