Don't Be Scared to Run Home

Like…?

Luca was frozen from the sudden—not to mention the first—question given to him by his mother. It was undeniable that Luca liked Noah, even to the point of thinking of sleeping with him. However, he didn't know if he could admit that so readily in front of his father.

"I…" Luca then dropped his gaze and blushed faintly.

"No need to answer anymore, Luca." Sophia only hummed and smiled benevolently. She then changed the topic to his mission. "SCC seemed to not care about the history of their agents. You were assigned to deal with the matters regarding Connor Holdings?"

"No, I… volunteered to help Noah. It was a solo mission for him, but he was being attacked by the witches of Satan so I went with him." Luca lifted his eyes and stared at that saintly smile of his mother. "The mission was only about neutralizing Randy Connor, but it seemed that it's not as easy as we thought it was.

"Randy Connor is currently involved in the dealings with other covens, and we had to shut it down before more of their employees suffer from the demon attacks. I know I shouldn't be here, but I cannot leave it as it is now."

Sophia only nodded and then turned to Alessa. "Alessa, a level seven had already sprung up in the events related to Connor Holdings, and ordinary humans wielding witch tech abounded. SCC would not be able to handle it with just a few agents.

"Magnus will be reporting to the Council about the matter. Isla should start relaying information to you as soon as the Council approved of the White Magi's deployment to New York." She then sighed. "We detected a level ten shortly just a night ago. I hope everything will be fine at your end."

"Mother, the level ten that pushed down the magi is Sleepydog's proxy handler. No need to worry," Isla answered and shocked the rest. "For now, the level nines were only phasing in the realm to keep an eye on things.

"Another level ten is waltzing in the city after all, and it would very much engage with them if they tried to pull off a stunt."

Orpheus frowned and almost growled. "A level ten is in the realm? Why did you not tell me anything about this, Isla?"

The second sister only puckered her lips. "An orphanim located it, and it was very much half-a-step into level eleven. If we alert the agents, the White Magi will only die. Besides, it's not like it was doing anything more than going around. It's like… it's watching someone very closely."

"Orphanim?" Luca was surprised.

Angels were barred from descending, and yet the orphanims would sometimes lend their eyes to the Order. Nothing could escape an orphanim's vision, but it was not a combat type. Even if it spotted a level ten demon, it could not engage it in battle.

Isla then sighed. "Actually, I'm only letting you know now because… it's watching Sleepydog. Last night, it didn't act and let Mephistopheles handle things. If Mephistopheles didn't come, the other level ten would have killed Alessa on the spot.

"Though it seemed that it was not really allowed to take free action."

"Isla, how do you know these things?" Alessa frowned, but the sister only shrugged her shoulder.

Isla was a tech agent like Theresa, but she had higher clearances than any of them imagined. She would even receive intel gathered by the orphanims. Whether she served in SCC like Luca or not was still a mystery to them even.

They were her family, and yet she wouldn't let them know.

Luca could only hold onto his head. If it was real that a level ten is watching Noah, then how come he would have to suffer all the time? Was it part of his ordeal as a witch? Even right now that Noah suffered yet again, why didn't this level ten do anything?

Perhaps it would only move when Noah was in real imminent death?

Unacceptable!

"This Sleepydog seemed to be very important to the demons," Sophia concluded easily. She then looked at her son who was very entangled with the witch. "Luca, I don't know how close you're willing to get to Sleepydog, but please bear in mind that he is a toy of a demon prince.

"If you get ruled as an obstacle to Belphegor, things might end up becoming rather chaotic."

"No need to worry about me, Mother. I will… not forget that." Luca should be keeping distance, and yet he wasn't willing to leave Noah alone. Perhaps his feelings had gone so deep…

However, it only looked so different to Orpheus's and Sophia's eyes.

"Huh?" Isla then twitched and panned her eyes at the window behind them. She turned to the drawn curtains and stared at it some more.

"What's wrong, Isla?" Luca noticed her change of expression, and Alessa reached for her blades. "What are you seeing?"

