Nebula looked like she’d been caught in a snare. Her skin, pale even on the best of days, now seemed almost translucent under the academy’s stark lights. Her hands were wrapped tight around herself, knuckles white, as she stared at the building where the Holy Knight had vanished into.

When she saw me approach, her eyes widened, a hint of relief mingling with terror. I walked over fast, ignoring the curious glances of other students milling about, Lilian walking beside me. “Do you have any plans?” I asked, my voice low and urgent.

She just shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Plans? No, no, nothing,” she almost choked out. Her voice trembled, carrying the edge of someone who’d never swam being thrown into a river. “I don’t know anything! If it had been anyone else, they could feign a sudden illness or some family emergency. But I was with Prince Orion’s team. The moment they think I’m avoiding them, they’ll track me down.”

A vampire born in a vampire clan would have access to artifacts that could hide them from scrutiny, but Nebula was a halfling who grew up with humans. She didn’t have an easy way out.

Her gaze shifted as if searching for some escape that wasn’t there. “They’ll drag me back here if I leave,” she muttered. “And they’ll question me like I’m some kind of criminal. And… and when they realize the truth, I’ll be…” she stopped, fearful of the eavesdroppers.

My mind was racing. This wasn’t good. The Holy Knight was sharp, skilled in picking up the faintest hints of darkness. Vampires weren’t demons, but they were the closest thing there was. They received the same treatment from the Church. To their blind eyes, she was far from innocent. She was right, if he sensed even a hint of what she really was, she’d be burnt at a stake.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one in danger. I too could be found out. Is there no way to fix this? Any game knowledge? Any of my skills?!

My plans came short. A Holy Knight was almost summoned in the game too during this event, but Prince Orion canceled it. He didn’t want to bother everyone with the hassle. But this time, my team was also involved, and Sevrin and Calista were dead. The casualties were higher. So perhaps Orion didn’t feel like canceling it? Or maybe the church pushed it despite the prince’s displeasure. Whatever the case, it was a new situation that I couldn’t be sure of.

Lilian was just as tense beside me, the worry clear on her face. We’d dealt with all kinds of threats before, but a Holy Knight was a different story altogether. They didn’t stop until they’d rooted out every last trace of demonic influence, no matter where it hid. Well, he was no Vampiric Father, but we also didn’t have the support of the Matriarch. Plus he won’t be alone for long if he did find out our secrets. An entire order of Holy Knights might come. Plus all the professors will turn against us, as well as the entire academy.

“I—” I hesitated, pulling my thoughts together before speaking again. I ran my hand through my hair. “I’ll figure something out,” I said, meeting her gaze with a determination I didn’t entirely feel. But it didn’t matter. She needed to believe it. If she panicked and fled, it’d end badly for her. “Listen to me. Don’t do anything rash. Just go about your day tomorrow like everything is normal. Go to class. Understand?”

She stared back at me, her confusion visible, but then she nodded slowly. The flicker of doubt in her eyes lingered, but it was masked by something else—acceptance, perhaps? Or maybe just resignation. She couldn’t fully trust me, but right now, she didn’t have any other options. She had to meet the Holy Knight and hope whatever trick he’d use to identify evil wouldn’t work on her half-blood.

The clear sky stretched above like an abyss, and for now, there was no telling what lay at the other end.

****

I sat at my usual spot beside Solara, who was still wrapped in bandages, looking like a mummy who’d walked through hell and back—which, in truth, she had. Despite her injuries, she exuded a calm strength.

“They can’t seem to stop staring,” she said, her gaze fixed forward. She didn’t seem bothered by them. She had long since stopped being bothered by people’s gazes and whispers.

“Let them be. Your wounds will heal soon, anyway,” I said, trying to distract myself from all the worry in my head. I didn’t know if today’s plan would work or not.

Before she could reply, Nebula entered the classroom, and the moment she saw me, her eyes flicked to the empty seat beside mine. She seemed to hesitate for some reason, torn between choices. It was our usual arrangement, but after a moment, she settled in a different seat without a word, putting distance between us.

My eyes narrowed. I see. She’s really scared. I knew what she was trying to do. She thought that by sitting elsewhere, she could somehow protect me if she got captured. Seeing me beside her might make the Holy Knight suspicious.

A noble, if foolish, thought. She seemed to have forgotten we were engaged, and it was common knowledge. If either of us got exposed, the other would be interrogated more carefully.

