《Demero》


 1. May The Dawn Shine Anew

    Lutiel was never particularly lucky. In fact, he always felt as though the world had gone out of its ways to make his experiences as miserable as possible. Always at the bottom of the ladder, surrounded by blinding lights that stole any shine he possessed, his existence wasn¡¯t one many would opt for as a second chance.


    Nonetheless, he wasn¡¯t one to complain. Whatever had been thrown at him, he was fine with, even if a meteor came ravaging through his hometown.


    Still, despite always being content with his circumstances, he had to admit, right now was by far the most despondent moment in his entire life.


    ¡°I told you not to come, you pricks,¡± muttering to himself, Lutiel pulled on the chains connected to the wall behind him.


    Futile. They were too tight whilst having strained his body for far too long to even make him recall the day all of this happened. Kneeling on the rough, acrid ground of the cell he was kept inside, something threatened to break out from the eye slits of the metallic helmet on his head.


    However, fighting with it, he moved his head around, being the only part of his virtually and figuratively rotting body that wasn¡¯t shackled.


    Gazing through the narrow apertures with a gradually swelling throat, he tried to distract himself with the skulls and bones scattered across the dark space.


    Yet, as he watched the scenes beyond the cell with glowing eyes, tears couldn¡¯t help but go out by themselves, his lips quivering about.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡±


    The meek voice roared through the dark space, but it could amount to a measly nothing. Only his throat started to rupture itself from being strained so much, so abruptly.


    ¡°Please,¡± he mumbled in between the ugly sobs reverberating through the place, however, there was nobody there. ¡°Please, stop it.¡± Not a single soul to listen to his woes, no matter how hard he willed it.


    Even though they were so close, standing only a couple layers above him, through the lens of his eyes, it seemed as though they were infinitely many times apart from each other.


    No matter how hard it was, he kept on watching the party that came together with a small army behind their backs. Soon, he heard the voice of the man he wanted to see the least.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± With poised eyes and a straight face, it looked like nothing could sway the long, platinum hairs and the upright frame he possessed.


    Standing in a silvery, light-blue armor blending in with his hairs, his sword was already unsheathed, hungry for blood.


    So were the trio standing around him.


    A shield, a bow, and a dagger, that was the best description for the imposing figures, each exuding a presence far beyond that of the battalion of knights and archers standing behind them.


    All of them, including the sword standing in the group¡¯s center, composed of humanity¡¯s strongest, stared directly at the existence sitting on the throne inside the castle¡¯s ruins.


    The horns that curled around his head covered the eyes, but to the people gathered around, the unemotional, moving mouth felt even more horrendous. Never knowing its true intentions, the tall body covered in dark scales almost seemed to seep out with some sort of energy, black to its very core, swallowing any sort of illumination.


    Simply standing near the dingy, ethereal fumes made the hairs at the back of their necks stand. Immediately, they wished to go away from this place, to have never come to the demon lord before them in the first place.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you, Raphael. I have never expected the heroes to barge straight into my den.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have if you hadn¡¯t stolen one of our party members.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you well equipped already? What¡¯s the matter if one pawn out of a hundred more disappears?¡± Pointing at the army of armored knights behind the hero, his sharp claw made countless plates clutter from the shivers. However, they didn¡¯t listen to the blatant provocation, staying in place. They were here to kill the demon, after all.


    In their place, Raphael thrust his long, white blade. Finally, the unfaltering hairs moved, illuminated with a soft glow under the moon.


    ¡°Cut the crap, Magon. Tell me where you hid him if you don¡¯t want those horns stuck in your heart,¡± he barked while pointing the sword right at the white face of the demon lord.


    And, much to his expectation, the monster simply smiled, baring its black teeth.


    ¡°I would like to see you try. Do you think you can do it?¡± Asking the question, some of the black energy surged around him harsher than before, making a major part of the knights kneel to him. Struggling to hold themselves up under the pressure his being emanated, blood started to smear itself around their guts, quickly escaping through the mouth down onto the floor.


    Looking at the knights with a closed mouth, the demon lord still voiced his acknowledgement for the party of four heroes.


    ¡°Good job. Especially you, sword hero, can you see that angry look on your face? I wouldn¡¯t want any other reaction out of you,¡± the demon spoke with a grinning face.


    ¡°Tell. me. where. you. hid. him.¡± Through gritted teeth, words escaped Raphael¡¯s clenched jaw while the other heroes started gradually moving their bodies.


    After a while, the energy finally receded, making the knights stand back to their positions, despite the horrors filling up their mortal hearts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Magon stopped smiling, the previous, blank expression coming back. Waves of the dark energy spread out without halting, pulsing out of the cracks around his body. More blood than ever churned out of the knights¡¯ mouths as they fell to their stomachs, crumbling under the excessive prowess.


    Just when it looked like the heroes were about to fall as well, however, they all raised their right hand, where each of them held a certain mark.


    Right above their wrists, on the back of their hands, the marks glowed despite there being armors. Piercing through, all four of the hero glyphs announced themselves to the world. In unison, an almost invisible wall made itself up, protecting both the bearers, as well as those beyond them.


    For the second time already, the knights raised themselves up. Their fighting spirit was ignited anew, lit through and by the heroes.


    In front of the formation, the brawny hero stood with his heater shield that towered over him. With the bright, gleaming red gem in the middle of the iron shield, he easily covered all of his body, as well as partially the one that stood directly behind him, the hero of the sword.


    ¡°I never thought you would,¡± Raphael uttered with a glare while placing both of his hands on the sword¡¯s handle, the glyph¡¯s power practically oozing onto the cold blade under the night¡¯s veil. With a light glow reminiscent of his hair, the man took on his stance, along with the two heroes right at his back and numerous knights.


    Hundreds of swords and tens of bows and crossbows raised themselves, aiming at the single entity starting to stand up from his imposed seat.


    Their heights barely reaching his waist, the monster¡¯s frame was more than enough to bring them nightmares. Coupled with the dark, rigid, and protruding scales filled with the energy, they only wished it would end quickly.


    Two black fires spread around the lord¡¯s horns as he brought his right arm out to the side of the throne, a wide and long blade filled with imperfections raising itself from the ground.


    Holding onto the greatsword with a purple eye on the blade¡¯s very bottom in the center, shivers creeped in on the knights¡¯ skin as they felt it scour through every part of them instantly.


    Feeling a tight hold against their neck from the back, as if some lanky, cold hand of a skeleton tried to drag them, their eyes shivered while looking at the incoming demon lord.


    He walked leisurely towards the army, dragging the greatsword along the tattered and dirtied carpet from the past. A lengthy grin appeared on his face as he heard the valiant one bellow.


    ¡°FIRE!¡± Raphael¡¯s voice beamed in the ears of the armored archers and arbalists, and a second later, they raised and released their arrows, more than a hundred of them going at the same creature.


    Yet, before they could show their might, the demon¡¯s sword lit up in the same black light as his horns, swinging to the side while releasing the flame before engulfing anything in its path.


    Devouring the arrows completely, the fire quickly reached the defender.


    Supporting the shield with his whole body, Byrde felt as though a battering ram hit him with the full force of four people guiding it. Even though it was a simple flame with a different shade to it.


    Still, gritting his teeth as his shoulder experienced hell, the man opposed it, leaving marks of his sabatons on the old castle¡¯s floor while skidding on top of it.


    Although the attack was on a much larger scale than his own shield, once it hit the defensive weapon, all of the flames gathered around it.


    ¡°GO!¡±


    While the shield hero battled with the attack, Raphael talked to his men, being the first to run at the demon, only the hero with the dagger equaling his speed and reactions.


    Already before the lord, the two heroes attacked, however, sensing a dangerous feeling, their feet turned back while the knights soon replaced their positions.


    Tens of them stood around, swinging their swords with the pure reason to defeat the enemy before them. To kill the demon lord that plagued the lands of the empire.


    Almost reaching the dark scales around its body, the swords suddenly collapsed, their owners turning headless when tens of fires came flying from Magon¡¯s occupied hands.


    Gazing at the another set of arrows coming right at him, his greatsword moved once again, eating through half of the armors gathered beside him and all of the arrows once again, only to meet with Byrde, who had just finished dissipating the last attack across his shield.


    His rigid stance threatened to break. The force having become powerful enough to place his sturdy bones on the verge of crumbling apart.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°ARRRGHHH!¡± The tall, burly man roared at the top of his lungs, getting it all out of him to preserve his position. Visibly, it helped. He may have traveled all the way back to the archers, but he successfully intercepted the attack from obliterating them.


    Alas, it came at a cost. His figure convulsed incessantly, spams reverberating across the muscles, all of which worked with a sole purpose in mind. Byrde struggled to hold the shield up, but fortunately, no more flames came forth.


    Ahead, he glanced, staring as the platinum hairs danced. Daintily, his body flowed through the atmosphere with staggering ease. Under the fuddle of the horror-ridden knights, Raphael cut through with his blade, aiming for an opening left by Magon.


    They watched. Along with the dagger-wielding girl, their eyes followed the movement of the two heroes that stopped the birth of the third slash.


    Both attacked the wrists holding the greatsword firmly in place, faltering the imminent movement that would have wiped the rest of the squad clean.


    At the same time, the girl moved. With her nimbleness, unobstructed by an overly heavy armor, Daine jumped and used her feet.


    The long blade of the huge greatsword soon met foreign bodies on top of its rough surface. Kicking with all of her might, Magon¡¯s arms moved back for a blink of an eye.


    But, it was enough. Raphael¡¯s arms responded as quick as lightning, retracting into his stance before stabbing right around the groin, in the crevices around the scales.


    A clear image appeared inside his head, knowing almost instinctively where the sword penetrated through. Touching the hip joint, the hero was about to yank his sword away sharply.


    Everything happened in a flash. Despite the girl holding back his weapon, it was only momentarily. She was about to jump away from the hard material when a grimace appeared on her face while looking down at her feet.


    Gnashing her teeth, Daine did it regardless, jumping off the greatsword using her mutilated and bloodied legs.


    The remnants of the black fire still lingered on them, devouring her body gradually. Witnessing the horrors before them, the knights caught the girl before cutting off the calves, the fire unable to spread any longer.


    ¡°Is this the supposed might of heroes? Falling to a mere flame? I must have overestimated you,¡± Magon¡¯s voice echoed in Raphael¡¯s ears, the prior image colluding his eyes, unable to witness the one before him moving.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted! Raphael!¡± A voice came through from the back, behind the hero bearing a shield. Through the air, three arrows pierced swiftly. The demon lord¡¯s advance was forcefully stopped.


    Looking at the dark claws of the stopped foot, three arrows stuck between the nooks between the scales, the platinum-haired hero quickly regained his clarity.


    ¡°Sorry for that, Kylli,¡± apologizing to the hero who nocked another three arrows on her bow, he swung his sword directly at the incoming, great blade of the demon lord.


    Attacking using only one hand, Magon freed the other to promptly catch the incoming arrows. Although her eyes widened as Kylli witnessed the weapons get stuck between the black claws, she immediately took yet another three from the quiver on her back.


    Meanwhile, the swords finally met. One grinned while the other grit his teeth. Standing in the stalemate, the demon lord towered over the seemingly puny existence. However, as little compared to him he was, Raphael withstood the otherworldly power.


    No, his sword pried away the strength of Magon¡¯s right arm, slowly, but surely. To his aid, the knights moved while immediately surrounding the monster.


    It was the perfect scenario. While the hero¡¯s sword battled the black flame from stretching outwards, they were allowed freedom in their attacks, gradually wounding the demon¡¯s body. At least, such was the plan.


    In the unsuspected moment, the fire flowed all the way up to the grinning horns. Sensing the dangers, Raphael¡¯s body instantly curled up in order to protect himself, but it was far beyond his measly strengths.


    A powerless sensation overtook him. Flying through the place all the way to the broken off wall of the castle, breath struggled to creep inside. Through his hazy eyes, the hero shivered after seeing something that could be only described with a single word.


    Domination. Walking through the castle¡¯s ruins with a leisurely, unimpressed face, all of the knights that were just a breath ago around him dissipated into thin air.


    A radiating pain spread on the back of Raphael¡¯s head, a heavy toll impeding his thinking. Getting up without a care for his feeble state, he wanted to make a difference in the massacre that was being displayed right in front of him.


    Without even using his flames, Magon smiled sneeringly while shaking off the arrows with just his blade.


    He stood before the tough-willed Byrde. With but a single thrust upwards, the hero had been impaled through, sharing the fate of the dagger-wielding girl. The tough iron shield that withstood any of the previous attacks crumpled like it was nothing before the lord.


    With a swing to the side, Byrde¡¯s body fell apart completely, chunks of it striking the terrified archers that obstinately kept their duties, sending arrows after arrows.


    Only to be flung away using the dark greatsword whenever he swung.


    As soon as the third hero fell to his dark weapon, any hope left inside them crumbled apart like a brittle rock, their gaze lingering on the last of them, who finally stood up from the column his body crashed into.


    It took mere moments, yet the battalion of his men and the party of heroes was turned to dust. What was left of any of them was either a lifeless corpse or a burnt to nothingness ghost, Raphael being the only left. However, as the demon saw it, the air around him changed.


    Not only that. The hairs on his head and the eyes within his head, they glowed. Battling the shine of the moon, even he felt something spread in the dark body of his.


    ¡°Tell me, hero. Was it worth it? You basically traded a pebble for humanity¡¯s only supporting pillars.¡±


    His wounds weren¡¯t visible anymore. Walking up to him with the long white blade in his two hands, the hero was ready to strike at any given moment.


    ¡°Or were you hoping for this all along? The heroes dying so you could take on their strengths,¡± Magon barked with a smile. However, witnessing the state of the human, he himself had to take the situation with a more solemn undertone, taking the greatsword with both of his hands as well.


    ¡°I won¡¯t fall under your fallacies, Magon, I don¡¯t care what you utter,¡± the hero said, his eyes even colder than when he first came here.


    Slowly, he raised his sword, swiftly appearing before the demon, a newfound strength rippling through his muscles. With only a sole step, Raphael cut through the air, slashing straight at the monster.


    For the second time, the two weapons met. This time, the tides became shifted, the hero¡¯s blade hacking into the greatsword of his enemy, whose face started to melt. A grimacing expression appeared as he heard the next words coming from his mouth.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t nearly as strong as we believed you to be. That flame of yours, you used all of it up already.¡±


    ¡°You dare say that? After five hundred men fell to your meager attempt? Three of the four great heroes died, the last one getting ever closer to them,¡± the demon lord snorted, an unresponsive look veiling his face.


    ¡°I told you already, I will pierce the horns through that heart of yours. I will get you to reveal where he is.¡±


    No words formed anymore. Their only exchange of communication turned into a bout of pure physicality aided with techniques and movement.


    Pushing the hero away in vain, Raphael simply came right back at the sword, hacking into another spot of the sword, a symphony of sparks soon engulfing the dark night around them.


    One step without focus was enough for the other to finish the battle, but neither fell for tens of them on end. Performing monstrous actions with inhuman speeds, their slashes that cut through the floor around them only seemed to accelerate, no party ever getting tired.


    Incessantly, they exchanged attacks under the calm of the lifeless ruins. Riddling the blades with countless cuts and incisions, it was a miracle neither had yet fallen off or crushed under the weight of the other.


    Guided by the moonlight, the hero danced, his hairs flowing along with the tepid breeze.


    Imposed upon the world, the demon lord stood firmly on the ground, the previous presence of darkness no longer spreading through the space.


    The muscles and bones screamed, caring for none. Reverberating in the form of pain, the tremors filled their bodies each time the weapons met. But, they couldn¡¯t focus on it. If they did, the battle would have already ended.


    Their bodies breaking apart, both of them fought constantly, not realizing the ascent of the dawn, hidden in the dark walls of the broken apart castle.


    The hero felt it, inside his body. It moved as though strings pulled him back. The muscles of his arms and legs had finally torn themselves, something that lurked within him ever since he received the new strength.


    However, no matter how he looked at it, he could have never regretted it, the greatsword of the demon lord cut in two, a moment before his own blade would have fallen apart.


    With each following movement, his body broke increasingly, bruising all over his pale skin. Yet, when the white blade pierced through the tough scales, stabbing through the heart of the demonic being, he wasn¡¯t able to register it anymore.


    Magon fell to his knees, strength quickly dissipating from his huge body.


    Although the hero couldn¡¯t see his eyes, he was quite sure of something. The fear of the unknown struck them, just like it did the humans nineteen years ago.


    ¡°Where is Lutiel?¡± The hero muttered, the expression on his face changing. Unlike his usual, tranquil way around the world, the eyes of a murderer appeared on him.


    Nonetheless, the only response he got was something that made them even more gruesome.


    ¡°And why should I tell you that? I¡¯m already dying. You lost your chances, hero,¡± he laughed in his face, the black teeth entwined with the crimson fluid. Spilling out of his clenched jaw, the blood dripped onto the cold floor being gradually illuminated by the peeping sun.


    His pale, pure-white neck was quickly grasped onto, gripped by the hero¡¯s right arm. Even more so than before, the light blue eyes of his practically shined, brutish strength funneling into his body.


    With nothing but vanity, devoid of emotions, the hero¡¯s eyes stared at the demon that struggled to breathe properly.


    Drilled into the neck, his fingers dug themselves deeper with each second, blood starting to seep out of the armor cracks around his arm.


    ¡°I will murder every one of your demons. I will purge your kind, smite any last remaining one, and burn any strands of hairs that are left by you.¡±


    With the sword still stuck inside his heart, Magon¡¯s moves turned sluggish, but he didn¡¯t fail to deliver his last gift to humanity.


    ¡°Lutiel is¡­ long since dead¡­¡± he muttered to the hero, his arm unable to be sensed when his eyes widened fully.


    Something was and felt wrong, mused Raphael. A hot feeling spread in the middle of his chest while some warm liquid began to travel up to his mouth.


    Coughing up the blood, it couldn¡¯t be contained. Finally, the hero gazed down, only to witness the claws stuck inside his chest, penetrating through the armor.


    His heart beat no longer, having been lost. Quickly, the lights that lit inside his eyes dimmed, strength going out of him like some riddled bucket that kept on losing its waters.


    Just like those of Raphael, Lutiel¡¯s eyes stopped glowing, though for a different reason. With the helmet around his head lowered, the stream of tears coming down his cheeks had already dried up. He no longer had it in him to produce any more of them.


    Deprived. He had become deprived of all. Stripped of those dearest and closest to him, all because of him, the chains started clattering.


    Sure, they were his friends, but he never expected them to come. No, he wished for it. For them not to come. He pulled onto them, despite not being able to move.


    He was the cause of this, he knew that. He was a fool to think they would listen to his request, to that damn letter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized through the metallic plates, his voice restrained somewhat. Remaining in the same state for a few minutes, his head started ringing from the pain.


    However, he didn¡¯t know what to do anymore. Stuck in this hell, he was the only one left. Raising his head through the dark space, for the second time, his eyes started glowing, his thought not able to be finished as something made his eyes tremble to the very core.


    Hovering in front of him, there was a thing. Deep black, it still had a glisten to it despite this devoid of light place. A bubble, wobbling around in the air, away from his face.


    ¡®What¡­ is... this?¡¯ he muttered inwardly, no one able to explain. And before he knew, his body moved autonomously, breaking apart in the process.


    Reaching out with his head, the chains quickly acted, constraining him, but he didn¡¯t care. Something inside screamed that he needed to burst that bubble, as quickly as possible.


    Pulling with all of the strength left inside his body, the brittle, undernourished bones of his threatening to break along with the little muscles mounted onto them.


    ¡°AHHHHHHH!¡± He screamed, but pushed nevertheless.


    As though giving the trunk its very last hit with an axe, it started to tilt. He heard something. A weak crack around his shoulders spread and a sharp pain hit him, but it was pointless.


    He was already next to the bubble, the helmet touching its exterior. Immediately, as it burst, the space around was engulfed, reaching through the ground all the way to the world above.


    A thunderous earthquake tore the world apart, a light brighter than a hundred suns growing through the lands.

 2. Reborn

    What did it feel like? To be kept inside a mother¡¯s womb, was it warm, or was it just right? He had no idea. The mind simply wasn¡¯t able to extend so far in the past, such memories yet to stop from fleeting away.


    Humans could solely dream. They weren¡¯t capable of doing anything other than imagining what it felt like. Was it because of longing? Curiosity? Depravation? He knew nothing of it, but he didn¡¯t need to understand. Surrounded, he floated inertly. His body flowed through the warmth that aided him.


    He mused it as a mother¡¯s embrace, something that permeated his within and held the internal flames abuzz. Though the veil of some mucous liquid restricted it, he could still sense the faint beatings of something very far away.


    However, there was no rush to get anywhere. His powerless body would eventually float towards there on its own. All he needed to do was remain here, in the vast expanse of nothingness that made his mind at peace. He didn¡¯t feel apprehensive before the world devoid of light.


    He enjoyed this sea of serenity. Drifting away inside it, as though time itself didn¡¯t reflect his image back, there was simply¡­ him. Him, who felt free anew. No longer had he been imposed on by the stern chains holding his body back.


    Curled up, he let the blank space around take him by hand. There had been no worry written across his being, only a rough smile across the obstructed, blurred head.


    Unable to tell how long he spent afloat, not needing to, it simply passed. Fleeing as quickly as the sunny, peaceful days, it passed while something began to take hold of him. He thought.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯


    A question was probed at himself, only to answer it with another one.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯


    Once again, there came no response. A remorseful silence pervaded instead.


    ¡®Who am I?¡¯


    Before he knew it, the beatings spreading throughout the tranquil realm radiated across his whole body, light peeking in through the venous membranes he could finally see. Beyond the viscous liquid, a tough film covered his figure, a dim, red light coming out of it.


    But, he realized one thing. If he were to leave right now, his body wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain itself yet. So, he waited, and waited. Waited no matter how long it took.


    To the very last moment, until the bright light finally engulfed his smooth eyelids.


    With a searing sensation, his eyes felt as though fire took them ablaze. Then, the wind tensed his skin, barring its paleness to the world.


    He pushed through, breaking apart the tight layer around him through the long gash that was already on it. Having eased his way out, while confusion still lingered all throughout his mind, the body moved instinctively.


    With regained strength, his footing around the world also returned, not to mention the passing of time. Knowing that it kept on passing by each moment a gust of wind wafted through, he began standing up. All of the renewed sensations around him only worsening the grinding clutter inside his head.


    The wind, the light, the sounds, the thoughts, the movement of his slumbered muscles, the sudden change of temperature, and above all else, the weird looks he was currently receiving. All of them gnawed away at him, whose befuddlement knew no bounds.


    With a loud, whistling noise, the man covered his eyes. Glancing at the piercing shine of the sword¡¯s tip, it was undeniably harsher on him compared to the bright red torches illuminating the dark space.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯o la ges?¡± The girl said with a calm breath. Her red skin and white eyes immediately screamed her descent to him, however, hearing the unknown language, he couldn¡¯t reply. He had no idea what it meant, especially under his disoriented state.


    His helmet may have not been there anymore, but his speech was still impeded.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯t la ges nuen?¡±


    Her voice remained at an equal volume, her sword in the same, steady position. Standing with a straight posture, one of her hands waiting patiently behind the back.


    Under the grand cumulation of sensations and being unable to utter a single word, he looked around the girl instead. All donning imposing, iron armor, the group of five each had a sword at their hips, but it was only the first one bearing it.


    With the black, curved horn protruding at the top, on the right side, he stared at the demoness. Along her sides, two demons held wooden torches with a lit cloth at the very top, dripping a fiery liquid every now and then.


    Finally gazing at the space they were inside, witnessing the occasional drops of dirt fall through the cracks, he somewhat realized his circumstances.


    Judging from the materials he could see, the prison must have been shaken up after he burst that dark bubble. Why? And how come he wasn¡¯t hurt?


    He couldn¡¯t understand, nor was he given time to do so.


    ¡°Tis li gader¡¯yr kiz ges,¡± the female demon spoke, flicking up her sword the slightest bit. Still pointing at him, her eyes demanded answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your tongue,¡± he said, finally speaking up. Though rid of emotions, he didn¡¯t seem to offend the red-skinned girl. Instead, her eyelids tucked in slightly, a nippy change reaching his ears.


    Almost immediately, as he spoke, two girls that were hiding behind her finally moved. To be exact, their hands moved. All of a sudden, a gripping sensation appeared on his naked body, similar to the metallic bonds that held him before in this wreck of a prison cell. However, unlike the physical material, he was unable to tell of the invisible chains.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a white-haired human before. Why are you here? Did some beast keep you in that integument?¡±


    They demanded answers from the human, that was very clear to him. But, he feared that he could provide them with nothing important.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. I don¡¯t know myself. I was already here when I woke up,¡± he spoke bluntly while shaking his head faintly, getting the demon to point behind him.


    ¡°Have you any idea of the membrane you came out of? Something in the least?¡±


    Once again, with a shake of his head, he only heard the girls behind her speak up to her.


    ¡°Arn oemra ars yist e les un meman,¡± the girl with the torch said to the armored demon with black hair, the one interrogating their unexpected find.


    ¡°Tis crav. Tis tome seo junt,¡± with an unremarkable voice, she replied. Her gaze lingering on the man, she seamlessly changed the language she spoke in once again.


    ¡°Do you at least know your name?¡±


    Immediately, hearing her ask the question, he didn¡¯t wait in answering it, as though he had waited an eternity for this very moment. Yet, realizing an oddity, his mind convoluted itself, because it had driven off into two completely different directions.


    ¡®Lutiel.¡¯


    ¡°No,¡± answered both the head and the body, simultaneously. Staring at the demon with a shallow, indifferent gaze, Lutiel replied.


    Was he not able to control his body? That shouldn¡¯t be the case, after all, he could feel the oppressive, invisible ropes whenever he moved his arms. At the same time, earlier, it was him who spoke of his awakening.


    ¡°That¡¯s even better, then,¡± she said with a secretive tone hidden in her voice, one that made him forget his thoughts and shiver internally, yet stand proudly in the physical world.


    ¡°Ars tane maci e raf umafi,¡± once again, on her side, one of the girls spoke, getting a nod in response.


    He didn¡¯t know any of whatever they were chattering about, but something inside him told him it wasn¡¯t great. No, the fleeting looks on a certain section of his body¡¯s lower portion solely gave plenty of intel.


    ¡°Dho til li e hrae assi¡¯no cin,¡± the girl giggled as she brought the other hand closer to her mouth, covering the facadal shock.


    Whilst hearing a couple more cackles spread out, he didn¡¯t fail to notice the red-skinned demon¡¯s gestures. With her free hand, she must have shown something to the two demon girls wearing robes along their armors.


    Almost immediately, the invisible ropes around him tightened while he himself clenched his jaw. Drowsiness had overtaken his mind, and he couldn¡¯t fight with it no matter what.


    No more than a few sentences had been exchanged since he had woken up, yet he was already going back to sleep. No, it would have been wrong to say that.


    With a half-awake mind, he witnessed anything happening next. Albeit more like a dream, he still more or less knew what they were doing. Just when his initial confusion had practically dissipated, a new one took hold of his head.


    Lying on the hard ground, the original one of his cell, he observed. No longer pointing the sword around, the demoness came up to him, putting some cloak around his body before tightening it up with a rough, gritty rope.


    Without waiting any further, under his lulled state, she picked him up and threw over on top of her shoulder.


    ¡°Juve tias veir,¡± she said to her company, promptly beginning to lead the group out of the entwined mess of caves that they ventured through to get here in the first place.


    As they kept on walking, unbeknownst to them, Lutiel took in little bits and pieces of information through the fleeting consciousness. Trying to battle him, whatever it was that the demons had given him, his mind woke back up any time it succeeded.


    Through half-closed eyelids, he stared at the hazy world in front of him, dark beyond recognition. However, his eyes had no problem seeing, no matter how little light came from the torches.


    Before it waned once again, he saw nothing, but dark caves, parts of the collapsed castle ruins intertwined in the seemingly infinite walls of rock and dirt.


    However, looking at what seemed to be a dug out wall, connecting to another set of corridors, he couldn¡¯t retain anything any longer.


    Passing through him, the same images displayed themselves for quite a while. Nothing, but a world-encompassing cave riddled with boggling and similar pathways.


    Regaining the vaguest portions of clarity each time his mind fell, with the state of his mind gradually settling down, Lutiel felt the slight chafing around his body from being carried on the demon¡¯s shoulders for so long, but the glowing exit garnered most of his attention.


    With the cloth cluttering on his body as they exited, under the calm look of a half-asleep doll, his heart beat hastened. He hadn¡¯t seen the sunlight in an excruciatingly lengthy amount of time. For him to all of a sudden come out of the cell into the wild, even if he was being kidnapped, it suddenly hit yet again. The reality of the situation.


    Because of him, the heroes died, and with what he was seeing, the demons must have fully taken over the continent, to the very last fortress the humans defended themselves with. From excitement, his heart quickly took on a halted, hesitant rhythm.


    Without the pillars of hope known as the four great heroes, there was little to no hope left in the weak knights of the empire. Not when the number of demons already started exceeding that of the humans.


    ¡®If, if only I-¡¯


    He wasn¡¯t able to finish as he felt a harsh fall, being thrown on top of the horse¡¯s back before the group¡¯s leader tried to fasten him to the brown-haired mount. All of the sorrowful thoughts immediately disappeared as he gasped for air, catching the demon¡¯s attention.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake already? After only four hours, you¡¯re quite resistant, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Tightening the ropes and fixing him in place, the demoness promptly jumped up to the saddle from the stirrups, still awaiting the answer.


    ¡°Were you able to remember something about yourself during that time?¡± Waiting for the other demons to get on their transports, she asked the man behind her.


    However, to her disappointment, he wasn¡¯t interested in revealing the information, the mind agreeing with the body.


    ¡°My head was already in a turmoil. That trick didn¡¯t help very much,¡± the man replied back at her, but she didn¡¯t even turn around at the blatant show of disrespect one couldn¡¯t find in humans nowadays. Caressing the horse¡¯s mane, a gentle neigh spread out before she finally talked once again.


    ¡°I have to say, you will fetch a good price and most likely get a decent master, but let me give you a piece of advice,¡± she said whilst turning around. ¡°Learn to show them respect. I don¡¯t know how long you tried to hide inside that cave, but it was foolish to think you would die there peacefully, even if you found some nice cocoon.¡±


    ¡°Price?¡± He muttered to himself before glancing at the landscape spread out before him. Did she just say he was going to fetch a good price? Masters?


    Of course, he understood what all of that entailed. It was simply far too shocking. He had just been the demon lord¡¯s prisoner, but now, he would turn into a slave.


    Looking at the gloomy, cloudy skies of the meadow and forested hills all around them, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help, but lower his gaze.


    ¡®What was I expecting to begin with? For them to magically release me?¡¯


    ¡°Of course, a good one at that. I reckon it will be ten silvers for you, pretty boy,¡± she said, making his heart falter as the face broke out into a smile rather than the unresponsive serenity. At the same, he sighed inwardly, feeling his consciousness slipping away, the demon¡¯s sword striking his nape.


    ¡°Sweet dreams, again,¡± muttering, she simply saw as his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

 3. Here, Yet Nowhere

    Lutiel judged that it must have been his fate now. To spend the rest of eternity in nothing but darkness and shackles. Hindered in the arms, he stood there, his legs able to maneuver around, unlike the two times prior.


    Although he had woken up just about an hour ago, it wasn¡¯t anything different from this. Having slept on the piercing, wet sand mixed with dirt, the chains connected to the ground were already on him. Unable to do anything other than wait, he stood up instead, inspecting the space around with his legs and feet that could at least extend somewhat.


    Two bars of metal struck his toes, followed by a thin, yet opaque cloth beyond the cage he was inside. Even with the somewhat large space separating each bar, running away would have been in vain.


    Not only were the chains extremely sturdy and heavy, he had no idea what this place was. Though, listening to his surroundings and recalling what the red-skinned demon told him, he could easily guess it.


    As time gradually passed, startled wails reverberated all around him, ugly sobs of realization that there was nothing they could do here filling his ears. Just like him, they were aware of what was going to happen to them.


    The awareness of the fact had prompted them to cry even more. Forming a cacophony that assaulted his ears, though they weren¡¯t forced to get accustomed to it. In the end, they must have acknowledged their fates, or they simply fully cried their tears out.


    ¡°Why are you so quiet? You up?¡± A voice directly to his right asked. Unlike the saddened echoes of other cages, the man on his side beamed with tranquility he found only around Raphael and other heroes.


    ¡°I am,¡± Lutiel replied. ¡°Though, a nightmare would have been nicer than this.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± the man chuckled at his statement, despite the circumstances they were in. ¡°But, don¡¯t you feel quite happy at the same time? Aren¡¯t you ready to clap some demonic cheeks after all of this is over?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    An internal wave of disgust engulfed him all of a sudden as he spouted autonomously. Similar to the instance with the demonic girl, his mouth spoke before the mind could gather fully.


    ¡°Ahhh, you¡¯re no fun,¡± with prolonged disappointment, he added. ¡°Life¡¯s quite short nowadays. You have to use up any chances, you know? This is practically a haven for wives that aren¡¯t satisfied with their husbands.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve been here before?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t say I have, but I¡¯ve met a few champions that survived until they were either bought out or slain in the next batches.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked, startled yet intrigued at the same time.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the custom of the merchant that we¡¯re being sold by. Any of his slaves that don¡¯t sell, he puts them to a fight until one remains for the next batch. Even though this is a mens¡¯ batch, even male demons come just to watch two or more humans battle to the death.¡±


    Something churned inside his body after hearing the explanation, but none of his face muscles moved. Any internal struggles were extinguished by the calm tide flowing through his body.


    ¡°I see, thank you,¡± with a sincere thought, he thanked the man on his right.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, it¡¯s the least I can do in this situation,¡± he replied with a ¡°However, please do tell me your name. The world must know of such a gentleman.¡±


    ¡°Lutiel.¡±


    For a second, there was no response, only for a tumultuous laughter to spread out into his right ear immediately.


    ¡°Oh, really? There are quite a number of our namesakes nowadays, aren''t there? I am also Lutiel. Lutiel Tvenai, to be precise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never met a second one.¡±


    Although it was a strange sensation to meet a person that bore his name in such a place, with the experiences he was living through, nothing seemed very odd anymore.


    ¡°What Kingdom were you born in? Here, every other man is named Lutiel.¡±


    ¡°Qniuve,¡± said the man, quickly getting a heated reaction from the side.


    ¡°What¡¯s a qniuvenian like you doing in Helasta? This is as far away from the imperial capital as it could be,¡± the man asked with genuine curiosity, shock entwined.


    ¡°Fighting demons, but you can see how that ended,¡± he said, getting a brisk reaction once again.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we one and the same? Though in a slightly different way, I also battled with the demons. Underground. I was the leader of the revolutionaries, but it all ended in a one-sided massacre on our side,¡± the other Lutiel laughed, as though reminiscing of good times.


    The voices around them were increasing with each breath they exchanged. However, Lutiel couldn¡¯t hear them from around the cages near him. No, they came from beyond the sands they were standing on, beyond what must have been the arena.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    With words very similar to the demonic tongue he caught back in the caves, both of the Lutiels listened in on the din of unknown origin.


    Very soon, as the voices threatened to break up into calm silence, the other Lutiel spoke up.


    ¡°It seems our time is up, good luck,¡± he said before immediately shutting himself, similar to the rest of the cages.


    Finally, after what seemed like a good few minutes, all of the noises subsided, making way for the loudest one so far, resounding throughout the arena and the cloths that hid the cages. However, as blaring as it was, it was a voice in its purest, unadulterated form, coming from a merchant that wanted nothing, but to lure in his potential buyers.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i la geas bei¡¯yr, cinaefr? Tis nadia elie un geas la v raf galf on larune,¡± the loud man spoke, reaching every corner and ears of the slave market, especially those that stood right on display. ¡°Jun li gotovelie dho cinste¡¯ie tias yast chod nuen kiz vet¡¯uj involnia teug pekuc bola mortevan!¡±


    Cheers accompanied his words, but Lautiel had no idea what any of it meant, the same as when the party of demons awakened him.


    Yet, despite all of it sounding like gibberish, his stomach somewhat revolted and thrown off when hearing it, the demonic language interested him. Listening to it made him remember how the priests at the monastery forced him to listen to their drunken tirades, quite close to that.


    Eventually dying out under the reverberating sound of the announcer, the humans kept inside the cages stayed as quiet as they could. Their sobs muffled out by the voice, the demons were unable to hear their dirge.


    ¡°Praeci ausapre un junt, Tis tome¡¯in in rotov recroche espe,¡± the voice spoke through the masses, carrying itself with a hint of excitement. ¡°Dlar dho cinste¡¯ie involni tika¡¯a, elie un dho involnia la e espe urpo.¡±


    Once again, claps and mellow cheers spread around the arena. Kept to themselves, they seemingly awaited the next words from the person that retained his voice filled with vibrance and clarity.


    Holding the slaves in suspense, they could do nothing other than wait until something happened, maybe think about potential future masters they would get. But, that was only the best-case scenario, from what Lutiel gathered.


    There was also a decent chance they would simply be left to fight for their lives, though he still had no idea in what kind of a battle. Nor did he want to know.


    ¡°Treped tias rivelu recolvi, aefrkozs¡¯i, Tis yast timaunroche kiz petavir. Timaunroche ferai vizne,¡± he spoke, the voice deepening at the end. ¡°Dho cin kozs¡¯o meci elie un jun possle. Dho cin un teva kiz lied tias kiz zvycta!¡±


    ¡°Tis tene biem kiz vitacu,¡± at the cusp of sentence, his pure excitement spoke instead. ¡°Cin un dho istati kapitre un jun istati tika, Zyponia un Afiern!¡±


    Although he already hadn¡¯t been moving at all, hearing the name get uttered, his body flinched before wholly immuring.


    Finally, instead of the impassive glare, his brows furrowed the slightest bit.


    ¡®Why is she here? What is she doing here?¡¯ he asked fervidly, the question reverberating through his head. However, as quickly as the reaction escaped his grasp, the face once again returned to its usual composition, scouring through the dark world around him.


    Left alone with his thoughts, the sounds of cheers, claps, and even whistles intensified as the name was heard.


    Judging from the half-screams bouncing off of the cloth around his cage, he had little to no problems figuring out just how excited they were to see her.


    At the same time, it was no wonder. Being one of the eight demon lords, her power and status were above any of the normal demons he had seen in the past. Though, even the normal demons he fought were superior in every aspect compared to the average knight of the empire.


    Despite never seeing her in person, he always heard about her position as the strongest demon lord. As for whether it was true, he couldn¡¯t ever know.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia yist vitecu tias, vic tis tane¡¯in maci jun e verge¡¯no ksperien,¡± his voice bloomed the interest of the listening hearts once more, quickly engulfing the arena with an eerie serenity. ¡°Juve tias zacin!¡±


    With more gusto than ever, the voice roared, followed by the sound of something cranking in the distance, at least the way Lutiel¡¯s ears could hear it.


    He, along with all the other slaves, understood the sound perfectly. A cage of a certain slave was being revealed to the masses.


    ¡°Chod¡¯yr nuen ze e demezinaumafi, ars li e raf mez v hoze. Dlar ars¡¯e involni czec, tias meci secur kiz osta ars¡¯o ferai slun. Ars¡¯e zacin¡¯yr vota li kren dracara, bie cinolvi vanr jun nolvirec?¡±


    As the words fell, Lutiel still stood in total darkness. It wasn¡¯t him, who was revealed. Still, feeling the loud shouts that tried to eat each other, he practically felt bare against the invisible crowd.


    Not able to fight it, he simply waited as the commotion ended, human shrieks coming to his ears a few minutes later.


    ¡°No! No! Please! Don¡¯t take me! Argh! Ah! No! Leave me be! Plea-,¡± The man screamed, his voice fading into the distance with each passing moment.


    Within mere seconds, the clatter of armor around the cages, along with the hysterical bellowing, disappeared altogether. Yet, before any of the slaves could acknowledge whatever happened, the voice of chains being pulled up resounded for the second time.


    Standing still, Lutiel waited, hearing another next few sentences of the merchant. Minutes passed before he finally caught the specific chime. Two metals hitting against each other, they bounced around in his head before another human bawled their throats out.


    Every time he hadn¡¯t been revealed, his heart began to shake. From what he counted earlier, there were around eight cages including his, but it was already the sixth. It almost felt as though they purposely kept him antsy.


    With each new slave being put on display, so did the amount of time needed before everything settled. The merchant gave more and more information each time, the shouts becoming louder every time.


    Once again, after the sobful voice disappeared from the arena, the chains started being pulled, and another cage was being released. Not his.


    Standing in the dark for yet another few good minutes, the man stood up-right, breathing deeply with a straight face.


    ¡°Jun mez li e ferai este cin, Tis gade ges. E lied¡¯o un dho lvere, haha!¡± For the first time since the beginning, the merchant laughed, completely breaking the image of him inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡°Lutiel Tvenai li ars¡¯e emi. Ars prebe kiz hanba tias¡¯o! Tias¡¯o! Dho Cinseria! Timaun un dho ligty!¡±


    His screams reverberated throughout the arena, met with rackety cheers and applause that didn¡¯t stop no matter what, even when the merchant began speaking.

 4. Battle Of The Slaves

    ¡°Tomi ges vidi? Dho mez? Ars le dho cin kiz qell haela un tias¡¯o. Aefrkozs¡¯i, arn li elie kocen reped. Ars¡¯e urpo yest bec mortevan, pre tias¡¯o!¡±


    Once again, while the cheers intensified to a deafening degree, new sounds became mixed in. Lutiel¡¯s ears perked up as he heard them, thinking he might have heard wrong.


    The crowd hooted the slave, either with laughter, ridicule, or threats. Sometimes, a concoction of them all.


    Yet, to the slave that had been divulged, it was nothing of the sort.


    ¡°Ahh, you stinking demons, is this all? I can¡¯t hear you! Eh? Eh? What was that? That tongue of yours barely makes any sense, you know?¡± he taunted the demons, seemingly working.


    Getting them heated, even the announcer spoke with an irked undertone.


    ¡°Pat ne jun gupi! Ars misla ars yist olvi mac nud tias¡¯o! Ars, dlar cin¡¯y, inbie yast e vota! Ars zceal bic vicad punt involni tika¡¯a, dlar dho lyine hael paova¡¯nu, jun cin bic¡¯yr dho cin¡¯ie.¡±


    For a full minute, Lutiel¡¯s ears shook from the resounding claps and cheers, only stopping when the next set of chains began being pulled.


    Amidst the confusing circumstances, light peeked through from under the cage he had been contained within.


    Lighting up his rosy-pale skin around the bare feet, Lutiel could finally see what was below him. Standing on the sand, filled with crushed up teeth, as well as patches of dried up blood, a foreboding premonition shook over his internal organs.


    Before he even knew it, the world beyond finally introduced itself to him.


    Turning his gaze around the place, he witnessed the crowd. So many demons had only ever revealed themselves to him on the battlefields. No, scouring through the round arena¡¯s seats, Lutiel couldn¡¯t estimate just how many of them there were.


    The words of the merchant not collecting inside his head, the white-haired man simply gazed across the countless demons, all of different looks.


    Covering each of the colors he could think of, scales, fur, or either nothing covered their dim skins. Donning the top of their heads, only a certain portion of their spawn gathered possessed a single horn. The rest were without one, vibrant hairs sat on top of their skulls.


    As for the one he swiftly searched for, she possessed two of them. Being the only demon in the whole space around the arena to bear such, no one would be able to deny her presence.


    Yet, as he finally gazed at her, his head immediately turned away. The demon lord¡¯s eyes, as well as his, met for a singular, brief period. Not expecting her to be locked onto him so potently, Lutiel turned to his namesake instead.


    Wearing the same clothes as any other slave, the tattered hemp shirt covered only the basic necessities, just for the sake of covering their bodies.


    From shoulders down to their knees, they appeared more like potato sacks. Nonetheless, under them, they were still naked, bare against the world.


    Glancing up at the open sky, seeing the skies that threatened to break loose any given moment, the other Lutiel¡¯s unshaven face smirked, exactly at the time as the merchant stopped talking.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young. Have you just turned twenty?¡± He said, still reminiscing at the dark clouds. Conversing with the young man under the rhythmic beats of armor hitting against sand, his single eye that was left started to look towards the only slave other than him.


    ¡®Should I lie? Dammit.¡¯ Lutiel thought to himself, yet the answer was already coming, much to his surprise.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± a stern voice spread through the sandy arena, swiftly reaching both the light brown-skinned man on his right, as well as the unimpressed demons that were coming towards them.


    Scratching his head awkwardly, the leader¡¯s chaotic hair wobbled.


    ¡°Listen, I know we¡¯re about to beat each other to death, but can¡¯t we at least be nice about it?¡±


    ¡°We can, but will you keep the face up when I cave it in?¡± He said while the cusps of his lips lifted themselves uncontrollably, adding to his internal agony of not being able to prevent it.


    ¡°Whatever you say. Just know I won¡¯t go easy on you because you¡¯re younger than me,¡± muttering while letting out a smirk himself, the other Lutiel became restrained by one of the four guards that came there.


    ¡°Topfe gader¡¯yr!¡±


    With the same thing happening on the other side, the guards shouted at them before restraining both lest they do anything stupid.


    Feeling the cold fingers from the demon¡¯s gauntlets, Lutiel finally realized what actually was happening, the words of the human clearly resounding inside his head.


    ¡®Fight?¡¯


    Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be an auction? No, as he recalled, while looking around the arena, he didn¡¯t see any of the demons fighting over who would most likely buy the slave.


    Seeing the face of the merchant who stared at him while sitting inside a small, elevated room above the exits, it wasn¡¯t hard to realize what was happening.


    ¡®He must have bought me off of them for this very fight.¡¯Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Watching as the free guard put a key inside the heavy, metal shackles, immediately, as he was seemingly liberated, the demon that had a hold of him moved.


    The coarse sand mixed with fine gravel grazed across his cheek while his ribs felt a heavy hit to them. Though his breath halted for a second, it wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t handle.


    Already composing himself, his body started getting up when he saw him in the corner of his eyes.


    Thrown onto each end of the arena, spacious enough for eight slaves to easily fight and move around if need be, it was a matter of who would regain their balance first.


    While the white-haired man¡¯s knee was raising itself off the sand, he witnessed the man he talked with already running at him. Lutiel was the first to regain his balance, the other one, and he was only a few steps away from him.


    A fist pounced onto the brought up forearms, raised to protect the body. Drilling into them, Lutiel¡¯s frame cocked back, beginning to drift off into the sand below him.


    Unable to reply in a swift enough manner of time, a pain spread around his head, the strands of hair pulled on in bulk.


    Looking ahead through the forearms, the man saw his enemy paint a malign smile, right before a hirsute


    knee pervaded about the meek defense.


    Lutiel¡¯s head shook as two hard forces met, from the back and the front. As he hit the planks that rimmed around the arena, the knee squished in further, threatening to shatter his nose apart.


    The screams intensified as the other Lutiel backed away, antagonizing the crowd even further. Leaving the young man with the dripping nose full of warm, crimson liquid, he began to turn around, wavering his arms up and down.


    ¡°All that talk for three seconds, huh?¡± Muttering under his nose, the hairs at the back of his head swooshed somewhat, feeling the wind fortify behind him.


    The crowd silenced their hoots and disappointment, witnessing the sudden turnaround of actions.


    Twisting his face suddenly, Lutiel¡¯s eyes opened wide, a brisk sensation paralyzing his left cheek. And not long after, the other side also met its opponent.


    Skidding across the teeth-riddled sand, sent down powerlessly, he rolled away through the floor before getting onto his knees.


    ¡°I was sure you were sleeping already,¡± said the man, inspecting his jaw with a free hand while locking gazes with the man.


    Running through the sand as though the words were but a mere breeze, the roles had become reversed. A punch traveled through the air, right towards the face, or rather, the forearms that protected it.


    All of the force dissipated as the blocking muscles convulsed and rippled, the palish, brown man gnashing his teeth. The strength that was displayed right before him shook his body.


    Yet, seeing that the enemy slave was basically new to this, he quickly grasped the fist, under the unsuspecting eyes of Lutiel.


    His body moved towards the revolutionary, and before he could even respond with the awkward movements of his muscles, something suctioned air out of his lungs.


