Asmodeus System: Stealing My Bully's Mother

Chapter 52: ⁵²The Return of the Demon Lord

​The gray sky over the Eastern Pine Forest seemed reluctant to welcome the morning. The biting cold air still pricked the skin, brushing against the bare trees beneath the remnants of the winter storm.

At the snow-covered intersection of the deer trail, Ethan Valen halted his steps.

He turned to face Valera. He looked immaculate in his black shirt and leather dress shoes. His brown eyes radiated absolute tranquility.

"We part ways here, Valera," Ethan instructed.

Valera nodded obediently.

"Take the western route. Circle around the frozen valley, then enter the academy through the underground tunnel near the old graveyard. Make sure no one sees you with us."

"As you will it, My Master."

Before dashing off, Valera took a moment to glance at Miya Evarett. The petite Elf girl stood behind Ethan, hiding beneath a thick hooded cloak. Her purple eyes returned the knight’s stare anxiously while clutching her leather satchel.

Valera smirked faintly at the healer, then with a single powerful thrust of her legs, her figure vanished into the dense pines.

The forest reclaimed its silence. Only the sound of the wind and the crunch of snow beneath their boots remained.

Ethan and Miya resumed their journey. Half an hour passed in silence. The trees began to thin out, replaced by a wider dirt path. In the distance, the silhouettes of stone towers began to emerge beyond the thin fog.

Miya stopped abruptly.

Her leather satchel nearly slipped from her shoulder. Her light purple eyes widened, staring at the colossal structure towering ahead. Zenithar Academy. Its walls were as high as cliffs. Its towers pierced the gray clouds. Ancient rune carvings glowed faintly across the stone surface.

"I-is that... is that the academy...?" Miya’s voice was almost lost to the wind.

Ethan stopped and turned around. "Yes."

"S-so big... and tall... and... and..." Miya began to hyperventilate. Her hands squeezed the hem of her cloak. "I-I can’t... too many people... I’m not used to..."

Ethan stepped closer. "Miya."

"I-I haven’t seen a building this massive in hundreds of years... what if I get lost? What if someone recognizes me as an Elf? What if—"

Ethan placed a hand on her shoulder. Not roughly. But firm enough to break her chain of panic.

"You are with me. No one will dare to touch you."

Miya stared at him. Her purple eyes were still trembling, but Ethan’s touch was somehow... soothing.

"Will you... will you stay by my side?"

"Yes."

Miya swallowed hard. She gave a small nod. "Alright... I... I trust you."

They resumed walking. But this time, Miya walked a little closer to Ethan. Close enough that her petite shoulder nearly brushed against the young man’s arm.

An hour later, the pale sun attempted to pierce through the clouds as Ethan and Miya arrived at the main courtyard of Zenithar Academy.

Standing before the colossal gates bearing the crest of crossed swords and a magic staff, Miya looked up. Her purple eyes widened in a mixture of awe and horror. These towering walls and cloud-touching stone towers were the most massive civilization she had seen in hundreds of years.

Reflexively, the Elf girl squeezed her cloak and pressed closer to Ethan’s side.

Their arrival commanded immediate attention. Students passing through the courtyard spontaneously stopped. Whispers spread like wildfire.

"Is that... Ethan Valen? He’s back..."

"Look, he brought a stranger. Who is that?"

"Is she... a new student?"

"Why is he always surrounded by women...?"

"He’s still wearing that black VIP shirt... an F-Caste student, but his aura is just like a king’s."

"Shh! Lower your voice, you idiot! Did you forget what happened to Prince Edward?!"

Miya heard every single whisper. Her pointed ears hidden beneath her hood twitched wildly. Unconsciously, her petite fingers tugged at the cuff of Ethan’s shirt.

Ethan turned his head. He cast a single, flat glare toward the whispering crowd. Instant silence fell. The students hurriedly looked away, pretending to be busy.

The gazes of those noble students were a mixture of envy, awe, and deep terror.

Ethan paid no mind to the whispers. He kept strolling casually through the crowd toward the Main Tower, ushering his new Priestess along.

On the upper floor of the Main Tower, inside the Student Council Chamber.

Kaelia von Ashford sat in the president’s chair. The heir of the Southern Faction looked elegant in her red-and-gold uniform.

However, her golden eyes radiated utter boredom as she listened to the budget report. The quill in her hand spun lazily.

The sound of footsteps and whispering from the outer corridor began to reach her ears. Several council members turned toward the large window directly overlooking the Main Courtyard.

Kaelia followed their gazes.

Down below, a small crowd had gathered. Students stepped aside, making way for two figures. A brown-haired youth in a black shirt, and a petite girl in a thick cloak by his side.

The rotation of the quill in her hand stopped instantly. Kaelia stood up abruptly, silencing all the debating council members at once.

"Meeting adjourned. Continue tomorrow," Kaelia decreed with absolute finality.

Without explanation, the Fire Queen turned and strode out briskly, leaving dozens of council members exchanging bewildered glances.

At the exact same time, inside the Vice Principal’s Office.

Isolde von Rosenberg was signing documents behind her mahogany desk. The Archmage looked flawless—her platinum hair pinned in a tight bun, gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, and a navy-blue silk gown concealing the black rose tattoo on her back.

Chime.

The magical barrier notification lit up on her desk. Glowing runes formed a message: Ethan Valen has returned.

The quill in Isolde’s hand stopped mid-signature. Her icy blue eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

She set her quill down, removed her glasses, smoothed out her gown, and hurried out of the room with steps much more urgent than usual.

In the corridor of the Main Tower, right outside Ethan’s VIP Room.

The sound of clicking heels echoed from two opposite directions. Kaelia and Isolde arrived at the exact same moment. Both stopped, exchanging assessing glances.

