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-SORCERERS WORSHIP THE DEVIL-

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- FLASHBACK -

Jungkook stands in an open field, facing a noble family who kneels before him. At just 17 years old, he bears the weight of a difficult decision. His gaze shifts to the people bound in ropes before him, their faces etched with fear.

A man hurries toward Jungkook, approaching with an air of authority. "Your excellency, the king's orders are to kill the sorcerers. Now," he declares with a bow.

Jungkook sighs, torn between duty and empathy, and his eyes shift back to the family before him.

"Please spare my children! Please! I am begging you. They didn't do anything. It was my fault. I did the magic. I did all of the witchcraft..." pleads the mother, her voice trembling with desperation.

Jungkook turns his gaze to the king, seated on his imposing throne in the open field, visibly reveling in the sorcerers' torment.

"Kill me! Not my children... please," cries the father, grasping Jungkook's foot desperately.

"The witches worship the devil! They should be burned alive! And then they go to hell, where they belong!" a voice from the watching crowd declares loudly.

Jungkook turns and fixes a stern glare on the outspoken man. He then walks toward the king, kneeling before him in a last plea for mercy.

"The children are innocent, your majesty. I advise they shouldn't be killed," Jungkook implores, his voice tinged with desperation.

The king's gaze bores into Jungkook. "They are witches. They have witch's blood. They. Should. Be. Killed. Or are you going to disobey me, Earl?"

Jungkook bows his head, grappling with his conscience. The memory of his father's words echoes in his mind.

"You can't be safe if you don't follow the responsibilities of an earl, son. If, by any chance, I am not there, do whatever the king says. Or you won't only get yourself into trouble but the other people that are involved with you. The king is stubborn. He does what he wants to do. He won't back off. If you won't do something, it'll be done by someone else's hands, but after you are dead... Remember this."

Jungkook rises to his feet, his heart heavy with regret. "Burn the witches!" he orders.

His men seize the children by their hair and the parents, tying them to a stake, treating them as if they were mere animals. Jungkook closes his eyes and turns away, unable to bear witness to their suffering. He knows he's about to commit a grave sin, but he sees no other choice.

Jungkook sighs as the torch is placed in his hand. With trembling hands, he tosses it toward the family bound at the stake. The children cry and beg, a girl and a boy.

"Please... no! Not my children!"

"May you all Rest In Peace," Jungkook murmurs, bowing his head slightly as he walks away, burdened by the weight of his actions.

- END OF FLASHBACK -

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A soft humming sound rouses Raya from her slumber, and she slowly blinks her eyes open. To her surprise, she sees you sitting beside her, gently humming and playing with her hair in the middle of the night, the clock reading three AM. Moonlight spills into your dorm room through an open window, while the curtains sway in the breeze.

"Y/N?" Raya's voice is laced with confusion as she sits up, rubbing her eyes to ensure she's not imagining things.

"Y/N?" you chuckle softly, a sly smile on your face. "I am not her," you reply playfully.

Raya's frown deepens in bewilderment.

"Y/N?" She raises an eyebrow, calling your name again, her expression shifting to concern.

"I am Blaise," you continue to tease, chuckling as you look back at her.

"What?" Raya's confusion morphs into concern, and she prepares to give you a gentle slap, thinking you might be acting strangely.

"Raya?" you suddenly inquire, blinking and tilting your head. "What happened?" Your frown deepens as you return to your senses.

"N-Nothing," Raya stammers, her initial confusion evolving into concern as she hugs you.

"Raya?" you question once more, puzzled by her sudden embrace.

"Y/N?" Raya addresses you again, attempting to confirm something.

"Yes?" you respond, still slightly confused.

"It's nothing. Now, go to sleep," Raya insists, gently guiding you back to bed and covering you with a duvet. You maintain a puzzled expression.

"Did I sleepwalk?" you raise an eyebrow.

Raya sighs. "Something like that."

───── ☾ ─────

You step into the gym, a daily ritual that has become a part of your life. As you grab the boxing gloves, your attention is immediately drawn to Raya. She's alone in the boxing ring, lost in her thoughts.

"Hey!" you greet her enthusiastically, noticing Alita walking away, sipping on a protein shake.

"Hey!" Raya responds, and you quickly climb into the ring.

"How about a match?" you propose, already sliding your gloves onto your hands, dressed in sportswear that feels snug and comfortable.

Raya exudes confidence as she warns, "You're gonna lose!" She chuckles with a self-assured smile.

"Do you think so? Let's find out," you reply, taking up your fighting stance with a determined look.

"I'll be the referee!" Alita chimes in, joining the fun by climbing into the ring with enthusiasm.

You can't help but chuckle and tease, "Be a fair host, Alita."

"I don't want you to lose. It's better if she loses," Alita playfully winks at you and points towards Raya.

Raya rolls her eyes and decides to playfully launch a high kick towards Alita, who, in response, pushes her leg away with laughter. "Get away! Now, get into your positions, players. I'll be far enough not to take sides!" Alita declares with a mischievous grin, stepping back to let the match begin.

