Chapter 156: Reputation in Ruins

Kael was snapped awake by the sudden silence in his room.

For nearly two hours, his dorm had sounded like a battlefield. Furniture had been moved, mana had occasionally flared, and more than once Kael had seriously considered pretending to be unconscious just to avoid getting dragged into whatever argument Lilith and Charlotte were having.

Now, however, there was complete silence.

That was somehow more worrying.

Kael slowly opened his eyes and turned his head.

What he saw made him question whether he had actually woken up.

Lilith was in a deadlock under Charlotte.

The two girls were staring at each other, neither willing to give an inch.

Kael blinked.

Then blinked again.

How did we get here?

He had stopped paying attention somewhere around the first hour.

Apparently, that had been a mistake.

Charlotte finally managed to push herself free, sitting up and rubbing her shoulder.

"Sometimes I forget that you’re actually half demon," Charlotte muttered.

Lilith scoffed as she stood.

"The fact that you’re underestimating me is a good thing. It means that my job as a spy has been going well," Lilith replied.

Charlotte stared at her.

"A spy?"

Lilith immediately realized what she had said.

Kael noticed too.

But instead of reacting, he simply stared at the ceiling.

I don’t want to know.

He had already dealt with enough secrets in his life.

Charlotte, however, wasn’t nearly as willing to let the statement slide.

She turned toward Kael.

"Come to think of it, Kael, why didn’t you tell me that Lilith was a half demon?"

Kael slowly turned his head toward her.

"Well, first and foremost, you didn’t ask."

Charlotte frowned.

"That’s your excuse?"

"It’s not an excuse. It’s a perfectly reasonable answer."

"Kael."

"And secondly, it’s irrelevant. Why would I really need to tell you?"

Charlotte opened her mouth, but Kael had already shifted his attention toward Lilith.

"Although..."

Lilith tilted her head.

Kael narrowed his eyes.

"Why didn’t you do a better job at keeping your identity a secret?"

Lilith sighed.

"Well, it’s actually related to them."

Kael’s expression immediately became serious.

He knew who she was referring to and decided to stop with the questions.

His gaze wandered around the room until it landed on the large portrait hanging on the wall.

Xavier’s smug face stared back at him.

Kael stared at the portrait.

The portrait seemed to stare back.

For some reason, Xavier looked even more smug than usual.

Kael sighed.

Why did they have to put that thing here?

He was beginning to suspect the academy had intentionally placed it there just to torment him.

Charlotte wasn’t having any of it.

"What exactly do you mean by ’them’?"

Kael remained silent.

"Come on, Kael. You don’t really plan on keeping me in the dark about this."

She folded her arms.

"We’re meant to be partners."

"Yeah, I know about that."

Kael rubbed his eyes.

"But I would really like my peace of mind."

He pointed toward the door behind them.

"You guys have been brawling for nearly two hours. I haven’t taken a proper nap yet you guys should just leave."

Lilith smiled faintly.

"Come on, Kael. I’ve really missed you."

Kael gave her a tired look.

"I’ve noticed."

Charlotte suddenly raised her hand.

"Yeah, and I left my clothes inside. You can’t exactly expect me to leave like this after everything we’ve been through together."

Kael froze.

Lilith slowly turned toward Charlotte.

Charlotte noticed the look on her face.

"What?"

Kael immediately covered his face.

"Why do you keep saying things like that?"

"What?"

"Quit talking like that or people will misunderstand."

Charlotte shrugged.

"I’m just telling the truth."

"That’s the problem!"

Kael finally reached his limit.

He grabbed both girls by the arms.

"Out."

"Kael—"

"Out."

Lilith tried to protest.

"But—"

"No."

Charlotte pointed toward the bathroom.

"My clothes—"

"I don’t care."

"You can’t just throw us out!"

"I absolutely can."

With surprising strength, Kael carried both of them toward the door.

"Kael!"

"Put me down!"

Neither complaint worked.

Kael opened the door and shoved them outside.

"Have a nice day."

He turned around about to slam the door and immediately froze.

Someone was standing beside the neighboring dorm.

Zion.

The swordsman had witnessed everything.

His expression was one of complete surprise.

Kael stared at him.

Zion stared at Kael.

Then Zion’s expression instantly became serious.

"Don’t mind me."

He calmly walked past.

"I was never here."

Kael’s face went pale.

"Zion."

Zion continued walking.

"I saw nothing."

"Zion."

"Nothing."

"Wait!"

Kael grabbed both Charlotte and Lilith and dragged them back inside before slamming the door.

His face was filled with horror.

He leaned against the door.

"Don’t tell me that he actually..."

His voice trembled.

"Oh my god."

Kael slowly slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor.

"My reputation is in smithereens."

Charlotte and Lilith looked down at him.

Neither knew whether to laugh or feel sorry for him.

Charlotte eventually squatted beside him.

"Don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?"

She poked his cheek.

Kael didn’t respond.

She poked him again.

"Kael?"

Nothing.

Charlotte looked at Lilith.

