"What was that phone call, Cattleya? What happened?" Sina asked her daughter still worried. She leaned in, patting Cattleya's cheeks gently, as if checking for hidden injuries.
"It's nothing, really…"
"Who's this young man?" Before Cattleya could finish, her father cut in. His gaze had been fixed on the blonde-haired stranger standing nearby, silently observing the mother-daughter exchange with what seed to be a warm smile—though it felt more like a calculated smirk.
Cattleya hesitated, then stepped aside slightly. "Ah, this is... Jas."
"Jas?" Sina's eyes swept over him, taking in every detail. He was dressed like a pirate—complete with sabers hanging from his belt—and wearing sturdy boots that contrasted starkly with Cattleya's bare feet. Her expression soured at the sight. Turning back to her daughter, she raised a brow in silent accusation.
"It's an honor to et you, Lady and Lord Starlight," Jas said smoothly, placing a hand on his chest in an exaggerated show of courtesy. "I'm Jas Arnold Grayling, a friend of Lady Cattleya Starlight."
Cattleya's jaw dropped.
She stared at him, montarily dumbfounded by his acting.
"Cattleya's friend, you say?" Sina's voice sharpened as she glanced at her daughter for confirmation.
Sina knew her daughter's standards inside and out—especially for those she kept close. Jas didn't seem to fit the bill. His rugged outfit, lack of noble polish, and pirate-like deanor clashed with the refined company Cattleya usually kept. Admittedly, he had a strikingly handso face, but that was about it.
"He is," Cattleya said quickly, steadying herself. "I t Jas when he warned about demons targeting . It was during the exam…"
"Wait, what?!" Sina's eyes widened in shock.
"Please don't bla Lady Cattleya," Jas intervened. "I warned her, but anyone would've thought I was crazy. When I finally caught up to her, the demons were already there. I tried to help, but they were too strong. Lady Cattleya was taken before I could do much."
"Y-Yes," Cattleya added, nodding to back up his story. "He did try to help, but the demons overpowered us."
Reynold Asterion, who had been silently scrutinizing Jas, spoke up for the first ti."You don't seem like a student of Ocryphia. How exactly did you manage to infiltrate the exam?"
There was no mistaking his suspicion. Reynold wasn't interested in tales of demons—his focus was squarely on the stranger in front of him.
"I have my ways," Jas replied. "I've been tracking a certain demon—no, a devil—for years now. His na is Astaroth."
"A–Astaroth?" Sina repeated in shock. She turned to her husband, her expression darkening.
The na wasn't new to them. It was the devil they'd encountered during the horrifying ordeal when their daughter was taken hostage—the sa one who had rcilessly killed a priest of the Holy Church.
"Yes, Astaroth," Jas confird. "He is a cunning one. His current obsession is hunting down talented exorcists, particularly those with the Light Attribute. Naturally, Lady Cattleya beca his target. When I learned they were planning to infiltrate the Exam, it wasn't hard to figure out their aim."
Reynold frowned, his mind imdiately zeroing in on the inconsistency. "If they wanted my daughter this much, why did they demand Holy Coins to release her right after?"
Cattleya almost smirked despite her precarious situation. She couldn't wait to see how Jas—the self-proclaid Pirate Captain—would wiggle his way out of this one.
Jas sighed. "That's likely because they've already taken what they needed from her."
"What?!" Sina's face turned ashen. Without hesitation, she moved to check on Cattleya again. "What did they do to you, Cattleya?!"
"T–That's…" Cattleya stuttered, completely at a loss. How was she supposed to explain sothing she barely understood herself? Desperate, her eyes darted to Jas, silently begging for help.
Fortunately, Jas stepped in. "There's no need to panic," he said, reassuringly. "They couldn't do much against soone blessed by the Holy Pope himself. At most, they probably took her blood."
"Her blood?" Sina's voice trembled.