“...Did something happen between the two of you?” Solara asked.

“No, it’s nothing.”

More students filled up the seats soon, and a bit later, Professor Katheran entered, his expression as impenetrable as ever. Today, he wasn’t alone.

I tensed, along with everyone else, as another figure followed him in. Clad head-to-toe in gold-plated armor, with a golden cloak swaying in the air, the man was a mountain, dwarfing Katheran with a presence that made the air weigh down on our shoulders.

Katheran stopped before the podium, placing his books on it. “Morning, everyone. Be on your best behavior, we have a special guest.”

The room fell silent. Stupid nobles who loved whispering found their throats dry. I could hear the faint rustle as students shifted nervously, the tension almost tangible. The Holy Knight stood there like a statue, radiating an air of cold, unyielding judgment.

“This,” Katheran began, his voice steady but edged with something hard, “is Sir Likard, the Mountain. A Holy Knight, here at the behest of the United Church.”

In front of me, a student gasped, covering his mouth as he forced himself to stay calm. It has been announced before, so I didn’t know why they were reacting so heavily. I kept my gaze locked on the man in gold armor.

Sir Likard, the Mountain.

He scanned the room with a penetrating stare, even through his helmet, his gaze cutting through us like a blade.

Katheran continued, “Normally, such matters are handled in private with the names involved. But since the Academy is a sensitive place, the Church wishes to be more... transparent against demons.” He paused, and I could see the tight line of his mouth. “Right here, right now, Sir Likard will be conducting his interrogation publicly.”

Students swallowed their saliva while Sir Likard shook his head.

“Please, don’t sugarcoat it, Professor,” Sir Likard said, his booming voice filling the room. When Katheran frowned, he stepped forward, addressing us directly. “I’m not here to ask questions. I’m certain the professors have gone through that already with you lots. I’m here for a more direct approach. To teach the demons a lesson! Team One and Team Nine from the dungeon expedition, at least those of you still fortunate enough to draw breath, stand up. Make your way down here.”

A heavy weight settled in my gut. I glanced at Nebula, but she avoided my gaze, staring straight ahead, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk.

Sir Likard continued, “Your seniors were tested yesterday and they were deemed... unblemished. Thus, I have reason to believe that today’s trials may yield a more intriguing outcome.” He said and waited.

One by one, we stood and made our way down to the front, forming a line behind the Holy Knight, standing under the blackboard. Orion and my eyes brushed past each other, but we stayed quiet. The Naga Princess, Sathari Nezehra passed by me, slithering her tongue out at me for some reason. She didn’t seem worried about all this.

I turned to look at the knight. He was looking back at us, and the weight of his gaze pressed down on us like a physical force. I kept my breathing steady and my face neutral, but inside, every nerve was on edge.

[Level 95]

I looked at his Level again. No chance of escape from here if he catches me. We were all lined up, standing like prisoners waiting for judgment, and I could feel the collective tension thickening the air as we waited for Sir Likard to make his move.

His helmeted head turned slowly, scanning us, and for a heartbeat, his gaze had fixed on Nebula. My heart hammered as he paused, but then his gaze shifted a bit to the side.

“Solara Fenixia,” he called, his voice slamming down like a gavel. “Child of a fallen house, you tainted vessel of darkness. Step forward.”

Whispers broke out like a wave, disbelief rippling through the room. Solara, a demon host? My Demonic Sphere caught some distant curses, agreeing that yes, it must be her. She, whose noble house had fallen, must have joined hands with a demon. That made my jaws clench. My hands clenched as I quickly tucked them behind my back, the audacity of this man’s words annoying me. He had no proof, but that didn’t stop him from making a show of it.

But where I held myself back, someone else didn’t. Katheran moved forward, his hand falling heavily on the Holy Knight’s shoulder. “Sir Likard,” he said, his tone firm, restrained.

“It’s unwise to touch a Holy Knight without permission,” Sir Likard sneered as he looked back, the contempt in his voice barely masked.

“Just as it is unwise to accuse one of my students of such serious crimes,” Katheran countered, his voice sharpening, “before anything has been proven.”

Sir Likard frowned, opening his mouth, but Katheran’s dark sunglasses caught the light, flaring with a flash of color. “Do not counter me, Sir. I advise you to reconsider your words before you speak, for you do realize who you’re standing before, do you not?”

Solara had nearly killed herself to save me—another student of Katheran. To him, she was a gem of a student. The tension between them was palpable, crackling like an impending storm. I held my breath, unsure if the two would come to blows.

