The man following Damon sprinted toward him with urgency, having clearly seen the vlogger's full intent —
Jay looked ready to stab Damon with the metal camera handle clutched in his hand.
"Stop! Hey—STOP!" the follower shouted as he ran.
But something else caught Damon's attention.
As the man rushed to close the distance, someone suddenly appeared behind him — a woman.
And the man froze for a moment, shouting over his shoulder:
"Loren! Stay there! Don't come any closer! I'm sorry… but I have to help this guy!"
Damon narrowed his eyes.
Loren…?
He glanced toward the spot the man pointed at —
and saw her.
A woman standing still in the corner of the alley, watching, silent, like she didn't belong to the chaos unfolding around them.
Before Damon could process further, the man surged forward again —
just in time to shove Damon out of the way.
The vlogger's swing came crashing down, but the man intercepted it, taking the blow meant for Damon.
"Get away from here!" the man shouted, voice filled with urgency.
"Go! Move!"
He shielded Damon with his own body, pushing him back from danger as Jay — still under mind control — prepared to strike again.
Damon saw it clearly —
the sharp metal edge of the camera handle pierced the man's arm as he caught Jay's strike meant for Damon.
Blood dripped down the man's sleeve…
yet he didn't flinch.
Not even a wince of pain.
Damon stared, confused.
Why isn't he reacting?
No normal person could take a blow like that without collapsing.
Then, just as suddenly, Damon felt his ability slip away.
The mind control over Jay broke.
The vlogger blinked rapidly, confused, his eyes clearing as he looked around in panic.
The only thing he registered was the camera handle in his hand… and the man in front of him with a bleeding arm.
"W-What? What happened!?" Jay stammered, voice shaky.
Fear overwhelmed him, and he stepped back.
"S-Sorry! Sorry!" he babbled before turning and sprinting away as fast as he could, disappearing around the corner.
Damon hardly noticed him.
His focus was locked entirely on the man who had saved him.
And then —
Damon saw it.
The wound that had been dripping blood seconds ago…
began to close.
The torn flesh knit itself together.
The skin sealed seamlessly.
In just a heartbeat, the injury was gone.
Completely gone.
Healing ability? Damon thought, eyes narrowing as he tried to understand what kind of Arcana stood before him.
But before he could speak, a scream ripped through the alley.
Damon turned sharply.
There — on the ground — was the woman from earlier.
The one the man had called Loren.
She had fallen to her knees, clutching her arm —
the exact same spot where the man had been wounded moments ago.
Her face twisted in agony.
Her breath shook.
It was as if she had been stabbed, not the man.
Damon felt a chill crawl up his spine.
A healing Arcana…
but the pain had been transferred to someone else.
But Damon knew he couldn't reveal what he had observed —
not when this man already had suspicions about him.
He had to pretend.
He had to act like an ordinary civilian who understood nothing.
So Damon approached the man with a look of confusion and gratitude, playing his role perfectly.
"Thank you… thank you for saving me," he said, acting shaken.
"I—I don't even know what happened. That vlogger suddenly went berserk and tried to attack me. I panicked… all I could do was run and call for help."
He even checked the man's arm, pretending he hadn't seen the wound heal before his eyes.
"Oh, your injury… it looks like it's healing already," Damon said, feigning relief.
The man quickly covered his arm with his hand, hiding the fact that the wound had completely vanished.
"I'm fine," he replied calmly.
"It's nothing."
Damon nodded, still acting clueless, then extended his hand.
"I'm Damon. Damon Ashcroft.
Thank you for saving me, sir.
May I know your name?"
The man paused for a moment.
"Ah… it was nothing," he said modestly.
"I just happened to be nearby and saw what was happening."
Then he gave his name.
"Alfi."
When Alfi introduced himself, he immediately remembered his partner — Loren.
He turned and saw her still kneeling on the ground, wincing in pain.
Because of their Lovers Arcana bond, any pain Alfi received was transferred to her.
She endured every wound he took.
Alfi's eyes widened in worry.
He rushed to her side, kneeling beside her.
"Loren… I'm sorry.
I had to help that man."
Despite the pain twisting her features, Loren managed a small, understanding nod.
She knew Alfi's heart — he would never ignore someone in danger.
But then her expression darkened.
"Alfi… what if he's like us?" she whispered.
"What if the man you saved… is also an Arcana?"
Alfi froze for a moment, doubt flickering in his mind.
He replayed Damon's panicked reactions, the fear in his voice, the way he pleaded for help.
Based on everything he saw…
Damon looked like nothing more than a helpless man caught in the wrong place at the wrong time —
no signs of power, no aura of danger, no hint of an Arcana.
Alfi shook his head slowly.
"I don't think so," he said.
"He didn't show anything. No ability. No resistance. Just fear."
To Alfi, Damon was simply a victim.
But he had no idea…
Damon had played the role perfectly.