Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

A great surprise upon awakening. Normally, surprises consist of simply opening your eyes again… in fact, that is the greatest reward one can have: waking up alive. But looking at it that way, dying in your sleep could also be considered a great reward—a death without pain, agony, or despair. The perfect death. So, right now, I find myself at a crossroads.

The first thing my eyes see upon waking is not the bright sunlight. Instead, it's a sun far more terrifying… a woman far more terrifying than the sun itself. Hair and eyes so golden they seem to emit light even in the darkest of places. Her eyes are even more frightening than Lilith's—no pupils, just a deep, radiant gold staring right at me, as though trying to pierce my soul and uncover all my secrets.

As I said… I don't know if it's good or bad to have woken up. For now, I want to think it's good, because I'm still alive, and she's sitting right next to me, making no threatening movements. But of course, even if she did, I wouldn't stand a chance of surviving if I tried to fight her.

"Good morning...?" I say, forcing a nervous smile. Honestly, I really want to ask her what she's doing in this place, but I keep that question to myself.

"It's not morning, young man; it's night—midnight, to be exact," Seraphine says with a delicate smile, pursing her lips slightly. "How are you feeling? You should be in perfect condition; after all, I was the one who healed your body. But of course, it never hurts to ask… right? One must be considerate… I must be."

"Uh… thanks. I feel great… thank you very much for healing me," I respond awkwardly. I can't deny it—I feel extremely nervous with this woman in front of me.

[Seraphine (The Seventh Seraphim)] [Status: Seal Broken]

[Corruption Level: 0%] [Seventh Seraphim: Seal Broken (100%)]

A Seraphim in a human body… although the souls of these beings are lethal to humans, they pose no threat to Nephilim. After all, they were designed for this. You could say they are the existence closest to God, beings made entirely of light speaking to a dark creature like me. At first glance, she seems like a normal person, but don't let that fool you!

"You're lying. You're not fine. You know… you can't lie to me. Lying is a sin." The melodic voice of the saint sends chills down my spine.

"There's no need to fear me. If I wanted you dead, I simply wouldn't have healed you. For now, we're just having a pleasant conversation..." She places her hands on her thighs and leans in slightly.

"Very interesting. May I see it?" she asks with curiosity.

"See what?" I reply, swallowing dryly.

"The symbol of Lilith. Let me see it," she says, smiling.

Unable to refuse, I show her my forearm.

"Hm..." The seraphim stares at the tattoo for a few seconds. "How lovely… she's always had peculiar taste. But that's what made her different from the Second Woman. Thank you for showing me," she says with satisfaction.

"It's nothing, ma'am… it's my pleasure," I respond as humbly as possible.

"You spoke with her, didn't you?" she asks again, stroking her cheek.

I'm sweating all over. Since when has she been able to tell? It's impossible to lie to her; she made that clear. "Yes, I did."

"Good, you're a good boy. I don't like lies. If you're wondering how I know, it's because of this symbol imprinted on your soul. It gives her free access to enter your soul whenever you allow it," she explains, now speaking as if she were some kind of teacher.

"Thanks for telling me." That's something I already knew—the presence I saw in my soul was a projection of Lilith, a fragment of her soul.

"I suppose she also told you the cure for your fractured soul… and you must also know what kind of place she's in and who she's with," she continues carefully, staring intently at me. "Heaven is a sacred place for angels, the purest realm of light possible, or something like that. I don't fully remember anymore; the last time I was in Heaven was a million years ago. Perhaps it's changed since then, or maybe it's the same. I doubt it, though..." She frowns slightly. "Anyway, it's not the first time demons have invaded Heaven. Unfortunately, I didn't exist back then. I didn't need anyone to tell me about it; I was born with that knowledge. A dazzling day, seven beings born from the hand of God. And at that same moment, but in a different place, seven dark ones were born from the hand of Lucifer. There's no throne, no rulers, but still, there's a very fragile line that, over the years, has grown smaller and smaller. But you're wondering why I'm telling you all this, aren't you? The answer is not something you need to know. But I will tell you this: you are the second key to appear in this world—a key almost forgotten with the passage of ages. Forgotten by mortals, at least. But to immortal beings… it's fresh in their minds. The Blue Flame. The Flame of Life. The Primordial Flame... Hehe." Seraphine laughs softly.

"The first of the flames, one of the two—the Flame of Life," Seraphine says as her eyes glimmer.

The entire area trembles, and the space around us distorts. I feel fear, a deep fear that sinks into my bones, paralyzing me.

"It's quite curious, unpredictable, and unimaginable… The flame God used to give life to the Seraphim—one of His tools—is deeply rooted in your soul. You're lucky, very lucky, that the blessing of the Seven Sins protects your soul. Even I am unable to penetrate it. Hmph, without a doubt, Lilith is very cunning," Seraphine says with dissatisfaction, looking at me fiercely before shaking her head. She sighs and looks away.

"A hybrid between demon, vampire, and a bit of human. A true, incomplete creature—empty, hollow, and completely filled with madness. I never thought I'd see one again..." She ponders for a moment before meeting my eyes once more.

"Do you want to restore your soul?" she asks with a soft smile.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But that gentle smile… it's terrifying. Now I'm not so sure if I truly want to. Still, her words have given me shocking answers—many truths about the Blue Flame. Clenching my teeth, I respond,

"Yes." I nod. You can never underestimate the instinct to survive.

"So, you want to live, after all. Well, your kind has always been persistent about that…" Seraphine's eyes light up. "I will take you there, but I will not help you with it. You must convince Eva to give you a fruit. Let me give you some advice: don't even think about stealing one. She'll know, and she'll imprison your soul for eternity. Poetic justice, as she calls it." She falls silent for a moment. "In exchange, I want you to tell Lilith I want to speak with her—and that she must agree, of course."