Chapter 28: Aurelia Crimsonsvale

"You’re lying."

Aurelia’s voice was flat. The playful light had left her eyes. Rael stayed quiet for a few seconds, letting the silence settle, then spoke softly.

"I’m not lying. I’m just scared. Anyone would be. But I meant what I said—you came for me when no one else did."

That part was true. As twisted and disgusting as everything else about her was, she had crossed realms for him when his own family had erased his name. Some small, buried part of him recognised it.

Aurelia studied his face. "Oh. You didn’t lie that time."

Somehow she could tell when he was lying. The realisation settled cold in his stomach. He would have to choose every word with care.

She shifted on his lap, closer. "Rael, Rael, Rael... I love you so much... will you stay with me forever?"

The question was a trap. Saying no would enrage her. Saying yes would register as a lie. He met her red eyes and chose a narrower path.

"Aurelia I can’t love you, I don’t like the way you are right now."

Her expression turned to a childlike face with tears in her eyes. "Why not? Am I not good enough am I not beautiful enough for you?"

"No. You’re very beautiful." He kept his voice even. "But I don’t want to be with someone who kills so many people. If you stop... maybe I could start to like you too."

He watched her carefully. She could hear his heartbeat; she knew when he lied. Everything he had just said was true, and she felt it. The tears drained out of her face, replaced by something almost childlike.

"Okay," she said. "I’ll change. I’ll change for you so you’ll accept me."

Rael only nodded. He did not trust himself to speak.

She continued, lighter now, as if the matter were settled. "But I will still eat them. Even if someone else does the killing."

"Why eat them at all?" he asked.

"Well... I’m not human and they are tasty."

He stared at her. "What?"

She leaned in until her lips nearly touched his ear, voice dropping to a secretive whisper. "I’m telling you, but you can’t tell anyone okay. We belong to a different race. The Crimsonvales are ghouls. I’m a ghoul."

The words landed like a blow. One of the sovereign families of the human kingdom was not human at all. Rael had studied about ghouls before—rare, dangerous, from distant continents. They did not need human flesh to survive; other meat would do. But human flesh gave them power. Strength. Growth. How had the royal family allowed an entire bloodline of them to sit among the highest seats of the kingdom? They had to know.

Aurelia pulled back just enough to see his face. "So you won’t love me because I’m a ghoul? Even when I kissed you, you were looking at that girl for permission."

Lila’s face flashed through his mind. He forced the image down and changed tactics.

"You want me with you. Fine. Untie me and I’ll stay. We can clear this realm together. You’re stronger than any of them. I see that now."

He offered her a future that still included him alive and useful.

Aurelia went quiet. Then she laughed—once, short and humourless.

"You’re still trying to manage me. Even now. The genius is thinking three steps ahead while he’s bleeding on the floor. Cute. But I can smell the lie on you."

Her hand settled on his throat again, not squeezing, just resting there as a reminder. The playful girl was gone. What remained was sharp and cold. She had let him talk, let him believe he was steering the conversation, while she collected every truth and every falsehood.

"Don’t think I can’t have you just because you don’t like me," she said. "I can keep your soul with me and use your body however I like."

She leaned in until her chest pressed against his and kissed him again, slow and possessive. The taste of iron filled his mouth.

A translucent window appeared in his vision.

[Class detected]

[Class: Soulbinder (S-Rank)]

[Do you want to copy?]

[Y/N]

He chose yes.

[Class: Soulbinder] (S-Rank)

A rare summoning class that allows the user to bind the soul of a defeated creature and temporarily inhabit its dead body. The soul retains the creature’s instincts and abilities, but the body continues to decay and will eventually become unusable.

[Skills]

[Soul Bind] (Master)

[Allows the Soulbinder to capture the soul of any human or creature and transfer it into a suitable corpse, granting control over the body while retaining the soul’s memories and abilities. The corpse gradually deteriorates with use.]

[Soul Storage] (Master)

[Creates a vast 10,000 sq. ft. storage space within the Soulbinder’s soul where anything can be stored, including corpses, beasts, weapons, and other objects. Stored items remain in their current condition and can be summoned or retrieved at will.]

Bloodline skill:

[Conceal]

[A skill that allows the user to alter their physical appearance, including face, hair, and other recognizable features, making their true identity difficult to recognize. Can be activated at all times; does not require mana, only concentration.]

Rael understood her threat now what she meant by keeping his soul and body kept separately. He did not wait.

He activated Soul Bind.

A white shape exploded into the chamber. The Frost Dire Wolf—Alex’s soul given form—slammed into Aurelia with bone-crushing force, jaws closing around her shoulder and hurling her off Rael’s body. She hit the far wall hard, blood and surprise flashing across her face as the great white beast stood between them, growling low, red eyes locked on the ghoul who had once controlled it.

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Special thanks to-

[YzolYZ, Harouna_Billal_3607, killuaslayer for the power stones]