Classes were over, but anyone could tell that Theodore was in no mood to linger. His face was a mask of restrained frustration as he gathered his books. Elisa, always quick to notice, decided to poke the bear.
"Did the fight with your brother really piss you off?" she asked, her voice teasing but curious.
Theodore gave her a cold glance but didn't bother responding. He shoved his books into his bag and rose to leave the classroom. Jin and Vivian exchanged confused shrugs, watching him walk out in silence.
Elisa, however, was clearly enjoying his foul mood. She ran after him, her playful grin plastered across her face. "Oh, come on! Not even a word for me? You know, it's kinda rude to ignore a lady like this."
Theodore stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms, glaring at her. "Damn it, your voice pisses me off. How about you leave me alone? I need to rest."
Elisa laughed at his irritation, which only made him more annoyed. "Fine, fine," she said, waving him off. "If you're going to be like that, I'll leave you to your sulking."
"Good." Theodore turned sharply on his heel and walked away, leaving her behind.
Elisa watched him go, still laughing. "You're always so fun to mess with," she muttered to herself as she turned in the opposite direction.
Theodore arrived at his dorm room as the evening breeze cooled the school grounds. He opened the door and found Belial and Mimi already inside, talking in hushed tones. Both of them stood up and greeted him in unison, "Welcome back, my lord."
Theodore's face said it all—his day had been nothing short of a disaster. Mimi quickly moved to prepare dinner at the table while Belial smirked knowingly.
"I take it today didn't go well, my lord?" Belial teased.
"No, it didn't," Theodore replied, slumping into a chair. "And can you believe this? The Holy Temple sent one of their soldiers to investigate me today."
Belial's smirk faded. "Today? That's sooner than I expected. I thought they'd wait until tomorrow, especially after those cursed gifts arrived this morning."
"Well, they didn't wait. And guess what? They brought up Sky and Cadin." Theodore's voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed his unease.
Belial raised an eyebrow. "Sky and Cadin? I don't recall those names."
"Ah, right," Theodore muttered, leaning back in his chair. "You weren't around when it happened. They were two girls I offered as sacrifices to awaken you at the Skull Head Mountain six months ago. I thought their blood might open the door to the mountain's depths. Sky wasn't enough, so I threw Cadin in too."
Belial chuckled dryly. "You talk about it as if it's nothing. That's what I find fascinating about you, my lord. But if I recall, weren't their faces on the missing posters back in Donovan territory?"
"Yes," Theodore replied, narrowing his eyes.
"Then they must've suspected you left something behind," Belial mused.
Theodore stiffened. "Damn it. You're right. Why didn't you burn the carriage?!"
Belial shrugged. "Forgive me, my lord. We had just met back then. I wasn't fully aware of your meticulous tendencies."
Theodore sighed, realizing he couldn't blame Belial. "Forget it. It's my fault for being careless." He sat down at the dinner table as Mimi served him a hot meal.
"But, my lord," Mimi said hesitantly, "how did the Holy Temple connect you to the mountain?"
Theodore hesitated. "The physician who treated me after I got back must've sold me out. He told them I was ill but had traveled to the mountains before returning."
"I see," Mimi nodded solemnly.
"Don't act yet," Theodore warned. "If he's working with the Holy Temple, we can't risk exposure. Leave him alone for now."
"As you command, my lord," Mimi said with a bow.
Theodore finished his meal, exhaustion seeping into his bones. He stood and walked to his bed, lying down with a heavy sigh. "Goodnight, you two. Don't bother me unless it's urgent."
Belial and Mimi watched him close his eyes. As they left the room, Mimi glanced back at the door with concern. "He's tired. It's overwhelming for him. I wish I could take his place."
Belial nodded. "You're right. We need to lighten his burdens, even if it means removing unwanted pests."
Mimi smiled darkly, her bloodied daggers gleaming in the moonlight. "You're right, Sir Belial." She glanced toward the hallway window, her sharp eyes catching the faint movement of shadows against the trees outside. "But first, if you'll excuse me…"
Belial sighed deeply, leaning against the wall with crossed arms. "The rats keep coming, even after all the warnings we've sent. They never learn."
Mimi dissolved into a swirling mass of dark mist, her body vanishing as she reappeared behind one of the assassins lurking in the shadows. With precision, she plunged her dagger into his neck, muffling his surprised grunt as he collapsed silently. Using his limp body as leverage, she vaulted toward another assassin, slicing him into ribbons midair.
