CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36 - ALENIA’S CALM CRACKED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

The hall was warm with the light of the fireflies that willingly came to brighten any house they saw movements in.

There, under their light, Kael sank elegantly into the long seat, his golden eyes half-lidded, his posture the very picture of lazy grace.

Lyra settled opposite him, her ears still twitching with leftover nerves, while Selene folded her wings carefully, sitting prim and proper, silver hair glinting under the light.

Alenia joined them with her usual composed gait, though her gaze lingered on Kael a moment longer than the others.

Kael’s voice carried smoothly across the table. "So. How did it go?"

Alenia exhaled softly, folding her hands. "The villagers were frightened at first. But the moment they heard it was you..." she paused, her lips curving ever so slightly, "they relaxed. Completely. Almost too quickly, I would say."

Selene’s silver eyes flicked toward Kael. "I checked the area. No beasts anywhere near. Your presence alone must have driven them off."

Kael hummed lazily. "Thought so, but I guess it never hurts double-checking, so good work."

Lyra giggled lightly. "Looks like the villagers are getting used to the chaos that follows you."

Before Kael could answer, the soft creak of the staircase filled the hall. Evethra descended, her every step measured, her pale gaze locked on him alone. She bowed faintly, voice calm as glass.

"Master. The twins are asleep. Druvarn as well—currently serving as their plush toy."

A ripple of laughter broke across the hall.

Even Lyra couldn’t hold back, as the image of that unwilling bear being crushed between the twins surfaced in her head. She trembled as she covered her lips, while Selene stifled a smile with her hand.

Kael’s low chuckle echoed in the room.

"Fitting end for a grand bear." He gestured for Evethra to step closer. "Good work. Now—come."

She moved behind him at once, lifting her fan with her usual devotion, but Kael’s hand caught her wrist, tugging her gently forward until she sat beside him. Her eyes widened faintly.

"Master?"

Kael tilted his head, golden eyes gleaming with mischief. "Enough. You’re a maid, not a slave. Take a break."

Evethra’s gaze dropped, her lips parting, then pressing together again.

"...Hm." She sat still, her hands folded, a rare silence falling over her.

Kael’s attention slid smoothly toward Alenia. He leaned his chin against his hand, his smile subtle and unreadable. "Now. You’ve been carrying something for a while, haven’t you? Watching me with that ’when do I speak’ look."

Alenia froze.

Kael’s head tilted, his golden eyes sharp yet calm. "Does it need privacy? I can dismiss the others."

Immediately, Lyra, Selene, and Evethra all began to rise without being told.

However, before they could move, Alenia shook her head quickly. "No. Stay. Please."

The three girls exchanged glances as they noticed the look in Alenia’s eyes.

Selene didn’t know much about Alenia, but Lyra and especially Evethra knew some things about her.

And among the things they knew, there was one thing even Selene could tell: Alenia had always stayed calm.

Right now, they were seeing another side of her.

She was fidgeting, and she looked uncertain.

Alenia, looking at all of them sitting back, straightened, taking a deep breath as she spoke. "I... am a demon."

Silence.

No one moved. No one gasped.

For a while, no one said anything until Evethra did, tilting her head. "So am I. Vampires are demons, after all."

Alenia shook her head, her voice firmer. "No. I am one of the condemned ones. An evil demon. The kind people hunt on sight."

Lyra blinked, her silver hair brushing her shoulders as she leaned forward.

"You? Evil?" Her lips curved softly. "That’s... the last thing you look like."

Alenia inhaled sharply, ’So be it.’

In the next instant, her body shifted.

Horns pierced through her dark hair, curling upward, wings unfurled behind her, leathery and shadowed, a tail lashed against the floor, and her skin tone darkened.

The light from the fireflies caught her fully transformed form, and she braced for the recoil. For the fear. For the condemnation.

But no one moved.

No swords drawn. No gasps of fear. Only stillness. Kael’s gaze remained calm but amused, Lyra’s eyes wide but warm, while Selene studied with quiet curiosity, and Evethra stayed as relaxed as ever.

Alenia’s brows frowned.

"...Why aren’t you reacting?" Her voice cracked for the first time. "Why don’t you understand? I’m evil. My powers are evil. People everywhere hate my kind!"