"Yes," Jas explained. "The blood of the blessed is highly valuable to demons and devils alike. It can be used for... well, just about anything. Rituals, dark pacts, you na it."
Sina exhaled deeply, her initial panic subsiding. What Jas said made sense. After all, Devils weren't interested in material wealth like Holy Coins. No, they craved power—and blood was a potent currency in their dark world.
Reynold, however, wasn't ready to let his guard down. He shifted the conversation back to Jas. "In that phone call, you said my daughter was in grave danger."
Jas nodded. "As much as I wish I could tell you otherwise, she is. Astaroth isn't done with her yet."
Sina's face went pale again, while Reynold's eyes narrowed, his suspicion deepening.
"What do you an by that?"
"He had Cattleya Starlight in his grasp. Do you really think he'd let her go for a handful of Holy Coins?" Jas asked with a laugh. "With her, he could've used any part of her body for his purposes."
"Watch your tongue," Sina snapped with a glare.
"I'm simply stating the truth," Jas replied, unfazed. His tone remained serious, but his eyes darkened suddenly. "I know exactly what kind of monster the true evil are."
Reynold studied him for a mont before asking, "Why are you tracking Astaroth?"
Jas was silent for a mont before speaking. "My sister…She was a genius with the Light Attribute too. And she..." His voice faltered before hardening again. "I will never forgive them."
Cattleya blinked, startled by the slight pain in his words. Her chest tightened unexpectedly. Was that true?
Of course not!
He was Astaroth, after all!
But then, why did he look so heartbreakingly sincere?
Silence settled over the room. Both Sina and Reynold watched Jas closely, but neither could find a hint of deceit in his visible anger and grief.
Finally, they turned to Cattleya.
"This is the truth, Mother. Father," Cattleya said. "Jas saved my life. Twice, actually." She nodded, and her sincerity made her words land even harder.
Sina softened slightly, and to everyone's surprise, she smiled gratefully at Jas. "Thank you. Truly."
Cattleya's eyes widened. It was rare for her mother to thank anyone, and the gesture left her montarily speechless. That was how much Sina valued her daughter's safety.
Sensing the mont was right, Cattleya mustered her courage. "Mother, could you ask Grandmother to let Jas enter the Academy?"
Sina turned to her daughter in utter disbelief. "Cattleya, are you even listening to yourself?"
"What are you saying?" Reynold asked as well. He didn't seem to approval her request and he didn't look like her to ask such things. No, it didn't even look like her request.
"This is my personal request," Jas spoke up, stepping forward just as Reynold was thinking that.
His brows furrowed, his expression hardening further. "Request or reward?" He asked with quite a curt tone.
It was clear Reynold didn't trust Jas, not one bit. He had spent a lifeti surrounded by exorcists and warriors, developing a finely honed instinct for danger. And Jas scread danger.
Yet, frustratingly, everything Jas had said—and everything his daughter had confird—seed genuine. Reynold's unease deepened, but the truth, or at least the appearance of it, left him without a clear reason to act against the man.
Reynold had always known his daughter inside and out. Together with Sina, they raised her with extre care, equipping her with everything she'd need to navigate the world. They raised her to be strong, wary, intelligent, and sharp—soone who could stand tall and never need to rely on anyone for protection.
Jas chuckled lightly at Reynold's wariness. "You can interpret my intentions however you want, Lord Starlight, but the reason I want to join the academy is directly tied to your daughter's safety."
Reynold's expression hardened, but it was Sina who spoke first. "And what exactly do you an by that?"
Jas leaned forward slightly, his tone matter-of-fact. "The academy has been infiltrated by demons. Or, more precisely, by people possessed by demons. So of them are working for Astaroth."
Sina's face paled. "T-That can't be true!"
Jas arched an eyebrow, almost amused by her reaction. "It's the plain truth. Why is that so hard to believe? Possessed students were responsible for letting demons into the artificial forest during the exam, weren't they? Don't you think there could be more of them hidden in plain sight?"
