Later that night, Caelus went to Rhodeia's magnificent library. Curfew wasn't for another two hours, so he had some time to spare.
His mother was once a professor here at the college. A very influential one, at that. She was known to be eccentric and a borderline megalomaniac, often locking herself in a lab dedicated only to her.
Now, it was as if she never existed. Her name had appeared here and there, but never was it concrete.
Rumors say that she promptly resigned after House Luvelaine went off to war, and thereafter disappeared. She must've succumbed to grief and sorrow.
"Bull shit," Caelus whispered under his breath.
He shut the book aggressively. At the bottom of the cover was a name that sparked resentment within him.
Esteramaline de Luvelaine.
That was the only thing he remembered about her. A name. He couldn't recall what she was like, what her hobbies were, or how she treated him and his sister. He couldn't even put a face on her.
For years leading up to the Shaduwar, she spent most of her time working as a professor and continuing her research. Very rarely did she come home, and when she did, she stayed no more than a few hours.
His birthday didn't matter to her. Celine's coming-of-age ceremony didn't either.
"As if you ever cared about our family," he muttered. "If you did... you would've come back. You would've been there. Maybe you could've saved Father, and none of this would've happened. Instead, you buried yourself in your work. You made your decision... and it wasn't us. Some mother you were."
"Oh dear."
Caelus perked up at the sound of that voice. He twisted his head to see a tall, beautiful woman leaning against the edge of a bookshelf, watching him with a gentle smile.
"P-Professor Silva..."
"My apologies for eavesdropping, darling," she said. "I was just passing by and heard the lovely voice of my dear student. What brings you to the library so late in the evening?"
"Ah... I was just... studying."
"Studying?"
Her eyes trailed to the book resting in front of him.
"To reverse fate," she cited the book's title. "It seems like I'm learning something new every day. You didn't strike me as someone who would indulge in impossible theories."
"Oh, this? It just... looked interesting. That's all."
"Is that so? Then, as you were."
For a moment longer, he stared at the name at the bottom of the book. Just then, Silva approached the table and sat on the other side.
"On second thought... something seems to be troubling you," she said.
"...Sorry? I'm not sure that I—"
"I've lived a very long life, darling. Those eyes of yours... I would know them better than anyone. Unfortunately, you can't fool me. So tell me. What's wrong?"
Caelus found himself feeling subtly nervous. It was the same feeling he'd get whenever he was left alone with Limbo, the first seat of the Malevolence, but this time was far more imposing. Perhaps it was her eyes, which were void of any emotions, as if her soul had long since left. Or maybe it was the way she wore that smile that was both soothing and eerie at the same time.
"It's nothing you need to worry about, Professor," Caelus said.
"Ah, but it does worry me. My class is already so small this year. It simply wouldn't do for me to ignore the woes of my very few students, hmm?"
"I appreciate that, but with all due respect, my problems don't concern you. It's something that I have to handle on my own."
"Fufu~ how strange. This isn't the first time someone has said that to me, and it just so happens that they share the same blood."
Caelus flinched.
"Share... the same blood...?"
"I must say, this evening has proven to be quite interesting so far. I take a nice, relaxing stroll to the library, only to find one of my lovelies sitting alone while muttering such slanderous words about Stella."
Immediately, he shot up from his seat, staring at Silva with wide eyes.
"Fufu~ It would seem I've successfully caught your attention."
"I knew it," Caelus said, his voice low. "You remember me."
Silva's smile stretched wider.
He remembered very little of his mother, but the one thing etched in his memory was her name. Only those closest to her ever called her Stella, and his father had been one of them.
"Of course I do," Silva scoffed softly. "I'd be a fool to forget the son of my good friend. But what puzzles me is..."
Her gaze shifted upward toward the top of a nearby bookshelf, where a certain feline figure was barely visible, her tail flicking nervously.
"...how a lost little demon managed to slip in here. A commander, no less."
Alune stiffened, her eyes wide.
"W-what...?"
