Chapter 36: What The Hell Are You?

Rin sat still, very still.

The bench beneath him was hard and cold, and though the air inside the temple was warm, he felt goosebumps crawling over his arms.

His eyes flicked to the tall man beside him. The one the system called Professor Silas Cromwell.

That name sounded way too important for someone who prayed like a saint but studied forbidden dark magic.

The system said he despised demons... which meant if he found out Rin was even a little bit half-demon, he’d probably report him to the goddess or call down a holy lightning bolt and vaporise him where he sat.

’I should leave right now and quietly. Before this turns into a witch-burning.’

Rin’s fingers twitched on his lap.

But before he could move, he heard a loud chime echo through the temple halls. The priest at the altar finished his chants, the robed attendants bowed, and people started standing, chatting in hushed voices.

"Was it... over?" Rin blinked. "Wait... I zoned out the entire time?"

He rubbed his forehead. He’d completely missed the whole prayer.

’Nice one, idiot. Come to the temple for answers, leave with death flags instead.’

He stood, brushing invisible dust off his shirt. The professor next to him was still seated, hands clasped tightly, whispering something with a serious look on his face.

Rin hesitated.

Something about the man’s devotion made him pause.

He’d never seen someone that serious about their beliefs before. Not even back home, where his mom dragged him to Sunday service, and all he did was scroll memes under the pew. He attended once and never again.

This guy though...

He looked like he meant every word.

After a while, the professor finally stood and dusted off his black robe. His dark eyes turned to Rin... and he smiled.

A real smile.

’Why is this dark mage psycho smiling at me? Am I his next lab rat?’

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Assistant Rin."

Rin froze mid-step.

"...Huh?"

He blinked at the professor like he had just sprouted horns.

’Assistant Rin? How the hell did this guy know me? Did he approach me intentionally? Was I right about being his next lab rat?’

"Wait... how do you know my name?" Rin asked suspiciously,

Professor Silas chuckled softly and placed a hand over his chest.

"Ah, forgive me. I should have introduced myself earlier. I’m Professor Silas Cromwell, head of Ancient Elements and Ritual Magic at the Eastern Wing of the Academy."

He said that proudly. Like someone announcing their wine cellar collection. Even if he was studying forbidden magic, it wasn’t like it was taboo in the kingdom. It’s basically like saying the use of magic is taboo.

"Nice to meet you, Professor," Rin said with a polite smile, backing away slightly. His internal voice screamed: STRANGER DANGER.

"I’ve seen you at the clinic," Silas continued warmly. "But I never got the chance to be treated by you."

"Oh... I see..."

"And," he added, as if dropping a bomb gently, "I was also one of the five Alphas who offered to spend their rut with you."

.

.

.

Rin’s soul left his body when he heard the last part. He didn’t show interest in his introduction till he got to that part.

"Wh...what?"

He said that too loudly. Several heads turned. He quickly lowered his voice and leaned back. "I apologise. I don’t mean to be loud but... You... you were one of them?"

"Yes," Silas said with a calm nod. "Though I never got a response."

’Because I said no to all of you perverted heat-starved alphas!!’

Rin laughed nervously, eyes darting to the temple doors. He wished he were as fast as Lucien, he would have zoomed off without leaving a shadow behind.

"Ah... what a coincidence, right? Small world. Heh."

He slowly inched toward the exit.

"Since the sermon and praise thing is all over, I’ll take my leave," he said, turning to leave, but just as he took a step...

A warm hand gently grabbed his wrist.

"I didn’t know you had an interest in the temple," Silas said, looking genuinely happy. "We must come here together more often. It’s rare to find someone our age who respects the goddess."

Rin’s lips twitched.

"Ah... actually... I don’t. I mean, not disrespectfully... I just, uh, came here to check things out. You know. First time curiosity and all that."

Silas’s smile didn’t falter.

"Still, you came. That’s a start."

He tilted his head slightly.

"How did you find the temple? Isn’t it beautiful? Doesn’t it feel... divine?"

’No, it feels like holy suffocation and paranoia wrapped in stone.’

But Rin didn’t dare say that aloud.