Sina fell silent. The logic was irrefutable, but she didn't want to believe it.
Jas continued without letting her think. "Here's what I'm offering: let join the academy—specifically, your daughter's class. I'll track down the possessed students, eliminate them, and keep your daughter safe from harm in the process."
"You seem awfully confident in your abilities," Reynold asked a bit puzzled about Jas' confidence.
"I am," Jas replied without hesitation. "Regular thods—even those from Ocryphia—aren't enough to detect these possessed students anymore. They've adapted, evolved. But I can do it. I just need ti—and access."
"So you're suggesting we use my daughter as bait?" Sina asked coldly. "Absolutely not. I'll pull her out of that academy imdiately."
"Mother?!" Cattleya's voice rang out in shock. She hadn't seen this coming and didn't like the sound of it.
Jas sighed, his irritation showing for a mont. "This isn't a good idea," he said bluntly, earning an angry glare from Sina.
"Demons aren't confined to just one academy," he explained. "They're everywhere, biding their ti. Right now, the safest place for Lady Cattleya is at Ocryphia, where she's under the protection of her grandmother."
"Then she'll stay ho!" Sina replied taking a more drastic decision.
Cattleya's heart sank. The idea of being cooped up in the dreary mansion filled her with dread. Anything but that.
But, as always, Jas had an answer ready. "The estate? It's a lovely place, I'll admit. But do you honestly believe it's safer here than at Ocryphoa Academy?"
Sina hesitated.
Jas had made his point. The estate had guards, sure, but Ocryphia was far better protected.
"As much as I've ntioned possessed students, it doesn't necessarily an they're all dangerous," Jas said. "Most of them are tied to low-ranking demons. It can take months, even years, for a full possession to occur. I think that's sothing you both, Lord and Lady Starlight, should understand."
Sina and Reynold could only nod in agreent.
"So, you're saying my daughter wouldn't be in danger even with possessed students around?" Reynold asked.
"She wouldn't," Jas assured him. "Of course, so demons might try to force a possession, but that cos with a high risk of failure. And failure, as you can imagine, ans death for the demon. The last thing any demon wants is to die. That's why they usually wait until they've gone through the six stages of possession before making their move.
"As for Lady Cattleya," he continued, "she's certainly a target, but Astaroth has already taken what he needed from her. He won't bother her again—at least, not for now. He's probably got other plans in motion. But that doesn't an there aren't other demons lurking around."
"Are you suggesting another Devil might be involved in the academy?" Reynold asked finding the idea absurd.
Jas shook his head. "Not necessarily a Devil. But I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a high-ranking demon. And for soone like Lady Cattleya, that's more than enough reason to be cautious."
Cattleya felt a chill run down her spine. Why was she always the one getting targeted? It wasn't fair.
Seeing both Sina and Reynold still thinking, Jas spoke one last ti.
"Let's forget everything I've said before," he said casually. "Right now, I'm only asking for one thing: a recomndation to Ocryphia Academy. My goal isn't to beco an Exorcist. It's to gather clues about Astaroth and deal with the demons there. By doing that, I'll indirectly be helping you and Lady Cattleya anyway. Really, there's nothing for you to lose here."
That signature arrogant smirk of his appeared, making it clear he knew he'd already won.
Sina stayed quiet for a few monts, deep in thought. She glanced at her daughter, whose pleading eyes said it all. It wasn't about Jas; it was about staying at the academy, the one place where she wasn't utterly bored out of her mind thanks to the classes.
Finally, Sina let out a resigned sigh. "I'll talk to my mother."
Jas nodded, clearly pleased. "Much appreciated. Lady Cattleya, please send a ssage once I'm accepted. You already have my contact information."
And with that, he vaulted over the railing, landing in the entrance corridor below and left swiftly leaving Cattleya alone in the ss.
Cattleya's lips trembled, barely holding back a curse as she watched him leave. Slowly, she turned to face her parents, who were both staring at her sternly.
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