Today marked the last day off before classes resud at Ocryphia Academy.
Nestled within a sprawling private field large enough to host several football matches lay the opulent Starlight Estate, owned by Reynold Starlight. The estate was so vast it could accommodate an entire village, yet it housed only a handful of residents.
Reynold, a Guild Master of a prestigious 6-Star Guild, and his wife, Sina, the esteed Head Scientist of Horizon, were rarely ho. Their demanding roles left little ti for family life, leaving their only daughter, Cattleya Starlight, to navigate her days in the grand estate mostly alone, surrounded by maids and private guards—a company she openly despised.
To escape the stifling solitude, Cattleya often went outdoors, spending ti with her so-called 'friends', though she privately questioned whether they were truly friends or re followers. Today was no different; her parents were away, and she strolled with her companions, attracting every passerby's gaze with her striking beauty.
"Lady Cattleya, you look absolutely stunning today!" One of her followers exclaid in admiration.
Dressed in an elegant off-shoulder blouse paired with a flowing long skirt, Cattleya's golden hair was swept back, held in place by her signature white hairband. A touch of light makeup enhanced her already flawless features, elevating her natural beauty to near-perfection.
"Indeed, Milady, you are undoubtedly the fairest lady in all of Ocryphia," another chid in.
"Is there even a need to say it aloud?" Another one teased, prompting soft giggles from the group.
Though they laughed, Cattleya walked ahead of them with an air of indifference. What once flattered her ego now barely sparked any joy. For two months, she had endured their endless complints, and what had once been thrilling had grown dull.
The only flicker of excitent in her life ca from Lucas Whiteford, her classmate and the man she was destined to marry as per her parents' arrangent. But even this spark was dim. To her dismay, Lucas seed far more interested in Ludivine Richmont, an infuriatingly plain girl who, by Cattleya's standards, paled in every comparison.
'How could he possibly prefer Ludivine over ?' She thought irritated. It was a profound disappointnt, one that hurt her pride.
To make matters worse, Cattleya had gone out of her way to capture Lucas's attention, striving to win him over despite her disdain for his apparent lack of taste. After all, her fate was sealed—it was her parents' wish that she marry him. And though she couldn't yet see herself truly loving him after how he treated her these last months, she clung to the hope that perhaps, soday, she might.
'I should have stayed ho.'
Cattleya already regretted stepping out. Perhaps reading a book or binge-watching movies, as her mother had suggested, would have been a better use of her day. Since her 'kidnapping', her mother had been insistent that she stay ho as much as possible. While the concern was touching, Cattleya found it suffocating. She knew there was no real danger. The whole incident had been a farce.
A cody, a poorly staged drama—one masterminded by none other than Jas Arnold Grayling.
'Shaless,' she thought, her face twisting into a visible grimace as she recalled his smug smile while boasting about his 'brilliant' plan to use her as hostage in exchange for Holy Coins.
'What was he even thinking?'
Her train of thought was interrupted by a commotion nearby.
"Hey! You didn't pay ! Thief!"
"I'm a pirate, dumbass. I don't pay; I take what I want!"
"That's stealing! What do you an you're a pirate?! Are you from New Earth? Tell your address—I'll make sure your parents hear about this!"
"My ho are the endless seas themselves."
"This brat! Soone, catch him!"
Cattleya stood frozen, speechless as her attention shifted to the chaos unfolding in the streets below. A blond-haired man, his movents nimble and almost monkey-like, was leaping from rooftop to rooftop, dodging the Ocryphia Governnt's forces with quite ease. A loaf of bread clamped between his teeth, he smirked defiantly at his pursuers, including the furious baker sprinting after him.
There was no mistaking him.
Even from this distance, Cattleya could recognize the eccentric figure. He was the only weirdo who would wear antiquated pirate attire—a long coat, two sabers strapped to his waist—and yet, he looked inexplicably good in it. So n extrely handso could make anything they wore seem fashionable, and he was undoubtedly one of them.
"Wow, who's that hottie?"
"I wonder~"
The dreamy voices of her followers broke her reverie, pulling her attention back to the present. Their swooning admiration for the pirate grated on her nerves, though she could only muster mild annoyance in response.
Only Cattleya knew the truth.
Jas Arnold Grayling was the greediest man alive—a true pirate, as improbable as it sounded. And to make matters worse, he was also a Devil. Her sworn archenemy.
Yet there he was, jumping around rooftops as if the laws of gravity didn't apply to him.
Even Cattleya couldn't bring herself to treat him with the enmity he deserved. For all his faults, he seed almost too human—his eccentricities, his cocky grin, the way he carried himself like a true pirate of so absurd adventure tale. It made it hard to see him as the enemy, even if his behavior scread weirdo.
