Emma and Lucy had taken their time cleaning up before dinner, disappearing into the back rooms of the mansion to shower and change into fresh clothes. When they finally returned, the difference was obvious. Emma's damp hair clung slightly to her cheeks as she strolled in, now wearing a fresh white robe lined with soft blue trim—a nice, comfy-looking robe, ceremonial but lightweight, designed for comfort and movement. Beside her, Lucy wore a light green shirt with a light fabric. It didn't look heavy—more like it was made to flow with the wind.
By the time they arrived, Evelyn and Caelen were already finished with their own meals, seated side by side and halfway through an idle chat. But as the two girls took their seats across from them, Caelen could feel something unspoken building between the four of them. It wasn't tension exactly—just the sense that conversations were waiting to happen.
The maid reappeared shortly after, carrying food trays. Emma's meal looked nearly identical to Evelyn's, but nearly double the portion. She dug in without hesitation, a contented smile forming on her face as she stuffed her mouth with grilled fish and rice. Caelen couldn't help but smirk—watching her eat always amused him. Even after everything, she could still act like nothing happened.
Lucy, on the other hand, sat quietly, staring at the simple plate in front of her. Bread with peanut butter and jam. She didn't touch it at first, just kept looking down at it, her fingers resting idly on the edge of the plate. Caelen noticed. His eyes followed her hands, her quiet posture. Something felt off.
He leaned slightly forward. "Is something wrong with the food?"
Lucy looked up. Their eyes met briefly, and for a second, he thought she might say something. Instead, she blinked once, looked back down, and finally picked up a slice of the bread. She bit into it slowly, chewing like she was forcing herself.
Before he could ask, Emma broke the silence.
"Oh, Caelen," she said, voice muffled with food. "Can you help Lucy turn back to normal? I mean, it's been a while since I saw her not in her demon form."
Caelen glanced toward Lucy again. It was true—her form hadn't reverted since the incident. Usually, the demon transformation wore off once the energy was depleted or the user lost consciousness. But Lucy had been asleep for hours, and yet… nothing.
"I'm sorry," he replied, scratching the side of his head. "I don't know what's going on with her. Normally, yeah… the transformation should've worn off by now."
"I really did lose everything," Lucy muttered, her tone quiet but sharp. She didn't raise her head, but the bitterness in her voice was obvious.
Caelen sighed. This again. He didn't want her spiraling into self-loathing—not here, not now.
Out of curiosity, he pulled up her status in front of his eyes.
[Personal Info]
[Name: Lucille Desmire
Race: True Demon
Age: 19
Affiliation: Desmire Head's daughter
Title: Fallen Prodigy
Status: Stable(87%)
Primordial Type: Wrathful Lust Demon
Affinity: Ice and Fire
"Fallen Prodigy," he whispered to himself. That could mean a lot of things. Dead to her clan? Turned into a demon? Or just a label forced on her by the world?
But how did titles work, anyway? Did people assign them through some kind of recognition system? If so, how did he gain one when no one knows who he is?
He instinctively checked his own.
[Caelen- Status Overall]
Intelligent: 16
Strength: 24
Agility: 23
Endurance: 17
Resistance: 21
DM Count: 400
Remaining Points: 19
"Wait—19?" he muttered. The number had jumped again. He blinked, remembering the three straight hours with Emma. Was it really counting that kind of act even without full-on sex? Apparently, yes. Even oral fed his powers.
"What are you mumbling about?" Lucy asked, her voice suddenly sharper. "Did you figure out how to turn me back?"
Caelen blinked and looked at her. "No, nothing like that…"
But before he could explain, Evelyn set down her fork and cleared her throat.
"There might be another explanation," she said, voice casual but steady.
The others looked at her.
Caelen raised an eyebrow. "Alright, tell us."
Lucy gave a short nod as well, almost in sync with him. "We're listening."
Evelyn leaned back slightly. "Okay, so there was this book my grandfather had. Old thing. It talked about demons—how they used to turn into humans to seduce or steal souls, sometimes even transforming others into demons. It said angels were created to stop them. From what I remember."
Caelen blinked. "So they can steal souls?"
"Well, yeah. You didn't know that?" Evelyn looked surprised. "Didn't you say you were from the church?"
"He didn't attend sermons," Emma said between bites, almost defensively.
Evelyn chuckled but shrugged. "Maybe it's like this, Lucy's a different type of demon. You and Emma… you're something else. There's still something we're missing here."
Caelen shook his head. "No, I think what's happening is this—Lucy's not changing back because her tie to humanity is broken, I think. Meanwhile, Emma and I might not be true demons yet."
Evelyn raised her hands. "Alright, alright. Just a theory. Don't bite my head off."
"I'm just saying," Caelen added. "If your grandfather's book had that kind of info, maybe I should read it."
"It's not a whole book on demons," Evelyn said. "Just a chapter or two. Most of it's history and boring noble stuff."
"Then maybe I should ask Lucy," he muttered.
