Norman x Reader || SAUDADE

13-R-esolve

"The boss has returned!" The kids around us started running around in glee. 

"Norman." Emma nodded at Ray and I. We immediately exited the infirmary and ran outside. 

"Oliver, Zack, Paula, I leave Chris back in your care once more! Thanks!" I smiled at them before returning to rush out along with the other two.

"No problem!" I heard them respond. We came to a stop where people were crowding. There he was, standing with his overbearing white cloak, fluttering in the wind, taking steady steps into the base. His eyes looked very determined and stoic, but there's an underlying exhaustion and fear underneath it all. 

"Norman! Can we talk to you about something?" Emma called out, making the said boy come to an abrupt halt. 

"Oh Ray, Emma, _______. What is it?" He smiled at us, just like always. 

"Can we discuss this somewhere more private?" Ray cut him off. 

"Sure. Let's head to my office then." He said before leading us back into the building. 

"We're sorry to interrupt you after you have just returned." Emma told him. 

"It's fine, you can come whenever you want. So what is it?" He asked us while setting his cloak on his chair. 

"Wait, first tell us about the strategy you have in mind, Norman." Ray cuts in. Norman then proceeded to tell us about how he planned on creating a civil war in between the demons, more specifically between the outcast demons and the current ruling 5 regent houses. 

"So-So the pawn you met," I gasped in realization. 

"Yes, they're demons." He nodded at my question. 

"Aren't you worried that they might attack us instead?" I asked him once more. 

"It's true that there are risks. But as long as they still have their mind on revenge, they won't be attacking us yet. I hope during the war, both sides would destroy each other and no one on our side will die. We'll win without having to spill any blood. If it's about deception, I won't lose." He told us. So in other words, if the royal and nobles collapsed, there would be no more farms, and demons would degenerate on their own, making it an easy victory for us. There it was again, the serious determined expression and immaculately calculated decisions. But somehow, I felt a little uneasy at the fact that he did not tell us about any of this at all, nor discuss it like how it used to be back then. Why is he carrying such a lot on his own? 

"But did you know Norman, that not all demons are like that. There are demons who won't degenerate even if they don't eat humans." Norman's expression turned into a very startled one. 

"It's true and if there are a bunch of demons who are like that, your strategy will collapse." Ray said emphasizing on how they won't degenerate without eating humans and still retain their intelligence. Norman's face also came to a point of realization in case that happened. 

"How do you guys know about that?" He continued, surprising the three of us. 

"W-We were saved by them once." I carefully said. 

"You met her? You actually met her? The clan of the evil-blooded girl is still alive?" He said in disbelief. 

"Norman, you knew about them?" I furrowed my brows in confusion. If he knew then why would he want to resort to such a method.

Norman explained about the evil-blooded clan and how they gained the name. During famine, their blood saved a lot of the demons without having to eat human meat, and this threatened the stable structure of the aristocrats who sold farm goods to the people. That's why the evil-blooded clan was captured and slaughtered to prevent the collapse of the royal structure, then they spread false rumors about the clan being evil-blooded in order to scare the civilians from receiving more of the blood. Mujika can turn demons just like her, with just a drop of her blood, and those demons can also do the same to other demons.