Whispers.

All Carlos could hear was whispers and a dark voice that seemed to be taunting him from within. Mocking him, pushing him till he felt like he was going crazy.

Ever since he had drank the liquid that his mother sent for him, he felt as if he had lost the control of his body. There was always this feeling that he was being watched.

His reflection had changed and slowly but surely he believed that he was fading away.

He tried to talk about it to the Head Maid of the house who was personally tending to him. Mrs. Jones.

"I... can’t see my own reflection in there." He told her in a feeble, shivering voice.

Mrs Jones glanced at him and then at the mirror for a long while looking at Carlos’s trembling reflection which didn’t seem any different to her.

But, it was clear that Carlos was seeing something else, something that terrified him.

In his eyes one might have seen the reflection of a man with long red hair, his eyes were completely black with his pupils glowing red. His face was pure white and he wore the black robes that made it look like he had draped darkness all around himself.

"I don’t see any other reflection than yours, Your Highness." Enora spoke in a gentle tone maintaining her dignified and composed expression.

Carlos’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as he looked back at the mirror watching the same reflection smiling evilly at him and then he looked at Enora, desperate.

"I-I’m not lying, he’s really there... He-He’s smiling. Help me!"

Carlos had never found himself stopping low enough to call a mere servant for help, he was raised to order and rule. He had no need to beg others for anything, but now the things seemed to be different and he was begging for the Head Maid to understand and help him somehow.

"Please call the Marquis and tell him to increase the guards... I-I feel like I’ll die..." His voice cracked at the end and Enora’s gaze turned sympathetic.

"I shall let Master know that you wish to talk to him, and I’ll also have Ryujin family knights to guard you all the time." Enora promised but Carlos couldn’t find a shred of ease.

"You-You don’t believe?" He asked.

Enora remained silent for a moment, she knew Carlos was possessed and Ocean had warned not only her but all the relevant people about his actions from then on. He would be desperate and fragile because the demons would try its best to break him mentally to take over his body. But they needed to keep him calm and assured.

"I believe you, Your Highness." Enora answered and Carlos stared at her with wide eyes.

"And on my Master’s word, I shall help you with the best of my abilities."

Carlos sensed the sincerity in her tone and plopped down on the edge of the bed while she poured him a glass of water and brought the glass over to him.

"Please have some water to relax yourself, Your Highness."

Carlos took the glass and brought it to his lips, but the moment his eyes fell on the liquid inside his blood crawled. It resembled the same liquid that he had drank which had begun the series of strange happenings with him.

Carlos shrieked and threw the glass away, in fear.

"Your Highness!" Enora gasped, her body reacted on instinct as she grabbed the glass midair just as the door opened and the water from inside the glass splashed over Ocean.

Ocean had just arrived with the pendant that he had enchanted from Baron Oberon along with his own spells and his welcome was done with a splash.

Enora watched in shocked while Carlos was petrified. The water dripped from Ocean’s face and hair and he stood there still for a moment.

"I-I’m-"

"Please forgive me, Master." Enora bowed deeply and Ocean sighed.

"Rise."

He waved his hand and the water droplets that clung ton his hair, skin and clothes started floating off in the air. Carlos watched in shock as all the droplets merged to form one large water ball which hovered in the air before Ocean.

His eyes followed as the water ball made its way towards the glass in Enora’s hand and then was poured into it.

Enora placed the glass down and Ocean looked at Carlos and then at her.

"You should go and catch some break, Enora." Ocean spoke.

Enora glanced once at Carlos before she bowed and left the room.

Carlos sat rigid in his place, heart pounding like crazy and sweat coating his forehead as he wondered if he was going to get beaten for what he did.

"I-I didn’t mean to... I-I did-didn’t know you were-"

"It’s fine." Ocean spoke and Carlos clamped his mouth shut, grateful that he didn’t have to say anything.

But he flinched the moment he saw Ocean place his hand in his coat and then pull out a black box.

