The atmosphere in Joel's room was thick with tension. Lillian's body had gone still, but her eyes burned with a crimson light that wasn't hers. The Unseen Evil had taken over, and its presence was chilling. It sat upright, tilting her head slightly as if testing the muscles of her borrowed body.
Joel clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing as he forced himself to stay calm. Beside him, Seo Hye-jin's hand hovered near the hilt of her staff, ready to strike if necessary.
"So," Joel began, his voice steady but laced with sharpness. "You're the Unseen Evil. What do you want?"
The entity chuckled, the sound deep and unnatural. "What do I want? Such a simple question for such a complicated world. But you've misunderstood something, Joel."
It leaned forward, a cruel smirk tugging at Lillian's lips. "I'm not here to negotiate or demand. I've already taken what I need."
Seo Hye-jin stepped forward, her tone firm and unyielding. "You've taken control of an innocent girl. Release her now, or I'll—"
The Unseen Evil cut her off with a laugh, dismissing her threat with a wave of Lillian's hand. "Save your magic tricks, mage. You can't banish me with a flick of your wrist."
Joel placed a hand on Seo Hye-jin's arm, signaling her to wait. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice cold. "Are you the one who caused those corrupted individuals to attack the Emperor?"
The entity's expression shifted, an annoyed look crossing Lillian's face. "Me? No, I wasn't the cause of that mess." It leaned back, crossing its arms. "I can't even corrupt anyone right now, not in this state."
Seo Hye-jin narrowed her eyes. "Then why take over Lillian's body? What are you planning?"
"This?" The Unseen Evil gestured to itself casually. "This isn't corruption. Call it... a vessel. I'm not harming her. Not yet, anyway. She's perfectly intact. For now."
Joel gritted his teeth. "You're using her like a puppet. That's harm enough."
The Unseen Evil rolled Lillian's eyes. "Spare me the moral lectures, Joel. You're far from innocent yourself."
Ignoring the jab, Seo Hye-jin pressed on. "How do you know what's going to happen before it does? You knew about the attack, didn't you?"
The entity gave a slow, mocking clap. "Bravo, mage. You've finally asked a question worth answering." It leaned forward again, its piercing red gaze fixed on her. "It's part of my name, idiots. The Unseen Evil. The one whose eyes pierce into the future. The Forgotten God."
Seo Hye-jin stiffened, her fingers tightening around her staff. "The Forgotten God? I've never heard of you among the Heavenly Ones or the Ascended Ones."
The Unseen Evil smirked, spreading Lillian's arms wide as if welcoming the confusion. "Exactly. Forgotten. That's the point, isn't it? Once, I was worshiped. Feared. But now? Nothing. Not a whisper of my name remains in the annals of your so-called holy records."
Joel folded his arms, his gaze unrelenting. "So what? You're bitter because people stopped believing in you?"
The Unseen Evil laughed again, the sound echoing unnaturally in the room. "Bitter? No, Joel. I've moved beyond that. I don't need worshippers anymore. What I need... is control."
Joel's jaw tightened. "Control of what? Lillian?"
"Lillian is just a means to an end," the entity replied, its tone dripping with condescension. "I'm protecting my assets."
Seo Hye-jin's eyes flashed with anger. "Assets? She's a child, not a tool for your schemes!"
The Unseen Evil sighed, as if bored by the conversation. "Call her what you want. She's mine now. And you're in no position to change that."
Joel stepped closer, his voice firm. "Leave her body. Now."
The Unseen Evil turned its gaze to him, and for the first time, its smile faded. "Leave her body? Oh, Joel, that would be... impossible."
Joel clenched his fists, the veins in his arms visible as his anger bubbled beneath the surface. "Why? What's stopping you?"
The entity's eyes narrowed, and its voice dropped to a low, menacing tone. "Because I don't want to. And because, whether you like it or not, she is the key to everything."
Seo Hye-jin stepped forward again, her magic flaring faintly around her hands. "If you won't leave willingly, I'll force you out."
The Unseen Evil chuckled darkly. "Try, mage. I'd love to see you fail."
Joel held out a hand, stopping her. "Wait. We need to think this through."
Seo Hye-jin hesitated but eventually nodded, her magic dissipating.
The Unseen Evil leaned back, a satisfied smirk on Lillian's face. "Smart move, Joel. But you'll soon realize that fighting me is pointless. I'm not your enemy. Not yet."
Joel's gaze hardened. "Then what are you?"
The entity's grin widened. "I'm the shadow in the corner of your eye. The voice you hear in your nightmares. I'm the Unseen Evil. And I've only just begun."
Joel's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to unhear what he had just heard. His daughter's life, her very existence, hung in the balance, tethered to this malevolent entity that spoke through her body. The room, already tense, seemed to grow heavier with every word exchanged.
Ascension Number 5, his system, chimed in, its tone far less robotic than before. "He's right, Joel. Your daughter isn't dead. Not yet. Her soul... it's blind. Blind to the presence of the Unseen Evil. That's the only reason she's still intact."
