Risky Masquerade

24

Following the brunette for around ten minutes resulted in Seokjin arriving at the Red Palace. The detective entered the gory courtyard of the palace, looking for the boy who seemed to have disappeared.

"Looking for me?", the boy leaned against one of the pillars.

"I have seen you before! You're the one who was spying on us the other day!", Seokjin exclaimed.

"You are right.", the boy smiled. He was handsome, in fact too handsome for his age.

"Well then, now that we have established that you are up to no good. Please tell me about the evil you have been brewing since long, young boy.", Seokjin started. "Or might I say, the Devil."

He laughed, clapping his hands like a little child. "You knew all along! As expected of the Spawn."

"I'm sorry, what did you call me?", Seokjin asked, startled.

The Devil smiled. He let go of the pillar and sauntered down the steps, walking towards Seokjin.

"You asked me to reveal the 'evil I had been brewing'. You see, the truth is uglier than you can imagine.", he put forward.

"My task force may not be as powerful as you, but we do know what becomes of this town every 666th year, and the reason this palace is the epicentre trouble.", Seokjin scoffed.

Snickering, the Devil stepped uncomfortably close and placed a hand on Seokjin's shoulder, sending sparks throughout the latter's body.

"Whatever your task force has researched, is indeed correct. But you see, I don't bring ruin to this town every 666th year. And I will, of course tell you why this year is special.", He began. "You must have heard about the Devil's Spawn.", He asked, as Seokjin nodded.

"According to any dictionary, a Devil's spawn refers to an ill-mannered child. However, in reality, the Spawn is entitled to be my companion who shares a fragment of my heart and can inherit my powers when my existence is threatened. It might not surprise you that the Spawn is an immortal human being, and an ancient Spawn bloodline exists on the planet.", He explained. "And due to the decision of one member of the bloodline, the entire lineage shed around five centuries ago. Since then, my only aim is to find the living heir."

"Why are you telling me all this?", Seokjin shrugged.

"Tell me one thing, Detective Kim.", He began. "Where is your family?"

Seokjin eyes blinks, his lips quivered.
"I was raised in an abusive foster household. My parents died when I was an infant.", he said, recalling painful childhood memories. "I ran away from home as a teenager."

"That explains things. Your real family was massacred, brutally murdered over a secret they had nurtured for centuries-", He stopped abruptly.

"You are the living heir of the Spawn bloodline."