Chapter 253
Oliver had surveyed the area thoroughly in the meantime, and contrary to his expectations, it was truly barren, with only a few people remaining in this place.
A strange emptiness settled in his chest as he took in the desolate surroundings. “What has happened?” he muttered, realizing that things were not as simple as they seemed.
He had expected them to have a decent force stationed here, especially since they had been observing him. However, there was no sign of any organized force.
“How are they even calling themselves a rebellion in the demon lands with such low numbers?”
Something was definitely happening behind the scenes.
It was too strange. From his knowledge, there should have been forces maintaining vigilance in case demons discovered them and attacked.
A faint prickle of unease ran down his spine. It was possible the others were out on missions, but that alone didn’t account for the oddities. The man from before, the so-called chef—everything pointed to something being amiss.
How had the man trusted him so easily? He claimed to have been observing them for days, but Oliver hadn’t sensed anything unusual.
Oliver had never revealed himself or his aura. So how could the man be so sure he was human and not a demon hiding under a cloak?
Their certainty about his identity felt deliberate and premeditated, like a carefully rehearsed script.
“No, something’s definitely wrong…”
Oliver felt an uneasiness staying here for long. The very air seemed to thicken around him, pressing on his instincts to leave. He couldn’t pinpoint the cause, but he wasn’t foolish enough to dig deeper.
He decided to leave this place as soon as possible.
Unknowingly, he returned to the tents where the others were. Outside his tent, he spotted the little black-haired girl standing, seemingly waiting for him.
Her face lit up when she saw him, a spark of hope in her eyes that softened the tension in his chest.
Raising an eyebrow, he walked toward her.
“Mister!” she called out, running up to him.
Though there wasn’t a significant height difference between them, she still considered him older and addressed him accordingly. He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of amusement—it was rare for anyone to treat him as an adult. It made him feel slightly better about his age.
“What is it?” he asked.
“First, I wanted to thank you for helping me and the others—saving us from the demons’ execution and then guiding us here.” She bowed deeply, her gratitude sincere.
“It’s fine. You all just happened to be there, and helping you didn’t derail my plans much.”
“Still, it doesn’t change the fact that you saved us,” she whispered, hesitating as if she had more to say.
Oliver noticed this and waited patiently. He could tell she wanted to speak further.
“Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you,” she began hesitantly.
“Hmm?”
“Can I…”
“Can you?” he encouraged.
“Can I… become your student!?”
“…”
Oliver stared at her, speechless. The sincerity in her eyes caught him off guard. Her gaze was intense, almost pleading, yet filled with an unmistakable determination. Her request was unexpected.
He observed her closely, noting the determination in her eyes.
‘I can sense a burning desire in her gaze.’
Oliver felt the need to say it to himself when his eyes met hers.
It was almost inspiring, that fierce resolve in someone so young. It was a bit dramatic, but it sounded good in his head.
“Why would you say that?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I want to become… stronger,” she replied, nervously fiddling with her fingers.
“You can grow stronger by joining the Exorcist Faction. But first, you need the basic talent to sense espera. You must’ve heard of espera, given your time with the demons,” he explained.
“How do I sense espera?” she asked eagerly.
“Hmm. It’s usually a natural process—maybe through meditation. Or someone with espera could regulate your espera channels, which would help you sense it more easily.”
“C-Can you do it for me!?” she asked, gathering her courage.
Oliver considered her request briefly before agreeing. “Sure. It’s not a big deal for me.”
“Really? Thank you, teacher!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up.
A slight chuckle escaped Oliver before he could stop himself. “What? When did I agree to become your teacher?” Oliver questioned, confused.
“But you… just taught me about espera. The demons always said knowledge isn’t free, and only a teacher imparts knowledge to their disciples for free,” she explained, equally puzzled.
That’s when Oliver realized she had spent most of her life among demons. She was likely an infant when they captured and enslaved her.
Her values and worldview had been shaped by demon society, where knowledge was precious and rarely given without cost.
This was never meant for her, a human, but after years of exposure, it had become her perspective.
The weight of her past suddenly became more tangible. She had learned about the world through a twisted lens, yet here she was, brave enough to ask for guidance.
‘Come to think of it, I never really put much thought to it but she’s quite incredible.’
Oliver recognized her mental resilience. Despite being raised by demons, she hadn’t developed the submissive, inferior personality of a slave.
She stood here, proud and unbroken, a spark of defiance shining in her eyes. Her personality was impressive. She had even encouraged others to protest against the demons’ injustices.
The demons must have tried to instill their ideology of demon superiority and human inferiority in her, yet she seemed unfazed when Oliver first met her.
Rather, she seemed determined to escape their oppression.
What drove her resilience?
Was it dissatisfaction with being treated differently, or something deeper?
Oliver’s curiosity grew. She was no ordinary child, that much was clear. Even if she had no abilities, her attitude did make him feel she was different from the ordinary folk.
After a moment, he said, “Alright, let’s do this.”
He pointed a finger at her. “I’ll accept you as my student if you have a talent that satisfies me. If not, I won’t accept you.”
“Yes!” she agreed enthusiastically. If she lacked talent, she wouldn’t bother him. She was prepared for that.
“Turn around. I’ll channel my espera into you. Don’t resist the sensation—focus on it and try to capture the essence of what you feel,” he instructed.
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