Chapter 68
[Lily’s POV]
You already know my heritage, so I won’t bore you with the everyday life of a devil in Hell. Besides, that isn’t relevant to how I ended up in Arden. All you really need to know is that I am descended from a rather infamous figure, one who made waves in both my world and yours. Familial connections mean little to a devil, but in my case, they implied that I had easy access to a powerful mentor whose secrets were sought after by many.
Unfortunately for me, that relative of mine vanished long ago, and only bestowed a shred of her knowledge onto me. This left me in the hands of opportunistic devils who wanted information I could not provide. And even when that fact became common knowledge, they still kept a tight leash on me in the hopes that their real target would show themself to reclaim me.
On the one hand, this meant I formed many connections among Hell’s upper echelon with minimal effort. On the other hand, their meticulous control over me prevented me from seeking out opportunities that would have raised my rank.
As a demi-devil, I was little more than an errand-runner for the others. Only the enslaved souls and demonic pets sat below me in the infernal hierarchy.
Yet, ironically, it was this pathetic position that presented me with a way into Arden. Typically, we can only cross over when we are summoned, and that comes with a ton of restrictions. But a devil that can find a way to reside here permanently is like a kid surrounded by candy.
It was during another errand where I was used as a proxy for a Hellspawn Overseer to answer some cultist loser’s plea for power. I was summoned into an appropriately culty-looking basement, ready to amaze him with the usual display of hellish power, only to find my summoner dead on the floor.
In his place was the man you just got to know: The Umbral Arm of the Emperor.
It was a confusing situation. With the summoner dead, the spell should have been cancelled, and I should have simply gone back to where I came from. But that man—who introduced himself as Merk—only confused things further when he spoke to me.
He knew my name and the identity of my relative who fled from Hell. It turned out the overseer who dumped his job onto me was bound to the man, and everything had been prepared well in advance.
Something about him frightened me, I’ll admit it. In fact, he still scares the crap out of me, even more so than an Infernal Duke. He calmly handed me a spell scroll and a bundle of documents; they were to be the keys to my new job.
“Familiarise yourself with the script. Memorise it completely. You will be tested. The spell will mask your heritage.”
That was all he said before leaving me in that basement. I tried to flee, naturally, yet the summoning circle kept me bound. He never explained how he did it, but it was as if the spell was stuck in a limbo of partial completeness. I had no summoner, yet apparently, I was still bound to the spell itself.
So I read what was left for me. It was a highly detailed profile of a fictional person, ‘Lily of Ashenport’. It covered her background, family dynamics, abilities, personality, and practically everything else you could think of.
What was even more concerning was how custom-tailored the role appeared to be. As if it were designed with my capabilities in mind.
I played along just long enough to be let out of the circle, but just as I thought I had an escape route, the true terror of Merk’s fastidious nature became clear. Each attempt at escaping was answered with harsh punishment. Sometimes he would let me believe I had succeeded, only to show up personally when I least expected it to crush my hopes. The man could track me perfectly, and he knew exactly how to apply pressure to his targets. I know you aren't well-versed on the nature of devils, but you should at least understand how terrible he can be when I say that he has a whole network of devils bound to his service.
Anyway, the point is I lost to him, and I accepted my new job as his servant. It was actually much better than working for Hell, as I was offered many freedoms and chances to grow. The worst part was really just that I was still so low in the chain of command. Me, a devil, being treated like some low-level flunky by a bunch of humans and… whatever Merk is. It was a huge blow to my confidence.
My first real job came when I was tasked with infiltrating the Imperial Military Academy. The branch campus actually holds a lot of political value, in case you didn't know, so by extension, Borderton itself is a crucial part of the Empire.
We had noticed numerous subtle movements from the nobility ever since the town's founding, but nothing incriminating. My position here was intended to keep an eye out from the inside, while also providing me with an education to develop my knowledge and skills. It was pretty cozy, up until I mentioned you in my reports.
At first, they were just moderately interested in the existence of a Druid, but then I overheard your story. Merk never lets me know what he's thinking, but after that day, my prime directive was to monitor you and earn your favour.
You pretty much know the rest. Any questions?
***
[Rex's POV]
I leaned back on the bench and closed my eyes as I absorbed the information and compared it to what I knew for sure. Likely, her intrusion into my mind was the result of her orders, and her persistence despite the horrors of the Crucible was a testament to how seriously she took her orders. Or how scared she was of Merk.
