The lantern light dancing across the walls cast long, restless shadows over the wooden floor.
On the bed, Eira still hadn't regained consciousness, but the slow rise and fall of her breathing became the only peaceful rhythm inside the chaos filling Kaera's mind.
After taking care of her friend, Kaera sat back and sipped the herbal tea that had already begun to cool. Sierra's words about the Grace Witch still echoed in her thoughts.
"Hmm… Witch," Kaera murmured, her eyes fixed on the dark surface of her tea.
"The highest class of magic user. They're supposed to no longer exist in history, right?"
Sierra, who had been folding cloth nearby, paused for a moment. Her gaze drifted toward the tightly shut window, as though she feared someone might be listening from beyond the darkness outside.
"Officially, yes," Sierra replied quietly.
"Especially in this era of False Peace. Humans have become paranoid. Most people are afraid to recite even a single line of magical code because they fear it might attract the attention of the High Rank Demons."
" We live in silent fear, Kaera. But rumors say the Witches built secret cities of their own, far beyond the reach of the outside world. Places where ancient magic still breathes."
Kaera turned toward Eira. Guilt tightened around her chest.
She remembered how powerless she had been in front of Vorgath.
She remembered how she had been forced to rely on the blood she feared so much. Every time she used that power, she could feel her humanity eroding, replaced by something hungry and violent.
"I'm not strong enough," Kaera whispered, tightening her grip around the clay cup.
She looked up, her blue eyes meeting Sierra's.
"Sierra… if I wanted to learn magic… would it be impossible?"
The color drained from Sierra's face.
"Don't, Kaera. Don't ever say that again," Sierra said firmly.
"There's a reason why the world has become so quiet. The Great War didn't end because of victory. "
"It ended because of exhaustion. It's like the world created an unspoken rule for itself; the moment someone lights even the smallest spark of magic, they become the first target of the darkness.
Do you want what happened in Oakhaven tonight to happen again?"
"I don't care!" Kaera snapped, her voice rising.
"My hatred for Demons won't disappear just because I sit still and hide. If magic is the path, I'll go through it."
Sierra stared into the determination burning inside Kaera's eyes.
A long sigh escaped her lips.
Eventually, she gave in.
"This world is insane," Sierra whispered.
She crossed the room, opened an old cabinet in the corner, and pulled out a locked wooden box.
"I'm a hypocrite too, Kaera. I keep saying magic is dangerous, but I still use it in secret to heal the people in this town."
Sierra snapped her fingers.
A small ring of soft blue light appeared above her fingertip, proof of precise mana control.
Kaera froze. "You… you're a magic user?"
"Just some basic Healing." Sierra gave a bitter smile.
"It's a Code Magic. A system built on logic and structure. I have to shape the mana inside my body through specific commands—spells. And those spells act like coded instructions that shape mana into certain forms."
Sierra opened the wooden box and took out an old book wrapped in dried animal hide. It was a family heirloom, passed down from the former rulers of the town.
She opened to the first page, revealing intricate diagrams known as the Universal Script.
"Listen carefully, Kaera. Magic in this world is divided into several hierarchies," Sierra explained, tracing the golden writing with her finger.
"Most people use Code Magic. It's safe, structured, and logical. Then there's TrueMagic, used by the Elves. They don't use codes. Instead, they interact directly with nature. They draw mana from the environment itself. That's why they're so powerful, but also deeply tied to the natural world."
She flipped to a darker page, one covered in disturbing symbols.
"And above all of that, there's CurseMagic. This is the ultimate power of the High Rank Demons. It doesn't use mana.
It uses Chaos Energy—a force born from negative emotions. It breaks every logical rule of magic and has the power to destroy reality itself."
The moment Kaera heard those words, her heart pounded violently.
Curse Magic.
Everything suddenly began to connect.
She remembered Vorgath's mocking voice in the northern plaza.
"Curse magic? No… it's still incomplete."
Then she remembered the hooded woman's words about Chaos.
Inside her mind, every scattered piece finally came together into one bitter truth.
'Why do I have blood manipulation? Because my blood is a vessel for Chaos Energy…'
Why is it incomplete?
Kaera looked down at her trembling hand.
For the first time, she truly understood the limits of her power. She was human, but something meant only for demons flowed through her veins.
First, there was the physical limit.