"Did he die?"

Lilith shook her head.

"No."

Charlotte poked his cheek again.

"He’s breathing."

"I’m not breathing," Kael muttered.

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

"You literally just spoke."

"That was my spirit."

"Your spirit is annoying."

Kael ignored her.

He simply lay there on the carpet, staring blankly at the floor.

This is terrible.

Zion was going to tell someone.

Then that someone would tell someone else.

Then before he knew it, the entire academy would believe—

Kael stopped himself.

No. Don’t think about it.

He slowly covered his face.

Maybe I should transfer.

Lilith watched him quietly.

Unlike Charlotte, she wasn’t particularly concerned about Kael’s reputation.

She was worried about something else.

Her own.

She had spent years learning how to remain hidden.

The Velvet Gang had trusted her with sensitive missions because she could move through enemy territory without exposing herself.

Yet somehow, in a single day, things had begun falling apart.

Auriella had already noticed that something about her was strange.

And now Kael’s relationship with her had been witnessed by Zion.

Two major individuals within the academy.

All in one day.

Wonderful.

Lilith sighed.

The irony wasn’t lost on her.

She was supposed to be a spy.

Yet she was exposing herself because of one person.

Kael.

She looked down at him.

Her expression softened.

At this point, she wasn’t sure how much she cared anymore.

Her love for Kael seemed to be growing beyond the boundaries of everything she had been taught.

Mission.

Organization.

Secrecy.

All of it mattered.

But Kael mattered more.

That realization should have frightened her.

Instead, it brought a strange sense of calm.

Lilith knew there were things they needed to discuss.

The Velvet Gang’s movements.

The upcoming tournament.

The strange behavior of certain demon candidates.

And the fact that more people were beginning to notice Kael.

They needed to talk.

Properly.

But right now wasn’t the time.

Kael finally groaned and pushed himself up.

"My reputation..."

He stumbled past both girls.

"My reputation..."

He walked toward the couch like a man who had lost everything.

"My reputation..."

He collapsed onto it.

Then he noticed Xavier’s portrait again.

His eye twitched.

"Why are you still here?"

The portrait obviously didn’t answer.

Kael turned around and faced the back of the couch.

"Just leave me alone."

Lilith and Charlotte exchanged glances.

Then looked at Kael.

Then at each other.

Neither said anything.

For several seconds, the room remained quiet.

Then Charlotte suddenly spoke.

"Have you eaten today?"

Lilith blinked.

"No."

Charlotte looked surprised.

"Nothing?"

"Not since I arrived at the academy."

Charlotte nodded slowly.

"Same for me. Although it’s been since morning."

She glanced at Kael.

"What about him?"

Lilith looked toward the couch.

Kael was motionless.

Charlotte sighed.

"He probably hasn’t eaten either."

Lilith’s expression changed.

"That would explain why he looks exhausted."

"He always looks exhausted."

"True."

Charlotte stood.

"Let’s prepare something."

Lilith looked at her.

"Together?"

"Unless you plan on letting Kael starve."

Lilith smiled.

"I suppose I can tolerate working with you."

"That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me today."

They walked toward the kitchen.

Kael heard their footsteps but didn’t bother looking.

Finally. They’re getting along.

He closed his eyes.

The kitchen soon became surprisingly active.

Cabinet doors opened and closed.

Ingredients were pulled from storage.

Pots were placed on the counter.

Charlotte examined what Kael had stocked.

"Does this guy actually know how to shop?"

Lilith glanced at the ingredients.

"He has enough food."

"That’s not what I meant."

Charlotte picked up something from the counter.

"Why does he have so much meat?"

"Kael likes meat."

"That explains it."

They began preparing the meal.

At first, there was awkward silence.

Neither girl seemed particularly interested in starting another argument.

Eventually, Charlotte spoke.

"So..."

Lilith glanced at her.

"You really are a spy?"

Lilith paused.

"I suppose you’ve already heard enough to know that."

"Yeah."

Charlotte began chopping vegetables.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Lilith stared at her.

"No."

"Good."

Charlotte continued chopping.

"I’d rather not die before graduating."

Lilith almost laughed.

"You really are strange."

"I’ve been told that."

The tension between them slowly faded.

Neither trusted the other completely.

But they were beginning to realize that they had something in common.

They both cared about Kael.

Perhaps too much.

The smell of food soon spread through the dorm.

Kael’s nose twitched.

His eyes slowly opened.

For the first time in several minutes, he sat upright.

The aroma reached him from the kitchen.

He looked toward the counter.

Lilith and Charlotte were standing side by side, preparing food.

Kael stared at them.

Then, despite everything that had happened that day, a small, peaceful smile appeared on his face.

"At the very least..."

He leaned back against the couch.

"They can get along."

Charlotte looked over her shoulder.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Lilith smiled.

Kael closed his eyes again.

For the first time since returning to the academy, the room felt peaceful.

Well...

As peaceful as a room containing two powerful girls, one exhausted swordsman, and a smug portrait of Xavier could possibly be.