Her glossing over of the life of a devil wasn't worth challenging yet, but there was one comment that caught my attention.
“This famous relative of yours. Who is she?”
Lily didn't answer, but she held eye contact to make it clear she was listening.
“I can force the answer if you won't offer it yourself.”
Even with my threat, she still refused to talk. Was it loyalty? That wouldn't align with her earlier claim that familial ties meant nothing to her.
“Do you owe them something?”
“That knowledge could lead to my painful death. Use the command seal if you want, I won't talk.”
She smiled at me, a defiant glint in her eyes.
I regretted threatening to use the seal, as I wasn’t really going to torture her over something so trivial, and now it would carry less weight if I bluffed in the future.
“Merk knew who you were before he captured you, right? Wouldn't it make sense to assume he is the same as the others who were trying to get to your relative?”
“Yeah, I'm sure he has some kind of plan related to that, but he has never once asked me about them. Everything I have done for him could have been accomplished by any other devil, really.”
I was hoping that line of enquiry might shed some light on Merk, maybe even present a weakness that could be exploited for my safety should I become his target in the future.
“He mentioned the primordials to me as well, in a way that implied he knew about them well. What did you tell him?”
“Just what I overheard you say yourself. I don't know anything about them beyond that myself.”
That would mean Merk already had some level of understanding about them. This led to my next question.
“I mentioned Ada back then. Did you pass that information on as well?”
“Of course. Everything I know, he knows.”
But that happened almost two months ago, and I had met Ada since then. She seemed well and mentioned nothing about having her cover exposed at the time. Did Merk not care about her motives? Or did he already know and simply saw no reason to intervene?
My head began to ache. There was just too much to keep track of, and the fact that Lily's idle curiosity was what led to me being exposed to some kind of spymaster was enough to make me cringe.
Lily… that name raised another series of questions.
“Lily of Ashenport was just a cover, right? So what's your real name?”
She smiled again, though this one was closer to her usual mischievous grin.
“Curious? Unfortunately, a name holds strong meaning to a devil. I won't be revealing it that easily.”
I exhaled through my nose and looked away, my irritation evident.
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“What did you expect? It's not like you've told me your real name either.”
Silence.
I don't know what expression had claimed my exposed face, but Lily shifted uncomfortably under my gaze.
“My name is Rex.”
I stated it firmly.
“...see? We're both keeping secrets.”
She tried to stand and leave, but my hand grasped her wrist before she could flee.
“What do you mean? Who am I if not Rex Jaeger?”
My voice was cold as ice, even I felt unnerved by it
“Do you really not know?”
Lily seemed perturbed by my behaviour, but I didn’t care in that moment.
“Speak plainly.”
I pushed her to answer.
“Names are power. Just knowing someone's true name allows a devil a level of influence over them. In my case, the effects are minimal, but I can at least read a person's emotions, no matter how well they hide them. But I can't do that with Merk, or with you. Whatever name you feel defines you, it isn't Rex.”
That statement hit me hard. I considered giving her my original name, the one I lived with back on earth.
But I didn't. I couldn't.
What if her answer remained the same?
“I am Rex Jaeger.”
I repeated it and loosened my grip on Lily's arm.
“And I am Lily of Ashenport. Let's enjoy ourselves as usual, ‘kay?”
She skipped away, returning to her usual self and leaving me alone.
I felt nothing even after repeating my name. But as nobody else was around, I repeated myself, changing only the name spoken.
“I am…”
The name stuck in my throat. Try as I might, I could not finish the sentence.
“I am myself.”
That felt better. It felt more natural.
A soft feeling of approval rose from the depths of my soul, and it was echoed by another, darker will.
“ are ourselves.”
I muttered my conclusion, aware of how insane I must appear. However, that final statement brought a sense of finality.
Rex Jaeger was an identifier. But it was not me. The man who died on earth had nothing to prove his existence anymore, besides the memories of his life. What I was could not be defined by either life.
I stood silently and walked into the dormhouse, looking over each of the masks I had stored away for future use. I chose one that covered only the upper half of my face and let the smooth, polished wood obscure my vision.
My breathing, which had at some point quickened, immediately settled down.
“
The spell imbued in the mask activated, and suddenly I could see straight through the wood, with a clarity that even an avian therian would envy.
