Chapter 5 : Release (3)

“…A summons.”

The Tree of Qliphoth, and among them, the highest-ranking entity, Thaumiel.

It is said that he, signifying ‘the duality of God,’ has called for a summons.

Of course, this request is not directed at the entire faction but rather at ten executives— the Qliphahs.

“Yes. Not everyone has responded to the summons, but… Thaumiel wishes for you, who will be heading directly to the academy, to attend.”

Saying so, she pulled a piece of parchment from the empty air and handed it to me.

The parchment, inscribed with a complex magic circle, was a teleportation scroll.

It was a magical item that allowed instant movement to a specific location when infused with mana and torn.

As I stared intently at the scroll extended toward me on the table, I opened my mouth.

“…When is the summons?”

There was no option to refuse the summons.

Judging by Lilith’s words, it seemed as though my presence was desired but not mandatory.

However, Thaumiel is the de facto leader of the Tree of Qliphoth and holds the position of the first seat among the Qliphahs.

As someone who also holds an executive position among the Qliphahs, I technically had the right to refuse a summons.

But if Thaumiel specifically expressed a desire for my attendance, refusing would certainly not be a wise choice.

“Three days from now, at dusk when the crescent moon rises.”

“…Understood.”

With that reply, I picked up the teleportation scroll and placed it into the empty air.

As I did, the scroll vanished into the void, just as it had appeared when Lilith brought it out—an interdimensional space, as they call it.

Watching this, Lilith narrowed her eyes slightly and tilted her head to the side.

Even that simple action created a captivating atmosphere as her hair gently cascaded down.

She spoke.

“…Have I changed a bit?”

At those words, I merely rolled my eyes to meet hers.

Her usually stoic expression was now tinged with faint curiosity reflected in her eyes.

Feeling that, my gaze darkened.

The world slowed endlessly as my thoughts accelerated.

Could it be that my possession of Lee Hyun-joon has been discovered?

But I couldn’t figure out what action might have given me away.

Have I shown any awkward behavior so far?

No, had there been anything awkward at all to begin with?

Even though Lee Hyun-joon’s memories and identity have blended into mine, I am still Telos Nehemoth.

Not even the slightest mannerism, let alone my words and actions, has changed.

Yet she noticed a change in me?

At the very least, it wasn’t through my behavior.

If that’s the case, the answer was clear.

‘…Emotions.’

Information about Lilith, known both to Lee Hyun-joon and to Telos, surfaced in my mind.

Lilith.

She was a demon specialized in toying with the emotions of others.

Because of that, she possessed the ability to perceive the “emotions” that others held.

The emotions I had thought abandoned long ago—the ones I briefly felt when Lee Hyun-joon’s memories and identity blended into mine.

I hadn’t been conscious of them because they extinguished almost immediately, like faint embers,

But…

If she read those remnants or seeds of emotions buried deep within me, then it’s no wonder she noticed my change.

‘Was I too complacent?’

Knowing she could read emotions, I should have been more vigilant.

But with so many confusing events piling up, I failed to pay attention to it.

The sudden possession, the uncertainty of the future, the confusion over the path I should take…

Distracted by these matters, I neglected to guard against others noticing my changes.

Most of all, it was hard to anticipate that she would notice emotions that burned out so quickly like embers.

[Cold-Blooded] – MAX. LV

I have killed my emotions.

Fortunately, her suspicion is still faint.

Moreover, Lilith is not hostile toward me.

Even if she read the fleeting thoughts and wariness that crossed my mind during that brief moment of accelerated thinking, chances are high that she won’t dwell on it for now.

Killing my emotions, I asked indifferently as if it were no big deal.

“…What do you mean?”

“…No, it seems I was mistaken.”

As expected, she shook her head and sipped her tea.

Her refined and elegant demeanor, so unlike the image of demons known to the world, looked like a masterpiece painting.

And the identity of Lee Hyun-joon within me found his heart easily swayed by her beauty.

Perhaps it was because of this emotion that Lilith noticed my change.

For me, it was a somewhat unfamiliar sensation.

‘…I might need to rethink things a bit.’

This won’t be the last time I encounter Lilith.

We’ll likely cross paths often in the future.

Even if I suppress my emotions, Lee Hyun-joon’s identity and feelings won’t simply disappear.

Avoiding her perception entirely has its limits.

Her ability is less about identifying specific emotions or their intensity and more about detecting the existence of emotion itself.

Thus, suppressing my emotions is only a temporary solution.

Prolonged conversation alone would likely allow her to see through me eventually.

In that case…

As I considered this, Lilith, having savored her tea, gently placed the teacup down and spoke.

“This tea tastes delightful. Is it made with Andalusian honey from Enrad and plum blossoms?”

“…Yes.”

“You’ve served me something truly precious.”

