CHAPTER 57: HE KNOWS!

Water splashed violently onto the floor, drenching the hem of Duke Evan Vortellion’s robes.

He didn’t even bother placing the glass down properly... it clattered to the floor, shattered. Rin’s scream echoed again down the long corridor, laced with sheer panic and something far more primal: terror.

The duke sighed deeply as he left his room with his drenched robes.

"I didn’t know there was a princess in the mansion,"

The Duke was already halfway to Rin’s room before the scream faded. He shoved the door open.

"Rin... You’re not trying to scream the mansion down..." He froze as his eyes landed immediately on the chaos.

The scent of blood. The swirling traces of demonic energy still curl like black mist around the room’s edges. And in the middle of it all, curled up on the bed with his knees to his chest, was Rin, shivering.

Duke Evan didn’t look surprised. Not even a flicker crossed his face. He finally knew what he heard the scream.

He exhaled deeply as his shoulders tightened.

"Demonic... How is this possible?"

His voice was low, calm... but Rin could hear the weight behind it.

"Are you alright?" the Duke asked, walking slowly toward the bed.

Rin nodded quickly. Too quickly.

His lips were pale as they trembled

"Y-Yeah. I’m fine. Totally fine. I... I don’t know how any of this happened or how it got in here..."

Duke Evan narrowed his eyes.

"Rin. Calm down, okay?"

"Okay, okay! But..." His voice shook. "What the hell are those things? How did it get in here? Who are those people?"

The Duke crouched down beside the bed. His gaze flicked to the blackened corpses.

"They were assassins," he muttered. "They seemed to be well-trained. But not from around here. They must be from the capital. Do you know anyone from that capital who could be after your life?"

"No. I don’t... know. I don’t know anyone at all, not even my mother. I can’t remember her" Rin lowered his head. Well, he was telling the truth. He really didn’t know anyone and he had no idea what Rin’s mother looked like.

"You seem to attract a lot of trouble, Rin. But this..." He stood, his brows furrowing. "This is no longer just an academy drama. There’s a demon involved."

Rin froze, his breath catching. His entire body tensed like a drawn string.

"A demon?"

"Yes, Princess. A demon. Remain here," the Duke ordered as he turned away. "Don’t move. I’ll be back shortly."

"But I don’t want to stay here with..." Rin began, but the door had already closed behind the man.

"...with literal demon juice soaking into my floorboards," Rin finished under his breath.

He clutched his blanket tighter around himself. His fingers trembled. He told the duke he was fine but he wasn’t really fine. Because what’s in front of him was more disturbing than the demonic whatever in his room.

DING!

[Currency: Kiss Points +5]

[Total: 15 Kiss Points]

Rin stared at the glowing notification hovering in the air, his heart skipping a beat. He reached for his pale lips, fingers brushing them softly. His breathing paused.

"Someone kissed me while I was asleep?" he whispered, horrified. "I should’ve woken up... why didn’t I...?"

His eyes darted around the room.

"If someone were here, Niblet would have barked..."

Niblet was curled beside him, still asleep which was odd. He knew very well that the demonic mutt usually woke before him, hyper and nosy.

This time, he was unnaturally still.

"Niblet...?" Rin poked him gently.

There was no response. Just a sleepy grunt.

"Did that demon drug Niblet too? Or, could he control Niblet because he’s a demon?"

His hands clenched into fists as a bunch of silly thoughts began running through his head.

’What if that demon came here because he knows who I am? What if the demon was here for them, not me? If he’s trying to protect me, would I be dragged to hell for being me?’

His breathing became uneven again. He ran his fingers through his head, trying not to think about something as stupid as that.

He didn’t even notice the door opening until Duke Evan returned... with two familiar figures behind him.

Ezra and Silas.

Rin stiffened when he saw them.

Silas was the first to break from the group, rushing forward.

"Rin! Are you hurt? Did someone attack you?"

"I’m... I’m fine," Rin mumbled, still holding the blanket around him like armour. "I just want to leave this room. I feel uncomfortable with the weird energy in here... I don’t like it."

"It’ll be over soon,"

Silas frowned and turned to examine the lingering mist curling in the corners like ghostly tentacles.

Ezra, in contrast, didn’t look at Rin at all.

He stepped toward the pile of ash and scorched corpses, eyes narrowed.

"This is demonic," Ezra said softly.

"I figured," the Duke muttered. "It shouldn’t be possible. There’s no way a demon could have gotten into the academy, so why now? Why my mansion?"

"You’re right about that, Duke. However..." Ezra added. "There’s only one demon sealed in this academy and it’s locked underground. Its power is suppressed by sacred relics and divine incantations. There’s no way this could be done by him."

Rin flinched.