Well, that's an exaggeration. But it sure sounded better than saying 'it made me see real good'.
My mood brightened as I chuckled inwardly at my own thoughts. I had a petting zoo to manage.
***
Another successful day passed, and the chamite crew had gathered in the main room. We hadn't had a full house meeting since our first day. It was questionable whether even that counted, considering Zachariah and Bridgit spent most of it outside to avoid Axel.
“This is wholly unnecessary.”
Fleur commented from my side.
“Tomorrow is your last day, it's only natural we would want to send you off with a celebration.”
I responded. She hadn't told many people about her departure, and those who did know weren't given much notice to prepare anything grand, but Oliver had surprised us all with this last-minute party he put together. He only learned about this last night, when Axel mentioned it.
He had enchanted a banner to explode into glittering lights on command, which he prematurely triggered when I entered with Lily, much to his dismay. Beyond that, there weren't any decorations, but there were snacks and plenty of food ready and waiting on serving trays.
“This looks familiar.”
Fleur looked down at the tray of skewered meats.
“They're all from the different food stalls. They're good, but much better fresh. You should try some tomorrow before you leave if these leftovers don't appeal to you.”
“Hm. Perhaps.”
She turned away. I had no doubt she wouldn't be touching any of the food, so I picked up the tray and began serving the others.
Despite being the guest of honour, Fleur followed me around without engaging much with the others. Her attention was even more intense than usual, but she wasn't saying anything to explain her behaviour.
“Back off bitch, he's mine.”
Axel slid between us and threw his arm around me, grasping a handful of skewers that immediately disappeared into his void of a mouth.
“Ah. Your romantic union explains why my own chastity has gone unchallenged despite my superior looks. Is this why neither of you have expressed interest in such a prime candidate for continuing your bloodlines?”
Fleur spoke in a dry tone, and her expression was as unreadable as always.
“...huh?”
Guy, who had approached to get his own serving, looked at her like an alien species.
“She's calling us gay.”
I answered.
“Oh. Oooohh. Oh?”
His expression shifted multiple times, as if he had come to some kind of understanding. Whatever it was, he was definitely wrong.
“I am, of course, joking.”
Fleur added, still as stoic as always.
“How juvenile to use that as an insult.”
I pushed back, trying to frame her as a terrible person for fun.
“You consider homosexuality an insult? I see…”
She reversed it beautifully.
“I can't be associated with a .”
Axel withdrew his arm and looked down at me with faux disgust.
“Can you idiots stop being idiots for a moment and bring the food over here?”
Paris rolled her eyes and beckoned me over. Or more accurately, she beckoned the food tray.
The two of us still had yet to exchange more than two words with one another, which was almost impressive considering our regular proximity.
She took a skewer, sharply pulled all the meat off with her teeth, and began idly twirling the empty skewer between her fingers. The series of movements were all so sinister, and there was a clear impatience dwelling beneath the surface that caused me to pay her extra attention that night.
I had no suspicions about her specifically, but with me on high alert and knowing that this academy had already harboured one spy, I was being extra cautious.
“Chapu! C'mere!”
Lily called me back to the kitchen area, so I left the tray on the table for the others.
Fleur was still close behind me, but she suddenly tripped into Oliver and became tangled in his stuttering apologies.
I didn't fail to notice the dark tendril that was sinking back into Fleur's shadow.
“What's up?”
I joined Lily and kept my voice low, assuming this was meant for my ears only.
“Paris is a person of interest. I checked her out at the start of the year, lots of holes in her past if you catch my drift.”
Lily spoke quickly and softly, then handed me another plate of food.
“Who wants dessert?”
She shouted, and was answered by a cheering room.
“You'll be fine, but make sure anyone who touched the skewers takes one of these. They contain a stimulant that wards off poison.”
She added that last part quietly and sent me off to act as a serving boy yet again.
The night that was meant for celebration and good times instead became a stressful game of trying to keep track of both Lily and Paris, the two most competent stealth experts present.
It only became more frustrating when my attentive behaviour was misconstrued as a sexual advance.
“Look all you want, but I'll castrate you if you touch.”
Paris whispered into my ear with a predatory grin as she caught me once again looking her way. My mask hid my eyes, but unfortunately, that just made her think I was perving on her. I probably resembled the kind of creep who would wear sunglasses at an indoor pool.
