Fangxi's words carried weight it felt as though a massive dangerous of threat was relentless closing in on Sheyaan.
A force beyond control capable of destroying everythin. In the blink of an eye.
The heavy silence still lingered when suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Hii Sheyaan!"
Alisha was standing at the door. The moment Sheyaan saw her, her face lit up, and she got up from the sofa with excitement, saying:
"Professor!!" Hello!"
Hearing her name, Alisha walked in with a smile and asked cheerfully,
"How is.. everyone doing?"
Fangxi welcomed her warmly and said,
"Everything's fine, Alisha. Come, have a seat."
Alisha sat down on the sofa beside Zavian. She looked at him with a slightly questioning expression and asked:
"Zayan… didn't you come home last night? I looked for you.. all over the house, but.. you were nowhere to be seen."
Zavian looked at her with his usual cold, calm gaze and replied in a sarcastic tone:
"If a... 'Kumbhkaran' like you goes to sleep at 9 at night, then how.. would you know who's coming and..going in the house?"
Hearing his taunt, Alisha made an annoyed face and shot back playfully:
"Seriously!! At least..look where you're saying this… after all, I'm a Professor here. Show some respect!"
At this, Fangxi and Sheyaan burst into laughter. Both of them started laughing softly,
and for a moment, the heavy atmosphere in the room became lighter.
Leaning back against the sofa, Zavian said in a completely flat tone:
"Wherever you... start the conversation, I'll.. respond right there."
Alisha completely ignored what he said, as if his words didn't even exist.
"Forget all that!" she said, turning toward Sheyaan with excitement.
"Sheyaan, shall we go study?"
With a soft smile, Sheyaan replied,
"Yes, of course!"
Fangxi looked at both of them and said reassuringly,
"Alright, you two go study. I should.. get going to the office as well."
Just as Fangxi was about to leave, Sheyaan asked a bit seriously,
"Why... aren't you going to have breakfast?"
Seeing her concern, a warm smile appeared on Fangxi's face. He said gently,
"Not yet… but don't worry, I'll.. have it at the office. You just... focus on your studies!"
Having said that, Fangxi turned to leave. Alisha and Sheyaan were also about to go when Zavian saw his chance.
Without wasting a second, he quickly stood up from the sofa. Quietly, he moved after them…
He grabbed Sheyaan's hand and, in a swift motion, used a kind of "magic." A terrifying red light burst from his hand
and spread across the entire hall in an instant.
The result was shocking. Alisha and Fangxi, who were there, froze completely in their places.
Fangxi had just taken a step to leave for the office when he became still, and Lucy, who was fixing her hair, remained frozen with her fingers tangled in it.
The atmosphere in the hall turned utterly silent and cold like ice—it was as if time itself had stopped.
Seeing this, Sheyaan was completely stunned. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Zavian with trembling gaze. In a serious voice, she asked:
"what… what just happened?!"
Zavian looked straight into her eyes with that same deep, mysterious gaze.
His face remained completely expressionless. Slowly, he leaned in, bringing his face very close to hers.
His sudden closeness made Sheyaan's heart race wildly, her eyes widening even more. In a cold voice, he asked:
"Are you..really not afraid of me… even a little?"
Sheyaan, slightly frightened, stammered:
"I… I… why would I be afraid of you? Huh!"
Hearing this, a faint, mysterious smile appeared on Zavian's lips.
Slipping his hands into his pockets, he stepped closer to her and said slowly:
"Hm… are you really not afraid of me?"
Nervous, Sheyaan began stepping back, but with every step Zavian took forward, the pressure on her kept increasing.
Sheyaan kept retreating fear written all over her face. But Zavian advanced with steady steps.
Closing the distance between them with every move. there was on escape.
Suddenly she lost her blance and fell back on to the sofa with ojolt.
before she could react Zavian moved in an instant his come on both sides of the sofa trapping her completely within his reach.
He leaned in so close that their breaths began to collide. His cold, gleaming eyes locked straight into hers.
In panic, Sheyaan placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to push him away.
"wha...what are you doing? Stay away!"
But Zavian didn't move at all. In a cold, almost hissing voice, he said:
"How many times have I...warned you… not to talk about that.. girl (Lucy)? And.. yet, you still did."
There was a depth in his voice that shook Sheyaan to her core. The intensity of his gaze made her feel unsteady.
He was so close to her now that she couldn't find any way to escape.
She was terrified, but still, gathering what little courage she had, she stammered…
Looking straight into Zavian's eyes, Sheyaan said without fear:
"You don't.. understand anything… you're a.. heartless demon! That's why... you don't value human.. feelings at all."
Hearing this, a deep smirk appeared on Zavian's lips. In a flat, whisper-like tone, he replied:
"You should be... grateful she survived… isn't that..mercy enough?"