    No, he couldn¡¯t breathe all of a sudden when the rough, tightened palm hit around his throat. Although the sensation disappeared at the same time it came, it had given enough time to the man, who was already back on his feet, jumping with relaxed shoulders.


    ¡°Have you actually ever fought before?¡± With a sneer, he taunted the opponent who just barely finished gathering himself up before raising the arms without any viable technique.


    ¡®This feels so wrong,¡¯ he thought to himself while still looking at the man and his seemingly leisurely approach. Although it appeared as though he had him completely disregarded, Lutiel knew it was the other way around.


    He walked with a relaxed, confident face, his fists brought out away from the chin while hovering under it. Unlike the man, whose posture leaked countless opportunities, the knuckles that always faced him made Lutiel feel as though an impenetrable wall stood right before him.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m waiting,¡± he said, his fingers inviting him while he never lost his footing, his eyes constantly on the opponent.


    Although the demons were shouting something, Lutiel looked forward, his body responding to the taunts successfully.


    With just a step, he was already in the range to attack him, not wasting any moments in doing so. However, as his tightened fist followed the path to the other Lutiel¡¯s face, it was only met with his elbow instead.


    Unable to even see it, something moved right past him as his focus was on the blocked shot.


    For a fracture of a second, the light inside his eyes disappeared, his body threatening to fall over. Yet, regaining consciousness frighteningly fast, despite the spinning world in front of him, he stomped harshly on the sand before quickly stepping back, getting away from the opponent.


    The foot that cut through the air missed, but its owner didn¡¯t despair. Cutting off the increasing distance instead, he went in even further, not letting the young man act first.


    With his right arm placed higher than the left, it moved rapidly.


    Although under disorientation, Lutiel still replied to the attack. Angling his left arm, he blocked the path successfully, moving his right one at the same time. The man¡¯s body was open all of a sudden, or rather, the way to his stomach became disregarded.


    The demons watched with wry faces as the light-skinned man foiled the other¡¯s approach. With the right arm already halting its movement against the forearm, the left knuckle engulfed the upper left corner of the stomach, making the white-haired man stop immediately.


    His fist just barely grazed the enemy¡¯s cheek when his legs became free of strength. Incapacitated and breathless, along with the slanted horizon, the next thing he saw were the dark skies high above them.


    An agonizing pain spread through his stomach, paralyzing any of his movements, not sparing even the lungs. Radiating from his liver, the excruciating feeling didn¡¯t stop, devouring all of his focus when he should have kept looking at the man that began to choke him.


    With the tips of his fingers, Lutiel scratched the tightly gripping arms to no avail. The eyes threatened to roll all the way back of his head as the world once again began spinning around.


    However, in this state of a tightly pressing grasp around his neck, on the fleeting verge of his mind collapsing, no matter how much time had passed, Lutiel kept staring with a cold glare at the jaw-clenching man sitting on his waist.


    The booing and screams of discouragement only added to the man, tightening his grip as the neck threatened to crack under the hulking pressure.


    Still, gnashing his teeth even further as he received the blunt, almost dead look, all of a sudden, the other Lutiel blinked a couple of times.


    Hearing the hushed begging for air, someone huffing far away from him, the dark clouds in front of him span in circles individually. The screams creeping in around him only added to the hisses and rings his ears played out.


    Tasting the scent of iron inside his mouth, unable to feel a few of his teeth, the man slowly raised himself up, only to witness a man struggling, huffing for air desperately.


    Sitting with his wobbly head and torso, he failed to stand up correctly. Any time he tried, the legs shook as though a thunder hit them.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    His eyes shook while recalling the sensation that had been brought together with his slipped consciousness.


    Blood covered his fingers as the revolutionary Lutiel touched his face¡¯s left side, going in and out of the oral cavity with fearsome ease.

 5. A Losing Victory

    As minutes seemingly passed, the man behind the hammer-like strike finally caught his rhythm back, standing tall on the sand with two red streaks coming down from his nose.


    Looking at the man gathering himself up, they had once again faced each other, with the same stances as before. The only difference Lutiel could see were the shaky arms along with the loss of his fluent movement around the sand arena.


    As for the white-haired man, it was as though nothing came through him. No, after warming up through the quick battle, some of his lost senses had been reignited instead.


    No longer as awkward as before, both circled around each other, holding guards in separate ways. At the same exact moment, their striking fists moved.


    Both heads cocked back while their noses began bleeding profusely. Nonetheless, despite the sharp pain spreading around their faces, neither stopped moving.


    Bruises started to form rapidly around their faces, especially under the eyes. Simply looking at the severity of the injuries, any demon could tell which one had the upper hand in terms of strength.


    Deep purple, almost black spots started appearing around the increasingly swollen face of Lutiel¡¯s enemy. Battered like a standing dummy filled with straw, littered all around his face and upper torso, the wounds bled.


    However, to say the fight had been decided was wrong. Although Lutiel wielded greater power, the other one possessed a more profound technique.


    The calm face wasn¡¯t as pained as the opponent slave, yet the blood that dripped from every part of his face, as well as the sore muscles around his body painted a different picture.


    His left eyebrow bled as the skin above it had been cut open with a precisely delivered punch. His bottom lip was split apart, all while his nose had been completely displaced, broken by the man in his outrage of punches.


    Yet, no matter how many punches he pulled out over the five minutes of continued exchanges, under his rough heaves, the revolutionary kept on staring at the emotionless eyes of the man.


    His body wavering at the last second, it had already stopped responding. Falling down to the dirty ground below them, Lutiel¡¯s knuckles were tainted red, both from himself, as well as the man that was already fainted.


    The cheers intensified and resounded under the face of the merchant who no longer watched from the ostentatious chair, leaning on the railings instead.


    Keeping his gaze at the white-haired man, who went closer to the motionless body, after gesturing to the guards behind him, he suddenly spoke with a voice that beat out all of the cheers and screams of incentive.


    ¡°Junt li starki,¡± the man said to the slave, stretching out his hand.


    Just as Lutiel¡¯s feet were about to stomp the man¡¯s neck and break it, he stumbled. The air around the other Lutiel changed, turning stiff and rigid, something he expected the least.


    Feeling the encasing with his foot, as well as hearing the chants of countless demons, resuscitated anger within their voices, he gave up, walking away from the battle.


    His chest rocked heavily as he finally fell to the sand with his bottom, supporting his elbows on the knees as though they were about to fall off at any given moment.


    ¡°Kozs li jun? Tias ched nuen kiz vet¡¯uj ara¡¯o qell elie¡¯o ini!¡± Screamed one of the demons through the stands, most of them there sharing his opinion.


    With his single, black as the night itself horn, the merchant simply looked at them with an impassive gaze, not taking any of the words to heart.


    Instead, hearing all of the insults being hurled at him, he smiled proudly.


    ¡°Inbie geas vanr kiz vidi einc un ars¡¯o? Kiz vidi ars¡¯o privo morto einc?¡± He uttered, grinning by the end, at the same time silencing the rowdy crowd.


    ¡°Geas tomi¡¯in ilku juve ars¡¯o gan, tome geas? Ars meci lic¡¯yj timauna un Cinseri morto!¡±


    As he ended the sentence, the previously angry demons had already become obedient, even clapping for his great idea.


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡± The merchant said loudly, catching the hearts of the demons, who started repeating after him like some sort of a cult.


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡±


    ¡°Juve ars¡¯o gnijc froo tika¡¯a!¡±


    Escalating to the point of making Lutiel¡¯s ears ring, they needed a few minutes to finally calm themselves down, only for the merchant to mutter his last words.


    ¡°Tis ficium ogosi, jun li dho kinte un dho involnia tika¡¯a! Geas tome taca geas¡¯e zost,¡± he said, receiving prompt reactions. Countless demons began standing up from their seats, getting ready to leave through the arched entryways in the middle of the stairs leading to higher seats as well as below his room.


    However, just as they were about to leave the arena, a certain voice successfully elicited them to stay around for a bit longer.


    ¡°On kozs u ars¡¯o? Inli ars rekomia kiz bic e involni? Kozs li ars¡¯e vota?¡± Asked the single one with two black horns proudly hailing to the dark skies. Situated around her luscious, lengthy purple hair that flowed as she stood up from her place, their presence made any of the whispers and conversations wane to complete silence.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The right eyebrow of the merchant raised itself while stroking the second chin under his abundantly hidden jaw. Remaining silent for a few seconds, he finally spoke up, his tone singing of a greedy interest.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia li seteke v pokuc¡¯yr ars¡¯o, tig?¡±


    ¡°Tis li,¡± said Zyponia, leaving the crowd speechless. Immediately, whispers spread through the arena like wildfire.


    Though, they really couldn¡¯t be called that way. After all, even the resting slave could hear them.


    ¡°Volda Zyponia li pokuc¡¯yr e involni? Kozs?¡±


    ¡°Jun li posslein!¡±


    ¡°TISA!¡± Suddenly, he screamed. The merchant of the slaves kept looking at the demon lord, his voice silencing those loudest of the demons.


    ¡°Cin zale dracar,¡± the merchant spoke, his eyes glistening as though a coin shone inside them.


    ¡°Dlar e involni? Li ars it un gove?¡± Voices of the crowd spoke in similar tones and meanings. The statement they heard from the merchant made their eyes look twice just to be sure.


    But, it was as real as it could be. Hearing the awkward silence engulf the whole space, even Lutiel got interested in the previous words.


    However, before he could truly understand the tongue itself, he saw something fly through the sky above him. A sparkle of light traveled quickly through the air, from one end to another.


    Having brought out her arm, Zyponia had thrown something and the merchant quickly caught it. Bringing it closer to his eyes, all the people and demons gathered could finally see what the object was.


    Shining bright despite the lack of a blazing sun, the round, golden coin ignited the envy of countless demons in the stands, all while a look of approval appeared in the eyes of the merchant.


    ¡°Ars li elie ges¡¯e,¡± he muttered under his nose while inspecting the coin, yet all of the crowd could hear him as clear as though right next to them.


    Still on the sand, with his shoulders drooped, Lutiel saw the previous four guards coming closer to him, a new pair of shackles in the hands of one of them. Although not as hefty nor lengthy as the first ones, he judged that they would still easily impede him off any movement whatsoever.


    Rapidly, his pained body was already forced to move, grasped and pulled on by one of the armored guards only to be restrained by him, similar to before fighting the other Lutiel.


    The one holding the shackles put them on the man¡¯s wrists so tight they started to cut into his skin, but he wasn¡¯t able to complain. Already moving towards the exit of the arena, two knights pushed down onto his nape while the rest stood on each of his sides.


    Escorted out by them, he quickly left the premise of the battle while his surroundings changed from rough sand and open-air to an enclosed hallway decorated with wood and bricks, enlightened by burning torches hanging off the walls.


    The knights didn¡¯t speak at all. He had to be dragged through the spaces free of the demonic crowd in complete silence. Sweat no longer poured out of him as it did during the battles, and with peace of heart came havoc of the mind.


    Gazing down at his feet, dotted with splashed blood, he could only recall the events that had just happened prior.


    ¡®I was going to murder another human, yet it felt like¡­ nothing. What the hell is happening to me?¡¯ He thought, his pupils wavering and constricting. Scattered in despair, the eyes didn¡¯t seem to believe the reality placed right before them.


    ¡®Am I still Lutiel? Am I still the same me? No, that can¡¯t be. There¡¯s no way. I can¡¯t even control my words anymore. My thoughts contradict my actions and the way I move this body. It¡¯s like learning everything anew.¡¯


    Unable to see his face, the knight guards couldn¡¯t witness the furrowed brows, much less the conflicted look in his eyes.


    However, just when the thoughts began corroding and occupying his head, he felt a sudden pain around his sides, the scenery changing once again.


    Hearing the creaking of the floor around him and looking at the bending planks beneath, he quickly gazed up at the person he had been thrown toward.


    His chubby face had a casual look to it, but all of it changed as quickly as his advance to this dusty room. A prominent smile appeared on him as he spoke in the human tongue.


    ¡°Why are you so dejected? Aren¡¯t you happy to have lived another day? You were even bought out by this beautiful lady over here,¡± he said while turning to his left, stretching out his arm towards the person, whose gaze was as cold as the winter itself.


    Hearing no response come out of his mouth, however, the merchant didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Still, I was really surprised to learn you were human. I could have sworn I¡¯ve seen a vampyr when I first saw you.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain he¡¯s not one of us?¡± The lady asked all of a sudden, to the slight surprise of the seller. Quickly putting on his smiling eyes of a merchant, he rubbed his hands while assuring the lady.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, madam Zyponia. I already checked. Although his hair and eyes are definitely special, they simply add to his ¡®exotic¡¯ price,¡± he added, glancing once again at the human with no name.


    With hair as white as a winter wolf and eyes reminiscent of an emperor¡¯s robe, he most definitely didn¡¯t look like a proper human, but that he didn¡¯t care for.


    ¡°It will be long before I get another one like you. Five silvers for one gold is definitely my new record,¡± laughing to himself sincerely, it only intensified at the words of the demon lord beside him.


    ¡°I can hear you.¡±


    ¡°Hoo, excuse me, my lady, however, the deal has already been made. We can¡¯t alter it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Just get the brand ready and let¡¯s move on,¡± deciding not to dig on the matter, Zyponia simply ordered him.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to say, miss Zyponia. The fire is already raring scaldingly. Kurto, put the branding iron into there. We, on the other hand, my lady, shall discuss the brand itself. You know, my lord, with the price that you paid, only the best of the best should fall into your hands,¡± ordering his guards, the merchant pretended to whisper with a hand over his mouth.


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s better than the previous one you sold me,¡± Zyponia remarked, making a grimace appear on the merchant''s smile.


    ¡°That was only because of the slave¡¯s status, my lady. Unlike human ones, normal slaves can slowly corrode the brand inflicted upon them,¡± he said, the face already back to the radiant smile.


    ¡°Despite apparently being the ¡®best¡¯ grade?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, yes. We can¡¯t bind them down completely, not the talented ones at least. However, for the human here, It¡¯s a whole different picture. With the platinum-grade contract that has your blood inside it, lord, there is no way he could ever escape.¡±


    ¡°I will be coming back for the coin if that isn¡¯t the case,¡± Zyponia added, looking at the stretched out hand in front of her before grasping it firmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been a pleasure working with you, miss Zyponia,¡± he said, promptly moving to his desk filled with countless miscellaneous objects, as though they were always ready to be sold.

 6. An Unknown World

    Moving through the countless items inside the drawers, after a minute of searching, he finally placed something on the overfilled desk.


    Sloshing around inside the diamantine vial able to fit fully into his palm¡¯s grasp, the liquid silver shone under the bright, white crystals in the center of the ceiling.


    Having already grasped the metal fountain pen that lay around on his desk, he mentioned to the demon lord while glancing at the man, whose body was firmly held still by three guards on the wooden floor.


    ¡°My lady, could you prepare the bloods? I¡¯m sure you remember the process.¡±


    Without waiting any further, Zyponia already started after catching the two vials he had thrown at her a second prior. Taking off the armored glove around right arm, she quickly got to her bare, unveiled skin.


    All of a sudden, around the pale blue surface, a small, circular incision appeared, right where the vein had been. Crimson blood began to flow out as though on command, making little sense to the man on the planks.


    His eyes opened wide as he saw the blood hover in the air, being placed precisely and obediently inside the small bottle. And before he even knew it, something pervaded inside of his body, a similar instance occurring and blood came gushing out from his cut open lip, only for the whole wound to close on itself while his blood had been stored away.


    Differing only slightly, with his blood carrying a faintly lighter shade in comparison to the one the demon lord possessed, they were swiftly handed over to the slave merchant, who began working on the slave contract.


    Taking an old piece of paper lying around his desk, the man first opened the vial with the silver liquid inside it. Then came the two bloods of varying colors. Firstly, he poured in all of the contents of the stronger blood inside, the one that came from the demon lord.


    Corking the silver and swirling it around, it almost dared escape from his grasp, but the demon merchant held it still, for a long enough time to let the two substances mix together. Not changing its silvery contrast in the least, the homogenous liquid met the second blood, reacting spontaneously the moment a single drop splashed inside.


    Fumes and vapor escaped from the interior as the liquid took on a fairly lighter color, one that reminded them of platinum. A single droplet was enough, to the risen eyebrow of the demon creating the contract.


    Nonetheless, finishing creating the concoction, the pen in his grip was dipped in the liquid, immediately placed onto the old paper fading into the mess on the desk.


    Although Lutiel couldn¡¯t see whatever it was that he was writing, looking at the orangish-white piece of cast iron inside the fireplace, any curious thoughts that could have still lingered vanished away into oblivion.


    Was it to make him realize his situation? To scare him into obedience? He had no idea, but he heard the human tongue be spoken into words he wanted to hear the least at the moment.


    ¡°Kurto, give me the iron. It¡¯s time to finish the process,¡± the merchant uttered, his words followed by a clutter of armor hitting the wooden floor.


    Grasping the wooden handle at the end of the branding iron, the guard named Kurto swiftly handed it over to his employer, who then placed it perfectly over the paper¡¯s drawings which depicted the same thing as on the tip of the iron.


    Precisely, with nothing being displaced, the man quickly jabbed the paper, making it burn away while only the silver liquid was left on the piece of metal.


    Moving from the place he stood at, the merchant stepped closer towards the fireplace, putting the iron inside the flames once again.


    With a solemn look, Lutiel gazed at the man holding up the branding iron. Looking at the glowing white piece of iron, he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be anything pleasant, but more than anything, he had been intrigued by the all the times they''d muttered out the name.


    ¡®Slave brand, huh? Is that how they numerate them? With fancy, shining metals and some scribbles?¡¯


    As he thought of the matter, it had already been kept in the flames for long enough.


    ¡°Where would you like the brand to be placed?¡± The merchant asked the lady standing close to him, to which she pondered for a while, eventually choosing an answer that made his eyelids open up.


    ¡°The area where his heart is, in the middle of the chest.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, my lord? Don¡¯t you want people to know he¡¯s a proper slave?¡±


    ¡°The collar will be enough.¡±


    Waiting a few seconds more, he eventually gestured to the guards, who flipped him over and slit the hemp shirt open, revealing the man¡¯s bare chest, as pale as it could be.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna sting a little,¡± he chuckled near the end while positioning the branding iron over the middle of his chest, the hands and arms perfectly still.


    Immediately, without waiting any further, an encompassing pain spread around his chest as Lutiel heard and felt the sizzling of his skin.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°ARRRGGGHHHH!¡± He screamed, however, the free guard quickly shut his mouth, making him bite his tongue.


    Only able to scream through a closed mouth, he did so, wiggling around to no avail. The armored guards kept him rigidly still, to the point of not being able to move a single inch.


    Left to the agonizing pain, it quickly vanished, however. After a few seconds of being pressed into his skin, the platinum branding left itself there permanently, embedded into him.


    Yet, despite the searing pain, suddenly, a wave of coldness washed over him there, numbing the place to the point of not feeling virtually anything other than imaginary pain.


    ¡°Hmm, inla ges scesc?¡± The merchant mused while looking at him. Then, he quickly turned to Lady Zyponia.


    ¡°Now, how about a polished iron collar? That¡¯s the most I can do with the current price. Any more I will demand a second payment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. However, don¡¯t include the chains. I don¡¯t want them.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s fine. He can¡¯t run off either way. The collar and shackles it is, then.¡±


    This time, he rummaged through the wardrobe on the right side of the room, filled with countless metals. Finding one that would fit the human best, he didn¡¯t take long.


    Taking out a shining piece of round metal with a keyhole at the center, the guards pulled him up at the merchant¡¯s command.


    Placed right over his neck and clasped together tightly, he promptly turned the key before handing it over to the possession¡¯s master.


    ¡°Here are the keys, this one for the collar, and this one for the shackles that are already on him. I hope you¡¯ll be satisfied with the purchase, miss Zyponia,¡± he said with a wide smile on his face, his hands itching to take even more money out of her, but he hid them behind.


    With that being said, the guards pulled up the bloody mess that he was, to no avail. Just when his feet touched the floor while their grasp left him, he fell down to his knees, gasping for air with a hand scratching over the brand in the middle of his chest.


    No matter how far he dug, even if he cut through the skin, feeling the smooth, metallic surface of the marking, nothing could be done. The now cold slave branding had become integrated with him, to which he could only breath harshly, reminiscing of the momentary sensations of hell moments prior.


    Standing on the side, Zyponia simply waited for his vital status to wane back to normalcy. No longer than a minute passed before Lutiel was able to finally gather himself, standing on his own. With a breath that somewhat came back to itself, the man no longer gazed down at this chest.


    Instead, he turned to the demonic lady, her pink eyes¡¯ glaring gaze pervading right through him. Washing over him like a brisk, cold water in the morning, the look made his hairs raise themselves.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said, seemingly indifferent.


    ¡°Come on, boy! Move your bloody face from here!¡± With a good laugh, the merchant raised his voice, making his body flinch faintly.


    Looking back, he saw that the demon lord was already opening the door. With a thought not portrayed, he moved under the ridiculing gazes from the back.


    ¡®I guess this is my life now.¡¯


    Shutting the doors behind him, he simply watched the demon walk with her back turned to him. Hearing the clutter of an imposing armor shining in his eyes, he looked at the overlapping, fluid plates of shiny metal, allowing them to guide him naturally through the corridors.


    Inaccessible to the causal populace, the eerie silence accentuated by the cold attitude he was receiving had almost become as loud as the cheers a few minutes back.


    Keeping his mouth shut, however, within a few minutes, he had already seen the bleak world anew. The whistling of the wind assaulted him while the light peeked through the exit of what seemed like the back of the arena.


    At the same time, from all of his recollections, the place looked much more prestigious than most streets of many towns.


    His bare feet felt the hard touch of the bricks, unlike the slimy mud he could already see beyond the carriage that most likely belonged to the demon lord.


    Being the only one in this whole, fenced space, it had to be. And Lutiel didn¡¯t have to wait long for his answers. The gray-haired coachman sitting in the front soon stopped his break, standing up from the black leather seats.


    ¡°Yist ges¡¯e pekuc¡¯yr bec vrui¡¯en, tis¡¯e Panyi?¡± The old demon asked at the same time, his eyes unable not to see the white-haired, collared man.


    ¡°Tig, ars oemre setek¡¯yr. Jes ges la vinta¡¯yr, ars li e intimau,¡± she replied, making the man¡¯s hidden eyes open up slightly.


    Looking at the young man with his potently green eyes, he quickly turned back to his priorities.


    ¡°Tis vidi,¡± he said while stepping down from the driver¡¯s seat before coming over and opening the magnificent, glossy black doors of the carriage.


    Despite standing right before the coach¡¯s interior, Zyponia didn¡¯t enter immediately.


    ¡°Ars tane bic chod¡¯yr zy tis¡¯e,¡± she uttered, making the old demon nod his head lightly.


    Shivering as the thin piece of clothing on him fluttered with the wind, Lutiel watched the demon lady step inside the carriage, only to stand on the bricks without doing anything.


    ¡°Take a seat inside, the lady is waiting for you,¡± the coachman said with an unimpressed eye, but it sparked a quick reaction from him.


    With his battered body, he moved swiftly, stepping inside the carriage because it threatened to freeze over. Sitting opposite to each other, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help, but stay silent while the demon lord kept looking at him.


    Soon after, the doors shut loudly with the horses beginning to neigh their way through. Looking out of the window, he could finally see the scenery changing as the carriage started moving.


    Even though they were riding on hard bricks, his body only felt the comfortable cushions of the interior. Soon, going out of the merchant¡¯s property, leaving the black gates, they joined the mellow traffic of the road.


    More than carriages, there were demons on foot and horses going about their way, dirtying their steps in the soft ground below.


    However, as they delved deeper into the main street, the light inside Lutiel¡¯s eyes flickered on its own. Seeing in full scope whatever was playing out halted his breath.


    There were more of them compared to the demons, at least on this street, yet they were being dominated. Lutiel¡¯s face puckered at the plethora of chained and collared up humans wobbling through the muddied grounds while barely holding up the strength.


    He kept his gaze onto them the same way Zyponia kept her onto him. They walked in front of their demonic masters, whose long chains pulled the slaves back whenever they misbehaved or didn¡¯t hold up to their brethren.


    Though, sometimes, the demons simply played with them for the thrill of it.

 7. She, The Demon Lord

    One of such, without a horn, pulled on one of the many chains in his grasp. His group of slaves were holding together a large, wooden beam, but the pull was all it took for it to fall down and dirty itself. Immediately, seeing as the bottom of the building material had been tainted, the demon released his irritation.


    All around them, countless demons and slaves looked at them, proceeding to do nothing. Instead, the human-powered carriages and material-carrying slaves kept on moving, dim lights fading around their eyes.


    Although his sight wavered, there was nothing coming out of his mouth, the face remaining virtually unresponsive.


    ¡°You seem surprised,¡± the demon lord said suddenly, making his head jerk towards her abruptly. Looking at the pair of eyes staring him down, Lutiel naturally replied, whether he liked it or not.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Despite hearing the tone of his voice, her mien remained the same.


    ¡°To see your kind fall down this way.¡±


    Her voice spiraled inside his head while he looked back and forth between her face and what the windows depicted beyond them. He didn¡¯t reply, but she cared little for that.


    ¡°He did say you lost a part of your memories while hiding away. Do you know how long you were inside that cave?¡±


    Lutiel clenched his teeth before she even finished. The words he heard from that red-skinned demon repeated inside his head.


    ¡°N-no, I have no idea. I don¡¯t even know what day, month, or even year it is right now,¡± he said through gritted teeth, battling hard against what his body wanted to speak out for him instead.


    ¡°I see. In the human calendar, it would be the tenth day of Herolian of the 917th year. Does that make you recall something?¡±


    ¡®Huh? No, no, no, there¡¯s simply no way. Is she saying ten years have passed by just like that?¡¯ As he thought to himself, the size of his pupils drifted off while the lids themselves opened up.


    Was she lying? But, what would she gain from that when she had no idea who he was? His head was already a mess from the previous events today, but now, the mind had practically turned into a puddle.


    Much to his surprise however, he couldn¡¯t think much of it, a striking hot sensation spreading from the middle of his chest. And it didn¡¯t stop.


    Once it appeared, it only began to intensify. Quickly looking up, he quickly saw an image that made his bones turn cold.


    The chilly glare coming off Zyponia made his skin tighten up, his hair starting to stand as her voice reached his ears.


    ¡°I asked you a question,¡± her voice blossomed inside of him, but in the worst way possible. Instantly, a regretful response had been generated through his head.


    ¡°What of it?¡± He asked a question, an indifferent look to his face, though it quickly changed once the cheeks had been left with an imprint of her metallic palm on them.


    Crashing against the inner walls of the carriage, it did nothing to sway it, the man being the one that took all of the damage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever speak to me that way again. If you do, I won¡¯t hesitate to waste my strength,¡± she said through unchanging eyes, simply looking at the red expanse coming out on his cheeks and the left side of his face.


    With his face turning as red as a tomato, he put his hand over the beat-up area. However, it had done no wonders.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it a second time, master,¡± he said, forcing the words out from biting the teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding again. Come closer,¡± whispering, she kept looking at the right brow that had been once again opened from her strike just now.


    Although his body tried to resist, Lutiel sat closer to her obediently, though he first straightened himself from the hit to the side. Gnashing his teeth the moment he did, wrinkles appeared on his face.


    Feeling something violently move out from his cut skin above the eyebrows, he blinked twice a few seconds later, wondering whether it was real.


    Touching all over his face, he could no longer feel the crusty, dried up streams of blood on it, soft skin welcoming him instead. Although there were still some swollen and bruised areas from the fight, most of the open wounds were covered with dried blood to stop the further bleeding.


    Only his broken and puffed nose was left, thanking her inwardly. Just the slap to untainted skin from half a minute ago brought him a world of painful nightmares. If he were to experience the same with the fractured bone, he wasn¡¯t so sure about keeping awake.


    Fortunately, it seemed that the demon wasn¡¯t some miracle performer, other than somehow manipulating the blood around his face.


    ¡°You will get your nose treated at the manor, but you shouldn¡¯t feel too much pain around it,¡± she said, making him nod in response. Just like she muttered, a cold sensation quickly followed, slightly numbing the pulsating, broken bone of the nose.


    ¡°Thank you, m-master,¡± he said, as though eating through sand. Battling himself not to say the words his body wanted to almost made a few of the veins on his face pop, but nonetheless, he got through with it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s a mere necessity to care for one¡¯s slave. Otherwise, it would be a plain loss of money. Especially in your case,¡± she said bluntly, a clear look of indifference piling on her.


    ¡°...¡±


    He didn¡¯t speak, awaiting another statement from her mouth. Not having any real path he wanted to partake in with her, silence had become his best friend.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°That being said, it¡¯s not only about money with you. That strength of yours, to be exact. It definitely wasn¡¯t that of a normal human. That¡¯s why, I would like to know. How much do you remember about yourself? I mean, you couldn¡¯t have lost all of your memories, no?¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t intentional, so far, he had only been lying to the demons he met after waking up. Whether he wanted it or not, his body spoke for him.


    However, right now, feeling the tightening feeling around his chest, Lutiel had his doubts about revealing any sort of lies.


    Holding back any imprudent words, he revealed what he knew. The absolute truth.


    ¡°M-my name. I know my name.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Your name? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s Lutiel. Just Lutiel,¡± he muttered, once again through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Hmm? Lutiel?¡± She wondered for a second before adding. ¡°Is that all you remember? Are you sure you haven¡¯t lied to your capturers?¡± Zyponia asked for confirmation.


    Gathering the thoughts for a while, in the brief period of silence, Lutiel stared into her pink eyes, letting out a clear answer.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, his chest no longer needing to be attended.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s enough, then,¡± she said, finally turning her gaze away from his, looking at the gradually changing images of the windows.


    Left in a scape of silence, Lutiel also looked out of the windows, being the only thing that made him stop thinking about becoming her slave.


    However, even that went to the gutter once she spoke a minute later.


    ¡°From now on, you will serve as my servant.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Or rather, a servant inside my mansion. Your role will be further explained by the maids once we get there, however, it¡¯s not the main reason why I bought you,¡± Zyponia stated, her head still turned to the window on her left.


    ¡®So a slave lackey, huh?¡¯ While he thought to himself, the demon lord began looking at him anew with the same, unresponsive eyes as ever.


    His hands inside the shackles vibrated slightly while the muscles around his jaws became slightly pronounced.


    ¡°Does it have to do with my strength, master?¡± Lutiel asked, naturally mimicking the demeanor his new master had been giving off. However, in contrast to him, as she heard the question, a faint crease across her lips raised itself before calming down.


    ¡°Your strength? A part of it decided that, I admit. Mostly however, you interested me and I needed an assistant just when you fell down from the skies at the perfect opportunity. So, I bought you.¡±


    ¡°Assistant? Why?¡±


    ¡°You will understand soon enough. I just wanted you to know something about your new life here,¡± she spoke, soon losing interest in his face and looking outside of the windows.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know anymore.¡¯ With a single statement in his head, Lutiel also found himself staring out of the windows, gazing at all the different humans dragging demons through the mud.


    With all of the convoluted events happening in the past few hours, he had a hard time taking all of it in as a reality. All of it simply seemed to be a continuation of the long dream, of that darkness he drifted through.


    Glancing at a couple of humans that fell at a demon¡¯s whim, being pulled with the chains and dropping large stone slabs on their bodies, Lutiel¡¯s eyes retained their new, composed look.


    Observing the world ten years in the future, before he knew it, the landscape had already changed, from the bleak, dirty bricks that made up the buildings to the modicum trees waving in the distance, long, pale grass blades swooshing together with them.


    Looking at the hills and mountains in the far distance that barely showed themselves beyond the murky skies, Lutiel¡¯s head moved up slightly. He wanted to get a better view of the land he recalled from the past.


    Even if the cities were to change because of the demons, either artistically or be swept away from the maps, the world itself was bound to remain.


    ¡® At least you never change, do you,¡¯ muttering inwardly, the images of the landscape quickly changed, a certain building appearing in the horizon as the carriage took a detour from the main road firmed by countless merchants and horses.


    Gradually appearing closer with each passing minute, they couldn¡¯t see the outline of the mansion anymore because they were heading straight at it, up the stone brick road on the low, sparsely forested hill.


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t taking over the king¡¯s royal palace fit a demon lord like her better? Wondering while feeling the carriage slowly losing its pace, his gaze invited Zyponia.


    ¡°This is the mansion,¡± she said, facing him with her eyes before something made the right side of his body flinch.


    Opening up the doors, the coachman spoke in a human language, and Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but thank for the consideration internally.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, my lady.¡±


    Standing by the side of the doors with his arms behind his back, the old man awaited the lady¡¯s leave from the carriage, along with the man she brought inside.


    Once again, before he could do anything, the wind quickly made his practically bare body shiver. Still, following the demoness closely, he stepped on the cold, stone slabs that made up the ground beyond the black gates.


    Looking at the small fountain in the middle of the estate, along with strangely vivid, verdant gardens around the supposed, autumnal mansion, something felt eerie.


    It felt and it could be seen by his own two eyes. Everything was being cared for, to the utmost detail. No branch or a leaf came out from the straight wall of greens, cut perfectly.


    The whole place itself was as clean as it could be. Almost as though he was stepping on freshly paved roads.


    Even though the goosebumps around his skin made him want to immediately jump inside the mansion, Lutiel could do nothing, but wait, especially while looking at the set of demonic maids awaiting the head of the house.


    ¡°Panyi Zyponia, ges la nuen. Vitacu vte,¡± said the lady standing at the front. Blending in together with her hair, the black and white maid uniform accentuated her silver gray complexion. Correcting the glasses that hung on the nose bridge, the thin chains around her nape rustled.


    Lutiel stared at her, the maid reciprocating his gaze.


    ¡°Tis li,¡± Zyponia said back to the only maid that didn¡¯t bow at her appearance. Instead, she was mostly focused on the man behind her lady.


    ¡°Tomi tis zaipi?¡±


    ¡°Ars li e involni, e intimau cin,¡± the blue-skinned demon replied without batting an eye. Although the reveal made every maid standing there widen their eyes, the one standing in the front quickly recollected herself, already speaking up.


    ¡°Tis¡¯e Panyi? La ges secur u jun? Tis le gotovelie teug¡¯yr cinroche v junt poner,¡± she said, glancing at the human with the corner of her eyes, but keeping most of her attention on the lord before her.


    ¡°Ges tomi pripres kiz ara¡¯o v tis¡¯e timaun, tem. Tis gotovelie pekuc ars¡¯o.¡±


    A few seconds of silence engrossed the space, only broken apart by the horses nickering to the sweet aroma carried by red apples that the old coachman was giving them.


    With all five of the maids practically glaring at the human with cloud-like white hair, down at his displaced, swollen purple nose, the one in the front eventually sighed before moving to the side.


    ¡°Please come in, my Lady. It¡¯s chilly out here,¡± she said, sending one last glance at the human barely holding back the chattering teeth.


    Hearing and seeing the armor clatter in movement before him, Lutiel moved immediately, right after her. When he finally entered the mansion, only then did the maids follow them. Walking through the excessively large doors of the dukedom¡¯s largest palace, the maid that spoke with Zyponia closed them.

 8. Faint Whispers Of The Lost

    ¡°Get naked,¡± the maid with chain glasses blurted out, abruptly making Lutiel¡¯s eyes raise themselves at her. Looking at the blank stare he was receiving from the woman, he kept to himself for a couple of seconds.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°At lady¡¯s request, a bath had been prepared, as you can see,¡± she said, turning her face away from him and gesturing at the foamy tub, at the same time revealing a black bun that veiled most of her head.


    ¡°I know, but I can wash myself alone.¡±


    ¡°Not with that injury, you can¡¯t. How are you supposed to use your arms when it¡¯s displaced this badly? Not to mention washing that crusted and gunky hairs of yours.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you also lose your sense of humor along with the memories?¡± The maid asked with a raised eyebrow, standing in the slippery, steamy baths still in her uniform. Not caring for wetting the black fabric, she instead lowered her foggy glasses at the man in front of her.


    ¡°Maybe. I can still bathe myself,¡± he replied, looking at the porcelain bathtub with metallic, ornate legs holding it up.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for different reasons, that nose of yours for example. I¡¯m responsible for a lot of things, healing included. Also, that long hair of yours needs some cutting up.¡±


    Her voice resounded in his ears. Turning his sight back and forth at the bath and the maid, he stood there, mute.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Asking the human seemingly frozen in place while staring at her, the maid didn¡¯t seem to realize what he meant.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you turn around for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that? Are you saying you¡¯re going to get aroused in front of a demon? How flattering of you, human,¡± she muttered while covering her mouth, but her eyes didn¡¯t move a single bit.


    Not uttering a single word more, he complied, grabbing the hems of the hemp dress at the bottom before raising it, revealing the body that had become bruised in multiple places.


    Nonetheless, rather than looking at the purple spots or the platinum brand, the gaze of the maid seemed much lower than that, especially low for Lutiel to feel something creeping up his spine.


    ¡°Tis¡¯e. That¡¯s surprising,¡± she said while one of her eyebrows arose again, the voice of a cloth dropping to the floor distracting her back to normal. Quickly looking back, the woman looked at the man, who already started lowering his body inside the tub.


    Displaced by his body, water flowed out from the bath vehemently, only to be caught by the drains fit discreetly in the tiled floor.


    With his back facing her, Lutiel heard the loud footsteps coming from his right, the one that started all of this in front of him a second later.


    The foam crawled up all the way to his battered collarbones, daintily grazing his skin while he released a deep breath.


    ¡°Is it too hot?¡± The maid asked, her arm ready to move towards the long, brass faucet rooted beside the tub.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s good.¡± He said whilst moving around in the warm water, trying to feel for the liquid which reminded him of the dark space at the back of his mind.


    Finding himself thinking about it more often than he would rather, the movement in the warm waters began to recede.


    Coming to a complete halt, the man no longer looked through the dimly lit baths, instead shutting himself off momentarily while recalling the words his new master spoke to him.


    ¡®Ten years, huh? Were those dark surroundings the time I spent in that membrane?¡¯ He thought to himself with blank eyes that stared into nothing. Having the maid observing him, however, he couldn¡¯t keep the look forever.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna hurt a bit, so try not to move around too much,¡± she said, distracting him from whatever he was thinking about back to the present.


    Catching a movement with his eyes, Lutiel immediately broke away from his head before centering on the sneaky maid.


    ¡°What is?¡± He asked, instinctively grabbing hold of the hand coming towards his face.


    ¡°We have to adjust your nose if we want it to heal properly. Unless you want to keep having trouble breathing,¡± she said, keeping her eyes locked onto his. ¡°So, how about you let me free?¡±


    Sparking something inside, the grip around her wrist lessened. Being allowed to have her way, she immediately used the chance, grabbing onto the swollen skin while making his head cock back in response, a sharp sensation striking him.


    ¡°I told you something,¡± she said, having grasped the reddened nose with her fingers before stopping at his sudden agitation.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared,¡± Lutiel said, tensing his body. ¡°You can start now.¡±


    Both to alleviate the incoming pain, as well as to restrain his blabbering mouth, he grabbed tightly onto the edge of the bath, the already naturally pronounced muscles of his upper body further outlining themselves.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned as the maid fully grasped the nose with her fingers. Clenching his jaw and closing the eyes, Lutiel¡¯s upper body began visibly convulsing as he fought off the pain.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Nonetheless, as time passed, with the girl¡¯s hand working its magic, he could hear an immediate ¡®crack¡¯ once she moved it.


    Tainting the waters through the dense foam, droplets of blood started flowing down his chin like a stream, but she wasn¡¯t done.


    Taking hold of his face with both hands, she began pushing the bone back into its place, a procedure no less than a few seconds long, yet enough for the man to wish he was back in the arena.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all done. You¡¯re lucky the cartilage hasn¡¯t been shattered,¡± she said while lightly slapping his face with the tips of her fingers. Washing off the blood gathered on them, the man finally opened his eyes and breathed deeply, grimacing to the pulsating pain radiating around his nose and a bit above his right brow.


    ¡°What is this?¡± He asked, oblivious to the faint smile he was receiving. Gently poking his nose with the tips of his fingers, he was quickly stopped, taken hold of by the maid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. It will stop soon anyways. We can¡¯t have a servant of Lady Zyponia embarrass her with being improper, so I sped up the healing process.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ending his desperate search for breath, he asked vainly, no explanation coming out of her. Rather, he felt his shoulders being grabbed, the body moving with no volition of the mind.


    Making even more water flow out of the tub than before, the maid turned him to the side of the bath before submerging him down to his shoulders. Then, under the speechless gaze and reactions of the man, she took all of the hairs grazing the floor before putting them inside the soapy water.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it anyway. Let¡¯s continue with something else, shall we?¡± Asking while rubbing his head, she watched as he stared at her, directly into her eyes.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I can do it myself?


    ¡°So you say, yet you haven¡¯t nudged a finger,¡± she said while flashing him a cheeky grin alongside a wink.


    Hearing a light chuckle permeate the space as he looked away, glancing at the light yellow crystal that illuminated the baths from the ceiling, Lutiel¡¯s head dandled involuntarily. Replying to the girl massaging his hair with the soap from the corner of the tub, his body was soon raised as she needed access to the soaked hairs falling on his back.


    With the time fleeting by in peace, the silence only interrupted by the foam forming and moving around the surface. Looking ahead of him, at the doors of the baths, Lutiel struck up a conversation, without the need for tensing his jaw in efforts to control himself.


    ¡°Are you also a slave?¡± he asked suddenly, prompting the maid to stop her movements briefly.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied briskly before going back to scrubbing his head. ¡°Neither are any of the servants, including the old coachman.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one? But master Zyponia said she bought one from the merchant previously.¡±


    ¡°About that,¡± her voice soured. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here. As a replacement for the previous slave.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°She ran away after breaking off her slave brand,¡± the maid spoke slowly, making sure to distribute the cleaning soap in every crevice of his hair.


    ¡°She was a demon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. We have you now. And since Lady Zyponia bought you, it must mean something.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said, his head pulled on silently by the woman behind him.


    Dispersing in the warm liquid, the foam around his hairs dissipated and he was promptly put back in the original place. With a slick and glossy, lustrous mane even whiter than before, it caught the full attention of the maid.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t an albino, yet your hair is as fair as the purest snow. It¡¯s a shame we have to cut it,¡± she said while moving her fingers through the thick strands. ¡±Can you sit like you did the first time?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± replying tersely, the man moved through the murky waters, which lost a lot of their foamy top, gaining the dirt from his head and body instead. Leaning his back on the side wall of the bath, he soon heard the clicking of scissors after the maid rustled through some fabrics.


    Taking hold of all the hairs, she lay them flat against the tub and the floor, quickly moving the metallic scissors.


    Once again, finding himself staring against the walls and nothing else, Lutiel exchanged some words with her.


    ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°Although a bit blunt, I figured you would never ask. It¡¯s Raeyine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lutiel, if master hasn¡¯t already told you.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve now exchanged names, I will tell you this. Just call her Lady Zyponia. She doesn¡¯t like other names, even if she doesn¡¯t show it.¡±


    Not replying for a while, she continued to cut his hair, having already chopped off more than half of its original length.


    ¡°Alright. I will,¡± he said calmly, his head lowered itself towards sparse patches of water. ¡°Thank you, Raeyine.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re welcome.¡± The maid prolonged her reply, having momentarily cut in the wrong spot, though she didn¡¯t need long to fix the mistake.


    Waiting out the rest of the haircut in silence, he stayed in the same spot, trying to move through the warm waters as little as possible.


    ¡°And, it¡¯s done. Quite good, if I say so myself. Here, take a look,¡± Raeyine said, grabbing the reflective, small ellipse mirror from the same spot where the soap had been, she quickly put it in front of Lutiel.


    All of a sudden, his body froze, looking at the man right in front of him. Widening his eyes, he stared at the reflection in disbelief.


    The same cold demeanor as him, the same composed look in his eyes, the same indifference. All identical as him.


    Looking at ¡®himself¡¯ in the mirror, his brows furrowed as he saw a bloodied face. The lips parted as a crimson liquid began flowing, the platinum hairs disheveled and dirtied from sweat.


    Looking at Raphael, Lutiel¡¯s body shook as he clutched his head, quickly moving his gaze away, down to the waters, only to see the same image reflected in them.


    ¡°Lutiel? Is everything alright? Lutiel? Hello?¡± The noise spread through the space of the bath, but it didn¡¯t seem to reach his ears.


    The maid quickly took away the mirror as her brows furrowed in distress. Grabbing his chin, she quickly lifted it, her face less than a hand¡¯s reach close to his.


    ¡°Lutiel!¡± She raised her voice, finally catching his attention.


    The quivering soon receded as the man¡¯s ability to control his muscles came back, taking the hands off his head.


    Looking at the maid with muddled eyes, he quickly gazed down at the waters once again.


    This time, instead of Raphael, a different person was reflected. Someone that could be mistaken for him yet completely different from the old hero he saw previously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just... My head hurts,¡± he said while looking back at the creasing eyebrows of the maid.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You were meant to rest because of your injuries anyways,¡± Raeyine muttered, moving her hand towards his arms. ¡°Can you move by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± he replied, gripping the hand tightly.

 9. A New Life

    ¡°Goodnight. May your dreams be the sweetest.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! Ahh! No!¡± The soft voice reverberated through the skies, yet it hadn¡¯t reached the soft clouds. Raising his body abruptly, the boy sat up under the tree¡¯s shade, eyes widened to the very limit.


    Scouring through the lands all around, his heaving chest soon calmed down. Glancing at the hills graced by the sun¡¯s gentle embrace, he watched as the grass danced along to the windy plays.


    ¡°That dream again?¡± A sulky voice asked, to which the boy looked around.


    A little girl sat beside him, on the delicate blanket he also took part of with his body. Enlightened by the sun, it was almost as though her hair had been glowing, the boy unable to get his gaze away from the golden streaks waving down her face.


    The dress she wore blended in with the hairs, flowing on her dearly, as if she was born to don such luxurious clothes. Compared to the simple, almost tattered shirt he wore, filled with shreds of the fabric when looking closer, it was weird seeing the two sit so close together.


    Next to her, accentuating her person, a staff much longer than her own body lay freely, always within the reach of her arms. With a clear, blue gem at the very top of the ornately engraved wood, it denied any resemblance to the weapon on the boy¡¯s side.


    With a blade chipped in countless places, as well as a wooden shaft that threatened to splinter apart at any moment, the weapon couldn¡¯t even be used in a proper battle.


    ¡°Yes, that one,¡± said the boy, with drooping eyebrows that almost hid his eyes fully.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If not for the priests, I would have cleared it already,¡± the girl said, a reaction quite similar to that of the boy.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    "The priests are right. You shouldn¡¯t waste your powers,¡± he added, fuelling the awry look on her small face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste!¡± Her eyes glared at him, deeply resonating with the boy, who immediately stopped his mouth along with any movements of the body.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of having this power if I can¡¯t use it for those that need it?¡± She asked, clenching her fists together with the soft cushion below her. However, for a while, only rustling of the leaves above answered her cries.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He replied at the same time as a large cloud veiled the light. ¡°But, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡±


    The girl raised her head, looking up at the boy. Lifting the shy, slumped shoulders, she opened her mouth. ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°You know, that the priests keep you so restrained. You can¡¯t do anything without their surveillance.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were talking about that,¡± she muttered, lowering her head once again. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Why not try? If you wanted to, I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t be able to retaliate,¡± he proposed, only receiving a light shake of her droopy head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, whether you think otherwise,¡± she added before briskly raising her eyes, at a sudden rustle of the blanket.


    The boy stood up from his place, tightening his fists. ¡°Then, if you can¡¯t, I will tell them myself!¡± He shouted through the space before grabbing the spear near his left leg.


    ¡°What are you thinking about all of a sudden? Weren¡¯t you still asleep a few seconds ago?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow, but it wasn¡¯t enough to persuade him.


    Tightly gripping the wooden shaft, he placed himself on the grass while raising his spear, just barely missing the branches above him. ¡°The world waits for no one! So, I will train hard enough for the priests to acknowledge me!¡±


    Whilst finishing his words, the metallic blade cut through the air, coming down from above as he performed the slash.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she said, her eyes plastered on the boy while he continued to swing the spear. ¡°You really are an obstinate one, huh?¡±


    Standing up herself, she watched as droplets of sweat began forming on his forehead, quickly trickling down his nose and face.


    Observing him while standing still, letting the clouds fly by in the sky, she suddenly said something which made his body halt the slash, halfway done.


