The massive hall buzzed with life—students chatting, some yawning, others scrolling through their phones as they waited for the orientation to begin. Lucifer walked in with his hands in his pockets, eyes half-lidded, his usual cool aura trailing behind him.
He scanned the crowd lazily and found Francisca sitting a few rows ahead, chatting quietly with Mob and a few others. His gaze moved again—this time stopping at a familiar face.
Ella.
She was laughing at something Remu said, her head tilted, hair catching the light just right. Lucifer's eyes narrowed slightly, a smirk forming on his lips.
"She's exquisite," he murmured.
Just then, a soft voice slid into his ear, warm and teasing. "If you're gonna stare at her all day without making a move, you'll never get her."
Lucifer blinked and turned. A blonde girl had casually dropped into the seat next to him, smiling like they were old friends.
He frowned. "And who are you?"
She winked. "Think of me as a cupid. Or maybe a love goddess rooting for two lovebirds."
Lucifer's expression flattened. "If you're not going to be serious, get out of my hair. I've got enough going on, and I don't have any feelings for her. I only want to kill her."
The girl's smile didn't fade. She just leaned back in her seat, arms crossed like she was getting comfy. "Oof, dark. But hey, that's fine. You're not the fun type—I get it." She tilted her head. "Still… I think I'm gonna stick with you."
Lucifer sighed and looked ahead. "Great."
"I'm Temmy, by the way. Tems for short."
"Okay," Lucifer muttered, already regretting sitting near her.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed a little, and a spotlight hit the stage. The loud chatter died down as a woman in a sharp pantsuit stepped up to the podium, tapping the mic.
"Good morning, freshers," she said with a calm smile. "Welcome to Crescent Hill College, where we prepare the minds that shape tomorrow."
Lucifer slouched in his seat, half-listening, while Tems rested her chin on her palm, clearly not interested either.
"Each of you has a story. You've come from different places, backgrounds, and dreams. Here, you'll find challenges, friendships, maybe even love—" the woman smiled knowingly at the crowd, earning a few chuckles, "—but above all, growth."
Tems smirked and elbowed Lucifer. "Did you hear that? Love. See? Destiny agrees with me."
Lucifer rolled his eyes. "I swear, if you don't stop talking…"
Tems just laughed.
As the orientation continued, Lucifer's eyes darted around the room—every word from the stage fading into background noise. Ella, Remu, Mob, Francisca, and now Tems…
Lucifer leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, eyes sharp and focused like a predator stalking prey. His lips barely moved.
"Ella, Ella, Ella, Ella…" he whispered in a low voice, barely audible to anyone—but just enough for the right ears.
"I know you can hear me. Look behind you."
Across the hall, Ella's smile faltered as she paused mid-conversation with Remu.
"The fuck?" she muttered, turning her head slightly. Her eyes scanned the room.
Remu blinked. "What's wrong?"
"Someone's whispering my name. Over and over. Like they know I can hear them. It's pissing me off."
Remu raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I don't have super hearing like you do. You should probably ask the others to help find whoever's messing with you."
Just as Ella turned to call Francisca, Ken, or Angel, the voice came again—more direct this time.
"If I were you, I wouldn't take that advice. You're so dumb. I told you to look behind you, yet you still couldn't spot me. Tsk. I don't have time to play mysterious."
There was a short pause.
"When orientation's over, meet me at the rooftop of this building. I'll be waiting."
Ella's jaw clenched. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered under her breath, "Fine… so be it. I hope you're ready to get your ass handed to you."
No reply. The voice was gone.
She turned again, scanning every face behind her. Nothing. Just regular students chatting, laughing, or half-asleep while the lady on stage went on with her speech.
Back where Lucifer sat, his eyes were cool, expression unreadable. He didn't even blink.
Temmy watched him with curiosity. "Damn. You really acted like nothing happened." She smiled. "And I still don't know your name."
Lucifer finally spoke without looking at her. "Lucifer. Just Lucifer."
Temmy chuckled softly. "Mysterious till the end. I like that."
The lights brightened slightly as the orientation speaker gave her final words.
"Remember, your time here will shape the rest of your lives. Explore, connect, and most importantly—discover who you really are. Welcome to Emberridge!"
Polite claps followed. Some students stretched, others started getting up. The crowd began to move.
Ella stood up and gathered her things. She glanced at the rooftop through the nearby window, a slight scowl on her face.
"I've got something to handle," she said casually.
Francisca turned to her. "Something like what?"
"Someone's been messing with me since the orientation started. I'm gonna find out who it is."
"You sure you don't want backup?" Ken asked, already cracking his knuckles.
"Nope." Ella gave a small smile. "If it turns out to be a joke, I'll just scare them. If not… then I'll really scare them."
Remu shook her head. "Try not to break anything."
"No promises."
Ella turned and walked off, her long ponytail swaying behind her. She didn't even look back.
The others just watched, curious but not worried. If anyone could handle herself, it was Ella.
On the rooftop
The wind rolled gently across the rooftop, carrying with it the fading warmth of the sun. Lucifer stood near the edge, eyes on the sky as he waits for Ella.
His mind wandered for a second—he hadn't planned to confront Ella today. He wanted to lay low, figure things out slowly. But after the little boost from his last reward… his charm stat had ticked up. Not by much, but enough for him to feel it. Confidence. Control.
Power.
And now, he wanted payback.
Payback for all the years she looked down on him like trash. For the beatdowns. The humiliation.
He smirked.
The door behind him creaked open.
He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"I see you made it," Lucifer said, slowly turning his head with a lazy grin. "Thought you'd be a pussy and run."
"Lucifer,"