El’s current goals were mainly divided into two.
One was to deal with the demon hidden within his body—at the very least, to ensure it posed no threat to him. Theoretically, this matter should take top priority, since it concerned El’s very life.
But in reality, El had no good solution for it and could only set it aside for now.
The other was the “Red Moon Night” from the original story—when the cultists rioted, performed a blood sacrifice of the populace, and attempted to summon an ancient demon from the Abyss.
The difficulty here lay mainly in the immense gap between the script and reality; there was little of reference value, and only limited information could be provided.
In the original, it was the First Prince and Second Prince who contended for the throne. Cearsha seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, greatly changing the balance of power among the nobles.
The supporters behind the cultists weren’t clearly explained, and now, things were even more tangled.
What’s more, Song of Starfeather was just a role-playing game.
There was very little content regarding specific nobles; aside from romanceable and major characters, others only appeared as “Nobles” and “Friend A.”
El didn’t even know who the real enemy was, but to him, resolving the “Red Moon Night” was as important as dealing with the demon inside him, since the cultists would destroy everything.
He absolutely couldn’t let these vermin do as they pleased.
Anthony was a good person to confide in. El decided to tell his teacher about the predicament he faced—at the very least, the demon within him was not something he could resolve on his own.
“Teacher, there’s something that’s been bothering me these days.
Anthony perked up his ears with curiosity.
“I discovered there’s a demon lurking inside my body. He poses a threat to my life, but I don’t know how to deal with him.”
“A demon… what? El, you’re not making fun of me, are you?”
Only then did El realize he’d used an idiom. “Having a demon inside one’s body” was roughly equivalent to “possessed by a ghost” in another world, mostly used jokingly, tinged with superstition.
That was the ecological niche of demons in this world; to cultists, they might be omnipotent gods, but to most people, they were just the man-eating monsters parents used to coax their children to sleep.
“No, it’s real, a demon…”
“All right, all right, I get it. One of those things those sewer vermin worship… I rarely see them. That’s some rotten luck. Tell me, what exactly is going on?”
El laid out everything he knew about the demon—what he’d researched, and the memories he’d glimpsed of the demon in his own consciousness.
“Let me share my thoughts. I don’t think you need to worry that much. According to the Soul’s Second Law, the demon can’t possibly usurp your body. Of course, your situation is highly unusual. Demons are highly invasive by nature, so in theory, it should be impossible for you two to coexist…”
Soul’s Second Law states that an individual’s soul and body are symbiotic; if either dies, the other cannot survive.
This was a principle long verified by countless generations of mages, and not a single exception had ever been found.
A human’s lifespan is restricted not only by the body but also by the irreversible wear of the soul itself.
Take Anthony, for example—as a Legendary Mage, his soul was extraordinarily powerful. Even so, he estimated his lifespan to be only a bit over two hundred years, which was already considered long-lived.
Even if one were to obtain the Spring of Life from the elves and keep the body forever young, the moment the soul perished, so would life.
Likewise, the body is unique and can’t be swapped out like an interface. When the body is destroyed, the soul can’t survive independently but instead enters the Netherworld.
Since soul and body are one, the phenomenon of body snatching simply can’t occur. When a demon’s physical form is destroyed, they’re already dead and can’t be reborn by seizing El’s body.
Hearing this, El did feel much relieved, but a new question arose soon after…
“Teacher, have you encountered demons before?”
Anthony stroked his white beard with a hand as gnarled as an old tree. “If you live long enough, you see many things.”
“I once witnessed a Great Demon, so powerful he could have destroyed the world. But he was far too arrogant, and even he could only die under the siege of many masters.”
“There are also a handful of lesser demons. The only reason they escape the Abyssal blockade is because they’re too weak—not even reaching the Silver rank. Only such demons have a chance to enter reality, and even then, they are exceedingly rare.”
A Great Demon’s status was equivalent to that of an Evil God—beings the cultists would stop at nothing to summon as their “god” into this world. That’s why so many called this wicked cult the Demon Cult.
All in all, the Demon Cult actually kept a low profile; the casualties they caused were not many, but their scenes were so cruel as to be outrageous, making their reputation infamous.
To most, cultists were only the stuff of legends.
“However, the problem with you must be resolved. I’ll need to consult the ancient texts in the library and do my best to find you a solution. In the meantime, if you notice anything strange with your body, be sure to contact me immediately.”
“There’s one more thing…”
El also shared the information on “Red Moon Night” from the original story with his teacher, though he concealed the “script,” saying only that these were memory fragments he’d found in his subconscious.
“I see. I’ll keep an eye on the cultists’ movements. Still, it’s difficult. Those vermin have strange methods, and Divination Spells can’t locate them. Best to wait for them to expose themselves.”
Though the source of the information was questionable, Anthony immediately chose to trust El’s judgment.
Before leaving, the old mage reminded El, “Don’t worry too much about the demon. Since you can’t come up with a better solution, just carry on with your life as usual, step by step.”
El agreed with the old mage’s view. After all, he’d done all he could, and there was no need to grow overly anxious. Panic would only expose more weaknesses to the enemy.
After some small talk, El left the principal’s office. By then, dusk had fallen; rosy clouds filled half the sky, and a gentle breeze brushed his face, bringing a sense of comfort.
The shadow of death had faded considerably. He enjoyed this rare peace, feeling the world was truly lovely.
With his mind at ease, he suddenly recalled something odd.
The script’s description of this was only a brief line: in the original, El’s father did not die, while his mother had died in an accident when he was very young.
He had always thought of it as a minor difference from reality, believing it had no real impact on his background. But now, he realized—something must have been affecting his judgment.