    ¡°Why?¡± The girl asked, the lips spreading outwards to form a smile.


    With creasing eyebrows, the boy turned suddenly, moving his whole body with the spear to the right.


    His body stopped moving as he witnessed the scene right before him.


    ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± She asked, a faint droplet of a dark red liquid coming out of her lips. The smile soon receded as she opened her eyes wide, the eyelids quivering.


    With a trembling arm, she traced across her stomach, a crimson stain extending itself from the spear¡¯s tip in the middle.


    ¡°Ah, ah, no, I, I-I,¡± he stuttered, his hands shaking while in grasp of the shaft. ¡°I didn¡¯t do this.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Her fingers tainted themselves with her own blood as she stared down at the spear pierced through her.


    ¡°You killed me, Lutiel. Why?¡± She asked once again, making his pupils shake.


    Dropping the grip while crouching, he swiftly grabbed his head, shouting. ¡°I didn¡¯t! I didn¡¯t kill you! It wasn¡¯t me, no. I didn-¡±


    The voices reached him, all of different tones and shapes. Staring at the glowing pair of eyes before him, he heard the people ask him one question.


    ¡°Lutiel, why did you kill us?¡±


    His eyes opened abruptly, to the utmost point they were capable of. Glancing at the pale ceiling ahead of him, Lutiel remained in the same spot, under the blaring rays scattering across the interior.


    Moving them around, he quietly scoured through his surroundings, doing so a few times before working any muscle whatsoever.


    Grasping the duvet placed onto him and taking it off, the planks beneath his feet creaked as he sat and stood up.


    Swiftly, he approached the desk with a lone chair next to it, taking whatever clothes someone had placed on top.


    Touching the black fabric of the attire, although he hesitated for a second, Lutiel still quickly grabbed it, revealing further pieces hiding under the top one.


    Looking back and forth at the clothes on the ground and in front of him, having unfolded the one he grabbed first, Lutiel sighed inwardly before hanging the jacket on the chair.


    Grabbing the socks matching shades with the first piece, he put them on and quickly moved to the trousers, having no issues there either.


    With the starkly tinted shirt covering every bit of his upper body, with no parts hanging loose, he tightened the belt around his waist before getting to the long tie.


    This time, however, his hands weren¡¯t as fortunate. Lying on the neck, below his collar, with a bulge on the side that couldn¡¯t be untied, he promptly took it off and stored it inside the pockets of his pants.


    Watching as the sun started to peek in through the sole window higher while putting the clothes on himself, Lutiel stopped once the white gloves were put on his hands.


    Dropping down onto the bed, he sat there, staring at the door ahead, as well as the clothes he had just put on. Stretching out his arms and glancing down, he moved them around, feeling for the fabric.


    ¡°Maybe a butler is the better call,¡± he whispered, sighing at the end. With one last look at the doors and the landscape beyond the window, Lutiel stood up and headed for the room¡¯s exit.


    However, just a step away from the doorway, as he was about to grab the metallic handle, they moved outwards. Fluttering his hairs, the squeaking hinges soon revealed the person blameworthy.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up already? I was just about to wake you,¡± Raeyine said, not moving her gaze anywhere other than the suit he put on by himself.


    ¡°First time?¡± She added before he could say anything.


    Nodding his head, she let out a gentle breath before moving closer and grabbing his waist.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just let the belt wobble around like that,¡± correcting his attire with a few remarks, the maid soon stopped, looking around his neck. ¡°Where is the tie?¡±


    Rummaging through the right pocket of his trousers, Lutiel soon brought out the dark piece, blinking at the quiet snort she released.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± letting out a quick apology, she took hold of the tie before untying it back to the intended look. ¡°Watch how I do it.¡±


    He looked up at the girl beginning to surround the bottom of his neck with the dark tie. Weaving one of the two pieces against the other twice, she quickly pulled down the one hanging free towards the floor.


    Before any of them could blink, the maid had finished. Putting the long tie into his waistcoat, which gilt buttons she correctly rearranged, Raeyine also buttoned up the jacket, pulling onto the trousers to straighten them out in certain places.


    ¡°Here, done. As I told you before, we can¡¯t have you looking improper,¡± the maid said while swaying her finger at him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to.¡± With a rigid voice, he lowered his head down at the quickly reordered clothes.


    ¡°I did. You¡¯re new here, after all. I¡¯ll let the first couple of lessons be free,¡± she glanced at him while letting out a smirk. ¡°Now, come with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you wanted to wake me up for?¡±


    She nodded her head and spoke. ¡°Since all of the girls are still sleeping, I figured I could inform you about your duties during breakfast.¡±


    At the mention of the meal, Lutiel immediately grasped himself by the stomach, which started producing riveting noises, at least to the girl who kept her gaze there.


    ¡°Don¡¯t starve yourself and come,¡± she said, inviting him with her right hand before turning around to the door.


    ¡°Thank you, again,¡± he replied while starting to follow the back of the maid.


    Turning right when he closed the door to his room, they began venturing through the corridor. Although she heard his sincerity, Raeyine didn¡¯t gaze back.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. You will need some help since these are your first days, so feel free to ask away,¡± she said while constantly walking through the roughly enlightened space. The sun just barely visited through the windows, settling in with a dim glare.


    Looking at the cracks near the same floors as in his room, his gaze scoured through the corridors, all while keeping the same pace with the one he traced behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit shabby, don¡¯t you think?¡± She suddenly asked, with her back moving steadily the same it did a few moments past.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The servants¡¯ quarters. Don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s kind of old and worn-out? Not something befit our Lady?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Lady Zyponia doesn¡¯t live in this part of the building, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, no. Her rooms are on the top floor, I was simply wondering about something.¡± She shook her head after the words.


    ¡°Yesterday, when I pulled the mirror out, did you recall anything?¡±


    With the question ringing around his ears, he eased down on the pace, the maid swiftly realizing as she herself stopped.


    Only when Lutiel bumped into her did his eyes startle towards her, who kept looking at him.


    ¡°So, did you?¡±


    A profuse silence followed her question as he opened his mouth yet nothing came out.


    ¡°N-no. I was just confused. When I saw myself, I just realized I didn¡¯t remember how I looked,¡± he said, making hums come out of the nodding maid.


    ¡°Mhm, I see. Sorry. It must have been weird to experience that. The kitchen is just around the corner, so let¡¯s move.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± With a reserved voice, the man rapidly went back to following the girl. Restraining her voice, she only broke out once they finally met themselves with a door similar, but completely different to his one.


    Blending in with the walls, she opened the painted doors of the kitchen, at the same time making Lutiel involuntarily move his nostrils.


    ¡°Oh, I think it¡¯s done!¡± The maid exclaimed, trotting towards the black doors made out of metal embedded inside the wall of the kitchen made with bricks.

 10. First Task 1

    Touching the cloth on the door¡¯s knob, she swiftly opened it before putting her arms inside as though it was nothing. Stopping in the middle of the doorway, he watched as the steaming loaf of bread was carried in her hands before she put it on the table, near the basket full of fresh fruit.


    ¡°Please, take a seat while I prepare the eggs,¡± she proposed, pointing to the chairs around the table.


    Complying, he watched in silence as Raeyine took the cast iron and put it on the already fired up stove beside the oven.


    Moments later, a hiss could be heard coming out of the pan as a spoonful of butter went inside while the maid went to the other side of the kitchen, searching through the larder filled with shelves full of ingredients.


    In no time, she could be seen walking back to the hot stove while holding up a handful of large eggs against her uniform.


    Without muttering a word, she put the four eggs she brought over on the cooler side of the stove, cracking them one by one into the pan.


    Looking at and hearing the sizzling of the abnormally large eggs, Lutiel kept to himself in peace, letting the sun visiting beyond the windows on their left slowly brush his face.


    Moving her arm constantly, stirring with the wooden spoon, the maid used her free hand to salt and pepper the eggs. At the same time, as steam began amply moving up the ceiling from the kettle, she grabbed the handle barehanded, promptly putting it on the side before taking off the eggs as well.


    ¡°Are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?¡±


    Under his soft nod, she walked close to the windows, from where she opened the cupboards and prepared the necessary porcelain, two plates and tea cups along with a teapot.


    Placing them upon the table, she filled the plates with the scrambled eggs before filling out the pot with dried up leaves and scalding water. Covering it, she then garnered her attention around the golden brown, tall loaf that was trying to escape from the side, bringing a serrated knife to cut it.


    Crackling, the butt of the loaf exposed its puffy and airy insides as it fell to the table, steam coming out immediately.


    Cutting up two slices for each of them, she quickly went back to the stove, for the butter dish she left, as well as two table knives and forks.


    ¡°Here you go. Pesne,¡± she said while giving him his pair of cutlery before taking some of the butter and spreading it on her piece of bread.


    However, before Lutiel or Raeyine could begin their meal, he kept staring at her.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± He asked, making her stop the incoming slice of warm bread near her lips and look at him.


    ¡°Oh, that? Don¡¯t mind it, it doesn''t spell anything important,¡± she said, dipping some of the bread inside the eggs before eating.


    Glancing at her one last time before taking the fork, he also proceeded to start his meal, hesitantly bringing the vivid eggs towards his lips.


    Yet, as he forced the bite, he stopped chewing for a second, quickly looking at the maid in front of him. Shooting him a smile as she finished eating the piece of bread, the girl quickly opened her mouth, not to take another bite.


    ¡°What? Is it better than the spiders and bugs back in the caves?¡± She asked, her gentle giggle slowly scanting out into silence.


    Nodding while stuffing his mouth with both the eggs and the bread, she raised an eyebrow as she saw him practically swallowing it whole.


    Before she knew it, Raeyine was already standing up to help him as he started coughing up slightly from the speed at which he was eating.


    ¡°Here, drink slowly,¡± she told him after pouring the tea into the cup near his plate.


    She saw as he drank the tea without hesitation, gradually clearing the cup¡¯s content. As he finished, the coughing eased up, only for him to already go back to the plate. However, before any of the metal could touch the eggs, his arms had been enclosed by the maid¡¯s tight grip.


    ¡°Slow down, it¡¯s not going anywhere. I know you haven¡¯t eaten for a while, but you will only harm yourself,¡± she said, lessening the grip as the fork touched the porcelain.


    ¡°Sorry. I just couldn¡¯t remember when was the last time I had a decent meal,¡± Lutiel said with somewhat of a wrinkled forehead, making the girl smile while sitting down.


    ¡°Let¡¯s chat while we eat. Maybe that will help. It¡¯s also a good time to tell you about your duties, which start today since you healed up somewhat,¡± she said, her eyes traversing towards the middle of his face. ¡°Your nose looks fine already, all of the swelling and redness has gone away, at least.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but don¡¯t touch it yet. Just let it be,¡± she added briskly, seeing as his hand already started moving there.


    Nodding his head while getting the scrambled eggs on his bread with a fork, Lutiel put it in his mouth while staring closely at her.


    ¡°Has lady Zyponia already told you about the main stuff?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°The assistant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t need any information about that since she will explain. The second job, however, is to go out into the town and get things done there,¡± she said, nibbling on the eggs with her bread.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The lady will also tell you what needs to be done in her stead and you¡¯re bound to do it. Also, you¡¯re responsible for restocking the kitchen. As for what needs to be bought, I will tell you before you go today, but you have to ask the cook a night before the next time,¡± Raeyine explained while he continued eating.


    ¡­


    Lutiel leaned on the seats of the carriage, listening as the wheels turned on the dirt. Turning his head, he watched the landscape pass by calmly.


    Waving him goodbyes and greetings at the same time as he went ahead, the grass changed the direction all of a sudden. High above yet under the veil of the gray clouds, the birds flew by, a shade away from mingling with them.


    Breaking the line of horizon, the mountains his gaze followed stood still, unmoving. The wheels turned a couple of times before his eyes went back inside, his left arm searching through the left pocket of his trousers.


    Taking out the folded piece of yellowish paper, Lutiel¡¯s eyes scoured through the contents, which filled the entirety of the palm sized page.


    Following the words written down in the human language, he rubbed the paper with his fingers.


    ¡®Black paper from the green-haired vendor in the building with a hanging sign that depicts a frog.¡¯ Skimming the paper, he raised his head, looking at the ceiling of the carriage.


    ¡®I could¡¯ve been treated much worse. They would have given up their limbs for this place.¡¯ As his head tinkered inwardly, he rummaged through his right pocket around the jacket, swiftly taking out a reflective coin.


    Tossing the silvery coin Zyponia had gifted him around in his hand, holding it up with his thumb and two fingers, he stopped when flipping it to the obverse. Mirroring in his eyes, the image of two weapons crossing themselves appeared.


    A sword and a twisted staff were depicted onto the metal, just under the stain that mellowed out the reflection.


    ¡®U¡­ma¡­fy dhoh pyray nu.¡¯ Although there were some letters stamped under the weapons, he could make little sense of them, putting the coin back inside his pocket once the carriage started trembling for a brief moment before calming down.


    With the carriage stopping, he went closer to the windows, looking out only to witness the city gates. On the side, a certain, armored guard stood, with a tall spear standing up on his side.


    ¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± Unmoving, the guard spoke. With a helmet that made little way for the voice to come out, he didn¡¯t repeat himself.


    ¡°Geas la chod¡¯yr kiz pokuc reca dlar Panyi Zyponia.¡±


    ¡°Tis tacpunt. Geas tomi ris,¡± he said, chains rattling at his words while the horse neighed. Soon, Lutiel saw the helmet of the guard, the two horizontal slits right at him. Observing him beyond the window, the knight soon returned to his position, asking once again, to the carriage behind them. ¡°Dho reisu dlar vider?¡±


    While they went through the gates, soon joining the rest of the sparse carriages plummeting around the dirt streets, Lutiel watched out of the window.


    Although it disappeared little by little, he could still witness a large portion of it. Walking along, as well as on the sides of the large frame of a building under construction, the humans carried long, wooden beams while the ones on top of the frame either beat in the nails or pulled the ropes with a basin full of building materials.


    One of the three that pulled waned, visibly starting to hinder the movements of others. Finally, coming to a halt, instead of pulling, he along with others, was pulled instead, their bodies quickly falling to the ground.


    No longer bringing themselves back up, they stayed in the mud, only for a certain man to come to them at the rowdy commotion, clearly angry. With a chain in his right hand that connected itself to a spiky ball at the end, he began swinging it at the inert humans.


    Unfortunately or fortunately, Lutiel¡¯s vision of the subject was forced to break apart, the building next to their carriage in the way of his eyes. Blinking as he saw the people staring right at him, ones that didn¡¯t wear fetters, shackles, nor collars, he went back to looking through the paper in his left hand, only to witness its crumbled-up state.


    Right in the middle, his thumb went through, ripping it apart. Sighing before smoothing it out, he once again went through its contents while taking glances in between at the city and its residents.


    ¡®It should be around here from what she wrote.¡¯ Taking one last look at the page, he soon heard a clear voice through the cacophony of noises.


    ¡°I will wait for you here. Take however long you need,¡± said the old man, not turning around to face him even once as they stopped near the side of the road, where scarce carriages stood still and horses were roped to metallic poles protruding from the cobble sidewalk.


    Opening the doors from the inside without letting out a word, Lutiel simply left, soon walking along the street, next to a multitude of varied buildings. Countless demons flowed out or went inside, surrounding the place.


    Unlike the street he observed just a few moments ago, there were no chains to be witnessed nor heard around him. Demons dressed both in formal and casual clothes went about their ways, covered from the neck down to the feet with layers of warm clothes.


    However, despite each being focused on their tasks, all took a glance at the human that moved through the dirty pavement.


    Looking at all the faces that were directed at him, specifically at his neck, he went forward nonetheless, his eyes kept ahead at the big sign hanging from the side of the building.


    Sadly, as he went through the crowd, suddenly, his body opposed himself, from the back of his right arm. Turning behind, he stared at the claws grasping his shoulders.


    His eyes traveling all the way to the stranger¡¯s head, in the very middle of his forehead, he witnessed a black horn that curved itself towards the skies while cutting through the brim that sat on his hairs.


    ¡°This is no place for a human slave to walk through,¡± said the man, heads turning as silence spread around them. Then, mutterings filled the space, as well as a loud turmoil because of the halted movement.


    ¡°Intimau? Kozs li e intimau bie¡¯yr nuen?¡±


    ¡°Jun li inpiraj¡¯no!¡±


    Shouts and questions followed him all around while the dark arm held him still. Clenching his teeth, Lutiel moved his free hand toward his pocket.


    ¡°Do you wish to die? Do not dare to move or I won¡¯t hesitate to rip your arm off,¡± he barked, glaring at the man with his fully black eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I just wan-¡±


    As he started talking, his sentence cut off in the middle. The world beside him spun suddenly, quickly. Looking at the legs and shoes of the demons all around, he hugged the ground beneath him.


    ¡°I told you not to move, didn¡¯t I?¡± with an increasingly angrier tone, the voice quickly reached his ears, along with a jarring sight.

 11. First Task 2

    The curled up claws flew across the space, about to reach his face. Yet, just before the fist could touch the human, the arm stopped briskly, followed by another silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Zyponia¡¯s slave,¡± the fallen man said, a silver coin flaunting in the palm of his left hand


    Immediately, the previous man acted, grabbing onto the slave¡¯s suit before bringing him up from the ground. With somewhat creased eyebrows, he smiled slightly and talked once more.


    ¡°Excuse me, I had no idea. Please, don¡¯t tell anything to Lord Zyponia,¡± he pleaded to the white-haired man, a tinge of desperation in his eyes.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Lutiel replied, dusting off his clothes quickly before storming off, thrusting away the claws plastered all over his shoulders.


    Taking a look back, he saw the man leading his carriage stare back at him, only giving him a nod while leaning back on his seat.


    Sighing inwardly before moving under the cumulation of looks from each of his side, Lutiel¡¯s attention kept only at the sign with a violet frog swirling out its tongue.


    Shutting off his ears from the whisperings, he quickly entered the shop that gained practically no attention from the earlier crowd, only tumultuous because he went inside. Though, closing the doors, no demon seemed to want to enter after him.


    Looking at the doors for a few seconds, he only turned around once somebody shook him out of the state.


    ¡°Lei arn ges, kozs¡¯o meci dobnivic zamis?¡±


    A male voice rang out from afar, prompting Lutiel to speak himself, still remaining in place.


    ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡±


    ¡°Then, you should know not to come here,¡± he said, creating a space for silence to prevail. ¡°You do know, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here under Lady Zyponia¡¯s orders.¡±


    Standing calmly, he didn¡¯t have to wait long for a reply, though it didn¡¯t come without an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Haa, please come inside. What is it that she wanted?¡± He asked after revealing himself to the servant beyond the wall on his right, where the counter went along.


    With steps full of creaks, within a few of them, he was already facing the man, who was still leisurely sitting on a chair.


    ¡°Two reams of dark paper along with ten of the inks the Lady likes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, anything else?¡± With half-closed eyes, the demon with a single horn asked, moving away slightly from the wooden chair.


    ¡°No,¡± tersely, he replied, but the demon didn¡¯t bat an eye anyway. Simply moving a hand through his short hairs, he lifted up the door of the counter before moving to the middle of the shop, where long and tall shelves filled with a plethora of eerie items, at least to Lutiel, could be seen.


    Looking at all the bottled-up powders of vibrant shades, along with certain liquids in glass containers and all the other miscellaneous things, his eyes naturally followed the materials he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    Scouring his gaze through different parts of the small shop, his head suddenly stopped on the left, where a wall full of books could be seen. With only hard covers, their sizes were quite extensive, the colors equally so.


    With a vivid embrace, despite inside the enclosed building, the covers gave off an illumination, catching him entrapped.


    ¡°You here? They aren¡¯t in aseunian, so don¡¯t waste your master¡¯s money. Not that you could,¡± the shopkeeper muttered, having already brought all of the things over to the wooden counter.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to buy them.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t doubt you. That will be nine silvers and fifty bronze dracars,¡± he said, stacking the items on top of each other, with all ten inks on the upper ream of the dark papers.


    Searching through the left pocket of his jacket, Lutiel brought out a handful of coins in his palm, none bronze in color. Taking ten of them, he handed the money over to the brought out arm.


    ¡°Five bronze haeldra, here,¡± the man spoke absentmindedly as he stored the coins in the register, bringing out five bronze coins a bit larger than the silver ones.


    Glancing at him as he finished all the necessities, the servant promptly took the bought items before heading back, under complete silence. The shopkeeper didn¡¯t utter a single word more, simply staring at his back as he made his way to the doors.


    Quickly leaving the shop, he found himself in a sidewalk free of the previous looks, replaced by a new look of indifference. Even the demons he saw before simply moved past him.


    ¡®Now, the food and the coal is left.¡¯ Thinking to himself, he stared at the carriage on his left, where a certain old man seemed to have been sleeping.


    Walking with the items in his hold, after he passed a few buildings, he was already next to the horses, making the man¡¯s eyes open up and stare him down.


    ¡°Done already?¡± He asked, looking at the stuff in his arms before engaging the horses with a whistle, plainly grabbing onto the reins and readying them for the drive.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to the market now,¡± he replied, opening the doors before going inside.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do you think?¡± She asked in their native tongue, standing in the middle of the room with her arms sprawled out straight to the sides.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The listener, tugging on the fabric of her dress, remained silent as she corrected the clothing while kneeling. Only when she stopped and stood up from the carpet did her mouth open, grabbing onto the parts beneath Zyponia¡¯s armpits.


    ¡°What? About Lutiel?¡± Raeyine asked, her eyes focused on the creases of the dress.


    ¡°Yes. What are your initial thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Well, although he shows his intimidation against us indiscreetly, I think it¡¯s only subconscious. I¡¯m sure he will become useful, he¡¯s quite talented,¡± she said, sending a wink to her while taking a glance up.


    ¡°Raeyine,¡± Zyponia spoke, but the maid kept on moving her hands around her body. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is.¡±


    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t imagine any other option why you bought him, then. For a golden coin at that. There are hundreds of servants we don¡¯t have to teach from the beginning for a fraction of the price.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s not. He simply seemed weird. Unlike a human. The strength he showed was like that of a beast.¡±


    ¡°Is that what made you smitten?¡± She asked with a prideful smile, only to receive a strike on top of her head. ¡°Ouch! That hurt!¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to. You¡¯re allowed far too much.¡±


    ¡°I think otherwise,¡± she said under her nose, with a smile on her face before taking a comb and softly running through the lady¡¯s hairs. ¡°What do you want to do with him?¡±


    ¡°I think sister may make good use out of him, but not in his current state. He has great potential, but he moves like a newborn. Still, he won with the leader of the revolutionaries that were here.¡±


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t tell me that yesterday,¡± the maid blurted out while stopping momentarily, her eyes widened somewhat.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now. I was too busy to remember,¡± she said, closing her eyes as Raeyine enhanced her features.


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t prod at you. But, you want to nurture him, right?¡± She asked at the same time as she stopped preparing her lady.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And how are you supposed to achieve that? Train him with human ways? Make him a knight? Through a weapon or martial arts? And what if he remembers his past?¡±


    Looking at the arms gently sitting on her waist, Zyponia¡¯s eyes wandered down at the question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He will stay obedient, but wanting to actually do it is completely different.¡±


    ¡°Well, you could just force him if he won¡¯t do it,¡± the maid proposed, soon receiving a shake of the head from the master of the mansion.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let his mind become broken.¡±


    ¡°What if it strengthens his resolve?¡±


    ¡°Just stop,¡± quickly interjected Zyponia, staring at the girl donning a smirk.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, pinching her lips shut tight before swiftly opening them once more. ¡°How about letting him attend your lessons with Camilla?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He is your assistant already. Why not make him one during the lessons as well?¡±


    ¡°No, no, how does that even correlate?¡± The girl asked with furrowed eyebrows while glancing up at the maid with glasses.


    ¡°Just trust me. I have a good feeling about this,¡± she said, a smile on her face as she stared back at the demon lady.


    ¡°I¡¯m meant to expand on his strength, even if it means him becoming said knight, not some professor,¡± she replied with a calm voice, crossing her arms.


    ¡°You can still do that, but that won¡¯t stop him from hating you. What I¡¯m proposing is that he shouldn¡¯t leave your side. Make him attached to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, blinking a couple of times after hearing the girl.


    ¡°You heard me. There is no man that wouldn¡¯t fall for your cuteness, you just have to show it to him.¡±


    Raising her hand, it was already tightened into a fist, her eyebrows lowered into a glare. ¡°How long will you keep this up?¡± Talking amidst the giggle reverberating through the room, she remained that way.


    ¡°Then, how about just using a potion on him? He won¡¯t regain the memories that way forever.¡±


    Quickly changing her mien, the lady looked at her maid with a meek frown. Remaining in the same position for a while, she spoke with a reserved tone.


    ¡°No, I told you already.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any other ideas, in that case. Still, I believe that having Lutiel in your classes would be the best option.¡±


    However, before Zyponia could reply to her words, her head turned to the right, the gaze escaping into the distance beyond her windows. Looking at the closing gates, as well as the carriage that stopped after coming inside the estate.


    Coming closer to the window, a hand soon embraced her left shoulder, a presence standing close beside her.


    ¡°It seems that we have summoned the devil. I will go help him,¡± she said, bringing her face near Zyponia. ¡°Though, you can call me if you want to get prepared for your first date together.¡±


    ¡°You can go,¡± she replied briskly, not looking back after the maid started leaving.


    Closing the doors behind her, Raeyine¡¯s smile traced back into an unimpressed look, walking through the corridors with decisive steps. Within a few moments, as she passed the doors in the hallway of the top floor, the maid found herself taking the staircase leading down.


    Spreading her melody against the steps, her shiny loafers moved at a spry pace, reaching the hall before Lutiel could even reach the doors leading to them.


    Grabbing onto the knobs, she did so herself, the sight of the sky and greenery out in front of her. In the middle of it all, however, she saw a certain man standing near the flung open carriage doors.


    Seeing him take out the basket filled with fresh vegetables, she spoke up, in a tongue he could understand.


    ¡°You can leave those in the kitchen. I will take care of the coal boxes.¡±


    Lutiel stopped moving as he heard her speak before turning around to meet her face already close to him.


    ¡°They¡¯re inside, but you should check them first,¡± he said to the girl, whose look suddenly plummeted, creasing her eyebrows.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, he sold me the boxes, but he said only the smallest ones were available.¡±


    ¡°How much did he charge you?¡± Raeyine asked, looking into the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Four silvers per box,¡± he replied with a straight face, the corners of his jaw somewhat taut.


    ¡°Agh, that pig!¡± She spat out before leaning against the leather cushions and pulling onto the wooden box.


    Putting it on the ground, the girl didn¡¯t wait and simply opened the box, only for her eye to begin twitching as she witnessed the insides.


    Not filled out to the top, the small pieces of pebble-like, dark coal with a light shade of blue to them made the maid clench her jaw as she dirtied her hand, grabbing onto the coals before raising them.


    Falling to the box, some of the powder went along with the wind, right before she closed the lid, a loud clack spreading through the space.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± she said while stacking all of the boxes on top of each other. ¡°I will go there myself. Next time, don¡¯t hesitate to call out my name if he tries any of this again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± With a succinct reply, he was already on his way toward the kitchen, moving through doors of the mansion that stayed open.

 12. Overwhelming Might

    The pen slid across the pages. Dipped in the viscous liquid that stayed on the tip, it curved daintily as the edge of the palm caressed along the paper¡¯s surface.


    In the dark embrace, the words threatened to vanish, punily distinguished through the tender glimmer it released upon the two. So carefully crafted, the ink put out words the one overseeing them had never seen before.


    Glancing to the side, he saw as the pen had been dipped in the navy blue substance once again, washing down the nib fervently only to slow down at the cusp as it gathered into a bulbous droplet. With the excess having fallen into the ink¡¯s remnants, the hand gripping the pen moved back to the paper resembling what lay beyond the windows.


    Filling out the blankness, his pupils followed her actions religiously. Zyponia didn¡¯t turn, however. Subjected to the glare from the side, she remained in the same state, writing the letters carefully one stroke at a time. Sitting in her chair upright, the only two things that moved were her eyes and her right arm, the other holding the paper in place.


    Similar to the man standing beside her, her eyes moved ahead of the words, squinted slightly. Suddenly, as she stopped writing the unfamiliar words, she removed the pen to the side, waiting quietly. Without turning her head, Lutiel merely saw the lips move.


    ¡°Fifth pile from the door, take the first three papers after the tenth one from the top,¡± she said, her body remaining in place, not moving a single breadth of a hair strand.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said, swiftly turning around to navigate through the cluttered room stashed with papers similar to the one on her desk throughout every corner.


    Walking amongst the piles, it didn¡¯t take him more than fifteen steps to reach from the desk to the door, soon standing beside the desired column.


    Sorting the top out, he took the eleventh, twelfth, and the thirteenth paper before briskly going back to the girl that seemingly didn¡¯t move a single muscle spanning his journey.


    However, as he came closer, Zyponia brought out her hand, the assistant promptly giving the papers. Moving them to the front, finally, her position changed.


    Lowered faintly, her head full of purple hairs along with the two pointy horns gazed down at the papers. With the pen standing in its designated holder on the side, she read through each distinct page carefully while Lutiel, having no other thing to do, simply observed the demon lady.


    From the very tip of her horns down to the bottom of the gown she wore, completely distant to the bodacious armor he envisioned her in the past day, his eyes glued themselves onto her.


    Compared to the cold blooded ruler that bought him, at the very moment, Lutiel stood next to a noble demon.


    ¡®To think I would ever witness a demon in a dress.¡¯ He mused while looking at the violet corset laced over the light blouse underneath that exposed her shoulders. Tied over them, the bodice blended into a flowing dress at the bottom.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± She asked, her attention no longer on the papers.


    Suddenly, his ears perked up while he glanced upwards, away from the shaded arches above her blouse. Looking directly at the pink eyes staring him down, his mouth froze for a while.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, my lady,¡± he said, skeptically lowering his upper body into a bow that met itself with a bare silence.


    Staring at the planks ahead of him, he clenched his jaw awaiting her response.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, calmly. Not reaching out her hands at him or any of the supposed, she watched as his hairs fell down. ¡°You can raise your head already. Also, there should be a compass somewhere around here. Find and give it to me.¡±


    He listened to her words, straightening his back before nodding with a plain face. Turning around once again, after putting the papers on the wooden stand on her desk, Zyponia began dipping the pen with the ink.


    Walking through the mess, he looked all around, his gaze scouring through every sheet of paper inside the room. In a mere couple breaths, his eyes locked onto the top of a certain pile, where an attachable metallic piece of equipment found itself.


    Grasping onto it with his hand, he hovered it beside her after coming back.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, stopping momentarily from her writing. Gently tapping the nib against the glass container for the ink, she let all of it drip out properly before attaching the compass to the correct size and width.


    Having done so, she dipped the pen anew, transporting the ink to the page¡¯s base.


    Even more so than before, Lutiel experienced her focused eyes. Attained under the calm of silence, her still presence finally moved as she pricked the page ever lightly.


    With a swift, concise movement, a perfect circle had been born, the circumference even throughout. Then, she increased the spacing between the compass, consequently increasing the radius.


    Repeating her actions, a slightly bigger circle appeared on the page, leaving little space away from the words, as well as the edge of the paper.


    Nonetheless, she seemed no longer interested in the larger circle. Taking one of the wooden rulers on her right side of the desk, she first placed the paper in a casing that had no top.


    Putting the ruler that fit the frame perfectly, Zyponia then adjusted it, in a way that would create a line from two points on the circle¡¯s border.


    Dipping the pen, she drew the line before doing the same to the opposite side, making identical, parallel scores on the dark paper. Replacing the ruler with one that corresponded the page¡¯s width, she easily finished the square inside of the smaller circle.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Under her assistant¡¯s gaze, she continued undisturbed.


    On each vertex of the square, Zyponia drew two lines that connected in the middle above, on the circle¡¯s circumference. Having created the four triangles, she put all of the rulers, as well as the casing away, focusing on the free space that was made between the two circles instead.


    Her hand moved once again, carefully crafting each letter with her hand and pen, making the man¡¯s eyes follow instinctively.


    However, as much as he watched, the show finally ended, his master completing the words and putting the pen away in the holder.


    Yet, observing the paper, it was different from others. Unlike the ones he saw with the corner of his eyes, this one possessed the geometrical shapes solely. Papers that were before her as well. They were only with text, and nothing else.


    Then, his eyes opened wide. The demon lord placed her hand over the circle, and before he knew it, the circle disappeared as her hand moved away.


    ¡®What?¡¯ He asked himself inwardly, but there was no answer to be made. It was there just a moment ago, having been carefully drawn by the lady. Then, it dissipated back to the original surface.


    Even the dent left by the compass earlier couldn¡¯t be seen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cloud yourself with it. You will only become natural to it as you come here and help me,¡± she said suddenly, making him glance to the side.


    She stared at him, who soon reciprocated the action. Blinking a few times, he scoured back and forth between her and the room he had been placed inside.


    ¡°Do you have the rock I told you about?¡±


    Staying silent for a moment, he shook himself slightly before moving his hand to the left pocket of his pants.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said while clenching his right hand behind his back. Showing the palm-sized rock in his left one, the lady nodded after grabbing it.


    ¡°Good, let me show you what you will be dealing with from now on,¡± she said, a light smile around her mouth.


    In her open palm of the left hand, the rock began being lifted in the air, keeping the height even as she retreated the arms to herself. Hovering over the desk, a bit away from the short rack with four papers on it, the rock spun slightly only to halt completely.


    Under the steady, peaceful breaths, a few moments passed as the rock stayed in the air. Then, it moved to the left slowly before suddenly bursting right at a velocity incomparable to before.


    Yet, for the second time, before it could make the pile of papers at the end of the desk fly up into shreds, it stopped gradually, as though meeting some wall that restrained it.


    Suddenly, his sight flew across at the empty wooden desk, something bouncing off of it. With Zyponia¡¯s focus on the rock constantly, she didn¡¯t do anything about the small grains being chipped away. Comparable to sand, they fell one by one while the rough rock began vibrating in the air.


    Before anything could be said, he saw the object moving in the same direction as moments prior, slowly to the left only to rummage to the right, acting like a bow and an arrow.


    Stopping in the same place, the grains around the rock¡¯s surface came off somehow, despite diminishing its speed gracefully.


    The third instance of the rock¡¯s movement didn¡¯t happen immediately. Moving the right hand under her desk, Zyponia brought it up. Lutiel could see all of fingers separated from each other, overseeing the rock in front of her.


    Up ahead, it finally started moving after she remained in the position for a while. Knocking against the air, the result varied slightly.


    No longer grains, larger pieces of the rock split up while crumbling away from it before dropping down to the desk of the demon lady.


    Lutiel didn¡¯t blink any longer. He stood by the ploys being brought out in front of him, practically glaring at the flying rock.


    On the fourth try, similar to the previous one, it moved only after the lady focused. However, with the same vigor, only chunks of the rock fell apart. Witnessing it, determination filling her pink eyes, Zyponia brought out the left hand as well.


    Even lengthier than before, she stared at the piece of hard material, to the point of their heart singing solely in the room.


    And once it beat for the tenth time, the rock flew across the air, stopping in the same spot for the fifth time, abruptly. At the same time, larger pieces fell away when the rock had split into two distinctive chunks.


    Together with the rest, it fell, accompanying the hands that were brought under the table. With a deep breath, Zyponia¡¯s chest heaved slightly, soon coming back to normal.


    Nonetheless, Lutiel¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t be combated, opting to stare his master down, only shaken up by her speaking mouth.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± A simple question reverberated out from her lips, Lutiel¡¯s eyes no longer following their movement so keenly.


    ¡®Is she able to control the wind? Magon had the ability to control those black flames, so it wouldn¡¯t be weird for another demon lord to be capable of something close.¡¯ He thought to himself, though quickly pinched himself on the back, going back to the world before him.


    ¡°What was that?¡± With no clenched jaw, with no tensed anything, Lutiel asked whilst muttering.


    ¡®Is this how you were able to win?¡¯ He measly thought, unable to blurt out the words.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, at least exactly¡± she said with an indifferent look on her face, only turning it around once the sentence reached his ears.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s pointless.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He asked senselessly, his eyebrows having twitched momentarily.


    Raising an eyebrow up, she looked at him with eyes fuller than before. ¡°Have you forgotten what kind of situation you¡¯re in?¡±


    Immediately, the voice resounded inside his ears, quickly to which he moved, however, he was stopped promptly by a force unknown. Looking around, he could see that nothing was holding him, yet his body had been restrained, similar to when the five girls brought him out into the world.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said, her face transitioning into the usual, reserved cool. ¡°Just remember next time.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, my lady,¡± he said, clenching his jaw and straightening the stature after his control had come back.


    ¡°I will make an exception this time,¡± she spoke suddenly, after having already turned her head back to the desk. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been so interested in it, I will tell you.¡±


    ¡°Although it doesn¡¯t convey the truth, the human language does have some words for it,¡± she added, not giving him any space. ¡°Magic, sorcery, witchcraft, do you remember what they entail?¡±


    Moving slightly to the side, she glanced at him, awaiting a response that stood frozen in time.


    ¡°Magic? I think so, my lady,¡± he eventually muttered, with eyes that dodged hers. He didn¡¯t look at her anymore. Certain unmistakable images flashed past his mind as he thought about what she said to him.


    ¡®The unreachable figures, the sudden storms and earthquakes throughout battlefields.¡¯ His eyes lost their gleam. ¡®We were fighting entities¡­ that wielded unbound powers.¡¯

 13. The Price Of Determination

    ¡°Why did you tell me, my lady?¡± Lutiel added quickly, before her eyes could catch the look in his ones that already returned to the previous one. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it pointless to say it to a human?¡±


    She stared at him for a few moments, not breaking apart their eye contact once.


    ¡°Yes, it is, because you will never experience it,¡± she said blankly. ¡°However, since you¡¯re my assistant, you¡¯re bound to at least know what I¡¯m doing and researching. Besides, from next week onward, you will also be my teaching assistant.¡±


    ¡°Teaching?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the teaching assistant of my student, who is learning magic from me.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, my lady,¡± he said with his mouth remained open, even though nothing continued to come out.


    ¡°Are you wondering why?¡± She asked plainly, receiving a nod in response.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your body will be a good subject for experimentation,¡± her face beamed with normalcy as she spoke the words that made his body involuntarily step back.


    On the brink of blinking, he stretched out his arms and looked down at them, scouring every bit of his body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t be dissecting you. Your body is in an ideal state because of the lack of battle intricacies. Unlike any other slave, you¡¯re basically a clean slate,¡± she spoke, but the voice went through him as though he wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡®Really? Is that the best excuse you could muster up?¡¯ Clearly resounding in his head, he clenched the gloved fists he hid behind his back, together with the jaw.


    ¡°Is that all I would be doing, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Well, no,¡± she said with a soft shake of her head. ¡°You will also be responsible for carrying the equipment for the lesson as they won¡¯t be purely inside the manor.¡±


    With a nod of his, she turned her head back to the papers on the rack, soon taking them away.


    ¡°Bring me a few blank papers,¡± Zyponia added, taking hold of the pen standing in the holder.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± his voice traversed swiftly, cut off by his turning. Moving to the stash of new paper, he took a few sheets before once again going back to the demon lord.


    ¡­


    The doors trembled behind him as he closed them shut, immuring in place after having done the deed. His back barely touched the wood as he leaned onto them, looking up at the ceiling of his dingy room. Glancing at the dim, pale yellow crystal illuminating the place scarcely, his eyes had been stuck onto it like a moth.


    Flickering, the light seemed on the verge of collapsing, but he simply turned his head away, a mellow sigh accompanying the movement. Walking across the room, he stood rigidly before the chair next to his desk.


    Guiding his hand towards the neck, the fingers grasped onto the tie before he wagged the knot loose. Pulling it apart, Lutiel tossed the unraveled necktie at the desk, empty except for the sole lamp at the left corner.


    The buttons around his jacket and waistcoat weren¡¯t sustained much longer either, coming off the next few instances. Hanging them on the top rail of the chair, he raised the tucked into pants shirt before unbuttoning it as well.


    Then came the belt, swishing as it went off the loops before the tough leather dented in the fabric of the previous attire he hung on the chair. Thudding as he moved, his polished shoes smashed against the wooden panels, the bed creaking as he promptly sat on top of it.


    Pulling onto the laces, they rocked around as he raised his foot. Taking them off, Lutiel put the shoes neatly together below the bed, just so the tongues peeked out.


    Once again, helping himself with the cushioning, he stood up and moved to the right. Quivering as they opened, he glanced beyond the wardrobe¡¯s exterior, inside where a couple sets of identical clothes were hanging.


    Below the uniform attire to today, he saw fairer tones of clothes, a shirt and trousers folded in a square lying on the bottom shelf.


    Taking one of the sets of nightclothes, the man quickly closed the doors of the wardrobe before putting them on his made bed.


    Dealing with yet another button, the pants also came about loose, Lutiel quickly taking them off before folding the pair beside the shoes.


    Leaving himself with mostly lighter shades, except for the socks, none remained on his body for longer than a few breaths, the gloves coming off in a jiffy together with the shirt and underwear.


    Having put on the nightwear, he stepped through the room once again, coming close to the jacket. Moving his hand near the pocket, he took out the yellowish, slightly ripped apart piece of paper from today. Stuck between the fingers, Lutiel kept looking at its blank backside.


    His eyes stiff, not daring to blink away, remained in the same state, the paper¡¯s image reflecting in the dark pupils.


    ¡®I should at least try. Magon didn¡¯t notice, so why should she?¡¯ He asked inwardly, the thought plaguing his mind.


    Recalling the words Raeyine told him during their breakfast, Lutiel turned back to the bed, quickly burying his feet inside the duvet before taking the worn socks off.


    ¡°Sait,¡± he said, remembering the words of the maid. Immediately, his being shrouded itself in darkness as the light above dimmed out. Only the sole stars beyond the window welcomed his abode.


    Sitting on the bed, enclosed by the cushion on his legs, the man soon closed his eyes, raising the paper in his right hand up.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Hovering beside his face, the two remained motionless for prolonged moments. With a steady look, his blocked sight continued, as though he awaited something.


    Countless breaths after, his eyelids finally raised themselves, much to the dismay of the beholder. Staring beyond the darkness, Lutiel saw an empty page for the second time.


    With a fine sigh, the paper became crumpled under his touch, bouncing off the floor the next instance.


    Angling his head toward the window, he stared out at the birds glowing far away, some brighter than others.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do? Become a rat for her and her pupil? Rot away in this place? What if there is still a land free of demons?¡¯ Thoughts festered inside his head as he slowly fell to the side, burrowing into the pillow.


    ¡®Who am I kidding? Run away?¡¯ Touching the engraving on his chest, moving nowhere, he snorted at himself for having such thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m no one anymore, in no place for me,¡± he muttered under his breath, covering himself with the blanket as he turned to his back, staring at the dark ceiling.


    ¡®I¡¯m the only one left from the hero¡¯s party, but what¡¯s the point? They all died because of my selfishness. If I were to reveal it to any person, I would have been staked alive and beheaded with a sword.¡¯


    ¡®Yet, who would be stupid enough to believe me? How can a random person be the reason the heroes died ten years ago?¡¯


    ¡®Sheila, if only you were here. I¡¯m sure you would have understood immediately. I¡¯m sure you would have realized it¡¯s me from a mere glance.¡¯ As he thought with closed eyes, suddenly they opened themselves, widened to the utmost limit.


    Glaring at the same spot for a couple of breathless moments, something lit up inside his head.


    ¡°Right. The church! The holy capital couldn¡¯t have fallen! I need to get there, but how? With the brand? Is it even possible?¡¯ At the same time, as his thoughts intensified, his eyes sharpened.


    ¡®No, no ,no, there must be a way! Didn¡¯t the previous slave also run away? If it''s also the magic she was talking about, there has to be a chance to get away somehow. There must be someone in this city who can help me.¡¯


    ¡®I just have to get used to living a slave¡¯s life for now. After I figure myself out and get back to senses from ten years ago, you won¡¯t hold me here forever.¡¯


    Having already closed them shut, even if they no longer glowed, his face took on a newfound determination as his brows furrowed meekly.


    ¡®Zyponia un Afiern. I solemnly swear, I will get rid of your shackles, no matter what.¡¯ He mused, grabbing onto the collar before tightening his grasp along with the jaw. Unfortunately, however, nothing happened to the tough metal.


    In the blink of an eye, the pale blanket went flying, flowing like a sea tide before calmly descending back into place.


    Placed at the center of the room, Lutiel stood on the floor with his bare feet, slightly raised using the toes. Turned straight at the window, kept to himself for a moment before wobbling about, jumping up faintly before catching himself seamlessly, with a bit of noise coming out.


    Warming up his ankles, at the same time, he swung his arms up and down in a circular motion. With time, as the skin around his face began to glisten timidly, he stopped. Stretching one arm out above his head, he pulled it to himself with the other a few times before doing the same with the other one.


    Taking hold of his right foot from behind, Lutiel pulled on it up to his buttock, staying that way for a few seconds. Having repeated the same with the other, keeping himself in place calmly, he started jumping, hitting the sprawled out palms with his kneecaps.


    Although a few thuds along with creaking could be heard as he fell down, he continued until a single droplet of sweat dripped along the side of his face.


    Keeping his legs perfectly straight, he grabbed the bottom of his shins and went down, trying to make his face meet the hands that held the legs.


    Stopping a bit before them, however, he remained that way for a while.


    With a couple of droplets going down from his nose to the feet, he sprung back up, using the shirt to clean his forehead a bit. A somewhat ragged breath took over him, but he uttered not a single groan.


    ¡®This is basically a new body. Still, not bad for the first time.¡¯


    As he thought so, he leaned all the way to the ground, practically falling yet no harsh sound escaped from beneath the hands. Touching the floor with both hands, as well as his toes, his chest threatened to touch the wood before the arms pushed him off, repeating the motion in quick, concurrent executions.


    Before he could even take a proper breath in the swift, yet silent repetitions, Lutiel already did ten of them. Not daring to stop, he continued, until the very moment his chest lay still on the ground without nudging a single point when he tried to move up.


    ¡®I will need a lot of work to go back to my prime.¡¯ A thought pervaded his mind while standing up and placing his feet apart from each other.


    Barely leaving any space between his bottom and the floor, he moved up from the squat to a straight body, soon doing the same for countless times.


    Under the starlight, he trained his body ceaselessly, though, the way he did it, it almost seemed like a simple exercise before the important part.


    The sweat dripped from him as though he was under a rainy sky while barely moving anywhere from the deep squat, falling on his butt to the floor instead.


    The mouth struggled to keep up with the intake of air, but he fought with his body, restraining his voice as much as he could lest the others hear.


    Raising his legs while still sitting on the panels, Lutiel lowered his back before pulling the knees towards his stomach and stretching them out.


    For yet another time, he stopped once he could no longer hold up the muscles of his stomach. Standing up with numerous more struggles than before, without resting, he moved closer to the empty well before him.


    Placing his hands on the floor, he put his legs against the wall, standing up. Moving back to the center of the room using the arms, the slave with a collar around his neck began slowly doing his push ups.


    Although his legs wobbled, they never came close to collapsing down. As the sweat smeared itself across the floor, it seeped into the cracks and wood, though mostly remaining in place with more droplets adding to its size each breath he took.


    Nevertheless, his body heaved up and down, gradually decreasing in pace and intensity before coming to a halt. Clasping his knees together as he remained standing on his head, he slowly rotated back to his feet.


    Regaining his foothold around the room, the space before him practically distorted itself, but his coming back to normalcy hadn¡¯t been prolonged.


    At the same time, Lutiel stood on the toes of his left foot, barely elevated. Turned a bit to the side, the other leg was free, momentarily.


    Slowing himself down deliberately compared to the previous exercises, he stood in place for a while before his right leg finally exploded in velocity, arriving at the destination above his head. However, all of it amounted to merely faltering down and falling to the ground, wriggling with a clenched jaw.


    The grimace spread around his face as gnashed his teeth, grasping onto his right wrist and drilling his fingers into the forearm.


    Sprawling out his right hand that was also clenched, the veins protruding and pulsing, Lutiel glanced at it while struggling to keep his voice in check.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯ He growled inwardly while looking at the indiscreet light glowing above the wrist.


    Groaning through the teeth, his breathing became chaotic from clenching the stomach too hard, releasing it as harsh, singular breaths from time to time.


