The feeling of peace he had experienced in that unknown place began to fade little by little.
Elior opened his eyes slowly, as if his body refused to fully return. Three hours had already passed since the moment he had collapsed unconscious on the couch in Seraphine's apartment. He felt no pain. Just a faint, persistent buzzing in his head, annoying but far from unbearable.
"Ahg…" he muttered. "What just happened…? That was… intense."
He shifted slightly on the couch and then noticed.
Seraphine was asleep sitting beside him, her back resting awkwardly and her head tilted to one side. Elior frowned slightly and let out a short sigh.
"Sera… Sera…" he said softly, gently nudging her. "Wake up. Your back's going to hurt if you keep sitting like that."
She began to open her eyes little by little.
"Elior…? Elior?" She straightened up abruptly. "Elior! Are you okay? Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah, yeah," he replied quickly. "I feel much better, really. Thanks for helping me."
Seraphine studied him carefully, as if evaluating him.
"Are you sure? You didn't look well before…"
"I'm fine, seriously," he repeated. "Don't worry."
He hesitated for a second before adding:
"But I have a question…"
"Tell me."
"Where's my shirt?"
"Pfff…" Seraphine looked away. "I threw it in the wash. It was completely dirty. While you were unconscious I put cold compresses on you to lower your fever and… well, I decided to wash it. It should be drying by now."
"Seriously…?" Elior lowered his head slightly. "Thanks. Again."
"Elior…" She hesitated, then looked at him directly. "What happened? You were covered in blood… and running through the streets."
There were a few seconds of silence.
Elior inhaled slowly before speaking.
"Would you believe me if I said I don't remember absolutely anything?" he said. "Just that I ran into you."
It was a lie. A clear one. But she had no reason to know that.
Seraphine narrowed her eyes.
"No. Honestly… I don't believe you," she replied with honesty. "But fine, if you don't want to tell me…"
She stood up, slightly annoyed.
"You always do the same thing…" she muttered to herself, clenching her teeth in frustration.
Elior noticed immediately.
"Sera…" He stood up as well and walked toward her. "I'm really sorry. I don't want to drag you into this kind of thing. I just… want you to be safe."
"Safe?" She turned around abruptly. "Safe from what, Elior? I thought it was clear a few hours ago that those things don't scare me. And besides… I don't need you to protect me. I'm not a child. I can defend myself."
"I know," he replied quickly. "I know, Seraphine. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just… don't want to lose anyone else."
He remained silent for a few seconds before continuing:
"I can't get rid of Hina. Even when I try to push her away, she stays. And… if something happened to her because of me… I…"
"Hina…?" Seraphine repeated.
Then her eyes widened suddenly.
"Oh no!" she exclaimed. "No, no, no!"
She grabbed her phone and checked the time.
"It's 2:30 p.m.… I was supposed to meet Hina at two to have lunch at the mall…"
"Oh…" Elior tried to hide his amusement. "Good luck. You know how she gets when someone's late."
"Do you think she'll be mad…?"
"If it's the first time, no," he replied. "But you should call her."
Seraphine nodded.
"Your shirt's in the dryer, in the bathroom. Go get it. I'll change quickly and head out."
"Alright."
Elior walked to the bathroom while she ran to her room. However, before she could even put on her socks, the sound of the door was heard.
Seraphine ran out, putting on her shirt halfway and messing up her hair. She opened the door wide.
"Hina!" she said, hugging her. "Hi! Come in, come in, I'm almost ready."
Hina stepped inside, observing the messy couch, the fallen blanket, and the still-damp compresses.
"Let me guess," she sighed. "You fell asleep."
"Uh… yeah… I lost track of time…"
But the atmosphere froze when a voice came from the bathroom.
"I found the shirt, Sera, tha—"
Elior stopped when he saw Hina.
Hina saw him.
Without a shirt.
Then she looked at the couch.
Then at Seraphine, without socks and with messy hair.
"Oh…" she said slowly. "What the hell happened here?"
"No, no, no!" Elior and Seraphine said at the same time. "It's not what it looks like!"
"Okay…" Hina raised a hand. "I don't want details. I'd rather not interrupt."
She turned around to leave.
"Hina, wait!" Elior said. "It's really not what you think. I'll explain later, okay?"
He put on his shirt, his sneakers, and walked toward the door.
"You two were heading out… and I'm extremely in a hurry."
Hina stared at him.
"Elior… I'm not going to think you're running away, right?"
Elior, already at the door, shrugged and tucked his neck between his shoulders.
"No… not at all. See you later. Have fun."
He looked at Seraphine.
"And thanks."
"You're welcome," she replied with a smile.
Hina was now watching her carefully.
Elior left the apartment and sighed deeply.
"Okay… I'm safe for now. I need to go home…" he muttered. "Kael and the kids will leave soon…"
Elior walked through the neighborhood back home.
The air suddenly turned cold, as if winter had decided to arrive without warning. He rubbed his arms lightly.
"Looks like it's going to rain…" he murmured. "I need a coffee before heading back."
He entered a small café in the area. The doorbell rang softly.
"Hi," he said. "Could I get a double coffee, please?"
"Sure, give me a second," the waiter replied.
Elior sat at the counter near the door, looking outside while he waited. The fogged glass faintly reflected his face. Without realizing it, his mind drifted back to that memory.
The woman he couldn't identify.
The unknown place.
The feeling of living something that didn't belong to him.
