CHAPTER 97: RIN’S SHORT ESCAPE!

"W...why? Why?" Rin questioned with his trembling voice as he stared at his throbbing foot. "Why are you so keen on making my life so miserable?"

Evan’s voice was soft, almost gentle, as he forced Rin to meet his eyes.

"Miserable? This is simply to keep you from running. Once we get to the capital, I’ll call a healer. Until then, endure the pain."

"Go. To. Hell," Rin rasped, his voice shaking but fierce, his eyes blazing with defiance.

Evan’s grip tightened on Rin’s chin, hard enough to bruise.

"Change your words... or I’ll break the other one."

Rin’s lips curled into a grin despite the tears burning in his eyes. He said nothing, his silence was a challenge itself.

For a moment, Evan studied him, his expression unreadable. Then he smirked and pushed Rin back, cutting the ropes around his wrists with a flick of a small blade.

"Dinner will be brought to you. Stay here and don’t fucking move."

The carriage door shut with a heavy thud, leaving Rin alone. He sat trembling, his leg screaming with pain, sweat rolling down his forehead and stinging his eyes. He clenched his fists, cursing himself, cursing fate, cursing Lucien and his monstrous father. "Fuck! Fuck! It hurts!" he hissed, his voice breaking.

And then, a familiar chime rang in his mind.

DING!

[Welcome back, Host!]

Rin froze, his breath catching. The system. He hadn’t heard it in days, not since the academy. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered, his voice bitter.

[System Alert]

[Task Failed: Attend the graduation party.]

→ Reward: None.

Rin laughed, a sharp, bitter sound that dissolved into a sob. "Figures..."

[System Alert]

[Update: Demonic powers unsealed. Congratulations]

His breath caught, his eyes widening. "Congratulations? What...? How?"

But the system didn’t explain to her. It just continued.

[System Alert]

[Update: Bond with Cerberus broken. Link to Asmodeus severed.]

Rin’s throat tightened, a strange mix of relief and confusion washing over him. He didn’t fully understand what it meant, but the mention of Asmodeus brought a pang of something like guilt. "Hope you’re free now, Asmodeus..." he whispered, his voice soft.

[System Alert]

[Update: Broken leg healing. Estimated time: 3 minutes.]

Rin blinked, stunned. "You’re kidding... How the hell is that even possible?"

DING!

[Demonic Trait Activated: Regeneration.]

The pain in his leg throbbed, but beneath it, a strange warmth pulsed through his bones, knitting them together. He tore a strip from his tattered shirt, wrapping it tightly around his leg to hide the healing. His stomach and navel were exposed, the cool air brushing against his bare skin, but he didn’t care. As long as his leg healed, he’d deal with the cold. He couldn’t let Evan—or anyone—know what he was capable of. Not yet.

Another notification flickered in his mind:

DING!

[System Mission: Escape from Duke Evan Vortellion.] [Reward: Unique Skill.]

Rin’s lips curved into a sharp, determined smile. "Now we’re talking," he muttered, his voice low and fierce. "I’ll fucking get that unique skill."

When the enforcer returned with a tray of roasted meat, Rin forced himself to eat quickly, ignoring the pain still lingering in his leg. It was whole again, the bone mended, but he kept the cloth wrapped tightly, playing the part of the broken, helpless prisoner. He couldn’t let anyone—especially Evan—suspect that he was anything more than a weak omega. If the Duke realised he was a demon, everything would change. Evan would never let him go.

The enforcer turned to leave, but Rin’s voice stopped him, soft and deliberately weak. "Uhm..." He brought a hand to his mouth, feigning exhaustion. "Can you help me? I need to relieve myself."

The enforcer grunted, his face twisting with annoyance. "When you’re done eating, I’ll take you to piss. Don’t even think of ruining the Duke’s carriage."

Rin nodded, keeping his eyes downcast, his expression meek. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

The enforcer snorted, muttering something about "pathetic omegas" as he stepped outside. Rin waited, his heart pounding, until the man returned. The enforcer hauled him up roughly, tying a rope around Rin’s waist and gripping the other end tightly. "Try to run, and I’ll drag you by your guts," he warned, his voice low and threatening.

Rin gave a weak laugh, wincing for effect. "With a broken leg? Sure."

"Such a weakling," the enforcer sneered, shoving him toward the trees at the edge of the camp. "Two minutes. Don’t test me."

The moment the enforcer turned his back, Rin’s hands moved, steady and precise. He untied the rope with ease, his fingers quick despite the tremor of adrenaline coursing through him.

DING!

[System Skill: Temporary Scent Lock activated. Duration: 15 minutes.]

Rin’s lips twitched into a grin. "I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad you’re on my side," he whispered to the system, his voice barely audible.

He bolted. His healed legs carried him faster than he thought possible, the wind whipping through his hair as he darted through the forest. Branches scratched his face, tearing at his exposed skin, but he didn’t care. The cold night air burned his lungs, his heart hammering in his chest, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

Behind him, shouts erupted from the camp. "He’s gone!" one guard yelled. "Find him!" another barked, their voices sharp with panic.

Rin cursed under his breath, pushing his body harder. His legs bled from the thorns and jagged rocks, but the pain was nothing compared to the fire of his resolve. He ran for nearly twenty minutes, his breath ragged, his muscles screaming, until—

Thud.

He slammed into something solid, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. The world tilted, and he stumbled back, his eyes shooting upward.

A man towered over him, at least seven feet tall, his frame broad as a wall. A jagged scar ran down his face, splitting his brow and cheek. His grip clamped onto Rin’s shoulder like iron, unyielding and painful.

"How the hell," the man rumbled, his voice low and dangerous, "did you escape?"