Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: You Feel Something.

Chapter 246 – You Feel Something.

’Ahhh! I almost said Lord Seraph! Did someone hear me? Did they guess what I was trying to say? Ahhh!!! Helene, you Vorn-cursed fool!’

Despite her outward expression remaining completely unfazed, even holding a gentle smile, Helene was absolutely freaking out inwardly.

She was doing her absolute best not to stare at where her Lord sat, and not to fall to her knees, weeping in joy at finally being in the same space as him.

Her body shook with emotion. And at once, everything she had done in the past weeks surfaced in her mind.

The hours of orgies in the underground of the Church; her relentless work turning more than half the sisters into her own sex slaves, doing whatever she wanted with them, whenever she wanted.

Oh, Helene had done so much, one of those things being killing a devout believer who happened to walk in while she was fucking two sisters.

After that, she had stayed for one hour straight, praying for the peaceful rest of that unlucky mortal, only to go right back to her activities seconds later.

She was drenched, coated, and embraced by sin, and the only one who could soothe her mind and soul was right in front of her, smiling gently at her like an angel.

But Helene Mars knew her Lord didn’t want their relationship known by anyone. So she reined in her feelings and finally parted her lips:

"Good morning." She said, her voice smooth and resonant despite the chaos inside her, "I am Helene Mars. Some of you might already know me as the High Priestess of the Church of Death. But here, in this academy, I am nothing but your instructor, charged with teaching the Art of Survival."

She paused, sweeping her eyes around the classroom.

"This class is rather special, as it’s more practical than theoretical. We’ll need to travel through the Fractured Land and other dangerous zones of the continent. But for today, since it’s our first class, we’ll simply discuss the deeper meaning of survival, to give you an understanding of it."

She paused again, this time letting the students absorb every word.

"However, before I officially begin this class, I’d love to hear some introductions from all of you." Then Helene turned to look at Cassius, "Of course, from anyone except the Palatine and the other already well-known students here."

’Lord Seraph, you’re so beautiful! Please don’t smile at me! I might not be able to control myself any further!’

Murmurs rippled through the class after Helene’s words. And just as quickly, she began choosing students to introduce themselves.

The first was William Castria.

Cassius, however, didn’t bother listening to their introductions. Instead, he turned toward Theophane, about to speak, but saw Tiger growling at him again.

His lips twitched lightly.

He lifted his hand to do something about this annoying dog, but before his hand even moved, Raven Hood, sitting behind them, leaned forward to whisper something to Tiger.

"You’re loud. Can you stay silent, or should I make you?" The Prince said in a flat tone, though the threat was very clear.

And as if Raven alone weren’t enough, Anesthesia leaned in too, purple eyes glowing coldly, "one more fucking growl, and I’ll show you how I treat an unruly dog."

The presence of the second- and fourth-ranked students pressed down on Tiger Woods like a mountain.

Sarah watched the scene, smiling. She looked at Anesthesia and felt she shouldn’t let herself be overshadowed by her.

So she raised her hand immediately, and with an innocent but deeply troubled expression, called out:

"I’m sorry, madam!" she said in a frail tone, prompting Helene to look at her, and the whole class to fall silent.

"Yes?" Helene said, already knowing that Sarah, like her, worked for Cassius.

"This guy here is making it hard for me to focus on the class." She said, pointing at Tiger, who looked flabbergasted. "He can’t seem to stop growling, for some reason."

"Is that so?" Helene spared a glance at Tiger.

"Madam, no—!"

"Stand up, boy, and go sit in the last row. I won’t tolerate any disturbance in my class."

Tiger looked at her wide-eyed, feeling deeply wronged.

He turned to look at Theophane, but the woman didn’t even spare him a glance, only smiling as if the matter didn’t concern her at all.

Gritting his teeth, Tiger nodded reluctantly and made his way to the far end of the class, sitting there, his beastly eyes cold as he stared at Sarah’s back.

However, Raven turned to look at him immediately, and Tiger had never seen the Prince with such deadly, crimson eyes before.

The message was clear.

He cursed and snapped his head away, clenching his fist tight beneath his table.

The class then continued as if nothing had happened.

"A Palatine, indeed." Theophane said to Cassius, her voice cold, "You resolved his situation without even saying a word."

