The preparation for the musical theatre was really hectic, since Eli got the role of Henry, she needs to learn a lot on her part. Secretly seeing her practice with the brothers are fun, though I need to be careful not to get caught spying on them. Simeon was surprisingly strict when it comes to completing his piece, I guess he wasn't as angelic as he is meant to be when it comes to something he's passionate.
On the last day of their final rehearsal, they finally nailed their performance. Simeon finally praised their performance and let them have a break. Levi himself even said that he was quite the spartan when he directed them on their acting and sing and dance. As I heard the news from Eli, I become excited and can't wait to watch them together with my friends. I happened to told my succubi friends about the show and they were ecstatic to see the performance. It seems some of them are a fan of Asmo, they seem to take an interest to take a look on the other demon brothers too. Not really surprising knowing how each of the brothers have their own fan club. I'm actually concern when I heard about it because Eli is in the center of their attention. But it seems they have done a good job on protecting her.
It is D-day, my friends and I (under the succubus disguise) went to the audience seat to wait on the show. Some of my succubi friends pull out their phone to capture the moment, and when the curtain rises, I finally see my friend, Eli. She was stunningly manly, her outfit makes her look like a tomboy and she tied her hair into a ponytail while wearing a cape like a hero. Her singing is very on point, not to mention she is also dancing harmoniously when the musical scene started. I especially like her battle scene with Lord of Corruption and her duet with Lord of Emptiness. It truly is a wonderful masterpiece, no wonder Simeon was quite strict on directing them.
When the play is finished, a big applause came from the audience can be heard. The actors and actress bow for the closing before the curtain enclose on them. Me and my friends headed outside and we saw that the brothers and Eli is now outside, still wearing their costumes. I have to admit that all of them look gorgeous that it attracts a lot of attention. Some of my friends directly headed to Asmo for photos and a few other went to the other brothers that interest them. I ended up saying hello to Eli who already knows about my succubus form.
"Eli, your performance was awesome!" I held out my hand for a high five, and Eli spontaneously responded.
"I was quite nervous truthfully, but so glad that it went unexpectedly well than what we practiced before."
Eli hugged me and we have a small talk, since she was busy with the main event before, now is the only time I was able to tell her the small things that happened to me about my previous incidents. Her ears are wide open as usual even though my story is a far cry compare to what she went through, but that is what I like about her.
"You seem like having fun, who might this be, Eli?" Lucifer approached us in a sudden, and at that exact time I zipped my mouth with an awkward smile.
"A-ah… Lucifer! She is a friend of a friend that I happened to know here, she came to watch my performance." Eli tried her best not to sound rigid when making up an alibi, but Lucifer somehow doubt that and keep on staring at me for quite a while. He really doesn't seem to take the bait.
"Hmm is that so? Have I ever seen you somewhere?" his question jolted my heart that I almost lost my speech ability.
"I don't think so, maybe you're mistaken me for someone." I replied awkwardly, since the situation doesn't seem to look good, I part ways with Eli in a hurry and told my friends that I'll be off first.
After going out of the crowd, I walked away to a quieter place and change myself back into my human form. I took out my spiral glasses and my hair ties to finish off my usual nerdy look before going back to the venue. Unknowingly at that time, someone actually followed me.
It is almost 9 months of my stay in Devildom, with all the commotion and Eli's incidents with the brothers, I almost forgot that we will have to face some final exams nearing our exchange program end. Shortly after, we have to write a report about our stay and activities in here. I was quite distracted by a lot of things that my studies got plummeted a bit than my average, even though I tried to keep on maintaining it. Exam season are starting and everyone else is studying on their own (some are by force due to their bizarre results). I wish I was like Eli at times like this, she is surprisingly a bright student even before coming to RAD so she doesn't have a hard time catching up on things. I was about to ask her to tutor me but it seems like Asmo and Mammon hogged her for the period.
Looks like I have no choice but to ask him
Reluctantly, I messaged Lucifer on whether he could assist me on my study for the exam, not really hoping to get a positive response knowing how busy he is. But to my surprise, he replied rather quickly and agreed to several sessions. But I'm kind of worried since he asked me to do it in his room, not like Eli wasn't ever called there just to discuss some things. Nevertheless it sure will be somewhat awkward with only us two being in there, I better prepare my mental when the time comes.
