Belial didnt think she had stumbled upon some earth-shattering secret.
A man who dared to declare the gods extinct on the lands of the Western Continent, who ushered in a new era and won the people's allegiance, who, in a mere century, expanded Yugatshira's territory to the brink of dominion over the entire continenthow could such an emperor not have a darker side?
Besides, she had studied history.
Over a hundred years ago, when the monarchy waned and the Light Church clashed fiercely with the Parliament, Bader, the saint of the Light Church, not only overthrew the old dynasty and suppressed the Parliament but also turned against the very institution that had nurtured him. Without hesitation, he severed the church's influence, discarding it as one would a festering wound. He refused to let any force share his seat at the table, even if that force had once been his greatest benefactor.
With ambition and ruthlessness like that, how could he ever be a kind and gentle beacon of warmth?
But so what? What did that have to do with Belial?
To her, absolutely nothing.
And so, she swiftly cast Bader from her thoughts.
Her gaze shifted from the reflection in Abyss eyes to his entire face.
The dark-haired undead was still staring at her, dazed. If "blinding" was an objective physiological assessment of Bader from her perspective as a vampire, not truly an insult, then "hypocrite" was undeniably a condemnation.
Abyss found the word more fitting than anything else, yet for years, no one had ever voiced such an observation. So when he suddenly heard it now, it felt almost unreal.
"Why are you spacing out?" Belial closed the book in her hands, setting it down before reaching out to trace Abyss' cheek with her fingertips.
Abyss snapped back to reality. He lifted his hand, pressing it over hers, pulling her palm closer against his skin.
Elves and vampires both had naturally low body temperatures, yet Belial palm carried an unusual warmth. It reminded Abyss of the dragon scales he had seen on her back that night, of the lessons he had overheard outside the classroom that morning.
He was becoming increasingly aware of how mysterious, powerful, and perceptive this half-elf before him was. And at the same time, he realized that even without Bader as a rival, he might never truly possess her.
"Its nothing," Abyss murmured, concealing his unease as he leaned in to kiss her.
Perhaps they had no future, but for now, at least, they were together.
Abyss poured all his restraint into that kiss, savoring the sweetness of something he had never owned and might never keep.
Belial keenly sensed his unease but, unlike the night before, she did not comfort him.
A little harmless coaxing was one thing, but staying, truly staying, was another.
From the moment she had asked Abyss to help her find books in the library, to assist in refining the magic array for her departure, she had already demonstrated her resolute heart.
As she felt the desperate urgency in Abyss restrained yet fervent kisses, a quiet sigh slipped from her lips. He was utterly intoxicating in his vulnerability. The bed was still unmade, but the sofa seemed good enough.
The two surrendered to the depths of their desire, oblivious to anything beyond the intoxicating pull between them.
As for Bader, the moment Belial uttered "hypocrite," his amusement at Abyss misfortune ceased. Instead, his gaze lingered on Belial, studying her as if, for the first time, this half-elf who had enchanted Abyss had finally proven herself worthy of his attention.
But soon enough, he closed his "eyes" again, severing his shared perception with Abyss with a flicker of irritation.
He had assumed this would be nothing more than another passionate kiss, like the one in the second-floor hallway yesterday.
That was until the half-elf slipped her hand beneath Abyss shirt.
It wasnt until the very last momentbefore he cut off his awareness entirelythat he realized Abyss had pulled her onto his lap, his grip tightening around her thighs as his hands traced along her soft skin, slipping beneath the hem of her dress
---
The next morning, before dawn had fully broken, Abyss silently slipped out of Belial office the same way he had come.
Before leaving, he tidied the disheveled bed, carried her over to it, and even cleaned the sofa they had left in disarray.
Bader, knowing him well, stirred precisely as the office door clicked shut. The dim glow of candlelight flickered against the corridor walls as he opened his eyes, about to speak
"Shut up."
Abyss voice was low, cold, and brimming with unspoken warning.
Two hours after Abyss departure, the morning sun fully illuminated the schools towering castle. The once-silent corridors filled with the lively chatter of students heading to the grand hall for breakfast.
By now, Frey Bright had recovered from his injuries, thanks to five bottles of potion a day and sleepless nights of enduring the agony of his bones knitting back together. Given leave from the infirmary, he didnt join the rest of the students for breakfast. Instead, he made his way to Belial office.
That day, when Headmistress Gullveig had taken him to the infirmary, she had patiently pried into his thoughts. In response, he had cautiously hinted at his suspicions regarding Belial true identity.
Upon realizing that Freys so-called "important matter" referred to this, the headmistress had promptly forbidden him from wandering around and instead advised him to consult his family firstto discuss the matter with the Duke and Duchess.
Frey had indeed sought answers, but he had only written to his mother, avoiding his father entirely. The possibility that Belial might be his half-sister was too delicate a matter.
His letter was dispatched the same day. By the next, one of his fathers trusted aides, Gulen, arrived at the school bearing a personal letter from both the Duke and the Duchess.
The letter adamantly denied any blood relation between Belial and their family. Resemblance alone, they insisted, did not imply kinship. They urged him to focus on his recovery and promised to visit him in due time.
The closing signatures read: *With love, Chloris. And your mother.*
"Then why are you still hung up on this?" Outside Belial office, Castor, one of Freys childhood friends, leaned against his twin brother Pollux, voicing his confusion.
Castor and Pollux, both beastfolk twins, had grown up alongside Frey.
They had been there to comfort him after his slump in the classroom, to wrestle with him in the halls, and later, to help him sneak out of the infirmary.
Between the three of them, their combined rule-breaking and accumulated disciplinary letters could probably line the entirety of the school's staircases.
"I think theyre lying to me," Frey muttered. "Not once before have they ever delayed visiting me after I was injured. Even if my mother cant leave the Elven Sanctuary, my father wouldnt just ignore me. This is the first time theyve ever been absentonly sending a letter through Gulen the next day."
"They're hiding something." Frey was convinced of it.
"Not the first time, though," Pollux reminded him. "Last year, after you fought with your father and refused to go home for the holidays, you tried to steal a water nymphs gemstone from Silent Lake for Elurys birthday and ended up getting your leg bitten. Your father didnt come then either."
"But I wasnt fighting with him this time!" Frey shot back. "And that was different! He was the one in the wrong back then!"
"Enough," Castor sighed. "Figure out how you're going to talk to Belial*Professor* Belial. You cant just march in and ask, 'Hey, are you my sister?' She might hit you again."
Frey ruffled his golden hair in frustration. "Then how the hell am I supposed to ask?"
For once, the ever-reckless young noble found himself at a loss, seriously discussing strategies with his friends.
Just as they were settling on an approach, a young girl approached the office door as well.
Before she could knock, Frey blocked her path. "We were here first. No cutting."
The girl glanced up at the three upperclassmen and, wisely, stepped back.
Frey smoothed his hair, adjusted his attire, took a deep breath, and knockedthree times, firm but not overbearing.
No answer.
He knocked againthree more times.
Just as he raised his fist for a third attempt, the door swung open.
Standing behind it was Belialfreshly dressed but unkempt, her hair unbrushed, her glasses absent.
With her hood and spectacles gone, Frey found himself utterly transfixed.
It took a sharp jab from both twins to snap him out of it.
"Uhhello, Belial."
"You should call her *Professor,*" the little girl muttered under her breath.
Belial gaze shifted to the child.
Bravely, the girl stepped forward. "Professor, may I speak with you?"