✧ VAELRIC VILLA
Vaelric frowned as he stared at the orb he had been using to monitor Aridalle.
Suddenly, it went blank.
That had never happened before.
Unless…
A celestial force was involved—because no ordinary entity, supernatural being, or dark magic could make his orb go blank.
His brows furrowed.
"Something is not right," he muttered, and immediately mind-linked Seraphim.
Seraphim: What is it? (icy voice)
Vaelric: Something is wrong with Aridalle. My orb suddenly went blank.
Seraphim: (calm) I see. Meet me in the tower. We'll check on her from there.
Vaelric: Yes, my Lord.
The link disconnected.
---
— Back in Sariel's Domain Zone —
"My new Lord…" Aridalle muttered, confused.
Sariel grinned. "Yes, dearie. Don't you know what you are?"
She blinked innocently. "One thing I know is that I'm human…"
"Ohh…"
Sariel sighed as he studied her.
So she really didn't know how important she was.
"You, my dear, are a Key Bearer. My father—the Celestial Ruler—bestowed that upon you right from the womb."
Aridalle tilted her head, even more confused.
"I don't understand… why are you all talking about a key?" She stretched out her hand. "Look. I don't go around carrying keys."
Sariel frowned slightly.
Don't tell me she's the dumb one…
"Look, that's not what I meant. Take a look at your body. Does it look normal?"
Aridalle looked down.
True to his words, her body looked strange—transparent, like glass—and something glowed from within her.
"I don't understand what's happening to me…"
Sariel stepped closer.
"Like I said, you're the Key Bearer. Or, to put it simply—you're a vessel where the key is kept. The key to open Heaven's gates."
Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at her arms, down to her body—still transparent, like clear water.
"S-so… I'm not human?"
Sariel shrugged, wondering why she wasn't aware of her true identity.
"Not really human. Key Bearer… vessel… that's the right word."
Aridalle clutched the hem of her dress. She was scared—really scared.
Sariel noticed and chuckled.
"Oh, don't be scared, little one… I haven't even gotten to the good part."
"Good part??"
"Yes. I'll explain everything to you before we leave."
Aridalle watched him circle her like a predator preparing to devour its prey.
"Why do you think your former master—whom I can call my brother—brought you out of that foster care? Or married you?"
Her lips trembled as she tried to keep calm.
"I have no idea…"
Sariel smirked.
"If you were thinking it was because he took pity on you… or maybe took a liking to you… then you're very wrong."
Her eyes widened as realization hit her.
It was because of the key.
"C-could it be because of the key?"
"Now you're getting the picture." Sariel's smile sharpened.
"And when the key refused to awaken, he tried to take it forcefully by performing a ritual—knowing fully well it would cost you your life."
Aridalle gasped. "My life??"
"Yes, yes." Sariel stepped closer again.
"You're not safe in that castle, young darling. Come with me to Heaven. There, you'll be safe with the angels."
Aridalle's lashes fluttered as she looked down, lost in thought. Slowly, she stepped back.
"No."
Sariel blinked. "What?"
Aridalle puffed her cheeks angrily.
"You're another predator wanting to feed! But unfortunately, the god of predators has marked me as his, so you can't do anything!"
Sariel stared at her in disbelief.
Has she sold her brain in exchange for candies?
"Are you hearing yourself?" he snapped. "I'm trying to save you and protect the key to Heaven from falling into the hands of a fallen—and you're saying this?"
She stepped back again.
"I didn't ask you to save me. And how do I know you don't want the key for yourself?"
Sariel groaned, frustrated.
"I'm an angel!"
"I don't believe you," she hissed. "Where are your wings? Who knows? You might be another fallen angel wanting the key!"
Sariel nearly crossed the line.
He almost grabbed her by the throat right there.
"You're coming with me!"
He reached out to seize her—
But the glass sky above them cracked.
Then—
BOOM!
It shattered.
Aridalle screamed as millions of shards of glass rained down toward her. Sariel's domain zone was collapsing.
Suddenly, she felt herself lifted into the air, yanked by an invisible force.
"Ahhhh!"
She kept screaming—even though she felt herself held tightly in someone's arms.
"Shut up," a familiar cold voice snapped.
Aridalle looked up.
Gold eyes stared down at her, glinting as usual. His expression was blank.
"Lord Seraphim!" she cried.
Seraphim didn't look at her for long.
"Vaelric. Return her to the college."
Aridalle turned—
Vaelric was standing beside him the whole time, and she hadn't even noticed.
"Yes, my Lord," Vaelric muttered.
And with that, he vanished with her.
---
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
"That was a dramatic entrance," Sariel sneered, clapping mockingly.
