DEMON KING'S Love Redemption

Chapter 28

The deep crimson suddenly shifted to a murky white, then a dull gray, until finally, the crystal let out a low hiss before fading back to total black. Vann's blood, which had been smeared across its surface, dried instantly and crumbled into white ash.

Vann choked, spitting a small amount of blood onto the floor as he collapsed from his chair. He clutched his chest, gasping for air as if he had just sprinted across an entire continent.

"Vann!" Mordred stood up, his face a mask of utter confusion. "What happened?"

"It hurts... my chest is burning, Professor..." Vann groaned, his face deathly pale. This time, it wasn't an act; he had intentionally damaged his mana circuits slightly to trigger the ash effect. "It felt like something was trying to drain the very life out of me the moment I touched that stone."

Mordred immediately inspected the obsidian crystal. He sniffed the lingering white residue. "Purification ash? How could your blood produce a holy residue after initially triggering a red reaction?"

Vann feigned an attempt to stand, but his arms went limp. "Did... did I pass the test, Professor? Am I going to be executed?"

Mordred remained silent for a long moment. He stared at Vann, then at the now-inert crystal—a phenomenon never before recorded in the history of the Cor Tenebris. The artifact usually gave a simple 'Yes' or 'No.' This time, however, it seemed... baffled.

"Your blood reacted, but then it rejected the essence," Mordred muttered, more to himself than to Vann. "There are only two possibilities. Either you have such a diluted demonic lineage that your body automatically treats it as a toxin, or... you were the target of a high-level curse placed by that cult last night, designed to make your energy mimic theirs so the Inquisition would execute you."

Vann looked down, hiding the flash of relief in his eyes. The second option Mordred mentioned was exactly the 'bait' Vann had carefully laid through his mana manipulation.

"So... I was just a victim?" Vann asked, his voice weak.

Mordred sighed, and the oppressive aura surrounding him slowly dissipated. He tucked the crystal back into its velvet box. "It would seem so. The Diabolos Cult is notorious for marking talented individuals to use as scapegoats or vessels. That light on your face last night... it was likely a 'mark' they placed to claim you."

The old man walked over to Vann, helping the youth up and back into his chair. Mordred handed him a small vial of clear green liquid. "Drink this. It's a mana circuit recovery potion. You're lucky you didn't sustain permanent damage."

Vann drank the potion, feeling a refreshing chill crawl down his throat. "Thank you, Professor. I was so afraid..."

"You may leave, Vann," Mordred said, his voice returning to its usual flat tone. "But heed my warning. Never again attempt to use magic you don't fully understand, even if it's just to whiten your teeth. You have drawn the attention of very dangerous entities. Starting tomorrow, I will be placing you under extra surveillance."

Vann bowed deeply. "I understand, Professor. I will be much more careful."

Vann limped slightly as he stepped out of Mordred's office. Once the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind him, he leaned his back against the cold corridor wall. Cold sweat drenched his shirt.

That was close, he thought. If he had been even a millisecond late in burning off his mana, the crystal would have exploded, emitting a red light visible from every corner of the academy.

Vann made his way down the quiet corridor toward his dormitory. At the end of the hall, he saw Freya leaning against a pillar, waiting for him. Her face was etched with anxiety, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her blue cloak.

"Vann!" Freya ran toward him the moment he came into view. "What did Mordred say? Are you all right? Why are you so pale?"

Vann looked at Freya. Seeing the genuine concern in those blue eyes made the lingering ache in his mana circuits seem to vanish. He offered a thin smile—this time, one that was actually soft.

"It was just a routine interrogation, Freya. Professor Mordred just wanted to make sure I didn't bring any 'souvenirs' back from the festival in the form of a curse," Vann replied.

Freya scanned Vann from head to toe, her eyes eventually locking onto the tip of his index finger, which was wrapped in a small piece of gauze. "He took your blood?"

"Just a little for a follow-up affinity test," Vann lied smoothly.

Freya let out a breath of relief, though her eyes still betrayed a hint of doubt. "I feel like there's something strange about Professor Mordred lately. Vann, promise me... if anything happens, don't face it alone. I don't want to owe you my life again."

Vann nodded. "I promise."

As they walked together toward the dormitory area, Vann realized one thing. Mordred might have let him go for now, but the true trial was far from over. Mordred had mentioned 'extra surveillance,' which meant his every move would be watched more closely than ever before.

Even more concerning were Mordred's final words about the 'mark.' Vann knew the Demon Cult wouldn't just stop because he had beaten them with a wooden stick. They would return, and this time, they might bring something far worse than a mere public confession.

Suddenly, Vann stopped in his tracks as they passed an academy notice board crowded with students. There, a large poster written in pulsing gold ink caught everyone's eye.

"FINAL SEMESTER EXAM: THE HUNT IN AETHELGARD'S ARTIFICIAL DIMENSION"

Vann read the bottom line, his heart hammering against his ribs.

"Teams of three. Pairings determined by the Faculty Council: Vann (Class B), Freya van Aethelgard (Class S), and Kael van Hestia (Class S)."

"I'm on a team with Kael?" Freya frowned, looking visibly displeased. "This is going to be a disaster."

Vann stared at the poster with a much darker expression. He knew this wasn't a random assignment. Mordred had intentionally placed him on a team with the Holy Hero and his biggest rival under the guise of an official exam. Inside an artificial dimension, where every action was recorded by monitoring crystals, Vann would have to survive without using a single drop of dark mana, all while protecting Freya from the dangers Mordred surely had in store.

"This isn't just an exam," Vann whispered to himself. "It's a proving ground... or an execution site."

Vann turned to Freya, who was still grumbling about Kael. He squeezed her hand briefly, a small gesture of support that silenced her and made her blush.

"Don't worry, Freya. We'll get through this exam," Vann said with a tone of conviction.

But deep in his mind, Vann began drafting the most complex strategy he had ever devised. He had to find a way to sabotage the artificial dimension from within before the exam even started, or he would be forced to reveal his true identity to the entire academy.

In the distance, from the balcony of his tower office, Professor Mordred watched the two teenagers. In his hand, he held an ancient parchment scroll displaying a prophecy entirely different from the one in the library.

"Blood that rejects its own dark essence..." Mordred murmured with a grin that hid a thousand secrets. "Let's see, Vann... will you remain a sheep when the wolves begin to tear at your skin inside that artificial dimension?"