✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[37] Vela

I immediately ran to Merlin and hugged him. Mahina siyang natawa pero agad kong hinampas ang dibdib niya (wala akong ibang dahilan kung bakit sa dibdib, don't judge).

"YOU SCARED ME, YOU IDIOT!"

"I'm sorry, lambkin," he smiled.

Napairap na lang ako.

Tangina, nakakakaba naman ang isang 'to! Minsan na nga lang umibig, sa isang masokistang nonchalant wizard in training pa! But before I could even give him a piece of my mind---and maybe a piece of me too---Master Zephir suddenly cleared his throat to call our attention. Hindi ko napansin na nasa tabi na pala namin siya.

"What you did is very risky, son." Pangaral niya kay Merlin. "Muntikan nang masira ang buong campus... you kept the Grimoire of Forbidden Spells, binded yourself to a succubus, and brought chaos upon the realm since you were Geniana's target."

"What?!" Humalukipkip ako. "Grabe, ah. Hindi naman niya---!"

The old man held up his hand and smiled. "But you saved us all, and that's what's important."

Buti naman.

Sa tabi ko, napabuntong-hininga na rin si Merlin. Halatang pagod at marami pa ring mga katanungang hindi nasasagot para sa kanya. I can feel his aura, tired and drained from the battle. Upon closer inspection, his arm healed. No traces of the consequences of forbidden magic or the mark of the "Supplier" payment bullshit.

"Master, hindi ko pa rin maitindihan. Bakit ka nagpanggap na Supplier sa Tartarus? Were you only doing that to keep an eye on me? And the years of my life span..."

Mahinang natawa ang matanda at inayos ang kanyang wizard's robe. The stars imprinted on it swirled around as if projecting an entire galaxy on a piece of garment.

"Since you stepped foot in Nightspell, I can sense a great amount of talent... and I've also sensed a hidden danger in our midst," Master Zephir started, looking at the grimoire discarded on the floor. "Mapanganib ang mga ninuno ni Geniana. As you've learned in your history class, the pure bloodline practiced curses and dark arts. Dumating ito sa puntong gusto nilang pamunuan ang Nightspell at isara ang portals sa Eastwood, preventing students like you to enroll... Your ancestors were against this, and took away the one possession that the witches took pride in: The Grimoire of Forbidden Spells."

"Kung ganoon, ang rason kung bakit kami nasa Eastwood at hindi nanirahan sa magic realm ay...?"

"I advised them to hide," the headmaster admitted. "While my brothers and I dealt with the witches. Ang rason kung bakit ako na lamang ang natitirang wizard mula sa kapanahunan ko ay hindi dahil nag-migrate sila sa ibang bansa o nag-aral sila sa malayong lupain. No, that was just a story I told the kids. When in reality, the witches killed them. I am the only one left."

Napalunok ako nang marinig ang kwento ng matanda. Mukhang isang malaking kaguluhan ang pilit na ibinaon sa Nightspell. Panakip-butas lang ang mga kwento nila sa kanilang mga estudyante. Imagine having to erase an entire history, just to recalibrate the future.

"When Meric was killed, I had a hunch," the old man continued. "Kaya sinubaybayan kita. Hindi kita malapitan dahil sa sitwasyon at estado ko sa paaralan, pero sa nakalipas na mga taon palihim kong ibinigay sa'yo ang mga pangangailangan mo. No matter how weird your requests were." He laughed.

Merlin's brow forrowed. "If you knew I had the grimoire and I was seeking revenge... why didn't you stop me?"

"Will you stop even if I asked you to?"

Natahimik si Merlin, nagkatinginan kami. Well, no.

Pareho naming alam na walang sinumang makakapigil sa kanya sa paghihiganti. If a sexy succubus like me failed to stop him, what more can an old man do? I sighed.

"Then the payment?"

Master Zephir walked towards his desk and settled on his chair. "Fake. Hindi ko hahayaang ibenta mo ang buhay mo para lang sa paghihiganti. I didn't take away any years of your life as payment for the items, don't worry. But I wanted you to realize how self-destructive pursuing revenge is."

Tuluyan nang natahimik si Merlin, halatang ina-absorb pa ang mga sinabi ng headmaster.

I took a step back, knowing he needs time to contemplate everything.

'That wicked old man,' I thought while remembering his games. Noong kinausap ako ni Master Zephir, he admitted that he didn't expect Merlin to bind himself to a succubus. That's why he did some snooping in Tartarus and found records of magical contracts between succubus and wizards. It turns out, dahil headmaster siya, may access siya sa Demon Records Department naming mga succubus at incubus, in case of magical contracts. Dahil sa conflict sa pagitan ng demons at wizards, let's just say that things became more systematic in the past century. That's when he discovered I had one with Meric before, and that triggered me to remember it.

Hence, we devised a plan to save Merlin from Nian... But we were too late to save poor Johannes.

Wala akong pakialam kay Sir Hamilton, rest in peace na lang sa kanya. Not when he disguised himself as the taxi driver and attempted to lure me out to steal the book...

Sinong nag-aakalang kasabwat siya ni Nian? That witch probably had tricks up her sleeves and sent him to mess with me, knowing I was vulnerable. I found out when I saw his corpse in the dungeons earlier, his corpse reeked of the same human scent.

"But despite knowing what I was doing... you still granted me that scholarship," Merlin realized like a kid.

Tumango ang matanda at ngumiti. "Because I wanted to give you a chance. I mean it, Merlin. You are a talented wizard. Kailangan ng magic realm ng mga katulad mo, lalo't unti-unti na kaming na-e-extinct."

Parang dinosaur pala. Okay, I'll shut up now.

"But I'm expelled..."

"I only expelled you as an act," Master Zephir sighed. "Since it would lead to more suspicions if I didn't. Lalo't matapos ng kaguluhang nangyari noong announcement sa scholarship at sa pagkamatay ni Professor Greco. I believe now all the professors present in this room will agree to offer you that scholarship again. What do you say?"

And just like that, professors were suddenly crowding Merlin and cheering him on, pushing me further back away from him. Pati si Arthur, naki-support na rin kahit na ramdam ko ang kaplastikan niya.

Hindi ko na sinubukan pang lumapit sa kanila.

As a side character, I am always ready to vanish in the background.

If Merlin accepts the scholarship, which I'm sure he will, it will change everything.

He'll finally be free from his past and start a new life. Now as a wizard, not a wizard in training. Sa wakas, makaka-graduate na siya sa Nightspell at alam kong magiging masaya si Meric, hindi man niya nabigyan ng normal na buhay ang kapatid niya.

'And I am no longer of use to you,' I thought and smiled, watching him be loved and adored by many.

And for the first time ever, I don't feel selfish. I don't mind being a side character. I don't want to chain him to me any longer. I smiled and tried to blink back these damn tears at how genuine my heart feels at this moment.

Masaya ako para kay Merlin.

So I took a step back...

And walked away from his life.

"Thank you for summoning me into your life, Merlin Sylvestre Ambrosius."

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