There was still an hour before he needed to report to the ceremonial hall for the welcoming ceremony.

That's why William decided to take a bath to wash away his drowsiness and fatigue.

He took off his clothes and touched the water in the bathing pool. The temperature was just right for a long soak, so he didn't hesitate to slide into the pool and rest his head on the edge.

There was no room service here, which meant he had to visit the cafeteria for dinner later. Not that he minded. He had long gotten used to doing things on his own — preparing food, serving himself, and eating in silence.

Still, he couldn't help but think how much better it would be to share that quiet meal with someone. Maybe with a certain beauty whose company could make the silence softer.

But alas, all he could do was sigh.

"This whole place is buzzing with people and their ridiculous thoughts," he muttered under his breath. He wasn't judging anyone for overthinking — being nervous or excited was natural. What he hated were people who thought endlessly, in every situation, without pause.

When your mind is always picking up their thoughts like a radar catching every signal, you grow tired of the noise.

He had tried, countless times, to shut those voices out. But there was no way. He had simply learned to live with them.

"Hm… hmm…" Humming a tune he hadn't heard in years, William wondered if he should go and pick Emma up from her room or just wait outside.

Drip Drip

Would she be angry if he entered without asking? Probably not — unless she had just come out of the bath.

Haa Haa

He imagined the scene. Emma standing there, damp hair clinging to her skin, wearing nothing but a towel.

Drip Drip

Would she shout at him? Unlikely. Would she get flustered? Maybe. Or perhaps she would smirk and tease him like she always did, wearing that playful, dangerous smile.

Oh, that would be a dangerous situation indeed.

Haa

William clicked his tongue and opened his eyes. "Aren't you being a little too obvious now?"

The clear blue water of the pool had turned a deep, crimson red.

Not because of magic — but because of the blood dripping from the grotesque figure before him.

Anyone else would have screamed. Some would have fainted. But William didn't. His heart raced, yes, but he wasn't alarmed. This wasn't the first time he had seen that creature.

A thin, bloodied body floated above the ground. Its ribs and spine pressed sharply against its skin. Blood-soaked hair hid its dark face. The creature looked half-dead, half-alive, like something that had crawled out from the edge of existence.

Blood poured from its back, yet it showed no pain, no effort to heal, no sign of care for its bleeding form.

"Why are you suddenly making your presence so clear?" William asked, his tone steady.

He was uneasy, but not afraid. The first time he saw this being was when he awakened his blessing — he had been seven then, and the sight made him faint on the spot. When he woke, he told no one. He thought it had been a nightmare.

But a few years later, when he discovered he could use Nyx as well, the being returned. And from then on, it appeared often — sometimes silently hovering in the distance, watching him.

Even last night, during his battle with the Golem, he saw it again — hovering above Kevin, observing without emotion.

But today, something was different. Today, it approached him.

And for the first time, it spoke.

"I… am happy."

William froze. His eyes widened.

It talked. No — he talked.

The voice was clear, calm, almost soothing, like a soft melody wrapped in a nightmare.

"Happy? Why?" William asked, finally feeling the weight of the moment.

The being gave no hostile energy. If anything, it felt as distant as a shadow — quiet, hollow, and unreachable. But hearing it speak shattered the uneasy peace William had built around its silence.

When your nightmare begins to talk back, you know you can't ignore it anymore.

"Happy… to see… you have light now."

"Light?" William repeated softly. "What do you mean?"

The creature slowly raised one thin hand. In its palm, a small silver butterfly appeared. It fluttered gently, its shining wings leaving faint blue trails in the air.

William's eyes narrowed. "Emma…" he muttered under his breath.

The butterfly glowed for a moment longer, then faded into the air.

"Too much… darkness… damage," the being said. "Find balance… or they will know."

"Darkness? Who will know?" William asked.

He…somehow understood why Emma was regarded as such. Emma had always been his light — his hope when everything around him collapsed.

When his curse tormented him day after day.

When he failed exam after exam.

When his own family turned their backs on him.

When he started to become a burden on his father.

When people whispered behind his back, calling him useless, cursed, broken.

And just when his world felt like it was fading away, Emma appeared.

She sat beside him when no one else dared. She listened when he had nothing left to say.

Just like the silver butterfly that had briefly brightened the dim bathroom, Emma had brought warmth back to his dark world.

So yes, William agreed. Emma was his light.

But the being's words — about darkness, about balance — they left him uneasy.

"What darkness are you talking about?" he asked again, his voice sharper. "And who are they?"

The creature didn't respond right away. For a few seconds, silence filled the air. Then it lifted its head, and in a voice that echoed faintly in William's mind, it said,

"You are the difference… the one who stands neutral… never let either of them taint you. You must hold your ground… even if you must burn this world. Always remember that."

And with that, the being vanished.

The crimson water faded back into a calm, clear blue. The air grew quiet once again.

William blinked rapidly, his chest rising and falling fast. He ran his hand through his hair, feeling the sweat on his forehead.

"Damn it…" he whispered.

He had no idea what that thing truly was or what its words meant. But one thing he knew for sure — he couldn't ignore it anymore.

Based on what he had learned about his curse, and about himself, one truth stood out.

He had to stay careful.

Not only of the Devils.

But of the Angels too.

••••••

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