Sebastian stood on his seat, before focusing on the surrounding barrier, a faint blue hue pulsing with protective magic. With a measured flick of his wrist, the barrier rippled and opened, forming a narrow gap in its seamless form. Draven, Nathan, Nozel carrying the sleeping Noelle, and Mereoleona stepped towards the gap, their expressions stern yet patient.
"You can leave now," Sebastian spoke calmly, his voice steady and authoritative. "Acier needs privacy for her examination."
Mereoleona nodded, her fiery expression shifting as she glanced back toward Acier's frail form. Without a word, she led the way out, Nozel trailing silently behind with his precious burden.
Sebastian turned to Nathan and Draven. "Stay hidden in Draven's shadow. Don't let anyone in this villa know of your presence—especially not the maids or the butlers."
House Silva will maintain no official ties or affiliations with House Faust or the Agrippa family for the foreseeable future. As such, there must be no evidence of their involvement whatsoever.
Draven nodded immediately, his usual rebellious attitude replaced with understanding. Nathan, expressionless as always, simply offered a silent acknowledgment. In the blink of an eye, the two melted into the shadows, vanishing from sight.
With a wave of his hand, Sebastian restored the barrier, sealing off the room from any prying eyes or ears. The faint hum of magical energy reassured him that no one outside would be able to witness what was about to unfold.
Now the room was empty, save for Acier lying weakly on the bed, Lilith silently studying her, and Jonna standing nearest to the doorway, hovering over her with a concerned expression. The air felt still, almost tense, as the next steps became clear.
Acier, pale and far too thin, struggled to lift her trembling hands to remove her shirt. Jonna and Lilith exchanged a glance, stepping forward to help. But before they could reach her, Sebastian was already at her side.
"I've got it," he said quietly, his large hand gently lifting the fabric from her weak shoulders. Acier stiffened at the touch, her body instinctively reacting to the unfamiliar contact. But Sebastian's movements were slow, methodical, careful not to cause her discomfort.
Her breath hitched, but her eyes softened as she saw his focus—Sebastian wasn't even looking at her with anything beyond a healer's precision. His eyes were closed as if concentrating on his magic, not the task of disrobing his wife.
With a wave of his hand, Sebastian summoned a faint glow of water magic, the soothing droplets cleansing Acier's skin, washing away the sweat that clung to her like a second layer. Her body shivered under the cool touch of the spell, but relief soon followed, her once-sticky skin now feeling refreshed.
"Thank you," Acier whispered, her voice weak but sincere.
Sebastian didn't look at her directly, his voice a bit indifferent. "You need to start eating more," he said plainly, his tone almost clinical, though an undercurrent of concern laced his words.
Acier chuckled dryly, a self-deprecating sound. "I wasn't exactly in the mood to eat before. I thought I was a goner." She glanced away, her voice softer now, vulnerable. "Everything tasted bland... as if it didn't matter."
But then her expression changed, a smile tugging at her lips that seemed almost too bright for her haggard condition. "But now..." Her smile widened, warm and determined. "I'll eat. I'll exercise. I'll do whatever it takes to get better because... there's hope now."
Sebastian shook his head subtly, a rare, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's not something as fragile as hope," he corrected. "Healing you is certain. Nothing will go wrong, Acier. Soon, you'll be holding Noelle, playing with her—and living your life with all your children again."
And maybe this time, with me by your side, Sebastian thought, keeping any trace of his quiet longing hidden.
For a moment, Acier's eyes widened, locking onto his with a quiet intensity. She hesitated, as though contemplating something before a teasing glint sparked in her gaze.
"Are you going to feed me again, Sebby?" she asked, her voice deliberately playful, knowing full well how he despised that nickname. She half-expected a cold glare in response, especially with Jonna and Lilith still present.
But instead, to her surprise, Sebastian lightly scratched his cheek, a hint of color rising to his usually impassive face. "Only if you want me to," he replied, his voice softer, almost... awkward.
Acier blinked, taken aback before her own face flushed as she quickly looked away. "I... I'd like that," she murmured, her tone uncharacteristically shy. "Only until I'm strong enough to eat on my own again."
Sebastian gulped slightly and nodded, looking equally unsure of how to respond.
Jonna and Lilith exchanged glances, their expressions caught somewhere between amused and bewildered. They were witnessing a moment that felt more like two teenagers awkwardly navigating their first date than a married couple with four children.
Lilith cleared her throat, breaking the tension. "Ahem... Shall we get started?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.
Sebastian and Acier immediately composed themselves, their expressions shifting to feigned indifference, as though the previous exchange had never happened. Their poker faces would've fooled anyone who wasn't in the room.
Lilith, sweat-dropping slightly at their obvious pretense, sighed. "Acier, I need you to lie down."