    Looking at the hand, however, his eyes widened after witnessing the thing forming there.


    ¡®W-what?¡¯ he mumbled internally, the vision threatening to break up as it hesitated. The sign being drawn with a spreading, sky-blue light around his right hand made his body tremble.

 14. An Eccentric Encounter 1

    Despite being definitely different from his memory, he couldn¡¯t not remember this image from the past. Unlike its usual two streaks, four were starting to form on the skin.


    However, that wasn¡¯t what mattered.


    ¡°The hero¡¯s glyph,¡± he muttered, practically inaudibly. Staring constantly at the sign that only glowed on two of the four streaks, Lutiel saw as it eventually died out, yet remained there, ready to show itself to the world at any given moment.


    Stretching out his arms and stopping the clenching as the egregious pain retracted, he saw the two hands in the darkness, his eyes adjusted already.


    On the right, there was the dim glyph, the left one practically unblemished except for the mole in the middle. Once again focusing on the hero¡¯s marking, he pondered incessantly.


    The only question that remained in his head intensified whenever he recalled the day prior.


    ¡®What the hell is happening?¡¯


    ¡­


    Once again, before he knew it, Lutiel was already moving towards the city after leaving the mansion¡¯s fenced grasp. Sitting inside the carriage drawn by the same two horses he had already seen a number of times, he gazed beyond the doors, peeping at the undulating landscape.


    Occasionally riddled with trees starting to leave behind their sun-kissed hairs, they danced along with the wind, flowing gracefully back to the ground.


    Looking at the skies covered sparsely with fair clouds, however, his eyes didn¡¯t follow anything in particular. Going back to the carriage quickly enough, he instead headed down, right where his hand could be seen.


    Free of any folds or wrinkles, the dark jacket lay on him naturally, discerning itself right before the wrists, where a pair of white gloves veiled what had been beneath.


    Focusing on the one to his right, Lutiel took the glove off. Immediately, the pale skin revealed itself to the world accompanied solely by him.


    Yet, instead of what should have been there, it was simply bare skin, unlike last night¡¯s emergency. Rubbing it with his other hand, he caressed the middle, where the hero¡¯s crest hid itself.


    He kept his eyes there no matter what, not caring the least bit about moving across the lands of Helasta. As they remained around his hand, suddenly, the mark started reappearing, not a single streak of it lit up, but still engraved in his being.


    ¡®I always wondered how they summoned it. A simple thought wills it, huh? Though, it doesn¡¯t seem to be working.¡¯ He pondered while the glyph started to disappear for the second time, soon kept within the glove¡¯s interior.


    Still, Lutiel didn¡¯t let off so easily, still taking brief glances at it, a mess of incoherence inside his head.


    ¡®Does this mean I have become one of the new heroes? Was it because I was the nearest person alive during their death? Do the rest of them know of my existence?¡¯


    It seemed like he couldn¡¯t understand anything nowadays, and being kept inside the town congested by demons did little effort in helping him straighten out the questions his mind had gathered.


    Nonetheless, he had already made his resolution. Unless some miracle befell, Lutiel wouldn¡¯t try anything other than regaining his slumbered strengths.


    Finally, having broken off some of his concentration around the matter, he looked outside his little room of the carriage. A sight similar to before. They had just slowed down in front of the gates, and the dialogue from yesterday repeated itself.


    ¡®¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± The voice asked while Lutiel stared at its owner. Standing upright, with the spear on his right hailing to the unusually clear blue skies, the guard, whose whole body was covered in armor, didn''t move even a hair¡¯s breadth from his place.


    ¡°Geas la chod¡¯yr ne dho prasb un volda Zyponia,¡± a reply came from the front of the carriage, but the guard made no intentions to look at its source. Instead, he slammed his spear against the cobbled ground.


    ¡°Tis tacpunt. Geas tomi ris,¡± he said, the churning of chains and metals following not a moment later. At the same time, the wooden gates reinforced with black metal began pulling themselves up, glistening sharp spikes at their base.


    Having stopped, with the loud sound of the chains halting their movements, the horses began neighing while the old coachman encouraged them softly. Moving through the city walls without an issue, he heard as the guard from the back asked once again with a fading expanse, inspecting those that arrived after them.


    ¡°Kozs li dho reisu dlar vider?¡± The disappearing voice asked, Lutiel unable to focus on it anymore.


    Instead, he gazed up as the sun illuminated the enshadowed carriage leaving the dark, wide arch of the gates.


    Receiving a few glances from the similarly armored guards standing atop the doubtfully large fortifications, he transitioned to the level at which he rode.


    The building that he looked at yesterday seemed to rise up, having changed vastly in a brisk manner. As for the muddy ground on which pedestrians and horses walked through, a rhythmical case played out, the chains of the slaves rattling as they pulled onto their masters.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    A heap larger than before seemed to carry the building materials, heading into a particular, collective direction, only a few of them differing and going into the wide alleys. Though, those that did were different as well.


    Battered up to a much lesser degree, they carried sacks on their backs and shoulders, either brown or white dust coming off of them whenever they adjusted the goods.


    Life seemed to beam across the city, in whatever shape or form it may have done so. Nonetheless, the vision was quickly obstructed, the driver having taken the same route as before.


    Once again, the demons sprawled around the pavement stared at the carriage, black in disguise yet known across the whole city.


    Barefaced glares reached his ears as he sat close to the window, no longer interested in gazing out. Instead, the disregard his demeanor expressed met itself with prudent gestures from the crowd he paid no heed to.


    Instead, he simply looked at what had been ahead of himself, awaiting whenever they would arrive at the place.


    However, it wasn¡¯t especially long. Having had the freedom of the road compared to the majority of the residents, they reached the drawbridge quickly even after moving through tens of streets and turns.


    As long as one of the streets themselves, the bridge connected the city into one, separated only by their varied statuses. Quaking slightly across the cobbled floor of the platform, the wheels turned confidently onwards, moving towards the city¡¯s elevated parts.


    Unlike the penurious, open carriages made from wood that drove past the lower parts of the separated town, a loftily ornate one crossed paths with them.


    Looking out on his left, Lutiel¡¯s gaze met and locked itself onto the red eyes passing by. For a moment, although it passed quickly enough to beat the blink of an eye, the details resounded in his head as he pondered over the demon¡¯s mien.


    Staring at each other with the same resolution in mind, the red eyes scoured through the slave, glowing throughout the action. Flowing below his shoulders, the straight black hairs reflected a silvery light off of them.


    Yet, what left the biggest impression on Lutiel was the demon¡¯s clear skin. If not for the fact of a single horn sticking out from the hairs and the eyes, he would have easily mistaken him for some noble that conspired with the demons.


    ¡®Now that I think about it, there were a lot of demons like him around the streets. Without horns or any special features, would it even be possible to somehow discern them?¡¯


    As he cluttered his head with the topic, the carriage finally went through to the other side of the city, making him snap back to reality. Looking out of the windows, the man witnessed an utter change of the streets around them.


    Unlike the long blocks of partially-wooden buildings used for the lower-placed citizens, Lutiel saw a staggering amount of stone facades, carved down to the smallest of details and kept within the inner walls even higher than the outer ones he saw minutes ago.


    The road was no longer the same ground that grew wheat and trees, paved with brick and stone in its place. Buildings, as well as the road itself, were incomparably cleaner compared to the lower parts of the city.


    Not to mention to the demons that walked through these roads. Ladies and misters wore flamboyant attire, vividly bright unlike the bleak, dark jackets all of the demons below practically wore.


    Carrying themselves with flagrant fortunes, the only thing that made the noble demons identical to the citizens were the looks they were giving the slave being transported inside the demon lord¡¯s carriage.


    No, as Lutiel stared at them, he soon turned back to looking at the seats in front of him, the wrinkled noses and squinted eyes leaving a distasteful sensation at the back of his mouth.


    Nonetheless, with a composed face, Lutiel looked ahead, the carriage having turned countless times in this new scope of a realm. Making their way through the streets, they entered what seemed like the shopping district, except for the fact that only noble and high-standing demons walked through there.


    Sultry signs lured in his eyes, the demonic texts lit brightly despite the absence of darkness. In the middle of the road, a fountain sprayed its waters high, kids playing inside. Meanwhile, around it, different kinds of demons sat on the benches, reading books or simply relaxing while no water ever splashed upon them.


    Slowly driving past all of them since the demons walking by gave way, they soon arrived near the very end, right before the stone railings along the path around the parts that had no walls.


    As he stepped outside, the carriage having stopped already, so did he for a few moments, gazing away at the blaring sun bouncing its rays against the sea far away. A few of the demons that walked next to the railings also stopped, but to gaze at him instead.


    ¡°Kozs la ges bie¡¯yr nuen?!¡± The man asked as he started getting closer to Lutiel, having broken apart the arm previously entangled with his lady.


    Still, as Lutiel looked up at the man''s head, he calmly retrieved the coin in his pockets. Before the demon could even come in his range, he already showed it with a stretch arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s my lady¡¯s request,¡± he said, making the man in the suit click his tongue before snorting and turning around, joining the demon covering her mouth with a hand.


    And when the demon was gone, Lutiel finally turned to the side, seeing his objective. Large panes of glass revealed whatever had been inside, though he already envisioned a picture based on his master¡¯s words.


    Standing next to the window, the gowns displayed moved around while showing off different poses, despite not being mounted onto any stand, floating about in the air.


    And, as they stopped moving, the dresses moved back before elegant suits replaced them, doing the same thing as their female counterparts, though with different moves and styles.


    Unlike the soft and graceful flows of the fabric, the tuxedos and jackets walked and moved with confidence bound to impress many young men.


    However, with the quickest of glances, Lutiel moved on, soon reaching out to the handle of the doors. Opening them, a bell chimed from above, and the demonic ladies and men gathered inside immediately turned to him.


    ¡®Do I have a certain smell to myself or something?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. He had gotten used to it already, but the sudden looks at his collar and face always imprinted something within.


    ¡°Kozs li e involnia bie¡¯yr nuen? Jun li klar¡¯yp dho meitima czez un dho sive,¡± a female voice sprung around the place filled with countless costumes, gowns, and dresses, all at display for them to feel and touch.


    Stopping any of their inspection of the clothes, they all glared at him, soon changing into the same look of ridicule. A slave dared to step inside the noble streets, much less a building on them.


    However, before any of the people gathered there could pierce their horns or claws through him, a clear voice resounded deep from within.


    ¡°Cinaefr ini pruc dho involni, zost,¡± the female voice said, much to the astounded, squealing faces. Spreading throughout the whole space all the way from the stairs leading to the higher floor, it struck the demons deeply.


    ¡°Huh? Panyi Luviene? Jun li inpiraj¡¯no! Tis ched nuen kiz pokuc e rec!¡± The same voice from before replied, an incredulous look on the face of its owner.

 15. An Eccentric Encounter 2

    ¡°Geas sesze tis¡¯o. Teug lesi.¡± The annoyance of the voice seemed to increase for every additional time she spoke out. Nonetheless, before she could even show her face, all of the customers left with shrewd looks, glaring with hatred at the man that didn¡¯t even take a few steps inside the shop.


    Every single one of them going out after he made way for them, Lutiel could hear the silence seep through the wooden planks making up the floor around the cloth-littered place.


    ¡°You must be little Zyponia¡¯s new slave, right? Take the stairs and walk through the curtains,¡± she asked, leaving no space for an answer. Traveling all the way to him, through every piece of attire that was in the bottom portion of the shop, Lutiel¡¯s brows moved ever so slightly at her words.


    ¡°She told me about you beforehand, but I¡¯m a bit hurt,¡± she added, grumbling slightly while his ears trembled, as if she was directly by his side. ¡°She didn¡¯t mention anything about your pretty face.¡±


    Although he hadn¡¯t begun thinking of it, his body started moving towards the stairs on each side of the shop. The engagement, however, made him proceed out of his own volition soon enough, having stepped on the first tread of the stairs.


    Not frantically large, he easily made his way to the first and top floor of the building, his gaze kept at the maroon curtains veiling a large opening. And, without waiting any further, Lutiel simply grazed the curtains away with his right arm, stunned immediately as he stood in place.


    The room revealed itself to him, the first sensation taking over his nose. A sultry breath of air hit him, racy scents infiltrating the nostrils before the eyes saw what lay beyond.


    In what looked like a bedroom filled with countless, large thread bundles of different fabric, some glossy simply by existence, others dim and bleak, he saw the golden framed bed, the insides covered with pale and thin curtains that didn¡¯t really cover anything.


    Two shadowy silhouettes came onto each other, practically never leaving another¡¯s embrace. The sloppy sounds of fluids mingling accompanied them when the two round mounds squished together, a similar scenario at the top. The heads of dark figures kissed while moans rustled deep within them, welcomed by the world beyond the royal bed.


    Trying to move his calm face away with conflicting insides, he hadn¡¯t been quick enough, something grasping onto his shoulders from behind.


    ¡°Oh, have we a peeping tom here? Should I report this to your lady before you try anything?¡± Giggling as she asked, her soft grip lessened, allowing Lutiel to see the person from behind.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ He mumbled inwardly, nothing but empty space behind the man. Instead, spacious cloths of various fabrics were rolled up in the shelve making up the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m over here,¡± the girl whispered inside his ears once again, a silky laughter fading in the depths of his head.


    At the same time, he immediately turned towards a specific area, walking a bit before witnessing the girl¡¯s red-haired back facing him.


    Sat near a desk with a large, pale paper sprawled nearly across its whole surface, the various colored brushes and pencils held it still, along with measuring devices she used to draw out certain aspects of her costumes.


    As he came close, behind her, she didn¡¯t speak out for the moment, immersed in the fine line she curved across the intricate jacket laid out on the paper.


    Neat and proper, with a sturdy look, the lines flowed in a floral pattern, with a slightly lighter shade than the deep blue attire itself.


    Finally, as she finished drawing one of the plenty roses, the girl wearing what must have been one of her creations turned around, her eyes moving all the way up to him.


    The green, jade-like gems inside her sockets glimmered from the blinding light above, of a chandelier made from countless small crystals like the ones he saw inside his room. Though, their intensity and quality were clearly on another level.


    On her fair skin, the sharp features favored, however, soft ones blended themselves in as well, especially her easeful going about the world.


    He couldn¡¯t deny the statement of her beauty, having been lured in with his eyes for a good few moments before she reminded his existence back to reality.


    ¡°Your eyes are so pretty, yet I know nothing of them,¡± she muttered, making him blink a few times. ¡°I think I¡¯ve fallen in love.¡±


    However, looking at the smirk, he didn¡¯t buy the words, an indifferent look on his face behaving in the same way as usual.


    A weird sensation struck the middle of his chest whenever he gazed at the redhead sitting right in front of him. ¡®It¡¯s all fake,¡¯ he mused inwardly.


    ¡°Is that also magic?¡± Lutiel asked with a clenched jaw, this time making her blink as the face washed away into blankness.


    ¡°Hoo, did Zyponia teach you about that? I would be surprised,¡± she said, a quick change of face taking place as the woman smiled yet again, crossing her exposed legs through the black skirt.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Making sure not to influence his thoughts with the body he possessed, his jaw stayed strained.


    ¡°No, I was simply wondering. You look too human for a demon that uses magic.¡±


    Crossing the arms as well, she pondered still for a few moments. As the time flew by quickly, she moved up from her chair abruptly, her lustrous hair waving daintily to those inside the space.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, but it¡¯s still enough to get a kick out of those nobles coming by. I¡¯m sure you know how they react to a magicless human. Imagine what they look like when they realize their uniforms are made by one?¡±


    Looking at the grin sprawled out from her face, Lutiel didn¡¯t move a single muscle until she opened her mouth yet again.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve admitted my secrets. It¡¯s only fair if you do the same, don¡¯t you think? How much about magic did she teach you?¡±


    Standing head to head, they were of similar heights, the girl only slightly taller. With continuously crossed arms, she awaited the answers, only to put on a disappointed mien as his words befell her ears.


    ¡°My lady didn¡¯t teach me anything,¡± he said, a foiled disgrace igniting. ¡°She told me about it to inform me of my duties.¡±


    ¡°So little? Is she still on that?¡± The woman asked herself, grabbing onto her chin and pondering by the end. ¡°Well, nevermind, I don¡¯t want her to hate me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s been enough chit chat. It¡¯s Luviene Askeir, because I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t tell you,¡± she added immediately before stretching out her hand, following with a wink.


    Glancing down at the painted black nails on her soft, sleek hand, he waited a while in place. Though, eventually, he found nothing wrong.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Lutiel,¡± he replied, moving to grasp her hand despite the zealous feelings battling inside him.


    Yet, as their skin neared, just as his hand touched hers, Lutiel¡¯s eyes dilated while the body convulsed internally. An electrifying jolt spreading and radiating from beneath his skin, the vision in front of him faltered, to his very fright.


    Luviene stared at him with mellow eyes, yet the impish smile that spread out on her face brought about jitters.


    Momentarily, as the images in his eyes overlapped, before his body took a few vehement steps back, the pupils shivered.


    Her pale breasts, along with most of her body, wriggled themselves out of their garments completely bare. With black wings connected to her back, the glossy dark skin covered most of her arms, going all the way to the hands, where sharp claws started to caress his wrist.


    However, when he quickly moved away, all of it momentarily gone, in the blink of an eye, the girl was back in her clothes, along with her proper look.


    Yet, it didn¡¯t amount to anything, his escape. Already taken by hand, she pulled onto him, their clothes touching each other.


    A warm sensation had immediately overtaken the right side of his head, a muggy breath of air sticking to his ear while whispers sent shivers down his spine.


    ¡°I can show you much more in the future, you know?¡± She muttered, nibbling on his earlobe while the hand on his nape made him stay frozen in place. ¡°Have you ever embraced a demon?¡±


    Asking while talking directly to his eardrums, before he could do anything, Lutiel¡¯s lips were taken over by the demon, conquered throughout as the viscid tongue pervaded, marrying together with a whirly dance.


    Held still, starstruck, the man had been unable to do anything at her vices, looking at her with trembling eyes instead.


    Feeling the soft lips of the woman before him, he tried to do nothing, yet the muscles moved on their own, reciprocating her steamy kiss as they exchanged saliva.


    However, just as her sneaky hand squirmed its way through the shirt tucked into his pants, almost fully touching the skin through his underwear, something inside him lit up. Immediately, he pushed the girl away, making her fall on her bottom as he took a few steps.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± He burst out with unsustained anger, but the girl on the floor only smirked at his reactions.


    ¡°Was it too much? Well, it was only a joke, hehe,¡± she giggled while sticking out her tongue, some of his drool still remaining as it glistened under the light. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t indulge in virgins. Your energy is too weak right now. Though, you can speak to me when that changes.¡±


    Throwing him a wink near the end while raising herself from the ground and spouting stuff he didn¡¯t really take either to heart or body, she soon turned around, speaking once again.


    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll give you the thing you came for in the first place,¡± she said, much mellower compared to her previous statements, but still with that smirk plastered on her face.


    Changing his gaze between the seamstress and the actions playing out in the room, he stopped at the bed for a while, wondering where the shadows had gone before realizing their existence near the base of the curtains and the mattress.


    Quickly, with an internal sigh, he followed the redheaded girl between all the different dresses and suits that she was busy constructing while his face returned expressionless.


    Set on wooden mannequins, most of the clothes were half-completed, but the one she stood by was most definitely finished.


    Not fulsome or ostentatious, the deep blue gown flowed on the mannequin dearly, fitting its shape without disturbing the space around it with unnecessary widths.


    A velvety fabric spread practically across its entirety, only missing edges at the top and the long sleeves, hemmed with a deeper shade and intricate lines embroidered into the material.


    Twisting around the neck, the gown didn¡¯t cover any of the shoulders, but a special cape accounted for that, reaching just to the elbows with its violet vibrance.


    All of a sudden, before he even stopped, he saw as the mannequin began being undressed, accompanied by a few words from the demoness.


    ¡°By the way, do you have any idea what she sent you here for?¡± A question left her mouth as the dress started to levitate through the room, folding itself without any seams or wrinkles. Before it could be handed, though, she did something that struck his heart deeply.


    A tan bundle of what appeared to be thin rope began spinning rapidly, to the point of a whistle being produced inside the room. And, as it did, Lutiel gazed up at the continuous line of linen-like fabric floating inertly in the space.


    However, before his eyes could ever understand the magics, the chaotic mess of threads in the air moved courteously, under the control of their master who stood frozen in place. Simply staring at them seemed to have enough power to move the threads.


    ¡®Is she¡­ just¡­ willing it?¡¯ He wondered to himself, though any of his attempts were extinguished by the grand prowess she manifested.

 16. A Lying Fox

    The threads moved horrendously fast, cut into countless smaller portions before weaving into themselves, soon entwining into one, fine material that left his mind and body stupendous.


    Turning into a large square of fine linen fabric in mere seconds, the magical show continued, rendering him useless to answer even such a simple question of her.


    In no more moves and time than before, he saw the material getting turned into a bag, the clothes put carefully inside while he stood there, completely still and silent.


    ¡°So, do you?¡± She added while transporting the bag through the air towards him, who absentmindedly caught the handles. Though, the action had fully brought him out to the real world back again.


    ¡°I do not,¡± he said, no longer obtuse in the face of her tricks. ¡°A slave has no reason to know their master¡¯s every action.¡± His teeth gritted themselves lightly as the jaw became pronounced.


    However, she turned around at his words, amused somewhat. Raising her eyebrow at the supposed attempt of her beguilement, she looked straight into his purple eyes.


    ¡°You will have to train a bit if you want to convince people of your fealty. You look as though you¡¯re constipated,¡± she spoke, bringing one of her hands closer to her mouth, threatening to break out into laughter.


    He, on the other hand, grew taken aback at the words, his eyebrows twitching a nudge.


    ¡®I know that.¡¯ He didn¡¯t dare say it out loud lest she curl him in a cocoon of fabric.


    ¡°Whatever you say, I heard something different from your lady,¡± she said while her lips curled up. ¡°You have a nice body, so I reckon this one will suit you.¡±


    As her voice rang out inside his ears, he saw a certain mannequin at the back rattle uncontrollably before something flew up, unable to hit the high ceiling above it.


    ¡°You can pay me back later, however you want,¡± she winked with an exaggerated, practically moaning tone that if not for the folded suit flying towards him, would have made Lutiel stagger about.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to pay this back in my lifetime.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, she stared at him, dumbfounded while the elegant suit and shoes had yet to arrive inside the bag.


    ¡°You really need to work on yourself, huh?¡± Muttering, she promptly put the attire into the bag he held before his body turned around on its own, starting to walk away from the room. ¡°I will see you at the ball. Though, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t change so quickly.¡±


    Whispering the last sentence while seeing him leave through the curtains, Lutiel stood frozen in space, having left luviene¡¯s bedroom that acted as a workshop.


    Her words lingering in his head, he waited there, glancing down at the empty shop, a line of demons waiting near the glass outside.


    His mind had been a puddle ever since he saw the real look of her person, but at the same time, he could have no confirmation whether that was even the case. Alas, magic made fickles on his mind.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just go back.¡¯ He thought, staring at the bag in his right hand before going down the stairs. Despite the countless stares directed at his being, with concise steps, he quickly grabbed onto the door¡¯s handle, letting the demons walk through while he left for the carriage.


    Coming close to the doors, as his hand rested on the handle and the horses breathed out deeper than before, he took one last glance at the shop, infiltrated with demons moments after he was gone.


    Not waiting any moment longer, he opened the doors before stepping inside, gently placing the clothing on the soft cushions.


    ¡­


    Their hairs danced, pulled on by the irrational wafts brushing them, with a chaotic rhythm they waved across the space around. Standing on ever encompassing green blades, tainted by the fallen leaves, Lutiel watched as the wind caressed the ground¡¯s hairs.


    Stood on a flattened top of a hill between the expansive lands, he stared at the golden tree bleeding at its crown. Next to him, a certain lady wore a long, hooded cloak that mingled with the hair.


    Before he could say or do anything, his head turned to the side, the girl with blue skin walking forward and stopping a few steps in front of him. Meeting at the half-way point between him and the tree itself, the demonic girl¡¯s cape fluttered, but that didn¡¯t stop her.


    Calmly, she waited still whilst closing her eyes. Meanwhile, Lutiel strode quietly, his footsteps subdued under the waving of the wind. With a few careful steps to the side, he took in all she had to offer, an extreme concentration on the one before her.


    The winds quivered through her countless times, similar to the tree, but her focus lingered somewhere else. A leaf fell gracefully, spinning in circles as it flowed to the ground, but just when it conquered most of its way there, a hole appeared along most of its surface, obliterating the golden red leaf. Unable to descend as daintily anymore, it simply sunk down through the air, promptly hugging the soil.


    As the leaf had become shattered, Lutiel¡¯s eyes focused on the thing in front instead, immediately. Though, since all of it happened in the blink of an eye, the deal was already done, and a part of the tree¡¯s bark splintered away, a round impression burrowing into it.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    His eyes wavered, wondering if they saw correctly. Roughly the size of a palm, the attack left the oak shaking, a few more leaves falling down consequently.


    Suddenly the girl¡¯s head turned, right where he was at. Glimmering faintly through the hood, her pink eyes stared at him with a composed manner.


    ¡°Bring me the page,¡± she said, her voice cutting nippily through the air, right to where he stood.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he replied, walking with the papers in his arms, as well as the ink and pen on top of them. Carefully taking the top sheet, on which something had already been written, he promptly gave it to his master, along with the pen whilst holding out the ink.


    Not moving her arms a single bit, the paper hovered on its own, holding rigid against the splendid gales. Lacking any sort of crease or wrinkle while floating towards the demon holding her pen seemed to defy everything.


    Soon, Zyponia dipped the pen before touching the space left after a few words on the paper. Trickling less than he would have thought, the ink glued itself to the paper as she poured words onto it.


    Yet, as speedily as she did the process, Lutiel stared at the girl, her disposition waning. Unlike the day prior when she deftly wrote the words, at the current moment, she hesitated momentarily in a few instances.


    Seldomly, the curving of the letters went off course, the demon lord correcting her mistakes with a scribble over the imprecise grammar. However, they started to accumulate throughout the process. Just when she neared half of the paper, the fault she had amassed accounted to six.


    Silence followed a dot as she stored the pen in the holder Lutiel had in his left hand. Putting it there, along with the paper on top of Lutiel¡¯s arms, Zyponia remained unmoving, instead of going back to attacking the tree.


    Placed in front of her slave, she stared momentarily into his eyes. Nonetheless, before long, she turned back to the tree, under a bizarre gaze of the man.


    ¡®Was she trying to say something?¡¯ He puzzled himself with a straight face, quickly washing the thoughts away when Zyponia placed herself against the tree once again.


    This time, with a clear, deep breath reaching his ears, she raised her hands somewhat, sprawling out the fingers towards the ample oak.


    Her cloak no longer fluttered like before, the hairs returning to their casual style while the girl moved one of her legs back, taking on a ¡®stance¡¯, as Lutiel mused.


    Tightening the muscles of her hands, they shook slightly, at the same time changing the course of the wind. The man¡¯s eyelids raised themselves vaguely, his hair starting to move towards her.


    At that moment, he knew instinctively. He understood the need to observe the tree before something could happen.


    Much to his disheartenment, however, regardless how long he stood there, nothing came forth by observing the tree.


    Instead, a dispirited, clear sigh resounded through the space, catching him unprepared. Quickly turning his head back to the wail¡¯s source, he looked at his master, hiding her hands in the cloak like before.


    ¡°My lady, is something wrong?¡± He asked with a clenched jaw, getting a swift reaction. Zyponia turned around suddenly at his words, her usually composed face no longer visible.


    With furrowed eyebrows, she opened her mouth towards the servant.


    ¡°Why did you take the suit?¡± She asked tersely, making Lutiel keep to himself for a few moments, stunned at the lack of reason floating through his head.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but Luviene convinced me to,¡± he replied, making the purple-haired girl raise her eyebrow a bit.


    ¡°She did?¡± Zyponia followed, with more gusto than he ever anticipated. ¡°What else have you done together? Didn¡¯t I tell you to go in and just take the dress?¡±


    Although somewhat starstruck, he couldn¡¯t express it in any profound way.


    ¡°My lady? I didn-...,¡± he spoke up, or at least tried to before his words were cut off by himself, a striking hot, a searing pain mediating from the middle of his chest. ¡°After I saw her other form, she pulled me in and kissed me.¡±


    The man briskly fell to his knees, clutching his chest with a hand while the items slipped out of his embrace, descending rapidly. Before they could be soiled, though, they hovered above the ground when something seized them in the air.


    Stretching out her arms, the girl swiftly caught the papers, ink, and the pen holder while the man started huffing, a heavy breath ascending through his lungs.


    Looking up at the world with a clenched jaw, his vision no longer played ploys with him, starting to unfold through the hazy murkiness.


    At the same time, Lutiel no longer scratched onto his tie, the pain subsiding considerably.


    ¡°That vixen, I knew I should have gone there myself,¡± muttering under her breath, she kept staring at the slightly curled up slave, who began patiently raising himself up from the ground.


    Breathing as though he had just run around the manor a few times over, it smoothed out eerily in a matter of moments, all while regaining his reasoning through the space.


    Staring at the girl that glanced back at him, he felt her pink eyes scouring right through every bit of him, nothing to be kept before his master.


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡± A simple question left her mouth, but he needed to stop for a second and think carefully.


    Only after a few seconds passed did he finally utter some words, without a searing pain that clouded his mind anymore. ¡°She mentioned something about a ball.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, my lady,¡± grinding his teeth through the voice, he couldn¡¯t risk something getting blurted out. Even if Luviene advised him earlier, it wasn¡¯t loyalty he tried to evince.


    Keeping a blank face at him for a brief period, a sigh followed once again, a bit exasperated compared to before. ¡°Alright. There will be a party I¡¯m attending in ten days, and you¡¯re going with me thanks to her. You will have to tell Raeyine you¡¯re replacing her.¡±


    Hearing her, his eyebrows creased ever so slightly, pondering over the matter.


    ¡°My lady, did you not request a suit for me from Miss Luviene?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? No, why are you asking?¡± She questioned the man, looking at him with misty understanding.


    ¡®She lied,¡¯ he thought to himself, his lips parting soon after.


    ¡°She told me the opposite,¡± his voice quickly reached the ears of the demonic lady, prompting to spread her eyes wider.


    ¡°No wonder,¡± Zyponia whispered, on the verge of silence.

 17. Cheats Of The Heroes

    ¡°I figured already, but I¡¯m glad you confirmed it. I will have a long talk with her. As for the ball, you have ten days to learn how to control yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Stop clenching your jaw so angrily. I¡¯m sure you hate us, even if it¡¯s subconsciously, but the guests we will be meeting are special.¡±


    He blinked a few times at her words. Hearing it, he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°As special as you, my lady?¡±


    ¡°You can say so. I can¡¯t have you offend them by your gestures, so try to speak and do as little as possible there. Though, I already have an idea about that,¡± muttering barely tangibly near the end, she spoke.


    ¡®Are there going to be other demon lords?¡¯ His mind immediately ventured off into certain waters, but she kept mum about the matter, understandably so.


    ¡°I will try my best, my lady,¡± he said, lowering his upper body into a half-bow before she stopped him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, then. Take the papers.¡±


    Floating through the winds, undisturbed, they easily landed on his sprawled out forearms. While he took care of the items, finally, his master moved in front of the tree again, poised incomparably to moments prior.


    With a straight spine, she stood unbeaten against the undulating wind, her unsullied shoes and cape gently fondling the green blades beneath.


    Closing her eyes, she waited calmly, basking in the fading sun. Suddenly, he saw as her eyes opened, quickly turning to the tree, which no longer remained so upright. Shaking unfathomably, in the same spot as before, a gaping hole had been left.


    Looking at the dark expanse forming inside the deep rupture that splintered off into countless areas from the center of the tree, if not for the oak¡¯s width, Lutiel feared they would have made it fall over on its side.


    Practically raining, the abscission covered them with golden amber leaves, some tainted with bloody red dots and streaks. Under the rustling branches from above, her voice came victorious, delivering itself to the man standing a few steps near her side.


    ¡°Lutiel, bring me a new page,¡± She said briskly, shutting herself up as she stared at a single point, somewhere.


    Not waiting a single moment, his hands were already moving to the papers, taking a blank, dark page from beneath. Unable to give it over quick enough, the paper, along with a pen that dipped itself flew through the space, arriving into her possession deftly.


    Moving a step back, Lutiel¡¯s face had become covered excessively as the wind blew his hair chaotically.


    Intensifying, it lifted the leaves off the grass, making them fall down only as they had gotten away from Zyponia¡¯s surroundings. Feeling the same as the weightless hairs of the oak, he needed to adjust his footing along the ground.


    And, once he could comfortably stand, he saw the girl performing things he couldn¡¯t have imagined. Not using a single of her arms unlike before, the paper stood still. Along the sheet, a pen floated through the air, arriving just before the sheet.


    Rapidly, words began being etched onto the papers as the ink was left behind, beautiful lines curved along without a single mistake. Unable to stop herself, she derived her thoughts upon the page, quickly covering one third before they both even knew it.


    As the wind passed, the page she had in front of her had been finished, the man trying his best to take a few looks at it, though nothing came from that even if he witnessed all of the letters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now,¡± she said, turning to him before receiving a soft nod.


    ¡­


    ¡®Does magic refer to the act of manipulating materials around them, or are they able to do it purely because of magic?¡¯ A thought manifested inside his head while the nightwear he wore rustled against his skin. With the edge of his chin barely rubbing against the wooden panels, Lutiel pushed himself up, holding all of the weight using two palms.


    Standing using his hands, he ruminated on the matter, quickly realizing that he wouldn¡¯t get anywhere.


    ¡®Should I just ask her, out of curiosity?¡± He wondered, performing another push-up before a resolute answer thundered inside of him.


    ¡®No, there is no point. Even if they speak in demonic only, I can learn from Zyponia¡¯s lessons with her student and the research as well. I should write down what I already know, but asking for blank papers and a page could be suspicious. I can¡¯t risk them seeing the notes either.¡¯


    Thinking about the possible options at hand, at the same time feeling his shoulders and arms burn from the continuous exercises, Lutiel curled his knees to the stomach before standing on the floor once again.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The world around him spun ever so slightly, but the vision quickly went away as he bore with it. Raising his left leg slightly, he started to squat down, using only the right leg.


    ¡®Magic. I have no idea what it might be, though I know her words are false. It¡¯s not pointless, not for me nor any other human.¡¯ Moving down to the ground using a single leg, it didn¡¯t seem like he had any issues. Slowly, Lutiel moved back to the previous position, soon repeating the motion.


    ¡®From what I¡¯ve seen, it may be connected to the soul. Do they have wills so great the world around abides to them? But why weren¡¯t any of the heroes able to do so as well, then? Does it have to be even higher than that of a hero? Is that even possible?¡¯ He wondered, clouding himself just by doing so. Each question of his ventured off into countless more.


    ¡®Then, is it the mind? After all, Zyponia¡¯s mood seemed to affect her magic¡¯s accuracy. Or both at the same time? I won¡¯t be able to understand that aspect just by observing them. I need to gain Zyponia¡¯s trust, but for that to happen, I need to regain control over my body.¡± Musing inwardly, he promptly changed the leg to the other one, doing the same thing.


    His thighs started to swell with definition as more blood started to rush towards them, exhaustion overruling any sort of tightening when Lutiel moved down for the twentieth time already.


    Wobbling and spasming, the muscles soon got their share of rest as laid on his back, soiling his bare back with the smeared puddle of sweat on the floor.


    With a somewhat ragged breath, he stared at the empty ceiling, darkness prevailing all throughout. Calmly waiting, he focused on an important part of the new him.


    Staring at the dim mark absentmindedly, for minutes on end, something finally came over him.


    ¡®Would I be able to do it? To use magic if I train my will hard enough? Harder than even Raphael?¡¯ A heretical idea clouded his mind, but once it appeared, it couldn¡¯t get washed away, no matter what. ¡®But, would I still be a human by then?¡¯ For a few silent, yet roaring moments, he wondered,


    ¡®No, it doesn¡¯t matter if I can help win this war, even if all the lands are plagued with them.¡¯


    Staring briskly at the mellow lights peeking in through the window, Lutiel finally stopped lying down, quickly moving up to the same position as yesterday, when he awakened the hero¡¯s glyph.


    Calmly, he stood on the floor, his bare feet touching the cold sweat, but he didn¡¯t care about that. Without closing his eyes, he stood on one leg while raising the other slightly.


    All of a sudden, as his leg exploded at something spread in his imagination, a cold blue light illuminated itself through the room. Stronger compared to the stars lay beyond the window, his mark glowed, no longer in pain as it used to.


    Instead, as Lutiel delivered the kick on the height of his head, he stood in place, retracting the limb. Standing in the center of the room, his clothes thrown to be washed away, a tranquil sensation came from within, staring continuously at the hand.


    The light dimmed out gradually, his face disappearing into the dark. Though, the plastered look of confusion that broke his composed demeanor couldn¡¯t be missed.


    Finally, he started moving once again, placing his legs awkwardly across the panels, as though he didn¡¯t know what he was doing. Though, when he actually moved, having put his leg in a similar, yet fundamentally different position, he couldn¡¯t help but voice his astonishment.


    ¡®Is this what it felt like, Raph? I knew you were a cheater all along.¡¯ Thinking to himself while droplets fell along his face, he quickly smeared it clear whilst an unruly look broke out within his eyes.


    Following the leg at a certain point above his head, in a curved arch, the mark glowed brighter than ever, three of the four streaks brought out.


    Once again, he pulled the leg back to himself, and with his face returning to its usual look, he stood there in complete silence that started to creep up on his ears.


    Suddenly, his leg moved smoothly along the floor, arriving at the same point as a few moments prior.


    However, before he retracted it to the other leg, both of his feet were already turning, changing their positions to switch places. Brushing against the floor, his right leg stopped, elevated meekly.


    Not stopping for a single moment, he moved the leg previously used as an anchor. Although it straightened out only at the very end, once it did, the kick behind him didn¡¯t stagger or wobble a single sway.


    Despite the tired out muscles, the straight leg kept its position high above his head. Only after his chest heaved up and down a few times did Lutiel finally retrieve it, sweat dripping from his face like morning dew.


    Breathing harshly while frozen in space, his head tinkered to the pulsating feeling blasting from his right hand.


    ¡®I see, I have to flow even smoother. Don¡¯t be so tense in the legs. Instead, harden your center,¡¯ he mumbled internally, staring at the darkness with a distorted vision.


    His eyes only focused on what lay around him and his figure.


    Placing himself in the center of the room, Lutiel readied his body. Standing on both legs, he raised the heel of his right foot. The left firmly held against the cold, sweaty floor, the other one quickly flew through the air, cutting it in a smooth arch before repeating the same motion as before.


    Completing a half rotation, the leg stomped on the ground as silently as it could, trying not to alert the mansion¡¯s residents.


    He didn¡¯t kick to the side anymore. Changing the rhythm marginally, the same leg moved, reversing its previous maneuvers. Everything other than the waist and hips relaxed itself as he performed the kick, back in the initial position.


    ¡®Wrong, again. There¡¯s no point going all the way if I can¡¯t get the first half correctly,¡¯ he muttered in his head before taking the right leg behind his left. Just like the time he awakened the glyph, it cut through the air before stopping in the air.


    ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ It went back down, only to be repeated thereafter.


    The nightwear he wore should have already become beyond damp, dripping with sweat, yet as his heart raced and poured out buckets, before it could truly turn wet, it somehow dried off.


    Similar to his butler¡¯s clothes, which Lutiel couldn¡¯t foul no matter what sort of ground he walked through, they continued to keep themselves dry, the sweat dripping out of the long trousers like a slightly turned faucet.


    Countless more drops puddled around the floor while he kept kicking in the same way, his glyph lit up all the time.


    He didn¡¯t count how many he had performed, or rather, his focus lay on other aspects of the actions. After an unknown amount of kicks passed by, however, he didn¡¯t move it down to the ground anymore, staying above his head.

 18. Festival 1

    ¡®Finally,¡¯ Lutiel mused, promptly pulling the right foot down. Shaking slightly as he stepped on the dank floor beneath, invigorated, it fully touched the panels before replacing its counterpart.


    Despite how much his breath halted itself each kick he performed, under the ragged panting, he began kicking with his left leg, correcting himself any instance the right hand started itching.


    Although his throat began drying itself out the more kicks he performed, under the scrutinizing mark, it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡®Easier, yet faster and harsher. I need to be more precise.¡¯ He thought as the leg traveled through the room, a faint hiss accompanying.


    Tens of more came after, but to his pleasant surprise, he soon stared at the leg that remained in the air, perfectly repeating the right one.


    Needing much less compared to the previous leg, his bottom soon hit the ground harshly. His breathing completely unsteady, Lutiel leaned his back against the bed¡¯s frame while his knees supported the elbows.


    ¡®So much just to learn the basics of a kick.¡¯ Staring at the dark room, illuminated by the fading mark around his hand, the man couldn¡¯t help but keep his eyes upon it.


    Long after it had dimmed out completely did Lutiel finally move, standing up through his teetering legs.


    Using the bed frame to raise himself up, the wooden panels were no longer flooded, the sweat having seeped through them and disappearing completely.


    Walking awkwardly through the room, he took the set of servant clothes he had taken off prior to his training, proceeding to the door.


    Rapidly, he found himself walking barefoot against the mansion, his soles remaining clean throughout. With a quiet saunter, he maneuvered through the corridors.


    His arms full of clothes, Lutiel carried them all the way before a certain pair of doors. Close to each other, the one on the right led to the baths, the other being the laundry room.


    He moved close to the left door, beginning to reach out for the knob, however, just as his fingers were about to grasp the metal, he froze when a voice tumbled around his ears.


    Beyond the doors, a soft mumble escaped, followed by another with a continual cadence. The gentle whispering hushed for air while shrouding a faint noise of a splattering fluid.


    Mild, it dared to mingle in with the breaths. Yet, as the plashing intensified, while Lutiel¡¯s curiosity neared his ear towards the wooden door, when he heard the moanings spread out behind the doors, he froze up.


    ¡°Nghhhh~¡± the voice prolonged itself, indulging in whatever lay beyond the closed doorway. Of course, he would have had to be a fool to think his actions wouldn¡¯t go unnoticed. Not a few moments after his ear grazed the outer layer of the door, the gasping for air stopped.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯o li nuent?!¡± A voice thundered throughout the corridor, not caring for those that might have been asleep already.


    Quickly, the doors opened fully while a shadowy figure revealed itself, gazing across the corridor back and forth, trying to see the perpetrator, but much to the figure¡¯s surprise, it couldn¡¯t find anything.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± the shadow mustered up before abruptly closing, back inside.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel stood with his back placed at the bath¡¯s doors, catching his breath from the sudden rush.


    His heart soon regaining its casual composure, he simply turned towards the bath.


    ¡®Let¡¯s just forget about that.¡¯ He mused while staring at the empty bath, closing the doors before dropping the clothes to the ground. Without waiting any further, he took off his nightwear, steamy water flowing into the tub moments later.


    ¡­


    His bare hands moved solemnly through the waters, a small knife inside his right hand while the other fished for something inside the large bucket in front of him. The metallic rims of them four bothered against each other, all wide enough to fit a couple chickens inside.


    Nonetheless, rather than chickens, potatoes sat on top of each other, peeking out from the sheer quantity. Lazing about inside the silty waters, Lutiel grasped one of them with his left before scraping the skin with lingering soil on it.


    The ones standing next to him followed his approach, a knife in their dominant hands, an identical vegetable engrossed in the other palm. All three began moving at different times, one nicking onto the skin, the knife going after the thumb before a peeling came off.


    One cut the skin continuously, a portion after portion, while the last one did a somewhat botched work, leaving the whitish-yellow flesh thoroughly rugged.


    Seeing it be thrown into the bucket with moderately fresh water filled with already peeled potatoes, one of the maids standing far right spoke up through the damp hairs hiding her features. Neglected somewhat, the oily mess on top of her head resembled seaweeds one could find sprawled across a shore, both in shade and shape.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to grate them?¡± She asked reservedly, with a quiet voice barely recognizable through the clamor they worked inside.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Filling the place abuzz, the hissing sizzle of a hot oil spread all the way from the large cast iron pot, bubbling pieces floating about at the top.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied to the girl, however his voice had been muffled out by a sharp response coming from the other side.


    In the middle of grating a potato, the grated pieces fell to the pile inside a wooden bowl while she stopped. With a petulant undertone, the voice beamed. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not peeling them already.¡±


    ¡°But you at least know how to,¡± the maid interrupted with the same soft tone, quickly adding while leaning behind the girl in the middle. ¡°I meant she¡¯s good at it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied, continuing to peel another potato in his hand. Meanwhile, while his and Raeyine¡¯s heads were lowered, only the girl with greasy hair could witness the eyes being rolled ahead of them.


    ¡°What does it matter? It¡¯s all going to be grated anyways,¡± saying so in an annoyed voice, she began quickly rocking her hand up and down on the metallic grater, more hash than ever descending down to its brethren in the wooden bowl.


    The head full of unkemptness moved up, stopping the hands from any motion. Stranding off from each other, the hairs unveiled bits and pieces of her face, dark red eyes glaring at the one before her. With no shine especially, she glared at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like wasting the flesh,¡± she said, slowly opening her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like getting dirt in my nails,¡± the girl with a single, curved horn on her teal head barked back at the gentle words.


    ¡°Just stop already,¡± the tallest maid of them all, standing in the middle of the trio, said suddenly while persistently peeling the skin off the potatoes. Cutting the one to her right before she could speak once more, Raeyine spoke again right after. ¡°He¡¯s already gotten the hang of it.¡±


    Not even looking at the man on her left, she said before the green-haired girl leaned in front of her. Her hairs not swaying the slightest bit as her body froze in place, she simply looked at the white-haired man peeling the skins off.


    She had to admit, when she herself used the knife, some lines remained on the potato flesh, but as he did it, the almost transparent skins left behind nothing, a smooth, round potato with no obscurities falling into the clear waters soon after.


    ¡°W-which one was this since you first started?¡± She asked with a somewhat shaky voice.


    ¡°Fifth.¡± With a concise reply, he stretched his hand to collect the sixth potato, following the same technique. All the while, the girl silently followed back to her bucket, promptly returning to peel the half-finished vegetable in her hands.


    Cutting with her head up, she fully focused on the potatoes after an overt smirk creeped into her vision.


    In the meantime, while she shut herself, the one standing close to the sizzling oil silenced it before an even louder roar came forth. Putting out the golden brown, round potato patties on the side to cool down, she promptly put the raw ones into the torrid, golden oil.


    Immediately, as the sizzling settled, she turned around, her eyes focused onto the girl with the wooden bowl.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i dize-,¡± she began speaking in demonic, however, her words were stopped, interrupted by Raeyine.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± she coughed forcefully, making the girl with bright, brown hairs turn to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on something?¡±


    ¡°I forgot, alright? But still, do we have to always speak human with him here? It gets tiring after a while,¡± she said, getting a brisk nod of agreement from the grating maid.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-,¡± Lutiel started speaking, though his mouth suddenly shut itself, on the brink of biting his tongue.


    ¡°As long as he¡¯s here, you will have to. Unless you have a way for him to understand demonic,¡± Raeyine replaced his speech, a silence pervading after her words for a few moments.


    ¡°Well, I very much doubt that. Fine, whatever you say, lady¡¯s maid,¡± she said sneeringly, walking closer to the bowl full of potatoes and taking it.


    ¡°How many are there left? I¡¯m going on a date later and I haven¡¯t had some nice plucking in a while,¡± the maid with a curved horn asked while leaning over the table, trying to take a peek at their buckets.


    ¡°You¡¯re so funny,¡± the black-haired maid sighed in exasperation, under the chuckles of the two girls arguing with her.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say something about speaking human?¡±


    With unimpressed eyes, she continued to peel the potatoes, not even staring at them anymore. ¡°I¡¯m taking a silver dracar off of your pay this week,¡± she said, immediately swaying their attitudes.


    ¡°Oh, Raeyi, it¡¯s just a joke, come on,¡± she said, eyes widened through her teal hair. However, hearing and seeing no response from her, the cooking maid reacted in her stead.


    ¡°Haiane, you¡¯re adding fuel to the fire,¡± she spoke while squeezing out the juices through a thin cloth she had just filled with grated potatoes. Gripping tightly, barely any fluid came out into the bowl anymore.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get,¡± mumbling softly under breath, almost inaudible through the colluded hairs, the green-haired maid spoke.