Seraphim stared at him dully, like the last place he wanted to be was there.
"Still can't talk, huh?" Sariel grinned. "I believe we're going to have some fun."
A humorless smirk tugged at Seraphim's lips.
Yeah.
Sure they would.
---
✯
✧ COLLEGE LIBRARY
Aridalle blinked in confusion as they appeared inside the library.
She had expected the castle.
"You will be safe here," Vaelric said quietly. "Pretend like this never happened."
Aridalle opened her mouth to argue, but he vanished before she could form a word.
"So that white-haired guy… Sariel… was right," she muttered, sinking into a nearby chair.
The library was empty. All the students were probably in class.
Aridalle sighed, biting her nails.
"I hate my life…"
Hurried footsteps echoed toward her.
"Uh?"
They got closer—and the owners of the footsteps finally came into view.
Maelynn. Courtney. Miguel.
"Gosh, you're safe!" Maelynn gasped, rushing forward to hug her.
Courtney followed suit, while Miguel stayed back, watching Aridalle carefully.
"Girl, don't scare us like that anymore," Courtney muttered, pinching Aridalle's cheeks.
Maelynn frowned and grabbed the other cheek.
"Yeah, seriously. Where did you run off to? One minute you were by our side, and the next—you were gone."
Aridalle groaned as her cheeks were attacked left and right.
"I'm soweyyyy!" she mumbled, her words slurred as they continued tugging her face.
Miguel chuckled, watching her like it was a movie.
"I guess you were charmed by the library and wandered off."
"Yeaauuu… guys… lettt guuuuu!" she whined.
Maelynn grinned, enjoying the soft cheek in her fingers.
"Promise this won't happen again."
"I promissse," Aridalle muttered, her cheeks fighting for their lives.
Finally, they let her go.
Courtney rubbed Aridalle's cheeks, which were now red and hot.
"Seriously, girl… what's your skincare?"
"And damn," Maelynn added, stroking Aridalle's hair, "tell me the shampoo you use. Your hair is super silky."
Miguel groaned, already knowing this would turn into a skincare lecture.
"Let's go, guys. It's almost time for our next class." He turned to Courtney. "And I don't know the fight you and Jace had, but I want to see him in school tomorrow."
"Roger that, captain!" Courtney saluted, giggling.
"Who's Jace?" Aridalle asked as they left the library.
"He's her boyfriend," Maelynn answered, scrolling through her phone.
Aridalle gasped. "Wow."
---
✯
✧ SARIEL'S BROKEN DOMAIN
"So, brother," Sariel grinned. "How has life been after your disgraceful fall?"
Seraphim stared at him, clearly bored.
"Does Father know his favorite son disobeyed him and snuck onto Earth?"
Sariel's grin twitched.
"Shut up."
Seraphim tilted his head slightly.
"You think Father isn't watching your movements, huh?"
Sariel's eyes darkened.
Seraphim's voice remained cold.
"Your attempts to lay your hands on that key will be useless. I've already informed its bearer of your vicious intentions—and she won't give it up."
Seraphim raised a brow, mockery dancing in his gaze.
"I can see that… you're the one panicking here."
Sariel stepped back unconsciously.
Seraphim's smirk deepened.
"Even your confidence can't stop you from panicking."
Sariel clenched his fists.
"I can't lay my hands on the key, yes," Seraphim continued, voice lowering.
"But I can lay my hands on you."
"You're bluffing," Sariel muttered.
Seraphim chuckled.
"Look at you. Not just panicking… scared too."
"Shut up!" Sariel yelled.
Then Sariel snarled, his voice dripping with poison.
"You're a failed angel. A fallen bastard. The reason Father cast you down isn't because of the plot—he saw how useless and foolish you are!"
Seraphim chuckled again.
His gold eyes glowed.
His aura expanded—intimidating, crushing.
"Go back, Sariel," he said calmly. "Our battle is not here on Earth."
A force blasted from Seraphim and slammed Sariel backward.
A portal appeared.
Sariel flew through it at a speed powerful enough to knock down a building.
Seraphim left quietly.
His brother was still weak.
No growth at all.
---
✯
✧ ENCHANTED CASTLE
Aridalle slipped inside quietly.
The massive hallway looked like prison walls.
She had once believed this place was her home… the place she would finally be accepted.
But it was no different from the foster home.
She was here because they wanted something.
And once they got it, they would abandon her.
Her mind drifted to Zenovia.
Was she aware of all this… or had she been pretending?
That day Lord Seraphim tried to take the key from me forcefully… Zenovia told me it was a ball. But it wasn't. She lied.
Aridalle's chest tightened.
Why couldn't she have any real friends?
Zenovia was only kind to her because of the key.