Acier wordlessly turned to Sebastian, a silent request for his help. The simple gesture conveyed how much she had come to rely on him, how accustomed she had grown to his presence in just a single day.
Sebastian responded immediately, his hand gently gripping hers as he helped her settle back onto the bed, his touch firm but comforting. There was an unspoken understanding between them—a bond forged through shared struggle and the hope of healing.
Lilith glanced at Sebastian, seeking permission. "May I begin?"
Sebastian's gaze flicked toward Acier, silently asking for her approval.
Acier nodded. "Yes... let's begin."
Lilith moved to Acier's bedside and gently took her wrist, pressing two fingers against the pulse point. Her eyes closed, her brows knitting together in concentration. She muttered something inaudible under her breath as though making sense of something complex.
Without warning, a single drop of Acier's blood emerged from her wrist, floating just above Lilith's palm. It shimmered in the dim light, unnaturally still.
Sebastian's eyes widened slightly as he folded his arms. "Blood magic?" he asked, the surprise clear in his voice. "I didn't expect that."
Lilith chuckled softly, a hint of mockery lacing her tone. "Is there actually something you don't know, Sebastian? I'm stunned." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with playful mischief. "What about that surprises you?"
His gaze remained fixed on the hovering drop of blood. "I assumed, with Draven using Shadow magic, that Morgen must've inherited his Light magic from you."
Lilith's smile softened, a trace of thoughtfulness seeping in. "A reasonable guess," she acknowledged. "But no, neither my husband nor I have any idea where Morgen's Light magic came from. Magic attributes skipping generations is common, but there's nothing remotely resembling Light magic in our entire lineage."
She paused, her smile twisting into a wry grin. "If his twin brother hadn't inherited their father's Shadow magic, Draven might've accused me of being unfaithful
Jonna, Sebastian, and Acier exchanged awkward glances, clearing their throats almost in unison, shifting the conversation back on track.
Acier, ever focused, spoke up, her voice hoarse but curious. "Why did you pull the drop out of me?"
Lilith's gaze shifted back to the drop of blood in her hand, her voice adopting a clinical tone once more. "Vanica Zogratis, the Devil Host, wields blood magic as her innate attribute. Given that, I surmised her devil power was likely channeled through your blood during your confrontation, enabling her to curse you so effectively. Without that connection, she wouldn't have been able to draw upon sufficient power. The gate to the underworld is still closed, and by listening to our husbands' conversation and Sebastian's recounting of your battle with Vanica, I grasped that she was merely a newly minted host, meaning her access to devil magic would have been quite limited."
"So the only way for Vanica to reduce the mighty Acier Silva to this feeble state was by combining her blood magic with that devil's curse-warding magic."
Acier nodded, her pale face thoughtful. "I never considered that."
"Devil hosts may be powerful," Lilith continued, "but their powers still exist within the realm of reason. They're not invincible, nor are they untouchable. It's simply about knowing where to strike, and how." As she spoke, the drop of blood hovering above her hand began to darken, turning an ominous pitch black. It writhed as though alive, a malevolent force seeking to escape her control.
Lilith's expression remained indifferent despite the sweat forming on her brow as she channeled more mana to contain the cursed blood. "Right now," she explained, "your entire bloodstream is filled with this—sentient blood, eating away at your recovery system and draining your mana and life force."
Acier felt a subtle squirm in her chest, her breathing shallow. She swallowed hard before speaking. "How do we even begin to treat it?"
Sebastian, rubbing his forehead, sighed. "Will we have to blood-let you, Acier? Drain you dry and replace all the cursed blood with fresh blood?" His voice was filled with trepidation, though he tried to keep his expression calm.
Acier, her lips trembling, tried to force a smile, though it came out more grim than confident. "I can handle that... I can handle the pain." The image of herself bleeding dry flashed through her mind, but she pushed it aside.
Lilith shook her head, her usual stoicism slipping as she cast a glance at Acier, awe in her eyes. "This curse is far more sophisticated than Nozel's. 'She-who-should-not-be-named' wouldn't leave such a glaring weakness. I'm almost certain she cursed your heart as well, causing you to continuously produce this cursed blood."
She hesitated, then murmured to herself, "Honestly, Acier... how are you even alive?"
Sebastian stilled, his sharp gaze flicking toward her. The thought had crossed his mind many times, but hearing it aloud made it all the more poignant. Acier had survived through sheer will, enduring pain that would have killed anyone else.
Lilith seemed lost in her own thoughts for a moment. If it weren't for Conrad's and Julius's existence, and Acier's lack of interest in the position, she would have been the Wizard King, she mused inwardly.
Acier, unaware of the silent praise, looked worried. "How do we treat this?"