Kaelia glanced at Isolde’s gown, slightly parted from her fast pace. "Your steps are awfully hurried today, Madam Vice Principal."

Isolde raised her chin coldly. "And you abandoned your important student council meeting halfway through, Lady Ashford."

That subtle verbal volley ended right there. Neither wished to prolong the debate outside their Master’s door. Isolde turned the doorknob and opened it.

The crystal lamp emitted a dim glow. The fireplace in the corner was already burning warmly.

Ethan stood with his back to them, gazing out the stained-glass window. Meanwhile, on the black leather sofa, sat the foreign girl.

Miya, whose cloak hood was now pulled down, sat stiffly. Her petite body and blonde hair were swallowed among the velvet pillows. Seeing two women with terrifying magical auras enter, Miya squeezed her knees in fear.

Kaelia stepped inside. Her eyes narrowed sharply. Her territorial instincts flared immediately.

"My Master..." Kaelia called out in a tone of undisguised suspicion. "Who is she?"

Isolde followed inside, closing the door in silence, awaiting an explanation.

Ethan turned around from the window. "She is a healer from the north I recently found," Ethan stated calmly. Ethan approached the sofa, looking down at Miya. "Introduce yourself."

Miya looked up, darting her eyes between Kaelia and Isolde. Her lips opened, but panic gripped her vocal cords. She was too frightened.

Ethan didn’t get angry. He merely touched his left chest—where the Horned Crown tattoo resided beneath his shirt.

A thin surge of Sin Mana shot through the air, striking the Lust Brand on Miya’s left thigh directly.

"Nnggh...!"

Miya gasped sharply. She whimpered softly, both her knees clamping rigidly together as a searing heat stung her nerves. Her pale face flushed deep red.

"Introduce yourself, Miya," Ethan whispered with a tone of subtle domination. "Or I will introduce you to them... my way."

The remnants of Miya’s social panic crumbled, replaced by biological obedience.

"I-I am... my name is Miya Evarett..." Miya squeaked stammeringly, her breathing heavy as she endured the sensation in her thigh. She bowed her head deeply. "F-from Dorfyk Village in the north... n-nice to meet you..."

Kaelia raised an eyebrow. Her female instincts caught a strange signal from the reaction in the Elf girl’s thigh.

Ethan stood up from the sofa. His eyes shifted to Isolde, then to Miya. "Isolde. Miya. Come with me."

Isolde nodded obediently. Miya hurriedly rose from the sofa, grabbing her leather satchel.

Kaelia waited. But her name was not called.

"My Master..." Kaelia’s voice sounded hesitant. "What about me?"

Ethan glanced back briefly. "You stay here."

Kaelia’s golden eyes widened. "B-but... I have been loyal all this time. Why is this newly arrived Elf girl trusted immediately, while I—"

"That is none of your business, Kaelia."

Something cracked inside the Fire Queen’s chest. She bit her lip hard. The feeling of being neglected cut deeper than any mana blade. Tears began to pool in her eyes, but she held them back desperately.

Ethan observed her. Right when Kaelia was about to give in to her own sorrow, Ethan walked toward her and lifted her chin with his fingertips.

"You want to come?" Ethan asked. His voice dropped low, shifting into a demanding whisper.

Kaelia looked up. "M-more than anything, My Master..."

"Then prove it." Ethan released her chin. "Take off your uniform. Right now."

Silence.

Kaelia’s face burned all the way to her ears. She glanced in panic toward Isolde, who stood like an ice statue, and then toward Miya, who had her head bowed with cheeks as red as tomatoes. The Fire Queen’s pride thrashed, yet the black flame-rose Lust Brand on her lower abdomen pulsed, reminding her who her master was.

Kaelia swallowed hard. Her trembling fingers slowly unbuttoned her red-and-gold uniform one by one.

The expensive fabric was stripped off, followed by her shirt, until the most powerful girl in the Southern Faction stood clad in nothing but her undergarments in the middle of the room.

Kaelia’s breathing turned heavy, her chest heaving under the grip of shame and provoked desire.

Miya’s eyes widened. "W-what is this...?" she muttered in shock, before hurriedly clamping her own mouth shut.

Ethan observed Kaelia coldly, then nodded. "Good. You pass. Put your uniform back on."

With trembling hands, Kaelia picked up her uniform. "D-did I pass, My Master...?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Yes. You are coming."

Kaelia took a deep breath, swallowing the rest of her ego, and stood tall once more. "I am ready, My Master."

Ethan strode toward the door. "We leave now. I have no time to waste."

"Are you certain about bringing her, My Master?" Isolde asked.

"Most certain, Isolde."

Ethan led the way. Miya walked hesitantly beside him, hugging her leather satchel. Isolde and Kaelia trailed behind like royal guards of darkness.

They traversed the quiet corridors of the Main Tower. No one made a sound. A silence laden with anticipation accompanied their steps toward the North Wing.

At the exact same time, the pieces of destiny moved.

In the Eastern Pine Forest, Valera, who was dashing forward, abruptly stopped. Her hand touched her left neck, sensing the warm pulse from her Lust Brand. She smirked. Her Master was heading toward the most crucial point.

Meanwhile, inside the North Wing VVIP Facility, within a dimly lit, sterile medical room.

Atop a large bed enclosed by life-support crystals lay Elara Valen. The girl was extraordinarily fragile. Her skin was as pale as alabaster, her brown hair splayed messily across the pillow.

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open.

A pair of eyes clouded with a white film stared blankly at the ceiling. Her thin fingers twitched softly. Though blind and her mana circuit completely paralyzed... Elara’s blood instincts sensed a very familiar presence currently walking toward her.

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