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Real smart people.

During the exorcism of his friend, Aaron was present. Watching. Curious.

One week later, he showed up at Evan's doorstep: an excited apprentice (albeit much richer than the teacher), eager to dive into the world of the paranormal.

When they’d first started working together—or precisely, whenAaronhad coerced Evan into letting him experience the thrill of an exorcist’s profession—Evan had already noticed something.

A huge part of Aaron’s curiosity was rooted in disbelief.

The man didn’t really believe in ghosts or spirits or demons. The reason he insisted on tagging along was still unknown to Evan, especially since this line of work was frowned upon by some and considered a bad omen by the rest.

But over time, Aaron hadseenthings. Things that were scientifically, naturally, and physically unexplainable.

After all, how often did one get to witness a teenage girl stretch her neck over half a meter, or a little boy bite off his own fingers only to grow them back, or multiple pairs of eyes sprout on the body of someone born blind?

Needless to say, Aaron had started taking Evan and his job seriously after that. Was he scared? Not really. Fascinated? Definitely.

Yet, even after all that, a part of him remained skeptical of every case before handing it to Evan, digging into its very core to make sure it wasn’t an elaborate hoax.

The expression on Aaron’s face right now resembled that skeptical look.

“It’s okay if you don’t believe me,” Evan took a bite out of a cream bun. “I didn’t believe it until I saw it.”

“I didn’t say I don’t believe you,” Aaron said. “I just don’t believe your story.”

Isn’t that…the same thing?

Aaron leaned over the table to stare at Evan, mouth twisted in some conflicted thought. “Be honest with me, did you hit your head that day at the Greene Mansion? Is that why you’re hallucinating?”

“You, of all people, should know that the stuff I see aren’t hallucinations,” Evan stared at him dead in the eyes as he spoke. “Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t around you.”

Aaron blinked, looking thoughtful, then leaned back and scratched his neck. He had great confidence in Evan’s skills and knew he wasn’t the type to fool around, but this story of demons and mirror portals sounded straight out of some children’s storybook. If he wasn’t concerned about his friend’s mental health, Aaron would have laughed.

“Okay,” Aaron said, clapping his hands together. “Alright, let me get this straight. You are saying you released a demon from a magic spell at the Greene Mansion. It killed Bruce and his men, set the place on fire, followed you into your house, and then just…disappeared?”

“More or less,” Evan nodded, scrolling through his phone gallery that was filled with Misty’s pictures. His face relaxed into a look of disinterest in the topic he had started himself. Internally, Evan’s heart palpitated, worried Aaron might see through his agitation and ask him what part he’d left out from the story. But even if he told Aaron, would he even believe that? And more importantly, what wouldthatdude think of this?

“This remains between us,”the demon had said that night after Evan had agreed to run his relic-hunting errand.“You breathe a word of this bond to another, and he will never breathe again.”

Evan didn’t have to be told twice. His sister, Rhea, and Aaron were the few people he cherished in his life. He would willingly give up his soul before endangering any of their lives. Not to mention the damned demon was holding Evan’s dog hostage too.

Getting a part of the story off his chest was one thing, but letting Aaron interrogate the whole truth out of him was a whole different headache. And to avoid that, Evan had to find a topic distracting enough for Aaron.

Evan wiped his hands on a napkin and stood up. “Let’s go,”

Aaron looked up, startled. “Go…where?”

“Didn’t you say there’s a new case?” Evan picked up his backpack and shrugged on his coat. “Let’s check it out.”

“That…” Aaron sighed, rubbing a frustrated hand down his face. “What about your ring?”

Evan’s finger twitched reflexively.

“Take this ring of yours,”Evan had said to the demon that night as he flung his legs over the window ledge.“I don’t need it.”

The demon had turned around, studying the red crystal.“Reconsider that.”

“It cannot protect me from spiritual possession, nor does it indicate the presence of dark energies around me,”Evan’s eyes had narrowed.“What exactly am I supposed to reconsider?”