Chapter 255: Chapter 255 : A heinous Crime

Edward’s expression instantly twisted into dread as the ground beneath him trembled.

Undead… dozens of them began to rise from the floor, their hollow sockets glowing with a faint, malevolent hue. Even without moving, the sheer power radiating from them was suffocating.

’Impossible… the aura… it’s too strong for mere undead.’

As Edward laid eyes on the grotesque beings, his face darkened. He immediately released Alex, stepping back cautiously. But the undead didn’t move. They stood eerily still, motionless, as if waiting for something.

’Why aren’t they attacking? What’s going on?’

And then—a voice echoed through the chamber, low and ancient, shaking the air itself.

“You’ve made the right choice, human.”

It was Azrael.

“I can sense your strength… at least by the standards of this low-class world. But understand this—if you and I clash here, this place will be reduced to rubble. Thousands of lives will be lost in mere seconds. Are you willing to risk all of that?”

Edward’s pupils shrank. He clenched his fists.

’This man… no, this demon. He’s not bluffing. Even if I gave it everything I had… I’m not sure I could win. And he’s right. If we fought, every student in this academy would die a meaningless death.’

Suddenly, Edward’s senses flared—multiple powerful auras surged toward the room. A moment later, the heavy doors shattered inward.

Duke Arthur Williams, Duke Reynard von Crestvale, Marquis Liam Starlight, Marquis Augustus Sinclair, and Swordmaster Marcus Reed—all Transcendent-rank powerhouses—stormed inside.

Their eyes widened in horror as they froze mid-step. Every hair on their body stood up, goosebumps crawling across their skin.

They saw him.

Azrael.

The being standing before them radiated an aura none of them had ever felt before—an darker blend of death.

Without hesitation, they began to charge their attacks—

“Stop!”

Edward’s voice thundered through the room, halting them in their tracks.

“Don’t attack! This is no ordinary demon. If you fight him now, the lives of all the students here will be in danger!”

At that everyone exchanged shocked glances.

Meanwhile, Alex stood up slowly, raising his hand nervously.

“Hey… at least give me a second to explain myself…”

But Duke Arthur’s gaze locked onto Alex. His voice was like thunder.

“Did you summon this demon, boy?!”

Alex opened his mouth. “Yes, but I didn—”

He didn’t get to finish.

In a flash, Arthur was in front of him, sword drawn, aiming straight for Alex’s neck.

“Then there’s nothing to explain. You’ve committed a heinous crime—!”

The blade came within inches of Alex’s throat.

Alex’s eyes narrowed.

’You guys just don’t want to listen, huh? I don’t care anymore. Deadass… do whatever you want.’

Suddenly, a cold wind surged.

A corpse rose from the floor, slashing clean through Duke Arthur’s sword arm.

Blood sprayed into the air.

Arthur barely registered what happened before another undead emerged behind him—this one aiming directly for his heart.

Edward moved to intervene—

“Take another step, and countless will die in exchange for his life,” Azrael said flatly, his tone more dangerous than any sword.

Edward stopped instantly.

The undead’s claw was inches from Arthur’s chest, ready to pierce his heart—

“Stop!” Alex’s voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

The undead froze.

Silence blanketed the room.

Arthur now stood face-to-face with Alex, their eyes locked.

His breath trembled.

His expression twisted in horror.

’If he had hesitated even a second… It would’ve been too late.’

Seeing the undead retreat, Alex finally allowed a slight smile to creep onto his face.

“Now Mr.Duke why dont you go back and stand beside them… just like before.”

Arthur, still in a daze, said nothing. Sweat beaded his forehead as he stared at the severed stump where his hand used to be. He bent down silently, picked up his bloodied hand, and backed away slowly—standing beside Duke Reynard, his pride shattered and his body trembling.

The room remained tense, until—

Boom!

The doors blasted open once more, and a blur of silver and violet shot through like a bolt of lightning.

This time, it was Alyssa Vega.

She didn’t even glance at the others. Her eyes locked onto Alex, and without hesitation, she bolted toward him.

Azrael instinctively shifted to block—but one sharp glare from Alex stopped him cold.

