Difficulty to Breathe

"How are you feeling?"

Ivar entered Devin's room, checking up on him. Their master's room was completely dark and only a part of the moonlight entered the room through a small partition of the curtains.

Devin was sprawled on his bed, feeling tired and overly emotional than usual.

'This is what I get for eating those depressive souls...'

He felt Ivar's familiar aura as he put a pillow over his face to cover his expression then answered him.

"Mmm..."

Devin only mumbled as he was still lying on his bed, his face covered by his pillow.

Ivar knew that Devin was ashamed to show his face. Acting tough and moody was Devin's way to show that he is covering up his real feelings.

"You did well. Always know that," Ivar said, trying to comfort his master for feeling bad having to eat souls.

"Go away, Ivar," he ordered under his pillow, his voice muffled, but it was still audible for his personal servant to hear. He sighed, then he sat on the chair beside Devin's bed.

"You can't stay cooped in here forever. You already feel heavy from the memories and feelings of those souls... why add to that agony by staying here," he asked then Devin put the pillow away from his face then he looked at him.

"What's going outside got to do with me feeling better?"

Ivar gave him a tight smile, finding it difficult for him to convince him to go out.

"Well, it is obviously better to be out there," he answered and Devin sat up, as he sighed. "We're going to find another alternative for you to eat. You don't have to—"

"Ivar."

His personal servant suddenly went silent when he heard Devin said his name seriously, interrupting him.

Ivar knew him well to understand that Devin wanted to talk about something and that his best friend is deep in his thoughts.

"Yes?"

Devin stood up from the bed, wore a black shirt, then looked at him. "Look at the rose for me," he ordered then Ivar nodded then chanted a spell, revealing the rose on the coffee table in the middle of the room.

'Why would he want to see the rose all of a sudden?'

Ivar looked at the rose carefully, then gave another sigh, not understanding why Devin wanted for him to look at it when they check it every night to see if something had changed.

"It remained the same. Your life is still safe," he commented and Devin arched a brow at him.

"Then what's with the sigh? Do you want me to die?"

Ivar chuckled, finding Devin's remark funny.

"No, that's not what I meant. I mean... the curse is still there," he answered, now sounding serious.

"It is... and we still don't even know how to stop this," Devin said as he clicked his tongue, feeling frustrated.

"Your Highness didn't even give us a clue about the curse, either... other than the last words I heard from her before we left," Ivar remarked and he gave his suggestion. "Should I go back and ask her?"

Hearing this from his personal servant, the Soul Eater scoffed, as if Ivar had said something foolish.

"You think mother would answer you? She gave me this grave punishment," the Soul Eater retorted as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Ivar looked at his master, gulped, then spoke a little softer.

"Why not tell her why you did 'that'?"

When Devin heard this, he looked back and raised a brow at him. He found his suggestion the stupidest thing he had ever heard from him.

Tell his mother why he did 'that'?

Devin knew his mother well enough. He knows she wouldn't believe him.

"You think she would believe me? You're a fool, Ivar."

The room fell into silence. Devin walked to his window then took a peek to see what was outside.

Walking towards the mansion's entrance, he saw Angeal and Arvid walking, carrying the school supplies they bought from the mall. They were also carrying some take out food for the others.

Remembering the event that took place the other day about Angeal not giving him a proper apology, the Soul Eater had the urge to come out of the room.

"Let's go out," Devin said quickly, leaving Ivar behind dumbfounded inside his room.

"What?"

Ivar quickly chanted a spell hiding the rose then followed Devin.

'Now he wants to come out. I can't understand him!'

The moment Angeal and Arvid entered the mansion, they sat down on the couch and started sorting out the supplies they bought. Not far off, Gwen saw them then gave them a wave to greet them.

"Oh! You guys are back," Gwen said then she looked at the two. "So you brought take out?"

Angeal nodded and gave her the box of pizza then mouthed "dinner", making Gwen smile at her.

"Where are the others," Arvid asked as he looked around and Gwen sat on the opposite couch where the two are seated.

"Mother is preparing and sorting some papers with Gladios and Edwin's on usual guarding duty," she answered, making the two nod as they fixed their supplies for school.

"Devin, wait!"

Soon, Devin and Ivar were walking down the stairs, alarming the three. Angeal, Arvid, and Gwen stood up, then bowed in front of their master.

"Where are you going," Ivar asked but Devin ignored him. He walked in front of the three, then stopped specifically in front of Angeal.

"You have yet to apologize to me," he ordered her then from the corner of Arvid and Gwen's eyes, they watched what was happening beside them.

Did he mean about the incident that happened between them, when Angeal slapped him?

Angeal was still bowing in front of their master as Devin waited for her to speak. Ivar sighed, then went beside the Soul Eater.

"Didn't I talk to you about this," he whispered to him, but he still ignored him.

'Don't scare off the sweet human girl!'

While bowing, Angeal felt her phone in her pocket, retrieved it, then typed while her head hung low.

"I am sorry, master," the app said when Angeal clicked read and Devin just looked at her with his cold, purple eyes.

Arvid's hands turned into fists at his sides, while still bowing at their master. He wanted so bad to tell him off about him treating the girl he loves like this... but knowing their gap in rank, he had no choice but to keep silent.

'Who does he think he is!?'

Being locked up in his room for several days and hearing her apology, Devin found it satisfactory and started walking away, leaving them behind.

Ivar blinked his eyes a few times, then followed him. He found it quite childish of Devin to come out of his room just to ask for an apology from the girl!

"You came out of your room just for that," Ivar exclaimed, annoyance slightly evident in his voice.

The three slowly raised their heads when they saw his retreating figure, however, they were more surprised to see what had happened next.

"Devin!"

The powerful immortal's voice echoed in the room, surprising the people present. The Soul Eater suddenly fell on his knees, finding the difficulty to breathe.