Several days passed after the tragedy, and a subtle shift took place at the Redgrave Group headquarters.
Kael had completely stopped wearing his signature black mask. For the first time, he walked through the executive halls with his face entirely bare, his sharp features and cool golden eyes visible to every employee he passed.
Sitting at his desk, Kael listened to the soft rustle of documents as his secretary stepped forward, placing a thick folder on the desk. "Sir, here is the file you requested."
Kael nodded quietly. "Thank you."
Before opening the folder, his gaze drifted toward the floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the city street below. A small group of pedestrians stood on the sidewalk, craning their necks to stare up at the top floors of the skyscraper.
Kael let out a low, weary sigh. Now even ordinary humans are keeping an eye on me...
He flipped open the file, taking out a sleek black fountain pen. As his eyes swept across the documents, a quiet thought crossed his mind: Learning the Soul Trace ability was definitely the right call. But after everything that happened... there's zero chance the world still thinks I'm just a normal human.
A few days earlier...
The morning had started out quiet and peaceful in the bungalow. Sara sat on the living room sofa, holding the remote control and casually scrolling through the local channels.
Suddenly, she stopped on a major news broadcast. Her eyes widened, and she let out a loud, frantic scream that echoed through the entire house. "KAEL!"
Hearing her scream, Kael sprinted out of the bathroom, soaking wet with a towel draped over his shoulders, his face pale with alarm. "What happened?! Are we under attack?!"
In the hallway, Renjiro had been carrying a tray of tea. Caught off guard by Sara's sudden yell, he slammed his knee violently against the sharp edge of the coffee table. "Gah!" Renjiro hissed, tumbling forward and crashing face-first onto the table.
Meanwhile, Rexon came rushing around the corner to assist, only to step right into a puddle of water left behind by Kael's rushed exit. His feet slipped out from under him, sending him slamming hard onto the floorboards. "What the hell is going on?!" Rexon groaned from the floor.
Sara pointed a trembling finger at the large television screen. "Look at the broadcast! The breaking news headline says Kael Redgrave possesses supernatural powers! And reporters are speculating that his masked secretary is actually a clone or a body double!"
Kael stared at the glowing screen, letting out a heavy, exasperated sigh before turning to glare at Sara. "Sara! Don't scream like the world is ending! You nearly gave all of us a heart attack!"
Renjiro slowly sat up from the broken table, holding a hand over his face. He nodded in agreement, wincing slightly. "Yeah... and I think I smashed my nose against the table. It's bleeding."
Rexon pushed himself up off the slick floor, tapping his chest to summon a glowing blue diagnostic panel in mid-air. After a quick scan, he let out a breath of relief. "Well, my internal structure is completely fine."
Back in the present, Kael chuckled softly at the memory, tapping his pen against the desk before signing his name on the bottom of the document. The secret was out, but as he looked out at the sunny sky, he knew he was ready for whatever came next.
Kael stood up from his desk, stretching his arms high above his head as the stiffness left his shoulders. His secretary stepped forward respectfully, pointing toward the signed folder. "Sir, may I collect those?"
Kael nodded, handing the files over smoothly. As the young man organized the papers, Kael observed him closely out of the corner of his eye.
I know he's a demi-human sent to keep tabs on me, Kael thought, a quiet smirk playing on his lips. But right now, I just need someone who gets the work done.
Kael offered a calm smile. "Is there anything else on today's schedule?"
"No, sir. That covers everything for this morning," the secretary replied with a polite bow.
Before he could exit, the double doors of the office swung open. Sarina stepped into the room, her long pink hair trailing behind her in a sleek, professional style.
The secretary immediately straightened his posture, bowing respectfully toward her. "Good morning, Ms. Vrenj."
As he bowed, the secretary's eyes narrowed slightly in hidden surprise. She possesses a Void Soul as well...?
Sarina barely spared him a glance, walking straight toward Kael's desk. "Kael, I came to discuss our deal."
Kael immediately stood tall, adopting a formal, businesslike demeanor. "Good morning, Ms. Vrenj. I've already drafted the proposal contract. Here it is."
He picked up a thick folder from the desk and handed it over with complete confidence.
Sarina flipped it open, only to stare at a completely blank white sheet. She looked up at Kael, raising an eyebrow in deadpan disbelief. "I didn't realize the Redgrave Group had enough free time to hand out blank folders."
Kael froze, his formal expression cracking. He quickly reached over, grabbed the folder, and flipped it open from the front instead of the back. "Ah—my mistake. The first page is right here."
A deep blush of embarrassment flushed across Sarina's cheeks. Standing behind her, her personal assistant, Mira, covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she desperately tried to suppress a laugh.
Sarina cleared her throat loudly, turning toward her assistant. "Mira, please wait outside."
"Yes, ma'am," Mira squeaked out, though her shoulders were still shaking with silent laughter as she bowed and slipped out of the cabin, closing the heavy doors behind her.
Once they were alone, Sarina crossed her arms, trying to regain her composure. "You know, Kael, I'm your best friend's girlfriend now. You should show me a little more respect!"
Kael chuckled, leaning against his desk. "I was respecting you. I literally just addressed you as 'Ms. Vrenj' in front of everyone."
Sarina folded her arms tighter, pouting slightly. "Alright then. I'm going to tell Renjiro about this. And if he doesn't take my side, I'm telling Sara."
Hearing Sara's name, Kael's playful confidence vanished instantly. He dramatically dropped to one knee right beside his desk, raising his hands in exaggerated surrender. "I apologize deeply for my grave mistake, Lady Sarina! Please spare me!"
Sarina let out a light, victorious chuckle, looking down at him with a satisfied smirk. "Good. Now you're back on the right track."