His cold response irritated Sheyaan even more. Narrowing her eyes, she said with anger,
"You.. really are cruel!"
Zavian didn't show any anger. Instead, he gently tapped her nose with his finger.
Then he leaned even closer—so close that his breath brushed against her face.
In that same cold, whispering voice, he murmured:
"For you… I'm soft-hearted, aren't I… my silent heartbeat?"
Those words struck Sheyaan like lightning. She went completely still. With trembling lips, she managed to say:
"wha...what… did you just say?"
Before she could process anything, Zavian suddenly straightened up.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. The sudden movement made her let out a soft,
"Ahh!"
Without wasting a second, Zavian snapped his fingers in the air.
"Snap!"
In an instant, everything changed. The red light vanished, and time started moving again.
Fangxi, who had been frozen, resumed his steps and quietly walked away.
Alisha stood there, fixing her hair as if nothing had happened. The hall returned to its usual lively state.
Just as Alisha was about to turn back toward Sheyaan, Sheyaan quickly pulled her hand free from Zavian's grip and moved away from him.
But Zavian didn't react at all. Quietly, he slipped his hands back into his pockets and stood there with a serious expression, as if nothing had happened.
Just then, Alisha turned around. There was clear surprise on her face.
Seeing Sheyaan and Zavian standing together, she asked in confusion,
"Sheyaan… weren't you just... standing next to me? Then how.. did you end up there?"
Alisha's question made Sheyaan panic instantly. It felt like the ground slipped beneath her feet.
Annoyed, she narrowed her eyes at Zavian, as if silently telling him, "Handle this!" Then, in a sarcastic tone, she said:
"Zayan… why don't.. you tell her how I.. got here?"
Now Alisha looked at Zavian, waiting for an answer. Zavian glanced at Sheyaan, then turned to Alisha and said in his usual cold, flat tone:
"Alisha… when will you stop saying..such pointless things? Don't you...have studying to do today?"
His sudden deflection left Alisha completely stunned. She couldn't believe how he had twisted the situation.
Making an annoyed face, she said,
"Me… saying pointless things?! Seriously!"
Then she turned back to Sheyaan and said,
"Come on, Sheyaan, let's sit and study."
Sheyaan walked toward the study room with Alisha. On the way, Alisha was still a little irritated and muttered,
"Sheyaan… I only asked how you.. got there, right? But this.. Zayan… why does he always give such...weird answers?"
With a soft smile, Sheyaan tried to calm her down,
"It's okay… you shouldn't bother arguing with.. people like him."
Hearing this, a smile returned to Alisha's face. She said,
"You're right!"
The two of them walked off toward the study room, laughing.
Back in the hall, Zavian made a slight movement at Sheyaan's words and then headed straight toward the stairs.
Kalene was still standing there, his face filled with worry, lost in deep thought.
Walking up to him, Zavian asked in a firm voice,
"Kalene… did you find anything?"
Hearing his voice, Kalene turned around abruptly. His expression grew serious as he quickly said,
"Boss, you're here...now? I've been waiting for you here for so long!"
Zavian replied in a flat tone,
"I have other...things to take care of, Kalene."
Hearing this, Kalene pulled out a paper and said,
"Yeah, I saw… how important your.. work was."
Zavian shot him a sharp look, and noticing it, Kalene immediately became serious and continued,
"Yes… I found this in the kitchen. When I...went there, a servant was cleaning. I walked in like a normal... person—I didn't even try to... hide myself… but... strangely, she...didn't even look at me. It was..as if I wasn't even there."
Hearing this, Zavian was completely stunned. He was utterly shocked.
Zavian still couldn't believe what Kalene had said. He asked in disbelief,
"How is.. that even possible? She didn't.. even see you?! Humans notice.. even the smallest things!"
With slightly trembling hands, Zavian unfolded the old, burnt piece of paper.
As soon as he opened it, a bit of dust fell onto the floor—almost as if the message had come from a grave or some place buried for centuries.
Zavian read just a single line written on it, and his expression changed instantly.
He froze in shock. Looking at Kalene, he said in a strangely serious tone,
"Oh… so it's that one!"
Kalene stayed silent, but a dangerous determination was now clearly visible on Zavian's face.
Clenching the paper tightly in his fist, he said,
"It doesn't matter… let them try..whatever they want, Kalene. I'm.. here now. I won't let any..of their plans succeed so easily."
Kalene was visible shaken by the sudden shift in Zavian's Demon or a trace of nervousness crept into his voice as he asked.
"Who is it?"
But Zavian offered on answer instant a faint smirk curved his lips one that carried hidden secrets..And a dangerous promise.