Lucy didn't look up from her plate. "Can't go home. Even if I wanted to. I can't turn back."
Her tone wasn't just cold—it was bitter. And even though her voice always had a chill to it, this one cut deeper than usual. Evelyn didn't reply to that.
The table fell quiet for a moment, filled only with the sound of Emma finishing her food and Lucy chewing silently. Caelen glanced at each of them in turn—Emma's gentle stubbornness, Lucy's silent defiance, Evelyn's careful insight. It was strange how this little group had formed around him. Unstable, mismatched, but strangely connected.
"There's gotta be a way to get more info about demons," Caelen said, rubbing his chin as his thoughts wandered. Evelyn's face lit up like she had been waiting for that exact question.
"What abou—"
"Elves!" Emma suddenly blurted out, cutting Evelyn off with a bright smile.
Evelyn turned to her sharply. "No! Why would you—ugh." She sighed, visibly annoyed, and Emma only looked at her with innocent eyes.
"What?" Emma said, cheeks puffed slightly from finishing the last bite of her meal.
Caelen raised a brow. "Elves?"
"I got this," Evelyn muttered, waving Emma off. Emma just smirked and leaned back, content now that she'd shared what she thought was a helpful idea. Even Lucy, who hadn't spoken since her earlier comment, stayed quiet and listened.
"The elves have the most knowledge in the world," Evelyn began, her voice a bit more formal, as if reciting something from memory. "After the Great War—when everyone was fighting over land and magic—they abandoned the conflict. Instead, they built a kingdom, lifted it off the ground through pure magic, and now... it's floating. In the sky. Covered by clouds. People say it's almost in space."
Caelen blinked. "Wait, that actually happened?"
Evelyn smiled proudly. "Yeah. My grandfather went there once. He said it was the most beautiful place he's ever seen. Everything—buildings, trees, even the animals—has magic flowing through it. And the elves themselves… they're practically amazing beings. They're powerful, graceful, and wise. Not to mention stunning."
"Sounds like a fantasy book," Caelen muttered, impressed despite himself. "But do they know anything about demons?"
"They do," Evelyn said firmly. "Elves live for tens of thousands of years. Some even reach a hundred thousand. That means there are elves alive right now who probably saw the early days of the demon races. If anyone kept accurate records, it's them."
"Huh…" Caelen leaned back, arms crossed. "Then maybe… they can help Lucy."
Lucy didn't respond, still nibbling on her bread and peanut butter, eyes downcast.
"They will," Evelyn nodded. "But not yet. Not until you help me. Then we can go."
Caelen turned to her. "We?"
"Yes. We. I'm not staying behind. My dream was always to reach Sylthraen—the floating island. The place my grandfather loved more than anything." Her voice suddenly spiked in emotion. "And you're not going without me."
The sharp tone caught Caelen off guard. Her usual playful sarcasm was gone, replaced by something fiery and personal. He stared at her, and for a moment, he saw past the teasing maid. This place meant everything to her.
"Alright," he finally said, softening his tone. "Once the cooldown on my ability ends… I'll give you your reward. Then we'll go. Together."
Evelyn's face relaxed as she sat back down. "Thank you."
"Yeah, yeah," Lucy said, then glanced over at Caelen. "But there's something else. What makes you think they'll even allow demons? Especially full-blooded ones? And if they're that powerful, we might not even be able to reach them."
Evelyn frowned. "Oh. I… didn't think of that."
Emma chimed in between sips of juice. "They don't really hate demons. It's more about keeping their own world pure. They probably wouldn't outright attack you, but they might not open their gates either."
Lucy grumbled. "Great. So I might not even be welcome anywhere now."
"No," Caelen said quickly. "We'll find a way. If it comes down to strength, we train. If it comes down to diplomacy, we play it smart. And if all else fails—" he looked around at the group, "—I'll carry you all there myself since I can grow faster."
Emma smiled. "I'm in. I want to see this sky kingdom."
"Same," Evelyn agreed. "We'll need you to level up fast, though."
Lucy finally looked up. "Why?"
Caelen met her eyes. "Because I started this. And… because I still think you can be saved."
Her eyes lingered on him, expression unreadable.
There was silence for a few seconds before Emma stretched. "Then it's decided. We train, we get strong, and we visit the elves!"
Caelen chuckled, amused by how quickly things turned from awkward to ambitious. "One step at a time."
"I'll get my grandfather's old journal," Evelyn said, standing up. "There's not much in there, but some of his memories might help."
"Thanks," Caelen said. "I'll check it tonight."
As the table began to clear, Emma helped collect the plates, and Lucy stayed quiet, still distant but listening. The air between them had settled—not completely healed, but less tense.
Before they could break off, Evelyn paused. "By the way… if we do reach the elves, and they offer you a deal… be careful."
"Why?" Caelen asked.
"Because elves don't do things for free," she said. "They'll ask for something. And usually, it's something you don't want to give."
He nodded slowly.
"I'll keep that in mind."
To be continued...
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