Sylas's story isn't actually that long.
Once, Sylas was a poor young man from the border town of Sidewash. His family's conditions were even worse than Ino's, but even so, when he was discovered to be a Deamonsworn, his parents persuaded him to surrender himself to the Demon Searcher.
"From that perspective, you're much braver than I am," Ino thought silently. "At least when I found out I could turn the water in a cup into ice, I didn't dare go to the Demon Searcher to surrender."
After surrendering, Sylas described his Deamonsworn symptoms in detail. Unlike Ino's direct control over frost, Sylas could see other people's magic—and this talent led the Demon Searcher to accept him, allowing him to become a member of the Demon Searcher, seeking out mages hidden among the populace.
"It's a good thing I didn't meet him," Ino secretly thought with relief. "This ability... it's too terrifying."
Sylas apparently didn't know what Ino was thinking; he continued to tell his story.
After becoming a Demon Searcher, he was forbidden from having contact with others; everything had to go through his disciplinarian. Even as a member of the Demon Searcher, his identity as a mage was still feared.
However, it was after becoming a Demon Searcher that Sylas discovered an incredibly astonishing truth—the existence of magic was far more common than people imagined; even the estates of noble families often shimmered with magic's unique aura!
"Are you sure you didn't misinterpret it?" Ino found Sylas's statement somewhat hard to believe. "Nobles can use magic?"
"I'm certain I didn't," Sylas snorted. "They badmouth mages with their mouths, but they show no hesitation when using magic themselves!"
At this moment, Ino remembered the person who forced her to use magic—Kodora was just like that.
Although that scoundrel didn't seem to understand magic, he still knew how to exploit it.
"And then what?" Ino didn't continue to question. "Did you expose this?"
"I'm not an idiot," Sylas shook his head, smiling helplessly. "Nobles and commoners are different; they can use it, but that doesn't mean I can talk about it—even knowing this, I could only honestly remain a Demon Searcher."
"..."
"Later, during one mission, I discovered a barn filled with magic," Sylas said with a complex tone. "I had never seen such astonishing magic, like a brewing lightning storm—so, I reported it to my disciplinarian, and then entered the barn."
"..."
"Inside the barn, I saw a little girl," Sylas's story continued. "She was probably less than ten years old, maybe not even eight—but the magic she possessed was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life. Seeing the blue robe on me, she tried hard to suppress her arc lightning, attempting to hide in the corner."
Ino still didn't speak, but her mood was not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
"When underage Deamonsworn are discovered, most are ordered to drink anti-magic potions; those things mixed with Petricite powder don't taste good," Sylas sighed again. "But the magic on this little girl was too astonishing. Once she was discovered, the outcome would inevitably be banishment—and given her age, it would be very difficult for her to survive without her family, so I wanted her to escape first."
"..."
"I lied to my disciplinarian, but he saw through my lie," Sylas recalled the situation at the time, speaking slowly. "He wanted to control that little girl with Petricite, but he failed—the long-brewing lightning exploded, completely Consuming her, her father, and the disciplinarian who tried to capture her."
Sylas's story ended there.
After telling everything, he leaned against the railing, somewhat dejectedly.
And Ino didn't speak either.
The Forbidden Magic Prison's "Youth Class" fell into silence once more.
After a long while, Ino finally spoke.
"Mr. Sylas, I deeply sympathize with what you've gone through," the little girl finally carefully approached him. "Regarding your past, regarding your pain... although I cannot fully empathize, I can still understand."
"Of course, you can understand," Sylas said with a bitter smile. "We are, after all, the same kind of people—those forgotten and abandoned by this glamorous nation."
"No, that's not true," Ino, though showing sympathy, shook her head firmly. "Demacia has not abandoned us, just as you once became a Demon Searcher, and Miss Lux and I became friends."
"You and Lux became friends?" Sylas was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh aloud. "Are you serious, little girl? You're saying you and that noble lady are friends?"
"That's right!" Ino nodded. "Mages just have a bad background, like people born with a disability—"
"We are not disabled!" Sylas interrupted Ino. "Magic is a talent, not a defect—and being locked in the prison is never because of magic, but because we are commoners!"
"What are you saying?" Sylas's agitated statement greatly surprised Ino. She subconsciously waved her hand, refuting, "Magic is just magic; uncontrolled spells can only cause tragedy! I know this very well!"
"Only commoners' magic is Deamonsworn!" Sylas gnashed his teeth. "But for nobles, magic is just a minor issue!"
"How is that possible?" Ino shook her head in disbelief. "Before, a noble lord I knew was sentenced to hanging for using magic; the only help his noble status gave him was avoiding beheading and leaving a complete corpse..."
"That's because he failed in a political struggle!" Sylas sneered. "The relationship between nobles and magic is far closer than you imagine—for example, Miss Lux, whom you think is your friend, she is also a Deamonsworn!"
"Miss Lux... a Deamonsworn?" Ino suddenly stood up, looked around, then rolled the book on the ground into a short stick, gripping it with both hands, adopting a defensive posture. "You actually slander her as a Deamonsworn?!"
"She is!" Sylas's face showed a mocking expression. "I clearly saw her sword; the hilt is the [Confessor's Relic] from within the Demon Searcher!"
"The Confessor's Relic?"
"Yes, a good item that only belongs to nobles. As long as you have it, you don't have to worry about magic going out of control or being exposed as a Deamonsworn." Sylas's expression gradually twisted. "My disciplinarian once said that if I could serve the Demon Searcher indefinitely, when this relic became available, I might be able to apply to use it..."
"!!!"
"She's the little princess of the Crownguard Family, right?" Sylas's mockery continued. "Nobles also have ranks. I remember that relic had an owner—it seemed to be some minor noble? But it was useless. The little princess of the Crownguard Family needed it, so it could only be offered to that little princess..."
"Enough!" At this moment, Ino finally couldn't bear it anymore. "Shut your filthy mouth, murderer! Don't use your evil to speculate about Lux!"
"Speculate? Hahahahahahaha—next time she comes, go ask her yourself. Maybe she'll be happy to share this secret with you, who knows?"
"..."
"Of course, it's more likely she'll feel a wave of panic, then never want to see you again, or even actively silence you, who knows!"
"..."
"The friendship of a noble lady, hahahaha, that's the funniest joke I've heard in ten years. Wake up, little girl, you're not on the same path!"
"..."
"Never!"
I'm so uncomfortable not being able to ask for votes in the main text!
Also, Sylas has finally appeared!