But then Solara, ever calm, stepped forward, her bandages shifting as she moved. She walked past Katheran and stood before the Holy Knight, her face impassive. “I can’t stand for long, can we get this over with?”

Her voice broke the standoff between the two dangerous men. Katheran’s sunglasses stopped shining, his [Aetheris Eyes] calming down. Indeed, it was he who I referred to during the talk with Lilian when I mentioned that the academy had someone with Aetheris Eyes of their own.

Sir Likard didn’t say anything, although he looked far from pleased. He turned to Solara and ordered, “Reach out your hands.” His voice was as cold as the metal he wore. Solara did as instructed, extending her hands without a hint of hesitation. He took them, murmuring an incantation under his breath, the words foreign and ancient.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Then, louder, he declared, “O’ Shivaron, my Three-Eyed Lord, grant me the vision to unveil all shadows and reveal the true faces of darkness!” Immediately, light exploded from above, blindingly bright, and descending a pillar from the ceiling. It poured down onto the Holy Knight, shimmering around him, and channeled into Solara through his hands.

When the light entered through Solara’s hands, the glow vanished. The glow was only visible when it landed above the Holy Knight, for only he could channel it. It’s as I remember correctly from the game. In that case, my plan might work…

I watched as the class gasped as her bandages began to smolder, turning to ash and drifting to the floor. People gasped as they knew that a demon would indeed be burnt by the holy light while screaming and writhing in pain. For a short second, I saw the eyes of the Holy Knight glowing as if he had found his prey.

But Solara stood still, calm, with the same detached look on her face. The light did not harm her; rather, it helped me. The pillar of light above faded, and she flexed her fingers, glancing at her hands with a faint, almost dismissive expression. Her bandages were gone, revealing pristine skin underneath.

“Thank you for the healing, Sir Knight,” she said, meeting Sir Likard’s hard gaze before turning and walking back to her seat, leaving him standing there, visibly thrown.

I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile. I could practically feel the frustration rolling off him in waves. Katheran’s arms were crossed, clearly pleased with the outcome. The stupid students who had almost believed she was a demon were silent, their faces flushed in embarrassment.

But the Holy Knight wasn’t done. He turned back to the students, his gaze zeroing in on me. “Romani of Team 9,” he barked, his tone laced with boredom this time. “Step forward. It may well be a futile exercise, considering your family history, but let us proceed. You are, after all, on the same team as her.”

I nodded, forcing my face into a mask of indifference, though inside, worry simmered just below the surface. This might become a very long day.

Each step felt heavy, like all those eyes weighing down on me, measuring, searching. I kept my breathing steady, synced to the rhythm of Star Affinity. There was no choice for mistake here. Appear ordinary, I told myself. Unremarkable, harmless.

The Holy Knight watched me come closer, his expression a blank mask with eyes that pierced right through, like they could see every crack beneath the surface. “Iskandaar Romani,” he said. “Present your hand.”

His outstretched gauntlet glinted under the classroom’s cold light, a shackle more than an invitation.

I stayed casual like this was just another task, not something that could end in flames. With barely a pause, I offered him my hand, feeling the urge to clench my fist. His grip closed around it like a vice, cold gold metal pressing into my skin, solid and unyielding. It was as if he thought he could crush out whatever secrets lay inside.

“Your faith will be tested,” Sir Likard muttered, just loud enough for me to catch. His tone held a hint of something darker. Disdain? Suspicion? Maybe that was just how he spoke.

I forced a polite smile like I wasn’t rattled inside. “Sure. I’m ready,” I replied, letting my voice stay smooth. Just another routine—another test of faith, a test of purity. Or in my case, a test of how well I could keep everything hidden.

He started to murmur his incantation, his voice low and steady, each of his syllables like the drop of a heavy hammer. His words built up around us, the energy pressing in, thick and heavy, coiling like smoke. My eyes couldn’t see, but my Demonic Sphere could.

I could feel it gathering, his grip tightening. I kept my focus on the Star Affinity flow, keeping my breath slow, and my body steady.

“O’ Shivaron, my Three-Eyed Lord,” he called out, his voice echoing through the room, “grant me the vision to unveil all shadows and reveal the true faces of darkness!”

The light exploded from the ceiling, raining down at him. It traveled into my body from his palm, vanishing into me and searing through my hand. I felt it crawl up my arm like fire. I kept my face blank and neutral, not a flinch. His eyes bored into mine, searching for even a flicker of discomfort, any sign that something was off.

