Demon's Unveiling

A few weeks had come and gone since the ball, filled with nothing but happiness. Ever since that tender moment Lilac shared with Alan on that moonlit balcony, she had spent more and more of her time with him.

When she first arrived at the academy, she didn't know she was about to write her own romance. She was confident that her story would have a happy ending like all the books she was obsessed with.

However, there was a thought she couldn't lose, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it. Why wasn't she and Alan chosen, when they became official during the ball? Surely the Goddess of Love was a sucker for fluff. Was that scene not fluffy enough for her?

Lilac's back rested on her soft, fluffy bed as she stared at the ceiling.

Knock knock. The sound of knuckles against wood sounded from the door to her apartment.

“Are you awake, Lilai?” Emmalyn's voice asked, muffled through the wood.

“Yes, come in!” Lilac called back.

The knob twisted with a click and Emmalyn slipped into the apartment.

“Over here!” Lilac threw herself into a sitting position on the edge of the mattress.

Emmalyn appeared within Lilac's view of the open doorway that led to the main area of her living space. “Hi, Lilai!”

“Hello, Emmalyn!” Lilac grinned. “How are you and Vance doing?”

Her friend brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Everything's good. If the goddess hadn't blessed us, we wouldn't be where we are. I've noticed you've been with Alan a lot more recently,” she giggled excitedly. “I'm glad things are going well for you.”

“Thanks!”

“By the way… the principal called a special assembly just now. All students are required to attend,” Emmalyn informed her.

“Really? I haven't heard about that,” Lilac said. “When is it?”

“Now. I'm not sure why it's so urgent, but oh well! At least it didn't interrupt a tea party. Would you like to go together?”

Lilac slid off the end of the bed. “That'd be great! Give me a few minutes to be ready first.”

“Of course!” Emmalyn stepped out of Lilac's bedroom and found a relaxing spot on the sofa to wait.

Once Lilac made sure she was ready, the two of them left for the assembly hall together. On the way, their discussions consisted of date spots and ideas, as well as speculation as to what the assembly could be about.

The assembly hall was filled with an army of students from every year. First years were assigned the back half of the seats on the left. Their section was already filling up quickly by the time they arrived.

Lilac followed Emmalyn into the next available seats and sat down. They were positioned next to the wall, with only a couple rows left behind them. She looked at the platform on the other side of the room and counted the people sitting there.

Principal Valeshine, Professor Oria, the nurse that had tended to her after her duel with Alan, a few other adults she didn't know, and then Ella.

…Ella? “What is Ella doing on the stand?” Lilac whispered to Emmalyn.

Emmalyn followed her gaze to where Ella was sitting with a calm smile. “I'm not sure… Maybe she's been granted a special position since she's the high priest's daughter.”

“Maybe…”

A few minutes later, the flow of students pooling into the vast room slowed to a stop, and the principal rose to her feet.

Footsteps echoed as she casually made her way to the podium. “Students, welcome. Before we begin, I'd like to thank all of you who attended the Plumrose Ball. The princess was satisfied with the turnout, and I'm sure it was a great experience for all of you who went. I apologize for calling this assembly at such late notice, and you must be wondering what warranted such an action.

“We just received some alarming news. Until it's proven, this is just speculation. But it's too serious to be taken lightly. I will now open the podium to the one who shared this information with us for explanation.”

The principal returned to her seat and Ella rose to her feet. She took one slow step at a time, scanning the assembled student body while she moved to the podium.

Ella glanced back at the principal. “Thank you for treating this seriously, principal.” Her gaze fell upon the audience. “I know you're all eager to hear why you were forced to gather here today, so I'll get straight to the point. A demon has infiltrated the academy, disguised as a student.”

Dread trapped Lilac in its cold grasp, sucking the color out of her. ‘This can't be happening!!!’

Surprised gasps rippled through the students.

“A demon? Here?”

“Who is it?”

“Where's your proof?”

Various reactions stemmed from the audience, leaning mostly toward concern and skepticism.