    Turning her head to the source of the buzzing noise, Haiane stared the girl down until the bowl once again came under the grater.


    The mushy sound of potato flesh being ripped apart reignited itself under the oil, the awkward silence only interrupted by them along with the cutting. The drenched atmosphere that had overtaken the five servants inside lingered around for a while, only attempting to be loosened up once Lutiel was a few potatoes away from finishing his bucket.


    ¡°So, how are you finding Miss Zyponia?¡± She asked, prompting almost all of the girls¡¯ heads to spark up at her, the cook focused on her work. Sending vexed glances at the reactions, she still kept it at the man, who quickly returned the look.


    Lutiel felt surrounded by all three of them, especially their expectant faces, but taking a keen look into Haiane¡¯s blue eyes, he spoke while clenching his stomach, his jaw and voice undisturbed.


    Recalling all the times so far he had spent with the lady, the man didn¡¯t hide himself. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, not impressing any of the girls gathered.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± The girl that tended for the potatoes asked, her back still facing the table. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s pretty cute?¡±


    His ears rang with the question while he continued to peel the skins, a straight face staying for all the time he stood in the same place.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare have such thoughts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we won¡¯t tell Miss anything about it,¡± the maid with a curved horn spoke, stopping in the middle of grating. However, as she looked for any change in his face, the one to his right finally stepped in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop this mindless talk. You¡¯re not making him any more comfortable with these questions.¡±

 19. Festival 2

    ¡°How do you like living here, then?¡± Rolling her eyes at the head maid, Haiane asked once more before Raeyine heaved a sigh.


    Thinking for a few moments in the silence, as he could no longer fish out a potato from his bucket, Lutiel raised his head leisurely.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he said, with his typical face blank of emotions.


    Still, despite his impassiveness, a small smirk rested on the girl¡¯s face, priding itself at Raeyine.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he would remember any better,¡± a soft mumble escaped through the room, quickly apprehended.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Haiane¡¯s smirk turned cold in the eyes. Nonetheless, the maid didn¡¯t speak back, her green hairs flowing low towards the skinning knife.


    ¡°Lutiel, help me so we get it over with quicker,¡± Raeyine intervened in their fleeting quarrel, seeing as the man had none left in his bucket. And, without too much brooding, her proposal had been accepted.


    The maids watched as Raeyine took the bucket belonging to the maid on her right, emptying it by putting her potatoes in the bucket in front of her. Sharing it along with the white-haired butler, she promptly looked to her right.


    ¡°Thoda, you go take another grater and help her,¡± she said while jutting with her chin, to which the girl freaked out.


    ¡°W-why? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, it will just be quicker, so get moving already.¡±


    ¡°O-okay,¡± she released a fine stutter, moving along the table with a slumped back, all the way until she faced Lutiel and the head maid.


    Just like that, with a silence permeating the kitchen once again, the majority of the servants focused on their tasks, their shadows morphing ever so slightly as the sun changed its position.


    Washing his hands in the kitchen¡¯s basin, the man distanced himself from the voices flowing about on the side. Drying them swiftly with a cloth that had become sullied over time, a pair of gloves came out from his pockets soon after.


    When it came to the second one, the right glove, he pondered for a few moments, staring at the pale skin around the middle. Although the mark didn¡¯t show around at the time, had he not focused, it could have readily gone off and glowed to the demons around him while he handled the knife on the potatoes.


    Though, as he pulled the glove up, he no longer glanced at it, turning his interest behind. Looking up at the round clock filled with intricate lines of fine metal stretching outwards, he took in what the unobstructed parts showed.


    ¡®Twenty three minutes until eight.¡¯ He mused, already observing what the maids were doing beside the huge pile of elliptical potato patties. ¡®Why did she wake us up to make so much food?¡¯


    Although he couldn¡¯t do anything but wonder about it, as the fried, elongated circles started to fit wholly inside the large wooden basket with an arched handle, the man didn¡¯t need to wait long.


    ¡°Alright, we can go now,¡± Raeyine said while holding the basket with both hands and staring at him beyond the three girls. ¡°What are you standing for, Lutiel? Come over here.¡±


    His eyebrows quivering ever so slightly, he walked closer at her request, despite attaining further doubts about the matter.


    Stretching out his arm as he neared the maid, he took hold of the basket. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her light face turning into a frown while looking behind the man.


    Though, when the man standing in the center of the room turned around, all he could see were plain faces staring back at him.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Haiane asked, only to see Lutiel¡¯s body turn around forcefully, a certain hand on his shoulder doing so.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, we have these fritters to worry about instead,¡± the one holding him said, quickly starting to push on his back, towards the doorway.


    Still, seeing her actions, the sleazy maid behind jeered through her head. ¡°Inbie gove tias¡¯o, Raeyi, tias gotovelie crav. Oops, I forgot about our little agreement, hehe,¡±


    Stopping for a second while Lutiel kept his pace towards the doors, the head maid glanced back at the one whose curved horn hailed to the ceiling. The smirk on the bawdy girl, however, was quickly washed out as Raeyine stared her down, not a slightest of breaths coming out of her mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a few hours. Don¡¯t even think about sleeping before you finish cleaning the whole mansion,¡± she said, her gaze kept especially at the girl standing in front of two others.


    ¡°What?!¡± Haiane asked rowdily, on the brink of a scream. The two beside her, albeit not voicing it, shared similarities to her around their faces.


    ¡°Thoda, you take care of the Lady,¡± she added without caring for the girl, her back already facing them.


    While the maids were left in the middle of the kitchen crippled with dismay, the duo holding the food moved through the corridor. Aiming for the space enlightened by matutinal rays of sun ahead of their way, Lutiel briefly looked to his left, where a tall woman found herself.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    A few steps of silence followed the shutting of the door, but as he carried the bucket, her mouth moved eventually. ¡°Are you curious about what they said? It was nothing phenomenal, frankly.¡±


    He didn¡¯t move his head around this time, keeping up to the decisive steps taken by the girl. Opening his mouth while gazing through the wood-riddled corridor, he showed interest in something else. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer immediately. Her eyes moving to the side, she witnessed him with their corners. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet up with Rovier first. We don¡¯t have too much time.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a plain face, watching as the open space came ever closer to them. Not many steps later, the man already saw the grand hall of the mansion¡¯s ground floor. Donned in marble all around, the walls accentuated themselves with engravings stripped of past significance, replaced by new masters of the lands.


    However, as much as his sight wandered around, Lutiel quickly focused on the entryway up front, the large doors leading them both to the destination.


    The maid opened them, and when his hairs began swaying, the eyes immediately went down towards the basket.


    ¡°They will get cold by the time we arrive,¡± he said while looking at the girl, however, he wasn¡¯t able to witness any distress from her features.


    The composed expression slightly breaking as she exhaled a giggle, Raeyine spoke through the smile, ¡°Check for yourself. Move your hand close to them.¡±


    Stopping just before the doorway, Lutiel held the basket with a single hand before the left one waved around above the potatoes. Creases appeared around his eyebrows as the white glove carried a new layer of warmth around it.


    Moving it away, the glove quickly warded off the winds along with the excessive heat, coming back to normal before the wearer brought his head at the girl.


    ¡°Is it your magic?¡± He asked suddenly, her mien wavering slightly. From a calm smile, the edges curved up even higher.


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Before he could assess her words and looks, she had already turned around, walking towards the old coachman placed among the horses. Without missing a beat, he started treading after the fluttering uniform.


    A similar sight of the past few days repeated itself before him. Paving stones rode through the ground, in a circular pattern around the small fountain, leading off into different paths. Yet, no matter how many dawns had passed, staring at the tall bushes gardened to a precise angle, as well as the sparse, verdant trees, Lutiel¡¯s eyes never seemed to fade their intrigue away.


    Standing inside this manor, despite having a moderate amount of clothes on himself, he didn¡¯t need to shield his body from the piercing winds of the ashen skies.


    Of course, as he looked at the coachman¡¯s horn, as well as Raeyine¡¯s grayish nape, he understood the reason for all of the great phenomena happening around him. It was the work of magic.


    ¡®Is the gardening maid responsible for this? But, on such a scale?¡¯ He walked closer and closer towards the carriage, his mind constantly occupied these days.


    However, as many questions as he had, they only grew with time without ever decreasing, it seemed. Once again left with no answer, he let it float away inside his head as the maid before him opened the doors.


    ¡°After you. And don¡¯t worry about letting them fall,¡± she said, gesturing towards the white seats.


    Not objecting to her words, he simply got inside while tilting the basket for it to fit the doors. Staying in the same place as before, the fried fritters soon rested on the floor, right after Raeyine took her spot opposite to him.


    Quietly, Lutiel saw as the gardens around the mansion began to move away, waving their goodbyes to them. At the same time, he noticed something in the corner of his left eye.


    Turning his head to the girl staring right at him, a voice struck through his ears clearly. Eye to eye, the duo of servants didn¡¯t wane away from the other.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the town. Sorry for not bringing it up earlier, but I didn¡¯t want to speak so casually inside the mansion,¡± she said immediately, the first sentence as concise as she was capable of.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied quickly with his usual blank face, as well as the new, relaxed jaw of his. ¡°But, I want to know one thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Why did we make this?¡± He asked, gazing down at the basket.


    Following his movement, Raeyine also looked at it, prompting her mouth to open up. ¡°Ah, right, I guess you would wonder about that. It¡¯s an annual festival, you could call it.¡±


    ¡°A festival?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she nodded, their heads already sprung back to prior positions. Looking at the purple eyes lost in wonder, the maid didn¡¯t feel like he truly reciprocated her gaze. So, with a spreading smile, she started anew.


    ¡°Yes, a festival celebrated across all of the Aseun, though that¡¯s a bit ironic,¡± she chuckled by the end, not looking into his eyes herself this time. Though, she quickly regained propriety. ¡°Do you remember a demon named Magon?¡±


    His murky pupils trembled at the name while he froze internally. ¡®Why is she bringing him up?¡¯ A thought popped to his mind while looking at the maid with a straight face. As shocking as the reveal was, he couldn¡¯t let his control go awry. He felt his right hand itching at the call of his name, but he needed to keep it in check.


    There was no way of knowing what sort of horrors he would be subjected to if the demons came to realize of his glyph and he didn¡¯t want to test that so quickly after his years-long slumber.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I figured. Your memory loss basically wiped you clean, except for your name.¡±


    ¡°Was he someone important?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, he was. He was one of the demon lords like Lady Zyponia, actually, but that title had been long since stripped off of him.¡± She said, a regrettable expression filling her face. The maid¡¯s vision drifted off to the right as she recalled the events, immuring the man as he listened with a pale face.


    ¡°Did he do something wrong?¡± Lutiel asked suddenly, making Raeyine turn back to him, the poor airs around her immediately disappearing, even a faint smile seemed to emerge gradually.


    ¡°Yes. He did something inexcusable,¡± despite the face, her tone harshed up at the start, only to fade away as she said the last part, at the same time making the man squeeze his eyebrows. ¡°He betrayed us by killing the one you¡¯ve all been named after.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He asked right after, the words blurting out on their own. The creases around his forehead increased as her voice tumbled around in his ears.

 20. Festival 3

    ¡®The one we¡¯ve all been named after? Lutiel?¡¯ Suddenly, his eyelids twitched as he recalled a certain person. One that bore his name, the one that led a revolutionary army.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± He added immediately, so we wouldn¡¯t simply go over the matter and leave him oblivious.


    Raeyine stared at him for a moment, but she didn¡¯t restrain any words. Looking at his faintly confused face, a small smile was plastered on hers. ¡°Magon killed saint Lutiel ten years ago, and ever since then, a lot of your kind has taken on the name, at least the male kind.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea. But I can tell you that lady Zyponia almost wanted me to change your name to something else because of that,¡± she said, cackling silently as she corrected her glasses.


    Before he could speak or think about any of it, stunned, Lutiel heard her speak once more. ¡°Every year since ten years ago, on the second Lusday of the thirteenth month, we come together to mourn his death, as well as burn Magon¡¯s figure at stake. Not only has he betrayed the demons, he also cowardly killed himself and the heroes that tried to save the saint.¡±


    Although her face was no longer as remorseful as a few moments ago, Raeyine tightened her fist slightly, much to the clutter inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡®Mourn my death? The demons?¡¯ His voice thundered across the mental space, unable to understand her words in shape or form. All of it merely seemed like a fuddle his head made up.


    Yet, as he stared at the vividly amber eyes looking back at him, he knew it wasn¡¯t a dream. ¡®Is she lying? But she has no reason to. My face is completely different from back then, and as she said, there are probably countless Lutiels out there. I¡¯m nothing more than a random, insignificant human to them.¡¯


    With a constantly deadpan face, a hardly changing look for him, Lutiel thought solemnly for a few harsh moments, but no real solution came through. He could only consider the words to be true, despite the horrendous, almost gut-wrenching tides inside him.


    Restraining the shock eventually, however, the man slowly opened his mouth. He couldn¡¯t let his current state dictate his character, so he clenched his stomach in advance.


    ¡°Before I lost my memory, I must have changed my name to that man¡¯s, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s most likely the case, yes,¡± she spoke while vaguely nodding her head. ¡°Tell me, do you want to recover your memories?¡±


    ¡°I do, I think,¡± he said with no certainty, after waiting in complete silence for a good few breaths.


    ¡°Although we can¡¯t stop it if it happens, don¡¯t wish for it, if you want an easier life at least,¡± she said suddenly, his eyebrows flinching momentarily.


    ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t that be better for Lady Zyponia?¡± He asked, only to see as Raeyine shook her head in response.


    ¡°It would be the opposite for the two of you. As of now, you¡¯re quite mellow, but what if you began hating us all of a sudden? Do you think the lady would appreciate that from her assistant?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied tersely, making her continue.


    ¡°Exactly. The brand would be used a lot more to restrain your actions,¡± the girl added, her smile slowly disappearing. Similar to him, she wore a blank look near the end.


    Then, they fell into a silence as the trees passed by through the windows. Nonetheless, after a few breaths, he spoke anew.


    ¡°I won¡¯t think about it, but do you think there is a chance?¡±


    ¡°A chance, huh?¡± She asked, a brief, riveted look interrupting the calm around her face.


    Looking at the nod he gave her, she crossed her arms whilst a raised right eyebrow simmered down. ¡°If you were a demon, sure, but right now, you can only count for yourself suddenly recalling parts of it.¡±


    ¡®So magic can also do something like that, huh?¡¯ He thought to himself before glancing beyond the panes. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s forget about it, then.¡±


    Yet, as he witnessed the passing of skies and lands from the carriage, she kept at him instead, her yellow eyes piercing through his paleness.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, only then turning to her, who found herself cracking a meek smile.


    ¡°I heard that you took my place in the ball,¡± Raeyine spoke, making him think silently for a blink of an eye before he recalled it.


    ¡°Did Lady Zyponia tell you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she was just as surprised that I didn¡¯t know yet. Someone was apparently meant to inform me,¡± she said, creasing her eyebrows on purpose, though she stopped as soon as the man replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it completely fell out of my head.¡±


    ¡°I was just joking,¡± Raeyine said, giggling lightly before a more solemn face sat in front of him. ¡°However, I do have to tell you, she really did do you in, that fox.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Yes? Do you mean Luviene?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she hummed in confirmation. ¡°You see, the ball is basically a welcoming party for high standing demon guests.¡±


    ¡°Like Lady Zyponia?¡± He asked, but much to Lutiel¡¯s surprise, she shook her head.


    ¡°Similar, but our lady still outweighs them. However, one other Lord just like her will also be coming there.¡±


    ¡°Is Luviene one of the guests?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, but you don¡¯t need to care about her,¡± she said, her voice faltering slightly at her mention. ¡°The guests, although not as special as the Demon Lords, are still important, and there will be a lot of them. I¡¯m sure they will bring human slaves of their own, but no one will have them dressed as formally as you.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just not go?¡± He asked plainly, unable to grasp the reason for their seriousness. From Zyponia to Raeyine, they acted as though he had to do it.


    Unlike the one expression he wanted to see, Raeyine¡¯s face stood still in an awkward silence before she scratched the side of her neck. ¡°Not really. The guests already know you will be coming together with the lady, so there¡¯s no way out of it.¡±


    ¡®Isn¡¯t she supposed to be one of the most important demons there?¡¯ He asked himself before quickly forgetting about the matter.


    ¡°But, as I was saying, you aren¡¯t going there as Lady¡¯s human slave, but rather just a slave,¡± she said with a light smile, though it quickly faded away after seeing his plain expression.


    ¡°How is it different?¡±


    ¡°Well, no demon treats a human slave with such care, most don¡¯t even give the normal ones such elegant clothes, unless they were a wealthy noble. Still, we have you to our advantage,¡± she spoke while the other listened with a half ear.


    ¡°Because I have the looks of a demon?¡± He blurted out all of a sudden, to which she shut herself, a blank look coming towards him.


    ¡°...Yes¡­ but not in a bad way. Actually, with your looks, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they considered you a part of some fallen noble household.¡±


    ¡°So, I just have to not act like a human?¡± He said, her face souring once again as she realized what she and Zyponia were asking of a person who had recently lost all of his memories.


    ¡°...Yes,¡± she spoke, waiting for a second before adding on. ¡°But we have six days for that. I¡¯m sure you will learn plenty of demonic ways by then.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t speak your tongue,¡± he added, making the silence even louder than it was before, the girl¡¯s face turning rigid.


    ¡°Right, right, I completely forgot about that,¡± she mumbled under her nose before her eyes quickly jolted up from the carriage¡¯s floor. ¡°I have an idea. We will make you a mute. They won¡¯t bother you that way.¡±


    Her eyes almost glimmered as she came up with the proposal, however, Lutiel mused doubtfully at the words.


    ¡®She¡¯s lying.¡¯ Looking at the prominent eyes of the demon, the thought lingered around his head, only interrupted a few moments later by her yet again.


    ¡°However, remember one thing. Never, under any circumstance, get into a dispute with another demon.¡±


    ¡°Why should I get into one?¡±


    ¡°The guests, they will be a bit haughty, you could say. Regardless, don¡¯t get provoked by them under any circumstance, alright?¡± She waited as the words fell onto his ears, a solemn face staring right at him.


    ¡°I understand,¡± with a terse tongue, Lutiel spoke while Raeyine smiled in appreciation. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Let me see. Other than keeping quiet and staying close to Lady Zyponia, I think that¡¯s all. I know you will manage, so don¡¯t worry about it. Six days is enough to make a leaf fly,¡± she spoke, waving her hand as though it was no big deal.


    ¡°I¡¯m in no place to choose anyway,¡± he said, making her giggle clumsily before they both enjoyed each other¡¯s silent presence. Watching as the bleak clouds floated powerlessly through the sky, the man had to stop not long after, the carriage coming to a halt.


    Hearing the same conversation as always play out, they were swiftly granted permission to enter the town. The horses¡¯ hooves dirtied themselves along the muddy ground as they trotted towards the street, the wheels turning in similar fashion.


    However, unlike the steadfast, grim atmosphere the one inside the carriage had always witnessed on the streets of the city, he stared at the half-built buildings in the distance, no slave going up onto them.


    The demons, nearly all dressed in plain black clothes, walked solely on the sidewalks, the road in the middle emptied since the chained humans no longer carried them.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯ Lutiel wondered with a somewhat broken eyebrow. It wasn¡¯t like this usually. So far, he only saw as the humans were being pulled onto by their chains, dragged through the muddy streets after falling down. Yet, images glimmered inside his pupils when the eyes followed their doleful shades.


    However, as dreary as their attires were, his insides wavered with bewilderment at the exuberant attitudes. With giddy airs, the small, demonic children ran about, holding up sticks with a certain head on top of them.


    Not only them. The taller demons had a stick of their own as well, though slightly bigger than that of their children. At a leisurely pace, no worries beat in their chests.


    His eyes didn¡¯t blink as he tried to get everything into them, but the time still came when they crossed the street, moving forward with constant pace.


    Glancing at his curious face, Raeyine smirked faintly before also looking outside of the windows. Similar to the other one, the street was riddled with a crowd of demons on each side, carrying a face whose eyes had been covered by two undulating horns.


    ¡°It¡¯s his face,¡± she said, looking back at the man before her.


    ¡°Magon¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We use them after the main ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± He asked, though an inkling where she was going with this curled up inside his head. Turning back to see her yellow eyes, he saw them glimmer inside the carriage shrouded by shadows.


    ¡°Burning his body at stake,¡± the light crease of the maid¡¯s lips blossomed into a full smile, her voice trembling throughout his ears. ¡°It¡¯s an important, as well as the prettiest part of the festival, but sadly, we won¡¯t be able to witness it.¡±


    ¡°Are we going back to the mansion after giving the food out?¡±


    With a nod of her head, it was all he needed to know, so he promptly shut his mouth, quickly observing the congested streets.


    Even when the road obliged them to turn right, it was more of the same. Demons hailing the death of the old Demon Lord to spite his soul.


    No matter how many blocks of residential buildings had passed his sight, all Lutiel could see were demons dressed in black clothes whilst marching towards the market square, as though mourning the death of their beloved royal.

 21. Festival 4

    ¡®Should I feel happy that so many remember me? I don¡¯t know what this feeling is.¡¯ His thoughts mingled with the confusion he met earlier. Once again, Lutiel found himself mindlessly staring at the city, unable to come up with a concise decision.


    ¡®It feels like more has happened this past week than the past few years before losing to him,¡¯ he mused while a sudden turbulence caught him off guard.


    ¡°Ah! We¡¯re here,¡± the maid exclaimed suddenly, raising herself from the seat while he blinked at the place, filled with stalls all around, different sorts of demons running and walking along the street.


    Following her reactions, he stood up before grabbing onto the basket. Having already opened the doors on his left, she awaited the man.


    His white hair swayed immediately, but he had no plans to correct them. Standing on the bricks from the steps of the carriage, Lutiel heard the doors click behind him before the maid took hold of his right arm.


    ¡°Our stall is that one right there,¡± she said before he could react to the jolt around his bicep. Upon the sudden force, his legs almost staggered out into the ground, but he quickly found his footing, treading along with the lady.


    A completely empty stand fitted itself amongst a sea of competitors, shining like a star through a gloomy night, waiting for those who strode through towards the market able to fit two streets inside.


    Barely dodging the demons they passed by, he started having thoughts of speaking out to the maid, but with eyes kept on the back of her shoulders, Lutiel simply followed.


    He didn¡¯t look at anyone other Raeyine, however, much to his surprise, the blaring glances didn¡¯t come out despite his deepest beliefs. No, he saw them graze his collar, but only for a breath before they had gone back to themselves.


    So, the man raised his head, a horde of demons all around. Although not dense enough to the point of not being able to move, their numbers were still imposing.


    From dresses and gowns to suits and cloaks, all of them blended in with the same shade while moving through all the different stalls.


    Suddenly, he glanced to the side, where a small child with dark blue scales kept staring at him, especially his marking of a slave. Yet, before long, their parents lowered themselves to them, turning the child around before speaking something intangible through the racket spreading in the crowd.


    Similar throughout the space, he felt as though the gazes only blinked at him momentarily, quickly blending with the winds.


    Still, as he recalled the words of the maid next to him, the man could only solemnly clench his jaw before matching their pace.


    Placed along the facades of buildings, all of the stalls had similar, yet different items. Themed after the two most important people, Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows rose as he saw a small wooden figure of a human male, standing in armor whilst a spear hailed the heavens.


    Wavering in his steps as the girl pulled onto him, quickly, the stand disappeared from his sight, much to his dismay. Looking back quickly, however, he could no longer see it, the demons behind them blocking his sight.


    Nonetheless, he shook himself up internally, getting rid of the pointless feelings. Instead, he observed another stand from ahead.


    A fine cloth reminiscent of the sky fell on top of the stall, unbothered by the piercing wafts. Empty of any item except for trays, a purple fabric sprawled itself across the table, covering the front of the stall down to the ground.


    Soon, they stopped before it, placing the basket on top of the table while Raeyine walked around. Following her on the side, he soon stood next to the basket, taking the fritters out of the basket onto the wooden trays.


    However, before Lutiel could take even ten of them out, his eyebrows creased as the unknown tongue creeped inside his ears.


    ¡°Tomi tis yast cin?¡± Quickly, his eyes followed the high-pitched voice, but he couldn¡¯t find the owner no matter what, at least in the vicinity of their stall.


    ¡®Magic?¡¯ A suspicion alarmed the man¡¯s head, swiftly stretching out his vision along the market. Yet, seeing nothing except for merchants and their stands in the middle and on the sidewalks, Lutiel soon heard a voice coming from his right.


    ¡°Un visce,¡± her voice beamed while he stared at her face, a happy smile looking down at something.


    Quickly, the sole man with a collar leaned to the side vaguely, looking at the small fingers grasping onto the purple cloth near the edge of the table. A small, green head with large, glimmering eyes stared up to the left, but mainly, the focus of the little girl was placed on the steaming potato fritter in the hands of the tall lady.


    With a shiny gleam, the snack reflected itself in her eyes while Raeyine took a soft, brown paper sheet from beneath the stand before wrapping it around the bottom so the little girl wouldn¡¯t burn her fingers.


    ¡°Nuen ges gan,¡± Raeyine spoke while handing it over to the small hands, making the girl with muddy eyes stand there for a second. Feeling the warmth come out of the food in her palms, she quickly looked up at the maid with glasses, a prominent grin welcoming her.


    ¡°Tanki ges!¡± Her soft voice escaped the lips as she abruptly stormed off under the stands, trotting between the legs of the demons.


    With a somewhat refreshed mind, the man no longer tensed himself as much, returning to placing the fritters on the trays while voices similar to the first girl started to pour out from beyond the stand.


    Kids began lining up in waves beyond the basket he stood behind. Varied in practically everything, the one thing that connected them all were the shabby clothes. Even then, as they awaited for the free food, Lutiel could see their black attire, which looked like different dark rags sewn together amateurishly.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Turning his head to the right, he focused on the one lady with the black and white uniform, once again halting the task at hand.


    With a smile on her face, she replied to the boy with dark scales sparsely covering his neck along with two sharp fangs resting on the upper lip.


    ¡°Nuen li ges¡¯e,¡± her gentle voice reached the ears of the kid, who briskly stretched out his arms, nodding his head repeatedly in gratitude.


    ¡°Tanki ges, Panyi,¡± he muttered under his breath, leaving space for other orphans to get their share.


    ¡°Arn inli balle,¡± she spoke whilst her head was turned to the left, on the man she came here with.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked, starting to work on distributing the fritters once again. With a quick glance at the action, she promptly sprung back up at his face.


    Suddenly, something flashed in the corner of his eyes, but before he even knew it, his hand had already sprawled out, three silver circles inside his palm. Slightly bigger than what he was usually given, he looked at the girl with his habitual, blank face.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to help me. Go around and have some fun today. Also, you don¡¯t need to pay me back, it¡¯s just fifteen dracars,¡± she said, slightly shrugging her shoulders as her head turned back to the kids.


    ¡°Is that fine?¡± He asked in confirmation, to which she didn¡¯t even turn around.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just as fast by myself here.¡±


    ¡°When should I get back?¡±


    ¡°In about two hours?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± with a concise voice, Lutiel¡¯s right arm quickly left the basket while he simply left the stand to wander off on his own. Staring at his back the moment he turned around, Raeyine ignored the voices coming from beneath for a while, snapping back with a smile a couple breaths later.


    ¡­


    Just as Raeyine advised him, he had trailed outside of their stall and gone around the market for a long while, experiencing the festival. Walking along the square, glancing at all the different vendors with countless options of hot foods, as well as many different shops with normal items, he eventually crumbled to his own curiosity.


    Standing still a couple of steps away from a certain, busy stall stuck inside his mind, his head pointed towards the ground, where he could see two wooden figures inside his right hand.


    Clattering against each other as he held them, his sight first focused on the left one. Truthfully, it was the one that had remained inside his head once he witnessed it being sold to countless demons. Under an adroit hand, it had been carved expertly, to the minute details.


    ¡®I don¡¯t remember ever being painted.¡¯ A thought lingered inside his head whilst looking at the face of the armored figurine. With hair flowing right about to his chin, he took a clearer look at its posture. Thrusting to the heavens, his right hand grasped tightly onto the spear¡¯s handle.


    With a right foot forward and his body tilted, the sight became clouded when his eyes couldn¡¯t go anywhere else. ¡®It¡¯s me right before I attacked Magon¡¯s hideout, huh?¡¯ He concluded, his purple eyes lingering at the figure a few last seconds before changing to the one on the right.


    Immediately, the atmosphere changed. From a soft, welcoming look of the human sculpture, an erratic scenery engulfed him.


    Feeling the scraggly, sharp scales scratch against his palm, Lutiel saw the miniature version of Magon, which was still larger compared to his past self. Painted as black as the night, the protruding, natural armor revealed bony white skin underneath, similar to the one around his neck and face.


    With his back unswerving, the demon lord stood tall, legs spread out from each other while the left arm remained low at the hips. The other, sprawled out along with the claws, seemingly pointed towards something.


    However, as much as his mind wanted to venture around the past, he knew there was no point in doing so. ¡®We¡¯ve both died in the end, no?¡¯


    Nothing but the sole thought outlined itself, Lutiel moving promptly. Squeezing himself through the traffic of tens of demons walking down the street, he heard some squeals he couldn¡¯t understand, but he didn¡¯t really try to be apologetic.


    The sound of two dolls falling to the ground of bricks was completely devoured by the cacophony of steps and voices, the previous owner dropping them there in his stead.


    He may have paid a full silver dracar for both him and Magon, though in the end, it was only to satiate his curiosity. Since he had done that, there wasn¡¯t really anything else for him to do in this space. The one they mourned was right in front of them, but he had no plans of revealing that.


    Glancing ahead of him, he looked at the street going uphill ever so slightly. Glancing at the signs covered in decapitated heads, all belonging to Magon, as well as different decorations plastered all across the buildings, his attention quickly left them in search of new ones.


    In a long, black line, wide cloths connected the facades of the street¡¯s dated buildings. Running through the masses, costumes of large, inanimate demons caught his eyes before looking ahead a second later, walking towards the only stall in his mind.


    ¡®I¡¯ve looked around for long enough,¡¯ He mused to himself while finally arriving where the place was. Or at least should have been.


    The inner parts of his eyebrows creased together as he looked to his right, standing near the supposed stall belonging to Lady Zyponia. The colors were the same, however, seeing the mass of adult demons standing beside it, he quickly came up to see what had happened.


    Raeyine was no longer behind the purple clothed table, some demonic man with a rotund, bubbly face replacing her. Spread out on the table were plain looking, wooden sticks, each roughly the same length.


    As odd as it appeared for the man, seeing as a dainty lady in a black dress observed one of them closely, he quickly turned away from the place, going back to where he disposed of the figures.


    Although she wasn¡¯t there anymore, he would simply go back to the carriage since it wasn¡¯t too far away from the place.


    Once again, under the irritated moans, the human slave battled around through the ongoing demons. Their shoulders grazed against each other, but Lutiel didn¡¯t care, even if a few of them intentionally pushed harder.


    Looking at what lay behind, his eyes scoured through the place, but no matter how far his sight extended, he couldn¡¯t see the carriage.


    ¡®Did he move it while we were gone?¡¯ The man wondered to himself, slowing down considerably. With a leisurely pace, he moved his legs, eyeing any resemblance of the girl he came with. Nonetheless, the demons before him were far too eye-catching.


    The dim colors of their skins and hairs sharpened themselves under the dark covers they wore. Together with their special features, it was hard to tell apart anything in the horde of hundreds of demons in one place.


    ¡®Should I just wait somewhere?¡¯ Walking along a few buildings where no stalls stood, he thought to himself beneath the eased clamor in the space.


    Yet, a prickling sensation grabbed the hold of him, drilling at his nape. Standing a few steps away from the buildings divided by an alleyway, his body became inert all of a sudden.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ He wondered while the left cheek met some sort of a wall before quickly disintegrating, going right through it towards the darkness without any explanations. Unable to realize what was happening, Lutiel swiftly felt his left side radiate with pain as the body fell to the ground.


    His face skidded through the bricks while a red patch grazed itself onto his cheek, blood glistening dimly in the murky, narrow alley.

 22. In The Face Of Magic

    Luckily, with a head clearer than ever, Lutiel¡¯s eyes quickly focused while getting up from the hard floor. Although he had become quite dirty, both on face and clothes, the latter didn¡¯t succumb to much destruction.


    Apace, he caught the surface below with his browned gloves, pushing himself off of it. With a faltered breath, his shoes had already found their footing across the space, the man looking behind at the opening with keen eyes.


    From beneath the shadowy air, two figures unveiled themselves, walking through the entry of the alley. Passing along unbeknownst, the demons on the street kept on walking, not even talking a glance at what was happening.


    ¡®Are they pretending not to see it?¡¯ Lutiel thoughts flew through the space, but they were briskly occupied by a somewhat new, yet familiar sensation.


    Deep inside his chest, the heart fluttered abuzz as he witnessed the duo of demons before him. Stood on the damp bricks, they stopped walking just a few steps away.


    All gathered equaled roughly the same stature, the demons ever so slightly taller, but not because of any horns. Free of them, only basic, vibrant hairs protected their heads from the shivering winds.


    In front of the other demon, the one with a mossy head broadened a grin while revealing his crooked, uncared for teeth.


    ¡°You must be Zyponia¡¯s little boy, eh?¡± He asked, scratching his mellowy bearded chin with the claws he had for fingers.


    Lutiel¡¯s limbs moved slightly at his words, especially after hearing his own tongue from the get go. Not opening his lips for the vaguest of breaths, he stared at the two demons whilst his head cluttered for answers.


    From a quick glance before, the way behind him was closed off by a spiked fence. There were no doors in the pokey passage, leaving the only escape behind the demons. Yet, wouldn¡¯t he get caught by the ones on the street if he ran away from these two?


    ¡®What do I do?¡¯ the words soaked inside his mind, flaring with each passing moment until a thought slipped inside inadvertently. ¡®Should I just kill them? ¡­ What?!¡¯


    Screaming internally at his own figaments, his eyebrows suddenly clenched at the men dressed in leather armor, omitting the traditions set by others of their kind completely.


    ¡°Save your energy, screaming won¡¯t help you regardless, okay?¡± The second demon voiced out, moving to the side before stopping as well. With a face and hairs practically the same as the on to his right, only a few, wimpy details differentiated them.


    ¡°So, how about you give us that coin you possess?¡± The other followed briskly in his question, giving Lutiel a knowing look.


    Nonetheless, he remained quiet like before, a question continuing to linger in his mind. He pondered on the second one¡¯s words carefully, quickly realizing the issue at hand.


    ¡®Have they thrown me into a magical alley?¡¯ Musing over the idea, he didn¡¯t find it very unlikely, especially since none of the demons ever glanced inside the alley. ¡®Is it concealed to the demonic eye? Am I able to see it because I can¡¯t use magic?¡¯


    However, he couldn¡¯t be kept in the state for long, the same demon breaking his smile slightly.


    ¡°Are you deaf?¡± He asked with a threatening tone. ¡°Give us Zyponia¡¯s coin.¡±


    Staring at them with a straight face, Lutiel promptly moved his left arm. Going down to the pocket, he could practically see their smiles widen even further.


    Though as he brought out the large coin with a sword and a staff crossing through themselves, he didn¡¯t move a hair¡¯s breadth, much to the souring of the twins¡¯ faces.


    ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± Lutiel asked with a blank look, making the first demon nod his head.


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t have to cripple you if you toss it right away, so don''t be stupid.¡±


    Glancing between the dour faces and the glistening coin, although there were two of them, Lutiel didn¡¯t fret. His heart quickly calmed down, even if his head was about to explode from the grinding it experienced.


    ¡°Why would you want it? It¡¯s just a silver coin with some crest on it,¡± he asked, making them stagger back for a breath before frowns developed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know. Hand over the coin if you don¡¯t want to die,¡± the demon said while clenching his jaw. Looking at the white-haired man with solemn eyes, the one they were targeting didn¡¯t budge at all, except for a faint shake of his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said with a curt tongue before tossing the coin back inside his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to lose it.¡±


    Lowering his chin slightly, the demon inhaled harshly before tightening his claws into a fist. ¡°Then, don¡¯t cry too much.¡±


    All of a sudden, the demon¡¯s feet moved from the bricks, running towards the man a few steps away with his arm ready to be thrown. Leaving his brother behind, the other simply observed the fight that was about to play out.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel stared at the man coming to him with a blank face. They were just a couple moves from each other, and the time needed for the punch to be delivered didn¡¯t amount to much.


    Still, looking at the slow movements being played out, he couldn¡¯t help but instinctively move his legs.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    A flash passed the green-haired demon, his eyes changing rapidly as he felt a change of surroundings, as well as a stinging sensation.


    The man¡¯s foot moved through the alley, dragging the body before it crashed into the building on his left.


    With a horrified expression hidden immediately as it was shown, the standby assailant flinched while hearing the thud of his twin¡¯s body plopping down. Without a second wasted, he ran over to check for him, who was hurled with great force.


    Nonetheless, curled up, the demon robber kneeled on the ground, stretching out his arm to stop any help from ever reaching him. Slowly getting up under the glares on both sides, the man gnashed his teeth while looking up.


    ¡°I will break his arms as well,¡± he said to his brother, receiving a brisk nod in response. Caressing his cheek for a few moments, the brows furrowed while looking ahead of him.


    A slave butler stood with a calm face, as though their assault was nothing in his eyes. Under a glare that seemed to calculate everything, the demon grit his teeth to wash over the sensation.


    ¡°Chera intimau,¡± he snorted silently, muttering under his breath before running forward with even more explosiveness than before.


    Although they stood closer than before, just one strong step was enough for him to arrive next to Lutiel. Bereft of harsher options, he kicked towards the buttoned stomach, only to be met with a wall of arms protecting.


    Slightly, the man slid on the ground before catching hold of himself, his purple eyes persistently kept on the enemy.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t have kicked for the second time. Even if they seemed to be novices in combat, Lutiel¡¯s mind saw his foot getting trapped by his left arm.


    Before he knew it, the demon¡¯s hand was already moving towards his face. However, he stepped back easily before a soft waft reached his cheeks, quickly replying with his own attack.


    At least he meant to. As he flowed deftly beside the stretched out arm, something flashed in the corner of his eyes, a second frame identical to the first demon.


    Another punch was coming, imminent at a quick glance. Once again bringing up his arms, Lutiel promptly felt his back graze against the wall behind him, the punch holding him still for a brief moment.


    However, it wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t handle. With their arms twined together, he thrust the man away before swiftly running back to the previous spot.


    ¡°What, are you getting scared?¡± The twin in the center asked, a rank smile creasing on him. His brother shared the jeers, equally as rotten teeth revealing themselves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with,¡± he added before charging at the unsuspecting face of the human.


    The brother followed immediately, both of them throwing themselves at Zyponia¡¯s slave.


    Cutting through the air, their arms were only a hand¡¯s reach away from his body, however, he nimbly adjusted before dodging.


    Yet, it was all in vain, it seemed. Just as he evaded the closest fist, the other quickly altered its course, stopping him from going anywhere.


    In less than a blink of an eye, he felt his shoulders being tugged, his body thrown at the floor. With the back battering against the tough bricks, his face clinched itself powerlessly.


    Getting his arms to the ground, he started to move away before any of them could get to him. But it didn¡¯t last long.


    Unable to block, Lutiel saw tightened knuckles right in front of his eyes, a sharp sensation following as his head cocked back to the ground.


    The dark buildings above glistened in a twisted manner while the gray clouds practically shone in contrast to them.


    His chin jolted along with the beaming pain spreading around his jaw. Still, under the tumultuous sight in front of him, he needed to get back up.


    Trembling throughout, his ears kept ringing, deriding laughter intertwining through the forest of hum around. Standing beside, he saw their faces filled with sneering smiles, waving eerily under his hazy vision.


    Kneeling down closer to him, one of the brothers pulled his right arm back before the smile disappeared, replaced with a focused glare.


    ¡°You should have just given us the damn coin,¡± he said as the fist went straight at the man¡¯s face.


    Yet, out of nowhere, the demon¡¯s brows furrowed in pain and perplexity, feeling a hard surface lacerate through his hand.


    And, before he could grimace, the mien around his face changed forcibly when a tightened, rough fist rummaged through it. Moving rapidly under the stress of the punch, his body was sent flying backwards, instantly hitting the building¡¯s wall on the side while the other twin witnessed everything in shock.


    ¡°Pird¡¯o!¡± He shouted with eyes contorting in anger, immediately going after the human rising himself once again. His leg traveled through the alley rapidly, momentarily appearing near Lutiel¡¯s head.


    Then, it suddenly stopped, confusion and rage seeping through his expression before the man he attacked raised his head, having caught the leg with his left arm.


    A harsh breath escaped the demon, pulling with his leg with all the might he possessed, but the human did not move in the slightest. Instead, he was the one to pull him, their face and fist meeting together.


    Just like he did before, the twin followed in the fate of his brother, the only difference being he hit the other wall instead.


    Groans and huffing filled the alley as the twins lay on the cold ground. Their faces seemed detached from reality, as if staring into something far beyond. Not even a full minute had passed, yet their situations had reversed all the way.


    Standing next to the sprawled out legs, Lutiel stared at the faces with a cold, composed look, wondering to himself.


    ¡®They could get back to themselves any moment,¡¯ he thought before coming closer to the right twin, grabbing him by the neck and tightening his grasp, though not to the point of breaking it.


    With immediate reaction, the demon started to shake, trying to oppose him. Though, without losing his grasp, Lutiel continued to strangle him out of consciousness.


    Wriggling in his control, the demon caught his forearm tightly, digging into it with his claws, but it was all for nothing.


    His eyes starting to roll back while the clenched jaw loosened, Lutiel didn¡¯t wane beneath the reactions, however, his eyes widened, feeling the air intensify from below.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ He asked himself as the hairs on his nape raised themselves. A dangerous feeling lingered in the air, escalating as he dropped the twin.


    Coughing tremendously at the release of pressure, the twin whose vision had come back, stared at the man trying to back away from the place.


    But, it was all for naught. In the very last moment, he brought out his forearms next to his chest before an imprint appeared around them, in the shape of a sphere.


    Lutiel¡¯s teeth gnashed as he clenched his jaw, opposing whatever it was, yet, as he heard and felt a loud crack around his arms, the sphere drilled deeper, tossing him through the alley like some lifeless doll.

 23. The Duality Of Magic

    Bouncing off the ground, his body rolled all the way towards the fence, stopping with a loud clang as his back dented the metal ever so slightly.


    ¡°Ah, ugh,¡± he moaned as his limbs felt inert, especially his arms. Broken in half on each side, lifting them wasn¡¯t an option.


    At the same time, riddled across the entirety of his face, cuts and gashes appeared while a crimson liquid flowed obtusely. Gazing at the distant world painted red, he saw as the demon on the right helped his brother, both flustered about.


    Despite it being practically inaudible, he was still able to make out the sounds they were screaming to themselves about, despite speaking in the alien tongue.


    ¡°Gien! Geas inlea rekomia kiz bei junt!¡± The one that raised the left twin shouted, grabbing onto his head while the other finally walked on his own, limping slightly.


    ¡°Geas? Arn lei ges! Ugh!¡± The second clamored in his direction, quickly grabbing himself by the throbbing head.


    ¡°Tig, tig, aefrkozs ges mive. Ges nayd yast kiz teug it un nuen,¡± his brother also barked back, visibly frustrated at the situation they found themselves inside.


    ¡°Argh! Kozs scelo geas bie?¡±


    The question lingered in the air around the two suspended in their tracks. Despite their clear blunder, they didn¡¯t move from the place, letting the harsh breaths coming from Lutiel lead their time.


    Yet, eventually, they glanced at one another with a pucker around their brows.


    ¡°Art inli nuen,¡± they spoke at the same time, incredulity echoing across blemished faces.


    As though gazing through a dawning cloak of fog, his clouded vision flickered as he tried to move his head. Unstable, it swayed powerlessly as the mouths of the demons turned towards him.


    ¡°Scelo geas ilku qell ars¡¯o?¡± One proposed, his brother suddenly closing his eyes in thought.


    ¡°Tis inbie crav, ila ars¡¯e umafi li intege¡¯e nuen. Bie ges crav junt maa?¡± He asked after opening them, clear blue marbles turning to the other twin, whose head nodded briskly.


    ¡°Junt li kozs¡¯t tis zeipi,¡± he replied before the two of them once again turned to the man lying on the fence, his broken arms flopping on the ground.


    A few tens steps away from him, his sight suddenly shook as he saw the demons act. From beneath his bracers, the twin on the left brought a long piece of sharpened metal, ending with a finely decorated handle.


    Brought out into his right palm, the straight dirk wasn¡¯t gripped tightly. No, it barely stood a moment inside his hand before lying there as he opened it.


    At the same moment, it hovered above the sprawled out fingers, floating up in the air before settling in space.


    ¡°Zyponia, tis gits geas intane tiri afi dho umev,¡± he said with a smile brewing on his face, similar to before he was mindlessly shaken. ¡°Arn li ges¡¯e llere kiz bic vic vinis.¡±


    Lutiel¡¯s breath and heart hastened seeing the dagger position itself straight at him, directly where his slave¡¯s brand lay.


    Quickly, with his eyes always on the demons, he hoisted the arms up, trying to defend the spot as best as he could. However, adding to his physical agony, the demons only snickered at his attempts.


    ¡°It seems they forgot about you, hehe. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re doing you a favor with this. Unless you wanted to be tortured by your master,¡± he added before the flying knife disappeared from its position, accelerating towards Lutiel with a fearsome force.


    He hadn¡¯t finished a proper breath before half of the distance was cut.


    With gruesome smiles, eyes collared with avarice, the demons awaited his death, already walking towards the corpse.


    Still, as they saw the knife hovering in the air once again, suspended before it could graze the slave¡¯s clothes, their bodies convulsed from the get go, realizing that their suspicions were nothing but wrong.


    Unable to see through the arm, the human closed his eyes in anticipation, only to open them back once the sound of wind being cut disappeared, replaced with a stutter of the demon tongue.


    ¡°C-c-ciko! Geas tomi plin!¡± One of the brothers shouted with desperation glittering his voice, prompting Lutiel to fully uncover his sight, promptly witnessing a brutal scene.


    Standing behind the twins, a certain maid held onto their shoulders, making them cower subconsciously.


    Muttering nothing coherent, before they even noticed it, two small knives squeezed themselves through the side of their necks. The red liquid engulfed their necks acutely, strength leaving together with it.


    Standing in the middle of the alley, the girl turned her yellow eyes towards the bent fence, gazing at the man.


    ¡°Rae-¡± he managed to mutter out before his eyes fell apart. His head going down, the human¡¯s consciousness swiftly faded into slumber while the maid¡¯s shoes hit against the bricks rhythmically, right towards the human.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡­


    Lutiel glanced at the cold ceiling as his eyes shook themselves up. Having opened the eyelids abruptly, he had been staring at the single point for a while now.


    ¡®Was that a dream? No, it couldn¡¯t have been.¡¯ The man wondered to himself, but the idea evaporated quicker than the thought manifested through the hazy veils of memory.


    He was stinging all across. Through every fiber of his upper body and arms, he felt as though he had been sleeping under a boulder that fell upon him.


    However, one thing was certain to him. Regaining a clear feel for the muscles, Lutiel moved them faintly under the duvet, with no excessive pain forming internally.


    Taking the cloth away, he stretched the arms towards the ceiling, looking at the pale, yet bruised skin of his, with no swollen places around the middle. Slowly moving up to his eyes, the right hand fell upon his clear face.


    Nothing seemed to be there anymore. All of the injuries he had sustained while bouncing off the bricks were no longer a reality, smooth skin replacing them.


    ¡®I¡¯m healed, somehow,¡¯ he mused. Watching his arm¡¯s muscles constrict and relax properly, he couldn¡¯t help but stay inside his mind, for just a slight moment more. Even if he didn¡¯t want to think that, it all amounted to one thing.


    ¡®It¡¯s magic. My broken nose was also healed by magic.¡¯ With blank eyes, the arms fell down to the fair duvet before he once again focused on the ceiling of his room. ¡®Will there ever be no magic involved?¡¯


    However, asking himself, the man stopped for a second in the approach, realizing something.


