Belial often lost track of time when deeply engrossed in her work. By the time she finally snapped out of it, not only had she missed lunch, but even the midday break had long passed. There were only five minutes left before her next class.
This time, she was teaching another lower-year class. She mostly reused the lesson plan from her previous session and planned to grab a bite at the schools kitchen afterward. However, halfway there, a sudden inspiration strucka new arrangement of runes and a potential integration into a stellar formation. Without hesitation, she turned back, hurried to her office, and, once seated at her desk, lost herself in research for the entire afternoon.
Freyr knocked on her office door more than once. After the first interruption, she decisively added both him and his twin friend to her personal blacklist, ensuring no further disturbances as she immersed herself in refining the magic array.
Belial didnt see anything wrong with her tireless dedication. For the past two years, she had poured countless hours and immense effort into this particular magic formation. To acquire the necessary materials for its inscription, she had taken on mercenary guild missions that sent her across the continent, dragging her into numerous conflicts and dangers.
Compared to those perils, endlessly revising the arrays algorithm was the safest and most effortless part of the entire endeavor.
She was so absorbed that when a knock once again echoed through the room, she sat dazed at her desk for a few seconds before finally registering the sound.
Knock, knock, knock
The knocking was persistent. Belial got up to open the door and found Abyss standing there. He had deliberately gone to the first-floor dining hall for all three mealsmorning, noon, and nightonly to never catch a glimpse of her. Concerned, he had finally decided to seek her out.
Abyss never set foot in the first-floor dining hall. Partly because Bardels packed schedule at both the academy and the church made it a hassle to rush between places, and partly because Abyss himself had no desire to be scrutinized by the entire student body in such a public setting.
But he wanted to see Belialo much so that even reason failed to dissuade him. Though he knew he was merely a passing figure in her life, when the time came, he still showed up at the hall.
His arrival cast a brief hush over the noisy space.
Ignoring the countless curious and wary gazes directed his way, Abyss strode toward his classs designated seating area and settled into an empty seat at the very end.
"This is the most unappetizing meal Ive ever had at this school."
Although no one openly voiced their disdain, in whispered conversations, many students who harbored prejudice against creatures of darkness muttered similar sentiments.
The air carried their unwelcome words to Abyss, but he pretended not to hear them, keeping his eyes fixed on the teachers table, waiting for Belial to appear.
Yet, she never came.
Just as he was about to leave, a younger dragonborn student blocked his path.
The surrounding students, who were heading off to class, slowed their steps, eager to witness a spectacle. They whispered among themselves, wondering if the undead would actually retaliate against a lower-year student.
And then
"My name is Chris. Are you really an undead?"
The dragonborn boy lifted his chin, his voice laced with arrogance.
Abyss had no interest in engaging with what was clearly an attempt to provoke him. He took a step forward, intending to walk around the boy, but was stopped by another voice calling out.
"Chris, thats not fair! You just said talking to an upper-year undead was childish, and now youve sneaked over here by yourself!"
Chris bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I was just curious, thats all!"
A human child among the approaching group chimed in, "As if we arent all curious!"
Unlike the ones arguing, the rest of the students simply stared at Abyss with unabashed interest.
"Is it true you cant die?" one of them asked.
"Thats a rude question!" another scolded.
"Ohsorry."
"Do you know any demons? I heard demons are amazing fighters."
"Are they stronger than Chris?"
"Of course! Didnt Belial say demon warriors are incredibly powerful?"
"Im strong too!" Chris protested indignantly, then muttered under his breath, "Though fighting something that literally cant die seems kind of unfair. No matter how strong you are, whats the point if the opponent wont stay down?"
Abyss found himself encircled by a chattering group of lower-year students. It was disorienting.
He had waited for her, but somehowit felt as though he had found a piece of her instead.
At noon, Abyss returned to the dining hall, where Freyr was also present.
Freyr, in a terrible mood, instinctively sought to pick a fight with Abyss. However, since teachers and the headmaster were present, not even his twin or Illyridespite their ongoing cold wardared let him act out. The last thing they needed was for him to openly violate school rules and discriminate against a fellow student.
By nightfall, Abyss had grown accustomed to the stares, the whispered disdain, and the innocent curiosity of the younger students.
But none of it mattered. What mattered was Belial.
And so, once again, he found himself at her office door.
Seeing him standing there against the darkened corridor, Belial finally realized she had only eaten breakfast that day.
She pulled him inside, shut the door, and immediately collapsed against him, arms wrapped around his waist as she nestled into his embrace. Through the thin fabric of his shirt, she pressed against his broad chest, as if drawing warmth and comfort from him.
"Im starving" she murmured.
Abyss hesitated. He didnt understand why she would let herself get this hungry without eating. Carefully, he asked, "Do you need blood?"
He assumed she sustained herself on blood, that the schools regular meals werent part of her diet.
Belial chuckled at the suggestion. She braced her hands against his shoulders, rose onto her toes, and bit his necknot hard enough to break the skin, only leaving a damp imprint of her teeth.
"I dont have a vampires fangs," she said, staring at the neat little mark before leaning in to trace it with the tip of her tongue.
The sensation sent a subtle shiver through Abyss. His breath hitched, arms tightening around her.
The air grew thick with heat, the atmosphere teetering on the edge of something neither of them voiced. Yet, in a low whisper against her pointed ear, Abyss said with perfect seriousness, "Should I go fetch you dinner from the kitchen?"
Belial lingered in his embrace a moment longer before finally letting him go.
She handed him unrestricted access to her office for convenience, and Abyss made his way to the kitchen.
By then, most staff had left for the night, save for the head chef, who was finalizing the next days menu and procurement list.
The head chef had once harbored prejudices against Abyss, questioning why the headmaster had admitted an undead student. He had even spat cruel words, declaring he would only cook normal foodnot rotting flesh for the undead.
But everything changed when his son died.
In desperation, he had begged Abyss to bring the boy back.
Since then, he had learned that the notion of undead consuming rotting meat was mere fiction, fabricated by those who didnt understand them. More importantly, he had learned that his sonthough undeadwas still his son.
So, when Abyss requested a meal, the chef personally cooked him a fresh one.
"Thank you," Abyss said, carrying the meal back to Belial office.
She had fallen asleep at her desk.
Setting the food aside, Abyss silently gathered the scattered papers.
They were filled with discarded drafts of magic arrays.
As he absentmindedly examined one, a stray thought surfaced in his mind.
"Theyre all dark-attribute runes."
And then, from the depths of his soul, Bardels voice echoed
"Dark? But arent they all light-attribute?"
At that moment, they both realized something was terribly, terribly wrong.