"I can't believe this…" she muttered miserably.
"My lady!"
Zenovia's excited voice sounded from down the hallway.
She hurried toward Aridalle.
"My lady, I'm so happy to see you! How was your first day in school?"
Aridalle stepped back, horrified.
How could someone be so heartless?
"You were aware, right?" Aridalle asked.
Zenovia blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"You were aware that Lord Seraphim wanted the key inside me." Aridalle's voice trembled.
"That's the only reason why he married me. And after he takes it, I'll be thrown away… right?"
Zenovia gasped, shocked.
"My lady, I'm sorry, bu—"
Aridalle interrupted, tears filling her eyes.
"That night when Lord Seraphim tried to take the key forcefully… you were aware it would kill me." She paused, taking a deep breath.
"And you still smiled at me. You still lied to me that it was a ball."
Zenovia's tears spilled instantly.
"Forgive me, my lady… I'm so sorry!"
She fell to her knees.
Aridalle wiped her tears, her voice breaking.
"I saw you as my big sister… someone I could rely on. Someone I could tell everything."
"But I guess you saw me as the opposite… someone you could use and fool."
Zenovia shook her head desperately.
Aridalle continued, voice trembling with anger and hurt.
"After Lord Seraphim finally takes the key, and I miraculously survive… I hope I never see you again."
Zenovia panicked, scrambling to her feet. She grabbed Aridalle's hand.
"Please hear me out, my lady. All this is not my fault!"
Aridalle snatched her hand back.
"Yeah. It's not your fault. And I don't blame you."
She stared Zenovia straight in the eyes.
"I blame myself for always believing people."
Then she stepped closer, her tone turning sharp.
"Don't cross boundaries. Know your place."
Zenovia gasped.
Aridalle's eyes glowed ethereal gold again.
That same strange look… the one that made Zenovia's knees weak… appeared on her face.
Zenovia bowed immediately.
"Understood, my lady," she whispered.
She held back fresh tears as she watched Aridalle walk upstairs.
---
✯
✧ ARIDALLE'S SUITE
An hour later, Aridalle was sulking on her bed, craving cookies—especially Zenovia's cookies.
"I wish I wasn't so harsh on her…" she muttered, puffing her cheeks.
Then she shook her head.
"No. She deserved it. Her and everyone deceiving me will taste my medicine."
She rolled left and right, groaning.
"But I'm hungry!!! I can't cook… I want Via's homemade cookies!" 😭😭😭😭
She stood up and stormed to the door.
"I'll command her to cook. I'm still the boss until the key is taken from me."
She paused.
"Uhhhhh… I don't have the mind to do that."
She crashed back onto the bed, screaming into her pillow.
Then—
She felt a presence behind her.
"Uh…"
Aridalle turned.
Seraphim was seated in the center of her room, staring at her blankly.
Fuck!!
Had he been watching her this whole time?
She stood quickly and walked toward him.
"My Lord…"
Seraphim's gaze intensified, as if he was trying to read her soul—not her mind.
A full minute passed.
They were still staring at each other.
Well… Seraphim was staring.
Aridalle's eyes were glued to the floor.
"Err… my Lord," she whispered, "what that white-haired creepy guy said… is it true?"
Seraphim smirked slightly.
So she was calling Sariel a creepy dude.
"Angels don't lie, human."
Aridalle bit her lip, her heart sinking.
So she really was just a pawn in his plans.
"Why do you need the key that badly, my Lord?"
"That badly?" he repeated, amused.
Aridalle nodded.
"Yeah… you wanted to take it forcefully even though it could kill me."
Seraphim chuckled dryly.
"If doing that will give me the key," he said coldly, "I'll do it over and over again."
Aridalle gulped.
Fear crawled up her spine.
His cold eyes on her face sent shivers through her body.
His aura was intimidating.
"W-why do you need the key?" she asked again.
Seraphim leaned back slightly.
"So the blabbermouth didn't tell you…" His lips curled.
"I'm a fallen angel. Cast down from Heaven. Stripped of my title and position."
His eyes gleamed.
"With the key, I can enter Heaven again… and reclaim what's mine."
Aridalle trembled.
"And you'll do it even if it costs you the entire human race?"
Seraphim grinned darkly.
"That is nothing to me, human."
"I'll offer everything that walks upon the earth, dwells in the sea, and takes flight in the sky."
Aridalle inhaled sharply.
Then she lifted her chin.
"Well then…" she whispered, voice shaking, "what are you waiting for?"
Seraphim looked at her, puzzled.
Aridalle spread her arms wide.
Her body turned transparent again, and the key became visible inside her—glowing brightly.
"Take it!"
✿