Sebastian agreed, his arms still crossed, his mind racing. "If we try to treat all the blood in her body, 'she' will sense it immediately. Anything we do to tamper with the curse will be detected, especially something as delicate as her heart."
Lilith was about to respond when Sebastian suddenly stood up, a determined look crossing his face. "Let me try something."
He extended his hand toward the writhing drop of blood and cast a recovery spell. His mana flowed into the drop, and for a moment, the blackened blood stilled, calming, and returning to its natural red color. Sebastian felt a brief surge of satisfaction as he pulled his hand away.
But the relief was short-lived. The moment he ceased his spell, the blood turned black again, writhing violently as it tried to escape from Lilith's hold. She was ready, quickly freezing the drop in place with her blood magic once more.
Lilith shook her head. "It won't work unless you can treat all the blood in Acier's body at once. You'd need to be constantly treating her—every second of every day. You'd die from the strain on your mana reserves and life force long before the curse is broken."
Sebastian began pacing back and forth, frustration evident in his every step. He wasn't one to give up, but this situation felt like it was slipping out of his control.
Acier watched him, her earlier hope fading as she realized the enormity of the task before them.
For the first time, Jonna spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "Lilith seems to have a plan."
Sebastian and Acier both turned toward Lilith, who stood there with a small, confident smile.
"Indeed, I do," she said, her voice steady. "There's another way to treat this... but it's going to require something unconventional."
"Unconventional how?" Sebastian asked, his pacing halting as he fixed his eyes on her.
Lilith's smile widened. "You're not going to like it, but it's the only option we have."
Lilith's enigmatic smile lingered as she prepared to reveal her plan. "We'll need more time to find a permanent solution," she began, her tone measured but confident. "And even more time to figure out how to treat Acier without 'her' realizing. But for now, we can at least stop Acier's condition from getting worse."
Sebastian's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. "How?"
"We placate the blood in her body," Lilith replied smoothly.
Acier frowned, her frail hand clutching the sheets. "Placate?" she echoed, confusion slipping into her voice.
"Yes." Lilith nodded. "Because the curse is sentient, it has thoughts and instincts. We can trick it. The curse will believe it's still doing its job—draining your life force, weakening you—and continue sending that false information back to its caster. Meanwhile, it'll remain dormant, behaving like regular blood inside your body."
Acier blinked, impressed but skeptical. "That sounds... almost too good to be true. None of us have magic like that."
Lilith's grin widened, and she slowly reached into her tunic, pulling out a delicate, heart-shaped locket. She clicked it open, revealing a family photo on one side, and on the other, a small bundle of strange dark hair. "That's where you're wrong."
Sebastian's eyes flickered with sudden recognition. His calm demeanor wavered for just a moment as he spoke. "You're a devil host." He tilted his head toward the bundle of hair. "That belongs to your devil, doesn't it?"
Lilith chuckled softly, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Exactly. My devil is nothing like Azazel, and forget about 'her.' She's regarded as weak and low-ranking, almost a laughingstock in the underworld. While her magic can't inflict direct harm, it's perfectly suited for situations like this."
Acier and Sebastian exchanged glances. While the notion was convenient, it also stirred some unease in them. "A low-rank devil, handling a curse this powerful?" Acier asked, doubt creeping in.
Lilith's expression remained confident. "It's precisely because of her magic that we stand a chance. Illusions, trickery—that's her domain. We can fool the curse and, more importantly, 'her' and her devil host."
Sebastian studied Lilith for a moment, his arms uncrossing as he let out a slow breath. He looked at Acier, who was clearly weighing her options. After a tense pause, Acier nodded.
Sebastian turned back to Lilith. "Summon your devil."
Lilith's lips curved into a faint smile. She held up the locket and channeled her mana. The air grew heavy, darkening with an eerie energy. From the shadow of her locket, a small figure materialized on her shoulder—a pitch-black silhouette no taller than a child. It had long, dark hair cascading down its back, and a single horn jutted from its forehead. Its colorless eyes seemed to drink in the room's light, giving it an ethereal, otherworldly presence.
"This is Cimeies," Lilith introduced, her voice filled with quiet pride. [1]
Sebastian watched the small figure carefully, hiding the unease that settled in his chest. Despite the devil's size and unimposing figure, the mana radiating from it was undeniable. "Even for a low-rank devil, her mana is impressive," he muttered under his breath.
Cimeies stood atop Lilith's shoulder, holding the air in a mock curtsy. Her voice was soft but elegant as she addressed her mistress. "How may I serve, Mistress?"
Lilith smiled fondness in her eyes. "I need you to handle that." She gestured toward the cursed blood drop floating in her right hand and then motioned to Acier.
Cimeies' gaze flicked to the blood, her expression indifferent. "To do this effectively, we will need Devil Union."