Joel's eyes snapped to the ceiling as if searching for the disembodied voice. "Blind? What does that even mean?"
"It means," the system continued, "her soul cannot perceive the Unseen Evil's presence as a threat. And because of that, she hasn't been overwhelmed by him."
The Unseen Evil grinned through Lillian's face, clearly amused. "Bingo. Finally, someone here understands."
Joel's fists clenched. "I don't understand. What do you mean, blind? And what does that have to do with you staying inside her?"
Ascension Number 5 sighed audibly, almost as if it were frustrated with him. "Joel, listen carefully. The reason you can't separate them is because their souls are... compatible. Perfectly so. If you try to force them apart, she'll die."
The words hit Joel like a punch to the gut. He took a shaky step back, his mind racing. "Compatible? My daughter and... that thing?"
The Unseen Evil gave a mock bow, the grin never leaving its face. "I prefer the term 'entity,' thank you very much. But yes, we're compatible. A match made in heaven, or hell, depending on your perspective."
Joel turned to Seo Hye-jin, desperation in his eyes. "Do you understand this? Because I sure as hell don't."
Seo Hye-jin frowned, her sharp mind working through the puzzle. Then her expression shifted, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "I think... I do."
Joel latched onto her words like a lifeline. "Then explain it to me."
Seo Hye-jin's voice softened, though her gaze remained fixed on Lillian. "Their souls are what we call Fraternal Souls. They're rare. It's when two souls are either so similar or so opposite that they're... drawn to each other. Like two sides of a coin."
Joel's brow furrowed. "Two sides of a coin?"
"Yes," she said, nodding. "If they were similar, their connection would make sense. But that's not what's happening here. They're opposites. Completely opposite. And that's even rarer."
The Unseen Evil chuckled, leaning back in the chair as if enjoying a show. "Go on, mage. You're getting to the good part."
Seo Hye-jin shot the entity a glare before continuing. "Lillian's soul is pure. Purity without a stain. And he—" she gestured at the Unseen Evil with disdain "—is the exact opposite. Darkness without a trace of light. They're two extremes, bound together by their contrast."
Joel swallowed hard, his throat dry. "So, what does that mean for Lillian?"
"It means," Seo Hye-jin said carefully, "that their connection is so strong that separating them could destroy her. Her soul is tethered to his in a way that defies normal magic or logic."
The Unseen Evil clapped his hands slowly, the sound eerily hollow. "Bravo. Someone give the mage a gold star."
Joel ignored the entity, his focus on Seo Hye-jin. "You're telling me there's no way to save her? That I have to just... let this thing stay inside her?"
Seo Hye-jin hesitated, the weight of her silence crushing Joel. "I don't know," she admitted finally. "But if we try to separate them without understanding the full nature of their bond, we could lose her forever."
The Unseen Evil leaned forward, resting Lillian's elbows on her knees. "See? She gets it. And for the record, Joel, I'm not here to harm your precious daughter. She's my vessel, yes, but I'm not planning to snuff out her light. It's... refreshing, in a way."
Joel's temper flared, and he took a step closer to the entity. "Why her? Why my daughter?"
The entity's grin widened, its crimson eyes gleaming. "Because she's the perfect vessel. Pure enough to balance my darkness. Strong enough to survive my presence. And, well... she's here. Convenient, isn't it?"
Joel's fists trembled at his sides, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Convenient for who? What are you planning to do with her?"
"For now?" The Unseen Evil shrugged. "Nothing. I'm not exactly at full strength, Joel. I'm just... existing. Watching. Waiting for my plan to unravel."
Joel's voice dropped, cold and sharp. "What plan?"
The Unseen Evil tilted its head, as if amused by the question. "Oh, Joel. You'll find out soon enough."
Joel turned to Seo Hye-jin, his voice desperate. "There has to be a way to get him out. Some spell, some ritual—anything."
Seo Hye-jin's face was grave as she shook her head. "Not without risking Lillian's life. We need time to study this. To figure out a way to sever the bond safely."
Joel's shoulders sagged, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He looked back at the entity, his jaw tight. "This isn't over. I'll find a way to save her. To get rid of you."
The Unseen Evil smirked, leaning back in the chair. "Good luck with that. In the meantime, Joel, you might want to consider the bigger picture. Speaking of, it's here already."
Knock knock knock
Came the resounding knocks on the door of Joel's room. They turned to the door after hearing the knock and turned back, the unseen evil was no longer in control of Lillian's body as she began to wake up.
Joel walked to the door as he careful opened it with full caution, his heart racing inside of him as he opened it.
"Apologies for the disturbance sir, but I won't be here if it wasn't important, the emperor wants to see you. The Emperor's only Consort is in trouble." One of the royal advisors said with the look of urgency and concern on his face.
Joel, confused on what he had just heard "What?"