Rise of the Rejected Deity from Chaos-Chapter 85 - 84: Hayne | A Wolf among Sheep? | Who Could’ve Marked Seiya?

Hayne’s eyes widened as the implications of Kaeliyus’ accusations became clear. His gaze flared with rage, brows drawing together in anger.

"What nonsense are you spewing?!" he demanded, his face tight with tension.

"Oh, you know exactly what I mean," Kaeliyus replied, pressing forward without hesitation.

"Sweet and innocent on the outside, but beneath that sheep’s skin—no, not even deep beneath, for that would be too generous—your true intent shimmers just beneath the surface." His eyes swept over Hayne, stripping him bare with his gaze.

Hayne’s expression darkened by the second, eyes blazing. "You—"

"Mortals," Kaeliyus cut him off. "Cunning, selfish creatures who care only for their own ambitions. They betray their own kind without hesitation, so long as it serves their goals. Their greed knows no bounds." His eyes gleamed with contempt.

"And that is why I do not hesitate to slaughter those who trespass into my domain, seeking to claim me for their selfish purposes. You…" He let the word hang, gaze dark with disdain. "You are no different."

Hayne’s hands clenched into fists, knuckles whitening. His breath came sharp with rage. "How dare you judge someone when you know nothing of them?! That’s—"

"Enough with the act," Kaeliyus interrupted once more, his ire flaring hotter with each breath Hayne took.

Hayne’s lips parted, but Kaeliyus leaned in, suffocating him with his presence.

"Spill the truth—that you conspired with the ones who killed the young Lord’s mother," Kaeliyus demanded, voice sharp as steel.

"I see through you without even trying. You’re that transparent in my eyes." His words were cutting like a blade "This façade won’t save you."

Oppressed beneath both Kaeliyus’s words and presence, Hayne could scarcely draw breath. Every attempt to defend himself was smothered before it began.

"When the young Lord fully accepts me as his guardian, I’ll take great pleasure in removing pests like you. Of course, you’ll be—"

Kaeliyus froze mid-sentence, words dying in his throat the moment a chilling command sliced through the air from behind, sharp and weighted as a sword:

"Leave him alone."

The voice was calm, but its presence crashed down like a crushing force.

Kaeliyus stood rooted, unable to turn toward the source. He hadn’t sensed anyone approach—nothing at all.

Slowly, he turned, gaze falling upon Seiya standing firm outside the room. Even with the blindfold obscuring his eyes, Seiya’s unseen stare pierced through Kaeliyus like ice against bone.

As Kaeliyus stared, his nerves frozen in place, realization dawned upon him. Earlier, in the cavern, when he had sensed the presence of one yet found two, it was not a lapse in his perception. Rather, it was his young Lord—who possessed neither presence nor spiritual energy—at least none that he could detect.

It took a moment for Kaeliyus to regain control of himself and when he did, his head lowered in swift deference. "Yes… my Lord."

Without hesitation, he stepped away from Hayne and positioned himself behind Seiya, who remained still, his gaze fixed upon Hayne. Though unreadable, there was a weight in Seiya’s silent stare that held the room captive. Hayne, rooted in place, met Seiya’s gaze without a word, his expression veiled in ambiguity.

Without another word, Seiya turned to leave, but Hayne lunged forward, desperation flashing in his eyes as he grasped Seiya’s arm.

"You don’t think that of me, do you? That I—"

"No." Seiya’s answer came swift, halting Hayne’s words in his throat.

To Seiya, Hayne was no wolf in sheep’s clothing. Though he can be quite cunning and manipulative, he had never once lied to him. After all, deception was nearly impossible to conceal from him. Seiya could hear the truth—or the absence of it—in a person’s heartbeat. Only someone with exceptional skill could mask their pulse well enough to deceive him.

Moreover, on the day of the incident—the day Seiya’s mother was killed—Seiya had heard an unfamiliar heartbeat trailing them as they strolled outside after Hayne had locked them out. But the presence had kept its distance, never crossing the line, so Seiya had paid it little mind.

As for Hayne’s injury—Seiya had seen it, a grievous wound that struck straight in the heart, its severity was unmistakable. Whatever Kaeliyus believed, Seiya knew Hayne wasn’t the villain he accused him of. Kaeliyus’s disdain stemmed from his hatred of humans—mortals, as he called them.

Though Hayne could not see Seiya’s eyes beneath the blindfold, he knew Seiya did not speak falsehoods. Relief loosened the tension in his chest as he released Seiya’s arm.

"Thank you," he murmured softly.

Without a word, Seiya turned on his heel, walking away with measured steps. Kaeliyus followed close behind, his gaze never once flickering back to Hayne.

****

When the household had settled into a semblance of calm, and Hayne had finished tidying and arranging the rooms, he joined the others in the living room.

Stepping into the center, he clapped his hands lightly to draw their attention—Seiya, his elite, and Kaeliyus all turned their gazes toward him.

