William: "Enough, demon! You can stop now..."
Sebastian slowly turned his gaze, facing William, who was holding Aurelia—the young woman who had stolen his master's ring. Sebastian's steps were slow and full of menace as he approached William. Each movement radiated authority, and his eyes burned with an unrelenting desire for revenge.
When he came close, he extended his hand with complete confidence, expecting William to hand over the ring with the blue gem. Without hesitation, William handed it over, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. In his heart, Aurelia had done something no one expected—she had escaped a demon and had won.
William's smile grew wide as he pulled Aurelia into a tight embrace, as though he wanted to protect her from the threatening world around them.
William: "I'm proud of you, little one. You did it tonight!"
Aurelia felt a deep sense of relief and pride, but also an underlying unease. Her gaze, however, couldn't stray from Sebastian, who now stood before them, completely indifferent to their small victory.
Sebastian: "Yes, she did... But tell me, William... Why did you want my master's ring? What purpose could it serve for you? This young woman could have died from it, if you want to know..."
Sebastian's words were laced with contempt and a dark threat. Aurelia felt the hairs on her neck rise from the tension thick in the air. Sebastian could never accept defeat. His face was a mask of fury, yet he didn't allow his emotions to consume him.
William: "But she didn't die... and she managed to escape from a demon who was supposed to catch her and retrieve the stolen item. Something you failed to do... In the end, it seems you're not as capable as I thought..."
William's words were a low blow, and Sebastian seemed deeply annoyed by them. His face darkened further, and his voice carried a hint of desperation and anger. But his reaction remained cold and composed. He simply placed his master's ring in his pocket and raised his hands.
With complete indifference to his failure, he made a subtle motion to adjust his collar, as if trying to reaffirm his presence. Throwing one last unchanging glance at his former colleague, he made a sharp turn and walked away, ready to leave.
Sebastian: "Have a Good night..."
He said in a cold tone, without looking back, turning his back and walking quickly back toward his master's residence. His steps echoed with almost a military rhythm, as his anger seemed to consume him. His mind was filled with thoughts of his failure. Not only had he failed to capture a young girl and retrieve the ring, but the whole thing had turned into a meaningless game... a pointless delay of his time. Yet, despite his frustration, he had to admit one thing: Aurelia had incredible courage, something that made him respect her, despite his failure.
Aurelia watched as Sebastian walked away, a small smile forming on her lips. She couldn't let it end like this, so she decided to throw one last verbal jab.
Aurelia: "As far as I remember, father, you told me that demons are ugly and their appearance terrifying! But from what I saw today, this demon isn't ugly at all... I'd say he's quite handsome and has a very well-maintained body!"
William: "I don't want to hear this nonsense, Aurelia... He's hideous and useless... Didn't you see how he failed to catch you at all?"
Aurelia turned to him and gave him a playful look in her eyes.
Aurelia: "Actually... he caught me, but he was so stupid he let me fall from a tree. If he knew a little better, he might have actually managed to kill me..."
William: "What did you say?"
Aurelia: "What did you expect? For him to be nice to me? You know that two other people attacked me with guns? The good thing is that nothing serious happened. My back just hurts from the fall! Can we go home now, please?"
William let out a heavy breath and lifted his daughter into his arms. He couldn't let her walk in her condition, let alone jump around on her own after everything she had been through. With slow and steady steps, he carried her back home, but his mind was consumed with thoughts of Aurelia's comment.
Aurelia had called Sebastian "handsome." And although he tried to convince himself it was just an innocent remark, the truth was, that comment worried him. He couldn't understand what could draw her toward that monster. His mind kept circling around the feeling that perhaps his daughter saw something in him that he couldn't understand or control. He didn't want to admit the thought, but the fact that her comment had come so easily and effortlessly unsettled him.
Once they arrived home, William gently placed her on a sofa, trying not to show the tension he felt inside. He glanced quickly at her face and sighed.