It hurt.

Surprisingly, it hurt.

I don’t think it’s supposed to hurt a normal person. Meaning, despite the disguise, it can still sense me somewhat… Somewhat, but not enough to make me scream. I smiled. He leaned in, his eyes like twin blades. “What’s wrong, Romani? You look a bit pale.”

“Pale?” I smirked, forcing myself to look relaxed, bored even. “It’s not every day you meet a Holy Knight. Plus, if you’ve heard the rumors about me, you can guess that I’m not really used to the radiance. I think sleeping with whores is a sin?”

Sir Likard gave a short, humorless grunt, his hand tightening around mine like he could squeeze the truth out of my bones. I felt the energy digging, probing, like a blade trying to find purchase in a solid wall.

It pressed harder, almost unbearable, and I gritted my teeth, holding fast to the Star Affinity rhythm. If it hurt even with the disguise, if I let it drop, what’d happen?

I had to keep steady. I had to keep my mask from cracking.

His eyes narrowed like he was trying to recalibrate, to dig deeper. “You know, we Holy Knights have a knack for finding secrets,” he said, almost like we were just talking casually. “Even the kind buried so deep they think they’re safe.”

Why’s he talking so much? Shit, he’s suspicious. “Secrets?” I let out a dry laugh, my eyes fixed on his. “Maybe for someone more interesting. I’m afraid I’d disappoint you.”

He stared a moment longer, his eyes dark, hard. Finally, with a small nod, he let go of my hand. The light vanished, taking that strange, crawling cold with it.

He didn’t look away, just gave a curt nod. “Alright. You may go.”

I held my gaze steady as I nodded back, turning away with slow, measured steps. I didn’t walk back to my seat like Solara, I returned to the line of suspicious students. The Holy Knight looked at me, “Not returning to your seat?”

“Solara is injured. That’s why she went. You want me to return? Then-” I said, and he shook his head.

“It’s alright. Stay.”

I let out a sigh in my head. It’d be harder to get a clean hit if I was too far. I kept my face calm, a mask of nothingness as I stood beside Princess Sathari Nezehra. I didn’t dare let out the breath I was holding until I was sure he wasn’t looking.

That was too close. Far too close. But I’d passed, somehow. Still, I’ve received the proof—Star Affinity wasn’t invincible. I still got hurt by the Holy Light. A different technique, something vision-related, might have seen through my energy disguise.

The tension hadn’t eased; instead, it thickened as Sir Likardt turned his attention to the others. His eyes stayed on Nebula for a second longer than usual again, but then he turned to Lucan and Elias. The other two members of my team. They turned out clean, too.

Then, he focused on Team 1. “Prince Orion, please step forward.” Naturally, Orion turned out clean. He was as clean as they came.

Next came Prince Alaric and then Princess Sathari, each of them stepping forward and emerging unscathed, as I knew they would. It was an empty formality for them. At last, only one person remained. The knight turned, his gaze landing on Nebula.

“Carlstein, you come now,” he said and I felt my chest tighten, the relief from a moment ago vanishing entirely. Nebula’s shoulders stiffened, and she walked ahead with an unsteady grace, the room watching her every move.

She walked to the front, her steps slow and measured, but I could see the tremor in her hands, the tension etched into the set of her jaw.

She extended her hand. The Holy Knight took it, wrapping her slim fingers in his own armored grip. He began the incantation, the words curling around the room like smoke. Then he announced, “O’ Shivaron, my Three-Eyed Lord, grant me the vision to unveil all shadows and reveal the true faces of darkness!”

The light fell from the ceiling immediately, descending with that same dreadful finality. My heart pounded, my mind racing as it landed on Sir Likard, making his body shimmer. The energy traveled into his hands and then toward Nebula’s palm.

She was half a vampire, so she might survive if she managed to hide her pain. That was if the pain was manageable like mine. It might be safer just to let it be since I wasn’t even sure if my attempt would succeed or not. Lilian’s words from this morning flashed beside my ears.

“Whatever you’re planning, I think it’s unwise to risk it for her. I understand she’s your fiance, but… Come on, you’re not even sure.” She had said in an attempt to persuade me to sit this one out. Unfortunately, as I watched the girl gulp her saliva, I couldn’t help it.

I couldn’t just leave this to chance.