And yet, this 'weirdo' was soone she had in her contacts—a result of him forcing his number on her after she had promised a litany of things to secure her freedom during her hostage ordeal.
Since then, their interactions had been limited to brief, cryptic ssages. There had been no face-to-face etings until now. And as Cattleya watched him leap and tumble through the city, she wondered briefly: 'Is this a coincidence? Or sothing planned?'
Her thoughts were interrupted as Jas's gaze suddenly locked onto her. His striking red eyes glimred as they narrowed in recognition.
"Oh, God…" Cattleya muttered under her breath, dreading what was about to co.
"Ainch that Mish Cattleya Shtarlight?" Jas called out, his grin widening despite the loaf of bread still clamped between his teeth. Without hesitation, he stabbed one of his sabers into a nearby building, the blade slicing through the marble façade as though it were butter. Using the sword as leverage, he slid down the structure, carving a long, jagged line before landing gracefully on the ground.
The crowd around her gasped, forming a curious circle as Jas casually sheathed his saber and sauntered toward her. Excited whispers spread like wildfire.
"Lady Starlight, do you know him?" One of her followers asked, astonished.
Jas ignored the murmurs, pulling the bread from his mouth as he munched on it. "Starlight," he said, but his gaze flicking to the ornate pendant hanging around her neck imdiately with quite interest. "Still prancing around in all your fancy, expensive things, I see."
Noticing his gaze, Cattleya instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "Don't look, you miscreant!"
"'Miscreant.' Now that's a fitting title," Jas chuckled. "But I have no interested in your bosoms, Starlight. Unless they are made of Gold, are they?"
"..."
Sothing snapped inside Cattleya as her brow furrowed and her lips tightened. "Catch him!" She ordered. Her guards, who had remained still until now, sprang into action.
The four of them charged at Jas, but he moved like a blur. He sidestepped the first one with ease, then delivered a powerful kick to the second, sending him crashing into the third. Before the third could recover, Jas leapt over him and landed a swift roundhouse kick to the last guard's temple.
Everything happened in re seconds.
Cattleya's companions stood in stunned silence, mirroring her own disbelief. She knew Jas was strong, but this... How had he taken them down so easily?
The answer was clear—Jas was far too fast, and his attacks, though precise and controlled, didn't hold back their impact. A subtle energy coursed through his strikes, ensuring that his blows incapacitated without crossing the line into fatality.
Without acknowledging the shocked stares around him, Jas calmly seated himself atop the pile of unconscious guards, deftly stacking their bodies as if they were furniture. He took another bite of his bread and locked eyes with Cattleya.
"..."
"..."
The air grew quickly awkward for Cattleya as his gaze lingered.
"What do you want…" Cattleya finally asked, her voice faltering as she looked away.
"I want you," Jas said simply.
"..."
"Follow ," he added as he rose and began walking away.
Cattleya's friends turned to her in disbelief.
Cattleya's body trembled, not with fear, but with barely contained anger born out of embarrassnt as everyone had started taking pictures and clips of what happened.
-BAM
Her heel slamd into the ground in frustration before she grudgingly followed him. Her companions scrambled to rouse the guards, who groggily got to their feet, exchanging uneasy glances before trailing after the pair.
Once more, Cattleya asked, "What do you want?"
Jas didn't even turn his head. "I told you—I want you."
"Enough with these misleading words!" She snapped. "What do you really want from ?"
Jas finally stopped and turned to face her, his expression deadpan. "I need you to convince your parents to let join your academy," he said, as casually as if he were asking for spare change.
For a mont, Cattleya was speechless. Then, an incredulous laugh escaped her. "A Devil joining an academy for Exorcists? That's the most ridiculous joke I've ever heard!"
Jas smirked. "Not as ridiculous as the one about you and Whiteford having a—"
"Shut it!" Cattleya retorted, her cheeks reddening.
"You started it, Cattleya Starlight," Jas replied with a sigh. "I'm just asking to join your academy."
As he spoke, his hand moved with agility, slipping a wallet from a passing stranger's bag without missing a beat. Opening it, he peeked inside. "Credit cards. Nice."
Cattleya clenched her fists.
Jas then pointed toward a Ferris wheel in the distance. "Let's talk there," he said, already making his way toward the ride.
Cattleya steeled herself, forcing her emotions back into check. Turning to her friends and the guards trailing discreetly behind, she spoke. "I will speak with him alone."
A flurry of reactions erupted at her words.
"Lady Cattleya, finally…"
"I… I am overjoyed for you!"
"The Lord is going to kill us all…"
"I am more afraid of Lady Sina…"
Cattleya's annoyance flared. Her followers and guards had imdiately misconstrued the situation. Grimacing, she turned away, resolving to deal with their misinterpretations later.
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