The entrance exams for the Royal Academy were set to begin in earnest six months from now, and that was a serious problem.
In the game, Amael never fully awakened. He was said to possess the bloodline of the fifth demon, Azareth, and right now I couldn't make use of that power because of the seal placed on me. Nobody liked a demon, and even less so someone carrying their bloodline, though it wasn't exactly rare since people still awakened it from time to time.
The real issue was the specific bloodline I had awakened. Azareth was the demon said to have wiped the once-great kingdom of Luimon Relelious out of existence, and that terrified people, especially since bloodline holders sometimes became avatars. On top of that, there was another reason demon bloodlines were so feared, and it was a well-known fact that those who wielded such power mostly ended up corrupted, losing control of themselves entirely.
All of that cast a shadow over my plans of attending the academy. Only the awakened were allowed in, not because unawakened people were forbidden, but because they couldn't pass the entrance examinations. I wasn't fully awakened, and the seal made sure it stayed that way.
But I couldn't stay here for long. I really couldn't.
In the game, on the very day of this coming-of-age ceremony, the Dark Church made contact with Amael. Given the state I was in right now, I doubted I could refuse the offer they gave him. If I tried, they would forcibly take me and brainwash me into joining their side.
I stepped out of the bathroom and into the enormous bedroom that was obviously Amael's. There was a large plush bed at the center of the room, adorned with opulent decor and intricately woven patterns. A wide wardrobe at the far end was finished with a smooth white coating and ornate golden handles, and stools and tables with matching designs were arranged throughout the room, though I wasn't in any mood to appreciate the luxury. My mind was too busy searching for a way out of this situation.
I sat down on the bed and let myself sink into it, briefly tempted to just sleep and deal with everything later, but the situation was too pressing to ignore. Logically, the easiest path would have been to accept the Dark Church's offer and let them aid in my awakening, since they'd still send me to infiltrate the academy anyway. But that awakening came with a severe downside, because I'd be bound to their cursed god by contract, and if that happened, I could say goodbye to any free will I had left.
That left me with one option, which was escaping to another duchy. I already had a place in mind, and that was Reinheth, the headquarters of the Guardian's guild. It was heavily safeguarded, and there was a real chance I wouldn't be found there. The problem was logistics, because I had no money for anything.
Since the day of his awakening, Amael had been treated like a plague and shunned by everyone except Christina, and he had kept pushing even her away because of the deep loathing he felt for everything and everyone around him. I needed to do something, but I wasn't sure what. Even if it seemed like no one was watching me, that was far from true. I was under heavy surveillance because I was still the holder of a demon's bloodline.
I collapsed back onto the bed and stared upward for a moment before sitting up again.
Today was Damian's coming-of-age ceremony. There wasn't a better day to escape than this one, and if I didn't make it out today, I probably never would.
I got up and walked to the door, then stopped before touching the handle. I crouched down and looked underneath it, and I could see the shadows of guards on the other side. They were making sure I didn't step out. I clicked my tongue and turned back toward the wardrobe. If I remembered correctly, there should be a ring somewhere in this room.
I searched everywhere and found nothing, turning the room upside down and emptying the wardrobe completely. I wasn't even sure he still had it, but I hoped he did. In his biography there had been a mention of a shared promise with someone, and that ring represented that promise. It didn't have any special qualities aside from its spatial properties, and Amael had apparently kept it somewhere safe, though where that was, I had no idea.
After tearing through everything, I stopped and sat down to think clearly. Then I noticed the portrait on the wall. It was a picture of a group of children standing together, except every single face had been ripped out.
I walked over and took it down, and without overthinking it, I smashed it against the floor. It seemed like a clue, so I went with it. One of the wooden frames cracked apart, and the picture came loose, and there it was underneath.
The ring.