MIDNIGHT PRINCE: Empire of Sin



While the car was slowly approaching the site of the church, Adam was not able to fight his curiosity anymore and finally asked something that he had been burning to know.

"So… Vik?"

The young woman, Susanne Brown, bit her lips with a rather cute expression before coughing lightly at his words, trying to shrug off the clear teasing attempt that Adam was throwing at her. It was just very embarrassing and she was brooding over that slip-up for a while now.

"I'm sorry. Just a lack of professionalism."

"No no. Don't try to shrug it off. I am just curious."

"Vik… Viktor is a good guy and he is adorable. We spent some time together last night and it had been a while since I had so much fun with someone. So yeah, I don't know. Perhaps we are an item now? Or perhaps I was just a one-night stand to him and he has forgotten about me already."

She shrugged her shoulders. She was quite the romantic and would have never gone to bed with Viktor if she didn't believe there was a spark between them. A spark that she was willing to pursue.

Of course, the fact that he was a young hunter like her and was also quite handsome and had a body that was just her type helped a lot. But what she liked the most was his gentle and caring personality.

"Though he wouldn't shut up about you, Mr. Adam…"

It had been quite weird seeing him praise another man so much but, after looking him in the eyes, she was able to understand that what he felt was pure admiration for the man called Adam.

"So, what did he say about me?"

She asked, hopeful, betting it all in that spark she had seen. As a hunter, getting into a serious relationship was perhaps one of the things that were the most advised against doing insider of the community.

The mortality rate of low to mid-level hunters was rather high and as such, there was an equally high number of hunters who lost their loved ones.

For an active hunter like her, Love with a normal human was one small gamble. But love with another hunter was a gamble with 70% of failure in almost all cases.

"Snort~ You know my opinion about this story. You barely know the boy and you are already speaking like you are trying to marry him tomorrow."

Oscar Rodriguez snickered on the side. There was some bitterness in his words. "You should be careful. If I were you, I would be more than happy with just a one-night stand or a purely physical relationship."

Susanne did not argue and Oscar did not continue. She knew very well that he was only speaking like this for her own good. After all, Oscar was one of the unlucky hunters who had seen all those he loved, die one after another before his own eyes without him being able to do anything about it.

"Being a hunter is a job that will take all your life. Death is a permanent feature of the supernatural world, never too far away, looking for an opportunity to reap everything from you."

Since the pain was inevitable and Death was always near, it was better to close your heart to the outside world.

Losing your loved ones was a deep pain that could not be compared to anything else. It was a mixture between absolute rage, powerlessness, and a sense of emptiness once you realized that your loved one would never be there for you again.

The feeling that seized one's heart when they woke up alone in their bed with no one by their side or when one did a joke but realized that there would never be anyone again to share that joke with.

All those little moments, all those things that one took for granted, it was those moments that hurt the most once you lost the one with whom you shared them.

'Welp… Seems like Mom was right. I am really a massive mood killer.'

Who would have thought that such a simple innocent question would bring so much heaviness to the table? He didn't. Which led to this current scenario.

———

The rest of the road was traveled in a suffocating silence as Adam understood that he had unknowingly stepped on a landmine.

Thankfully, there was not much of the road left and they were able to reach the church fast just in time for him to see the light show above the Cathedral.

"What the…?"

"Hmmm? Is something of the matter?"

Happy for the new topic of discussion, Susanne asked directly, causing Adam to be even more bewildered.

"Am I the only one here who can see that light show?"

"Light?"

Susanne and Oscar shared a glance. They were not stupid enough to dismiss this as some sort of illusion.

This was the best way to die in the stupidest way possible in the supernatural world. Even so, they truly could not see the 'light' he was speaking about.

"Shall we go in the direction of the light that you are seeing?"

Oscar and Adam looked at Susanne like they were looking at the greatest idiot possible.

"Are you crazy?"

This wasn't some horror show. Why the hell would they go in the direction where some suspicious light was coming from?

In this situation, it was better to visit someone with the appropriate credentials and ask for their opinion.

"Hi. Elysia? This is Susanne. We are close. Tell me, do you have some sort of light manifestation going on above the cathedral?... Huh?... I see… Okay, We are coming soon."

She gave the two of them a daring smile and flipped off at Oscar, "Seems like I am not so stupid after all."

"Or we chanced upon the exception that made the rule."

The atmosphere became more friendly and this time Adam wisely chose to simply shut up and observe. He didn't want to be the cause of another cold silence.

———

When Adam finally reached the place where they were supposed to meet Elysia, they did not have to wait long before the host that was supposed to receive them came out while wearing what looked like ceremonial attire.

But what immediately caught his attention was the middle-aged woman walking and laughing with Elysia and having a boy on her other side.

'What in the flipping hell?'

Thinking about this, Adam used his 'Eyes of Truth' just to be sure about their origin and he was sadly forced to accept the reality.

The first two were as normal as he remembered them to be. At least this was as normal as a human woman with no power and some Vatican super warrior could be.

『 Name: Kang Hae-Won

Affiliation: Blue Sharks

Alias: None

Race: Human

Age: 33 』

『 Name: Elysia Castitas

Affiliation: Vatican

Alias: Saintess || Holy Daughter || One of the Seven

Race: Human

Age: 18 』

While the stats of the saintess were certainly interesting, what truly caught his attention was the young innocent-looking boy they had between them.

『 Name: Kang Han-Wool || Azrael [1]

Affiliation: Blue Sharks

Alias: Destined Child, Divine Child

Race: Human (???)

Age: 7 』

Adam closed his eyes.

'Fuck.'

Something bothersome suddenly happened again.

Not only did he meet a woman he never expected to meet in this situation but it seemed like her child was raising some serious bad flags that he would have to get involved in.

What the hell was a destined child even?

"Welcome, dear benefactor. I am sorry but I was busy with an important ceremony."

Adam smiled, "That's not a problem."

As soon as he spoke, Hae-Won's eyes, which had been rather indifferent even if smiling affably, looked at him with suspicion.

She tilted her head in confusion before shaking her head as if she was refuting an absurd idea.

"Since you seem rather busy I believe we should go now. Once again, I am truly grateful for giving us your time and baptizing my child."

"You are welcome."

After those words, she gave a small bow to them before leaving with her son.

Leaving the four of them alone.

"Well… Why don't we go to my office? There are many things I wish to talk about with you, dear benefactor."

Adam just nodded his head. He could see that even as she left, the preeminent emotion in Hae-Won's heart had been only doubt and confusion.

He hoped that this doubt would soon vanish.

———

[1]: Han-Wool means heavenly.

Han-wool is an ancient Korean version of the word Haneul, which means sky or heaven.

(AN: Hum, the baptism arc lasted longer than I initially wanted. Then again, shit is about to hit the fan so you can say this is one of the last few moments of rest.

AN 2: Also don't forget guys. Still trying to get reach 10K don't hesitate to join my Priv