───── ☾ ─────

Jin happily heads toward his room, anticipating some quality game time with Mario. However, his plans come to a screeching halt when Jungkook's voice echoes through the house from the upper floor.

"HYUNG!" Jungkook's urgent yell reverberates, making Jin halt in his tracks.

"WHAT, KOOK?!" Jin responds, his irritation evident as his gaming session gets postponed.

"CAN I BREAK EVERYTHING IN MY ROOM?!!" Jungkook's voice continues, filled with apparent frustration.

"HOW MUCH BUDGET DO WE HAVE LEFT?!"

"TWELVE YEARS AGO I CHECKED MY ACCOUNT, THERE WERE 1 MILLION DOLLARS!"

"DID CHA EUN WOO'S GRANDCHILDREN PASS YOU THAT!!?"

"YES!"

"SO WE ARE BROKE NOW, IDIOT! WHAT HAPPENED THAT YOU WANT TO BREAK EVERYTHING?!"

"I AM TRUSFRATED!!!"

"WHY?!"

"I THINK I AM S-smitten by a girl!" Jungkook's voice suddenly falters, and Jin can't help but be intrigued.

Jin starts laughing uncontrollably, and even Jungkook, with his vampire senses, can hear the amusement in Jin's laughter.

"STOP LAUGHING, HYUNG!" Jungkook's voice pleads amidst Jin's laughter.

Struggling to catch his breath, Jin eventually manages to stop laughing and turns his attention to Jungkook's predicament.

Jin heads upstairs, pushing the door to Jungkook's room open, only to find Jungkook lying on his bed, seemingly lost in thought, staring up at the ceiling with his hands resting on his stomach.

"Ok. Who is she?" Jin inquires, his curiosity piqued, as he sits down beside Jungkook after taking off his slippers.

Jungkook gets up and starts absentmindedly tracing circles on his bed, his hair falling lazily onto his forehead. He sits cross-legged, looking down in contemplation.

"I don't know," Jungkook mumbles softly, his voice barely audible, as he gazes at Jin with a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"You what?" Jin's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"I don't know who she is. I just met her 4 days ago at the falls."

"The falls?" Jin frowns, genuinely intrigued.

Jungkook clarifies, "The hidden falls I told you about. She was there."

Jin tilts his head, studying Jungkook carefully. "The best thing to do is not break everything in your room, Jungkook. Move on," he advises gently, offering warmth and empathy.

"I can't, Hyung."

"Why, Jungkook? I've watched you for a whole century, and you never looked at another girl. You can't live like this. Would Y/N want this? No, she wouldn't." Jin reaches out to caress Jungkook's back in a comforting gesture.

Jungkook admits, "I want her to feel guilty."

"Who?" Jin probes gently.

"Y/N. So guilty for leaving me that she comes back." Jungkook's voice turns soft, his eyes filled with longing.

Jin offers a warm, understanding smile. "You're holding onto hope, aren't you?"

"I think I am."

"That's not the best way, Jungkook. Do you want her to remember you in so much pain? It's not right."

"I know. But I feel like that's the only way she'll come back to me."

"After a really long century, why did you suddenly become attracted to this girl?" Jin asks, genuinely curious, his hand still resting on Jungkook's back.

"The way she talked back to me was the most attractive thing," Jungkook admits, his eyes sparkling with a fond memory. "She even said, 'Why should I tell you my name?'"

Jin laughs heartily, finding Jungkook's newfound attraction both endearing and amusing. He smiles at Jungkook, genuinely happy for him.

However, Jungkook's expression quickly turns somber as he looks down. "Y/N was like that too. She used to talk to me like that. I think because I am reminded of her... that's the reason why."

"Then that's not right. You'll only remember Y/N like that," Jin cautions, his concern evident.

Jungkook nods, acknowledging Jin's words.

Patting Jungkook's back reassuringly, Jin gets up and slips on his slippers. "For now, you have to go to work."

"What?" Jungkook looks at Jin with wide, surprised eyes.

"It's your turn, along with Taehyung and Jimin. The maknae line has been procrastinating for the past year, while the hyung line has been working hard. We're broke, Kook. It's time for you to choose a job and contribute," Jin explains matter-of-factly, a yawn escaping him as he stretches his arms.

Jungkook, still stressed and unsure about what job to pursue, pinches his forehead and sighs deeply. How would he decide what kind of job to take when he's been away from the workforce for so long?

───── ☾ ─────

Jungkook enters a room where Yoongi is deeply engrossed in an old, worn-out book resting on a table.

"Hyung, did you find anything?" Jungkook inquires, his curiosity piqued as he examines the book.

"So, you know about my girlfriend?" Yoongi responds, looking up at Jungkook with a hint of surprise.

Jungkook nods, his interest growing. "Yeah, you've mentioned her."

"She's a witch..." Yoongi stammers, and Jungkook's eyes widen in realization.

