Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

"She told me something curious... Tell me, are you close to Lilith?"

Eva extended her hands, and a shiver ran down my spine as I felt them gently cup my cheeks.

"Do you know her?" she asked.

"I don't like lies. I just want to talk, as I mentioned earlier. Forgive my bad manners; you may sit if you wish," Eva said, removing her hands and stepping aside.

"Alright..." I replied, trying to sound as normal as possible. I took a seat on the wooden chair, and I could hear Eva settling into a chair beside me.

"I don't bite. You don't have to feel so nervous. We're simply having a conversation. If you answer my question honestly, you can ask me one in return. I'm not abusive, nor do I enjoy intimidating others. Think of it as a game: I ask, you answer. You ask, I answer. It's quite simple. If I feel satisfied, you can eat the apple. Does that sound fair?" As she finished her explanation, she placed a small, transparent cup in front of me.

"Are you interested?" she asked again. Continue your adventure at empire

If her questions revolve around Lilith, I have to admit that even I don't know as much about her as it may seem. We can't even be described as close enough to call each other friends. I see our relationship as a simple agreement—a give-and-take deal where, on the surface, I seem to benefit far more than Lilith. Considering everything I've gained thanks to her... even though I don't know much, the truth remains that I do know her. In fact, I even bear her mark on my body, along with an ability of hers. Thinking about it this way... I guess you could say we are close.

So, I replied: "I know her, Miss Eva." I couldn't think of a better way to address her. But the very thought of speaking with her made my head want to explode. Eva, the Mother, the Progenitor of Humanity, was sitting beside me. What kind of situation was this? For some reason, it feels easier to deal with Seraphines. Unlike her, Eva is a character I can barely comprehend.

"Good, you didn't lie. Now it's your turn to ask anything you'd like." Her calm tone put me at ease for a moment. But upon thinking it over… this truly felt like a question-and-answer game. I thought she'd want much more information about Lilith, but I was wrong.

Now I found myself in a dilemma: what could I hope to learn from Eva? From what I understand—and based on the scant and unreliable information in my mind—Eva has never appeared nor been relevant to history. So perhaps I could ask something about the past? That sounds like a good starting point. Formulating my question, I finally asked:

"If I may, Miss Eva, and I hope I'm not being disrespectful... Where is Adam?" The most logical answer is that he's in Heaven but no longer in the Garden of Eden. Considering that Eva is still alive at this point in time, it makes sense Adam would be too.

"He's dead. I killed him. And you don't have to apologize. As I mentioned, you may ask anything, and I'll answer honestly." Eva's words were so gentle it didn't seem like she was talking about the death of Adam as something significant—especially since she claimed to have killed him herself. Her tone and manner of speaking remained the same: a boundless, maternal love that seemed infinite. I swallowed dryly.

"I see…" What else could I say? My turn was over.

"Alright, now it's my turn. How did you meet Lilith?" Eva asked, continuing the game.

"My understanding is that Miss Lilith found me on the streets of the demonic empire when I was just a two-year-old child. She bought me from a slave trader and then took me to her castle. That's how I met her." If the question is about meeting someone, then I must describe the literal first time we encountered each other. In my case, it was the reverse—she found me, and that's how I came to know her.

"Your turn," Eva said.

"Why did you kill Adam?" It felt a bit odd that both of us were asking questions about other people rather than about ourselves. A conversation like this shouldn't be centered on others, but rather on us. However, my curiosity got the better of me—I wanted to know what had happened to Adam, the Father of Humanity.

"He treated me poorly. After eating the apple and being cast out of Eden by God, he was no longer the same. He hit me, abused me. I didn't defend myself—it was, after all, my fault. I let him do whatever he wanted with me. I bore him many children as a way to atone for my sins… many, many children. But he never changed. He treated me like an animal for years. I couldn't do anything—after all, I was made to obey my man," she said calmly, as if speaking about Adam's death wasn't significant. Her words and tone didn't change. Her infinite, maternal love seemed to persist throughout.

She continued, "Then, for the first time, I reacted. For the first time, I defended myself. But even so, they punished me—not him—just for defending myself. Damn you, Adam. Damn you, God. Damn Heaven. I have suffered enough, but they'll never know." She took a deep breath. "Alright, it's my turn."

"What do you know about Lilith?" Eva returned to the topic of Lilith.

"I know she's the Sin of Lust, a demon. I also know she has an adopted daughter. But beyond that, I don't know much else about her..." I wasn't sure if I should reveal anything more. After all, most of my understanding about Lilith's origins is just speculation.

"I see," Eva murmured to herself. "Your turn."

"Some things are better left unknown. Knowledge is power, but it is also corruption," I recalled Lilith's words. I had been tempted to ask about God, but I stopped myself. Lifting my head slightly without looking at her face, I asked, "Why did you return to the Garden of Eden?" Seraphine had mentioned that Eva chose to return here voluntarily to stay in this place for all eternity.

"Judgment. I never wanted to return, but after killing Adam, I committed another sin: I killed with my own hands God's first creation, made in His image and likeness. The messenger of God, the Throne Eryoniel, along with his two brothers, found me, judged me, and condemned me to remain in this place forever. I cannot escape unless all three suffer true death," she explained. Her tone softened slightly.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"I don't understand... I was only defending myself. He was about to kill me. For the first time in my life, I reacted. For the first time, I defended myself. And yet they punish me for it…" Eva sighed. Then, regaining her usual tone, she added, "Alright, my turn. Final question."

"Do you know where the Rune of Life is?" she asked. The question was immense! I didn't even have the faintest idea what the Rune of Life was. "I have no knowledge of it, Miss Eva," I replied.

"I see… very well. It's your turn, and then the game of questions will end," Eva said as she ate a small cookie.

"Alright…" Thinking for a moment, I realized this was the most important question for me right now. Although I wanted to learn about the Rune of Life, it seemed tied to the Flame of Life. Taking a deep breath, I asked, "Can I eat the Soul Fruit?"

"You may," Eva said as she stood up. Before I knew it, I was outside the small wooden house.