Chapter 152: The Girl Who Never Stopped Loving Him

The room remained quiet after Lilith’s promise.

Seraphina Draven sat across from her, calmly drinking her tea while Lilith stared down at her own cup.

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Lilith had expected Seraphina to question her further, perhaps threaten her, or even demand that she stay away from Kael.

Instead, the woman simply watched her.

It was somehow more intimidating.

Lilith shifted slightly in her seat.

"Madam Draven?"

"Yes?"

"Are you angry with me?"

Seraphina raised an eyebrow.

"Should I be?"

Lilith hesitated.

"I mean... because of Kael."

Seraphina placed her teacup on the table.

"You’re referring to the fact that you slept with my son?"

Lilith’s face immediately turned red.

"W-We weren’t—"

Seraphina lifted a hand.

"I already know."

Lilith lowered her head.

"Then... yes."

Seraphina sighed.

"I’m not angry because you love him."

Lilith slowly looked up.

"You aren’t?"

"No."

Seraphina’s expression softened slightly.

"I would have to be rather foolish to believe I could control who my son develops feelings for."

Lilith remained silent.

"But," Seraphina continued, "I am concerned about the circumstances surrounding your relationship."

Lilith’s fingers tightened around the cup.

"The Velvet Gang."

"Yes."

Seraphina leaned back.

"You are a member of an organization that has already infiltrated the academy. You’ve been assigned to protect Kael while simultaneously carrying out missions for them."

Lilith’s expression became serious.

"I won’t allow them to hurt him."

"I know."

Seraphina’s answer came surprisingly quickly.

Lilith blinked.

"You believe me?"

"I’ve been watching you."

Lilith stiffened.

Seraphina smiled faintly.

"You might be very good at hiding things from ordinary people, but you’re not particularly good at hiding your feelings when Kael is involved."

Lilith’s cheeks became red again.

"I see."

"You’re obsessed with him."

Lilith froze.

Seraphina continued before she could respond.

"Don’t bother denying it."

Lilith slowly lowered her head.

"...I’m not going to."

Seraphina stared at her.

Lilith’s hands rested quietly on her lap.

"I love him."

There was no hesitation in her voice this time.

"I’ve loved him for a very long time."

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"How long?"

Lilith smiled faintly.

"Since I was young."

That answer caught Seraphina’s attention.

"You knew Kael when you were children?"

"Not exactly."

Lilith looked toward the window.

"We only met once... maybe twice."

She smiled as the memories surfaced.

"It wasn’t anything special to him."

"But it was to you."

Lilith nodded.

"A lot."

The memory was old.

Lilith had been much younger then.

She remembered standing somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be, trying desperately not to cry.

She had been frightened, angry, and completely alone.

Then she had met a boy.

Kael.

He hadn’t known who she was.

He hadn’t known what she was.

And he certainly hadn’t known that the girl standing in front of him was a half-demon.

He had simply seen someone who looked like she needed help.

Lilith remembered his voice.

His kindness.

The way he had spoken to her without treating her differently.

It had been something incredibly small.

Something Kael had probably forgotten before the day ended.

But Lilith never forgot.

"To him, it was probably nothing," she said quietly.

"He helped me and then continued on with his life."

Seraphina listened without interrupting.

"But to me..."

Lilith’s fingers slowly curled.

"He was the first person who ever made me feel like I wasn’t a monster."

Her voice became softer.

"I started thinking about him after that."

She laughed quietly.

"At first, I just wanted to see him again."

Then her smile became slightly unsettling.

"Eventually, I wanted to know everything about him."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow.

"Everything?"

Lilith nodded.

"What he liked. What he hated. What made him happy. What made him angry."

She paused.

"Who he spent time with."

Seraphina immediately understood where this was going.

"And Verdia?"

Lilith’s smile disappeared.

"Yes."

There was something noticeably colder in her eyes.

"I didn’t like her."

Seraphina sighed.

"I expected that."

"She was always around him."

"She was his childhood friend."

"I know."

Lilith looked down.

"I knew she was important to him."

For a moment, Lilith’s expression became sad.

"But that only made me want to become important to him too."

Seraphina studied her carefully.

There was something unusual about Lilith’s love.

It wasn’t the simple affection of a girl who had developed a crush.

It was something deeper.

Something that had been allowed to grow unchecked for years.

"You’ve been carrying those feelings all this time?"

"Yes."

Lilith smiled.

"I never stopped loving him."

Lilith stared into her tea.

"I thought about him constantly."

She laughed softly.

"Sometimes I wondered if he would even remember me."

Seraphina remained silent.

"He didn’t."

Lilith smiled.

"Unlike what I expected he did remember me."

Her eyes softened.

"But seeing him again after all those years..."