At first it was a little awkward when I went to Lucifer's room, although he only taught me the materials of the exam. But he seems very thorough with his methods, so I started to get used to this teacher-student situation and it just turned out into a normal study session like in class. When I heard that he constantly needed to abuse Mammon whenever he fails a test score, it scared me for a moment. But Lucifer never gets angry at me, even when I still don't understand some subjects, he tried to explain it again. I find it strangely nice being able to experience this, and today is the last day of our study session. Just when I was about to go, Eli's text popped up on my D.D.D screen.
"Avi, is it me or has Lucifer been eyeing on you?"
Eh?
I was taken aback by what she said, I texted her back, asking what she meant by it. According to her, it seems that after the TSL show, whenever I was in the area of his sight, Lucifer would watch me from time to time. I'm sure I've never done anything wrong for him to watch over me, so it confuses me about how I need to process this information.
"Are you sure? I haven't had the slightest clue on why he would do that."
I texted her again just to be sure that Eli didn't assume on her own. But her reply disappoints my anticipation for it to be a mistake.
"I'm 100% sure about it, since I often notice when he looks at you. Maybe you need to be careful today, I have a feeling he will ask something to you since it's the last day you will be studying with him."
This is the first time that someone other than me is being more perceptive about my own situation. It's true that ever since the incident with Asmo, I kind of let my guard down of my surroundings because there are other people than Eli that knows my secret.
Hm? Could it be this is about…
As I was about to make my conclusion, I look at the time and almost be late for the study session. It disperses my thought and I completely forgot about it for a moment.
Since today is the last day of my study session, I only need to cover the materials that has been taught and did a mini test from Lucifer.
"You did well, I hope you also do the same for the upcoming exam." Hearing him complimented me, I sighed in relief to know that I'm good for my upcoming exam.
"Thanks to you I can understand the subjects easier, well I better get going then." I was about to stand, but Lucifer halt me from moving.
"Wait."
His gentle voice suddenly turned sharply intimidating, it literally froze me in place.
Uh oh, is this what Eli is talking about?
The moment he did that, I predicted that he wants to interrogate me about something. I wonder how will I get out of this? I just want to go back and relax.
"Is…something the matter?" reluctantly I asked him back, still plastering my polite smile.
"There is something I want to make sure before you go, please have a seat again."
Ah… I guess there is no going back for a while
I quietly sit back from where I was before and turn my gaze somewhere away from his piercing stare.
"Not long ago, I received a strange report from the students of RAD." Lucifer started the topic, I think he will get right to the point that it scares me on what he will ask.
"W-what about it?"
"It seems there has been a stranger often sighted near RAD, going in and out from the area. After a rumor of it has spread, one of them took a picture of the said subject and sent it to one of my brothers." Lucifer explained, tapping his index finger on the sofa's arm like a ticking bomb.
I have a guess on what he will ask about, oh man how will I scoot out from this?
Even though I didn't express it, my brain is about to explode trying to think of a way to slip out of this daunting situation.
"So I got them to send it to me, but unfortunately the picture is too blurry to make out what the subject is," I was about to feel relief, but there is a continuation to it.
"I asked Levi to do something about it since he is capable with this stuff and the result is finally clear. Here, this is the picture." He gave me his D.D.D and what I saw there almost shook me, it was my picture when I was still in my succubus disguise.
Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t! I knew it! B-but what does this have to do with me if he doesn't know that it's me? Did he actually know something?
I have to react naturally, because it would be very suspicious if I stayed quiet about seeing the picture.
"Ohh, a succubus? Is she not a student?" I started playing dumb, hoping that Lucifer didn't caught on my nervousness though I really suck at trying to lie when I'm not prepared.
"I'm not so sure about that, a few days ago I got to meet her when she talks to Eli. She said that this succubus is a friend of a friend. But knowing Eli who lives in our house, she rarely gets the chance to go out alone especially to the town, it's not a possibility for her to get to know someone outside of RAD and completely unrelated to one of us."
Eliii it seems your alibi didn't work, I want to cry but I can't!
"I was very curious about this you see," Lucifer continues as he smiled menacingly while he looks at me. I don't know what I'm about to face right now, "so I asked some of my brothers to find out if they have ever seen that succubus. We finally found a lead after Asmo, who likes to fiddle with his Devilgram, got an account that contained the succubus's picture."
Oh no, they even found my alternate account. I hope there is nothing there that can lead to it being me, please, please, please…
"I was checking it out, and she even put her DevilTube account on her profile. What I saw there was a little unbelievable, but to think that she was very close yet none of us know about her. Maybe Eli already knows but that is another matter."
Currently I'm too nervous to open my mouth, Lucifer and I kind of did a staring contest with each other before he breaks the cold silence.
"What do you have to say about all of this, Lin?"
