Chapter 419

There was a brief scuffle between Grace and Kara, but that quickly faded as everyone welcomed Rize’s visit.

Rize had returned right before the vacation began. It had been roughly 2 to 3 months since then.

A short time, but not so insignificant that it felt long. It was just about the right moment for a bit of nostalgia.

“Have you seen the Saint? Sivar’s skin has changed.”

“What? Oh, did it change color because of Tartar?”

“Yep. It’s changed to the point where you can’t even tell he’s from our country. Do you know why?”

That was Grace’s question. Luna listened intently.

Not that she was ignorant, but she was curious about Sivar’s form changing due to the environment.

Regardless of being a demon’s offspring, she had never heard that their bodies could change with the environment.

In fact, it was the opposite. The demons were a species that always maintained the same form regardless of their surroundings.

‘No one fits chaos like him. Wait, is he even a person since he’s a demon’s child?’

If Sivar could peek into Luna’s thoughts, he’d be astounded. Who are you calling chaotic?

But no one here could read minds. Meanwhile, Rize, who had been the one asked, responded.

“I’m not sure either. It’s definitely related to bloodline, but I don’t know who that bloodline belongs to.”

“If demons are keeping close tabs, wouldn’t it be a high-ranking demon?”

“That doesn’t seem right. Last time, they said they’d just make Sivar a workhorse.”

Kara nodded at that. It certainly felt ambiguous regarding Sivar’s origins.

If he were of lowly birth, demons wouldn’t be so protective; if noble, they’d behave more respectfully.

Except, maybe the one who treats him poorly is ‘False’. At least, that’s what Luna understood about the other demons—they seemed to value him highly.

Just when everyone was pondering the depths of Sivar’s origins, Ellie, who had been quiet, cautiously spoke up.

“Demons can be purple, right?”

“Sure. Didn’t a purple demon show up during the Academy raid?”

“Then it must be at least purple, right? Is that too high?”

“Who knows?”

Purple… Luna glanced at Sivar after those words.

Even though it was related to her, she was too busy stuffing her mouth with treats. Her appetite was impressive.

She looked utterly adorable, munching away, but what caught Luna’s attention more was another matter.

‘Definitely something related to purple.’

Luna recalled the prosthetic eye lovingly kept in her pocket. The eye that confirmed Sivar’s pupils.

The color of those pupils was undoubtedly purple. Unlike blue, purple is the color of destiny established since birth.

It wasn’t certain that Sivar was of purple descent, but there was at least a connection.

“How many purple demons are there? Including False.”

“Counting False, there are a total of three. Each symbolizes violence.”

“Violence?”

“Physical violence. Verbal violence. Sexual violence. Among them, False is responsible for verbal violence.”

Luna listened carefully, recalling False from a past encounter.

Bald and wearing an eye patch, he had a wonderfully unique yet friendly appearance.

Despite his gentle image, he had quite a filthy mouth. Perfect fit for verbal violence.

“Are the other purple demons strong like False?”

“They are purple. They can manipulate the laws of the world freely.”

One alone felt overwhelming, how could she possibly face them? Luna’s thoughts grew heavy.

The harsh reality was that even Kara couldn’t win against them. While Kara was strong, they needed to be even stronger.

‘If Sivar were to get married in such a situation…’

That was Luna’s biggest concern. What if Sivar changed his mind and decided to marry midway?

What even is marriage? A culture of settling down and building a family, isn’t it? At least that’s what Luna understood.

Loving people devoting themselves to each other while nurturing new life. For that, ‘stability’ is essential.

‘That’s something I want to prevent at all costs.’

This didn’t mean she had romantic feelings for Sivar. It was more like a partnership.

But if a partner were to suddenly back out, the future ahead would surely be cumbersome.

Above all, unlike Sivar, Luna had no clue about the future. For that reason alone, she wanted to prevent it unconditionally.

‘Sivar must be thinking the same… right?’

Luna sneaked a glance at Sivar. He was getting scolded by Rod for eating too much.

Sivar looked awkward, as if he realized his mistake. Subsequently, Luna turned her gaze away.

“Sister, are you going to marry Sivar right after graduating from the Academy?”

“I’m planning to have a kid before that! Think of my age.”

“Excuse me! Wasn’t it a temporary alliance to begin with?!”

Ellie, Kara, and Grace—each of them tremendously charming in their unique ways.

Could Sivar withstand their onslaught? Luna felt deeply worried.

The most dangerous threat was the internal enemy. But Luna considered a different angle.

‘Sivar seems to have a bit of a playboy side. I hope he isn’t secretly dating other girls behind our backs.’

If that were the case, it wouldn’t just be dangerous; it would be catastrophic. Luna let out a tense sigh.