"That's why you have so much knowledge about them," Jungkook concludes, connecting the dots.

Yoongi explains further, "Yes. So..."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jungkook questions, his hands resting on the table as he leans forward.

Yoongi sighs, explaining his reasons. "You all have deep-seated traumas related to witches. If I had told you, you'd probably react as if you'd seen a ghost, especially Taehyung. He has a particularly severe aversion to them, reacting by screaming and destroying everything in the room before running away."

Jungkook nods understandingly, "Oh yeah! Now I'm a little scared to meet your girlfriend too."

Yoongi defends his point, "Not all witches are like that."

Jungkook recalls a past encounter, mimicking a witch's voice and sassily saying, "Yeah, remember the last witch we met? We had headaches for three weeks just because we were vampires. She tortured us, saying, 'You monsters who drink human blood should be tortured and killed.'"

Yoongi is exasperated by Jungkook's imitation and facial expressions.

"Whatever... So, my—I mean, Celestia..." Yoongi pauses as he notices Jungkook and Taehyung making funny faces, teasing him.

"Taehyung?!" Jungkook calls, and Taehyung quickly joins him.

"What?" Taehyung asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's make funny faces together. You're a pro at it," Jungkook suggests, and both of them make exaggerated silly faces, directed at Yoongi.

"Idiots..." Yoongi mutters, his cheeks turning slightly pink as he touches his ear, trying to divert his attention. "Can we focus on the important matter, please?"

"Fine," Jungkook concedes with a sweet smile, returning to his normal self.

Taehyung and Jungkook both become serious, ready to listen to the important matter that Yoongi was about to discuss.

"So you didn't ever have sex with her... " Yoongi says while looking away at Jungkook.

"I did," Jungkook responds with a bewildered expression.

"Jungkook, she gave you an illusion. An illusion that, in a second, you would feel like you had it all. Did you ever check the time before and after?" Yoongi questions.

Jungkook's frown deepens as he contemplates this. "I thought my phone and clock were broken..." he mutters, his realization sinking in.

Yoongi sighs, delivering the hard truth, "I'm sorry to say this, Jungkook, but she never truly loved you... She lied."

───── ☾ ─────

You rush to the counter and grab a pizza box, quickly checking its receipt. "Here I go," you mutter to yourself as you confirm that you have a delivery to a house located deep within the eerie forest.

With the pizza securely tucked in the bike's container, you hop onto your motorcycle, fasten your helmet, and rev up the engine.

As you set off on your journey, the ominous forest ahead beckons, shrouded in mystery and darkness.

───── ☾ ─────

Taehyung leaps from the upper floor of the living room, bypassing the stairs altogether. His unconventional entrance immediately draws Jin's ire.

"KIM TAEHYUNG!" Jin's voice booms, making Taehyung pause in mid-air before landing on the ground.

Taehyung pouts and complains, "But why~~? That's such a hassle. I don't wanna use the stairs."

Namjoon chimes in with a serious tone, "What would you do if a human saw you?"

Taehyung reluctantly concedes, "Fine. I get it."

Jin heaves a sigh of relief that one crisis is averted with Namjoon's intervention.

The calm moment is shattered when the sound of an approaching engine reaches their ears, causing Yoongi to burst out of his room. Jimin and Jungkook dash down the stairs using their vampire speed to join the others on the floor, while Hoseok casually appears beside Taehyung.

"Where's Hoseok?" Jin asks in a hushed but urgent tone, and Hoseok materializes beside Taehyung with a smile.

"What do we do?" Jin mutters, pacing around in deep thought.

Namjoon suggests logically, "Let's act like humans. No one should use their powers in front of this person, especially if it's a human. Remember, if anyone slips up, it'll affect all of us, not just the individual." He emphasizes the seriousness of the situation, warning the Maknae line with a stern look.

Jin warns them again with a pointed stare, and Hoseok becomes curious, glancing at Taehyung. All eyes eventually turn to Taehyung.

"I—I ordered a pizza . . ." Taehyung mumbles nervously while fidgeting with his fingers.

Jin's anger flares, and he takes a step toward Taehyung. Namjoon intervenes, restraining Jin by grabbing his arms.

Jimin walks away with a satisfied grin as the situation seems to be under control, while Jungkook struggles to suppress his laughter, causing Taehyung to shoot him a glare.

A doorbell rings, cutting through the tension, and everyone's attention shifts to the screen displaying the front of their mansion.

"Hello. Pizza delivery," a weary voice announces, prompting Jungkook to spring into action.

"I'll handle this," Jungkook declares, quickly tying his hair with a hairband from his wrist before approaching the door.

"The girl has walked to me with her own two little feet," Jungkook remarks cryptically, and Jin finally grasps the situation.

[ A/N: Killing witches giving the excuse of they worship the devil. This used to happen in the past for real. People used to mistake other people as witches and then burn them alive because of their superstitions, saying they worship the devil. Did a lot of research and here I am! Honestly, this book is being written with a lot of care. ]

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