Azrael froze mid-step.

Alex didn’t even speak—he just stared.

Understanding the silent command, Azrael stepped back and sat casually on the couch again, resting his head on his hand like he was watching a stage play.

Meanwhile, Alyssa wrapped Alex in a tight hug.

“My boy… are you alright?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Alex let out a long breath and gave her a small nod. ’She really does act like a mom sometimes…’

Then, as the hug broke, he looked toward Arthur and smirked.

“That golden-haired dude tried to kill me a minute ago.”

Alyssa’s entire demeanor darkened.

Her head turned slowly toward Arthur.

“What did I tell you all before?” she said in a dangerously low voice. “No one lays a finger on him.”

Arthur’s breath caught in his throat. He tried to speak—

But Edward stepped forward, interrupting.

“Mentor… you’re forgetting something. Look over there.”

Alyssa turned.

Her eyes landed on Azrael.

And for the first time since arriving, her calm wavered. Her pupils shrank. Her instincts screamed danger. Without thinking, she stepped in front of Alex and shielded him with her arm.

Her tone was sharp and demanding.

“What the hell is going on here, Edward?! What is a demon doing here—one that powerful?!”

Edward sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That’s what I’m still trying to figure out. But mentor… your disciple is the one who summoned him.”

Alyssa inhaled sharply.

She turned to Alex, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Tell me he’s lying.”

Alex didn’t respond. He looked away, his expression unreadable.

Alyssa’s mouth twitched as she let out a long, slow sigh. She didn’t press further.

Meanwhile, Azrael chuckled under his breath as he lounged on the couch.

’Let’s see, contractor… how you handle this little storm.’

But then—Alex’s voice rang out again, louder this time, calm but commanding.

“Listen carefully. I’ll say this once.”

Everyone turned to him.

“I came here today to summon a spirit. It was supposed to be a standard ritual under the supervision of Professor Rick Colesan—my master in rune arts.”

He paused. The pain in his eyes was evident.

“But someone manipulated him… using his dead daughter. They promised that a high ranking demon can bring her back… if he succeeded in summoning a high-ranking demon.”

He pointed toward Azrael.

“And so, this guy was summoned. Not by my intention—but through that corrupted ritual.”

His voice dropped, sorrow etched in his face.

“And… Professor Rick died during the ritual.”

Gasps echoed through the chamber.

But then Arthur sneered, his voice full of suspicion.

“And how do we know you didn’t kill Professor Rick yourself to cover your tracks?”

Before Alex could even open his mouth—

“He’s telling the truth.”

All heads turned.

Charlotte Evans Avaloria was awake.

She sat up slowly, clutching her head, her voice weak but firm.

“I… I saw everything. I witnessed the whole event from the moment it began. Everything Alex said… it’s the truth.”

Edward’s eyes widened. “Charlotte!”

He rushed to her side and, without warning, hugged her tightly.

Charlotte stiffened in surprise.

’Father…? He’s… hugging me?’

The emotion in Edward’s face was raw as he pulled back slightly.

“You’re not hurt anywhere, right?”

Charlotte slowly nodded.

“I’m fine. Just… a headache. But Father…” she looked at him earnestly. “Alex is innocent. All of this… was Professor Rick’s doing.”

Edward ran a hand through his hair and sighed deeply.

He looked at Alex, eyes narrowed.

’What the hell… this kid brings one problem after another…’

—-

Suddenly, another voice echoed through the hall—deep, calm, and commanding.

It was Headmaster Aldric Verlane.

“I can confirm everything Princess Charlotte has said,” he announced, stepping into view.

The hall fell silent again as everyone turned toward the approaching figure of the Headmaster. His long robes flowed behind him, and magical seals glimmered faintly along his cuffs of the coat.

“Earlier today, I had the investigation team search Professor Rick Colesan’s private chambers. What we found leaves no room for doubt.”

He raised a hand, and a series of artifacts floated around him—blackened scrolls, ritual daggers, and summoning crystals still pulsing faintly with dark energy.

“All of these were hidden within concealed compartments. Demon summoning runes, forbidden magic scrolls, sacrificial tools… evidence beyond argument. The professor was clearly preparing for this summoning long before today.”