It all felt too real. Too lived. But deep down, he knew: that wasn't his destiny. The path he had chosen would never lead him to a life like that.
While he was lost in those thoughts, he remembered he needed to buy fruit and a few things for the house. He took the coffee when it arrived and drank calmly.
Then the atmosphere changed.
It wasn't visible. No one else seemed to notice. But he did.
An abysmal pressure.
A presence that froze his blood.
It was the same aura he had felt during his fight with Death.
Elior tensed his body, trying to steady his breathing.
"Mind if I sit for a moment?"
He looked up sharply.
In front of him stood a pale-skinned woman, black hair perfectly tied back and green eyes so deep they seemed to devour the soul. Elior reacted instantly, his muscles tightening.
"Hey, calm down," she said quickly. "I'm not going to start a fight in such a lovely café. This time I just came to talk."
Without waiting for a response, she sat across from him.
The waiter arrived shortly after, lingering a second longer than usual, clearly distracted by the woman's beauty.
"Hello… welcome back," he said. "Would you like the usual coffee?"
"Yes, please," she replied. "No sugar this time. And if possible, a slice of lemon pie as well."
"I'll bring it right away."
Elior did not take his eyes off her for a second, prepared for anything.
"Hey, kid," the woman said with a soft laugh. "Seriously, calm down. If I had wanted to hurt you… or humiliate you again, I would have done it while you were sleeping on that couch. Next to the girl, who by the way is very pretty. And dangerous too…"
"If you dare touch her…" Elior interrupted, his voice low and his gaze hard.
"Hey," she replied. "I told you to calm down. And besides, even if I am Death, I don't take people just because I feel like it. There are rules. I don't go around killing people indiscriminately."
She leaned slightly forward.
"As I said, I just want to talk."
Elior clenched his jaw.
"What do you want?"
"Oh, for heaven's sake… you really are difficult," she sighed. "Fine, to the point. I need you to do me a favor."
"No."
"First," she continued, ignoring him, "you owe me for letting you live when you shouldn't. Second, for entering the Void. Honestly, you're a strange boy. Self-destructive enough to step into a place like that."
The order arrived.
"Thank you, Mateo, always so fast," she said naturally.
"You're welcome, I hope you enjoy it," the waiter replied before leaving.
"He's a good kid," she commented. "Too bad he'll die in a few days."
Elior froze.
The coldness with which she said it made his stomach churn.
"I don't want to keep listening to you," he said. "I'm leaving."
"Oh, please, Elior," she replied calmly. "Don't you want to be stronger? To achieve your goal? Though, by the way, it's quite extremist… but that doesn't matter to me. Minor details."
She rested her elbow on the table.
"Come with me in a few days. You'll be able to understand yourself better. And since when you escaped, you left chaos in Purgatory. There are some rather disgusting hounds and beasts I don't feel like dealing with. They require time… and effort, and I don't want to waste either."
She smiled.
"So, since I'm a very good person and you owe me a favor, I thought of you. If you can't handle them and die… that works for me too."
Elior clasped his hands together, annoyed. He knew she had trapped him. He was thirsty for power. For strength.
"I understand your classes will end soon," she added. "That's when I'll come for you."
Elior took a sip of coffee.
"Ah…" he frowned. "It's already cold."
"Mmm," she said. "This lemon pie was delicious."
She cleaned the fork with her tongue shamelessly while staring at Elior.
"Well. I've said what I had to say. Time to work."
She raised her voice.
"Could you bring us the bill, please?"
"Oh, the boy in front of me will pay," she added, looking at Elior.
Elior sighed in annoyance and paid.
"Thanks for the service," he told the waiter.
"Come back soon."
Out on the street, Death walked beside him.
"Wow… I don't know if it's because I was focused on fighting you last time, but I hadn't realized how tall you are. How tall are you? Six foot three?"
"You can leave," Elior said. "And no, I'm six foot."
"Still tall. No wonder you do well with girls," she mocked.
Elior stopped.
"Please, you can stop now."
He looked back.
She wasn't there.
"Finally…" he muttered.
When he looked forward again, she was right in front of his face.
"Oh, I almost forgot," she said. "There's someone… or maybe a few people… who don't appreciate you very much. They'll be coming for you in the next few days. I'd stay alert."
She laughed softly.
"What are you talking about…?" Elior asked.
"I've given too much information already," she replied. "See you in a few days."
And she disappeared like smoke.
"I just want silence…" Elior whispered. "Please… don't come back."
He continued on his way, bought what was necessary for the house, and finally arrived.
Kael and the children were finishing lunch.
"Elior, where were you?" Kael asked.
"Sorry," he replied. "I was with Seraphine and then stopped for coffee. I lost track of time."
"Is Seraphine your girlfriend?" Aramis asked immediately.
"What?" Elior almost choked. "No. Not at all. Where do you get those ideas, brat?"
"Do you have everything ready for the trip?" Elior asked.
"Only Lia's things are left."
Elior approached her.
"Finish eating and I'll pack your things," he said, kissing her on the head.
"Son," Kael said, "do you want me to serve you lunch?"
"No, thanks. I'll sort Lia's things first and then eat."
"Alright. But don't let it get too late."
While organizing, Elior couldn't stop thinking about Death's offer.
Her words.
The warning.
"Should I go…?" he thought. "And who's coming for me…?"
He closed his eyes for a second.
"What a mess…" he whispered. "I just want a little peace these days."