Kail's corpse lay at Raze's feet, the forest floor still trembling faintly from the last pulse of divine energy that had been ripped out of him.
Golden smoke curled around Raze's arm before finally sinking into his skin.
For a moment, Raze simply stood there—breathing quietly.
Then he felt it.
A slow, heavy surge spread through his body… like molten warmth threading through his veins.
His muscles tightened.
His senses sharpened.
The lingering hollowness inside him finally dulled.
He felt stronger—not just physically, but deeper, as if his very soul had been reinforced.
"…So this is divine essence," he whispered.
A soft chime echoed inside his mind.
Ding.
A translucent status window unfolded before him, clearer than ever.
Raze scanned it quickly.
And there it was—
a new skill slot glowing faintly.
[Skill Acquired]: Ice Mage — Level 1
Condition: Only Level 1 spells can be used for now.
Raze raised an eyebrow.
"Ice mage, huh? Kail's talent…"
He tapped the skill window.
A faint cold breeze brushed across his fingertips—proof the power belonged to him now.
"Level restrictions too," he muttered. "So there are limits even in devouring divine powers…"
He could feel the potential within the new skill—small, but unmistakably real.
A seed waiting to grow.
Raze exhaled, then blinked.
"Ah… I completely forgot you were there," he said as he turned toward Mia.
She stood half-hidden in the shadows, watching him silently.
Her eyes trembled. Then she stepped forward, voice barely above a whisper.
"W-What… what did you do?"
Mia's voice trembled as she stared at Kail's lifeless body.
"W-What was that light…? And why… why didn't he change back? Even after dying… he should've returned to his original form."
Raze didn't answer immediately.
He looked down at the corpse, his expression unreadable, shadows sliding across his face.
"He won't change," Raze finally said—quiet, but firm.
Mia blinked, confusion tightening her brows.
"What do you mean? He was a shape-shifting demon. They always return to their original form after death I read it in the book that you were reading ."
Her voice grew sharper, almost desperate.
"So why is he still… like this? This doesn't make sense."
Raze slowly lifted his gaze to her, his eyes colder than before.
"That's because he wasn't a shape-shifting demon," he said.
His tone carried a weight that made Mia freeze.
"He was the real Kail."
Mia's breath caught.
Her mind stalled—shock, disbelief, fear all crashing together.
"…What?" she whispered.Mia's breath hitched, her hands trembling around her bow.
"That's impossible…" she whispered, her voice cracking as panic crawled up her throat.
"Raze, you—you told me in the library that a shape-shifting demon had infiltrated the castle. That it was spying on us."
She took a shaky step toward him, confusion twisting into something sharp and painful.
"You said I needed to learn from Instructor Seraphina… that if I mastered the bow, I could help you kill it."
Her voice trembled harder.
"That's why I agreed. To protect you. To kill the demon."
Her eyes glistened—not with tears yet, but with disbelief that cut deeper than fear.
"Tell me you're joking," she whispered.
"Raze… if this is some kind of joke, it's not the time."
Raze didn't flinch.
"I'm not joking," he said calmly.
"And yes—you killed him.
You killed Kail… your boyfriend… with your own hands."
The words slammed into her.
Her legs buckled.
She collapsed to her knees—the impact sharp, her breath scattering from her chest as though the world had cracked beneath her feet.
She didn't scream.
Didn't speak.
Her mind went blank—shock freezing her voice—but tears finally spilled, silently rolling down her face.
Mia knelt on the ground, her palms pressed weakly against the dirt as tears slipped down her cheeks. Her breath came in shallow, broken bursts. The world around her felt distant—muffled—like she had been dropped into cold water.
Raze watched her silently for a moment.
Then, as if the weight of what had happened wasn't already crushing her, he spoke again—calm, almost casual.
"But now what, Mia?"
Her trembling didn't stop.
Raze's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice dipping to a quiet, merciless edge.
"You killed Kail. Our classmate. A hero of the kingdom."
He let the words sink in, each one like a blade.
"And I'm sure…"
He stepped closer, his shadow falling over her.
"…if anyone finds out, you'll be punished."
Mia's breath hitched sharply.
Raze continued, unblinking.
"They'll call you a murderer."
He tilted his head.
"Your classmates… your friends… even our homeroom teacher—they won't stand by you."
Her eyes widened, horror mixing with the shock already freezing her from the inside.
"They'll hate you," Raze finished simply.
"As much as you hate yourself right now."
The sentence shattered whatever was left of her stability.
Her fingers dug into the soil, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably, tears falling harder as the reality—or what she believed was reality—closed in around her like a suffocating cage.
Mia stared up at him through tear-blurred eyes, her whole body shaking.
She wasn't even able to form words—her throat felt locked, strangled by panic and guilt.
Everything she believed… everything she thought she understood… had shattered in a single moment.
And Raze watched her break with the same calmness someone might use to observe a dying flame.
He crouched slightly, lowering himself just enough to meet her empty, trembling gaze.
"You're feeling hopeless, aren't you?"
His voice was soft—dangerously soft.
Mia swallowed, barely able to breathe.
Raze continued, leaning in just a little closer.
"You don't want this," he said.
"You don't want to be hated.
You don't want people to turn on you.
You don't want to face punishment for something you never meant to do."
Her breath stuttered—she didn't nod, but she didn't deny it either.
Raze's eyes sharpened, catching every flicker of despair in her expression.
"I know you don't want that… right?"
Mia's lips parted, but no sound came.
Raze extended a hand toward her—not comforting, not gentle.
It felt more like a command disguised as mercy.
"You want to be saved from all this, don't you?"
Her tears fell faster.
Raze leaned closer, his tone dropping to a whisper that slid directly into her thoughts.
"Then say it."
Mia blinked, stunned.
"Say you want to be saved," he murmured.
"And as always—"
His faint smile curved coldly.
"I will help you."
Mia's lips trembled uncontrollably.
For several seconds, she couldn't speak at all—her throat felt crushed under the weight of shock and grief.
But the silence finally cracked.
A strangled sound escaped her… then words, shaky and collapsing on themselves.
"Y-Yes…"
She swallowed hard, voice quivering beyond control.
"I… I want to be saved…"
Her shoulders shook violently as the last bit of strength inside her snapped.
"S-So please, Raze…"
Her voice broke into a whisper, barely audible.
"Please save me."
"Please help me… like you always have…"
The words poured out of her—not because she thought he was innocent, not because she trusted him fully…
but because she had nothing left.
No logic.
No strength.
No one else to turn to.
She was shattered—and in that moment, she would cling to anyone.
Even to the one responsible for all of this.
Even to the one who had led her here.
Raze watched her crumble, the corners of his lips lifting—not in kindness, but in quiet satisfaction.
Exactly what he wanted.
Exactly what he planned.
"Okay, I will help you… after all, I am your childhood friend,"