Seraphim

Upon Jules' words, the room became gloomier…

The Onyx Raven Vice-Guildmaster remained calm, replaying the situation in her mind, analyzing the possibilities of what could have occurred. Her next questions were based on what she didn't understand from those scenarios.

Before she could ask, Jules questioned, "Was it your guild that secretly organized that party to explore that Beyond? You knew about that Liquid beforehand, right?"

Kira Moon looked up at the black-haired, silver-eyed boy and nodded. "We did."

Jules frowned. "You top dogs really treat lives as nothing but tools to get what you want. A party of 23 people died because of your schemes. I would've been in the grave too if not for luck."

"We—" Kira Moon swallowed her words, then bowed slightly. "We are sorry. We intentionally mixed unaffiliated adventurers with those we groomed to trail outsiders… but the situation spiraled beyond our control. We lost people we invested heavily in. It was unforeseen."

'Just dying like that… truly sad.' Jules sighed inwardly and prayed to the dead gods on their behalf.

Looking back at him, Kira maintained a soft yet serious tone. "To prevent further unforeseen circumstances, I'd like to know exactly how everything played out. Can you brief me?"

Jules had always been observant. He could discern the Vice-Guildmaster's nature to a certain extent.

'Losing those people affected her. But was it attachment to them… or to their value?'

Keeping a calm surface, Jules' mind raced.

'Hard to understand… Still, she's not acting arrogantly, as if we're closer to equals. I believe… I believe she needs something from me—the drink.'

"Alright," Jules replied.

He explained everything he could.

After recounting the events—from encountering the party to discovering the drink in the Beyond—Kira Moon finally asked him to explain the end in detail.

Jules humbly complied.

He described how the party leader claimed the liquid, as expected. Everything was fine until they left the Beyond.

Mere breaths after exiting, they were ambushed. Worn out from their exploration, they couldn't defend themselves properly.

Five people died instantly in the first attack. The rest were cornered.

In that dire moment, the Party Leader created a distraction and ordered everyone to split up and flee.

Jules had been considering his options. 

He was low on mana, physically exhausted. 

He didn't know where to go—it was late, and no crowded places were open to hide in. He needed a naturally safe location.

Then, his thoughts were interrupted as the Party Leader ran up to him, pressed the Liquid into his hands, and gave him instructions.

Kira Moon's gaze sharpened. "What exactly did she say? Can you recall it?"

Jules put a finger to his lip, pondering. "I think she said:

'Run! Run and don't look back! Go to District 7, to the restaurant named Dark Nights. That's the safest place right now! I'll stall for you! Make sure they don't get that Liquid, or we're all doomed! Know that you're the best bet with that Liquid!'"

"Best bet with that Liquid…" Kira Moon softly repeated, causing Jules to pause. "Samantha said that… Things make more sense now."

'Come to think of it, the leader seemed to be the only one who truly knew what that Liquid was. She must've been close to the Party Leader. Was there a hidden message in her last words?' Jules wondered.

Standing up, Kira Moon stated, "I understand now. If I were to guess, you failed to reach the intended destination because you were weaker than Samantha expected."

Jules remained indifferent and looked at her blankly.

"No, forget that," Kira Moon corrected herself. "You were in the wrong location, detouring from your path. Did that drink do something to you?"

Jules' eye twitched. 'The drink clawed at me mentally, calling me to drink it. I lost control for a moment… How does she know?'

"Your reaction tells me I'm right."

Jules wore a weird smile, realizing he'd been figured out. "I guess so. It was also why I was forced to drink the Liquid you all coveted so much. You know the rest."

"So you gained abilities that elevated your strength," Kira Moon stated. "The abilities you got… a skill related to Seraphims, right?"

'How is she so sure?' Jules questioned internally before asking aloud, "How much did you guys know about that liquid?"

"Not much. But I know what you drank was the blood of a Seraphim."

Jules froze.

Kira Moon explained, "That blood granted you access to the abilities of the Seraphim it belonged to. You know about the Seraphims, right? The six beings who fought alongside God to protect this world—and others."

She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing.

"As far as we know, you are now technically an Heir to one of the six Seraphims. If you weren't chosen, you wouldn't have been able to drink that blood, let alone wield its power."

Jules knew what a Seraphim was. They were also called Archangels. Alongside the God of Earth, they fought the five Gods who sought to wreak havoc on mortal worlds.

It was said the Seraphims protected mortals from divine conflicts. Their origins were unknown. Some assumed they were like the Gods, while others believed the universe itself birthed them to counterbalance the Gods.

They were considered second only to the Gods—stronger than all mortals.

And now, Kira Moon was telling him that he had access to the abilities of such a being.

'How did this happen?'

The weight of the revelation pressed down on him like an unseen force. Every heartbeat echoed louder in his ears. He clenched his fists, grounding himself in the present.

"So what now?" Jules finally asked, his voice even, though his mind churned with possibilities.

Kira Moon studied him before replying, "That depends on what you intend to do next. You've stumbled upon something far greater than a mere expedition gone wrong. Whether you like it or not, you're involved in something much bigger."

Jules exhaled slowly. He had suspected that already. Still, hearing it confirmed made his reality feel heavier.

"I need time to think," he muttered.

Kira Moon nodded, standing up. "Then take it. But remember—there are those who will come after you for what you now possess. You're not just an adventurer anymore, Jules. You're a variable. And variables attract attention."

Jules remained silent as she left, the words settling in his mind like seeds of an uncertain future.