System [2]

As Rinalyn was walking down the stairs, she bumped into Luna who seem to hadn't even noticed her as the maiden only said 'sorry' in a faint voice. Rinalyn was quite bewildered by this, it seems to her that her friend is in a rush.

'That girl sure is strange, isn't she.'

Rinalyn flinched as she suddenly heard in one of the demons inside that resides within her talked.

"Hey... that's rude." She answered a bit irritated by what the demon commented.

'I agree, she has a weird aura around her.' Agreed by another demon.

"You guys... I'll really hit you if you talk about my friends like that!"

Rinalyn's hand began to curl but realize that it was no use, as if she could hit them. All she could do was Bare with the two demon laughing at her pathetic thought.

'Enough, don't tease her.'

"Ah...Eris...yeah tell them!"

'Geez, just when did you ever got a soft spot for her, Eris? Such a pain.'

'Now, Now Portia, keep you mouth shut or you'll wake him up.'

'Abbadon is right, you know how grumpy he is whenever his sleep got disturbed.'

Rinalyn listened to the demons as she continued to walk on the hallway.

It has always been like this ever since that 'incident', at first it was hard for her to adjust, since the voices of the demons would just suddenly echo through her head, which distract her most of the time.

Fortunately, she got along with them as she turn sixteen years of age, except for the other one. But she didn't persist to get on their good side, she had even offered herself to them but somehow they ultimately find her interesting and decided to be with her.

As she continued to walk along the second floor hallway, she happened to stop when she saw a familiar face, waving at her and two more people whom she was acquainted with.

"Claire!" She called as the girl with rounded glasses with ginger hair approached her.

The girl who's name is Claire smiled at Rinalyn as she greeted her; "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Oh, It's our vacant, our professor didn't come since he was on sick leave." She explained.

Rinalyn's eyes landed on the two male beside Claire. One was smiling at her gently while the other had a same expression as someone she knew.

"Long time no see Rinalyn, still the same as ever except the hair."

A black haired boy with blue eyes greeted her. His hair was slightly longer and has a mole under his left eye. The boy's face was quite familiar to someone she knew.

It took her a few seconds to recall in who this man is;

"...ah! Lucas!"

"That took you long enough, don't I look like my brother? Yet you still forget about me?"

"Well, despite looking the same, your vibe is alot different and we rarely play with you back then."

"Ok that's enough, you might spout something I don't want others to know in my childhood."

Rinalyn chuckled when Lucas extended his arms his palm facing Rinalyn stopping their conversation.

Lucas kleene Weinberg. The eldest son of the Weinberg family and older brother of Remus, he's two years older than him and is the heir to their family's business, moreover he is now part of the council. To Rinalyn, Lucas is one of the senior who has such an extreme magical capabilities, someone who can go one on one with the academy professors' magic.

Her eyes then landed in the black haired man with onyx eyes, smiling as he greeted her.

"Good morning ms. Valencia, do you happen to see a purple haired girl pass by? Or did you perhaps run into her?"

──────!!

The man's sudden question made Rinalyn to be taken aback.

And somehow, her mind tells her to not answer.

Moreover, it bewildered her, why would the council's president be asking about Luna? Was this perhaps related onto why her friend was running from something? Why she seem to be in a rush?

"Dion, why do you even want to recruit her to the council? For what position even?" Asked Claire, her arm placed below her chest.

The black haired boy— Dion looked at her with a paused face but then smiled and answered;

"Our first lady maybe?"

....

There was a long moment of silence until the three of them have processed what Dion have stated.

"What?!!"

***

Luna was currently has her hand on the wall, supporting her as she catch her breath. She glanced back behind and was relieved to see that they didn't follow her.

She looked in front and almost made her jump.

──────!!

Agapius and Aella suddenly showed up which made her to be surprised that almost made her heart jump out of her chest.

"Wha... don't just popped out of nowhere!" She frustratedly whispered-like-yell.

The two deity was back to their original form, but this time they were glowing, just a plain sight of transparency. Although they were clothed it, of course, it blended with them.

"Why are you running like you're being chased by a serial killer?" Aella asked.

"I'd actually would prefer to be chased by a serial killer rather than that man."

"Who?" The two asked in unison, which made them look at one another and eye rolled each other.

"Dion."

"Dion?"

"Yes."

Agapius and Aella once again glance at one another then to Luna who was fixing herself.

"Hmmm....oh, that council president, am I right?" Aella asked affirming his assumption.

