"Consequences, huh…"
I muttered to myself, the word hanging heavy in the air.
If someone is found to be in contract with a demon, the church takes them. They call it cleansing.
But cleansing isn't what people imagine. It's not mercy, not purification—it's torment. They break the body and spirit, tearing the soul apart with rituals until nothing remains. And when the victim is too broken to even scream, they burn them with holy fire.
A treasure of the church.
A flame said to be born from divinity itself.
For demons, it's unbearable agony. Even thinking about that torture sent a shiver crawling down my spine, my hands clenching involuntarily.
But I forced myself to exhale.
"…Good thing I don't have any contracts with a demonic being."
The commander opened his mouth again, his tone sharp.
"Whatever it is, we'll uncover it tomorrow."
Tomorrow. I frowned, uncertain what he meant by that.
But before I could ask, his gaze shifted—away from me, and onto Liana. His voice grew heavier.
"There's a matter far more pressing than your so-called enlightenment… and your escapades."
Liana froze under his stare.
"Rumors are spreading through the fortress," he continued. "Rumors that you have awakened… and not just any element." He paused, his words weighted with meaning. "Divinity."
My breath caught.
Divinity. The rarest of all elements. A power said to be bestowed only by the Goddess herself, and so holy that even the Church guarded it with fanatic zeal.
There were only two known wielders of that element in the entire world—the current Pope, and the Saintess Candidate.
And now… Liana?
No wonder the old healer treated her with such reverence. To the world, a wielder of Divinity wasn't merely gifted—they were chosen.
You'd think awakening Divinity was a blessing. And maybe to the world, it was. A saintess revered by all. A place of power within the Church. Worship, respect, influence.
But I knew the truth.
It was a curse.
The Church brainwashed their Saintesses—turning them into obedient pawns draped in holy light. Everyone else sought to use them, or worse, eliminate them. The moment the truth spread, Liana's life wouldn't be her own anymore.
"Fucking hell," I muttered aloud.
Liana glanced at me, confused by my outburst. But Commander Arvel… he looked at me knowingly.
"You understand what it means, Kael," he said. His tone was grave, heavy. "It is indeed one of the rarest, most powerful elements—but it brings danger in equal measure. The Church has already caught wind of the rumors. Two days ago, they contacted Lord Eldric himself about the matter."
My chest tightened. What? Two days ago?
Arvel nodded grimly. "Lord Eldric has already dispatched someone from the main family. They will arrive tomorrow to confirm the truth."
"…Wait." My mind raced. "If they contacted my father two days ago… then… how long was I unconscious?"
The commander's eyes met mine. "A week, Kael. You were out for a week. And in that time, much has changed."
A week, I had been on the edge of death for a week.
"And tomorrow," Arvel continued, his voice firm, "both matters will be judged. Your enlightenment… and Lady Liana's awakening."
The room felt colder somehow. Tomorrow would decide everything.
"Go back and rest for today," he said, closing the matter. "Tomorrow, be at your best. I think someone important will come for this matter."
Those were his final words before dismissing us.
Liana and I walked out of the office and started making our way back to my room. But my mind was still in turmoil.
At first, I prayed she would only awaken the holy affinity. That would have been fine. No one would pay much attention—there are many others with holy affinity.
But she had awakened divinity.
An affinity above the holy.
And now I don't know what I can do.
I had just gained some power, found a path to get stronger, and convinced myself that I would rise, strong enough to protect her. But now… this matter has already gone far beyond my reach.
If I were still the heir of House Thorne, maybe I could have done something. Maybe I could have stood against it.
But now?
Now I am just the son of Thorne, with no prospects. Thrown into this third-class place as punishment—or worse, as someone already marked to die.
I turned my head toward Liana. She walked quietly beside me, her face carrying a confused expression. Maybe now she had realized her condition wasn't any better than she had thought.
I clenched my fists.
…I have to talk to her. Now.
We reached my room in silence.
I sat down on the edge of my bed, but Liana remained standing, her gaze lowered, as if lost in thought.
I wanted to speak to her—no, I had to—but the words tangled inside my throat. What could I even say? That she would have to leave me? That we couldn't stay together?
Before I could gather the courage, she spoke first.
"So… what will happen now?" Her voice was quiet, hesitant, carrying a weight of confusion and sorrow.
I opened my mouth… closed it again. My lips moved, but nothing came out. After several failed attempts, I forced myself to take a deep breath.
"I don't know," I admitted at last.
Her eyes lifted to mine, searching.
"But one thing is certain," I continued, my chest tightening with each word. "You can't live here anymore."
"Why?" she asked, louder this time, her tone desperate. "I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay here—with you."
"Liana…" I said softly, trying to steady my voice. "You've awakened divinity affinity. Do you understand what that means? It's one of the rarest affinities in the world. You can't stay in this backwater, in a place this dangerous. The main house will call for you. Or the church—they're the only ones capable of training someone like you."
Her lips trembled. "But I don't want that! I want to stay with you. I won't go anywhere!" Her voice cracked, on the edge of tears.
I clenched my fists. "We don't have that luxury anymore. Do you realize what you've awakened? Others will try to use you. Some will try to harm you. And those from the dark forces…" My jaw tightened. "They'll see you as a threat. They'll hunt you."
I shook my head. "You're not safe here. Not with me. I can't protect you—not from that."
Her tears finally broke free.
"I don't care about that, Kael!" she shouted, trembling. "I came here for you! Do you know how much I suffer every time you get hurt? How I prayed for a miracle when you weren't by my side? And when you came back, bleeding and nearly dead, I thought I'd lose you forever. I hated myself for being weak, for being useless!"
Her small hands clenched into fists at her sides. "But when I awakened this power, I was happy. Because finally… finally, I could protect you too. And now—now you're telling me I can't stay with you?" Her voice broke. "I don't want this…"
Her tears streamed freely, her shoulders trembling.
I rose and pulled her into my arms, holding her as tightly as I dared.
I wanted to say something, anything to comfort her—but there were no words.
Because the truth was, I didn't want her to go either.
She was the only light in this wretched world for me—the only warmth in this endless hell.
And now, that light was slipping away.
So I just held her, while she cried quietly in my arms.