[Last night - Lillia POV]
In the smaller room, Lillia lay on the bed, sleeping peacefully. The night was quiet, almost unnaturally so. The moon shone through the window, its rays gently falling on her face. Her breathing was regular, her body relaxed, but something deep in her subconscious disturbed her. And then it happened.
The moment Mephisto began to form Kurai in his room, I opened my eyes sharply. It was as if my body was instinctively reacting to the sudden influx of extremely powerful mana. The air in the room changed. It became heavier. It was hard to breathe, as if something invisible was gripping me. I tried to sit up, but my muscles refused to obey. An invisible force surrounded me, paralyzing my body.
"What's wrong!? I can't breathe... such a concentration of dark mana..." a whisper escaped my lips. My heart began to beat faster, as if warning me of danger. My mind instantly switched to a state of alert. I felt fear, but not for myself. Fear for him. For Mephisto. Even though I knew the mana came from him, what I felt now was something else. Something unknown. Something that wouldn't let me think of anything but him.
I tried to sense my surroundings, to sense what was happening, what was causing this immense concentration of power I felt in the air. My instincts told me that this wasn't just ordinary magic, though the signature, the mana imprint, was clear. But there was something different, more dangerous. Darker. I could feel Mephisto's mana signature, but it wasn't the one I remembered. This was different, darker. Unimaginably powerful and dangerous.
My mind immediately began to analyze the situation, but even though I could feel it coming from his presence, I didn't think for a second that it could be his work. I had no idea that Mephisto had artificially created a new mana signature - the one I perceived before was only a faint imprint of his true power. The one I felt now was a part of him. And this part was incredibly dark, as if it held death within it. A signature of death that showed no hope.
I tried to move, to get to the door, but it was futile. It was as if an invisible barrier was pressing down on me. Yet I did not give up. With all the strength I had, I tried to brace my hands on the bed and move forward. I concentrated my mana to make myself stronger, but the pressure around me was relentless. As hard as I tried, my movement felt like a slow crawl, as if gravity itself was forcing me to stay in place.
"Someone will kill him!!! I have to get in there!" I repeated in my head, even though I knew that what I was feeling was his power. But what I felt was much darker and stronger than I had ever felt before.
When I finally crawled to the door, I felt a sudden change in my mana. It was as if the very essence of reality had been transformed. The darkness receded, and purity took its place. Light. I felt something divine, something beyond my comprehension. And yet... it was the same mana. His mana.
"This... this can't be..." I thought in shock. This was no ordinary magic. It was as if the god himself had descended into this world.
My mind was confused. I couldn't understand that these two extremes - absolute darkness and pure light - probably came from one and the same source. Mephisto. The boy I'd always seen as a younger brother. Maybe even a son. I always looked after him, even when he didn't seem to need it.
Then it came. The connection. Darkness and light became one. And the pressure it created was too much. I lost consciousness.
I woke up the next morning feeling confused. Was it real or just a dream? No sign of strong mana, no evidence that anything had happened. When I walked into the kitchen, my eyes immediately fell on Paul and Zenith. They were sitting at the table, calm, unsuspecting.
'Maybe it really was just a dream...' I thought to myself, trying to concentrate on my normal tasks.
Then Mephisto walked in. As soon as I saw him, my body froze. I watched him. His every move. Every hint of something unusual. And then I felt it. The faint remnant of a mana signature. It was barely noticeable, almost imperceptible. Only someone who focused on it would notice. And I did.
My heart nearly broke. I couldn't act rashly. I had to be sure. I waited for the right moment. After breakfast, I went to Mephisto's room. As soon as I entered, I didn't hesitate. I held him close to me in a tight embrace.
"Lillia, are you all right? Is something wrong?" His voice was so calm. So innocent. It brought tears to my eyes. He... he cared about me more than he cared about himself.
"I'm sorry... I'm just glad you're okay..." I said softly.
Mephisto looked at me in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"
I hesitated for a moment. Was I supposed to tell him? Should I have told him what I felt yesterday? But then I noticed his eyes. They were full of peace. And for the first time in a long time, I smiled genuinely.
"Last night I felt something completely incomprehensible... an energy of purity, as if God himself had descended into this world..."
Mephisto's gaze froze for a moment. And then I added: "But it wasn't the only thing. There was also a darkness, as if death had come to visit you..."
For a split second, I saw something in his eyes that I didn't like. Fear? Confusion? But within a moment his expression froze back into its usual neutral mask.
"Oh, sorry, I slept pretty soundly, so I don't recall anyone being here. Besides, if you felt something so strong, why didn't you come check on me?"
That gave me pause. He wasn't moving. He wasn't trying to be vague. He simply asked a question.
"I couldn't, I couldn't. The pressure was enormous...", I breathed and continued. "Still, I can't believe you're okay. I thought you had died. The power, all of it... it was like God was protecting you from death. I'm glad you're okay..."
I wiped my tears, but a thousand questions still swirled in my head. I paused in the doorway before leaving. I turned to him and said one last sentence, "God is on your side, cherish him, Mephisto. And be careful. I don't know if it was real or not, but I know it was the scariest thing I've ever felt..." And she left.
All day I couldn't stop thinking about what happened yesterday. Was it real? Or was my mind just playing tricks on my senses? I knew Mephisto was special, but this... this was something else. Something unnatural.
I went on with my daily duties, but my thoughts kept returning to one question. How is it possible that a child like Mephisto could do something like this? And if he really is so powerful, why is he hiding it? Was it fear? Or something else?
I always knew that Mephisto was different from the other children. From an early age, he showed unusual intelligence and strength. I knew that even though Rudeus spent hours studying magic, Mephisto's control of mana was on a whole other level.
But what had happened last night... it had gone beyond anything she'd ever thought possible. Darkness and light. Death and divine power. Could these two energies really come from one person?
After all, with his abilities, he could modify his own mana signature. Could it be possible that he could manipulate his own energy to such an extent that he could hide his true power from others? She had never heard of such a thing. But if anyone had the power to do it... it would be Mephisto.
And if that was true... what else was he hiding? I took a deep breath and looked out the window. The sun had already begun to sink towards the horizon and the sky was turning orange.
No. I can't let this go. I have to keep an eye on him. If Mephisto hides such power, he must have a reason. Whatever it was, I knew one thing.
Mephisto would never hurt the family.
And I was sure of that.