    ¡®Did magic save me at that time? Does it mean I owe my new life to it? To the demons¡¯ prowess?¡¯ A conflict circled around inwardly, only to spiral away into the darkness.


    Taking off the cover around his bed, Lutiel¡¯s face winced as he moved his bruised body. Steadily, he used his arms as support, turning to sit on the edge before standing up fairly easily, his legs taking the least amount of damage in the confrontation.


    ¡®What day is it?¡¯ He pondered while staring to the left, looking at the sun that rose timidly. With a somewhat dingy sky, the darkened clouds poured over, though only in the distance. No droplet formed around the window of his room.


    Soon losing focus, the man turned to the opposite wall instead, where a set of clothes awaited him neatly, ready to be exchanged for the nightwear he had been sleeping inside. Looking down at them for a few breaths, his mind didn¡¯t fester ill feelings for those who had changed him, quickly taking a step towards the chair.


    As per usual, it was all the same. An identical set of clothes from his wardrobe lay folded on the table, prompting him to take off his clothes down to underwear.


    Without waiting any longer, he started in a similar style as days prior. Firstly, he put on the socks, followed by the dark trousers and a light shirt. Firmly packing it beneath the black fabric, he tightened the belt before skillfully folding the tie over on itself into the way Raeyine had taught him.


    Buttoning the vest that held his tie in place, Lutiel put on the jacket that matched his pants, only to put on the wholly white gloves on and go down to the shoes.


    However, as his eyes landed on them, he stopped for a second. Grabbing the shoes, he noticed something on their glossy surface, reminiscent of the events unfolding in the city.


    The light coming from the window flickered under the scratches and light grooves breaking down the black leather. Immediately, Lutiel¡¯s mind shook faintly, recalling whatever happened that day.


    Feeling all of the times he had bounced off and rolled on the hard bricks thanks to that invisible might, his body started hurting once again.


    ¡®Is this what I¡¯m supposed to fight against? Something so powerful, yet I can¡¯t even see it?¡¯ His eyebrows furrowed completely as he sombered over the matter. Even if he had won against them physically, there was nothing he could do in front of that power.


    His eyes started to break away from their shine, the grip around his hands loosening to the point of making the shoes fall down harshly to the ground.


    ¡®Even if it¡¯s the holy capital, what are they to do in this situation? They too must have fallen already.¡¯


    Finally, as the thoughts lingered inside his head, he glanced at his right arm. Specifically, at his right hand. With but a single will, something started to battle against the natural rays before waving off into the darkness.


    ¡®What are you for, then? Why were humans chosen to be heroes?¡± He asked himself, ending the thoughts with a long and harsh breath. He didn¡¯t know anything, and pondering over the matter would only bring about illusions.


    Standing up, he quickly opened up a drawer of the desk before taking out a shining, round can containing a wax-like material alongside a brush.


    Slowly, he brought his shoes back to their proper state, no scratches or damage seen on them any longer.


    Putting them on, the man meant to come closer to the doors, but before he could, his head turned to the noise coming off them.


    Three knocks sprawled out through the space while he stared at the door.


    ¡®Raeyine?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but think. After all, she was the one to help him the most around the house. However, his face came back to its usual composure after hearing the voice.


    ¡°Lutiel? Are you awake?¡± Thoda¡¯s voice traveled from beyond the doors, resounding clearly in the man¡¯s ears. She stood there, waiting for a few moments in complete silence while he didn¡¯t answer. Though, just as her body started to turn, she stopped.


    ¡°Yes, you can come in,¡± he spoke softly, looking at the doors beginning to open up before nearly touching the wall on their right.


    The same way he remembered her, the maid walked in with her messy hair that covered almost all of her face except for the nose. With her hunched back, Thoda stepped on the squeaky floors before stopping in her advance, looking at the man all dressed up.


    Glancing at him for a few moments, in a quiet, but not unpleasant silence, Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to tell whatever she was searching for on him.


    Still, such thoughts were quickly dispelled as he heard her speak with a gentle tone.


    ¡°How are you? Do you still feel pain anywhere?¡± She asked while the butler creased his forehead ever so slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sore, but there¡¯s no lingering pain,¡± he replied with a spry tongue.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the girl added, nodding. ¡°You will be ready to go to work quite quickly, then.¡± Raising her head slightly as she spoke, although the hairs separated slightly, he still couldn¡¯t see her face properly.


    ¡°What day is it today?¡± His question made the girl quiet down before pondering for a few seconds.


    ¡°Huvday,¡± she said with excitement before quickly calming herself to a more serene nature. ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for about forty hours now, but that¡¯s a given with the amount of injuries you¡¯ve had.¡±


    ¡®Two days passed, huh? It¡¯s a shame I missed my training, though I still wouldn¡¯t be able to do it with those wounds.¡¯ He dwelled on the fact for a brief moment before swiftly cleansing his mind.


    ¡°I see,¡± he uttered plainly at the girl.

 24. The Demons Pupil

    With a silence permeating the room after he spoke, Thoda kept her hands on top of one another, putting them delicately at the base of her stomach and standing there silently. As though waiting for him to speak, her body was constantly turned towards him.


    Yet, as he was about to ask, she once again opened her mouth whilst shutting his one.


    ¡°You did a good job back there. I heard you had some tough opponents,¡± she cheered him on, but he simply stood there, unresponding. Dismayed at her words, the gears inside his head churned painfully.


    ¡®No, no, she must be trying to appease me,¡¯ he wondered before sighing internally, glancing up at the girl.


    ¡°Thank you, but if it wasn¡¯t for Raeyine, I would have been dead already.¡±


    ¡°What matters is that you didn¡¯t give them your coin away,¡± she said all of a sudden, clapping her hands cheerfully at the same time.


    However, Lutiel looked at her eerily, not even noticing when a question left his lips.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± He asked, at once freezing the noises in the room. The jolly mood around her stature disappeared and a flustered movement of her arms waved about.


    ¡°Eh, eh, no, I didn¡¯t say anything. I was just wondering about something. Actually, I came here to inform you about Miss Zyponia in the first place,¡± she babbled with swaying hairs, quickly changing the topic. ¡°She wants you to come to her room.


    Glaring at her with coldly reserved eyes, Lutiel remained silent for a few moments before sighing once again as he saw her fidgeting about.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± He spoke, however, as the words left his mouth, she already darted out of the room, leaving it open to the world.


    Left alone in the space of his room, the man could only close his eyes patiently before also leaving, promptly walking through the corridors of the mansion.


    While he headed for Zyponia¡¯s room, he met nobody on his way, allowing him to think about the girl¡¯s words. ¡®They were watching the fight through magic,¡¯ he mused while turning right and constantly walking forward.


    ¡®Then, why would they disappear all of a sudden, only to reappear at the last moment?¡¯ The thoughts formed naturally as he stared at the different portraits of Zyponia, all in different styles and most likely by different artists.


    ¡®Are they trying to gain my trust by saving me? Was all of that fake?¡¯


    He entered the grand stairs, walking up one by one before quickly ascending to the top floor, his mind plagued constantly.


    ¡®But, would Raeyine actually kill them if that was the case?¡¯


    Finally, he stopped thinking. It was as though his mind went blank once he stopped before Zyponia¡¯s doors.


    Nevertheless, he breathed firmly before knocking on the doors of the room he hadn¡¯t visited prior.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, my lady,¡± he said, receiving similar treatment he gave Thoda. A few steps away from the large, ornate doors, he stood quietly, waiting for any sort of response that didn¡¯t seem to be appearing. Not even moving his head, the butler seemed more like a statute rather than a human.


    ¡°Come in,¡± suddenly, a voice resounded from the doors, to which he replied correspondingly. A rigid hold of the handle made it move downwards before they gave way, brisk light encroaching on the faintly shrouded corridor from the interior.


    Opening one of the doors on the right, an unfamiliar scene beheld the man crossing the doorway. Stopping in the middle of his tracks, he stared at the two demons standing close to the windows of the grand bedroom.


    Having cleared up in the little time he spent going through the hallways, the sun revealed itself, enlightening those basking in its glory. On the right, donning a faintly limpid gown, stood the one that made his chest burn. Her purple hair glistened under the sunlight, falling calmly onto her back, her turned to the side eyes glancing daintily at him.


    An opened book could be seen in her right hand, one akin to those he had previously seen in the shop with ink. Together with her body, they were turned towards his left, where a certain person could be seen, completely different from the people he saw inside the mansion.


    Slightly shorter than the blue-skinned demon, her dress practically blended together with her. If not for shadows disturbing her features, Lutiel would have had trouble discerning her face.


    Pale beyond his contrast, her snow-white image drew him towards the eyes, which were the only thing varying from the rest. As blue as the skies beyond the dark clouds, the man saw as they glimmered like gems of some sort.


    ¡°Lutiel,¡± Zyponia said all of a sudden, breaking him out of the weak reverie. Blinking two times, he glanced back at his master, who still had her focus on the girl. Although he didn¡¯t know what to do in this situation, he still stepped forward on the carpet surrounding most of the bedroom¡¯s floor.


    With a steady arm, he closed the door while keeping his eyes towards the two girls. Even though he hadn¡¯t seen her face before, a belief had already set inside his mind on who it might have been.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Almost scrutinizing, the girl¡¯s gaze plundered through his body. From the shoes, going all the way to his head and remaining there for longer than other parts, she pondered something whilst he came closer.


    With an abrupt turn, while the man was still a couple feet away from them, her head went to the demon with two horns, her own head bearing none.


    Covering the mouth with her pillowy white hand, she spoke despite the man¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Token¡¯o, li junt ars¡¯o?¡± Her soft, on the verge of silence voice still reached his ears, but he could know nothing of what she spoke regardless of any tone.


    ¡°Tig, junt li tis¡¯e involni. Ars tane bic dho cin geas tomi zic kiz tacpunt dho intimau ciel,¡± Zyponia said eagerly, her lips moving swiftly while the girl¡¯s face beamed somewhat. Her eyebrows moving up, they promptly calmed down as she turned back towards the human.


    ¡°Tis vidi,¡± she said, keeping her eyes towards a certain area around his body, just below the neck.


    ¡°Lutiel, do you remember what I told you a few days ago?¡± His master asked as he finally reached them, standing a few steps away from the two.


    Slowly, he nodded at the question, looking at the lady while a white-skinned girl stayed in the corner of his sight. ¡°You told me I will be your assistant in teaching, my lady.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± she said, moving her head away to look at the girl. ¡°She is my student, the first and the only one I have ever taught.¡±


    Turning his head as well, he once again stared at the girl, whose soft features of indifference began to change rapidly.


    From the emotionless look on her face, a subtle smile formed as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°My name is Camilla un Haziel. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± with a naturally calm voice, she stretched out the frail-looking arm and waited for the man with her hand in the air.


    Despite somewhat of a change in his facial expression, he didn¡¯t let her wait for too long, grasping her soft hand while she shook it vaguely.


    ¡°My name is Lutiel,¡± he introduced himself, even though Zyponia already uttered his name twice.


    Ending the greeting after exchanging names, Camilla pondered about while staring at her hand for a few breaths, though she quickly lost interest, returning to the lady.


    ¡°Teacher, are we starting right now?¡± She asked, her long, white eyelashes fluttering about while glancing between her and the man.


    However, before she replied to her disciple, she first opened her mouth to her sole male servant. ¡°Are you capable of moving freely?¡±


    Struck by the words, he let them sink inwardly. Wondering what all of this was about, he couldn¡¯t help but recall her statement about some experiment with him.


    A few of their breaths passed by as he finally opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m a bit sore, but I can bear with it, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, eyeing him from the top to the bottom briskly. ¡°You can strip now, then.¡±


    Frozen in place, he stared at the two girls mindlessly, as though not believing what he had just heard. ¡®Strip?¡¯ His mind wreaked havoc. What sort of teaching assistance was this?


    ¡°Yes? Naked?¡± He asked in confirmation, only to receive weird faces from them. The eyebrows of Zyponia creased after hearing him while Camilla smiled ever so slightly.


    ¡°No, strip down only to your underwear,¡± she replied, with a somewhat more stern voice than usual. ¡°The first portion of the lectures is learning the anatomy of humans. After that, there will be a main lecture outside of the mansion.¡±


    Although she had somewhat cleared up her statements, Lutiel still had no idea what all of this was for. But, regardless of his thoughts, it had to have been something that dealt with magic, so he began to unbutton his jacket, as well as all of the garments beneath.


    One by one, the pieces fell to the floor, wrinkling erratically around him. Though, as he stood with just his underwear in the bedroom, his leg moved all of the clothes away, including the gloves that used to protect his glyph.


    As much as he didn¡¯t want to leave his right hand unattended, he couldn¡¯t excuse himself under the gaze of the two demons. ¡®I just need to keep myself at bay,¡¯ he mused while staring at the girls who didn¡¯t hide the interest inside their eyes.


    His pale body lit up slightly under the bare sun beyond the windows, emphasizing the naturally formed muscles he had acquired through the years-long slumber of nothing but floating in darkness. Regardless, it wasn¡¯t strictly them. Lutiel also peeked down, witnessing the skin.


    The man was already aware that his new body was special. After all, the power it contained was more than astonishing when he compared it to his peak before imprisonment. Using it after just a few training sessions felt practically effortless, the body listening to most of his commands freely.


    The veins around the body protruded as blood rushed through them and back to the heart in a rhythmic motion, further fuelling the pronounced muscles.


    Keeping their eyes on it for a few moments, Zyponia finally shook herself clear. With a quick look at his face, she opened her mouth. ¡°We have prepared a few exercises for you. You just need to complete them until I stop you or you can¡¯t any more.¡±


    Nodding softly, his head followed the lady moving over to her large bed, wooden cases visible on top of the cleanly arranged bedding. Curving along the edges, golden lines adorned the auburn faces of the four crates, each varying in size.


    Two of them were relatively small, roughly the size of his collar while the rest dominated in length. Though, as the first one, Zyponia chose a chest from the smaller sizes.


    A couple steps away, she didn¡¯t maneuver her arms in any way, standing still while the chest began being lifted up in the space, leisurely floating about towards the man.


    Pausing his glare, however, Lutiel looked at the snowy girl instead, precisely at her eyes. Glimmering in a specific way, they constantly followed the chest with marvel entwined within. Staring at the gems he could never know the feeling of, he promptly revived his attention around Zyponia¡¯s actions.


    The chest hovered practically in front of him, but it washed over the slave with an impassive attitude. He had already seen her move a rock around with utter ease, so he judged it couldn¡¯t have been that much different to do so with a wooden box.


    Still, his thoughts disappeared quickly as the chest finally landed on the carpet, right before his virtually glabrous legs. Lowering his head at the object with mystery contained inside, he looked at the front side¡¯s crest, where a lock situated itself, slowly beginning to open up without any external aid.


    Just like him, the other two inside the room also looked down at the chest, swiftly witnessing the insides. A round ball of cold metal, clear of imperfections, rested in a nest of dim red cushion, set in a little divot to keep it from rolling about.

 25. Experiment On The Slave

    Staring at the silverish ball able to fit whole around his palm, Lutiel didn¡¯t need to wonder for long to understand the use of it.


    ¡°Take it and throw it as hard as you can,¡± Zyponia said with a composed face, staring blankly at the man in her vision.


    ¡°I will damage the furniture, my lady,¡± he suggested, glancing up at the demon, who seemed to have found his statement amusing. A mellow smile took shape on her mouth before glancing directly at his eyes.


    The man then turned to Camilla, only to see her also veiling a smile with her hand.


    ¡°I guarantee you won¡¯t,¡± Zyponia spoke with a calm tone before it warmed up slightly. ¡°Though, if you do, you won¡¯t get in trouble.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said with a straight face before moving down to the chest in the next breath, his right hand swiftly engulfing the ball within its grasp. However, as he gripped it, Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows puckered while Camile looked ahead with silent mirth. Zyponia, on the other hand, faced the man with crinkled eyes, focusing tautly.


    The veins around his right arm bulged out as he tensed it, clenching his jaw to grip harder. With a struggle more tiresome than fighting against the twin demons, he had scooped out the ball, supporting it with both hands, though it was still trying to oppose his strength.


    ¡®What kind of metal is this?¡¯ His mind furrowed while looking at the ball in his hand, a hastened breath escaping his nose. Despite looking like a normal, tough sphere made out of iron, it stripped him completely of brawn.


    He was meant to throw it with all of his strength, but just holding it was enough to make his arms useless.


    The demonic lady finally stopped looking at him with the blaring, pink eyes, sighing faintly. Seeing as his arms practically gave out, she simply opened her mouth, only to shut it back up a moment later.


    ¡°You can just hold-¡±


    However, before she could complete the sentence, Lutiel breathed out while thrusting his upper body to complete the throw.


    With a raised eyebrow, she, along with her student, watched the man in complete silence. Leaving his grasp, the ball didn¡¯t travel for long, almost immediately falling to the ground since there was little force to begin with, but he still threw it, much to her striking astonishment.


    Though, quickly clearing her face of any reaction, a cool expression replaced it. ¡°Do it again,¡± she said while an increasing glare scoured through his body.


    ¡°... Yes, my lady,¡± he replied amidst staggering breaths, watching as the ball moved through the air towards him unlike the prior scuffle. Tensing his muscles once again, he felt the sudden increase of mass around his hands as the ball stopped flying.


    However, he wasn¡¯t able to keep it this time around. Quickly, it fell down to the ground after slipping through his palms. Yet, just before it could properly graze the carpet with its weight, something from below caught it, transporting the item to the crate from which he first took the ball.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. You still did good for your first time,¡± Zyponia said suddenly as he breathed for more air, his chest heaving up and down. Yet, hearing her finish, his arms felt a cool sensation, the strength he had spoiled to lift the ball returning instantly.


    Yet again, the man¡¯s eyebrows creased under the wondrous event. The veins that previously bulged out receded away, the muscles relaxing as warmth returned. At the same time, his breath quickly stagnated back to its normal rate.


    Before he could ponder about any of it, however, she added on. ¡°For the second one, lift it up to your stomach while squatting before returning it to the ground.¡±


    As he nodded, the first wooden case rapidly moved to the side while another one left the bed¡¯s surface, slightly bigger than the last. Landing in the same spot as before, it swiftly opened its top, revealing another metal ball to the slave with nothing but underwear and his collar.


    Roughly the size of his hand, it was much bigger compared to the previous ball, making him wonder how she even wanted him to do the exercise. Putting the thoughts away however, Lutiel quickly lowered his body, squatting before placing both of his hands on the ball.


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯ He mused, much to his surprise. The weight of the two metal balls seemed identical, despite their clear difference in size.


    Raising the ball up to his stomach, he brought it down the next moment before breathing calmly for a moment. Then, he repeated the motion under their intense gazes.


    Five times were needed before his arms and thighs weren¡¯t capable of moving anymore, dropping the ball and himself just as he was about to stand up.


    With a quickened heart and breath, he sat on the carpet, resting under the sweat that started gathering around him. Though, once again, a brisk air brushed past his skin, covering it in goosebumps as well as bringing him a fresh motion of vim back.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Standing up with utter ease, it was as though he hadn¡¯t exercised at all, except for the sweat clinging to his skin. Coming back to the intricate case, the ball moved to meet the first box while the man saw another case rustle on the bed.


    By far the longest of them four, as well as thinnest, it slowly descended down to his legs, revealing what appeared to be a staff, nothing changing in the composition of the metal.


    Of similar girth to a broom¡¯s handle, it instead made up in mass with its length, though Lutiel wasn¡¯t sure whether he should trust his common sense anymore. And, just as he had suspected, once he picked the staff under Zyponia¡¯s instructions, it felt practically the same as the other two.


    Clenching his hands against the shaft, as his master told him, he raised it up before holding the staff still for a few seconds, only letting it fall to the floor once the shoulders began to heat up.


    However, after a few moments of steady, calm breaths of the clean, unadulterated air, he lowered his body under their constant glare. They were not letting up even for a slightest brief, for reasons the man couldn¡¯t find nor explain whatsoever.


    Picking up the metal once again, his jaw strained itself as the muscles around his arms tensed tougher, raising the staff above him before stretching out his limbs and holding the weapon in place for a few seconds.


    Yet, quicker than before, the shoulders began burning intensely while his posture wobbled with uncertainty. Flowing down, the staff quickly made its way to the carpet while he needed to catch his breath anew.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that one,¡± the purple-haired demon said, moving her right arm towards the staff a few steps away. Floating in the air immediately, the staff was promptly stored inside the chest before going back to the rest of the crates.


    ¡°Now, for the last one, you have to swing it, in whatever way feels right for you,¡± she continued right after, with a tone softer than usual, and one that was directly aimed towards him.


    Turned straight at him, the demon saw as his ragged breath became easier, the used-up muscles relaxing with tremendous speed. Watching the face of her slave butler, it was clear that he had become quite perplexed, but she didn¡¯t say any more on the matter.


    Longer than the two balls yet shorter than the staff, the last chest was wider, reminiscent of a certain shape inside Lutiel¡¯s head.


    ¡®A sword? That¡¯s a shame,¡¯ he mused while following the flying chest, however, he didn¡¯t display his disappointment to the lady in the slightest.


    Still, thinking of the matter silently, the man declared forthwith. ¡®I can¡¯t just tell her I¡¯m used to the spear, so I guess I will have to use it for now. Sorry Raphael. I will have to break our promise for now.¡¯


    Falling down onto the carpet, the item inside swiftly unveiled itself to him. A long, sleek, and sharply caressed edge glistened under the light. The fine, silver blade fell down to the guard made from the same material before a black, leathery grip covered most of the hilt. The pommel, blank of anything, looked like an undistinguished, metallic shape, but he didn¡¯t care for that.


    As much as the sword didn¡¯t really interest him, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the blade. His eyes constantly glancing down at the sharp weapon, he mused it must have been the special material it was made out of.


    His hand moved forward to the hilt, slowly coming closer and closer. Yet, with a near distance, a sensation from beneath struck him, a jolt of some sort. Before the man knew it, his right hand was already in tight grasp of the weapon, his eyes opened wider than usual.


    The weight was basically the same as before, but something changed within him as he gripped the sword. Grabbing the longsword with both hands, Lutiel stood before the girls, holding it near the base of his torso and angling to the ceiling.


    Standing in a tranquil air together with the sword, the man¡¯s calm face seemed like that of an experienced warrior.


    ¡®It feels right,¡¯ he wondered while wishing for the hero¡¯s glyph to hide itself. With a swift maneuver, the sword cut along the side before arriving behind and above him, further which he didn¡¯t slow down, slashing beyond himself.


    Yet, to the surprise of the bearer, he promptly fell to his knees, the sword dropping out of his hands. A spreading, scorching warmth surfaced through his heart, paining him from within while the man clutched his chest.


    Gritting his teeth, the heart raced for a second breath while Camilla¡¯s feet moved. With a similar, yet different approach, Zyponia simply stared at the man with a steady gaze, quickly stretching out her hand before his breathing calmed along with the clenched face.


    Easing her approach, Camilla lowered her body, the chin almost hitting her knees. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked the man plainly while he glanced up at the pupil.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine now,¡± he replied, but the voice was nippily drowned out by his master.


    ¡°Ars¡¯e seor lite¡¯p zice afi zibe vil mana,¡± she said, her eyes directed at her student¡¯s snowy hairs.


    Camilla turned her head soundly, the hairs swishing against each other while she faced her teacher. ¡°Li junt vic?¡± Her mouth moved, intangible to the man sitting on the floor.


    With droopy shoulders, Lutiel¡¯s calm eyes observed as they spoke through the demonic tongue, saying things he could never understand properly. The lady¡¯s lips smacked against each other while the student¡¯s head was still turned against him, the slave unable to do anything other than stand up and wait as they finished.


    ¡°Kozs beie ges cyji?¡± Zyponia asked, her eyes discreetly following Lutiel¡¯s movement before once again settling onto Camilla.


    ¡°Arn li lare,¡± the demon with no horn murmured almost, yet her voice was clear in every direction of the room. ¡°Dho eana li ris¡¯yr glad¡¯yp, ila ars¡¯e seor li bei¡¯yr elie un dho vyrc.¡±


    ¡°Junt li rih,¡± his lady exclaimed, nodding her head slightly. ¡°Intima la e voi urpo. Ara inbie yast e rae, ila ara nayd yast kiz teug dho enea kozsiroche.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, tis vidi,¡± the student opened her mouth for a while, releasing a breath of realization. Yet, as she did, her eyebrows furrowed rapidly, glancing up at Zyponia for a second time. ¡°Inli arn lepe, tem? Dho seor cesaefr pima eana kiz bic zice.¡±


    The girl asked with intrigue written all over her face, however, the demon lord only shook her head before moving through the room, towards the doors. ¡°Tis tane plin v nazev.¡±


    Immediately, hearing her words, Camilla supported herself with hands on the knees and stood up from the place, quickly following her teacher. Though, right before the doors, the demonic duo stopped frozen.


    ¡°What are you standing there for?¡± Zyponia suddenly asked, to which he flinched silently. ¡°Get dressed up and meet us in the backyard. Bring the paper and ink from my desk as well.

 26. Rending The Dead Oaths

    Before long, he already bowed his body at a slanted angle. ¡°Yes, my lady, please excuse me,¡± he replied swiftly while the teacher-student duo turned back for the doors.


    In a matter of a few moments, he heard the wood shut itself firmly inside the frame, the man left alone in the bedroom of the mansion¡¯s lord.


    His gaze swept across the place momentarily, however, it ended plainly at that. With no risky thought in mind, Lutiel began to put the clothes back on, the shirt hugging onto his sweaty torso before being covered by the vest and his dark jacket.


    Having dressed back, he promptly followed Zyponia¡¯s order, leaving her bedroom with the items she had desired. Under a hastened, but not rushing pace, Lutiel strolled through the floors, soon reaching the double doors leading to the rear of the manor, and at the very end of his sight, through all the bushes, he finally could see the two people standing side by side.


    Walking through the well-maintained hedges on each side of the garden¡¯s multiple paths, he soon set foot on the verdant ground, trimmed to the same level on every blade across his sight.


    However, he didn¡¯t care long for the earthy ground. His eyes kept on the two girls standing near the large tree with beautifully swaying, green leaves, Lutiel walked near them a few moments later, stopping after seeing the disciple being examined by her tutor.


    Camilla had her eyes closed completely, the long, white eyelashes kept at the base as she stood under the serene air. Watching her, Zyponia also stood immobile with an impassive face, trying to gather all she could from the girl.


    Not knowing where to look exactly, the human simply retained his sight around the girl, waiting for something to happen. And fortunately, he didn¡¯t test his patience. Almost as soon as he had come by, the girl¡¯s arms moved from their stationary state. Slowly, but steadily, they advanced at the same rate, going from her hips to stomach before uniting.


    Immediately, the air around the garden faltered, making the butler take an abrupt step back. Plummeting, the wind pierced through his face, the coldness increasing each breath he had taken.


    ¡°Junt li starki,¡± Zyponia said all of a sudden, to which the normal surroundings returned, especially the wind. Calming down together with the erratic hairs, the leaves stopped wailing their worries.


    At the same time, her words made Camilla open her eyes, a blue glow dimming out around them.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯i lei arn, token¡¯o?¡± With a slightly proud, yet expectant smile, she asked the demon lord softly.


    ¡°Ges la teug¡¯yr nuent, ila arn lei nayd zibe lav,¡± Zyponia replied with a concise, clear statement, but the girl didn¡¯t get disheartened. Instead, she smiled even brighter, especially after hearing the following words. ¡°Osta gan¡¯yr.¡±


    Staring at her thrilled expression, Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to notice when the items in his grasp began to float away in the space, quickly arriving into the lady¡¯s possession and stealing his attention.


    His head turned towards Zyponia, their eyes meeting before she opened her mouth discreetly. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, a smile also resting on the soft features of her face.


    Quickly turning back to her disciple with a collected expression, she left the man to his thoughts, two images lingering internally.


    Though, as Camilla once again closed her eyes, he woke up from the internal clutter, watching magic being played out anew.


    ¡­


    Through every direction, darkness encroached in around him, threatening to devour his body, but it never could. Illuminated from the beyond, the full circle of light blue hung in the high, dark sky, releasing its lunar rays onto the man standing in the very center of his room.


    His eyes were closed while he remained still, in the diverging muddle of sweat. Droplets of identical fluid trickled down the steamy skin as he kept his arms near the hips, hanging loosely in the calm of mind.


    The nightly pants he wore, as usual, didn¡¯t retain more than a few drops before draining down the floor, but that only made him sweat even more. Still, his head was occupied on another matter.


    Already warmed up, with a fair share of practicing his kicks, the glyph around the hand glowed dimmer with each passing moment, though he didn¡¯t worry about it too much, letting it die out eventually. Eyes still closed, he didn¡¯t move a single muscle in the current state.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Lutiel simply stood in the room, as though completely engrossed in whatever played out in his head.


    Suddenly, his arms twitched, a light swiftly flowing from the cusp of his right hand¡¯s skin. The room became momentarily enlighted, describing his solemn face with crisp, purple eyes and white hairs. Quickly growing dull, the light only remained sprawled through his mark, just one streak lit up.


    Grabbing hold of the air in front of him with both of his hands, he quickly reminded himself of the earlier jolt he experienced. Everything it had combined, along with the sharp, radiating pain that spread through immediately after he swung.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± a muttered groan escaped his lips, before he could even pretend to slash with an imaginary sword. With a persistent approach however, he moved regardless, repeating actions of the close past.


    He moved his arms upwards, guiding them as if the blade was there, however, getting at the very top, his right hand pulsed visibly, convulsing and shaking to the point of breaking his rhythm. Immediately, his form had broken apart while the arms fell back down to their previous spot.


    Shaking, he rubbed himself against the chest. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Asking with a gradually creasing forehead, his eyes eventually led him to the hero¡¯s mark.


    Glancing at the once again fueled glyph, it seemed even brighter than before, staying for longer before dissipating. Still, being the only clue he had for the scorching pain he received each time, he stared at it for a while before once again moving to grasp the air.


    However, for yet another time, before he could fully execute the motion, the wall of torment hit and dragged him back down to the previous position.


    He moved his feet under the grimacing clamor of his teeth, the jaw clenching further while the right hand shook uncontrollably. ¡°Arrrggghhhh,¡± his raised voice spread along the drenched panels, hitting them as he fell to the floor and splashed against the sweat.


    Quickly grasping onto the right forearm with his other arm, Lutiel sprawled out along the floor, wriggling about incandescently. Unable to close his eyes, the slave started grumbling through gritted teeth.


    Lying there, he could do nothing but wait, the pain receding along with the light coming off the hero¡¯s glyph. His breathing, ragged, also calmed itself before he finally stood up from the floor, his eyes constantly on the stream of agony.


    ¡®You¡¯re not telling me what¡¯s right or wrong, but pain me instead?¡¯ He mused with irk after glancing up at the gleams of moonlight pouring it. Before coming to a clear conclusion however, he needed to make sure.


    Taking the same stance as a few hours prior, immediately, the hand started to sting while his heart heated up. Stopping at the same time, Lutiel¡¯s vision lowered itself, looking at the grueling glyph.


    ¡®It must be a form of punishment for getting it wrong. But why didn¡¯t it hurt when I failed the kicks, then?¡¯ He pondered, closely taking in the one line of glowing blue light. ¡®Was it because more streaks were powered?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t help but categorize the thoughts as correct. When there were only two of them enlightened, it didn¡¯t hurt at all, he even received ideas in his head on how to better himself. Simultaneously, it seemed that the more light his glyph released, the worse he did.


    Unlike two or three of them, just one stroke made his whole room light up in a jarring manner, almost to the point of momentarily blinding him.


    Sighing with a deep breath as he stood there with crude thoughts plaguing his mind, the man just couldn¡¯t come through to a limpid solution. Clouded all the way, his vision turned hazy, making the glyph take on a blurry look.


    ¡®I can¡¯t ask Zyponia for a book with proper instructions, can I?¡¯ He mused, the matter gnawing away at his insides. Staring out absentmindedly, Lutiel¡¯s mind hesitated. Yet, just as he was about to give up, his eyes flinched before quickly returning to reality.


    Barely a breath had passed and his face soured, the eyes sinking slightly in guilt. Looking down at the floor, he promptly recalled what was stored in his depths.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Raphael, but I have to,¡¯ the man said to himself inwardly, before standing still for a few seconds. With closed eyes, Lutiel started moving differently, under the guide he had reminisced about through the memories.


    The right foot stepped forward while the left stood back, both firmly set on the floor. His back erect in a perfectly straight line, the arms finally started moving, his forearms tensing considerably while gripping the imaginary sword.


    Nonetheless, he still couldn''t get it right from the get go. Imagining how the hero of the sword had done in the past hadn¡¯t made him grasp the sword¡¯s identity, but clenching his stomach, Lutiel endured the pain.


    Considerably lower compared to the previous iterations, his right hand receded with the shaking. With a swift, yet dainty wave of flesh, he performed the slash, only to stop midway through. His face contorted while twisting sorely, Lutiel¡¯s arms dropped down.


    Once again, beneath his staggered breath, he stopped any actions. Undisturbed by the glowing hand, he recalled what lay in the past before moving his feet. Yet, as the movement was anything but painless, the man halted himself, starting from the beginning.


    His feet scraped along the wooden panels, which no longer puddled his sweat. Countless times had passed while the glyph radiated vehemently, the skies changing briskly under his repeated attempts.


    However, when his body seemed no longer capable of cooling on its own, the light coming from the hero¡¯s mark had allayed substantially. Although only in placing his feet correctly, Lutiel had succeeded. Beaten up from inside, they wobbled as he took steps towards the bed, dropping down onto it without a care in the world.


    ¡­

 27. Peculiar Old Man

    ¡°Ninety bronze dracara,¡± a brutish tongue cut tersely through the ruckus making up the street. Similar to those around him, the man stood behind his table, one filled with vivid vegetables and fruit while a flock of demons came to buy. Well, rather, intended to buy before going away.


    Usually, just like all the vendors he was with, he would be shouting to gather round customers, however, a vicious fruit fell from the heavens right to his shop. One he had heard about and wished he wouldn¡¯t come over any time soon. A few heads taller and a full body wider, the brown-skinned demon crossed his arms after delivering the price towards the frail-looking, collared human carrying a basket containing packaged meat as well as vegetables from his stand.


    Inflating his chest high up, he released a deep sigh after seeing him rummage through his pockets, being the only person near his stall. With a quick glance to each side and beyond the slave, looking at the plethora of demons buying from other demonic merchants, he could only burrow the frustrations deep inside him and accept the fates.


    ¡°Ber, huh,¡± he muttered under his nose while seeing the single, small coin Lutiel brought out from the jacket. Handing it over, the smooth palm around his furred fingers caught it before bringing the coin closer to shine inside the seller¡¯s eye.


    Looking down beneath his stand¡¯s table, he appeared to glance at something, or at least pretend to, as Lutiel saw it. ¡°I don¡¯t have any change to give you,¡± he said with a blank face while the human stared at him with a straight one.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked while the merchant¡¯s shamelessness perked up.


    ¡°What? Are you deaf? I don¡¯t have any change. Maybe I would if you hadn¡¯t come, but as you can see, there¡¯s a shortage of customers today,¡± biting back immediately at the slight remark, he glared at the human like a ferocious animal.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lutiel accepted the man¡¯s retaliation, immediately making him raise his voice as his hand neared the red onions.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked with a terribly agitated tone.


    ¡°Getting a few more onions.¡±


    ¡°Listen here, you little trash. That won¡¯t work for me. You already paid for the previous ingredients, so don¡¯t try to add up the price unless you want to pay again,¡± he said, quickly grasping onto the human¡¯s arm while leaning over the vegetables.


    Letting his hand off, Lutiel stared at the steam coming off of the man¡¯s mouth while he spoke. Standing there for a few moments, he simply let go of the matter before moving away.


    Not daring to glance back, his vision became a field of bodies. Standing on both sides, as well as walking in the middle, demons conferred with each other next to stalls, some merchants loudly exclaiming to lure in potential vendees.


    However, having filled his basket full, he did nothing but look ahead of himself, his eyes focused on the black carriage drawn by two stallions, one white and the other brown respectively.


    Unruffled against the gazes he received, Lutiel kept his ears shut from any words they muttered, hurled in a language he didn¡¯t understand anyway. Though, much to his surprise, not nearly as many of them were courageous enough to speak to him anymore.


    Having cleared off a large portion of the distance from the carriage, more than halfway, practically no stands appeared around him anymore, only demons that walked along the pavement just like him. Yet, he stopped in the middle of his steps, gradually coming to a halt.


    ¡°Young man,¡± a voice spoke to him, from a point he couldn¡¯t deduct.


    ¡®?¡¯ He doubted himself inwardly, quickly turning back to check around him. Some demon barely evaded bumping into him from the sudden stop, an irked expression appearing on her face. Still, she left before he could even excuse her, shaking her head and clicking the tongue.


    Regardless of the demonic lady, he stared at the dirty walkway, gray stones pruning away their fresh look with black dust entwined between the gaps.


    ¡°Young man, over here,¡± the same voice repeated itself, this time Lutiel looking directly at the source. Furrowing his brows, he stared at the black cocoon of cloth spiraling against somebody, the face beneath shadowed by the hood.


    ¡®Did I see him there before?¡¯ A thought permeated throughout his mind, but he couldn¡¯t answer it truly, having been focused on the carriage in the distance.


    Walking closer to the curled up man sitting next to a building¡¯s facade, Lutiel stopped only a step or so away from him, promptly seeing the grinning face of an old man through the shadowy veil.


    ¡°Care to spare some fruit for an old man? He asked faintly, yet the hoarse voice resounded clearly around his ears.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Staring at the boy for a while, his complexion remained still before crumbling completely. From the grin, it transformed into a considerate ponder, ending with a raised eyebrow on either side.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°So you ask, yet the one unable to utter the truth is yourself,¡± he said slowly, revealing a pale, withered hand from beneath the cloak, pointing at the human with his sinking, wrinkly nail. Immediately, as Lutiel glanced down at his chest, where the man pointed his finger, he squinted his eyes tightly.


    But, while the question tumbled inside his head, the man led him astray suddenly, a stroke of laughter bellowing in the streets and catching the attention of passerby demons, only to quicken their leave. ¡°I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking.¡± He added quickly, still giggling at the gullible slave.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an old man on the verge of his days, nothing more, nothing less. You don¡¯t have to care about me, but if you have it in you, how about you give me some of that overpriced fruit?¡± He asked, his lime eyes staring deeply at Lutiel, who kept glancing to and fro at his basket and the old man.


    ¡°Ahh, I know a pure soul when I see one,¡± the man uttered, glancing at the pale hand reaching towards one of the large apples beaming with bright yellow shades. At the same time as it fell towards the crinkly hands, the oldie instantly moved his hands inside the dark fabric, the fruit disappearing from the wafts of wind.


    ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± He exclaimed frantically, indignant at the man beginning to return for the carriage.


    ¡°What?¡± Perplexed, Lutiel voiced out as his body didn¡¯t listen, looking back with a forced manner. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you empty-handed, can I?¡± The man from the ground stood up, yet the height only differed vaguely. Clearer than ever, Lutiel stared at his grayish-pale face, wrinkled in every aspect. ¡°Hold onto this.¡±


    Catching his right arm with both of his, the old man quickly moved his hand towards the palm of the human, tightening it hardly after hiding something inside.


    Lutiel¡¯s widened eyes swiftly traveled down at his hand, having been released from the man¡¯s grasp. Opening the palm, he briskly saw what lay there. An object clear of anything, to be precise. A handful of air dissipated into the unknown, mixing in with the winds while the man stared back at the twisted cloth.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothi-,¡± he tried to say, but the figure had already disappeared from the place, leaving behind no vestige, as though he simply dreamed of the encounter.


    Looking all around, all he could find were demons staring at him with an eerie attitude. At the same time, staring at the basket, the apples returned to their original number before he gave one away.


    ¡®Wha? Huh?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t think of it, at least properly. Leaving a quarrel inside his head, he tried hard to envision the old man¡¯s face, only for it to disappear the moment he remembered.


    However long it took him, no attempt came fruitful. ¡®I should just get back already. I still have to get the coal,¡¯ He mused, finally turning towards the carriage he could barely see through the ongoing heads around the pavement.


    Though, as he walked along the path where the vehicle stood, Lutiel¡¯s mind constantly played ploys with him. The encounter was simply too weird for him to immediately forget it. ¡®Is he another one of those robbers?¡¯


    Quickly, he checked for his jacket, trying to find the seemingly unimportant coin they all reached for. And, taking his right hand out, there it was in its entirety as the man remembered. ¡®But, what if he did something to me with some magic? I have to be more vigilant from now on.¡¯


    Tossing it back to the pocket, he was already finished walking, opening the doors while the horses sang at his approach, alerting the coachman. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± he said, only receiving a meek nod of the head as Rovier raised himself up from the little nap.


    Before he even knew it, the surroundings began to change as they went into the main road. As per usual, he saw familiar sights, on different streets. Dragging the clanging chains through the shoulders and backs, slaves pulled on their masters through the muddied roads.


    Moving bricks, beams, and boulders, tens of slaves were at work, either constructing or delivering more materials for construction, a rare few moving through the alleys with sacked ingredients.


    Staring at the scenes with a straight face, he kept to himself for a few moments, letting the scenery pass by without glaring at it so much.


    Travelling down the different streets and avenues, because they focused on the outskirts of the city, it was more of the same, only varying in frequency and the looks of the buildings, some more derelict than others.


    After a long while, going through more and more crude parts, they had finally gone out of the gates, nearing the shore Lutiel had previously seen from the top of the higher parts of the city. He stared at the lack of demons moving about, only for a vaguely familiar noise to drill in his ears. The clanging of metal against a hard material resounded in the place, covered solely by the loose, gray skies.


    The carriage halted completely, with nothing moving in the nearest background beyond the windows inside. Neighs filled up the space after their gradual descent, quickly calming down under a certain man¡¯s hand.


    Promptly leaving everything inside on the seats, the man opened the doors with nothing in his arms. His hairs swaying on first contact, the wind grazed past his stature, but the clothes he wore made nearly all bearable.


    Walking off the mud road that gave no more ways to travel, near the cobble wall of foundations extending to the height where the carriage stood, he walked down the damp grass of the coast. In the purple eyes, ignoring the city¡¯s base that went all the way towards the sea and beyond, a large expanse reflected itself.


    Although incomparable to the city¡¯s port made from stone, glancing at the concoction of wood and lighter boulders, it was a sizable object nonetheless. In the far front, he could see a flock of smaller ships resting by on the calm waters. However, not all were doing so. Even further out, a ship larger than others floated on the waters, though not too far away from the docks.


    Bit by bit, his legs moved through the dirt, eventually arriving near the coarse sands of the shore. At the same time, it was the place he needed to get to from the beginning.


    Sparsely situated all around, large, black boulders with a bluish tint to them buried themselves inside the bleak sand intertwined with black fragments all around the shore, ones similar to the mountainous pile next the coastline on the left.


    Lay flat on the ground, they were nearly as long as half of a small ship, but what Lutiel caught most out of the sight was by far those that chipped away at them.


    Wielding rough, worn-out pickaxes, five human slaves stood around one side of the boulder, all connected by individual chains going towards a high, wooden pole behind them. Wearing clothes familiar to him, as he recalled his fight against his namesake, Lutiel watched as they shivered in the wind.

 28. Dissecting The Demons

    Their enfeebled bodies couldn¡¯t really hold up the pickaxe anymore, arms shaking as they drew it high up before smashing at the rock, only for mediocre pieces to come out in response.


    However, no matter if their bodies broke in the process, they kept on plowing through their own flesh, getting rid of the huge block of black rock in front of them, in minute bits at a time.


    Regardless, there were bound to be mishaps in their disposition. One of them started to fall, free of strength and with barely no break in between, he started screaming.


    ¡°ARGHHHH!¡± One of the slaves wriggled along the tainted sand, grasping onto his back, where the hemp shirt was ripped to shreds.


    ¡°Ges! Teug vte kiz vyrc!¡± Standing behind them, near the boulder, the demon possessed a long, bendy strip of leather in his hands, promptly shouting at the human with a stern look.


    Although he tried to heed his words, wobbling about, his arms gave up in the middle of the action, falling face first onto the rough sand before some of it got into his mouth, screaming yet again.


    ¡°What the hell are you looking at?!¡± The demon shouted all of a sudden, turning to his left and facing the white-haired human a few steps away from him. Glaring at him with his square face, the demon quickly eased his ferocious eyebrows after seeing the coin in his possession.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to buy coal for Lady Zyponia. Where is your boss?¡± Lutiel asked, making the man shake immediately, stuttering for a reason he couldn¡¯t explain.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s not here today. Please excuse the lady on our behalf. W-we were the ones responsible for providing that batch,¡± he said quickly, lowering his head to a point where the human couldn¡¯t see his eyes.


    ¡°Alright, I will go look in the docks,¡± he said, only for the demon¡¯s head to shoot back up, shaking his head vigorously.


    ¡°I told you he¡¯s not here already. You¡¯re only wasting your time,¡± adding quickly, the demon threw away his whip onto the sand, conveying his rash thoughts with arms.


    Looking to his side, in the middle of turning around, Lutiel stopped before opening his mouth. ¡°I know he¡¯s here. Lord Zyponia has already informed me,¡± he said with blank eyes, only for the demon to clutch himself by the head, pulling onto the loose hairs.


    Before he could say anything, the human had already shown him his straight back, heading to where the ships lay casually.


    Left behind in the sand, the demon didn¡¯t take the whip back for a while, his eyes focused on the white-haired slave of the demon lord. However, as the sounds around him eventually eased up, he decisively turned back to the humans, returning with a rapacious gaze harsher than ever.


    Meanwhile, when the slaves tried to gain back their previous potency, Lutiel watched the small, wooden hut furthermost left along the platform catering most of the shore. Walking amongst tens of boulders similar to the first one, he attracted a lot of attention, especially from the demonic bunch.


    And, as he walked through, as if to antagonize him, he saw and heard the slaves¡¯ agonal wails and bellowing. With the sound breaking apart at the tip of their weapons, so did the flesh around the slaves¡¯ backs, only adding to the plethora of scares entwined within their bodies. Tainting their skin crimson, sand got all over the wounds as they writhed against the ground.


    Quickly, the man clenched his jaw before angling his head straight ahead of him, gazing at the skies that could break loose any given moment. Unfortunately, even with the glyph, he wasn¡¯t able to do anything here, not with the herd of a hundred and more demons loitering about.


    Refraining from any hasty thoughts of his body, Lutiel kept on walking towards the platform where the docks and ships were connected. Tens of breaths had flowed through and back as he finally stepped onto the short stairs, gradually ascending towards the flat platform.


    Yet, just as he was about to advance towards the hut of the coal merchant, his steps lessened their nippy cadence. In the open gaps between the ships, he watched, stopping suddenly for whatever reason. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ He asked himself, but the answer never came. Instead, an image of a large ship moving at a snail¡¯s pace reverberated inside his eyes.


    Nonetheless, he simply rolled his gaze to the side, once again focused on the task at hand.


    Out of nowhere, the man¡¯s body moved to the side, holding onto the platform¡¯s railings while covering his ears with one arm, once again already turned towards the steady sea. Before he even knew it, his confused sight turned into terror when a cloud of white waves raised itself, towering over the ship¡¯s height in a facile manner.


    At the same time, undulations spread through the surface of the water rapidly, pushing towards the shore in a threatening manner. Tightening his grasp around the ears turned futile, the sounds ringing dastardly through his head.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Attacking the sands and the beams holding up the platform, higher than usual waves flowed and went away in concise succession.


    Staring at the cloud of water slowly descending, Lutiel¡¯s obtuse eyes shook clouded, his mouth agape as there was not really any idea in his head. ¡®What sort of scale was that explosion?¡¯ He wondered, glancing back and forth at the slaves travailing through the coals and the ship wobbling along the waters, his eyes couldn¡¯t believe their lack of concern about the matter.


    Even though the ship was almost destroyed by the sudden attack, they continued doing their task, as if nothing ever happened.


    ¡®Did the revolutionaries attack the coal port?¡¯ An immediate thought flashed inside his mind, but straining his eyes to take a better look at the demons, the composed looks on their faces gave him a different insight.


    Right as his head tinkered with reality, Lutiel turned towards the ever reaching ocean yet again. Although in the far distance it looked feeble, compared to the ship itself, he witnessed a sizable chunk of black rock wriggling outside of the waters before silently making its way onto the ship, flying through the air.


