Bab 9: Aaron Cromwell

"I should get back..."

Currently, Ivan was at Ocryphia Academy, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world training Elite Exorcists. His presence here was an important part of his plan. He couldn't afford to drop his disguise or act recklessly until his objectives were met. And killing the Protagonist, Mordred, wasn't even his main goal.

In truth, Ivan didn't consider them a threat at all. He was far more powerful than Mordred, the main cast, and their allies. He was even stronger than the Headmistress herself, though she likely had no idea. But brute strength wasn't enough; he needed other things while he was here, and the academy held resources he couldn't afford to overlook.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"W–What...?"

Ivan turned, his black eyes locking onto the source of the sound. At the entrance of the restroom stood a fellow freshman, frozen in place. The moment their eyes met, the student went rigid, his face pale. Fear washed over him as an invisible weight seemed to press down on his body, suffocating, unbearable. He wanted to run, but his trembling legs refused to move.

—BAM!

Before the boy could blink, Ivan crossed the distance between them. His hand shot out, grabbing the student's throat and slamming him against the cold, tiled wall. The impact rattled the room, and a strangled cry of pain escaped the boy's lips.

"Aghhh!"

The student shook violently, his fear overwhelming him. A warm stain spread across his pants, but Ivan barely acknowledged it. He stared straight into the boy's wide, terrified eyes.

'He saw me.'

Ivan cursed himself. His moment of mental clarity had caused him to let down his guard. For a brief moment, he had dropped his disguise, revealing his true appearance—his true face as Ivan.

"You saw me." Ivan's voice was low. His black hair shifted, turning back to the dull brown of Leon Cromwell. His eyes, once a deep, consuming black, faded into the ordinary brown of his false identity.

As his disguise returned, so too did the emotional mask. His darker emotions, the violent thoughts tied to his real self, were sealed away once more. Now he was more like Yvan from Earth.

But the damage was done.

"Do I have to kill him?" Ivan muttered aloud, his brow furrowing as he stared at the boy who had fainted. "I've never killed anyone… but I should, shouldn't I? If he speaks, everything could fall apart. Yeah, I should kill him."

His voice was calm, as if he were having a casual conversation with himself, mulling over the decision. He wasn't frantic or panicked. In fact, he seemed perfectly composed, almost detached, as he weighed the pros and cons of ending the boy's life right then and there.

From the outside, he looked like a lunatic—talking to himself. But inside, Ivan was far from crazy. His mind was sharp, meticulously evaluating every scenario, every possible consequence.

It was the unique advantage of harboring the minds of seven Antagonists within his own. A trait that set him apart, a gift and curse in equal measure.

"Lord Ivan!"

The sudden voice broke through the air as another young man entered the room, garbed in the same academy uniform.

This boy was of a similar age, with short jet-black hair that framed his sharp, handsome features. Despite the fact that they were equals in the eyes of the academy, he swiftly dropped to one knee in a gesture of deep reverence, lowering his gaze.

"Aaron," Ivan acknowledged as he released the boy whose throat he had been gripping moments earlier. The unconscious figure crumpled to the floor at his feet, but Ivan's attention had already shifted. His gaze now rested on the kneeling figure of Aaron Cromwell, his future classmate.

"I've told you," Ivan continued. "There's no need for formalities while we're within these walls. Here, I'm merely your cousin. Nothing more."

Aaron rose, a look of mild discomfort crossing his face, though he quickly replaced it with a respectful nod. "Yes... of course, Lord…Ivan," he stammered, offering a brief, awkward smile.

Just a few weeks earlier, Ivan had approached Aaron's father with a request that could not be refused. Patrick Cromwell, a man of great influence and one of the secret devotees of Seraphiel, had always regarded Ivan Zakharovich Kozlow with near-religious reverence. After all, Ivan was no mere follower; he was a symbol of the faith, almost apostolic in the eyes of those who shared in the belief of Seraphiel's divine will. His efforts to spread the faith, to protect its followers from persecution, had made him a legend among them. So when Ivan sought a seat in the Academy under a false identity Patrick had no choice but to comply.

And so, Aaron, like his father, became a quiet guardian of Ivan's secret, sworn to protect and assist him within the Academy's walls.

"What about him, Lord Ivan?" Aaron asked, his tone now more practical as he gestured toward the unconscious boy lying on the ground. "Should I take care of the body? I can dispose of him immediately."

There was no trace of emotion in Aaron's voice, no regard for the life of the innocent boy at their feet. His concern was solely for Ivan's safety.

"He's not dead," Ivan replied, casting a glance at Aaron before looking down at the boy. "But he saw my real face... though not this disguise. What's your opinion on the matter?"

Though accustomed to dealing with threats, and danger, Ivan now found himself in unfamiliar territory. This Academy was not his old domain where he could kill without consequence, and though he had the cunning of seven Antagonists inside his mind, the nuances of this new academy world eluded him.

Aaron immediately understood the question behind Ivan's words. "This is the first day of the academy, Lord…Ivan," he began carefully, choosing his words with precision. "Killing him would only create more trouble. Even if he did see Lord Ivan's true face, he knows nothing of who you truly are. It's safer, for now, to keep him alive. We can watch him, control the situation. He won't be a threat unless we make him one."

Aaron had grown up in a more ordinary world compared to Ivan so he knew much better how the academy worked.

For a moment, Ivan was silent, weighing Aaron's words.

'What's that feeling? I really wish to kill him yet I feel different emotions at the same time about it.'

Ivan's brows twitched a bit making Aaron panic thinking he might have said too much but Ivan was merely accustomating himself to his new life where killing left and right couldn't be tolerated easily, as long he was inside the Academy.

But there was a part of him bristled at the thought of leaving a loose end.

'It would be much easier to kill him and get rid of the body.'

At least he wouldn't have to worry about the boy remembering something, that was Ivan's thought but he couldn't always think of murdering someone to get himself out of trouble.

"I suppose you might be right," Ivan finally said. "Very well, take care of him. Keep him under close watch. And make sure he doesn't remember too much."

Aaron nodded, as he moved to deal with the boy.

Ivan, without another word, turned and left.