Alenia wanted to be accepted, but she didn’t expect this kind of reaction, causing her mind to momentarily malfunction.

Kael’s smile widened faintly, infuriatingly unbothered. "You’re overreacting, Alenia."

Her eyes snapped to him, wide. "...You, why do I feel like you knew—"

"Because I did," Kael shrugged. "I knew the moment I looked at you. Did you think your truth was hidden from me? If so, then know that nothing is hidden from me."

Realization struck her like a blow as she recalled how Kael had known about Selene’s powers.

It had completely slipped her mind that her biggest secret might not even be a secret anymore.

What shocked her more was the fact that, despite knowing and seeing what kind of ability she had, he had never once said anything to her.

Even now, he was calm like a still lake, as he propped his chin elegantly on his palm.

"So, this is the great burden you’ve been carrying?" His voice dripped with lazy charm. "That’s all?"

Alenia’s chest tightened as the litter of her calm she had managed to keep intact, shattered.

She stood suddenly, her voice rising and trembling. "That’s all? That’s how little you think about this?! This is my life’s biggest secret we are talking about!"

Her wings trembled. Her tail lashed. For once, her composure was gone—raw desperation spilling into the air.

She recalled how she hated her tribe for what they did—killing indiscriminately.

That was why she had run for as long as she could remember.

However, no matter where she went, the moment people realized what she was, they would either chase her away or try to kill her.

Until now, she had survived thanks to her luck, and thankfully, she got to find a place where she could use her ability without anyone noticing it—the brothel.

The best thing about that place was that she didn’t need to worry about how much harm her ability would do to the one she was using it on, because the people she chose were mostly evil.

That was when Kael entered her life.

Like everyone else who crossed his path, he came into her life like a storm—sweeping her in before she even realized it.

By the time she did realize, she was already following him.

Now, she was sure that she wouldn’t be able to leave this group—not until she was kicked away.

That was why she resolved to reveal her secret to him.

After all, a secret like hers could not remain hidden for long, and certainly not from Kael.

So, rather than waiting for him to find it out himself, she told him everything.

But now, she was acting as if it was nothing at all.

The thing that had been eating away at her was treated as nothing serious, not just by Kael but also by the others.

That just made her voice rise higher, her wings twitching as she continued. "You’re all taking this far too lightly! Do you even understand what I am, or what I can do?"

She turned toward the three girls sitting in the hall. "I can drain life force. From anyone. Without them even realizing it. I could drain someone dry in their sleep, and they’d never wake again."

Her words cracked against the firefly-lit walls, heavy and jagged.

She knew she sounded frantic, but the memories pressed too hard to silence—the times she’d been found out, the screams, the accusations, the fear.

Her hands clenched against her knees. "I’ve lived this before. I stayed with good people before—people I believed trusted me."

Her lips trembled as the lane of her memory continued. "When one of them fell sick, all their eyes turned on me. It wasn’t because they had any proof, but only because of fear of what I was."

Her voice broke, then steadied again, trembling. "I don’t want that to happen here. I don’t want you to ever wonder in the back of your mind if I’ll take your life in your sleep. That’s why you need to understand—"

"Alenia." Lyra’s soft voice cut through, clear as a bell.

The rabbit girl leaned forward, her scarlet eyes warm but steady. "Then... are you going to?"

Alenia blinked, thrown off balance. "What?"

Lyra tilted her head, silver hair sliding over her shoulder. "Are you going to do it? Drain us? Kill us while we sleep?"

The hall was silent, the fireflies glowing gently above them.

Alenia’s throat tightened. Her wings shifted, folding in close as she whispered, "No. Of course not. I never would."

Selene exhaled, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back. "Then that’s that."

Evethra’s pale eyes flicked toward Alenia, calm as ever. "Agreed, as the Alenia I know is not someone to lie."

Alenia’s lips parted in disbelief. "You can’t just—believe me like that! You barely know—"

Kael lifted his hand lazily, and with a flick of his telekinesis, the air pressed against her form. Not harsh, not violent—just firm enough to push her gently back into the moss-woven sofa.

"Sit," he said, his voice smooth and unyielding. "And calm yourself."

The command struck deeper than the push. Alenia went still, eyes locking on him.