Her human body was too small to contain such vast Chaos Energy. Every time she used her blood, she was leaking away her own life. The stronger her attacks became, the more Chaos escaped—and the closer she moved toward destroying herself.
Then there was the mental limit.
Chaos Energy was alive.
It breathed through anger, trauma, and fear.
As long as she stayed calm, she remained Kaera. But when her emotions shattered—like the moment she saw Eira on the verge of death—that mental barrier collapsed. In that moment, her humanity disappeared beneath demonic instincts that only knew one thing: destruction.
While Rage Mode was only the warning sign.
Vorgath saw all of that, Kaera thought bitterly.
'He knew I was nothing more than an unfinished bridge.'
Kaera shut her eyes tightly.
She was holding a double-edged sword.
She had to become strong enough to shape the chaos before the chaos shaped her into something inhuman.
"Sierra," Kaera said quietly, her voice calmer now, but heavier.
"Keep going. Tell me more about how humans use magic. If I can't control Chaos, then at least I don't have to rely on it too much."
Sierra froze.
The book nearly slipped from her hands when she heard that word leave Kaera's lips.
"W-What do you mean, Chaos?"
Confusion filled Sierra's face.
"That's impossible… Chaos is synonymous with Demons, Kaera. It's the most hated force in the world. Humans can't possess something like that."
Kaera took a deep breath.
She looked at Sierra, weighing the risk of what she was about to reveal.
In the end, she chose honesty.
"Because I'm not fully human, Sierra."
Sierra's body immediately stiffened.
She took a step back instinctively, as though her body reacted faster than her thoughts. Her eyes widened, filled with fear, confusion, and disbelief.
Kaera didn't move.
She simply sat there, letting Sierra see her clearly. Her blue eyes hadn't changed. No fangs. No violent aura. Just a girl who looked far too exhausted to keep carrying all her burdens alone.
Sierra bit her lip.
Slowly, the fear in her eyes began to waver.
She remembered how Kaera had screamed for help.
She remembered how desperately Kaera had protected her friend.
Heavy silence spread through the room as Kaera finally told her everything—about the blood of demon flowing through her veins, and about the one goal driving her forward: to find Astaroth and demand justice for every life that had been destroyed.
Sierra listened with wide eyes.
Sympathy and worry flickered across her face. She covered her mouth with one hand, unable to believe the girl standing before her had been carrying such a terrible burden.
"You… you shouldn't have told a stranger such a huge secret, Kaera," Sierra whispered anxiously.
"Out there, if people found out who you are, they wouldn't call you a hero."
Her fingers tightened against her sleeve.
"They'd call you a threat."
Kaera gave a faint smile.
"It's okay. Think of it as repayment… and proof that I trust you."
Something tightened in Sierra's chest at those words.
She could hear the honesty in Kaera's voice—something painfully rare in an age filled with betrayal.
After a long sigh, Sierra's expression brightened.
"Aight! In that case, we'll start your magic lessons tomorrow. I'll teach you everything about code structure and mana manipulation."
"Eh? Why don't we start now?" Kaera asked immediately, desperate for strength.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Sierra snapped, placing her hands on her hips.
"You need to rest, clean yourself up, and most importantly…"
"Aren't you hungry?"
At that exact moment, the heavy atmosphere shattered when Kaera's stomach let out a loud growl.
KKRRUUUK~
Kaera's cold, serious expression instantly crumbled. Her face turned bright red as she looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Sierra couldn't stop herself from laughing when she noticed the tips of Kaera's ears turning red.
"See? Demon or human, a stomach never lies. Alright, I'll make dinner."
She stood and pointed toward a small cabinet in the corner.
"There are spare clothes in there for you. Go take a bath while I cook."
Kaera stood as well.
Before Sierra could leave, Kaera reached out and gently caught her hand.
Sierra froze, surprised by the sudden touch.
For a brief moment, the two of them simply looked at each other.
"Thank you, Sierra. For everything."
This time, Kaera smiled—a truly genuine smile.
A smile she rarely showed to anyone besides Eira.
Warmth rushed to Sierra's face. Caught off guard by such sincere gratitude, she quickly looked away.
"Eh… y-you're welcome. But I… I didn't really do that much…"
She turned and hurried out of the room, her steps slightly clumsy.
Kaera looked back at Eira, who still slept peacefully.
For the first time in a long while, the tightness in her chest eased a little.
***