Was it because they were all hormonal teenagers? Why was everyone's first instinct to assume everything was somehow sexual in nature?
Well, under the circumstances, it was convenient for me.
“Alright. I'll keep looking then.”
I responded, no longer hiding the fact that I was watching her.
The night dragged on, but at no point did I catch anything suspicious. The others seemed to be extra active after eating Lily’s cupcakes, but I found no trace of poison in any of the food to warrant her caution. I began to question whether Lily had just drugged everyone for no reason other than her own amusement.
By the end of it, my efforts had only awarded me a stiff neck and a headache. As well as a gaggle of rambunctious teens who were either challenging one another to a duel (Axel and Bridgit), clumsily flirting (Oliver), or enjoying the show and trying to make everything worse (everyone else).
It was difficult to remain on alert when I really just wanted to unwind and join in on the fun, but maybe it was because they were having such a good time that I didn't want something to ruin the moment.
“Rex. May I speak to you in private?”
Fleur approached me again. It wouldn't be a problem if she hadn't just walked away from Oliver while he was partway through offering her a homemade Receiving Sash.
It was akin to having your crush talk over you as you're trying to exchange numbers, just so she can call out to some other guy. Poor kid.
“Can it wait?”
I tried pushing her back to Oliver.
“No. I may lose my nerve if it is not said now.”
“Ngh…”
Oliver made a weird noise upon hearing that.
“You need to work on your phrasing… The others will misunderstand your intentions. Whatever, let's go.”
I led her to Soot’s pen.
“So? What can't wait until Olly confesses his feelings?”
“He is of no interest to me. His advances are neither flattering nor welcome.”
“Holy shit… I thought you were just dense. This is actually worse, you’re heartless.”
“Reproduction holds much greater value for elves than humans. For a romance to bloom between me and any human, they must be worth diverging my family tree of purebloods into a particularly sturdy branch. Axel would be acceptable, but I doubt his ability to remain faithful.”
“Alright, enough of that topic. What do you want?”
I quickly shut her down before some eavesdropping, lovesick fool could overhear this tragic revelation.
“My brother has extended to you an invitation to our commune. I would like you to accompany me and share your knowledge with my family. There are many there who would be eager to learn from you.”
That certainly was not what I had been expecting to hear.
“Is this why you've been following me around all afternoon?”
She nodded.
“What do you expect me to teach exactly? Shapeshifting?”
“. We have determined that you have genuinely revived this forbidden art and wish to examine it in detail. We have learnt from our ancestors, and swear not to attempt using it ourselves, but the knowledge must be recorded for our descendants.”
I hoisted myself onto the fence and sat down, considering her offer seriously.
“It’s tempting… could I just visit occasionally or something?”
“Brother requested you remain there as a permanent guest. You won't be able to return here.”
“What? That's practically imprisonment.”
I protested.
“He was clear on this point. He said you would be offered every luxury he could provide, and you could move more freely with a companion after some time, but dropping out of the academy was non-negotiable.”
“Then my answer is no.”
She looked at me quietly for a moment before responding.
“That is understandable, but disappointing regardless. I wished to see how your stirring soul would evolve with my own eyes…”
“...You've been told you can't return here, haven't you?”
Perhaps it was thanks to , or maybe I had just gotten better at reading her expressions. Either way, I felt she was certain in her belief that we would never cross paths again after she left.
“Yes. Brother has been… odd lately. His soul is as a treacherous current, eager to pull something beneath the waves and crush it beneath his weight.”
“Eloquently put. You don’t know what he plans to do?”
“No. Perhaps he simply wants to expand out territory, maybe wipe out the lesser races from the forest.”
If that means fighting the Blood Thunderers, I should probably try and steer them away from that course.
“Gotrut won’t take kindly to that. If your brother wants more territory, he had better look in the opposite direction.”
“Would you take their side if we were to make enemies of them?”
“Yes. They’re still valuable assets to me.”
I made my position clear.
“...Let us hope that is not my brother’s intention then.”
“Yeah.”
A moment of awkward silence followed.
“If that’s all, let’s head back inside.”
I hopped off the fence and gestured for her to go ahead first.
As she nodded and left me alone with Soot, I spoke over my shoulder while eying the wall that separated the Verdant Divide from Borderton.
“Defend the den.”
Soot snorted in acknowledgement.
