Here I am to continue my previous story telling. Do you remember when I asked the boy about his wish? I laid out my offer to him that I will give him anything he wished for in exchange for his soul. So, he first said that he wished he wasn't lonely. So I gave him a friend.

And then when he was burning alive, he wanted revenge. So I gave him beauty and 'abilities'. In this world, anything goes for beautiful people. Especially beautiful people with evil powers. I didn't know why Adrian was a special case. Probably because I wanted to experiment with him since I've been happier lately. My love, Trance, had become mine so I just felt a little generous. So why not give him some of the evil abilities, no? Him being a half-demon would make his 'hidden charges' become a little more expensive after all. But of course he didn't know about all these.

Trance advised me not to be too cunning but I couldn't help myself. I'm the devil after all.

For all that… For his beauty, his demonic abilities, and a friend, I only gave him one thing. I gave him the painting. There were only two survivors from the fire; Adrian and the painting.

One beautiful day, I leisurely walked into a room full of paintings. I saw a painting that was all too familiar to me. It was a painting of a portrait of a man who is deformed and blind. The portrait moved his hideous eyes up and looked at me. It was supposed to be blind but it definitely could see me. It came from me. I made it. I gave them life. I leaned down towards the painting and asked; "what is your wish?" And then I smiled as I offered; "I will give you anything you wished for in exchange for…" I chuckled to myself as I thought of what to say next. "...Pure entertainment," I said. "Sounds nice?"

Who would turn down my generous offer? Of course none of them. Except for one person from a long, long time ago but that was all taken care of by now. So, I’m feeling really good this time. I’m feeling generous. Anyway, do you know the story of Narcissus? He who had fallen in love with himself and later was brought to his own demise. I think a lot of people have forgotten the original story though they use the term 'narcissism' a lot in their daily life.

It's time to remember him.

The portrait said; “All I wanted was to be with Adrian. I love him. I love him the most in the world.”

Poor little unknown being… he was Adrian's friend when Adrian was deformed and blind. Adrian didn't even know that he was talking to the portrait of himself. A portrait of a beautiful boy in the painting that I delivered to him through many people's hands. He took the portrait's beauty and after the fire, the stolen portrait was abandoned in a stuffy and dusty room. Such a poor, poor existence. I couldn't bear not to help him, could I? Didn’t I say that I’m feeling generous lately?

Trance would advise me not to be too calculative but I couldn't help myself. This is Adrian McGroy’s 'hidden charges' after all.

Allow me to reiterate. I only gave him one thing. I gave him the painting. There were only two survivors from the fire; Adrian and Devon. Do you get me now?

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*Author’s Note: The next chapter is the last chapter and then an epilogue will follow. If you still don’t get it, let me tell you the simple truth; Devon is the painting. He wasn’t originally a human being. -K

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NEXT UPDATE: 2023/04/18

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