“Because you’re a valuable guest.”

I replied as I took a sip of my tea as well.

The tea, cooled to the perfect temperature, carried a fragrant plum blossom aroma and the sweetness of honey.

It felt as though the essence of the approaching spring had been captured perfectly.

Indeed, when an expert brews tea with rare ingredients, it holds a flavor worthy of its value.

Perhaps if it were me from before Lee Hyun-joon’s possession, I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much.

“A valuable guest… am I?”

Meanwhile, Lilith murmured those words and gazed out the window.

As with most schools on Earth, academy admissions also take place in spring.

And with spring approaching, plum blossoms had bloomed outside the mansion.

Though, they were different from the plum blossoms used to make the tea we were drinking.

As she watched them, she eventually turned her gaze back to me and spoke.

“…As I thought, you’re a little different.”

“Changed, different… You’ve been saying things like that for a while now. Do you have a reason for thinking that?”

Though Lilith herself had dismissed it as her mistake not long ago, she brought it up again.

I asked her calmly, my voice steady.

Then, while keeping my head angled toward the tea, I moved my eyes to look up at her.

My deep red eyes, sunken with weight, met her pink, gem-like eyes.

For a moment, a tense atmosphere settled in the reception room.

Silence lingered between us.

But it lasted only briefly.

Lilith looked at me and finally spoke.

“Telos, I know you.”

“…?”

“Until now, you were like ashes left behind after everything had burned, with nothing left to consume…”

She paused for a moment before continuing.

“But now, you’re like a dying ember.”

An ember… is it?

Indeed, the emotions I carry now are faint embers at best.

Hearing her words, I exhaled deeply and spoke.

“What is it you want to say?”

It was, in essence, an acknowledgment.

From the moment I realized it was impossible to hide the emotions born from Lee Hyun-joon’s possession from her, I had already made this decision.

Hiding an unhideable secret is a poisonous act.

It would only foster unnecessary wariness in the other person.

In that case, it’s better to lay it bare.

That way, there will be fewer complications later on.

Above all, she doesn’t particularly harbor hostility toward me.

She wouldn’t think I’m someone other than Telos.

So, perhaps this much is fine.

She asked,

“What happened?”

“I don’t know,”

I replied, taking another sip of tea.

For some reason, the sweet aroma and flavor felt mismatched to my taste.

Meanwhile, Lilith continued,

“…Is it something you can’t even tell me?”

At her words, I looked at her.

Her face was as detached as ever, her expression unreadable.

Without Lee Hyun-joon’s memories, I might have thought she was interrogating me, given her demeanor.

‘…Even now, I can’t tell for sure.’

Elysion Academy.

In the game, Lilith was said to have loved me.

When she died, she devised schemes to torment the player, driving them into pain.

And when the player faced death for the umpteenth time, she would appear at the end, cursing them as she delivered the final blow.

Lee Hyun-joon, during his early days, had experienced such moments more times than he could count, so he knew them well.

However, as Telos, it was difficult to be certain.

Just as Lee Hyun-joon didn’t understand why Lilith loved Telos, I, too, didn’t know why she might love me.

For that reason, I couldn’t tell whether she truly loved me.

Above all, I was human.

Though I was Nehemoth, one of the ten Qliphahs standing at the pinnacle of the Tree of Qliphoth, my essence was closer to that of a human.

Lilith, on the other hand, was a demon— a creation of the evil god.

This fact alone was another reason I couldn’t be sure of her love.

Demons do not love.

Especially not humans.

In fact, most of the ten Qliphahs—beings at the highest level of the Tree of Qliphoth—were demons created by the evil god.

They subtly looked down on me, a human.

Of course, because I was also a Qliphah, they treated me as a comrade on the surface, with the exception of a few.

But did they truly see me as an ally?

‘No.’

Demons disdain humans, seeing them as little more than playthings to toy with.

There was no way they genuinely considered me their equal.

At best, they likely saw me as a useful sword or a well-trained hunting dog.

Why would Lilith be an exception to this?

I wasn’t sure.

If I were to assume that she didn’t enjoy such amusements and therefore refrained from toying with humans, I could accept that.

I could also believe that she dismissed humans as insignificant, like stones along the roadside.

However, if she were to say that she loved me, I would find it hard to accept.

I could somehow understand if she considered me an equal comrade, but love was beyond my comprehension.

It was likely this inability to grasp her feelings that kept me from fully accepting her as an ally.

Thus, I spoke.

“If it’s an interrogation you want, I recommend formally bringing it up during the summons.”

“…Telos.”

“So, is your business here finished?”

I asked in a low voice as I rose from my seat.

“It seems it is.”

Turning my back on her, who had now fallen silent, I stepped out of the reception room.

“Then, see you at the next summons.”