Ella listened to the questions that arose and remained quiet until her audience had calmed down enough to give her their full attention. “Do not fear, fellow students. I shall unmask the demon in our midst.”

Her eyes scanned the body of students until they found the top of Lilac's head poking out from behind the girl in front of her. “Would you please stand, Lilac?”

Everyone followed Ella's gaze to see who she was referring to.

Emmalyn glanced at Lilac in confusion. “What is she talking about? You're not a demon!”

Lilac tried her best to contain her trembling. ‘If I run now, it'll basically prove I'm a demon… I have to play innocent,’ she thought. She rose to her feet with the speed of a turtle.

“Everyone, Lilac here is our little imposter. She's altering her appearance to look human,” Ella announced.

“That's wrong!” Emmalyn jumped up beside Lilac. “I've known Lilac since her first day at this academy. She's been nothing but sincere. How can you accuse her of being a demon?”

In the group of second years to their right, Vance stood up. “Accusing someone like this isn't right. Lilac hasn't done anything suspicious.”

“Lilac's the most human girl I know,” Alan joined her defense. “As the hero, I would know if she was a demon.”

The crowd began to whisper among themselves, questioning Ella's claim.

Scarlett's terrified voice rang out above the mutterings of the students. “L-Lilac is t-too kind to b-be a demon!”

Lilac's heart lifted for a moment at her friends’ support, especially Scarlett for speaking up in such a huge crowd. ‘I'm sorry, everyone! I really am a demon…’

“Let's prove it, then,” Ella said. “Allow me to use healing magic on her. If she isn't a demon, then the effects will be normal. But if she is…”

The principal, who was listening with crossed arms, nodded. “That's a fair test. Lilac Astrine, come here, please.”

Fear shackled her in place. Only a deep breath was able to free her from the chains. Ella had trapped her in an impossible position. There was no protecting her secret any longer. Her only hope was for someone to save her before it was too late.

Slowly, she stepped down the open lane until she stepped onto the platform, a couple arms lengths away from Ella. Her mind tried desperately to come up with a way to escape this situation.

“Thank you for cooperating,” Ella said. “Let's show everyone what you are.”

“Wait!” Lilac pleaded. “The nurse said I'm allergic to light magic. It might be the same for holy magic…”

The principal turned to the nurse only a couple seats down. “Is that true?”

“Yes,” the nurse dipped her head to confirm. “She had quite a bad reaction to the light magic she came in contact with. It took her days to recover. Her concern with holy magic is valid.”

“That proves that she's a demon,” Ella said.

“Humans have allergies to all sorts of things,” the nurse responded. “An allergy to certain kinds of magic, especially the opposite of one's own magic, is possible.”

“Is there another way you could prove whether or not Lilac is a demon as you say?” The principal asked Ella.

“Do you have a way to dispel magic?”

“Yes, we do. Why?”

“If we can dispel the magic altering her appearance, everyone will see the demon's true self,” Ella explained.

“I see… William, you got that?” Principal Valeshine looked at the instructor for Lilac's class.

“Every word.” He clapped once and a strong wind attacked Lilac, nearly knocking her off her feet.

She took shelter behind her arms, using them to break the wind. As the wind pushed past her, she felt it taking her strength with it.

Gasps arose from her peers as her disguise peeled off like paint. The round tip of her ears stretched to their regular pointiness, and her twin black,  purple-tipped devil tails materialized behind her, happy to finally move freely again.

“See?” Ella turned to the shocked students. “She is a demon.”

The wind stopped, having done its job. Tears formed in Lilac's eyes as defeat kicked her to her knees. She kept her head low to avoid seeing how her friends viewed her now.

More whispers rose from the crowd to stab Lilac's crushed spirit.

Ella raised her voice for all to hear. “As the future high priestess, it is my duty to dispel the darkness this demon has brought upon us.”

Lilac's falling tears reflected the golden light that manifested above her. She was too heartbroken at the life she had built among the humans being ripped from under her feet to move.

“Goodbye, Lilac. You should have stayed in the Darklands.”