The atmosphere of that room went quiet again after Javien’s figure disappeared behind the door, but the coldness left by that General still felt like it was gripping to the bone.

Olivia held her bruised wrist, trying to calm her heartbeat that was still unsteady.

"Olivia... are you okay?"

Celine asked in a voice that was almost inaudible, still traumatised by what she had just witnessed.

Olivia only nodded weakly, but her eyes never left Avelvion. Avelvion didn’t move from his spot. He was still staring at that door with a very dark expression.

"Wasn’t he the one you wanted to protect before?... he’s still the same,"

Avelvion said suddenly. His voice was low, full of a warning tone.

Olivia furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean Your Highness? Who is the same?"

Avelvion turned slowly. His sharp eyes looked at Olivia as if trying to pull back that girl’s memories that had long been buried.

"Javien. Those purple eyes... that suffocating aura. I’ve seen it before, Olivia. When we were in the basement together."

Olivia was stunned. Her head suddenly felt like it was throbbing painfully, as if there was an iron door in her memory trying to be wrenched open.

"Yeah that’s him," said Olivia quietly as if not fully focused on what Avelvion was saying.

Avelvion stepped closer, his voice now turning into a serious whisper.

"You might have forgotten, the book I gave you... is about his bloodline, Olivia... and I know he was the one who made you go through that before right."

Olivia’s tongue went numb. She looked at her red hand. Was this bruise caused by the white thread earlier, or was it a sign that the demon inside Javien had grown stronger.

"Your Highness... I don’t know either," said Olivia while letting out a heavy breath. She walked toward the sofa where she had been sitting earlier. Then leaned back slowly.

Doesn’t that mean that person is afraid of Javien?

She whispered quietly. She rubbed her brow slowly. Celine who had been standing beside Avelvion also stepped closer toward Olivia.

And made a smile as if teasing.

"Hey, Olivia..." she whispered quietly toward Olivia’s ear. Olivia turned weakly.

"Yesss?..." Olivia answered while stretching her hand to take that teacup.

"Is that your old flame??" she whispered but loud enough for people around her to hear. Olivia’s eyes flew wide. The teacup she was holding almost slipped.

"Huh!!! What do you mean??.." Olivia said half shouting but her mouth was immediately covered by Celine using her hand.

"Don’t make noise..." she whispered quietly. For some reason Avelvion felt like listening to what they were saying. He walked toward the chair facing Olivia and Celine. When he arrived at that chair. Olivia and Celine seemed to be playing around.

"Right, don’t you remember what he did to you just now?" Celine whispered while smiling sarcastically looking toward Olivia. Olivia laughed but it looked forced.

"No!! We’re not like that..." said Olivia while taking back the cup that had almost slipped.

"Ohh... so if not that. Then he has a crush on you la!!" Celine called out. Her voice echoed throughout that room. Immediately the tea inside Avelvion’s mouth sprayed out.

Celine startled.

"Your Highness, why?.. drink properly please..." said Celine as if annoyed watching his behaviour.

"Almost got on my dress," said Celine again while wiping her gown slowly. Olivia only stared at both of them and went back to sipping her tea. Celine was still not satisfied and kept asking about Olivia and Javien’s relationship.

"You’re telling me nothing happened between you two!!!" said Celine looking disappointed while hitting her hand on her palm.

Olivia shook her head slowly. Avelvion meanwhile gripped his teacup handle until it almost broke.

"Hey!! Olivia can you quieten your friend!!" said Avelvion looking annoyed. Celine went quiet then glanced toward Avelvion.

"What do you know... right Olivia," said Celine while beaming looking at Olivia.

"If you want to know... you two look compatible you know," she said again while spinning around recalling the scene between Olivia and Javien just now.

Avelvion pouted hearing the sentence that came out of Celine’s mouth.

"Compatible what... not okay!!" he said slightly roughly. Celine startled then stood in front of Avelvion.

"That’s a different story to me..." she said again.

"Everyone sees it that way!!" Avelvion snapped. Both of them started arguing in front of Olivia.

"Hey hey... guys... enough," said Olivia slightly raising her voice.

Tskk!!!

Both of them pouted. Celine hugged Olivia’s arm but didn’t look toward Avelvion who was in front of her. For a moment that room went quiet.

These two are like children

Olivia whispered quietly. Then,

Ding! Dong!

Showing that midnight had already arrived. Without much talk Olivia excused herself together with Celine even though Celine was still ignoring Avelvion.

Avelvion didn’t say anything. Then walked away together with them. They no longer went through the way they had walked earlier but instead followed the direction of the garden.

"Avelvion..."

Olivia called quietly as soon as they stepped into the garden area that was only lit by moonlight.

Avelvion stopped walking. He turned his back to Olivia, his shoulders looking tense.

"If you want to talk about what Celine was rambling about earlier, you’d better forget it."

"That’s not it,"

Olivia cut in. She walked forward until they were standing level.

"That book you gave me... about the purple eyed Demon bloodline. You said you saw him in the basement before. Do you still have it?"

she said quietly while reading Avelvion’s reaction from a distance.