Ah… it's over, I got caught by the most dangerous one about my side entertainment. But I think it's still better than him knowing about my real face.
I think Lucifer noticed that Lin was me is because of the backdrop I used on some of my video covers. It gives away of the room that I'm using, although it looks like others didn't know about that. I guess I was clumsy on that part and let it gets the better of me, thinking I won't be found it.
"I'm… sorry for causing such a ruckus! But it was purely for my own entertainment, I meant no harm by doing that." I apologized fervently and closed my eyes, too afraid to see how he reacts.
"I see, now look at me in the eyes and repeat that."
Maybe he wants me to be more sincere so I did as he told and apologize while maintaining eye contact with him. Lucifer stays silent after that, another few seconds where we are eye to eye that it gets uncomfortable with me.
"I… I will be more careful not to wander around when I'm using my disguise form, I will also post a statement to calm down the rumor on my social networks. But please, at least let me be when I'm using it for my hobby." I stated desperately, hoping he would let me slide for doing my hobby.
I think I almost sound like I'm about to cry. Well, it's one of the most fun activity I have in here, putting on a disguise and make a content cover out of it so no one knows about my real self. I didn't really get the chance to do it when I was in the human realm of this world.
"You admitted to it quickly and seems to repent on it, good to hear that. Rumors aside, there is another problem that I found." Lucifer raised another flag, I thought it has been resolved but it seems I'm wrong.
"On the day of TSL musical theatre, remember when I greet you when you talk to Eli? Because of my suspicion about the rumor, I followed you only to be surprised when that succubus changed into you."
So that's what confirms it, then what was that about my DevilTube content?
"Then what do you find unbelievable about what I post in my account?" I asked a question, confuse by his former statement. Lucifer just chuckled seeing my reaction.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. I got surprised on what your hobby is about, it's unexpected seeing it coming from you."
I did tone down my image and play the mediocre exchange student, it makes sense if he thinks that way when he found out about it.
"But that's not the only problem that I was talking about." Lucifer snapped his finger and suddenly a surge of unseen power surrounded me. It levitates my glasses and undo my braids, and this is where I'm most startled about.
"H-how did you know?" without any excuses, I asked him blatantly out of curiosity that mixes with my anxiety. So he knows about my little secret.
"Ever since the day I first asked you to help me at my office, you fell asleep and your glasses slide off. When you were awake, you didn't notice that I was aware of the situation."
… How could I underestimate him at that time? Knowing his sharp sense, of course he would notice my movement. I was in denial that he might haven't seen my real face but I guess he just pretended like he knows nothing all this time. I'm… at a lost of what to feel about this right now.
"I have my own reason to make myself look like that, there is no rule stated that I have to look a certain way, right?" I'm more upset that he knew about my look and somewhat called it a problem.
"Indeed, this is just my personal take on it. Tell me, why do you want to hide your face so badly like that?"
What does that supposed to mean? Why Lucifer personally wants to know my reason for it? Didn't I do enough to not get anyone's attention excluding the time I got caught by accident? I don't get it, this is why I want to avoid having extra attention to be put on me.
"I will tell you bluntly, I don't really like unnecessary attention. I just want to live peacefully and quietly without getting too involve in this exchange program. I even practiced on how to erase my presence so people wouldn't really notice me. Honestly, it was quite peaceful when only Eli knows about it… I guess it went downhill after Asmo and Solomon found out by accident."
I let out everything without going much into details, I hope this will stop Lucifer's curiosity about me.
"I see, so I wasn't the first to know about your little secret. Do they also know that you are Lin?" Lucifer didn't pry more about my face, I'm glad he understands where to draw the line.
"No, but Eli does know about my succubus's form. Although my alternate name and account are a secret from anyone but me." After hearing that, Lucifer showed a soft smile while covering it with his hand.
"Is that so… " he uttered murmuringly that I almost can't hear it. Now it makes me curious, why is he behaving like this? I spontaneously ask him the question.
"Hey, Lucifer, why do you seem intrigued on what I do and what I personally hold about myself even though almost all of it has nothing to do with the exchange program? I understand if it's about the rumor that caused a ruckus in RAD, but the rest of it didn't corelate."
Seemingly taken aback by my question, he didn't answer me right away. It was silent for a while that I forgot about its discomfort. When I thought he wouldn't answer me, Lucifer finally opens his mouth and speaks in a soft clear voice.
"It interests me."
That short answer is enough to leave my blood go down the drain. Because I don't want to hear the rest of it, I quickly walk out from his room and ran back to my own dorm.