"It would be wise for us all to get some proper rest before discussing any matters," Hayne began. "Since our departure, none of us have had a true moment to recuperate. It’s essential." His gaze softened slightly as he turned to Seiya. "Especially you, Sei."

Kaeliyus arched a brow but said nothing.

"There are things we must do with your eyes, but they seem far from their best condition. Perhaps rest will help, though I wonder why they’ve yet to heal properly," Hayne added.

"How arrogant," Kaeliyus’ cold voice shattered the air’s fragile warmth. All eyes flicked toward him, and Hayne held his gaze with unspoken questions.

"To presume authority over my Lord’s well-being, to speak as though you lead him—" Kaeliyus’ eyes gleamed with a deadly glint. "Tell me, is it death you seek?"

Hayne stiffened but quickly composed himself.

"This isn’t about making decisions for him or leading anyone," he replied calmly. "It’s a matter of discussion—planning our next steps forward. Caution has guided us since our escape, and it must continue to do so."

At the mention of their escape, Kaeliyus’ brow twitched. The briefest flicker of curiosity crossed his gaze, a silent question of what trials his young Lord had endured alongside these mortals. But he said nothing.

Seeing no rebuttal from Kaeliyus, Hayne pressed on.

"As much as I’d prefer to move forward quickly, since my uncle is fast-tracking my paperwork to return home, rest is crucial." His gaze flicked toward Seiya. "Seiya’s eyes also need attention, though he refuses to visit a hospital." Hayne paused, weighing the thought. With eyes like Seiya’s, a hospital visit would undoubtedly spark unwanted rumors—something they could not afford at the moment.

"The blindfolds don’t work," Seiya who’s been silent, spoke, drawing all eyes to him.

"What—" Hayne began, but Kaeliyus stepped forward abruptly, placing himself directly before Seiya.

"What do you mean, my Lord?"

Silence lingered as Seiya paused, still unaccustomed to the title Kaeliyus so often addressed him with.

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"Even with the blindfold, the sun—or any harsh light—still burns my eyes," Seiya answered.

"Hmm…then, my Lord, may I have a look?" Kaeliyus asked, his voice laced with a rare gentleness reserved solely for Seiya—a stark contrast to the cold sharpness with which he addressed the others.

After a moment’s hesitation, Seiya unwrapped the blindfold, unveiling his white lashes and brows—the scar gashing across his face, and eyes still streaked faintly with blood.

"My Lord, do your eyes not return to normal after activating this form?" Kaeliyus inquired.

Seiya and the others exchanged puzzled looks, uncomprehending.

Seeing their confusion, Kaeliyus understood without further explanation.

"Then…" Kaeliyus’s voice dipped, touched by a faint sorrow and fear. "Were you born with these eyes, or did you once have normal ones?" His steady gaze held Seiya’s unflinchingly.

"He had normal eyes," Hayne answered when Seiya took too long to respond.

"I see..."

Kaeliyus’s gaze lowered, rage quietly stirring within him but he swiftly subdued it.

"This means he must have suffered severe damage—enough to force these eyes to awaken permanently," Kaeliyus continued, offering no room for doubt. "They remain activated because my Lord no longer possesses his original eyes for them to revert to," His gaze dipped with quiet sadness. "It’s like when a mortal has their Awakened powers activated without any means to deactivate them—imagine the strain such a state would cause."

"As for the sensitivity…" Kaeliyus’s brow furrowed. "I cannot say why it persists. Since these eyes are unlike any out there—if it has a problem like light sensitivity, then ordinary materials will naturally fail to shield them," Kaeliyus explained.

"Then—is there a solution?" Hayne asked.

"There is—at least materials capable of preventing harsh light from seeping through," Kaeliyus replied.

"Well… I suppose that settles it. One problem solved," Hayne said, though Kaeliyus offered no response. His gaze, burdened and distant, held a faint sorrow—alongside an unspoken curiosity, silently questioning what his young Lord had endured while he, Kaeliyus, had remained idle, goofing away within his cavern.

"That aside," Hayne began, his gaze steady. "Could you explain what you meant by Seiya already being branded?"

Kaeliyus lifted his gaze, meeting Hayne’s eyes.

"About that…" He shifted his glance toward Seiya. "When I attempted to brand my Lord"—he paused, emphasizing the next word—"ignorantly, it was repelled by an existing brand within him. I didn’t notice it at first, but he was already marked."

"And what effect do brands usually have on their hosts?" Hayne asked.

"It varies," Kaeliyus replied. "Take mine, for example—it allows me to track the branded individual, prevents them from lying to me or defying my will. It essentially turns them into my slave. But not all brands are like mine; their effects differ from person to person."

"Their effects mostly depend on the caster’s intent and the nature of the mark itself," He added.

Hayne’s brow furrowed slightly, the question unspoken but clear—’Who could’ve branded Seiya, and when?’

"This isn’t exactly my area of expertise," Kaeliyus admitted. "So I can’t say what type of brand it is or where it came from. Though…" He trailed off, gaze shifting somewhere else. "There is someone who can." His eyes peered down intently on Seiya’s staff.