    One by one, each chunk needed a hefty portion of time to be deployed around the ship, but regardless, he could immediately tell all of this was planned by the demons that must have been onboard, along with the man stationed in his hut.


    As much as he wanted to stay there and see the magic be used for such feats, he shook his head slightly before motioning towards the hut. Within a few steps, he already appeared next to the worn door, opening them without a care for knocking.


    Immediately, a new sight unraveled before him. Standing next to the window beyond the desk, the man¡¯s rotund back faced Lutiel, undisturbed by the squeaky open.


    Sweeping across the office with his vision quickly, other than the table filled with papers, there wasn¡¯t much to the room except for a small dresser on the right and the desk. And, right as he ended looking throughout, the man¡¯s voice spread around the area.


    ¡°So you were Zyponia¡¯s slave? You could have told me. The healing cost quite a bit,¡± he said through a thickened voice, the sound of his cigar burning away at the tip intensifying while the man inhaled harshly.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything for me to reveal it,¡± the slave spoke calmly, making the other party release a pall of gray smoke from his mouth, eventually turning around before glaring at him with his deeply red eyes.


    A hint of irritation spread amidst the black scales dotted around his face before he once again opened his lips, talking with the cigar still inside it.


    ¡°You took advantage of my hospitality,¡± he spoke, furrowing his eyebrows at the indifferent looks he received. ¡°I welcomed you, yet you send that bitch after me? My right arm couldn¡¯t function for a few days after.¡±


    However, Lutiel had no reaction to his shallow words. ¡°You were the one to sell me the coal powder,-¡±


    ¡°It was just fine, you picky bastards! Ah,¡± the merchant interrupted, quickly becoming aware of his own words at the end. ¡°Eh-ehem! What I meant is the coal was perfectly usable. Besides, I had no idea what was inside. If the lord wanted to complain, she should have sent Raeyine after the coal men.¡±


    ¡°It should have lasted for a month, but it¡¯s depleted after a week,¡± Lutiel spoke with a cool face, stating whatever he had heard from the maid. ¡°Also, there were chunks of sand mixed in at the bottom of the crates.¡±


    Finally, the man¡¯s face caved in with rage, glaring hatefully at the human head shorter than him. ¡°Fine! I used you for money! Is that what you wanted to hear?¡±


    Shaking his head, he further fueled the fury of the demon, but he showed it only around his head and arms, clenching the fists.


    ¡°My lady wants the best quality of crates for their usual price, unlike last week,¡± Lutiel stated, making the man puff out the smoke in anger yet again. Quickly, he stepped towards the human.


    ¡°Two silvers per box, follow me,¡± moaning below his nose, the squeaky wood had been flung open again.


    ¡­


    Through the sparse skies, the sun took in hefty peeks, rummaging through his room whole and permeating about. Two figures remained in the place, one maid with black hair and a butler.


    Sat on the bed calmly, he stared at the very one in front of him, standing next to the wall between the door and the window. With her usual attire and hairstyle, Raeyine stared at him diligently, pointing towards the pale wall behind her with a random stick in her hand.


    Scraping against the plaster, she unveiled the bricks lay within the walls while drawing shapes into it. Quickly, a plain face with meek details showed itself, but she didn¡¯t focus on that. Heading up on top of the head¡¯s outline, she stopped the stick¡¯s motion.


    ¡°What have you noticed about demons?¡± She asked suddenly, quickly locking her eyes with him. Yet, as his mouth flinched, her voice drowned the man¡¯s ears. ¡°I don¡¯t mean their attitude towards slaves like you. Something specific to them.¡±


    Shutting the lips tight at the words, Lutiel¡¯s eyes lingered down for a second before springing right back up at her. ¡°You have horns,¡± he spoke in a collected tone, immediately receiving a brisk nod.


    ¡°Yes, and what have you learned about them so far?¡± She asked once again, a ponder of silence permeating through the room thereafter.


    ¡°There are many demons with one horn, but most of you are without one. And, I have only seen two of them on Lady Zyponia¡¯s head,¡± he said before her spry nods embraced his sight.


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she hummed in confirmation, swiftly moving her lissome wrist and digging through the pale gypsum. Right atop the simple head, a single, curved horn settled itself. ¡°As you may have noticed, that sort of thing comes with another idea. A status of sorts, I could add.¡±


    ¡°Just as those with a single horn are treated with a greater regard than the hornless, the same goes for demons with two horns,¡± she continued, letting the man indulge in her words. Still, before she could add, he tinkered with her speech.


    ¡°Like Magon,¡± he uttered, slightly distracting her line of thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. As a matter of fact, all of the demon lords have a pair of horns. But like I was saying, the ones with two horns are incomparably more regarded and respected compared to both single and non-horned demons.¡±

 29. Lady Zyponia 1

    Ending her words, he fell silent, with slightly lowered eyesight. Wondering about the matter however, he asked swiftly.


    ¡°Are they demon lords because they all have two horns?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah, no, not really,¡± she blurted out titteringly while shaking her head and building on. ¡°They still have to possess other qualities, but I won¡¯t bore you with that. I just wanted you to understand what the ball may hold.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Most of the guests will have a horn on their heads, so it¡¯s important for you to know how to interact with them, even if they already know you¡¯re handicapped.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Lutiel spoke with a calm tone, however, his eyes didn¡¯t hover around hers. ¡°Can I somehow offend them if I use my body inappropriately?¡±


    At his words, Raeyine smiled, confirming a breath later. ¡°Just like humans, demons have their way about awaiting respect when their status is higher. You have gotten good at hiding your disgruntled expression already, so never forget yourself. If a hornless, not to mention crippled, slave were to offend some high-standing guest, I believe even your connection to the lady might not do you so well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all, yes?¡± The man asked, nodding his head vaguely after seeing her shake away at the question. However, the more her tongue rolled, the further his eyebrows creased.


    ¡°It¡¯s very complicated, you see. Even just standing next to some demons can leave them agitated, and on the other hand, some can get annoyed if you don¡¯t follow their gestures. But, the worst thing you can do is speak for whatever reason.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    Raeyine sighed faintly while crossing her arms. ¡°Because they will be able to tell you apart from the demon kind.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He asked, curiosity along with puzzlement entwined within his eyes, despite already answering inside his head. ¡®Magic.¡¯


    ¡°Magic,¡± their voices overlapped, even if he spoke inwardly. ¡°It¡¯s just something very apparent in those who aren¡¯t able to use it. If you are found out to be human, it will deeply affect your life for the worse, as well as all of the servants living here, even Lady Zyponia.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but can¡¯t Lady just force me to shut my mouth through the brand?¡±


    Suddenly, something lit up inside Raeyine¡¯s eyes as she pointed at him with the stick. ¡°I forgot about that option, but she probably already had that in her mind.¡±


    While the head maid looked at him somewhat impressed, he instead glanced at the face of a demon ingrained in the wall. Of course, noticing the gaze, she also looked behind.


    ¡°What else are you thinking of? I will try to do my best and answer,¡± she said with a meek beam around her mouth.


    ¡°What if I end up offending a demon anyway?¡± With a solemn face, he asked, only for a murky silence to settle across the room, the face of the maid waning away into blankness.


    ¡°You will have to be prepared to die,¡± she said with cold eyes staring deeply into him. Not breaking their locked gaze, she added on. ¡°You will be fighting against one of their slaves to death, with a weapon of your choosing.¡±


    ¡°And If I win?¡± Although he asked, his face soured slightly, the maid unable not to catch it.


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t worry. If you kill the slave, you can go back to your own master and the demon can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    With steady eyes, he listened to the girl, only one thought permeating in his head.


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t the demons just talk it out?¡±


    ¡°It stems from an old tradition. You can¡¯t just kill off someone¡¯s possession, so you request for the battle of the slaves instead with a good reason, and it is shamed upon not to accept it. But, don¡¯t think about it too hard. You won¡¯t get targeted by some boor that wants drama in such a place.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we talked about the guests enough for today. Let¡¯s move on to something else instead,¡± she quickly added, soon turning towards the wall behind.


    Nodding his head lightly, silence once again began soothing his ears, only interrupted by the pieces of the wall falling off to the floor. Looking at something new being engraved in the wall, the man focused on it intently.


    ¡­


    Standing close to the finely carved window frames, Lutiel looked beyond the clear pane, only to witness himself under the befallen sun. Glancing at the same, still image for a few breathless moments, he saw no other soul than the white-haired himself roaming about the bedroom.


    Once again, she had invited him over, for reasons he had yet to hear. Nonetheless, sooner rather than later, Lutiel turned around when the doors of the room started to give way. With a steady, dainty gait, Zyponia¡¯s dress flowed to fit her movement.


    Matching in with her rightful shades, the gown didn¡¯t extend far beyond the outline of her legs. Glancing ahead at the already stood man, her pink eyes stiffened up, the body following once she reached the room¡¯s center.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the wait. I would have been here quicker if Raeyine hadn¡¯t distracted me,¡± she apologized, slightly shaking the man off. But, with a still face, he remained clear of showing any surprise. Clearing his head, Lutiel hid his arms behind his back, ready for her orders with an erect posture.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my lady. I didn¡¯t wait long,¡± he said lightly, lowering his head ever so vaguely before moving back immediately, some intangible strength compelling him.


    ¡°There is no need for you to bow down,¡± she said with a mellow crease on her mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing your work diligently ever since you got here. Compared to some of the girls, your workflow isn¡¯t fading, so stop doubting your position so much.¡±


    Flinching down and back to their place, his eyebrows wriggled at the words, his breath staggering for a faint piece of time. ¡°I will make sure to remember, my lady,¡± with an increasingly quieter tone, he voiced out.


    Staring with a secretive gaze at his reactions, her lips wanted to spread further, but Zyponia contained the giggle. ¡°Good, let¡¯s start our session, then,¡± she said, beginning to position herself around the middle of the carpet.


    ¡°What should I do, my lady?¡± Lutiel¡¯s voice surfaced along her ears, to which she had already stopped moving, nesting herself while sitting on the floor.


    ¡°Do you know how to write?¡± She asked all of a sudden, glancing up at him.


    ¡°I can, I think,¡± he replied half-assuredly, both because of his own doubts, as well as for his supposed memory loss.


    ¡°Try it. There is a pen and paper on my desk,¡± she said, already beginning to close her eyes while crossing her legs. Placing the hands on her thighs, the demon lord eased the breath, letting Lutiel go about without no supervision. However, after a few long breaths left her lungs, she opened her mouth anew. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I can,¡± with a curt reply, the man started moving back to the lady, having written down three random, but moderately difficult words. ¡°What should I do, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Alright. All you have to do is watch me and write down whenever you notice me losing focus. I¡¯m supposed to stay still, so catch any movement and pour it onto the page.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but what about the time a move has happened, my lady?¡± He asked, to which she hesitated with a somewhat perplexed expression, only shaking the head faintly in the end.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± she said before the man nodded. ¡°Also, don¡¯t stand too close. Now, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    As her words befell upon his ears, the air around the room changed in a spry motion. His hairs moved all of a sudden, swaying along ever so slightly. At the same time, her own hairs started to lift up before going down in an undulating manner. Finally, they fell clearly, flowing down her face and stopping there for the reminder of the time.


    Needing a second breath for his staggered heart, he still kept up the duty, glancing closely at her full body and taking in all that happened around it.


    With a rhythmic respire, Zyponia didn¡¯t budge in the slightest, keeping her body in the same position, in an eerily perfect way. However, his left hand firmly holding the paper while his right held the pen, Lutiel seemed to have lost his ability to blink.


    He as well, not moving from the place, started to soon move his arm when a muscle around her right index finger twitched. The sound of ink being placed upon the paper lingered in the air, though that seemed to be the least of Zyponia¡¯s concerns.


    With a keen eye, he noticed a flinching crease along her brows, promptly writing it down as well. And, a few moments later, her special breathing broke apart slightly, Lutiel¡¯s hand moving without looking at the pale paper.


    ¡®This takes me back,¡¯ he mused suddenly, constantly keeping his eyes at the girl. Yet, he himself didn¡¯t heed the vaguest smile curving on his face. As mundane as the task seemed, remembering memories of the past made it even more enjoyable.


    Nonetheless, breaking the thoughts apart quickly, he focused back on the demon lord. However, no longer standing frozen in place, he began moving.


    Getting closer to the lady ever so slightly, he sat down near her in a similar position while gazing right at her. And, in doing so, her eyelids peeked out to see the commotion.


    Enlarging somewhat as she looked at his enthralled expression, Zyponia quickly closed them back after seeing his right hand moving through the page. She kept to herself as the wind began flowing even harsher than before.


    Her hairs once again moving up and falling down into place, staying there, she resumed her rapt image for the second time, all recorded by the purple eyes.


    Countless breaths flowed under the unchanging skies, all while Lutiel¡¯s assiduousness showed on the page as tens of scribbles appeared onto it, going further once turned around. Gradually, the demon lord¡¯s session started to come to an end.


    Already half-way through, beads of sweat trickled down her face, continuing in a repeated manner before spreading over to most of her body. Dampened by it, the blue dress glistened as it clung onto her back and torso, as well as at the base of her long, purple hairs.


    With a somewhat ragged breath, she let out a heavy sigh at the very end before breathing even faster, inhaling more air than ever.


    At that time, Lutiel finally stopped moving his pen. Standing up from the carpet, he promptly came over to his master, lending her his dominant arm. ¡°Here, my lady,¡± he said, making the lord quickly glance up from the absent stare directed at him.


    ¡°Thank you, ah!¡± She uttered a mild yelp from the sudden force Lutiel pulled her with. Raising her eyebrow, her legs wobbled slightly as she stood next to her butler, who swiftly supported the demon lord weakened by the long period of not doing anything.


    A few moments had passed as she stood while grabbing onto him before finally regaining proper strength. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, you can let go,¡± she said, walking off on her own as the slave stepped away.


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    She moved steadily towards her wardrobe, as wide as one wall of Lutiel¡¯s room. Quickly opening one of the four doors inside, Zyponia took what appeared to be a pink dress, however, with sleeves eased off compared to the one she wore.


    ¡®Skimpy,¡¯ he thought discreetly and momentarily, especially after taking a better glance at the almost limpid material of the nightgown. However, just as quickly as it appeared, it meddled into confusion and disorientation.


    ¡°Raeyine, chod nud kiz tis¡¯e piko,¡± she spoke into thin air, yet directed it towards the head maid. With furrowed brows, Lutiel heard her confer with seemingly nobody.


    ¡°Kozs bie ges mae?¡± She asked, but the answer didn¡¯t appear to suffice the demon. ¡°Kozs¡¯i digle tane arn taca?¡±


    ¡°Junt li elie, Tis li rihelie,¡± she said calmly before releasing a sudden sigh of exasperation, lowering her head down faintly. Yet, as though something came into her head, she briskly turned around towards the male servant standing there while clueless of the words spoken moments prior.

 30. Lady Zyponia 2

    Pondering while fixed onto his pale face and bewildered eyes, she remained deaf for a brief period before eventually opening her mouth. ¡°Come with me, Lutiel.¡±


    His perturbed eyes followed her movement swiftly, watching as Zyponia came closer to him. However, before she did anything to his body, she simply went past him, leaving the attire on the bed. Only then did she repeat herself.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Immediately, she turned away from him before her usual, calm steps resumed. Glancing at her sweaty back fleetingly, Lutiel saw her getting closer to the doors, standing near the middle of the room as if he was frozen.


    Before she could open them, however, she stopped, slowly returning his gaze. ¡°Are you going?¡± She asked with clear intent, and he replied duly.


    ¡°Yes, my lady, please excuse me,¡± he said, quickly taking steps under the chime of the doors being opened. Leaving only once he had cleared up some distance, Zyponia¡¯s leisurely walk played in the corridor of the top floor reserved only for the lady of the house.


    Passing by the few, but grand doors placed along the sparsely lit path, Lutiel saw as they had surpassed the room Zyponia usually used for research together with him. ¡®Where are we going?¡¯ He mused inwardly, not letting it out by any means.


    Yet, as they finally neared the very last door of the luxurious hallway stretching far and wide, he squinted his eyes. Although they were just as pleasant to look at and ostentatious as the other ones, the paleness of it reminded him of a certain one down at the ground floor.


    She quickly opened the door, making the sultry airs inside waft towards their faces immediately while a murky visioned place with soft and dim lights unveiled itself before the duo.


    ¡®Why did she want me here?¡¯ His thoughts meandered all around the place, circling about as the eyes couldn¡¯t really believe what had been in front.


    Still, looking at and repeating his master¡¯s actions, his bare feet placed themselves firmly along the glossy tiles, right after taking off his shoes and socks.


    In the very center, made from a gingerly metal that glistened every image out through its surface, stood a bath already filled to the top. Set firmly along the edges of the tub, a layer of foam lay meekly on the water¡¯s surface while meeting with the air.


    His thoughts unable to properly judge the scene, the eyes widened after hearing a rustle of clothing. Pointing her back to him, two steps away from the bath, the dress of Zyponia began to slip down her shoulders, revealing sights he could only deem as forbidden for a slave like him.


    Folding over against her bottom, bare skin promptly revealed itself. Gleaming under the light, its smooth gloss went all throughout. Her sleek arms calmly rested on the sides, but the man¡¯s eyes focused onto the middle of her back. The purple hair protected most of it, but he could still see the pronounced, yet not overly showing features.


    However, before his head could clear up, the dress fell all the way down to the bath¡¯s tiles. And, as he glared at her fully nude buttocks, they moved promptly. The demon lord stepped over the edge, quickly sitting down inside the bathtub. Spilling over against the edges jauntily, the steamy waters only settled down a bit afterwards.


    Falling down on the tiles and sprawling out, the warm fluid traveled quickly, however, before it could get to the dress, the fabric was lifted up in the air, by none other than the prior wearer. Hovering over to the closed doors where the water wasn¡¯t able to flow, the dress fell under the still bewildered look of Lutiel.


    The head of the demon lord turned to him before their gaze locked for a few silent moments.


    ¡°Wash me,¡± she blurted out blankly, with apparent indifference scattered across her face. Nonetheless, starstruck, the man didn¡¯t utter a single word, simply opening his mouth agape for a while.


    ¡®What?¡¯ The thought thundered across his mind, but the increasing glare coming off his lady started to almost pierce through him. So, clenching his approach, Lutiel spoke up.


    ¡°Of course, my lady.¡±


    As the sentence poured out from his mouth, Zyponia¡¯s head finally turned away. Once again focusing on her and not the situation he had been placed upon, he saw her body turned to the side, along the long side of the tub. Only revealing her collarbones and above, the rest was astutely hidden away by the bubbly, white foam.


    With a deep breath, he sighed after being practically next to the demon, but he didn¡¯t retreat in the slightest. Rather, he pulled the sleeves of his uniform up, revealing the smooth skin around his barely hairy forearms.


    On quick legs, he moved to the other side of the bath before pooling some of the liquid soap in his palms. Using his undisturbed hand, he twisted the left and right handle accordingly before a warm stream began falling from the faucet, directly into the bath.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Although some of the tub¡¯s insides began to spill over along the edges, it hadn¡¯t teemed like a few moments prior.


    With his hands gleaming as the soapy waters dripped away into the bath, he turned his head towards the lady, whose pink eyes had been long since closed, her shoulders drooping about relaxedly.


    ¡°My lady, where should I start?¡± He asked in a quieter tone than usual, even though nobody else could hear nor see them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve ever washed somebody else.¡±


    Letting the words bounce around through the waters, despite immediately reaching her ears, Zyponia remained in her state for a few seconds, only remotely leveraging her eyelids. Though, as her eyes lingered around the reflection of the surface, she fully opened them, looking up at the man.


    ¡°Begin with the legs and move up,¡± in a concise and prompt manner, the lord soon closed her eyes again, letting the waters and the slave embrace her body.


    Looking at the droplet of sweat running down the bridge of her nose from the heat, dispersing off to the sea beneath, Lutiel quickly transferred his gaze down at the wall of foam. Stuck to her skin only above the chest, it shielded her from any greedy eyes below and beyond.


    No longer wasting any moments, his arms moved through the veils, a balmy sensation engulfing him. Although he had pulled up the sleeves seemingly enough, the tub was quite tall, wetting the fabrics crawling all the way up to his elbows.


    Swiftly, yet with a gentle touch, he looked through the waters with his hands. And almost immediately, both of his hands met the soft, but firm surface. Feeling the squishy part around his finger, he could tell he caught her right calf.


    Going down the path, towards her foot, Lutiel lifted the leg up meekly for a better control over the movements. Through a somewhat halted breath, he had already descended to the toes, the demon flinching vaguely as his fingers skimmed across the sole.


    Releasing a quickened breath, he quickly began to rub his hands across her skin, starting from the bottom of the right leg. All around, between every spot, he eventually reached the five toes, also putting in great effort to swab each crevice vigorously, though gently.


    Before long, he was already beginning to ascend her body, gradually going upwards. From the ankle, he swiftly loosened off most of the residual grime and sweat around the calf and below her knee, before any sort of soap could be applied.


    However, once he reached the thigh and above, he slowed his climb considerably. Similarly because of the part¡¯s higher circumference, as well as the place he was beginning to reach. With his breath somewhat staggering, he began to massage the spots around her groin, however, he stopped promptly, a mild grasp surrounding his wrist.


    ¡°Leave that place to me,¡± she said without opening her eyes in the slightest, grabbing onto his arm simultaneously. Having confirmed that he heard, Zyponia let go of the wrist, simply letting herself drown away into the warmth of the bath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady, I didn¡¯t mean anything,¡± he tried to wriggle himself out with an apologetic excuse, but she didn¡¯t react to the words very much, barely moving her head into a transient nod.


    Continuing on the matter, Lutiel once again started at the bottom, her left leg this time. From the sole to the calf and the thigh, quickly, but attentively all around, he arrived at the same spot, stopping just before her secluded place.


    ¡°My lady, could you lean forward a bit?¡± He asked neatly after going around the tub, to which the girl moved almost immediately, revealing her back to him anew.


    Starting from the buttocks, he couldn¡¯t rub them perfectly since she was sitting, but it didn¡¯t seem to matter. Briskly moving away from the firm, curved flesh, he rubbed his hands around her loins and the stomach, slowly getting up all the way to her glabrous armpits.


    One by one, he took great care in cleansing the arms, scrubbing each finger as well as between them. Finishing both on the left and right side, just as he was about to venture off to the shoulders and the neck, he stopped in place, freezing subtly as he saw the round, pink eyes glancing into his depths.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked with a tone that heard neither harsh, nor warm. Meanwhile, his eyebrows creased at the statement.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t washed my breasts yet,¡± she said bluntly, calmly awaiting a response.


    ¡°...¡± He hesitated for a slight moment, however, his lips moved apart eventually. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, my lady. I don¡¯t want to anger you.¡±


    However, under the words¡¯ graceful descent, Zyponia¡¯s lips turned crooked on the sides before a titter left her mouth. Slightly, she lowered her head as her chest heaved up and down from the laughter. ¡°Is that what you were worried about? I guess some things you never forget.¡±


    ¡°You can touch them. They¡¯re just flesh and skin anyways, even you have them yourself,¡± she added while raising her head up. Closing her eyes with a mellow smirk lingering on her face, Zyponia¡¯s collarbones soon felt as the waters bounced off of her neckline, his arms waning the steady bath.


    On the side of the tub, Lutiel moved his hands below her boobs, each hand reserved for one. Unable to fully grasp the gentle skin, he didn¡¯t ponder about it for too long, quickly moving on around the chest, washing away the area in the middle before finally grazing his fingers towards the center.


    Firmer compared to the soft skin around, his palms barely touched the nipples before he stopped all of a sudden. Glancing up, however, he only saw Zyponia¡¯s steady and relaxed face. With his doubts eased, the man continued rubbing against the toughened skin, stopping once he felt them starting to tighten up.


    Without saying anything, after he cleaned off the neck, he moved onto the face, washing it with by far the most care.


    ¡°My lady, I need to wet your hair. Cou-¡± he said, but just as he was about to finish, her body suddenly started to move. Opening her eyes, Zyponia quickly stood on her legs in the tub, revealing her wholly in front of him.


    His sight wavering as the foam slid down across her naked body, he shut his mouth completely, disbelief written all over. Glancing at the sparkling, bare skin all around, Lutiel¡¯s eyes instinctively followed up, at the cusped, round nipples of a pinkish shade.


    ¡°Leave it for the end. You can use the soap now,¡± she said, burrowing into his ears like a flash of bright light. Swiftly, he moved over to the faucet, squirting the liquid soap onto the sponge before dampening and squishing it.

 31. Perfect Candidate

    Immediately, as the foam engulfed his right hand, he saw the lady move to the tiles and stand there turned towards him. Looking at her slave with a slight smirk, she already had her crotch and chest covered with the arms.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to strain your eyes away now,¡± she said with an increasing gleam, but the straight face around him didn¡¯t respond, focused on coming over and covering her body with the soap.


    Unlike before, he first started with the top of her. Standing behind, the foam came out as he tightened his hand,  spreading it out all over her back. Gently, but with a firm grip, he moved the sponge in circular motions, moving down towards her butt.


    However, as he did, Lutiel crouched down on the side, not intending to stare at the place directly in front of it. Gliding across her inner thigh all the way down, his right hand quickly covered all the space around her feet since the soles were kept hidden.


    Finishing the calf and shin just as swiftly, he also didn¡¯t meander when it came to the thigh. Changing the sides, he repeated the motions before moving to the front, where the lady observed him with keen eyes, as though she saw everything while he was behind her.


    Crouching once again near her legs, he finished scrubbing the empty spots he had gone over before. However, as his eyes lingered there, he couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at the right hand covering the place she previously forbade him from going to.


    Even if the senses inside him rattled up increasingly, he couldn¡¯t help it. Though, once he saw the short, purple threads peeking through between her fingers, his eyes quickly moved away, focusing on finishing the areas at a faster pace.


    Roughly a breath or two after, he began standing up, only to take just a few moments and finish covering her torso and arms with the foamy soap.


    ¡°Only the hair is left, my lady,¡± he said with a calm face, increasing the amusement around the demon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Alright, remember to rub the soap in, okay?¡± She asked, going inside the tub without hearing out the answer.


    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±


    Hearing as the water splashed around the edges under her descent, he also saw as all of the soap washed away immediately, her body glimmering through the dim lights to a greater extent.


    Grabbing onto the edges, she sat in the middle of the bath before leaning her head back, awaiting his touch. Not disappointing her, the man quickly supported the head with one hand before washing up the purple hairs with the other.


    Lowering it to the point of submerging all of the strands together, he made sure for nothing to escape down the nose.


    Letting go, she moved up on her own towards the edge of the bath where he could take the slick hairs outside. Recalling the actions of Raeyine when he was the one sitting in the water, he repeated her actions before coming over to the soap dispenser and taking a few squirts onto his palm.


    Halving and leaving it on top of her head, he rubbed the residual soap with his palms before applying it softly throughout her long strands, making sure to do it thoroughly.


    Brisk moments after, Lutiel finally moved to the top, sprawling out the soap along the surface evenly before starting to massage it into the skin. Only when the soap foamed up did he finally stop, ready to lower her head, however, the demon didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Keep going,¡± she muttered softly, under the calm silence.


    Obliging to her orders, Lutiel rubbed his fingers through her head the same way, stopping only once she had enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. You can go now,¡± she said, the hair continuously foamy. With her head still turned away from him, she continued. ¡°Thank you, you did good.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said while a face of indifference settled about him. Turning away, he didn¡¯t bother washing his hands, heading straight for the pale doors.


    ¡­


    Set throughout the space of her orderly desk, Zyponia grabbed the pale piece of paper from the surface. Walking through her bedroom with the windows showing nothing but curtains of darkness, her body had already put on the loosely hanging, pink gown.


    Although the fabric was basically see-through, she added underwear beneath. Slowly, the girl made her way towards the large bed with red curtains, matching the shades of the carpet.


    Falling down gently, no squeaks spread out from below, letting the demon¡¯s eyes skim through the paper in utter peace. However, as she actually saw it properly, her eyebrows rose slightly while moving up from her back.


    Sitting down on the duvet, her eyes went from one corner to another briskly, holding the page with both hands. All of a sudden, they widened. Crumbling the page around her grasp, it came closer to her face, as though she didn¡¯t believe the words.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    She quickly let go of the paper with one hand, using it to leverage herself off the bed. On hasty feet, Zyponia¡¯s hairs swayed in the space as her body fell to the chair. Putting the sheet on the desk deliberately, the demon could be seen contemplating on it profusely, with vision that didn¡¯t leave it no matter what.


    Yet, as she read through the tens of minute lines packed densely against each other, she quickly looked down at her limbs. From finger and forearms all the way to her legs, she inspected every bit of herself with a perplexed mien.


    Then, after a few tens of breaths had passed, she went back to the paper before her eyes widened once again. Turning the pale page on the other side, almost another half of it had been filled out, from notes depicting her back adjusting for comfort to ones that described her different rhythm of breathing.


    Dragging her thumb across the upper lip, it stopped while pulling slightly on the bottom one, her sight drifting somewhere away from the paper.


    Nonetheless, she immediately came back to herself right after someone began knocking on her doors. Three noises rang out in her ears before her head slowly pivoted to the left.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said through her native tongue, with a face completely upside down from a second prior. Regaining her composed demeanor, Zyponia calmly awaited for the visitor, constantly drawn towards the doors.


    The left side loosened away, trailing inwardly while a figure in checkered shades came inside. However, as Zyponia glanced at the chained glasses along with a black bun around her head, she quickly turned back to the papers, taking a refreshed look at them.


    ¡°Did you want something?¡± She asked while lifting the notes up, making Raeyine sour awkwardly as the nippy timbre belled through her eardrums.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Stopping in place after just a step over the doorway, the maid''s question flew through the room, only to settle amid the sprawling silence.


    Turning her head reservedly, Zyponia finally looked into her eyes with her own, with a meager expression making up the face.


    ¡°What do you think? Because I don¡¯t know very clearly,¡± she said emotionlessly, only to read through the paper once again.


    ¡°Oh, come on, I told you I couldn¡¯t help you. It was just one time and it happened to be today.¡±


    ¡°What were you so busy with, then?¡± Through an unimpressed undertone, she made Raeyine¡¯s eagerness to explain die down. However, with solemnity, the lord¡¯s head maid opened her mouth.


    ¡°Actually, it was an urgent call. It was my time of the month, so I couldn¡¯t do anything,¡± she said with a rosy tint scattering throughout her cheeks, the eyes somewhat squinted.


    Immediately, with a long silence permeating through the two, Zyponia gradually turned back to her after putting away the notes. Standing up from the seat, she held her hands intimately with each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t notice earlier because I was so drained,¡± she said with furrowed eyebrows, following closely with another statement. ¡°I guess I was angry at first, but the bath eased me up somewhat.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I was wondering why you were wearing that, but you actually took it? Did you ask Thoda?¡±


    ¡°Thoda? Ah, no, Lutiel was by my side, so I took his assistance,¡± she said with a calm, almost reminiscent tongue, widening the eyes of the maid.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going to do anything with him? What did I come here for, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, stupid,¡± she jabbed faintly. ¡°He simply washed me. Nothing else happened. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± She giggled incredulously. ¡°Tell me, did he touch your bare body?¡±


    Zyponia didn¡¯t reply to the comment, nodding her head before hearing a meek sigh crawl out of Raeyine¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Are you seeing yourself? You let a human male touch you naked? Zyponia, are you really asking me to believe things otherwise?¡± She asked with a straight face, though a hint of hilarity hid itself away.


    ¡°Haa!¡± She sighed while bellowing. ¡°You really love to crawl up my skin, don¡¯t you? Like I said, it¡¯s not like that. He-¡± Before she could finish, the other party interjected.


    ¡°Hmm? Really? Because all I¡¯m seeing is a little horny princess dying to get her paws on a pretty boy.¡±


    Starting to slowly grind and clench her teeth as the sentence flowed out, Zyponia finally burst out, only fuelling the far spreading grin around the guest¡¯s face.


    ¡°Stop it! Just stop it! I wanted him to get subjected to more energy while I recovered, alright?! There¡¯s nothing more to it. No, actually, I think it¡¯s you that¡¯s starting to sound all hot and bothered,¡± she spat out while pointing at the girl with a furiously red face, slowly calming down the more her words fell out. ¡°Always calling him a pretty boy, aren¡¯t you the one that wants to get to him?¡±


    ¡°Eh-ehem,¡± coughing with a bluffing face, her voice quickly brimmed in the space. ¡°Fine, fine, let¡¯s stop the childishness already. I didn¡¯t mean to get you so fired up.¡±


    Looking at the ragged breathing of the girl with double horns, as her chest soothed down from the agitation, Raeyine asked anew. ¡°But why do you want him to get accustomed to it? I was specifically trying for him to not get into such situations.¡±


    With an upright back and arms freely next to her hips, Zyponia stared at the girl for a bit before exhaling a deep breath. ¡°I know,¡± she said, promptly crossing her arms. ¡°However, his body is weirder than other humans.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but the natural reserves inside his heart are higher, much higher in fact. And it keeps changing constantly.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t that bad? The subjects practically imploded after being exposed to it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it should be bad, but I don¡¯t think it is.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°When I was sensing the flow of energy through his body, the training ball sucked it right up, yet he was able to throw it somehow, even if I suppressed its strength. Not to mention, it almost felt as though he was able to practice through it just like we do,¡± she spoke with solemn eyes, the words that befell making Raeyine shut up, her sight wavering from shock.


    ¡°Then, he¡¯s a perfect candidate,¡± the black-haired maid muttered under her nose.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was only thinking of sending him to Vaissen, but I¡¯m sure of it. He has to meet her now.¡±

 32. Heinous Urges

    Just like each day, when the nightly veils fell upon him and his surroundings, Lutiel stood in the middle of the room, only the mellow light beyond the windows engulfing him. The mark around his hand didn¡¯t glow bright, however, and he made no effort for it to do so.


    Standing calmly, he steadied his breath while steeling his resolve. From the ground, his right leg quickly raised itself up towards the ceiling while keeping it as straight as a pine¡¯s trunk. With his soles facing opposite directions, he remained in the position for a few moments.


    Yet, after falling down while his skin coalesced the film of sweat into droplets, he repeated the same motion with the other leg, changing through them intermittently before his face began to drip down teemingly with sullied fluids.


    The man quickly delved to his arms upon the floor, only to once again raise his legs, but rest them there instead. Out of nowhere, his head banged into the wood below him as he fell deliberately, pushing with all the strength his arms possessed back up and resuming the same approach.


    However, after a few times of repeated hitting, above the small pool of sweat that came about from trickling down his nose, Lutiel slowed down with the push ups, taking slower, but deeper breaths into his chest.


    Not long after, he let go of one of his arms, while the hand of the other quickly sprawled out to catch balance.


    Slowly, yet steadily, he trailed down before pushing up, doing the same thing over and over. Only after his other arm experienced the same did he finally fall down to the ground, glistening under the small light coming from the windows.


    Reverberating uncontrollably, his chest begged for more air while he sprawled himself along the floor, lying on his back.


    ¡®It¡¯s still there, no matter what.¡¯ He pondered to himself under the hazy blurriness in front of him. Nonetheless, despite the countless thoughts surging through his mind, Lutiel gathered himself up from the ground.


    First of all, he stood in the middle with closed eyes, though he opened them back just as swiftly. Nevertheless, taking the stance he had trained for days prior, his hands were raised in the air, near his chest but protruding away from it.


    Immediately, as he moved through the air with his right foot, the image around his right hand glistened bright, three of the streaks lighting up, but not as intensely as the one he had with the sword.


    Kicking the air high up above him, his leg returned to the same position while he repeated the stance ever so slightly. Releasing a deep breath, the kick flowed through the space once again.


    Again, he went back to the floor, only to kick anew. Then, he repeated the motion, almost without a grain of thought behind the eyes. Mindlessly, he continued onto the task, unbeknownst of the increasingly brighter light coming from his right side.


    His eyes, despite looking in front of him, appeared distant, gazing far away where he shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡®Ugh!¡¯ His mind thundered as he caught himself once again, quickly staring at his hand, where the light had receded down to two streaks.


    Furrowing his brows, a loud clasp followed. With two red imprints appearing around his cheeks, he slapped the right one for a second time to add onto the pain. He was far too distracted to continue, but he needed to do it regardless.


    Changing the sides, he began kicking away, focusing only on the leg and all the muscles responsible for it to shatter his constraints. Only after one, he changed his stance, moving the right foot behind the left before slashing through the room with it.


    Keeping the actions on his mind, he eased somewhat with the intensity, having found calmness through the changing legs.


    However, the worst part came eventually once he stopped kicking. With an upright back, Lutiel started at the pale wall that should have had painting inscribed onto them. Yet, looking the same as yesterday, he simply focused on the arms he stretched out.


    Gripping the imaginary sword, he tried to keep easy, to focus on the empty space right in front of him. Quickly, his arms engaged the movement as he went behind with the sword, merely stopping in the middle of the swing.


    ¡®Dammit,¡¯ he mused as his hands fell to the thighs inertly, the man unable to construct a proper focus. Looking at the shaking of his glyph, he didn¡¯t dare finish the strike, aware that the worst pain yet was about to come by.


    ¡®Should I just stop for today? It¡¯s not doing me any good.¡¯ In the end, although hesitantly, Lutiel surrendered.


    ¡®This damn body! Why are you getting so excited over remembering a demon¡¯s chest?¡¯ Like a roaring thunder, the loathe he garnered for himself increased the more he pondered over it, so he quickly stopped. Taking a new set of night clothes from the wardrobe, his eyes shook as he looked at the corridor he found himself in, shirtless and on bare feet.


    Once again, he kept gazing at Zyponia¡¯s bare body through his mind, going out of the room before he even knew it. Gritting his teeth, the bridge of his nose creased, however, he quickly calmed down, simply heading towards the bath for servants.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    But, as he once again leapt through memories, staring at the bathtub starting to fill itself with faintly steaming water, Lutiel slowly walked towards the door. With a swift motion, locking them from inside, the pants around him had already gone down to the tiles near the porcelain bath.


    Meanwhile, his feet skimmed through the waters, releasing a soft breath after sitting down inside. The water slowly rising itself, he closed his eyes before leaning on the brisk edges.


    Futile. Feeling the steady approach of warm fluids, the images of naked Zyponia flickered through his head. Opening his eyes made no difference. Rapidly, he gazed down to search for his reflection, only to widen his eyes at a certain portion of his peeking out high beyond the surface, with the same shade as all of his skin.


    Brimming as his heart beat strongly, he grabbed it absentmindedly, closing his eyes after grasping the pulse around his palm. ¡°Aah,¡± he uttered faintly, only for himself to hear.


    ¡­


    Ever since the gruesome pleasure Lutield had experienced that night, the time seemed to accelerate ever forward. He still did everything as per usual, which was to go out to the town, stay with Zyponia during her sessions, learn with Raeyine, as well as assist Camilla''s lessons, however, the roadblock he encountered and overcame allowed all of them to pass with relative ease for the next days.


    Almost as though he had forgotten that his kind was at war with the demons, his mind was occupied by his daily chores. Nonetheless, he continued his training each night, with no breaks. Even after the dreadful, yet rejuvenating bath, he went back and trained properly as the thoughts didn¡¯t cloud him anymore.


    The time passed, and it was just a day before the ball, the one he had been forced to go to for reasons he was unaware of.


    ¡®Did she have to send me here once again?¡¯ The man mused while leaning against the carriage¡¯s interior wall. Supporting himself with his right palm, he rested the chin while looking outside the window, staring at the streets donning gaudy silhouettes.


    For the second time already, he found himself in the noble part of the city. Straining his eyes through the pane, Lutiel looked amidst the glares finding their way towards him. Instead, glancing at the buildings with carved stone exteriors, he disregarded the mundane demons and their usual reactions.


    Under the rhythm of the wheels wobbling about the paved road, the man¡¯s boredom finally ended soon enough, riding up another two streets to the right before stopping on the street.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Ravier spoke through the calm, as no steps could be heard by either of them.


    Stepping outside of the carriage, he finally saw the place they had arrived at. The air lingering free of the demon kind, he could see murky mountains far into the horizon, the remnants of the skies falling down to the place similarly.


    Unlike Luviene¡¯s shop, it appeared they were on the completely opposite end of the city, overseeing the sunless hills and leafless forests.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just the skies. The buildings itself made the street a drab mess. In a derelict state all throughout, Lutied wondered if they had truly left the space of the lower city. Rummaging through his left pocket, his gloved hand brought out a paper small enough to fit in its palm.


    His eyes quickly skimmed through the yellowish page before a sigh muttered out from the lips. Raising his head, he followed the directions promptly, walking towards the dilapidated shop at the edge of the right side.


    With no windows to showcase anything, the shop had nothing but a pair of old, wooden doors at its center, with metal knobs bent to fit a palm perfectly. Not wasting any more breaths, Lutiel opened the right side before entering, his eyes widening while doing so.


    Bereft of feverish expectations, the vision before him made lutiel¡¯s eyes waver. Unlike the size of the building, nearly two storeys tall, he saw no stairs inside. Not to mention, right after closing, he found himself in a room even smaller than his own.


    More importantly however, what shocked him was the pure neatness and profusion of items gathered there. From books to sole pages stacked on top of each other, as well as different materials contained within glass vials on wooden shelves, any nook and cranny were disposed of, utilized to hold something there.


    Promptly, the slave¡¯s eyes followed down towards the floor, on which a young man sat with legs crawled up beneath the table he couldn¡¯t make sense of.


    Noticing the sudden guesting, the busied man laid down the metal fork onto the table with countless signs engraved into its flesh.


    ¡°You finally came,¡± he said in the human tongue, standing up from the cramped position with eerie ease. With a quick, but hefty sweep of his hands against the gray waistcoat and pants, he stretched out his arm towards the man, a discreet line distorting across his face. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but it¡¯s Lutiel, right?¡±


    Glancing down at the hand, he waited for a few breaths, only to eventually grab and firm it. ¡°Did Lady Zyponia tell you?¡± He asked with a blunt face, beneath a whit of hesitance.


    ¡°Oh, dear heavens forbid, I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯m just a simple messenger, I dare say. I bring out what must be told. And your name, it¡¯s screaming to be uttered,¡± he said while quickly taking his hand back, holding it in the air along with the left one and shaking them defensively.


    Looking at the night blue, tinted eyebrows bending upwards along the soured face, Lutiel¡¯s mien remained unchanged. ¡°Can you just give me the order my lady placed?¡±


    As his question rang out throughout the room, immediately, the man¡¯s face came back to itself. ¡°Where¡¯s the rush? I haven¡¯t even introduced myself yet, have I?¡± He said while the arms went behind his back, resting calmly as he bent his torso slightly. ¡°My name¡¯s Rudrik, with no surname just like you.¡±


    Springing back into an erect stand, he stared at Lutiel with fully open eyes, awaiting any sort of reaction. Alas, with nothing escaping his expression, Rudrick¡¯s face whittled away.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite sturdy, it seems. But, there¡¯s no wall that doesn¡¯t crumble eventually. Then, how about this?¡±


    ¡®Should I just tell her I couldn¡¯t get it?¡¯ He pondered over exiting while the man tattled to himself, however, his eyes started to shake immediately after. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Frozen in place, his muscles didn¡¯t respond, even his breathing halted while Rudrick smiled to himself impishly, the green eyes staring directly into him. Coming closer to him, the man couldn¡¯t do anything other than watch it happen.

 33. Peculiar Shop

    A step away from the butler, he brought out his left hand, briskly swishing through the air, arriving behind the right ear. Just as all of this was happening, the human simply rolled his eyes at the arm, his body screaming from inside to break loose.


    Yet, nothing ever happened. Instead, the man with no horns grazed his hand against the ear before bringing it back to his chest.


    Instantly, whatever had immured him tore apart, making the man jump back to the door and hit against it. With heightened breaths, he stared ahead as his brows furrowed, glaring at the shining, gold coin in the man¡¯s possession. Quickly, Lutiel grabbed himself by the area where he brought the coin out, trying to feel for anything, but only ending up with a fuddle instead.


    Then, he stared intently at the coin, on which a grinning face glistened brightly. Opening his eyes wider after recalling a certain feeling on his palm, his mouth moved suddenly.


    ¡°You¡¯re that old man,¡± he said, pointing at him, but the man simply threw the coin before catching it in the air, all while a faint smile hovered on his face.


    ¡°Maybe I am, or maybe that was you from the future, who knows,¡± he said, opening the same hand, but the coin no longer remained there. ¡°I do have to say, you¡¯re an interesting one. A kind of its own, if I may say that,¡± cackling near the end, Rudrik revealed his back to the man.


    Watching as he walked away towards the shelves, Lutiel¡¯s blankness didn¡¯t say anything, his mind wrecking havoc instead. ¡®What is he up to? No, what was that coin?¡¯ Yet, before any answer could come up, the one in front of him spoke anew.


    ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about that coin, don¡¯t worry about it. It didn¡¯t do anything harmful to you, I think. It just extracted some information about you. What do you think, should I say about it to Zyponia?¡±


    Widening to the utmost brink, his eyes shook at the man. ¡®What does he know?¡¯


    ¡°No, don¡¯t think I will,¡± he muttered, rummaging through the shelves looking for something while Lutiel¡¯s breath steadied itself back to a slower, but still hasty pace.


    ¡°Oh, right, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just some physical measurements,¡± turning his head around, Rudrick winked at the restless human.


    ¡°What did you mean? The ¡®interesting¡¯ part. What do you mean by that?¡± Still with a straight face, he asked.


    ¡°That depends on what you find interesting. At least for me it is,¡± he said, not turning around whilst constantly looking for something through the wooden shelves.


    ¡°I want to know. I¡¯m interested,¡± said Lutiel while the man stopped at the same time, having spotted the thing he was looking for.


    ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± his voice spread through the room as he turned around, sitting down under the table once again. ¡°But, well, I was going to tell you anyway.¡± With a prominent smile, Rudrik glanced up at the human brooding a befuddled expression.


    Before the creased forehead of the butler could speak up in any sort of way, he added on. ¡°I will be blank, I never thought I would have witnessed a human to hold so much magical energy. You see, I was interested in you ever since it got out that you will be going to the ball-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lutiel jerked in with a sudden question, for the man who raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What? Did you not know you were going?¡±


    ¡°Why do you know?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why do I know?¡¯¡± The man asked, sharing a confused expression. ¡°Everybody that will be there knows that Zyponia is bringing her boy servant. It¡¯s probably the main attraction for all of the demons, especially the guests from the voyage.¡±


    Voyage? Guests? Attraction? What the hell was he talking about? Lutiel¡¯s insides muddled themselves, grinding and churning at the unknown.


    ¡°Ah, maybe I told you a bit much,¡± Rudrik muttered under his nose, only to ease the matter. ¡°Ah, well, who cares.¡±


    Once again, Lutiel''s eyes twitched in consternation. He understood nothing the man was spouting. ¡°Who are those guests you were talking about? And why am I some attraction for them?¡±


    Looking at the human while taking out a clean, white sheet of paper, he placed it on the table before opening his lips again. ¡°I already told you enough about the first part, but I can explain the second. It¡¯s simply because Zyponia has never had a male servant before. She always made do with female ones. It¡¯s a special occasion for those who know her, alongside the ball itself.¡±


    ¡®No wonder Raeyine helped me understand so much.¡¯ He mused while lowering his head slightly. Locking his eyes towards the man, who began pouring some mucous, blue liquid on the paper, he parted his lips once again.


    ¡°Sorry for interrupting earlier. Can you continue?¡± He asked with a face that regained its apathetic composure.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Rudrik muttered, keeping a pen against the paper while starting to scribble away at it. ¡°But first, turn around. I will explain as you do, but I can¡¯t let you see this right now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You will understand later,¡± he spoke mysteriously, but the man listened, turning around to face the doors without any fuss in the blood.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°As I was saying, I was interested in you already, but it only intensified after I saw you in person. The energies inside your heart were being kept, unlike a normal human, so I planted a coin into you,¡± he spoke softly, letting each word settle inside his head.


    ¡°And now, after a few days, it changed. The average energy is higher, as though you had trained and strengthened it, despite being a human.¡±


    Immediately, as the statement rang in his head, Lutiel recalled the weird metal Zyponia and Camilla watched him exercise with.