In a flash, Caelus moved, shoving his chair back with a sharp scrape. Dark matter crackled to life in his palm, ready to fire. But before the spell could even form, a cold hand gripped his wrist like a steel clamp.
"Ah ah ah~ darling," Silva chimed, her voice teasing and unnervingly close.
Caelus whipped his head around. The professor sitting across from him shimmered, breaking apart like dust on the wind. The real one stood beside him now with one hand gripping his wrist and a smug smile on her lips.
"Already forgetting our lesson on illusions? I took you to be the more studious type. Was I perhaps wrong?"
With a quick twist, she forced a sharp grunt from his throat. The dark orb in his hand blinked out of existence.
"Caelus!" Alune called.
In an instant, she leapt down from the shelf, her body shifting midair from a cat to her true form. She lashed out with a roundhouse kick aimed at Silva's head.
However, it did very little. Silva raised her free arm and blocked it without budging an inch. With a flick of her leg, she swept Alune's footing from beneath her. Alune stumbled forward, but before she could hit the floor, Silva's hand shot out, snatching her by the throat.
With both Caelus and Alune restrained in her grasp, Silva's smile turned razor-sharp.
"My, my," she mused. "What an interesting evening indeed."
Her narrow eyes looked down at Caelus, striking fear into him that only Lord Arkus was ever capable of.
"Now then... are you ready to have a civilized discussion now? You wanted to know about your mother, didn't you? After all, isn't that why you decided to take my class, Dear Caelus?"
It was exactly as she said. The reason why Caelus chose to major in Dark Magic is that he recognized the professor's name. Silva Ains was his father's friend, often visiting the Luvelaine estate before the Shaduwar.
He always had a lingering thought in the back of his head that Silva remembered him, but he never pursued it. Perhaps that was a mistake.
Finally, he spoke.
"Fine. But first..."
He scowled dangerously.
"...let go of Alune."
It was small, but Silva flinched. Despite the fact that she clearly had the upper hand, she felt a sudden pressure emanating from those raging eyes. This child could never hurt her. That much, she was confident in.
And yet... her guts told her to do as he said.
"Very well."
Silva released her grip. Alune dropped to the floor, coughing as air rushed back into her lungs. Without sparing her another glance, Silva turned to Caelus, her fingers still clamped around his wrist.
"And you..." she murmured. "I'd suggest you stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Caelus gritted his teeth.
"What are you talking about? How could my own mother have nothing to do with me?"
A faint, humorless smile tugged at Silva's lips.
"Don't misunderstand, darling. I never said she has nothing to do with you. But to seek her now? That's a path even I couldn't walk. Stella… is somewhere you cannot reach."
"So I'm just supposed to give up?"
Silva yanked him closer, capturing his gaze within hers. And her eyes, something vast and starless, were like a void that swallowed the night sky whole.
"That's the only choice you have... for now. If you must find her, then prove to me you deserve to know."
"Prove it?" he muttered. "How?"
"Show me. Here, at Rhodeia College. Prove to me that you can face the impossible without flinching. Only then will I divulge her whereabouts. Because as you are now, Caelus de Luvelaine... you are not ready."
Silva finally released his wrist and turned toward Alune, who was still regaining her footing. Despite the demon in front of her, Silva sensed no malice in those eyes.
"Tell me, commander. What's your relationship to Caelus?"
"Caelus...? He's... my friend."
Silva gave a dry chuckle.
"Friend... how quaint."
Without another word, she strode for the door, leaving a tense, heavy silence in her wake. Caelus and Alune exchanged uneasy glances.
"You're just... letting us go?" Caelus called after her.
Silva paused next to the end of the bookshelves, a faint smirk growing on her lips.
"Letting you go? Hardly. I'll be watching you, darling. I care little for demons, but I like to judge character before I act. Right now, you are my student, and as your professor, I have an obligation to take care of you. However, if you ever put the others at risk..."
She didn't need to finish the sentence, and the weight of it lingered in the air long after she left.