"Angelos just said a hellhound is watching us. That's impossible, I would have detected it. We would have detected it." Isla gave the laptop to Luca and got to her feet, slowly moving towards the curtains. "Don't be scared… I won't—"

Isla suddenly moved back rapidly, and her movements had caused Alessa to jump across the couch and stand in front of her sister. Even Orpheus had come closer, wielding his cane made of light. Luca only moved away from the couch, trying not to be a burden to them.

The second sister then reached out and grabbed Alessa's shoulder. "Alessa, don't… it's a level ten."

"What?" Alessa was shocked. She couldn't feel a shred of demon presence, and yet the hellhound was level ten? Was it even a hellhound?

"Show yourself." Orpheus knocked his cane against the floor, and a mellow sound came out. It was like a lullaby that would compel anyone to do his bidding.

However, only an ugly laughing gurgle answered him. The curtain moved, and Caseus walked out of the shadow. Luca was surprised to see him, but there was something strange about his eyes…

It wasn't Caseus.

"Don't dare to command me with your weak magic, human." The voice that came out wasn't anything rugged and breathy like what they knew a hellhound should sound like. In fact, it sounded like the voice of a sophisticated lady. "Don't be so alarmed. I'm only watching and listening to your conversation.

"However, if you wish to fight, I will not back down."

The hellhound's eyes then looked at Luca. "Noah and my little buns didn't trust the White Magi, considering their reputation of being absolute to their laws. It's so strange to realize that an orphanim is gazing at you, and yet you remain unscathed. No matter, as long as the Order has no intention to kill you, you may stay…

"Remember, young one…"—the hellhound retreated into the shadows and disappeared—"Lord Master will be very pleased to have you instead. So don't be scared to run…

"Home…"

Bang! Orpheus smashed his cane against the floor, and it disintegrated cement and created a hole on the floor. It was good enough that the floors above and below them were also rented out to prevent anyone from listening in or launching an attack.

However, that hole was only a speck of Orpheus's anger. "How dare you…"

The father then eyed Luca who was holding the laptop. The son was confused about what the hellhound meant and fearful that Orpheus was glaring at him mercilessly. Orpheus could also see that Sophia was equally angry, but she only closed her eyes and clutched at whatever was on her palm.

Orpheus only huffed. "Head back to the hospital or wherever you should be. I'm going to talk to SCC and have you withdrawn."

"Why?"

"Just leave."

Luca's eyes flickered in frustration, but even if he sought Isla and Alessa's explanations, he was given none. Even his mother was not responding… as she had already disconnected the call. Left with no choice, he just put down the laptop and bowed down as he excused himself to leave.

The father eyed his son's back as Luca left, but he still had no words to say. In the end, Luca vanished from his sight… and heartache followed.

"Father, you need to start explaining now." Alessa was trembling as she was new to seeing Orpheus's anger in the open. "We can't protect Luca if you keep us in the dark."

"Father, you need to tell us what happened that night." Isla bit her lip. "What does Asmodeus want from our little brother?"

…

The engines of the passing cars kept Luca company as he walked along the streets. His back was hunched, and he felt so lost. A hand then lifted to his face, and his eyes closed.

"What did I do? Damn, why can't I remember what I did last year? Why did Father begin despising me from that day on?" His hand then pressed on his mouth. "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"Luca."

Luca twitched as he heard Noah's voice. When he turned to the side, Noah was leaning against the wall.

Noah's cool gaze mellowed as he saw Luca's state. "Did something happen?"

"I…" Luca then shook his head as he walked towards Noah and wrapped his arms around the latter. "I'm being pulled out from SCC. This also happened last year. I don't know what I've been doing wrong. Did I do something wrong?"

His hold on Noah tightened, and the latter only caressed Luca's head. "Let's go back to the motel for now. We should evade main streets in case the Connors go looking for me."

Luca remembered their mission and lifted his face to take a look at Noah. "You escaped the hospital?"

"Yeah. We need to talk."