A third assassin lunged at her from behind, his dagger poised to strike. Mimi smirked, spinning low to the ground. Her second dagger found its mark, stabbing deep into the man's leg. He stumbled back with a suppressed cry of pain.
"Oops," Mimi whispered, tilting her head playfully. "Young man, don't wake my lord." She twirled gracefully, her boot connecting with his jaw in a powerful kick that sent him flying into the nearest tree.
The thud of his body hitting the bark drew the attention of the remaining assassins. From the shadows emerged their leader, a tall figure cloaked in black. His aura pulsed with power, stronger than the others, and his cold voice carried authority. "Enough playing around. Surround her. We finish this tonight."
The remaining assassins—now thirteen in total—stepped into formation, their daggers gleaming under the moonlight. Silent signals were exchanged among them as they prepared to attack.
Mimi stood still, wiping blood from her face with the back of her hand. Her smile widened into something far more malicious. "Oh, I guess this shall be my meal."
The leader glared at her, his voice filled with disdain. "Shut up, woman. Today shall be your last. And after you, we'll kill that useless disaster prince."
The moment the words left his lips, Mimi's eyes turned pitch black, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a sinister calm.
"Did… did her eyes just turn pure black?" one of the assassins stammered, his hands trembling.
"She must be a dark mage!" another hissed. "Kill her now!"
But their leader hesitated, a deep sense of unease creeping into his chest. "Wait—don't attack yet—"
They didn't listen. The assassins charged all at once, their blades aimed at Mimi's heart.
Before they could reach her, Mimi's shadow erupted like a tidal wave, transforming into writhing tentacles that towered over her. The assassins froze, their faces pale with terror as the tentacles lashed out, piercing their chests with brutal efficiency. One by one, their bodies were dragged into the shadows, their screams muffled by the crushing weight of darkness.
In mere seconds, only the leader remained. He collapsed to his knees, trembling uncontrollably. Tears and snot ran down his face as he stared at Mimi with wide, unblinking eyes. "Help," he whimpered, his voice cracking. "Help me… please… forgive me…"
Mimi tilted her head, watching him with an expression of boredom. "Oh, how boring," she said, taking a step closer.
Desperate, the leader raised his hands in surrender. "I'll leave! I'll never come back! I'll inform my group never to come near you or the prince again!" he cried, his voice rising in pitch with every word. "Please! Please spare me!"
Mimi crouched in front of him, her black eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She reached out, gently caressing his bloodied face. "A grown man peeing his pants," she whispered mockingly. "How disgraceful. And it smells."
The leader tried to cover his crotch with trembling hands. "I… I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! Please forgive me!"
Mimi's fingers trailed down to his chin, tilting his head up to meet her gaze. "Poor thing," she cooed. "Didn't you disrespect my lord?"
The man nodded frantically. "I won't ever disrespect him again! I'll serve him! I swear it!"
Mimi laughed softly, her expression twisting into something cruel. "Serve him? You're not worthy."
The leader's lip quivered as he began sobbing like a child. "True… true! I'm not worthy! But please let me live!"
"Aww, don't cry," Mimi said, standing up and crossing her blood-soaked arms. "You'll wake my lord."
The leader nodded quickly, his head bobbing like a puppet.
Mimi turned her back on him, letting her shadow recede slightly. The man's trembling hands tightened around his hidden blade. He saw his chance. With a shaky breath, he lunged at her from behind—
Without turning around, Mimi spun her dagger in hand and slit his throat in one swift motion. The leader gurgled, blood pouring from his neck as he fell to the ground, gasping for breath. His eyes filled with betrayal and confusion. "Why… Amara…" he choked out.
Mimi leaned down, watching the light fade from his eyes. "Sorry to say this," she whispered, "but I'm not the original Mimi. I'm just my lord's servant. And soon, my lord will take over this world, you filthy mortals."
Belial appeared beside her, clapping slowly. "Impressive as always, but he's already dead. Don't waste your time gloating, Mimi."
Mimi straightened, brushing off her dress as if nothing had happened. "Oh my, you're right. Let's clean this up before anyone notices."
Belial rolled his eyes, summoning his own shadows to consume the bodies. "You really are a piece of work, you know that?"
Mimi smiled innocently. "Thank you, Sir Belial. I try."