Abyss had no idea when Belial had woken up. As he absentmindedly flipped through a discarded page of manuscript he had come across, he turned it toward Belial and said, I was tidying up and found this.
Drowsy from sleep, Belial propped herself up against the desk and walked over to him.
Taking the page from Abysss hand, she scanned its contents, tilted her head slightly, and asked, Curious about what it is?
Abyss, always direct, admitted, A little.
Belial lifted her gaze to meet his, then suddenly broke into a smile. Without a word, she pulled him down onto the only chair by the desk, settling herself onto his lap.
This thing hasnt been useful for a long time, but I remember keeping it, she murmured, rummaging through her bracelet until she produced a crimson, translucent crystal slab, no larger than her palm and only half the thickness of a copper coin.
This was ground from a massive fire crystal. As she pressed the slab against the discarded manuscript, the effect became evident.
Abyss and Bardel turned their eyes back to the page. This time, through the fire crystal, additional symbols appearedfire-element runes emerging alongside the light-element runes Bardel had previously noted.
This is a special magic array, composed of seven layers of star formations and eight elemental sigils. Once it reaches the third layer, the array begins selecting its observersmeaning, only those attuned to an element can perceive its corresponding runes.
As she spoke, Belial gave a small gesture, and the dinner left on the coffee table floated steadily toward her, hovering just within reach.
Rather than clearing a spot on the cluttered desk, she simply ate from the levitating plate.
You can see all eight elements? Abyss asked, scrutinizing the manuscript. He could barely endure looking at both the dark-element runes he could naturally perceive and the fire-element runes visible through the crystal slab. The intricate array, vast and profound, made his vision blur.
Abyss soon averted his eyes and turned back to Belial. What exactly is this?
Belial casually speared a cherry tomato with her fork, popped it into her mouth, and, after swallowing, smirked. Like Id tell you.
Her nonchalance made Abyss sigh. You stare at this stuff all day?
Belial hummed in confirmation.
Doesnt it strain you?
With her petite frame, Belial feet would normally touch the floor while seated. But now, perched on Abysss lap, her legs dangled slightly. She had to stretch her feet to barely graze the ground.
She idly swung her legs, biting the tip of her fork with an impudent grin. Not really.
Compared to the pain she felt when her emotions were disturbed, this level of discomfort was negligible. She had long grown used to itfar less troubling than the fact that Abysss dinner for her lacked even a single piece of meat.
For an elf, eating meat was akin to suicide, so Abyss had thoughtfully prepared a fully vegetarian meal.
Belial found it unsatisfying. She wanted to complain that she preferred meat, but explaining that she neither drank blood nor liked eating vegetables felt too tedious. In the end, she simply swallowed her grievances along with the meal.
That night, after finishing her bath, Belial casually pulled Abyss onto her bed.
Abyss thought she was seeking intimacy and was already trying to figure out how to dissuade her. He knew he wouldnt be able to refuse Belial, might even be more reckless than her in this regardso she had to be the one with self-control. But before he could say anything, Belial had already curled up against him and drifted into deep sleep.
She had indulged herself the night before, had spent the entire day exhausted, and hadnt even gotten a proper meal. She had no desire for anything moreonly the comfort of Abysss embrace. She was unaccustomed to such physical closeness, but she was growing addicted to it.
The soft, warm weight of Belial nestled against him, the gentle rhythm of her breathit caught Abyss off guard. And yet, a quiet, secretive joy stirred within him. He was not just a fleeting indulgence to her.
His fingers slid through her silky black hair, its strands slipping through his pale fingers like water. There was no intense, fervent entanglement, no wild passionbut there was something almost more dangerous: a semblance of permanence. A fleeting illusion that every night could be like this.
Abyss clung to that illusion, unwilling to close his eyes. He thought, if time could freeze in this moment, if dawn would never break
How perfect that would be.
But no one could halt the march of time. As morning neared, just as he had the previous day, Abyss quietly left before first light to avoid being caught lingering in Belial quarters.
Belial, having gone to bed early, awoke just as early.
With a relaxed schedule, she had no classes for the day. She had planned to have breakfast brought to her office, but before she could make the request, Miller appeared at her door, inviting her to dine in the main hall.
Do I have to? Belial asked flatly.
Miller struggled to find a way to encourage her to interact more with the other faculty members. In the end, all he managed was a stiff, Yes.
Fine. She followed him.
The academy was vast, and not all students were aware that the low-year spellcasting instructor was none other than the outsider who had put their previous teacher in the infirmary.
As Belial entered the dining hall with Miller, a few students whispered among themselves, wondering why a student was out of uniform.
That question was swiftly answered when she took a seat at the faculty table. The realization struck them like lightningthe young girl, barely distinguishable from a senior-year student, was a teacher.
Instantly, she became the center of attention, overshadowing even Abysss presence.
Shes a teacher? That cant be right, one student murmured.
Wait, is she the one who injured Frey Bright? Another student leaned in, voice hushed with intrigue.
Did you see her eyes? Shes a half-blooda mix of elf and vampire! They actually let someone like that teach here? Im writing my father to file a complaint!
Yet among the crowd, some of the younger students, already acquainted with her, greeted her enthusiastically.
Professor Belial! they called, waving eagerly.
Belial raised her hand lazily, resting it against the table as she returned the wave.
Frey, who had been half-asleep, snapped to full alertness. His gaze darted across the hall, locking onto a student who had just loudly declared their intent to file a complaint. Shooting them a glare, he silenced them instantly, making them drop their head and focus on their food.
Then, shifting his gaze to the farthest seat at the student tables, Frey narrowed his eyes at Abyss and muttered darkly, Wipe that filthy look off your face.
Abysss gaze was entirely normal. Plenty of students were watching Belial, yet Frey deliberately singled him out.
Unlike with Belial, Abyss had no reason to act meek around others. He met Freys glare, his expression unreadablealmost as if he were looking at a fool throwing a tantrum. Then, with deliberate slowness, he turned his gaze back to Belial.
Frey instantly bristled. Even the twin brothers beside him struggled to hold him back. But just as Frey was about to snap
Abysss expression shifted.
Frey instinctively followed Abysss line of sight and froze.
At the faculty table, Belial calmly took a bite of bacon.
Bacon???
A terror only elves could comprehend seized Frey. He bolted toward the faculty table, but the bustling dining hall slowed his approach.
In the span of those few seconds, Belial had cut a piece of steak and eaten it. Freys sharp eyesight caught the faint, bloody center of the meat.
Shes lost her mind!!!
Just as Frey was about to shout for her to stop, an unseen force descended upon him, binding him in place, leaving him utterly paralyzed.
At the faculty table, Belial leisurely finished her meal.
Miller, lacking an elfs visceral reaction, merely gawked at her in disbelief. You can eat meat?
Belial tilted her head. Why wouldnt I?
Miller frowned. But youre a half-elf, half-vampire.
Belial considered that, then smiled.
Maybe she mused. Im just a monster?
As she spoke, she turned her gaze toward Frey, who remained frozen in place, and whispered one word
Leave.