Carlos watched with his senses blaring and his blood roaring in his ears as Ocean stepped towards him. The primal fear starting to take over but the Ocean opened the lid of the box and Carlos saw its contents.

There was a pendant sitting inside with a silver chain. The stone on the pendant seemed like it was carved from aquamarine diamond. His hand involuntarily reached out to touch the stone but as soon as he fingers made contact the feeling of peace washed over him.

Ocean observed the way Carlos’s pupils dilated and his lips moved on their own.

"You’re planning to keep me sealed by putting this as a leash." The dual voice spoke before the glinting red pupils glared up at Ocean.

"But you won’t be able to do much." The demon grinned.

Ocean reached out and placed the tip of his finger at the center of his forehead.

"What I will do and won’t be able to do is my concern, isn’t it? Presently, you’re only a parasite in this boy’s body and I’ll be sure the rip you out of there."

The demon smiled, "Why?"

Ocean tiled his head.

"Are you the kind of a Dragon who likes an easy prey?" The demon asked making Ocean pull his hand back.

"What do you mean?"

The demon smirked darkly, his eyes growing blacker with each passing moment.

"Oh, please. You don’t mean that you are having fun trampling this poor boy when he’s clearly weak and incompetent against your Prince, hm?"

Ocean could see the evil glint in Carlos’s eyes and he could also sense the meaning beneath the surface.

"So, what do you propose?" Ocean asked and the demon’s smirk deepened as he leaned back placing his hands back against the mattress and rested his weight against his arms.

"Let me take over him for the time being, this boy is useless that he can’t even stand up against the other Prince. He’s nowhere a challenge for him or even for you. So, in simpler terms, it’s like you and your Prince are simply bullying him." He explained.

"And how is this your business? Since when did a demon become so empathetic towards a human boy? Is the demon race converting or something?" Ocean asked placing his free hand in the pocket of his trousers.

The demon chuckled, a low whistling sound escaping his hollow throat.

"It’s nothing about converting, Dragon. And you have it a little wrong. I never said I am empathetic for this pathetic boy. I just want to have some fun with what you’re doing." He said and Ocean rolled his eyes.

"Yes, right and I’ll allow you." Ocean said sarcastically.

"You will? Thank you." The demon perked up and Ocean’s eyes grew rigid in an instant as his Dragon’s Presence roared making the demon clench his jaw, the black veins on Carlos’s neck standing taut.

"Hey, now. I’m being cordial with you, why the violence? I haven’t even hurt any of your people or this boy." He spoke and Ocean narrowed his eyes.

"That doesn’t mean you will always stay harmless." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Carlos’s eyes flashed between red and black and the demon gritted his teeth, "All right, how about we make a deal?"

"I don’t make deals with demons." Ocean spoke coldly and plucked out the mana stone pendant.

"At least listen to what I’m offering!" The demon exclaimed and Ocean increased the pressure of his Dragon’s Presence.

"You have three seconds. One-"

"Let me improve this boy’s skills-"

"By possessing him, nice try. Two."

The demon clutched at its throat as the saliva started dripping from the corners of Carlos’s mouth.

"How cowardly! A Dragon is bullying a weak and incompetent human and not even giving him a chance to fight for himself." The demon taunted and Ocean raised the necklace close to Carlos.

"If agreeing means letting this boy lose his only chance of redemption then, no, I’ll accept the title of being cowardly." Ocean spoke.

The demon’s eyes widened and it shouted, "You’re just scared that I will defeat your Prince!"

"Taunts don’t work." Ocean spoke blandly before he dropped the silver chain around Carlos’s head.

"You’re making a mistake! That’s my throne!" The demon shouted before the mana stone fell and rested against Carlos’s chest.

His eyes turned back to their normal hue with the demon’s essence getting sealed within. But Ocean couldn’t help but feel rather icy hearing what the demon had said in the end.