Lilith hesitated, but before she could ask for approval, Sebastian stepped forward. His voice was steady, resolute. "Do it."
Lilith nodded without missing a beat, her eyes flashing with determination. The room grew even quieter, heavy with anticipation as Lilith and Cimeies prepared for what was to come.
Lilith's lips curled into a faint smile as Cimeies melted into her chest. Her mana surged, not overwhelmingly like Draven's power, but enough to rival that of an average royal. Her transformation began subtly at first—the air thickening with an otherworldly aura. Lilith's hair untied itself, growing longer and more animated, flowing down like liquid darkness until it brushed against the floor. Her simple dress twisted into a more seductive, devilish form, adorned with sharp spikes and intricate patterns that gave it the allure of a Succubus. Blackened lips and ghostly pale skin heightened the transformation, her facial features sharpening just slightly, fangs peeking from beneath her upper lip like a vampire's.
Her elven-like ears tapered elegantly, and her eyes narrowed with a devilish glint. Despite the other changes, she maintained a strikingly human appearance, with no tail or wings, no claws marring her fingers—just long, razor-sharp nails. The most striking alteration was the way her already slender body became unnervingly thin, reminiscent of Acier's weakened form, though Lilith's presence remained one of dangerous vitality.
"Mode: Deceivement," she declared with an almost playful tone, revealing the name of her devil union form.
A witch's staff materialized in her left hand, the head shaped like a snarling, devilish skull. Without wasting time, she pointed it directly at Acier, her gaze serious. "Are you ready?" Lilith asked Acier one last time.
Acier, her body frail but her eyes determined, nodded in silent affirmation.
The mouth of the staff's skull slowly creaked open, releasing a swirling, sparkling mist. The gas moved swiftly, covering Acier's body in a shimmering haze before sinking into her skin, seeping through her pores. Acier stiffened as the mist flowed through her bloodstream, fusing with her cursed blood and heart. The cursed blood, which had been aggressively gnawing at her life force, suddenly slowed. It fell into a daydream, an illusion that it was still devouring her strength, when in reality it now drifted harmlessly like normal blood.
Lilith smiled softly, pulling her staff away as her devil union form dissolved. Her appearance returned to normal in a blink, as if nothing had happened.
Acier blinked in astonishment. "Was it really that simple?"
"How do you feel?" Lilith asked, a knowing gleam in her eyes.
Acier's eyes widened as she took a moment to assess her body. While she still felt weak, the constant pain—the curse tearing at her insides—was gone. She no longer felt that oppressive weight. "The pain… it's gone," she said in disbelief, her voice tinged with awe.
Sebastian, standing nearby, reached for Acier's wrist, his hand gentle as he checked her pulse. He channeled a small amount of water mana, letting it flow through her bloodstream to confirm. He nodded. "Your blood is circulating normally," he confirmed, a small sense of relief creeping into his usually stoic tone.
Acier's gaze softened as she looked at Lilith. "Thank you," she said earnestly.
Lilith gave a quiet nod in return. "I'll need to recast the spell weekly to maintain it and avoid any unnecessary risks," she explained, her voice returning to its calm, practical tone.
Lilith then turned to Sebastian, her expression sharpening. "If you treat Acier daily, ensuring she eats well and gets rest, she should regain enough strength to at least move around, though full recovery will have to wait for further research. We Fausts and the Agrippas will still need time to investigate this blood, and fully analyze the curse" she added, gesturing to the still-floating droplet in her palm.
Sebastian nodded. His eyes flicked to the cursed blood. "Before that, I want another sample—something I can study independently."
Lilith smiled warmly at him, clearly appreciating his curiosity. "The spirit of a researcher, huh?" With a flick of her fingers, she deftly extracted another drop of Acier's blood. This time, it hovered obediently as she pulled out a beaker from her grimoire satchel, sealing the drop inside with a cork. She handed it to Sebastian, who accepted it with a nod of thanks.
As the tension in the room finally began to ease, Jonna blinked, her presence almost forgotten amidst the intensity of the moment. Inwardly, she wondered why she had been summoned here at all.
Author's Note:
[1] Regarding Cimeies: In various grimoires, Cimeies is depicted as a lesser-known demon characterized by her stunning beauty and mastery of illusion. Often portrayed as a captivating woman adorned in shimmering robes, she possesses long, dark hair and eyes that sparkle with an otherworldly light. Cimeies wields a staff or wand that aids her in conjuring complex illusions, which she can use to deceive or mesmerize others for both benevolent and malevolent purposes. Additionally, she is invoked for guidance and protection, offering knowledge at a price that often leads to moral dilemmas. Symbolizing the duality of light and darkness, Cimeies embodies the seductive nature of knowledge and temptation, reminding seekers that their desires can entrap them in a web of illusions, much like the mythical sirens of lore.