The word ’sealed’ struck a chord in him. He could barely stop his teeth from clacking together.

’If they find out what I am... would they seal me too? Would they dissect me like the others?’

Silas leaned over one of the burnt intruders and peeled off what remained of a metal badge.

"So they were assassins," he confirmed. "Paid killers. These weren’t random thugs and thieves."

"But why Rin’s room?" Ezra asked, his eyes suddenly boring into Rin’s. "Why not the Duke’s chamber? Or one of the Alpha dorms? Those places are filled with something worth stealing and people worth killing,"

Rin’s hands flew up defensively.

"I don’t know! I swear! These guys just appeared from nowhere and... were killed by the demon,"

Ezra tilted his head.

"You were the only one spared."

"Because I was sleeping!"

"Sleeping? You weren’t touched. Not a scratch. Not a bruise."

"Well, maybe because I’m lucky!" Rin shouted, then caught himself. His voice cracked. "Sorry... sorry. I’m just... I’m shaken, alright?"

Silas walked back toward them, placing a calming hand on Rin’s shoulder.

"Easy, Rin. No one’s accusing you of anything. We’re just... trying to figure out why a demon would choose your room to show up in."

"And I keep saying... I. Don’t. Know. Why is he making a big deal out of it?"

The Duke stepped closer. His hand extended slowly.

"These assassins were killed by a demon... yes. But they came for Rin. So... is the demon protecting him?"

Rin swallowed. He didn’t like where this was going.

Every eye turned to him.

"I don’t know anything about it," he said again, a bit weaker this time. He didn’t try to scream his lungs out. He didn’t care if they believed him or not.

"Protecting him or not... We’d better get rid of this horrific sight,"

Ezra turned toward the darkness still clinging to the walls.

With a soft whisper, he raised his hand.

Golden light bloomed on his palm, spreading outward. It felt warm, which was odd.

Then, Rin’s eyes widened as he watched the demonic energy hiss and evaporate as if doused by acid.

It burned in the air and disappeared like it was never there.

’So that’s holy magic. The only warm and shiny thing that can murder me,’

Ezra turned his glowing gaze toward Rin.

"Now that the room is clean," he said, voice dangerously calm, "It’s your turn."

Rin’s soul practically leapt from his skin.

"W-What?"

Ezra stepped forward, moving closer to the bed.

"I’m going to bless and purify you," he said.

"No! No no no no no...!" Rin scrambled back on the bed, eyes wide in terror.

Ezra frowned.

"Why not? Are you scared? It’s not going to hurt,"

"I’m not scared. I’m clean! And... I... I’m not cursed or possessed or whatever! You don’t need to waste your powers on me! Keep it for whoever needs it,"

Ezra’s tone was gentle.

"I have more than enough. Don’t worry about me."

Rin’s back hit the wall. He had nowhere else to go.

’Fuck! Now, I’m stuck here. Can’t this man just stay away from me! Is it possible to sue him for religious harassment? Is that a thing in this world?!’

The Duke’s voice was tight with warning.

"Ezra. Don’t intimidate my guest,"

Ezra paused and looked at the Duke over his shoulder.

"Oh! Don’t worry, Duke. There’s no way I’ll do that," he said and turned back to Rin who was still leaning on the wall with no place to go.

He reached out, slowly, his hand glowing again.

"Just relax. It won’t hurt. Much."

Rin trembled like a cold kitten, his voice low.

"Y...You don’t understand. You don’t want...!"

Ezra placed his hand on Rin’s head.

"It’s for your own good,"

Rin shut his eyes tight. He could feel it. The heat of holy energy pulsing against his skin. His soul itched. He swore he could feel his fake human shell was cracking... Not like he knows what it’s like to become a demon.

’Is my demon form showing already?! Can they see my horns?! My tail?!’

Then, at the very last second, just when Ezra was about to complete his incantations.

Rin muttered something. Just a word. It came out almost like a whisper that only Ezra could hear.

Ezra froze. He stopped the incantation, and his hand left Rin’s head.

A second passed.

Then slowly... a grin formed on his lips. He leaned closer, his breath warm against Rin’s ear.

"You owe me one, you demon," he whispered.

Rin lowered his head, a bit relieved that he didn’t at least get burnt to ashes like what he witnessed earlier.

The priest pulled back with a satisfied smile and turned to the others.

"He’s fine," Ezra said lightly. "There’s no possession,"

Silas raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

Ezra nodded. "Nothing dangerous here, right Rin?"

Rin nodded his head, running his hand along his other arm.

"See!" He shrugged.

The Duke’s eyes narrowed faintly, trying to stare at Rin.

Rin avoided his gaze and also didn’t say a word. He was too busy clutching the blanket like it was his last line of defence.

’That bastard priest knows... He knows,’