She paused.

"It was him."

Seraphina could see the affection in her eyes.

"He hasn’t changed much but I noticed some differences."

Lilith’s smile became almost dreamy.

"The moment I saw Kael again, I knew I wanted to stay beside him."

Seraphina crossed her arms.

"I should have seen this coming, you falling in love with him". She muttered rubbing her head.

"I was already in love with him."

She corrected her gently.

"I just never had the chance to do anything about it."

Seraphina sighed.

Lilith smiled.

"I finally had an opportunity."

"And you took it."

"Yes."

Lilith’s expression became strangely satisfied.

"I wasn’t going to let him disappear from my life again."

Seraphina stared at her.

"That’s the part that worries me."

Lilith blinked.

"Why?"

"Because loving someone doesn’t mean you own them."

Lilith was silent.

Seraphina continued.

"If Kael chooses you, that’s one thing. But if you ever try to force him into something he doesn’t want..."

The temperature in the room dropped slightly.

"Then I’ll become your enemy."

Lilith’s expression remained calm.

Then she nodded.

"I understand."

Seraphina studied her for several seconds.

"You really do?"

"Yes."

Lilith smiled.

"I don’t want Kael to fear me."

That statement sounded sincere.

"But I also don’t want anyone taking him away from me."

Seraphina sighed.

There it is.

She hadn’t expected Lilith to suddenly become normal.

"You’ll have to learn to control that side of yourself."

"I’ll try."

"Try harder."

Lilith nodded obediently.

"Yes, Madam Draven."

Seraphina almost laughed.

The woman who had stared down the Veiled Lady without fear was now sitting quietly in front of Kael’s mother like a scolded child.

"There’s one more thing."

Lilith looked up.

"Your relationship with Kael cannot interfere with your mission."

"It won’t."

"And if the Velvet Gang orders you to do something that puts Kael in danger?"

Lilith’s eyes immediately became cold.

"I’ll refuse."

Seraphina’s expression hardened.

"That could put you in danger."

"I don’t care."

Lilith looked directly at her.

"If I have to choose between them and Kael..."

Her voice was quiet.

"I’ll choose Kael."

Seraphina stared at her.

Then she nodded.

"That is exactly what I expected you to say."

Later that afternoon, Lilith finally returned to the academy.

The journey back had been uneventful, but Lilith couldn’t stop thinking about her conversation with Seraphina.

She walked through the academy gates wearing her usual calm expression.

Several students passed her without paying much attention.

Lilith didn’t mind.

Her mind was somewhere else.

Kael is back.

A small smile appeared on her face.

He’s really back.

She had been away from the academy for several days because of the mission.

Now she could finally see him again.

Her pace unconsciously quickened.

Then she stopped.

No.

Lilith took a deep breath.

She remembered Seraphina’s words.

Don’t become too attached.

Lilith frowned.

"That might be impossible."

She immediately resumed walking.

She wasn’t going to smother Kael.

She wasn’t going to interfere with his friendships.

She wasn’t going to cause unnecessary problems.

At least, she would try.

But if someone threatened him?

Her expression became cold.

That’s different.

She entered the academy building.

Almost immediately, she heard students talking.

"Kael is back."

"I heard he was missing for months."

"Apparently, he was training somewhere."

"Training? I heard he was kidnapped."

Lilith stopped.

Her eyes narrowed.

Kidnapped?

She immediately began walking faster.

Who kidnapped him.

I’ll ask Kael about it later since he’s back in the academy.

Her expression softened again.

As she walked through the corridor towards Kael’s dorm, she noticed something else.

Kael mana signature wasn’t there.

Lilith stopped.

She looked around.

"He’s probably in his new dorm."

Her smile widened.

Then she caught herself.

No.

She shook her head.

"I should give him some space."

She took a few steps.

Then stopped again.

But I haven’t seen him in days.

Another step.

Just saying hello shouldn’t hurt.

Another.

And I need to make sure he’s okay.

Lilith turned around.

She walked toward the dormitory.

After a few seconds, she stopped again.

She covered her face with both hands.

"What am I doing?"

She was supposed to be a professional assassin.

A member of the Velvet Gang.

Someone capable of completing dangerous missions without hesitation.

Yet months without seeing Kael had apparently been enough to destroy all of her composure.

Lilith lowered her hands.

A small, almost innocent smile appeared on her face.

"Just a little visit."

She continued toward the dorms.

But deep inside, Lilith knew something.

Seraphina had asked her to protect Kael.

That was exactly what she intended to do.

No matter who came after him.

No matter what the Velvet Gang planned.

No matter how dangerous things became.

She would stay beside him.

After all...

She had waited years for another chance to be with him.

She wasn’t going to waste it.