"Hey... Olivia don’t you remember I already gave you that book."

He said quietly. Olivia furrowed her brow. And hit her hand.

"Right... there it is... how could I forget," she said again while shaking her head.

"Avel... I mean Your Highness... what made you hate Javien so much," asked Olivia in a curious tone.Avelvion pouted, crossed his arms.

"Who wouldn’t be annoyed seeing his emotionless face? From childhood until now, he still looks like a robot that wants to eat people. And you... you’re busy wanting to be his saviour."

Avelvion turned looking at Olivia with a more serious face.

"I’m just puzzled, Olivia. Why are you willing to keep the book I gave you? I gave you that book so you’d know how dangerous his bloodline is. But you... you made him your General.

"You know what he did to you that traumatised you until now right?"

Olivia went quiet. Her memories of that basement were blurry, only a cold gripping feeling and a pair of purple eyes looking at her in the darkness.

"Avelvion that isn’t trauma... that’s just having no direction." Olivia stopped. She herself wasn’t sure what had happened.

"He made you cry, Olivia. That’s enough reason for me to hate him until I die," Avelvion murmured quietly, almost inaudible.

Olivia was stunned hearing Avelvion’s words. Laughed a little.

"Thank you Avelvion..." she said quietly while laughing softly. Avelvion snorted, he ruffled his own hair roughly as if annoyed that he had let that slip.

"Right! Do you think it’s easy for me to watch my friend get bullied by a quiet kid like him? I’ve tried to get his attention, pick fights with him so he’d let you go, but he kept looking at you like you were his life. Creepy you know?!"

Avelvion stepped one step toward Olivia, his eyes now narrowing sharply.

"And now, he comes with that strange attitude and pulls you. Saying he deserves that. And you’re busy calling him General here, General there. Have you truly lost your mind or are you deliberately looking for trouble?"

Olivia pouted.

"I didn’t expect him to do that either. Did you think I could expect that he would appear at that ceremony after he disappeared for 7 years.."

"The more I look at him the more my hatred burns toward him,"

Avelvion cut in with a slightly raised voice.

"But remember Olivia, the book I gave you isn’t for decoration. His bloodline... when the Demon power takes over completely, he won’t recognise anyone anymore. Including you."

The atmosphere of that garden suddenly felt colder. Celine who had been following behind while pretending to look at flowers, finally cut in with a casual face.

"But Your Highness... just now I saw General Javien hugging Olivia like he didn’t want to let go. If he’s a monster, why did he look like... he was afraid of losing Olivia?"

Avelvion’s eyes almost flew wide. He looked at Celine with a ’can-you-please-be-quiet’ look.

"That’s not afraid of losing! That’s called excessive possessiveness! What do you know Celine? You only know how to eat cake!"

Celine stuck out her tongue.

"Eh, at least I know the difference between someone who hates and someone who has fallen in love. You... maybe you’re the one who’s jealous because back then Olivia always backed Javien up in the basement right?"

"NOT TRUE!"

Avelvion shouted, his voice echoing until the birds in the trees flew off startled.

Olivia could only shake her head.

"Enough... we’ve already arrived in front of my room door. Avelvion, thank you for accompanying us. And about Javien... I will be careful."

Avelvion snorted for the last time. He turned to leave, but managed to glance back with a very serious face.

"I’m holding you to your word, Olivia. If his eyes change colour again... you run and find me. Understood?"

Without waiting for an answer, Avelvion kept walking away in his annoying manner, leaving Olivia and Celine who were still standing there.

"Hothead!!" said Celine pouting watching Avelvion’s figure disappearing swallowed by shadows.

"Enough Celine go back to your room... I think Ophilia is already in her room," said Olivia quietly. They waved then went into their respective rooms together.

She stepped into the room that was only lit by moonlight coming through the window. But Olivia’s steps stopped dead immediately. Her skin crawled badly.

Something wasn’t right.

She turned toward the large window at the end of the room. White silk curtains swayed slowly blown by the night wind, but there was a tall figure leaning there.

Javien.

That man stood upright, arms crossed neatly while leaning against the window frame. His black robe seemed to merge with the darkness of the night. He didn’t move at all, only his sharp eyes watching Olivia’s every move since that girl had stepped in earlier.

"J-General?"

Olivia’s voice barely came out.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

Javien didn’t answer immediately. He only tilted his head slightly, letting the moonlight illuminate half of his pale face. In that darkness, Olivia could clearly see Javien’s pupils, deep and glowing purple.

"You look tired, Olivia," Javien’s voice sounded hoarse and calm, but there was a warning tone in it.

He stepped one step out of the curtain’s shadow, still with his arms crossed, closing the gap between them. The cold aura radiating from his body made Olivia’s breath feel suffocated.

"Don’t think that after that Prince sent you to your room door, you’re already safe from me."

Javien lowered his face, staring directly into Olivia’s eyes that were trembling.

"Because in this palace... there is not one corner that is not under my watch. Especially you."

"You’re psycho!"