AOL 21

Chapter 21

From the moment they first met, she thought he was an ill-mannered bastard.

His silent gaze that looked down on others as if crushing them. The way he treated everyone—man or woman, young or old—as if they were insects. In every sense, he was someone she wanted nothing to do with.

But whether it was the fate of the god Aselhis or some twisted misfortune, Ceres eventually ended up entangled with him.

The Imperial Academy operated a two-person dormitory system to encourage social bonding among students. The moment she turned the handle of her assigned room, she was forced to face a nightmare.

A black-haired boy was sitting lazily on the bed, staring straight at Ceres. His ruby-red eyes blinked slowly, like glass beads devoid of emotion.

Even now, Ceres could not forget what Rahan had said to her back then, without even changing his expression.

“Get lost.”

Their first encounter had been nothing short of disastrous. Yet somehow, the two ended up as friends—there was no special reason. After five years of sharing the same room, they simply grew used to each other.

Neither Rahan nor Ceres was the type to meddle in others’ business, so they rarely clashed.

At some point, other students began treating Ceres like a saint for enduring life beside Rahan. Whenever they asked how she could stand being near someone with such a terrible personality, she would brush it off awkwardly.

But it wasn’t that she had no explanation—it was just too much trouble to give one. Still, even Ceres did not think Rahan was normal.

If there was one misunderstanding people had about Rahan, it was this:

“No matter what people say, isn’t that rumor a bit exaggerated?”

“He’s still human. He can’t be that much of a monster…”

And every time she heard that, Ceres would say with a serious face:

“Rahan El Kanos is exactly that kind of trash. In reality, he’s worse than the rumors.”

Contrary to their assumptions, all rumors about Rahan were based on fact. In some cases, the rumors were even softened versions of the truth.

For example, there was a story about a noble student who provoked Rahan and ended up being sent home from the Academy.

“I heard he was thrown out the terrace?”

“They said all his front teeth were gone and one arm was broken…”

“Good heavens…”

The truth was different.

He hadn’t been thrown from a terrace—but from a second-floor window.

And it wasn’t just one arm; both arms and both legs were broken. His teeth were knocked out because Rahan had beaten him until he lost consciousness before throwing him out.

What shocked people even more was Rahan’s expression as he did it—calm, unfazed. He simply dusted off his perfectly neat clothes and walked away, passing by the horrified Ceres and the others.

Rahan accumulated terrifying notoriety as if he were collecting savings. But at that time, he still wasn’t yet called a “personality monster.”

Everything changed after the summer break in his third year at the Academy.

Around then, his eye color also began to change. His ruby-red eyes slowly turned into a clear gold, like a snake shedding its old skin.

Rumors that he was not human—but a demon—began spreading. Of course, he didn’t seem to care at all.

Whether Rahan was human or demon, something had definitely happened that summer.

And when Rahan told her he had met a fairy, Ceres was convinced his mind had finally broken.

“A fairy…?”

Even she sounded ridiculous to herself.

At fifteen, hearing those words from Rahan El Kanos made no sense at all.

Even if he were a child, the fact that those words came from him was the problem.

Something was definitely wrong.

But what he said next was even worse.

“I’m sure it was a fairy. Or maybe an angel…”

He looked distant, as if recalling something. Even his lips were faintly curved upward.

Ceres couldn’t help herself and sneered.

“Why not just say you saw a ghost or a monster?”

The moment she said it, his gaze turned icy—frozen, suffocating.

“Want me to cut out your tongue?”

“….”

Anyone else saying that would be ignored as a joke. But it was Rahan.

Ceres stayed silent.

From then on, Rahan began skipping classes and wandering off somewhere for weeks at a time, returning exhausted.

It was the first time she had ever seen him so fixated on something.

So Ceres believed—surely, he would find the fairy eventually.

But she was wrong.

As seasons passed, the emotion in his eyes gradually disappeared.

The once somewhat doll-like beauty became sharper, more dangerous.

Outside of his outings, Rahan focused only on sword training. Students joked nervously that he might become a killer someday.

And they were not wrong.

After graduating, he went straight to the battlefield and slaughtered enemies until he became a war hero.

And now…

Ceres looked at him quietly.

“So… are you sure that ‘Isel’ was really a fairy? It was a long time ago. Maybe you imagined it?”

Rahan smiled arrogantly.

“Have you ever seen me be wrong?”

Yes. A lot, Ceres thought.

But she said nothing.

The face of Isel—smiling brightly and calling “Master!”—flashed through her mind.

It made sense now why Rahan had called her a fairy.

If fairies existed, they would surely feel like that—warm, radiant, pure.

What a coincidence. That she had suddenly reappeared in Ceres’s workshop of all places.

As expected, the god Aselhis was not on Ceres’s side.

Or perhaps… not on Isel’s side.

What kind of sin had she committed in a past life to be caught by someone like this?

Ceres sighed.

“So does Isel remember you?”

Rahan’s smug expression darkened instantly. He looked down for a moment, then shook his head.

“Probably not.”

“Then—”

“It doesn’t matter.”

There was something disturbingly simple yet obsessive in his voice.

“I won’t lose her again.”

He was no longer the boy who had helplessly lost his first love.

Now he had power, wealth, authority—everything.

Isel blinked.

She was surrounded by darkness. No ceiling, no floor, no walls—just endless black space.

She began to move cautiously, reaching out in front of her.

As she walked, light slowly appeared at the edge of her vision.

When she blinked again, she was surrounded by blinding brightness.

“…Ah.”

This is a dream.

The moment she realized it, her body froze.

Fear seeped into her chest like cold water. She couldn’t breathe.

Ever since that incident in the past, Isel had been having nightmares.

Dark hands would grab her, suffocating her, while she screamed helplessly.

And always the same ending—no one came to save her.

She curled up, clutching a ring tightly as if it were a charm, praying for morning.

But this time—

It was gone.

The ring she never removed even while sleeping had disappeared.

She touched her finger again and again. Nothing.

Something inside her collapsed.

No…

She looked around desperately.

Trees surrounded her. A forest, dense and silent.

No birds. No insects. Not even wind.

She took a step forward.

The texture of a white-barked tree felt real under her palm.

And then—

“Ah…”

She knew this place.

Suddenly, she started running.

Barefoot, stumbling over roots, she ran and ran.

Falling, standing, falling again—she didn’t stop.

Tears streamed down as she ran, leaving faint traces in the air.

Her breath burned in her throat.

At last, she reached the end of the forest.

She collapsed, gasping.

A faint breeze brushed her hair.

Slowly, she lifted her head.

Warm sunlight poured down on an open field.

And there—

A giant lone tree stood, swaying gently like a painting.

And then…

“…El?”

A boy with ruby-red eyes was looking at her.