Rhodes Island's Psychologist

Ch 56: The Real Devil

He is already having trouble taking care of Nightingale, and here comes another one.

"Another brat!" The attacker grips Ifrit's hand and tries to use her as a hostage, "I will ask you one more time. Where is that person?"

"Ifrit! I don't know!" 

"Still no answer. Then, I-?"

Then the attacker suddenly feels his left hand is getting hot, but when he looks at his hand, it is actually burning in flame.

Then the flame engulfs the attacker in seconds.

Everyone shock on what happen jus now.

Then Lin Yie remembers now that Ifrit introduced herself to him, not as a medic.

"I'm the strongest caster!"

"Who's the brat now?!" Ifrit pushes the screaming attacker away and points her hand at the others, "Not even my mom calls me that! Call me Lord Ifrit!"

The flame rises from her palm, and it is violent and aggressive. It is entirely different from the flame Ifrit showed him before. 

The corridor is suddenly dyed in her crimson colour flames. Waves of hot air hit everyone. Lin Yie intuitively covers his face to not have his eyebrows burned off. To his surprise, the flame is morphing into a fire dragon that is baring its teeth at the attackers.

"... That so cool..." who can blame him. He always wanted to have flaming dragon under his control.

Some attackers that have a brain tries to run away. They know what casters mean, and facing a strong caster like her is not something they are capable of doing.

"Hey, who's the brat now?!" Ifrit is really angry now. She pushes her hand forward, and the fire dragon shoots towards the attackers, "Burn for me!"

This is what fire means in the purest of sense. Everything it touches turns to dust. Everything and everyone is engulfed immediately by it. The walls and ceiling are melting, while the attackers scream in pain. Ifrit just stands there, laughing.

"Does it hurt? Then, scream! Scream! Scream some more!" She sounds crazy, "No one will care about your pain! Just line up and die one by one!"

Lin Yie swallows and looks at Nightingale. As expected, that is the real devil right there.

The devils that he knows are like Shining and Nightingale who mean no harm, but Ifrit shattered his perception of the world so easily.

(That power. That madness. That cruelty. That is what a real devil should be like.)

Lin Yie recalls what Silence told him and watches what's happening in front of him. He thinks he must tell Silence that if she wants him to take care of Ifrit, she needs to pay him more. He doesn't to be underpaid!

By the time the flame stops, the corridor is destroyed beyond recognition. In less than a minute, Ifrit turned the place into living hell.

"Did I overdo it?" Ifrit suddenly feels worried,

"...I think you did..."He says to her.

 "What should I say when mom asks me?" She looks at Lin Yie, "Hey, who were those people?" Lin Yie's mouth twitches. 

(...Why do you care now?)

He looks around. The place is torn down. There are burnt mark everywhere. This place is unrecognisable now.

(It seems I was deceived by Shining and Nightingale. I even thought devils are innocent and kind. Seems like I was wrong.)

Lin Yie sighs. He helps Nightingale stand up before that he tells Ifrit, "They were the intruders."

"Intruders?" Ifrit raises an eyebrow, 

"So they are enemies. That means I didn't hit the wrong people." Ifrit is relieved, "Good. Good."

Lin Yie nods, "You did great. Thanks for the help."

"Hey. I don't need your praise." Ifrit says, "If you are grateful, then say I was defending myself when people ask."

Lin Yie is speechless. 

(You really are a devil. What does self-defence mean to you? You would have burned them anyway. I'm really glad you're on my side.)

Ifrit takes her headphones off, "Tsk. I broke another pair. It isn't easy to find headphones I can wear." he just chuckles on how silly this is right now.

"Hey! What are you laughing about!"

"Haha... Nothing, nothing. But still, thanks for the save." he goes near Ifrit and pats her head.

"H-Hey! Who gave you permission to pat me!" She tries to shake his on off but fail. She can just send a fire to him to stop but she didn't.

(Hard to believe this is the self proclaim strongest caster.) he just laughs on his thoughs.

"Hey! Stop laughing! Grrr...."

Evrything seem to be alright.

*Boom!*

Then the ceiling suddenly explodes.

it made Ifrit blown away by the shock wave.

"Ifrit!" Lin Yie tries to catch her, but the ceiling collapses on top of him. A piece of debris hits him on the head. He blanks out after that.

 By the time he regains consciousness, he sees Ifrit under a huge chunk of the wall and covered in blood. 

"Ifrit!" Lin Yie shouts despite the pain, he goes to her. He checks her heartbeat and thankfully she just unconscious. Then he remembers, there is another person loss.

 "Nightingale!"

No response.

He hears footsteps and struggles to look up. A tall woman walks towards him slowly.

She looks at him and says softly, "What luck."