"I don''t understand, but… it''s very strange. I can''t… I simply can''t understand," Dani sighed in disappointment. Her gaze shifted to the young man resting peacefully on the bed. She was truly confused, even a little lost. Lowering her head slightly, she seemed deep in thought.


    "I think I understand you... or maybe not? Actually, no, wait—I do understand you. I went through the same thing..." Leslie fidgeted nervously, ncing at Dani''s despondent expression. She could feel that Dani wasn''t okay at all. Somehow, she seemed utterly defeated, and Leslie wasn''t sure what to say to lift her spirits. Indecisively, she intertwined her fingers. She wanted, in some way, to return all the favors Dani had done for her, but she didn''t know how to do it.


    Dani raised her head and met Leslie''s eyes directly. Leslie''s body trembled slightly.


    "You knew?" Dani asked, her expression serious.


    "Yes..." Leslie felt guilty, even though she hadn''t given it much thought. She had never considered Dani''s feelings, especially knowing she was the next Saintess in line. Nor had she expected things to turn out the way they did. The image of Arthur in that moment still lingered fresh in her mind. She hadn''t anticipated that Dani would have been there, too.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Why… why didn''t you tell me? Why… didn''t you say anything?" Dani felt more betrayed than ever. "We''re supposed to be friends..." Supposedly, this was a serious matter. Supposedly, a demon should never be at the academy. Supposedly… this shouldn''t have happened. It was a confusing thought, conflicting with herself and the beliefs of others. Demons were supposed to be vile and evil beings. Yet, they were also supposed to deserve mercy. Her mother had always told her so. She had never understood it before, but one day, her mother exined. Mercy, she said, was the "embrace of death," the ultimate act of forgiveness in the world—ceasing to exist.


    "I… I don''t know..." Leslie, though sincere, was at a loss for words. She wanted Dani not to feel hurt but didn''t know what to say. "I''m sorry. I... I was afraid." Leslie lowered her head even further. The entire empire hated demons—its greatest enemy, its worst enemy. Every demon deserved nothing but death. If everyone at the academy found out that Arthur was, in fact, a demon... what would happen? The entire empire against him? Captured, imprisoned, interrogated? Leslie knew how things worked, especially when it came to demons.


    Dani remained silent, her gaze fixed on Leslie''s colors—she looked guilty and sad. Dani clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly.


    "What am I doing?" she asked herself. It was a question she didn''t know the answer to. In fact, she shouldn''t even be here. But she saw it—she saw it in his eyes, in Arthur''s eyes in that moment when their gazes met. He offered her a soft smile, apologizing with his expression. He was asking for her forgiveness for deceiving her.


    Her first feeling was fear, especially when she saw the ck mes surrounding him. But the second feeling was concern when she saw him copse to the ground.


    She was confused. She knew what was right—she knew what she had to do. But even so, here she was... worried for his well-being, concerned that his soul might copse entirely. At first, that wasn''t her reason foring. She hade for other motives, to confront him. But when her eyes fell upon his soul, she was horrified. It was fractured, but miraculously still standing. Though falling apart piece by piece, it continued to shine like a dying star.


    She didn''t know what to do. Closing her eyes, she exhaled deeply. She already knew—her mother had been the one who personally healed him. She must have realized, but she didn''t act. So what was she supposed to do?


    Bang!


    The door to the room burst open. A pair of bright red eyes stared directly at the bed. The glow in those eyes dimmed slightly. Evelyn entered the room silently, feeling the stares of both Leslie and Dani.


    "Are you okay?" she asked softly.


    Dani offered a tired smile. "I''m fine, I suppose..." Leslie nced at Evelyn with a peculiar expression. That strange feeling she''d had the day before was nowpletely gone. Even Evelyn''s presence felt moreforting than before. The tension in the air lessened somewhat.


    "I''m fine. And you? How are you feeling?"


    Evelyn sat down in one of the chairs. "I''m sorry... I lost control again," she said, lowering her head as she apologized. Her expression was indifferent, but her words carried great weight.


    "Stop that... It''s really okay," Leslie replied with a gentle smile. She knew what Evelyn was referring to. Dani nodded in agreement.


    "It''s alright. We''re all fine... that''s what matters."


    "Thank you," Evelyn said weakly. After that brief exchange, the three of them fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts.


    "What is the Soul Fruit?" Arthur asked. He was sitting in front of his own soul, gazing at the stardust falling around him.


    "This is... You''ve pushed your soul too far. Even the word ''pushed'' doesn''t quite exin how your soul ended up so fractured," Lilith''s projection sighed deeply and shook her head. After observing the agonizing sight before her for a few moments, she hesitated. "Actually, you''re something else... no other being besides you could survive such immense damage..." She moved closer. "I''m surprised you even know about the Soul Fruit. It exists, of course, but it''s not found in Hell or the human world." She gave him aplicated expression. "The Soul Fruit is in Heaven, guarded and protected by Adam and Eve..."


    "It''s kind of… how should I put it... ironic, isn''t it? The Soul Fruit is the same fruit Eve ate when she sinned, sumbing to Lucifer''s whispers and being punished by God. She and Adam were imprisoned for eternity in the Forest of Eden. The protection around the ce has weakened—they can leave at any time now. But as far as I know, they''re still there," Lilith exined with an amused smile.


    "But… reaching Heaven isn''t easy. In simple terms, it''s impossible—unless you ask for help from Seraphine, the Seraph of Mercy."


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