"Yeah that guy." Luna affirmed.

"Why?" They both asked.

But Luna just stayed quiet and sighed as her eye slightly roll at their question.

"Attitude much?" Aella commented.

Luna sighed as she groaned in frustration "Look," she started firmly "I don't want to talk about it anymore, it gives me a damn headache."

A slight breeze suddenly passed by, fluttering her messy long hair. It was quite refreshing after all that running, but she realized that not only were she on the fourth floor alone, the windows were also closed. The sudden though that crossed her mind creeped her out.

'Was that a ghost that passed by?'

Suddenly, a gravelly voice was heard behind her, instantly making her turn around.

"What are you doing here, Luna?"

For a moment, Luna felt a sense of relief seeing Remus standing there with a white mask slid down on his chin.

"Running away." Luna answered, bluntly. Fixing her tangled hair tying it with a scrunchie that was on her right wrist.

The boy didn't have much of a reaction by what she said and just nodded

"Hmm...by the way..." Remus started, putting the his white mask on before continuing, "..have you seen Rei?" He asked.

Once Luna was finished tying, she looked at Remus with a baffled expression. He was obviously sweating and was even coughing. It seems to her that this man caught a cold, and yet here he is wandering around instead of resting. Moreover, he's looking for Rei, but for what reason exactly?

"Rei? Yeah I think I saw her earlier with..." A sudden realization came to halt, Luna became hesitant to continue, for she did saw Rei earlier before Dion came into the picture and in addition, she saw her going with Austin.

Remus then raised a brow, questioning her "...with? Don't leave me hanging, spit it." He demanded impatiently.

'Would it be bad if I told him that she's with Austin?' it took her a minute to think before continuing to answer.

...

"No nevermind, I saw wrong. The girl I saw has a similar color to Rei's hair but she has a wavy long hair. My bad." She lied, looking directly at Remus with a apathetic expression.

She then saw Remus glare at her with doubt, but she hid her remorse, kept her indifferent attitude to make him believe her until he finally turn around, going down the stairs with a faint 'tsk' at the end.

Once Luna affirmed that Remus was gone, she heaved a long sigh.

She honestly wasn't sure whether she did the right thing or would regret it later. But looking at Remus's condition, thinking that it'll just worsen after knowing the truth and there's no doubt that he'll start a fight with Austin made Luna to become more hesitant.

'I can't believe you lied to him.'

Luna heard Agapius said astonished to what she had done.

"I just did what I think is the best." Luna answered as she went down the fourth floor together with the two Deity.

'For Remus that is, what about Rei? Wouldn't you think it'd be best to tell him that she's with that persistent man who courted her in the past? Who knows what he's up to, especially that he kept on pushing himself to that girl suspiciously.'

Luna halted by Aella's statement, started to think more clearly.

"It's fine, she's strong."

With that, Luna continued walking checking every corner if that man and his minion is somewhere near.

She knew Rei is strong, in fact she haven't even seen her full potential. But still, Luna started to doubt whether her decision were correct?

***

"What? What are you talking about?"

Rei took a step back, horrified by what she just heard by the scarlet haired boy. She had become alert and weary about him.

"They'll change it, of course, what's there to be worried about? Please Rei."

"No, is this why you've been persistently bothering me since last month? Are you out of your mind?!" The distance between them widen as Rei took a huge step back, yelling angrily. "You want to take my core because they told you that it's the only way to pay your debt to them?! Do you hear yourself, Austin?!"

"...."

There was only silence on the other party, Austin looked at the her with a stoic face. Rei couldn't believe it, she couldn't even sense guilt from him.

After disappearing and then re-appearing to her again, this is what he has to say? He wants her core as a payment to his debt?

Rei heaved a sigh as she corrected her posture, glaring at Austin as she raised her right hand then her left hand, only her left middle finger raised.

"F*ck you."

A sudden beam then flashed which made Austin to be startled and cover his face with his arm. The beam created a cold icy fog.

Once the fog slowly vanishes, there he realized that Rei was already gone.

Crack. Crack.

Austin glimpse down to see his two feet slowly being crystalized, but before the crystalization could cover half of his legs, he instant nullified it, eventually breaking free from the crystalization.

He sighed and looked around to see if someone was brave enough to eavesdrop to their conversation. Luckily, there weren't.

'Even if she wouldn't give it to me, they'll come to her sooner or later and force the core out of her body. That same goes with that girl... Rinalyn.'