I tapped into my [Skills] immediately.

----------------------------------------

Active: [Astral Rend]:

* Summon an ethereal blade that can pierce through both physical and magical defenses, striking at the astral form of mythical beings or normal. Although excessively more effective against the former. This attack inflicts spiritual damage and has a chance to disrupt their connection to the physical plane, weakening their magical abilities temporarily, and potentially making them lose consciousness.

* Category: Astral Manipulation

Active: [Soul Sever]:

* Channel the power of the Myth Slayer to deliver a precise attack that targets the soul of a mythical being. This attack has a small chance of inflicting significant damage or disrupting their connection to their source of power, weakening them temporarily.

* Category: Soulmancy

----------------------------------------

Without a second thought, I activated these two skills at once, the tension mounting in me like a coiled spring as I conjured a miniature astral blade between my fingers.

I kept it small and inconspicuous. No room for mistakes. I flicked it, barely a gesture, and it flew silently through the air. It struck the knight—just a pinprick against the spiritual connection he was trying to wield. He didn’t even feel it.

I hope it’ll work, I practically prayed. There was a luck factor on this, after all.

It was that delicate, slipping in beneath his holy energy, almost imperceptible amid the brilliance of the ritual’s light.

The pillar falling from the ceiling glitched for a moment, but the Holy Knight didn’t seem to realize it as he was inside it. I cursed. Had it not worked? The light still descended!

The energy entered Nebula’s hand through his palm and vanished as usual. I couldn’t be sure if it worked or not, but she didn’t seem to be in pain. Was she hiding it? All my confusion came to an end when a System message was answered.

[You’ve severed the connection between Holy Knight, Likard, and Shivaron. The descending light has lost its holy properties, but the effect is momentary.]

[Shivaron is intrigued.]

[Shivaron, the God of Destruction, is looking at you.]

I felt my entire existence freeze as the gaze of a deity fell upon me. I didn’t know how he was doing that or how much he could see, but I felt it. It was clear, obvious, and heavy.

The entire classroom has frozen, and I didn't mean that in a rhetorical sense. Time itself had frozen, and the world had grayed out. The entire ceiling rippled, the concrete turning into roaring clouds of red and dark. It was an outlandish sight, and it became more scary as a singular golden eye formed in the middle, staring down at me. I stayed paused on my spot, unwilling to look back at the eye.

What the FUCK. My mind panicked, unsure if I had bit off more than I could chew. What if this God saw through me and chose to end me right away?

I stayed still on my spot, pretending to be frozen in time like others, unsure if that was helping me at all, as the seconds elongated into something longer. How long had passed like that? Sweat trickled down my neck. At one point, the ceiling returned to normal, and the eye vanished.

Time moved again.

What the hell was that…?! Was… was that the type of entity I was supposed to go to against by making a cult? That was suicide!

Time didn’t wait for my panic. The light continued its flow, traveling into Nebula’s hand and turning invisible. I felt my heart pound, watching, feeling the seconds stretch, waiting for it to take hold. Nebula stayed still, face calm as stone, but I caught the tension in her gaze, the way she held herself like she was balancing on a knife’s edge.

Another second passed, and then another. Nothing. Not a single flicker, not a spark to give her away. Just silence, thick and impenetrable. The blade had done its job. The connection was dead, and she was safe.

The knight frowned, a shadow of confusion crossing his face as he let her hand go. I saw it in his eyes—the flicker of frustration, the disbelief that he hadn’t uncovered a single thing. He grunted, almost as if to himself, and then stepped back. “…Well.”

Despite the incredulous situation that had just unfolded, relief washed over me, cold and steadying, tempered by the gravity of just how close that had been.

We’d slipped through, somehow. Both of us.

Nebula turned, her shoulders dropping with barely concealed relief, her lips curving into a shaky smile. She didn’t look at me directly, but as she passed, her gaze brushed mine. I gave a slight nod, and she returned to her place, tension draining from her posture.

“...Alright, all of you return to your seats,” Katheran said, his lips carrying a satisfying smile. He believed he’d be able to sense a demon in his class before some Holy Knight had to be called.

I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, but inside, triumph grinned, clawing at my chest, begging to be let out. We’d passed. Somehow, we’d made it through unscathed.

I let out a long, slow breath, relief washing over me like a cool breeze. The Holy Knight’s test had failed, and both Nebula and I were safe for now.

Except I seemed to have caught the attention of one of the Twelve Gods.