He forced a sweet smile.

"Praise be to the goddess," he said with dramatic sarcasm. "May her light shine upon all sinners and lazy assistants like me."

Silas chuckled.

"You have a sharp tongue, Assistant Rin. I like that,"

Rin smirked.

"Haha. I’ve been told."

"Then it’s settled," Silas said, suddenly grabbing both his hands. "We’ll meet again. Same time. Next Sunday."

Rin stiffened.

What?

"No, really, that’s not..."

But Silas was already walking away, waving gently.

Rin stood frozen.

.

"Why am I always dragged into weird shit?" he muttered to himself.

It was supposed to be his rest day.

His Sunday. His peace day.

The one day no one tried to kiss, grope, or mount him like a rutting beast. And now it’s been stolen by some overfriendly professor side character with death flags hanging over his head like wind chimes.

He sighed heavily and rubbed his cheek.

"That’s what I get for being curious..."

He remembered how the system labelled Silas as a Dark Magic Scholar, someone who "despises demons." There was also a part that wasn’t clear... maybe because of a glitch. He felt it was something that made him look evil.

But there he was, smiling like a big adorable puppy... tall, smart, and disturbingly pure when it came to religion.

He seemed harmless but Rin wasn’t stupid.

He didn’t finish the whole book, but he remembered parts. Especially the tragic parts.

The female lead, originally an omega, had Divine magic, and that’s what tied her to the temple after her graduation. That’s how she met Ezra Ilfen, the high priest. The same one Rin just saw.

And every side character that dared get close to the female lead?

They were brutally killed by the male leads.

Those characters weren’t meant to last.

They were plot devices... Meant to die, killed to prove just how possessive and violent the male leads could be.

Rin chewed his lower lip.

’I already saved Theron by rejecting him. Now these two... what am I supposed to do?’

He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"I guess I’ll think about it later," he grumbled and turned to leave the temple.

Then... he stopped.

Because standing right in front of him was the one person he really didn’t want to see.

Ezra Ilfen. The High Priest.

DING!

[System Reminder - DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT.]

[Status: Seer. Danger Level: ???]

Rin’s soul curled up.

He pressed his palms together awkwardly.

"Greetings to you, High Priest. Hallelujah... I mean, hail to the goddess."

Ezra raised a brow.

Rin bowed slightly.

"May her mercy bless us... all the way to hell and back."

The priest still didn’t react. He just stared, his face was stunning, so unreal and fucking handsome it hurt.

He had long lashes, soft lips, and eyes like silver glass. Rin almost forgot to breathe.

’Why the hell are the characters my sister wrote so damn good-looking?! Wait! Am I supposed to be gawking at them?’

Ezra stepped closer, making Rin snap out of his daze.

’Shit! I almost forgot... no eye contact...!’

He turned his head, but Ezra reached forward.

A hand grabbed Rin’s chin... fingers cold and smooth.

"Look at me."

Rin’s body froze. His eyes darted away.

Ezra’s voice was low.

"I said, look."

And then, he forced Rin’s gaze upward.

Silver eyes met crimson.

Rin’s heartbeat stuttered as the priest tilted his head slowly.

"I am a powerful seer. I can see people’s past," he said, his tone calm. "Their future. Their sins. Their pain. I can sense everything."

Rin gave a shaky thumbs-up.

"Cool. Super cool. You’re very talented."

But Ezra didn’t smile. Instead...he pressed his fingers harder into Rin’s cheek.

"Yet... with you..." he whispered. "I see nothing."

Rin blinked, still regretting coming to the temple. Ezra’s voice dropped even lower.

"I see no past, no future, no sins, no fate, no blessings."

Rin reached up and slowly tried to remove the priest’s hand.

"M-maybe your powers are on a break? Who knows?"

Ezra didn’t let go. His eyes narrowed as he got even suspicious.

"Or maybe," he said with a sharp smile, "you’re not human."

Rin’s heart dropped into his stomach.

’Is he that powerful? What sort of lie would I give on my behalf?’

"So tell me..." Ezra leaned closer, his breath cold and holy.

"What the hell are you?"

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