A heavy silence fell upon all of them.

Even Arthur clenched his jaw, unable to deny the facts any longer.

Headmaster Aldric turned to King Edward and bowed his head solemnly.

“Your Majesty… as Headmaster of this academy, I offer my deepest apologies. A professor under my command has committed a grievous crime—one that may affect not just our academy, but the empire itself.”

Edward’s expression remained hard, but he gave a slow nod. “Your apology is noted, Headmaster.”

Meanwhile, Alex leaned toward Alyssa and whispered into her ear.

“Is the situation really that bad?”

Alyssa didn’t miss a beat—she pulled on his ear sharply, making him flinch.

“Of course it’s that bad, you trouble-making brat,” she hissed in a low voice. “Demon summoning goes against the very laws of the every kingdom and Empire. It’s classified as a heinous-level crime. And soon… the holy empire of Celestara will know.”

Alex blinked. “Wait—what?”

“And when they do,” Alyssa continued, her tone now serious, “the Holy Church will start hunting you down. Summoning a demon could break the diplomatic balance between our kingdom and the Holy Empire.”

Alex’s face drained of color.

He gulped hard, muttering, ’Damn it, Rick… that crazy old man is probably enjoying himself in that illusion right now, while I’m getting buried under the mess he left behind.’

He turned a sharp glance toward Azrael, who was still lounging on the couch, seemingly entertained by the chaos.

’You useless system… why isn’t this guy weakening at all? Aren’t the universal restrictions supposed to be binding him?’

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[How would I know? But this is strange… it’s the law of every universe. I wonder what’s happening.]

Before Alex could respond mentally, Edward stepped forward again.

“Listen, we all understand that demon summoning is a crime. But Alex was tricked. We can’t put the entire blame on him. Our main concern now… is the Holy Empire of Celestara. That much demonic energy… there’s no doubt they’ve already sensed it.”

He looked around the room, his voice steady but urgent.

“They’ll come here—demanding answers. And we must prepare a response… quickly.”

Then, his gaze fell on Alex.

“Until we can confirm that you can fully control the abomination you’ve summoned… you will be kept under our watch.”

Alex opened his mouth to protest, but Alyssa’s sharp glare stopped him mid-sentence.

“…Alright,” he muttered, “I accept.”

Edward nodded, then turned toward Azrael.

“And now the real problem… Demons cannot be trusted. We have no cell strong enough to contain a being like him. We must find a way—”

“When,” Azrael’s voice cut in, “did I ever say I would comply with your requests?”

The air grew heavy.

Instantly, weapons were drawn, spells prepared, and the nobles readied themselves to attack.

But Alex raised his hands.

“Alright, alright! I summoned him—so I’ll take responsibility.”

He stepped forward, brushing past Alyssa who tried to stop him.

Unflinching, he walked up to Azrael, his gaze unwavering.

“Listen. Do as I say.”

Azrael’s eyes gleamed for a moment.

“Contractor,” he said coolly, “I will comply with you. But I am not your slave.”

Alex murmured under his breath, “We’ll see about that…”

Just as Azrael opened his mouth to respond—

A sudden burst of light surrounded him.

Chains—dozens of glowing ethereal chains—began to materialize out of thin air, wrapping around his limbs, chest, neck, and wings.

Azrael’s expression twisted.

“What… is this?”

His strength started to drain.

“No… not again…this feeling of weakness i hate it.”

A deep groan escaped his throat as his knees buckled.

The undead he had summoned dispersed into nothing, vanishing like ash in the wind.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as Azrael collapsed to one knee.

Alex’s eyes widened.

’What’s happening?!’

[Host,] the system replied, [the restrictions are finally taking hold. The contract is stabilizing according to your strength.]

But it wasn’t over.

Azrael’s skin began to peel and burn away—his flesh evaporating, revealing bone beneath.

“No… no… this can’t be happening!” Azrael screamed internally.

’Not again… not like last time…’

His vision began to fade.

But then—warmth.

A soft, radiant light flowed into him.

The last thing Azrael saw before everything went black… was Alex, transmitting his own life force directly into his body.

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