Chapter 279: Ch 278: Friends and Foes

Seraphina took a deep breath to steady herself. She was not sure where she should begin, but she wanted to tell Leon and Kael what had happened.

"I...feel much better. I have no idea what happened. I suddenly felt an overwhelming force overcoming me from the inside and demanding that I return something to it. I think I also feel empty for some reason."

Seraphina rubbed her chest where that hollow feeling lingered. She felt as if something had been robbed from her...but she also felt like she had robbed something from Lyra.

This horrible feeling of loneliness made her feel like she was all alone in a violent sea, and she wanted to be left alone.

"I am sure it is hard for you to wrap your head around what happened, but don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine soon. You just wait and see."

Kael assured her, and his hand on Seraphina’s shoulder made her feel alive. She felt like she wouldn’t lose control as long as Kael was with her.

But the violent storm inside her was still raging, and Seraphina felt like she was being tugged everywhere by it. The force was inside her and raging strongly.

It made her close her eyes, and when she opened them, the first thing she saw was Kael. That instantly calmed her rage.

"Teacher, can I ask something from you? I promise I am not trying to take advantage of you."

Seraphina asked, and Kael looked at her with a confused expression. But he was kind to a fault, so Seraphina knew that he would agree to help her out.

"What help do you need from me?"

Kael asked as he walked toward her, and it made her sigh in relief.

’I knew the teacher was kind to a fault, but he needs to be more careful. He could get taken advantage of like this.’

And yet, Seraphina had no intention of telling Kael anything. She wanted to benefit from his nature, and she held her arms out for Kael to grab her.

"Can I get a hug from you? I feel like I would become more steady if I had your company."

It was greedy of Seraphina to ask for this, especially after knowing how risky her situation was. But she had always been greedy for the things that she wanted, and Kael’s attention and presence near her were two of those things.

Kael looked at her before he sighed and walked toward her. He wrapped his arms around Seraphina and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey! Don’t touch her carelessly."

Leon yelled, but Seraphina ignored him as she focused on the feeling of Kael holding her. It felt nice...

She felt like she could stay like this forever.

...

"Ugh, my head is splitting. It’s as if someone is hammering away at it. Do we have any pain-relief medicine at home?"

Lyra asked as she collapsed on the bed and rubbed her forehead.

"Are you...having a headache? For real? You are not just saying this to express what you are feeling, right?"

Elena asked with a concerned look on her face as she looked at the demon queen in front of her. She wanted to help, but she was not sure what she could do.

Moreover, for the demon queen to get a headache was unheard of...or at least, she had not seen anything like this before.

"Ugh, I wish I were joking as well, Elena. But my head is out to kill me today. My condition must be especially bad."

Lyra told her as she shivered in her bed.

These symptoms pointed to the fact that she was coming down with something, which was a scary thought. She was the demon queen, and demon biology did not allow her to get sick. She was not supposed to be feeling like this.

Her saying these words conveyed how serious the situation was because Elena looked bothered by her as well.

"I will go and get Leon...not Kael, for you. Just wait a bit-"

Elena started to head toward the door when Lyra felt something lingering inside her body. It was spreading all the way around her and draping itself over her.

’What is going on?’

She asked as her hand moved on its own and headed toward Elena. She was trying to grab her, but Lyra did not want to.

’Stupid body! Are you trying to rebel against me? How dare you!’

She yelled inside her mind as she tried her best to pull the corruption back. But it was of no use. The corruption was ignoring her and doing as it wanted.

Unlike Seraphina, Lyra did not lose her mind, and she was able to control the corruption. But it was only a matter of time before she lost this battle.

It made her grit her teeth, and she looked at Elena before yelling.

"Get away from me, or I might attack you as well. My body...it’s not listening to me right now. Elena, go and tell Kael what is happening. He might be able to help me."

Lyra told Elena, who nodded and headed toward the door. But she was not able to make it all the way out before Lyra grabbed her and plunged her claw into Elena’s chest.

The pain was intense, but there was no physical wound to show what had happened.

Elena’s hand went up to her chest as she heaved and looked at Lyra with a betrayed look on her face.

"W-What did you do?"

Elena asked as the empty feeling inside her started to spread, and fast. She was feeling colder and colder by the second. But Lyra just shook her head, almost as if to say that she had no idea what had happened.

"I...did not do anything. I did not mean to do anything. You have to believe me! This is not my fault!"

The demon queen insisted. But she was the one who had attacked Elena, so how could the other believe her?