The forest did not breathe.
It held its breath.
Even the wind seemed to hesitate as Liora stood in the clearing, golden light spilling slowly from her hands.
The soldiers surrounding her took a step back.
Then another.
They had come to hunt a demon.
Instead, they had found something far more terrifying.
Cairis watched from the tree line, crimson eyes burning in the darkness.
He had seen witches before.
Lesser ones.
Coven witches.
Even royal witches.
But this—
This was something else.
The magic pouring from Liora was ancient. Old enough that the air itself recognized it.
The ground beneath her feet glowed faintly with sigils that had not existed a moment ago.
They were forming instinctively.
Without her even realizing it.
A slow smile touched Cairis's lips.
Interesting.
"Stand down!" Captain Roderic barked, though his voice carried a faint tremor now.
The soldiers hesitated.
No one moved.
The golden light surrounding Liora grew brighter.
Her hair lifted slightly as magic rippled around her like a living tide.
"I said—" Roderic's voice hardened. "Stand down."
Still no one moved.
Because every soldier could feel it now.
Power.
Real power.
The kind whispered about in ancient warnings.
Liora herself looked confused.
She stared at her glowing hands as if they belonged to someone else.
"…Oh."
That was not good.
That was very much not good.
She had been trying very hard for years not to do this.
Not to let this happen.
But now—
The magic wasn't listening.
It poured out of her like a broken dam.
The air hummed.
Leaves lifted from the forest floor.
Runes burned into the earth around her feet.
One of the soldiers whispered in horror.
"…Witch."
Cairis tilted his head slightly.
His eyes gleamed with fascination.
No.
Not just a witch.
He could feel the difference.
He could taste it in the air.
His pulse quickened.
"…So it's true," he murmured softly.
Captain Roderic slowly drew his sword.
The blade caught the faint glow of Liora's magic.
"This changes nothing," he said coldly.
His eyes burned with righteous fury.
"A witch harboring a demon is still an enemy of the Church."
The soldiers tightened their formation.
Fear remained in their eyes.
But faith pushed them forward.
Liora looked up slowly.
"…I really don't want to hurt anyone."
The wind stirred around her.
Magic rippled outward like waves.
A soldier lunged.
He never reached her.
The ground beneath his feet erupted with golden chains of light.
They shot upward like living vines, wrapping around his arms and legs before he could even scream.
He froze mid-step.
Bound.
Completely immobilized.
Gasps echoed through the clearing.
Another soldier tried to rush her.
More chains erupted from the earth.
Another.
And another.
Within seconds, half the soldiers were frozen in place.
Alive.
Unharmed.
But utterly helpless.
Liora blinked.
"…Oh."
She looked at the glowing restraints.
"…I didn't mean to do that."
Cairis chuckled softly under his breath.
She didn't even cast a spell.
The magic had obeyed her instinct alone.
Which meant—
His eyes darkened slightly.
She wasn't just powerful.
She was dangerous.
Captain Roderic's expression hardened.
"Archers!" he shouted.
Several soldiers raised their bows.
Liora stiffened.
Cairis's smile vanished.
The arrows flew.
They never reached her.
The moment they entered the glowing circle around Liora—
They stopped.
Mid-air.
Frozen.
Dozens of arrows hung in the air like a suspended storm.
The forest fell silent.
One soldier dropped his sword in shock.
Liora stared at the arrows.
"…That seems… excessive."
With a small flick of her fingers—
The arrows turned.
And gently lowered themselves to the ground.
Not a single one touched her.
Even Cairis looked impressed.
"Hmm."
He crossed his arms.
She's holding back.
He could feel it.
All that power—
And she was barely using any of it.
Because she didn't want to hurt anyone.
That was adorable.
And dangerous.
Captain Roderic's jaw clenched.
"…Monster."
Liora's expression fell slightly.
"I'm not a monster."
Her voice was quiet.
Almost sad.
"I just want to be left alone."
Cairis's eyes flickered.
Something cold passed through them.
Roderic raised his sword.
"You consort with demons."
His voice echoed across the clearing.
"You hide forbidden power."
His eyes burned with hatred.
"You are exactly the kind of witch the Church was created to destroy."
The soldiers shifted uneasily.
Some still trapped in glowing chains.
Others clutching their weapons with shaking hands.
But their captain's words gave them courage.
Faith.
Purpose.
Liora looked down.
Her hands were still glowing faintly.
"…I didn't choose this."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
The wind died completely.
Silence swallowed the clearing.
Then—
A slow clap echoed from the trees.
Everyone froze.
Cairis stepped into the clearing.
The moment he appeared—
The atmosphere changed.
Darkness rolled off him like a living tide.
The soldiers immediately raised their weapons.
"Demon!" someone shouted.
Cairis ignored them completely.
His crimson eyes were fixed on Liora.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He walked toward her.
The soldiers tried to move.
None of them could.
Because the moment Cairis stepped forward—
The ground itself seemed to obey him.
Dark shadows spread outward like roots.
Pinning every soldier in place.
Even the captain.
Liora blinked.
"…You weren't supposed to get involved."
Cairis stopped beside her.
Close enough that their shoulders almost touched.
He glanced lazily at the trapped soldiers.
Then back at her.
"I was curious."
The soldiers struggled against the shadows.
It was useless.
They might as well have been trapped in stone.
Cairis leaned closer to Liora slightly.
His voice dropped to a soft whisper.
"You really were holding back."
Liora frowned.
"I didn't want to hurt them."
"Adorable."
She glared at him.
Then Cairis turned to the soldiers.
His expression changed.
The playful amusement vanished.
What remained was something colder.
Something ancient.
The true face of a demon prince.
His voice carried effortlessly across the clearing.
"You came to hunt a demon."
His crimson eyes glowed faintly.
"And you found one."
The soldiers trembled.
Even Captain Roderic's hand tightened around his sword.
Cairis smiled slowly.
But it was not a kind smile.
Not even slightly.
Then he said the most dangerous words of the night.
"I'll give you one chance."
The shadows around the soldiers tightened slightly.
Just enough to remind them how powerless they were.
Cairis's arm moved suddenly.
He reached out—
And wrapped his arm loosely around Liora's waist.
Pulling her gently against his side.
The soldiers stared in shock.
Liora froze.
"…What are you doing?"
Cairis ignored her completely.
His gaze remained fixed on the soldiers.
Cold.
Unforgiving.
Then he spoke.
Slowly.
Clearly.
Dangerously.
"Run."
The shadows loosened slightly.
Just enough that the soldiers could move again.
But Cairis's voice carried a deadly promise.
"Because the next time you come near her…"
His crimson eyes glowed brighter.
And for a moment—
Something monstrous flickered behind them.
"…I won't let any of you leave alive."
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Then one soldier broke first.
He ran.
Then another.
Then another.
Within seconds the clearing emptied.
Even Captain Roderic retreated, fury and fear warring in his eyes.
Silence returned.
Only the two of them remained.
Liora slowly turned toward Cairis.
"…You just made things worse."
Cairis smiled lazily.
"They were going to come back anyway."
She sighed.
"…You didn't have to threaten them."
His gaze softened slightly as he looked at her.
"Oh."
Then he leaned down slightly.
Close enough that his voice brushed against her ear.
"I absolutely did."
Liora stiffened.
"…Why?"
Cairis's arm tightened slightly around her waist.
Just enough to keep her from stepping away.
His answer was simple.
Terrifying.
And completely sincere.
"Because they were looking at something that belongs to me."
Liora's eyes widened.
"…Excuse me?"
Cairis's smile widened slowly.
Dangerously.
Possessively.
"Did I not say it before?"
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"I'm very possessive."