‘No, don’t rely on Sivar too much… Ugh.’

She tried to soothe herself inwardly, but it wasn’t easy. In another sense, she couldn’t give up on Sivar.

Dependence. Yes, it was dependence. She had to rely on him because he knew too many secrets.

Luna, too, understood the importance of information from her Academy experience.

‘If only I had passed by that mural without curiosity…’

At the very least, she might have felt at ease. Curiosity had spiraled to the point she was here now.

But she couldn’t give up. After all, she still had no clue about the demons’ real goals.

For now, let’s do what we can. That was Luna’s decision.

‘What I can do is strengthen my power. And…’

Not to interfere with Sivar’s plans. Those two things.

Given how little information she had, anything Sivar did would inevitably be deemed part of his plan.

Even if it was something close to eccentric, she had no choice but to trust him.

“Looks like the conversation has dragged on. Thank you all for listening to my story.”

“Not at all. It was an important story.”

“So, we just need to be careful when heading to the Eastern Empire?”

“Yes. Demon or no demon, it wouldn’t hurt to avoid getting caught up in a rebellion.”

Everyone nodded at Rize’s advice. Luna did too, but felt an unsettling sense of foreboding.

It felt like a rebellion would break out the moment her class went on an experiential learning trip. That instinct gnawed at her.

‘Aren’t there assassins among the demons?’

Moreover, the current situation in the Eastern Empire was highly unstable. The moment a high-ranking official got assassinated, bam! It would blow up.

It was a viable theory, but Luna shook her head. Rod informed her that the assassin demon was already dead.

He said they even stabbed it in the heart as confirmation, so there was no chance of a demon or hunter making a move.

“I’m off now. Oh, wait, Luna?”

“Yes?”

“Could we chat for a bit?”

At Rize’s request, Luna was momentarily startled but nodded.

Surely a one-on-one conversation would bring forth nothing but good things.

Soon after, Luna followed Rize to the backyard. Rize still wore her warm smile.

“Luna, how strong have you gotten during this time?”

“Excuse me?”

“I asked how strong you’ve become. Have you possibly matched Kara?”

The sudden question flustered her a bit. But Luna shook her head in response.

Rize looked surprised, her eyes widening a tad. She lowered her gaze, thought for a while, then quietly said,

“That’s odd. I heard you were receiving personal training from Rod…”

“Oh. I’m practicing the basics just fine. I took down two opponents during a duel in Tartar.”

“Two? Not four?”

“Huh?”

As bizarre questions kept coming, Luna cocked her head. There seemed to be some sort of misunderstanding building.

Even Rize seemed to be thinking deeply with her hand to her mouth. Then she exclaimed as if she just realized something.

“Come to think of it, Sivar said he dueled Hector, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I see. Still, that’s strange…”

“What’s strange?”

“I would have thought Luna could handle four opponents easily.”

“You seem to be overestimating me.”

Being overestimated felt nice, but she had no intention of falling for sweet words.

Moreover, Luna had been observing with her distinct ‘eyes’ for objective information. Thus, Rize’s words were hard to digest.

During that time, Rize wore a serious expression of deep thought as she gazed at Luna. Her face was grave.

Just for a moment, Luna felt a prickle from Rize’s gaze. Then Rize spoke solemnly.

“Luna.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“If any incidents related to force arise, I recommend you step forward instead of Sivar. This isn’t advice; it’s a warning.”

“….”

Not advice, but a warning. It sounded like a sort of caution.

Luna couldn’t understand her words any further. If Sivar had said something like that, she would’ve accepted it.

But hearing it from Rize felt peculiar. It wasn’t that it made her feel bad.

It was more like she had a strong certainty of knowing her well. As a saint and the direct descendant of ‘Gwonseong,’ her credibility was high.

“Is there a specific reason for your words?”

“Yes. If Sivar were to disappear for some particular reason, you’d be the only one left.”

“Why on earth?”

“As irritating as he is, the former hero chose you. Most importantly, you have those eyes, right?”

“….”

Luna did not respond. It was a rather sensitive topic.

Then Rize smiled softly and spoke with certainty.

“I know Luna is incredibly strong. So, believe in yourself.”

“You talk as if you know me… The last time you mentioned my eyes too.”

“You usually say strange things, but at times like this, you hit the nail on the head. This must also be the guidance of chaos.”

Though her words were pointed, the one saying them wore a calm smile.

Luna gulped. Rize was definitely smiling, but it didn’t feel genuine.

There was an unspoken pressure. It felt like she was being nearly threatened to take her warning seriously.

“Luna.”

“….Yes.”

“Someday, you too will face pain. Physically or mentally.”

What followed was Rize’s statement.

“I sincerely hope you won’t run away like someone I know.”

It felt more like a plea than a warning.

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