"You give me too much credit, Theophane." He said, smiling, "But I think this was a good demonstration of what this class is supposed to be."

"Oh? How?" she replied, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"The Art of Survival." He shrugged, "Isn’t the most basic knowledge knowing who to growl at and who to lick? But I can’t blame him. He must already enjoy licking you enough to lose sight of the situation."

"You seem knowledgeable about survival." She smiled coldly, "But do you think, Angel, that knowing that will save you?"

"Because you think I’m in danger?"

"Oh, isn’t everyone in danger in this world? If I were you, I’d certainly make sure to be careful."

"Good advice." He nodded, "But the real question is, should I be careful around you?"

"Isn’t that why you’re here, beside me?" she turned her head slightly toward him, "It’s because you’re worried about me, Angel. I can see it in your eyes, you fear me."

Cassius’s lips curled, "Only a fool wouldn’t fear you, Theophane. I do fear you. You’re something I’ve never seen before."

"Something?"

"Yes, something." He said, "You’re not alive, Theophane. Not enough for me to acknowledge that, at least. You go on with life with nothing much inside your chest or mind. I’d wager you only think about living one more day. Surviving one more day."

"You would have been right before." She shook her head, "But now, Angel, I can assure you that you’re deeply wrong. I have a strange and strong purpose inside me now."

’...is it because of her acquired Main Heroine status?’

"Let me guess," he arched an eyebrow, "is it to bring me down?"

Theophane said nothing, only smiled, but the answer was already far too obvious.

"I don’t go easy on my enemies, Theophane." He said in a cold tone.

"Neither do I." she replied, "And certainly not with you." Her face twisted into pure hatred for a heartbeat, "Your goddess will pay for what she did to me. For what she stole from me. I will make her pay, and I will start with you."

"No longer hiding your goals now?"

"No need. I’m telling you so you can prepare yourself." She smiled, "I’m coming for you. And nothing will stop me. Not even your multiple dogs, and certainly not your goddess."

Cassius stared at her with unflinching eyes, before smiling and turning his attention back to Helene, who was now explaining the course after skipping past Theophane and the other more famous students.

"I won’t ask what my goddess did. It doesn’t matter, to be honest. I don’t care at all." He said, "You’ll come for me, and I’ll come for you. But right now, I have one question before we begin."

Theophane looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

"What would you do if I killed your lovely nephew?"

She didn’t flinch.

"What if, let’s try again, I made sure your sister died for good? She’d probably kiss my feet in jubilation."

Again, she didn’t flinch, her face unmoved. But with Cassius’s incredible control over his body’s perception because of his training, he felt the small, imperceptible shudder of the ground, just then, coming from Theophane’s legs.

Cassius began to grin.

"What if...just what if, Theophane, I took away your most precious thing?"

"I have nothing like that." She retorted.

"Oh, but you do." He said, "If there’s one thing you’re exceptionally good at, I’ll admit, it’s detaching yourself from your emotions entirely, as if you had none. You do it so well, I’d wager you’ve come to believe you truly have no emotions, and that everything you feel is only because you choose to feel it."

He laughed under his breath, "It must be comforting to think that, mustn’t it?"

Cassius had spent long hours thinking about Theophane from the moment he learned she was a Main Heroine.

She had been an enigmatic character even back in the game, one known to feel nothing.

But if Theophane felt nothing, then why was she still living? Why was she trying to survive every day, using every means to do so?

Why would she be willing to provoke him so openly, and even hate his goddess?

Was all of that an act?

Maybe. No, it probably was. At least, in her own view.

The fact that she believed she was acting would lead anyone with a good grasp of human nature to believe the same.

Yet here was the irony: Theophane was so used to letting herself feel emotions only while acting that she’d come to believe they were fake.

They were not.

They were real.

Low in intensity and horrifically numbed, yes, but they existed. And that was all Cassius cared about.

"You’re not as empty as you think you are." He finally said, "And anyone who isn’t empty has something to lose. Be careful, Theophane. You’ve made me your enemy. You should start fearing even your own shadow, and the blood running through you."

"You have much more to lose than I do." Theophane said, looking at Klaus, Natalia, Keisha, and even Raven and Anesthesia behind them. Love was not present.

Cassius caught the movement of her eyes and smirked coldly,

"That’s exactly why you should fear me, Theophane."

—End of Chapter 246—