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Chapter 78: No-nonsense Attitude
Chapter 78: No-nonsense Attitude
Warlock Ch 78. No-nonsense Attitude
Damian met his gaze and nodded, gripping the bag tightly. "Got it," he said.
Cassius gave a curt nod, and for a moment, Damian thought he might say something more. But Cassius's expression remained stony, unreadable.
Damian hesitated, waiting in case Cassius had another instruction. Better to stand there like a cautious student than to turn his back too soon—Cassius had the energy of a grumpy, old-school teacher, and Damian wasn't about to risk annoying him further. But the stare Cassius leveled at him said it all.
"What are you waiting for?" Cassius said, his tone half-irritated. "Go home now. You know where the exit is, right?"
"I know where the exit is," Damian replied, his voice steady. "Thanks for teaching me today." He turned without waiting for an answer, letting out a long exhale as he walked toward the door. His legs were aching, his shoulders tight, and his mind swimming with questions.
The truth was, he didn't know what to make of Cassius. One second, he was barking orders, cold and condescending, and the next… Damian had caught glimpses of something different, a flicker of protectiveness that didn't match the hardened exterior Cassius wore like armor. But every time Damian thought he was getting somewhere, Cassius snapped back into his usual self, dismissing him with that piercing stare.
He stepped into the main hallway and couldn't help but think back to his old boss in the Nullis world. 'I miss my ex-boss,' he thought ruefully.
At least back then, he had someone who wouldn't shout at him every five minutes, or look like they were barely tolerating his presence. His ex-boss had been patient, steady—a contrast to Cassius's cold, no-nonsense attitude. The training with Cassius felt like an unrelenting series of challenges, each one designed to push him harder, faster, beyond anything he'd thought possible. And as much as he resented the constant tension, he had to admit that he was learning faster than ever.
A soft rustle pulled him from his thoughts as a shadow servant appeared beside him, moving smoothly to open the front door. Damian paused, nodding in thanks. "Appreciate it," he murmured, surprised at how natural it felt to thank a shadow creature. The figure dipped its head slightly, and Damian stepped outside, greeted by the crisp, cool evening air.
The sky was a hazy blue streaked with orange and pink, the last rays of sunlight stretching across the horizon. He let out a long breath. The walk home would give him time to think, to process everything he'd learned—not just about magic, but about Cassius as well.
He walked. His mind wandered back to the training session. 'Weird,' he thought. 'No matter how rough the training gets, I never end up hurt.' The realization hit him suddenly. The drills had been grueling, pushing him to the edge, with dodges and attacks that could've easily taken him out if he slipped up. And yet, here he was, a little bruised and sore but intact.
Sure, there were minor injuries—a few scratches, the occasional bruise from tripping or falling. But nothing life-threatening. It was strange, really, given how intense the training had been. He was almost certain that if anyone else had trained him this hard, he'd be sporting a broken bone or two by now.
'Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions,' he thought, brushing it off. After all, it was only his second day, and he knew better than to assume he'd gotten a full understanding of Cassius. But still… there were little signs, things he'd noticed here and there that made him wonder if Cassius's harshness was just a cover. Like the way Cassius's hand would twitch when Damian was close to failing a dodge, the flicker of readiness in his eyes as if he were prepared to cast a spell to intervene. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but it had been there.
He shook his head, smiling to himself. 'Can't blame him for being grumpy, I guess. He's been alone for who knows how long. That would make anyone difficult to deal with.'
The thought lingered, and Damian found himself feeling something close to sympathy. Cassius wasn't obligated to take him on as an apprentice. If anything, accepting Damian felt like more of a burden than a benefit to him. Cassius had all the power, knowledge, and experience he could ever need—servants at his disposal, access to a vast library, not to mention the skill to summon shadows who could do anything a living servant could. What did Cassius need him for?
The answer, it seemed, was nothing at all.
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the figure in front of him until it was too late. He bumped into her with a soft thud, and they both stepped back in surprise.
"Sorry," he said quickly, feeling a bit flustered. He hadn't even seen her coming.
The girl, however, waved it off with a polite smile. "It's okay. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going either," she replied, her voice calm and friendly.
Something about that voice made him pause. It wasn't Evelyn's voice, nor did it belong to that vampire woman he'd met recently, but it still carried a haunting familiarity. His heartbeat quickened. He looked up, studying her face.
The girl looked about his age, with a warm and open expression, her eyes bright and inquisitive. She had silver hair, half-tied back in a casual but elegant style that framed her face. But it wasn't just her friendly smile or the simple shirt, outer jacket, skirt, and leggings she wore that made him freeze. It was the color of her hair—the exact same silver as the woman he'd seen in his dream.
'You only bring calamity.'
The woman's warning from his dream echoed in his head. And here, standing right in front of him, was a girl with a voice and hair color eerily similar to the figure that had haunted his sleep. Every instinct he had screamed at him to back away, to put distance between himself and this girl before something happened.