Sylus's room reflected the same quiet control, everything inside was arranged with careful precision, leaving the space clean and undisturbed. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across one side of the room, their long curtains drawn just enough to allow thin streams of daylight to slip through. Beyond them, a private balcony overlooked the mansion grounds.
Opposite the windows, a towering bookshelf covered an entire wall. Its dark shelves were filled with thick volumes ancient texts bound in worn leather sitting beside newer books and neatly organized documents. The air carried the faint scent of paper and polished wood.
The room blended elegance with quiet pieces of modern design. A sleek digital ceiling panel glowed faintly above, casting a soft and even light over the space. Near the bed, a slim desk lamp rested on a polished table, its surface smooth and glasslike as its small digital display flickered softly.
Diablo sat on one of the small sofas near the windows, leaning back as he looked outside through the narrow opening between the curtains.
At the center of the large bed, Asta rested peacefully , his massive body rising and falling with slow breaths.
something Damian strongly disliked, how comfortable he gets with everything,
His eyes rested on the large figure sprawled comfortably across the center of Sylus's bed.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then he sighed quietly.
"I must say," Damian began, his voice calm but clearly disapproving, "I do not appreciate what you are doing."
One of the Asta's ears twitched.
"You should act so comfortable in this room," Damian continued. "Master Sylus is your master, not your friend."
Asta's eyes slowly opened, he lifted his head lazily, looking at Damian with clear annoyance.
"Oh please," Asta muttered, his voice carrying a lazy, "He wouldn't mind I know him more than anything ."
He stretched slightly, claws digging into the soft sheets.
"In fact," he added with a small grin in his voice, "he needs me more than he would ever like you, you are in no place to talk to me about getting comfortable."
Damian's expression didn't change.
"You think the master doesn't need me, little brother ."
"don't you call me that, how many times do you want me to say it" Asta replied quickly.
Damian ignored the comment and adjusted the cuff of his sleeve.
"We were given clear instructions," he said. "He told us to wait until his return."
Asta rolled onto his side, his tail flicking lazily across the bed.
" I heard him." his crimson eyes glanced toward the door.
"But on the way here," he said, "I told you I wanted to go see the students training outside."
"And I refused," Damian replied immediately.
"Exactly!" Asta said, lifting his head again. "how about now."
"No."
The response was immediate.
Asta groaned loudly, "you disgust me"
"Your opinion is noted," Damian said calmly.
Asta pushed himself up slightly on the bed, irritation creeping into his voice.
" I'm sure he would allow me to go see them,.... just so you know, you are not my master, I'm not going not because you told me not to but because he must agree with it first"
Damian finally looked directly at him, "And he instructed us to wait in his room, that is enough to tell you not to"
Asta stared at him.
Damian stared back,
" Excuse me" he said and vanished into the washroom while Asta resumed his position.
Damian shut the door behind him and locked it, he summoned the Sin-Bound Chronicles, the book appeared in gold mist and dropped in his arm,
he brought the book closer and noticed something, one of the pages was on fire, not with flames but power he opened to the page,
it had a symbol of a rose with thorns encircling a gemstone, the symbol began to move, the steams of the rose tighten around the gemstone and a bright red mist moved slowly out of the page like the page was bleeding, the red mist coiled around Damian's hand like a serpent, he heard whispers of a female voice one that he recognized, he could see the chains that banned the the rose crack.
A sealed spirit was about to break out, it's time was up.
The Sin-Bound Chronicles was a book written by Lady Asha, it not only contains forbidden knowledge about the sins but it also has sealed spirits, all sealed creatures have their given time and when the time is up they break out,
Damian looked at the page and the red mist coiled around his hand, if it was any other day he might allow it to break out but no, not today, there are many things happening and his master is too busy to attend to a new spirit, he had to stop it.
he took out his pocket watch, it loud clicking echoed in the room, he held the chain and let the watch dangle on the page, the room temperature dropped instantly,
golden mist began materializing around him like vapor and the watch began to spin in circles around the symbol, the mist around the watch formed a transparent clock round the book, Damian tangled the chains around his hand till the watch was in his plans, then he place his index finger on the ticking hand of the transparent clock and it stop moving,
so did the cracks, and the red mist, and the whispers, the page froze in time,
" Chrono Lock" he whispered and the wind carried it in echos, like he wasn't the only one who said it.
tiny chain emerged from the base of the clock, wrapping around the clock hand holding it in place, the transparent clock disappeared the page became still, the red mist stopped moving and the chains remained,
the seal braking has stopped, stuck in time, but not forever, The book will allow this for now but not forever and when it wears off, it can't be repeated.
Damian closed the book, feeling a light headache,
he placed the watch in his pocket, the book disappeared,
he took a second then stepped out of the room, Asta was still on the bed,
he walked up to his seat and sat down, the page had been sealed in a frozen time line, at least for now,
He smoothed his hair and touched the blindfold, the lace fabric felt thin under his touch, remembering what the lady said it's only a matter of time, a matter of time before he would get rid of it, then the limit of his powers will disappear,
Damian lowered his hand and returned to his usual stillness.
Across the room, Asta shifted slightly on the bed but didn't wake.
Then Sylus enters, the door opened slowly and he walks in and shuts it, Damian sat up straight and Asta lifted his head in the doors direction, Sylus placed the book on the table and moved to the bed seeing Asta there he turned to the sofa opposite Damian,
he dropped himself in the seat and rested his head on the head rest, Damian got up and went outside
Asta frowned but said nothing.
" So, what did the captain say, when are we getting rid of him, did she agree" Asta spoke
"No" Sylus replied
"she didn't agree"
"No"
" so she did? "
"No"
" what happened, what's with the no, no, no"
Sylus didn't speak he just closed his eyes and let the wind from outside blow his hair across his face while Asta just stared at him
Damian came back with a glass in his hand, Sylus opened one eye and looked at him, Damian came close and handed the glass, Sylus took it.
it was cold, he took a sip and felt his body cool down, it was a fresh pineapple juice with a bit of ginger, reminding him of the feast he made when he met him.
throwing his head back, Sylus drank everything and placed the cap on the table, Damian took it and went out, Asta just stared at him as if he was putting on a show no one wants to watch,
"what was that about " Asta spoke,
" I asked him to get me a drink, telepathically "
" so what did the captain say "
" she is gone Asta"
"gone where"
" traveled somewhere I don't know and the time of her return is unknown to " Sylus said.
"Goodness, so how long are we gonna leave with this guy" Asta rested on the bed not interested to know how the conversation went,
" Asta.... I'm planning on giving him a change "
" what" Asta shot up, "I refuse, you are out of your mind"
" mind your words at times, and the decision has already been made "
" you can't be serious, you made a decision to add that man to us without at least letting me know"Asta shouted.
Damian walked in with a small smile, looking at Asta's face, he knew Sylus had already told him, " little brother, let this be the last time I say this but show some respect to him for he is your master "
Asta couldn't believe his ears, " who are you to talk to me like that" he growled,
" Asta come down, I have no time for a fight, there are students waiting for me....