    ¡°I touched a certain metal. One that mysteriously siphoned energy out of my muscles only by touching it,¡± he said right after the man stopped, but it made his silence lengthen.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said calmly, however, without expanding on the topic. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s strange, almost as though you were a half-demon, but that is very much impossible.¡±


    ¡®Am I like this because of that bubble? I can¡¯t see any other option, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll understand what it was just like that.¡¯ Pondering on the useless questions that he would never get answers to, at least on his own, Lutiel felt a sudden waft come from beneath towards him, swaying the sleeves of his jacket.


    ¡°From the very composition of your muscles, as well as the beats of your heart, it¡¯s all odd. With the same mass of your muscles, a normal human would be about half as strong. On the other hand, your heart beat is slower, yet the flow of blood is fiercer, as if your body is unconsciously using the energy to strengthen its functions,¡± letting out his voice as the air inside the room started to whistle, Lutiel didn¡¯t dare turn around.


    ¡°Is that bad?¡± He asked, only to receive a hearty chuckle from the man behind.


    ¡°It might be, but it might also be great. It all depends on you,¡± he spoke with a calm undertone, a breath¡¯s silence spreading prior to him continuing. ¡°I already assumed it on the streets, but she told you about magic already, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    The human stood in silence, voices conferring in his head whether he should reply. However, it didn¡¯t take long for him to follow with the question.


    ¡°Yes, she did,¡± his voice crawling to the back as he nodded, Lutiel¡¯s eyes widened as he heard another question.


    ¡°Why do you want to learn it?¡± The voice traveled through the room while the airs receded away, dissipating almost completely. ¡°Is it because you want to help your brethren? Or are you simply interested in those otherworldly powers?¡±


    Crushed by the deafening silence, the man repeated the question in his head countless times, only to stagger off-track.


    ¡°Why should I trust you? For all I know, you could mutter it all out to her after I leave-¡± his voice tumbled through the room, shattering up into tens of pieces as he shut his mouth, looking at the man sitting underneath the table in front of him. ¡®Huh? But I hadn¡¯t moved around.¡¯


    Despite the murmurs in his head, his eyes collected themselves onto the folded piece of white paper, its sharp edges practically glistening to him under the warm light from above. Floating up, they saw Rudrik¡¯s soft smile, his eyes partially closed as he handed over the paper.


    ¡°Because you already have, from the moment you gave the apple away. You don¡¯t need to give me the reason. I already feel like I know it. Just take it, but remember, don¡¯t open it immediately, find space and time for it.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± With perplexion emitting through eyes around his emotionless face, Lutiel continued staring at the piece.


    ¡°Your clue to that power, or at least the beginning of it. Though, unfortunately, you¡¯re most likely not going to ever be capable of using it.¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving it to me, then?¡± His question lingered in the air while the man stuck a finger to his chin, acting like a storm was going through his mind.


    ¡°Because I want to see what comes out of it,¡± he spoke with a grin stuck to his face, having already taken off the finger and rested it on the table. ¡±The rest is up to you. You can either open it up, or burn it away, it¡¯s your choice.¡±


    ¡°Can it kill me?¡± The slave asked suddenly, making the other¡¯s eyebrow rise high up. Though, a moment after, it came to serenity. With a constant smirk lying on there, the response went out.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Silence shrouded against the man whose sight lowered down at the paper, as if something within lured him forward. ¡®Why does it feel like the moment that bubble appeared?¡¯ Standing frozen in the room, he wondered.


    Nevertheless, as seconds passed, finally, Lutiel¡¯s right arm moved forward, following his intuition. Yet, as he grabbed and pulled onto the folded paper, the grasp of the seller remained. Quickly glancing up, the man¡¯s eyes were no longer smiling, a serene contrast settling.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose it. Keep it in your pockets on the inside of the jacket and don¡¯t show it to Zyponia or other servants. Got it?¡± His voice clamored through Lutiel, who instinctively shook his head into a nod. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be demanding your thanks in the future, if we do end up seeing each other. Now, let''s talk about the item Zyponia requested.¡±


    Suddenly pulling away on the paper, the slave yanked it out of his grasp before tightly keeping it shut. While Rudrik once again stood up from the table, he discreetly followed his orders, placing it into the pockets inside of the jacket.


    Meanwhile, the seller was once again skimmed through the shelves, this time on the other side of the room. However, with a much easier time, he quickly brought out something in his hands.


    Wrapped up in a burgundy cloth, its size came to a rough forearm, just slightly less than the man¡¯s. Nonetheless, he brought the twisted fabric forward to the table, promptly placing it on top of it before glancing up at the slave, whose gaze incessantly shone upon the veiled item.


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re interested,¡± he spoke with a slight chuckle as his body turned to the shelf filled with powders and liquids of all shades. Placing his hand on a certain, dark red powder sealed with a cork. ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t show you what it is. That would be far too dangerous, even for a human like you.¡±


    However, the words didn¡¯t stop Lutiel from staring. ¡®What is this? It¡¯s almost screaming to get my attention.¡¯ Goaded by the thoughts, he continued watching as the man sprinkled some of the powder onto the cloth, promptly clinging to it without any aid of a glue or fluid.


    ¡®Yet, not the same as the paper did.¡¯ His head muddled itself with unexplainable intricacies, quickly stopping his state once Rudrik moved the item towards him, handing it over with delicate care.


    ¡°She already paid me, so all you have to do is bring it to her, understand?¡±


    Nodding his head, Lutiel held the sparkling cloth firmly, making sure his grip and footing didn¡¯t wane.


    ¡°Then go. And don¡¯t search for me tomorrow at the ball. I won¡¯t be participating.¡±


    ¡°How did you know, the-¡± his question was cut briskly as the air around him took on a change. Brazing briskly against his cheeks, he saw the streets once again, the same gloomy ones as before stepping foot into the shop.


    Under his puzzlement, Lutiel took a step forward before turning at the building, however, the doors weren¡¯t there anymore. Instead, a facade of a deserted building replaced it, the paint on the stone wall fading and stripping away.


    Looking down at the wrapped up item in his hands, he could only exhale a deep breath before heading for the carriage.

 34. Realizing

    Lutiel stood next to the window of his room, the skies engulfed by the brittle glimmer of stars and a murky shroud of clouds. His hands befell through the empty space while the right hand glowed with a singular, blue line.


    He had already finished his last lesson about demons with Raeyine after going back to the mansion, and as usual, she provided him with more of the same. ¡®As she said, they are no different from us, especially the horned demons and human nobles. It¡¯s almost as though I''m hearing about the nobles of the imperial capital.¡¯ He mused while the imaginary sword fell, grunting audibly and gritting his teeth through the pain.


    ¡®Am I starting to feel for them? For the demons? I don¡¯t know anymore.¡¯ His solemn eyes scoured through the bare space, glancing into the past. ¡®I¡¯ve seen the atrocities you¡¯ve all committed, I¡¯ve slain so much of your blood, so why now?¡¯ The thought roared as he hailed the sword above his head, slashing down as the words formed internally.


    ¡®Why are you so normal all of a sudden?! Why? You were supposed to be heartless monsters, so why is it the opposite?¡¯ His jaw clenched itself as the fake sword fell vigorously. Nonetheless, nothing formed out of it other than his pain and confusion. Had he gained a new perspective of them? Or did his slumbering self change without him noticing?


    ¡®I don¡¯t understand. No, I can¡¯t understand.¡¯ Under the statement flowing through his head, he fell to the floor powerlessly, convulsing as the right hand twitched blindingly bright. With ragged breathing, his jaw clenched itself to utter as little of the moans as possible.


    ¡®Has anything truly changed?¡¯ Lying on his side as the jaw eased up, his arms lifelessly hit against the panels. ¡®Be it the church or the empire, I was only their tool waiting to be used. As much as I hate to admit it, so far, a demon lord has treated me better than they ever did.¡¯


    His bare skin clung to the floor as the emotionless eyes stared into the walls. He hadn¡¯t moved a hair¡¯s breadth from his position. ¡¯Raphael, Byrde, Kylli, Daine, only you allowed me to live a truly free life, yet your own freedom vanished because of my stupidity and selfishness. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    Suddenly, clenching his fists, Lutiel briskly supported himself off the cold floor before sitting his back against the frame of the bed. Raising his sight towards the dark, pale ceiling of the room, countless thoughts formed and disappeared each breath, always dissipating away before he could grasp them.


    ¡®I¡¯m truly sorry. No matter what, I swear I will repay you. I will achieve what you always wanted and more. I will lead our world to a better place. Empty of the imperfections that take up everything and belittle all of us.¡¯ Declaring while clenching his fists once more, Lutiel raised himself from the ground speedily, walking to the middle of the room before gripping the air in front.


    With both hands tightly grasping the handle of a longsword he imagined, Lutiel closed his eyes while moving at a steady, peaceful pace. ¡®Still, I will have to fail you one last time. Although I¡¯m just their slave, they don¡¯t truly treat me as one. Unfortunately, the demons we were taught of by the priests aren¡¯t remotely close to the real ones. Only the influential and wealthy ones hold human slaves, just like our own nobles did. The church, no, the whole empire is lying to its people, and I will make them pay for it.¡¯ He mulled over the matter, his eyes changing vaguely as he stared off into the empty space.


    Even if his body hated them on its own, his mind finally understood something. The demons weren¡¯t some unholy beings he always categorized them as. From the way they lived their daily lives in the city, to even their language, they weren¡¯t monsters. They were people, just of different origins and circumstances than humans like him.


    The thoughts poured through him without breaking, conversing with the past as though it was right before him. With a forceful swing, he pushed his body down, light on the knees while performing the slash. One streak lightened up through his hand, but the itches lessened down to the point of the man completely bearing with it.


    ¡®Sorry for not speaking up earlier, but there was a lot hazing my mind, and I also didn''t know how to face you. So, I won¡¯t disturb your sleep any longer. Rest calmly; you don¡¯t even have to watch me from up there. Just know that I won¡¯t visit you without trying my best.¡¯


    Unbeknownst to him, as he once again repeated the motion with the thoughts clouding his mind, a faint crease adorned his lips.


    Reminiscing of the past, basking under the verdant springs of Aseun, Lutiel recalled the undulating hills he always stood on with the golden-haired girl. Swinging the sword through the dark room, with each time he performed the slash, the glyph around his hand eased up the prickling.


    At some point, as his breaths faltered and his movements started to hinder, all of a sudden, the painful vibrations stopped.


    Opening his eyes to the darkness, Lutiel¡¯s heavy breath caught the surprise, staring at two of the four streaks blossoming with light.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Immediately, he fell to the bed, creaking under his force, but he had little care for that. Sprawling his sweaty back and arms on the duvet, the chest heaved up and down as he stared calmly at the ceiling, his mind somewhat eased up off prior burdens.


    Having talked his soul out helped tremendously, and the man only wished he had done it sooner. Nonetheless, after lying there for a few breathful moments, he finally walked closer to the jacket he had hung on the chair.


    Rummaging through the interior pocket on the left side, his nails scraped against the smooth surface, promptly taking out the folded page. Bringing it closer to the bed, as he sat down on top of it not yet washed up, Lutiel ruminated on the note for a while.


    Judging from what the man said, opening it would inevitably change him, and he had no idea how.


    Seconds turned to minutes as he glanced at it without moving, the glistening sweat already dried off. ¡®The bubble has given me a second chance at life, then what would this give when it calls to me the same way?¡¯ He pondered for a futile answer.


    ¡®Haa, how would I even know?¡¯ As he thought, before long, the paper in his hands opened up, but unlike his expectation, no grand light came off it.


    Instead, in the very middle of it, there lay a small, blue word.


    ¡®Me¡­rai,¡¯ he thought at the same time as reading it, realizing that it was in the demons¡¯ tongue. However, as he did read it, he quickly turned the page, trying to see if there was anything else. Yet, there was nothing.


    ¡®He got me yet again,¡¯ he thought to himself, banging his head against the hard wall before bringing up the note once again. ¡®Was anything that he said true, then?¡¯


    Staring at the text, his eyes went over the word a couple times, but it was always the same, plain black scribble. ¡°Hmm? Wasn¡¯t it blu-?¡±


    Uttering the sentence, he failed to complete it, his lips staying wide open as he suddenly clenched his arms and stomach, the flesh inside tensing to a paralyzing degree.


    Locking himself of any motion, Lutiel¡¯s eyes strained out into the darkness, the veins around his neck protruding visibly outside of the collar. Falling onto the bed audibly, the vision around him contorted, absent of clarity. ¡®What did he give me?¡¯ He mused, but no reliable answer came.


    At the same time, he wanted to clutch his chest, feeling the blaring heart inside of him. Beating as though it wanted to get away from his body and rip out through the ribs, moments later, all the other organs replied.


    The body convulsing, his internal organs shook without stopping, his eyes sharing their fate as the room around vibrated. Tightening up, cold winds pierced through the skin all around, only adding to his quivers.


    ¡°Argh,-¡± he spoke with a spluttery, unmoving tongue as the mouth remained parted. ¡°Ah, agh,¡± he voiced, only reaching himself.


    Even his thoughts began to differ apart, drifting away from his common sense. Mingling with the darkness, his eyes slowly conveyed the countless images as he began to recover some of the fleshly control.


    With a nippy grasp, the right arm pounced him off the bed, promptly falling onto the floor. Crawling atop the panels while on his forearms, stains of crimson fluid were smeared on the ground. They flowed down through the clenched fists, the nails digging into the palms from the sheer pressure.


    Biting onto his lips, Lutiel¡¯s teeth prickled through them before faint droplets of blood fell down the floor, together with the previous spots. His lungs were already long since exhausted, but his current state only added additional strain. Panting breathless, the man begged for it to stop as he closed his eyes, however, nothing appeased the wish.


    Shivers grazed past his back as the cold wafts around the skin intensified. His jaws rocked against each other, on the verge of breaking his teeth and splitting apart the tongue. Falling to the side, Lutiel grabbed himself by the arms, trying to fight the crawling, bitter cold. His heart worked twice the beats to correspond, but none of it worked.


    From the inside, his organs felt as though they were going to melt while his skin meandered over freezing still.


    Before he could be aware of it, his mouth opened itself, a mucky fluid filled with pebbles of partially decomposed food falling down his fists. Continuing to barf for a few moments, he covered himself with the slightly blackened vomit.


    Finally, as he stopped, something inside of him began to recede. The palpitations of the chaotic heart started to move on course, beating with a regular, decreasing speed. Meanwhile, his insides no longer churned, nor did they scald.


    His skin following the same path, it stopped causing him to quiver ceaselessly, but the hard goosebumps remained for a while.


    Once again, he supported his back with the bed¡¯s frame, breathing like a madman through the calm of night. ¡®How much blood have I puked out?¡¯ The thought busied his head as he wiped off his lips, but looking at the puddle of the dark substance, his appetite for knowing plummeted. Quickly, he moved his right hand towards the middle of his chest instead.


    Tracing along the surface of the metallic imprint, Lutiel¡¯s fingers stopped as he felt the beats of his heart, pounding with an eerie vigour.


    Regardless, knowing that his heart beat carefully, he simply stood up with his head lowered at the pile of barf beginning to slowly taint the panels and seep through their minute nooks. Scratching along his nape with a finger, the slave stayed there for a few moments before finally getting into the shirt he omitted for training.


    ¡®Despite all of that hellish pain, I don¡¯t feel an ounce of difference. Just what the hell is merai?¡¯ He pondered while the shirt flowed down onto his skin. However, as he thought of the word, all of a sudden, Lutiel stopped.


    Letting the cloth descend unruly, he turned towards the window, stars engulfing his eyes. ¡®Magic,¡¯ his mind pondered as the sky seemed to take on a deeper shade of blue.

 35. Dressing Up

    ¡°You seem jittery,¡± her demonic tongue spoke through the crevice of her lips, directed at the meekly standing girl. Next to her, the head maid¡¯s uniform folded near her knees as she corrected the undergarments of her lady.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not,¡± she gave a terse reply amidst her distant eyes, only for Raeyine to raise an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Really? But I¡¯m down here, you know?¡± Her question made the demon lord back off to the room, quickly lowering her head. ¡°What¡¯s troubling your mind?¡±


    ¡°Haa,¡± a brisk sigh left her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m feeling anxious about today.¡±


    ¡°Is it about Lutiel?¡±


    Zyponia stood halted in place, despite their eyes meeting, she didn¡¯t really focus upon the yellow marbles. ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°Really? What are you so scared about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure some stupid coot will try and meddle with him,¡± exasperated at the end, her tired voice filling up the room¡¯s air. ¡°Only to try and mess with me.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re worried about that?¡± A smile adorned Raeyine¡¯s cheeks. Giggling as her hands traced along and straightened the dark straps on her blue thighs. ¡°Surely, there¡¯s no one stupid enough to offend you?¡±


    ¡°Well, it still won¡¯t shake up the bubbling feeling,¡± the girl muttered softly under her nose, only for her to flinch forward, feeling the sudden attention around her face.


    Glancing at the soft, dimly gray hands caressing her chin, the maid¡¯s calm face receded her worries somewhat. ¡°Don¡¯t stress so much. Even if there are going to be problems, he can easily deal with any of their slaves. Did you forget he dealt with the brothers going at him at the same time?¡±


    Her pink eyes followed to the side before breaking, the maid going near her back. ¡°And what if they bring out a slave with a horn?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like it¡¯s bound to happen,¡± she replied, shaking her head vaguely. ¡°He¡¯ll be nothing more than a cripple who can¡¯t use magic in their eyes. If they¡¯re still interested, then you should consider having them handed to Vaissen.¡±


    ¡°That damn Luviene. I shouldn¡¯t have sent him out that day,¡± she said to herself, beginning to nibble on her right thumb, however, before any of the tissue could get lost, her mouth was unable to close entirely.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost as though I¡¯m seeing the little Zyponia that first landed here,¡± with a cackle spreading behind her, the demon lord lowered her brows into a benign glare whilst turning towards the girl.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m going to laugh even more,¡± quickly adding, Raeyine almost lost her grip around the lace straps on the shoulders.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± she pouted, turning her head away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here for longer if he dies before we discover his true potential.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then you will have to stay by his side all the time.¡± She suggested as her hands grabbed the bra and fondled her breasts into place. ¡°Or give him to Luviene. I¡¯m certain she will be plenty entertained.¡±


    The words rolled across her hairs, quickly reaching the ears. Her veiled face soured slightly, but she composed it quickly enough. ¡°No way I¡¯d make the same mistake twice. Who knows what sort of thing she¡¯ll do next.¡±


    ¡°So you say, but it¡¯s not like she can¡¯t just enforce her wishes,¡± Raeyine spoke with a smirk around her, all while Zyponia lamented at the words.


    ¡°She still has to respect my choices, whatever position she holds.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll see today,¡± slapping her on the pithy bottoms, Raeyine promptly turned around, before any of the demon¡¯s strikes could get to her. ¡°Hey! You almost scratched my uniform.¡±


    Rolling her eyes at the spry maid, Zyponia looked ahead to the side, where a bed lay a dainty dress on its surface. Illuminating her tones, she watched as the head maid reached for the velvety gown.


    ¡°It¡¯s very pretty,¡± her tongue trailed off after stopping for a moment, taking in the dress fully through her eyes and hands.  ¡°It¡¯s by no doubt one of her works. Just take a look at the craftsmanship.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she agreed, her eyes sharing the maid¡¯s adulation. ¡°She says she only does it to be ready for an emergency, but I¡¯m sure she actually enjoys creating them. Have you seen Lutiel¡¯s costume?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± a smile beamed on her face as she brought the cloth closer to the lady, leaving the purple cape on the duvet. ¡°He¡¯ll be dressed better than a lot of the guests.¡±


    ¡°You should help him put it on later,¡± she spoke, closing her eyes as shadows engulfed her face from above. Sliding down on her body with delicate care for her horns to not rip it apart, the hovering dress quickly flowed all the way towards the carpet.


    Within a breath, the maid was already next to the lady, easing out the creases and folds for a smooth fabric. ¡°I was already planning to, don¡¯t worry.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°It seems like you two have good relations.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you getting jealous?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, shaking her head. Locking their gaze, she spoke with a somewhat cooler tone. ¡°I keep telling you, I¡¯m only trying to get him stronger for Vaissen to have an easier time with him. He may finally break our streak of failures.¡±


    Patting down near the area of her hips, Raeyine¡¯s hands brushed along the gown¡¯s surface, stopping immediately. ¡°Why are you holding yourself back this much? You know it¡¯s not good to keep it inside for so long. I can¡¯t remember the last time you had done it with someone.¡±


    Keeping silent, Zyponia¡¯s indifferent face screamed at the girl, despite not looking at each other.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± continuing, she stopped with the topic, at least from Zyponia¡¯s point of view. Grinning, her lips separated anew. ¡°So, that means I can get him all for myself, right?¡±


    Glancing slowly at the girl, the lord nodded softly, only to scowl a moment later as she heard the giggles spread throughout the room.


    ¡°I was just joking. I wouldn¡¯t dare do something like that with a mansion full of people.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever you want, I don¡¯t care,¡± the purple-haired demon blurted out plainly, parting their gaze and trying not to look at the constant glances of derision coming from her lady maid.


    Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t dull the subject any longer, the eyes fully attached upon the curvatures over the dress. As her hands pulled onto the gown, creases unfolded while revealing Zyponia¡¯s endearing presence.


    Looking at her as though she was a mannequin composed specifically for the attire, the maid promptly moved behind her before correcting the areas there. Almost fully done with the piece, she stopped a few steps away from the lady as her sight befell the yellow eyes.


    Resting softly on her arms, the dress uncovered her blue shoulders, clinging to her natural ways before faltering about beneath the legs, threatening to sway from the faintest, gracile movement of hers.


    She stood there for a while, grasping the full image of her lady, pondering about with intermittent glances on the bed.


    ¡°I think you will look better without the cape,¡± she spoke suddenly, catching the demon lord¡¯s intrigue. Her pink gaze scurried towards the bed, glancing beyond the glassy curtains. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°You can toss it away later. I was thinking the same anyways,¡± she spoke calmly, with her trusty, composed look.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to the necklace, then,¡± Raeyine spoke, her tone somewhat agitated as he turned at the dresser, on which many items glistened, but one stood out in particular. A rolled up and twisted cloth of dim red was set upon the top, inviting the two with its glimmering outshine.


    ¡­


    His vision began to peek through the closed up eyelids. Barely broken apart, almost fixed to each other, he had a hard time opening them up, unlike any past day.


    Sprawled across on his stomach, the man lay on his bed with a distant expression. Half-awake, he subconsciously moved his hand to rub his face before the frame quivered under his gradual stretches.


    Barely looking ahead of him, Lutiel¡¯s mind still played him yesterday¡¯s events while he promptly sat down on the bed¡¯s verge, processing the surroundings.


    Scratching his nape momentarily however, he quickly looked outside of the window, a slight panic engulfing his spirits. The sun had already peaked long ago, daring to shield its glory any given moment.


    ¡®Shit,¡¯ he broke out inwardly, the arms dashing along his body as he swiftly grabbed the hems of his pants, pulling them down together with the underwear before darting off to the wardrobe.


    ¡®She¡¯s gonna kill me if I¡¯m late,¡¯ he thought to himself while the doors creaked through his motions. With only his shirt left on him, it didn¡¯t help covering the parts of his that were usually kept away from the sun and others¡¯ eyes.


    With hasty movements, he didn¡¯t bother on discreteness, the eyes gleaming at the dark gray with a bluish tinge suit hanging on the coat inside.


    Quickly, he took both the jacket and the pants, busying his arms as he walked over to the bed, however, he promptly stopped in place, freezing momentarily.


    Lutiel stared at the maid in front of him, her black hair kept in their usual state, unlike the bundled-up mess on top of his head. Then, he flew towards her eyes, but their gaze never met.


    Looking him up and down the moment she silently entered the room, Raeyine stopped at the area around his crotch, only acting as he began moving once again, throwing the suit down at the floor.


    Slowly, she drifted around towards the wall. ¡°Eh-ehem, sorry, I wasn¡¯t aware you had just woken up. Did you stay up for long?¡±


    ¡°No, I just slept in,¡± he said with a straight face under the rustle of cloth as he put on new underwear.


    ¡°I see. You must have been exhausted, huh?¡± She mused along the topic, looking up towards the ceiling before eventually turning around at his words.


    ¡°You can look now, sorry for that scene.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she protested with a calm expression. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have barged in without knocking. Anyways, I came to help you dress up for the ball.¡±


    ¡°Am I not late?¡± He asked, turning around as he took the rest of the outfit from the wardrobe, a fair shirt and tie, as well as a pair of shoes matching the suit.


    Placing them along the main parts he already picked up onto the bed, the man sat down on the bed before putting on some socks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there is still around half an hour before you two should leave.¡± She eased his worries before stepping closer. Reaching for the suit, she took the jacket and pants away, raising them in the air.


    Having caught his attention, the man stopped, his sight focusing upon the attire that started to iron itself in the air, only to be hung on the chair near his empty desk.


    ¡°Thank you for the help,¡± he said, briskly glancing down at himself, his brows furrowing when he witnessed no tension around the abdomen. ¡®What? Have I regained more control from that note?¡¯ He asked himself, breaking out of the reverie as the girl¡¯s lips parted.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she spoke, turning to face him. ¡°Regardless, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to dress on your own.¡±


    Hearing the words spoke with zero hesitation, the man¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as he succumbed under her small smirk. Recalling the first time he dressed on his own, he didn¡¯t deny her words.


    ¡°Raise your arms slightly,¡± she added, following his silence. Without a quarrel of thought and flesh, Lutiel moved to her orders, taking off the rest of his nightly attire before feeling as the pale-white shirt inscribed itself against his skin.

 36. The Ball 1

    Moving from one side to another, the maid finished putting on the piece, quickly buttoning the fine fabric from the top down.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± She asked out of nowhere while steadily descending to the base. Meanwhile, he simply gazed down at the movements of her hands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lutiel said after a breath of silence. ¡°You helped me out a lot, but I still have no idea what to expect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfectly normal. You¡¯ve lost your memory, after all. Just remember everything I told you once you¡¯re there.¡±


    ¡°...I will,¡± he said, with somewhat of a distant gaze. Still, quickly recovering from the abrupt, internal baffle, he looked up to her face, their eyes meeting before she promptly broke it.


    ¡°You can put on the pants now,¡± her voice danced through the room as she walked towards the desk. Taking the jacket at the top away, she allowed him to reach for the pants, and he didn¡¯t wait any longer.


    With calm breaths, he put on the grayish blue pants before buttoning the flies. Unlike his usual uniform, somehow, there was no need for a belt, the costume eerily close to his measures. Still, remembering the girl that gave him the suit, no surprise surfaced around his expression.


    ¡°Alright, give me your arms,¡± she spoke up whilst in hold of the jacket. Once again moving around him, the piece quickly fell upon him, no loose or craving spots.


    Beginning to button up the bottom portion since only there were the small metallic circles and leaving a flipped triangle around his chest, she first tugged on the cloth in the right places, fitting him into the suit with a finer degree.


    Following with the legs, she straightened out the pants before moving to the bed and reaching for the pompous, round tie matching his shirt. Through a smooth movement of her wrists, she folded the tie through his collar and under the jacket, placing it onto him.


    Protruding from the middle of his chest in the shape of a heart, the undulating tie reminded him of the vast nobles from the empire he had seen in the few parties he attended with the heroes.


    Nevertheless, he moved away from his thoughts, gazing at the girl taking a few steps back.


    ¡°She really made you look like some young noble,¡± Raeyine spoke as he clasped her hands, scouring through every part of his body. ¡°Though, we still need to straighten out those bed hairs. You really needed some sleep, huh?¡± She wondered with a finger around her lips.


    Somewhat awkward around the face, he kept silent. Watching instead as she moved closer, his hairs swayed from the sudden drop.


    Creaking and squeaking, the duvet waved briskly as her arms fell upon his shoulders, pushing him down to sit on the edge. Moving her right hand to the pocket around her uniform, she took out the brush he remembered from the bath she gave him.


    Though, the pain he recalled fell short in comparison. A grimacing expression collapsed through him as the girl pulled onto his bountiful strands. Separating the large clumps of hair into smaller ones, she repeated the action all throughout, leaving a fair bush around the brush¡¯s spikes.


    Nevertheless, going for another round, while Lutiel¡¯s eyes and nose wrinkled from the strenuous pain, his hair had been brought back to its wonted composition.


    Disposing of the dirty brush into her uniform¡¯s pocket, Raeyine swiftly stepped away, standing in the middle of his room while he rubbed away at his scalp to soothe the itchiness.


    ¡°All done,¡± she muttered under her nose before bringing her hands together. And, as she did, it prompted the man to reciprocate the glances.


    ¡°Thank you once agai-¡± He started speaking before she quickly jumped in, swaying her finger to the sides to deny his statement.


    ¡°I will get my thanks if you follow and remember my words,¡± her voice rolled in his ears, the girl quickly crossing her arms. ¡°Your master is anxious for you, so don¡¯t go causing any trouble, alright?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I understand. I will try my best even if some noble demon gets angry with me.¡±


    ¡°Good, there is still time to go, but we will be waiting outside of the mansion. You can come with me already.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± saying so as he reached for the glossy shoes, he swiftly put them on before heading out of the doors, closely following the girl a few steps off into the distance.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    A rabid and loud, yet smooth to the ear cadence played out as he stepped through the hallway in his new shoes. Once again, somehow, they fitted his feet perfectly, each of his toes getting enough room designated to not be squished against one another, yet the exterior made it seem the other way around.


    Quickly passing through the corridor junctions, it wasn¡¯t long before he saw the maid opening the doors to the outside, from where beams poured in and beat the floor¡¯s shadows.


    Waiting by the doors for him, fully opening one side, Raeyine stared right at him as he came closer. Following the movements of the slave butler, she closed the doors before her face took on a brisk change.


    From the mellow serenity, she blossomed into a smirk. The man before her stopped just two steps before the mansion, immured. His body turned towards a certain lady who stood right against the spraying fountain, the maid could only imagine his face as he stared at Zyponia.


    Her purple hair was tied into an orderly, wavy ponytail. Secured at the side, a sizable, faintly shaded flower adorned the violet tones.


    Painted softly, her cheeks embodied a pinkish flare that didn¡¯t stand out, even against her complexion. Then, his sight followed down, towards her neck on which his sight seemed to linger the most.


    A golden chain glowed out its reverence, in the bask of sparsely dark skies, but he mostly glanced below it, at the gem they upheld. A crimson glow emanated through the middle of the crystal larger than the coin he left in his room. However, as much as he wanted to stare at the jewelry, he kept on moving his gaze.


    The girl awaited the two calmly, her gloved hands touching one other with delicate care. More so than he saw inside the shop, the dress suited her beyond the mannequin¡¯s capabilities, flowing on her in a vivacious manner.


    Near the bricks, supporting her sleek feet were blue, of a fair undertone, kitten heels, seemingly made purely from glass, but Lutiel couldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°You¡¯re practically ogling her,¡± a faint whisper swished past his right ear before he grasped it with a flinched reaction, followed by a spreading laughter from the maid that already went past his slow approach.


    ¡®Was I?¡¯ He wondered, uncertain, but with a quick shake of his head, Lutiel already began moving towards his lady.


    His soles clacked against the paved path encompassing most of the grounds. In no more than ten steps, he had already stopped before the two girls, glancing up at the face of his master.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come timely,¡± she posited. ¡°The guests have arrived at an earlier time than they anticipated. We will already be late if we go now, so let¡¯s get on the carriage.¡± Proposing, her slave briskly nodded his head in approval, swiftly receiving a vague shrug of shoulders after glancing at the maid.


    Nevertheless, his eyes followed the demon lord who already turned around, right to where a black carriage stood, seemingly ready to go at any moment. Turned towards the opened gates, the horses fidgeted in place, raring to pull on the four wheels behind them.


    Ravier, unlike usually, didn¡¯t await opening the doors for the lady, instead grasping onto the reins. So, with a rapid step, Lutiel easily overtook Zyponia¡¯s leisurely pace.


    ¡°Please come in, my lady,¡± he said, inviting her inside the interior after opening the doors. Deliberately ignoring the scalding glare coming from the back, he simply saw as Zyponia stopped on the stairs, turning at Raeyine.


    ¡°Keep an eye on them,¡± she said, her straight face seemingly cold.


    ¡°Of course, my lady. I will make sure everything is in check,¡± the maid spoke while bowing ever so slightly. However, as Zyponia began moving inside, she quickly raised her head. ¡°Please enjoy yourselves.¡±


    Nodding sparingly, the demon lady swiftly entered, her slave butler mimicking right after. Standing still beside the fountain, the waving maid kept on watching as the carriage moved towards the gates in the distance, turning around only as they escaped into the horizon.


    On the other side, inside the carriage, neither moved from their designated place, be it out of comfort or awkwardness. Almost touching with their knees, they sat against each other in the middle of the seats whilst staring outside of the windows.


    Lutiel and Zyponia watched as they passed the lingering forest around her mansion, briskly changing into an open scape of continuing hills, broken apart only by the white mountains at the end of their sight.


    Nevertheless, with a plain face not showing anything, Lutiel carried on looking out, despite feeling the girl¡¯s eyes creep upon him.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Have you gotten used to living here?¡± Suddenly, his face flinched at the question, but it was only a flash for the girl, quickly witnessing his usual composure placed right in front of her.


    ¡®I guess she opened up to me,¡¯ he mused, turning to the lips merging in with the shade of her eyes. Nevertheless, forgetting of the lingering feelings inside his body, the man already made up his mind.


    ¡°Better, my lady-¡± he started speaking, only for his voice to drown under hers.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it,¡± her voice emanated out softly, gracefully grazing his ears. ¡°You¡¯re my partner for the ball today, so talk to me normally.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he staggered somewhat before ruling out the flickering beliefs in his depths, he looked at her calmly. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now. I¡¯ve only been here for a week and a half, but I believe I¡¯m pretty used to it already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± she spoke, a faint smile covering her face. ¡°I was worried you would need a few more weeks, but it¡¯s almost as though you¡¯ve already been living with us. Not to mention, you seem less angry with us. Has something happened?¡±


    Hearing the inquiry, his face didn¡¯t change in the slightest, remaining equally calm while the head tinkered about something ever since yesterday, after all the lessons he had spent with Raeyine.


    ¡°Are demons evil?¡± He asked rather than replying, his looks indifferent to emotions.

 37. The Ball 2

    Quickly, as the abrupt question entered her ears, Zyponia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in shock, not having expected anything of the sort. ¡°Have you remembered your past?¡± She awaited his reactions, but he didn¡¯t fade in front of her.


    ¡°Glimpses of it, but it¡¯s all still a bit messy,¡± he spoke up while the girl seemed a bit shaken up, though she immediately cooled off.


    ¡°Why are you asking? Shouldn¡¯t you know the answer already?¡±


    Shaking his head lightly, he spoke up. ¡°I remembered the priests preaching about your deeds and your kind, but I want confirmation. From an actual demon.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re trusting me? Have you forgotten I enslaved you?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°No, I remember,¡± he said while glancing down and touching his chest. ¡°But, I still wanted to hear your answer.¡± ¡®So, will you lie, or are you going to tell me the truth I saw?¡¯ He thought whilst staring at the troubles pivoting her face.


    ¡°Haa,¡± she sighed sparsely, nippily locking eyes with the man. ¡°Some of us are evil, that is true. There are also some that are cruelly evil. However, that doesn¡¯t mean that the majority of the demons are the same. In fact, most of us lead a calm life. A fraction are good, and few are great. Yet, the same can be said about your kind, no?¡±


    ¡®Correct,¡¯ he said to himself, staring at the pink eyes in front of him. Nodding slowly at her words, he agreed to her words. ¡°Yes, from what I remember, there were nobles possessing slaves. But,-¡± His words were cut.


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering whether the slaves here are innocent citizens?¡± She asked with a faint smirk, one that only blossomed as he once again nodded. ¡°What do you think the answer is?¡±


    The words rumbled in his head as he recalled the previous days. Driving through the city, there were plenty of slaves near the outer layers, few of whom remained inside his memory. Because of the lack of variety.


    ¡°You took them as slaves because they opposed and tried to fight you,¡± his voice spread through the carriage while the girl¡¯s eyes brightened up, promptly bobbing her head up and down softly. ¡°Then, what happened to the people in this town? I haven¡¯t seen any free humans anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Some are still lingering around and hiding, but the majority have already fled away, most likely to the imperial capital.¡±


    ¡®As I thought. If she isn¡¯t lying to sway my mind, the holy city must still be standing,¡¯ he mused internally, not releasing any emotion out to the world.


    ¡°So, what do you think? Of the monsters that are out to kill you?¡± She snickered, gazing out upon the distant city he always visited, the carriage going in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Though a lot don¡¯t like my presence in the city, I still think you¡¯re the same to us in a lot of aspects. Thank you for the answers, Zyponia,¡± he said whilst the lady turned around, creasing his eyebrows as she suddenly immured near the end.


    ¡°... You¡¯re welcome, Lutiel,¡± awkwardly, she called out his name, breaking apart her frozen state while keeping eyes upon him. Still, coughing suddenly, she briskly changed the subject.


    ¡°Ehem, anyways, you said you remembered bits from your past, right?¡± As she said the words aloud, her state traveled back to normalcy.


    ¡°Yes,¡± with a terse tongue, he reciprocated the stare.


    ¡°Do you remember hiding in that cave? Any instance of it?¡± Her face beamed with solemnity as the words fell inside his ears, however, despite lying his way to get answers out of the lady, he beset her with truth, shaking his head decisively.


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s a shame, but it doesn¡¯t really matter. No matter how it happened, your body is still better than others,¡± she said covertly, however, the man¡¯s head festered with ideas.


    ¡°The magical energy?¡± He asked, making her eyes widen abruptly.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡± She pried with a rabid celerity.


    Staying silent for a few breaths, he eventually bent under her glare, with no pain escaping his chest. ¡°It was Rudrik. He said my body was different from other humans, and that my magical energy was higher than usual.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh,¡± she let out a frowny breath, swiftly massaging her temples with a hand. ¡°Just when will I learn from my mistakes? What else has he told you?¡±


    ¡°About the guests and their voyage to here,¡± he muttered under complete silence, only intensifying after he finished. If before the girl was partially irritated, now, she glared at thin air, blanking off somewhere from the anger she felt.


    His vision quickly followed down as he heard the audible clenches of her fists, however, before he knew, she already arrived back to herself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, that old geezer has long since lost it in his head,¡± she said suddenly, glancing down at the bright necklace she had been wearing all the way from her room. ¡°He¡¯s only good with jewelry now.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡®I should ask about it. He only said not to show anyone the note. It shouldn¡¯t matter after I already read it,¡¯ he mused while staring at her necklace with the bright-red gem.


    ¡°He also gave me some note to read before I left,¡± he spoke up calmly, quickly awaiting her next face.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± A tinge of confusion spread around her eyes. ¡°What was on it?¡±


    Without thinking twice, his tongue rolled as he spoke up. ¡°Merai. At the first, the word was blue-,¡± Lutiel stopped speaking, unable to have omitted the obvious change in reactions.


    From irritation to anger, now, her face wilted with a paralyzed dread. Staring at him with full eyes and an open mouth, the girl remained that way for a few quiet, yet deep moments.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She muttered in utter disbelief, unable to construct proper reasoning. However, rather than getting angry at the one that gave him the paper, she all of a sudden leaned forward, beginning to fondle his body with keen eyes.


    He was grasped by the forearms, the girl firming her grip around the slave, all while his eyes couldn¡¯t understand what he was seeing. ¡°Are you telling me he gave you a note containing that word?¡± She asked, but in his eyes, she didn¡¯t really focus on getting the answer, rather feeling for his body instead.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke up, through a distressed tone of a composed facade. ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± Quickly following her arms¡¯ movement, Lutiel saw her climbing up, swiftly reaching for his shoulders and neck with both hands, the touch lingering with a cool sensation to the skin as he flinched gently.


    Regardless, Zyponia¡¯s grip was too great for him to ever think of ways to escape, her sleek fingers smoothly rummaging through his hair and face while she seemingly searched for something through a speechless motivation.


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be,¡± she muttered after a while, almost too delicate for him to catch the words. ¡°Yet, you aren¡¯t lying.¡± With consternation, she already slipped away from his head. Standing on the floor in the middle of the ride, her right hand lowered itself towards the middle of his chest, right at the base of his tie and where his brand lay.


    Yearning for the beating of his heart, Zyponia stared down at his eyes without an ounce of a word flowing through, leaving him times more confused than before. Though, as she finally retrieved her arm, the demon lord remained to stand there, dwelling at the man whose gaze threatened to break away under the intensifying glare.


    Still, before his sight could drift apart from her, quickly, his arms stretched out as he bounced up together with the carriage. Right as it had driven over some unstable path, the interior shook and those within as well.


    The lady, having fallen to the man¡¯s embrace, stared around the space after feeling her seating near his lap. With a blink, she caught his face from behind, swiftly getting away before landing on her own seat and correcting her dress.


    Closing her eyes, the arms crossed after she pointed something to him. ¡°Smooth out your sleeves. Sorry for the sudden surprise, but I needed to check something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, my lady,¡± he uttered by mistake, quickly glancing up at her, only to see her unbothered, thinking face. ¡°Was it related to the word?¡± He asked, but the words only hovered around the space, unanswered no matter how many breaths the girl released.


    ¡®Is she still thinking about it?¡¯ Lutiel mused while turning to the murky veil taking over the lands outside of the windows. ¡®No wonder he didn¡¯t want anyone to see me with it. But, is it actually related to magic? No, no, it must be.¡¯


    As the thoughts poured out from his head, the silent grasp around them simply accompanied the fading sun. Since she didn¡¯t, maybe couldn¡¯t talk with him, he continued to stare at the reappearing stars while the carriage had become enlightened from the ceiling, a small, pale crystal glowing dimly at the duo.


    Focusing his eyes to see beyond their reflections, the dark path almost fully encroached his vision, yet as it finally passed them, he leaned closer, his eyes squinting just slightly.


    Far beyond in the distance, something glowed meekly, however, he couldn¡¯t truly describe the images through the panes. But, the sight he caught had promptly been taken over, gradually looking back in front of him.


    ¡°Tell me how you felt when you read it,¡± the girl spoke out of nowhere, revealing her pink eyes.


    Lutiel stopped for a second as images resurfaced inside him. Pondering on the tightening sensations, he briskly raised his head straight towards her.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t really move for a while after, and my heart felt like it could escape at any moment,¡± he started speaking to the girl showing no emotion. She only listened in on every word he gave out. ¡°I thought I was going to die from how hot I was inside, yet there was a freezing sensation creeping along my skin all over the body.¡±


    Staring down because of the words, the girl ruminated endlessly, only breaking apart once the carriage took a sharp turn to the right. Leaning back to the middle of the seats, her lips parted.


    ¡°Meiar,¡± she said, glaring deeply into him while his sight drifted apart. Catching his ear with a hand, Lutiel tried to mellow out the abrupt ringing, but it could only end on its own a few moments later.


    His eyes rolled about the place, sweeping through, but in the end, he went back to the lord, taking in the entirety of her image, something eerie about the figure.


    Still, with enough time, the sight finally stabilised and a harsh breath entered his body, the man¡¯s heart racing all throughout the sensations.


    ¡°What do you feel now?¡± Her voice stretched out towards him, whose heart began to beat slower. With a steadier breathing, he exhaled deeply before staring right at her.


    ¡°Disoriented,¡± a coarse reply left his mouth, making the girl¡¯s lips perk slightly.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± mystery flowed towards him, and before he could even ask any question regarding the matters, she added briskly. ¡°Welcome to the world of magic.¡±


    It was the same feeling as before, he mused. As she uttered the last word, the air around his ears harshened, but at least, he didn¡¯t feel so out of touch as before. No rampant beating escaping his chest, the eyes moved freely around the place.


    Yet, once again, before he could do anything, Lutiel found himself wondering. This time, why they had stopped moving already.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she eased his doubts, however, standing up from the seat while he quickly looked outside of the window, the eyes widening after seeing a staggering image.


    ¡®Wasn¡¯t there still so much road to beat?¡¯ He asked himself, staring at the illuminated palace, a mansion that made Zyponia¡¯s pale in comparison. Nevertheless, no answer came alight, the girl only speaking before they left for the ball.

 38. The Ball 3

    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t meddle with any demon¡¯s provocation. Don¡¯t worry about speaking, because you won¡¯t be able to. And, you¡¯re going there as a deaf and mute, alright?¡±


    Despite the troubles plaguing his mind, Lutiel still nodded at her words.


    ¡°Good, now, let¡¯s move,¡± she said, watching as the man stood up to open the doors for her. Reserving any reactions, her figure swiftly traveled down the steps upon the paved road. Following his lady, his soles swiftly clattered against the bricks.


    Closing the doors of the carriage, finally, the sights all around bellowed onto him. Standing beside the lady, they walked towards the gates sprawling all around their already limited vision. Black metal glistened under the sparse starlight, columns with winged statues overseeing the new visitors.


    Opening almost immediately as Zyponia came closer, without any additional word, Lutiel¡¯s eyes were soon engulfed by the extensive forecourt.


    Bricks crawling all along to the minute doors in the distance, stone railings followed the edges of the road before trailing off into tens of paths. Green, rectangular bushes spread behind the railings, towering over them at least twice in size.


    However, his intrigue couldn¡¯t last long. Without any prior warning, Zyponia¡¯s heels tapped along the bricks while leaving her slave behind. Quickly, the man followed his lady as they made their way through the vacant, free of any souls manor.


    Despite the lack of people coming towards the doors, Lutiel¡¯s sight followed up, looking at the windows of the palace. Fully enlightened throughout, there didn¡¯t seem to be a single room empty inside the mansion.


    Glancing to the side, he caught the face of his master, unimpressed unlike the man. Walking through the path as though it was her typical day, the demon¡¯s silhouette was grasped by the light from the cyclical, black metal poles with a yellow crystal brightening the dark at the top.


    However, trying not to catch any attention by staring for too long, the slave promptly turned back to the path ahead, walking behind his lady all the way towards the doors.


    Treading through the seemingly unending road, they had finally arrived near the doors of the staggering palace, built directly on the cliff overseeing the vast ocean beyond.


    With a spry step, he opened the door for his lady, starting to gesture for her to walk in. Yet, as the doors flung open, his ears experienced a shock, only to whittle into utter silence. The din his head went through stopped immediately, the figures inside halting themselves after turning to the entry.


    He couldn¡¯t see them, however, he knew all of their gazes were directed at the one walking in front of him. And, walking in right after, his eyes finally grasped the sensations.


    Standing all around the grand hall, be it on the marble floor, or the carpeted stairs, demons of all images stopped to engrave her image into their eyes. Their glasses, filled with a sparkling, subtle yellow fluid, no longer swirled around, having resisted themselves from taking yet another sip.


    Neither did they talk any longer. All to await for the lady stopping a few steps away from the doors. Gazing calmly through the place, she promptly glanced up, towards the man staring down at the two incomers. His hands calmly rested along the railings of the floor the stairs led to, a spreading smirk painted his pale face.


    Lutiel also glanced up, seeing the two, swirling horns spreading from the man¡¯s forehead. With short, sky-blue hairs that spiked up, immediately, images played out in the slave¡¯s head.


    ¡®Genor,¡¯ He uttered inwardly, staring at the calm smile of the demon lord.


    ¡°Tis intene taca ges yek e timaun junt li aet, Zyponia,¡± his soft voice graced the ears of all demons scattered throughout the place, all bearing suits and dresses sophisticated in their own ways. The male demon lord, on the other hand, presented himself highly in a pearly-white suit that glistened under the lights of the crystal chandeliers.


    ¡°Tis inbie obco kozs ges misl. Gove gade¡¯yr tis¡¯o kozs¡¯t ges ster dho meta¡¯yr vic aerl?¡± Her voice spread throughout the place like a gale of a storm, catching itself into the ears of every guest gathered there.


    However, despite the somewhat irritated expression around her, Genor simply grinned before raising his stretched out arms towards the crowd.


    ¡°Kozs¡¯t la elie un geas vic thigafi? Geas la nuen kiz imper, in?¡±


    As the demon lord spoke up with the leisurely gaze of his, the demons chanted at his words, raising their toasts before sipping on the bubbly champagne.


    Releasing a short, but sharp breath, Zyponia softly turned her head at Lutiel, promptly shooting the eyes towards a certain direction along the stairs.


    ¡°Reped ciko e siq, intane ges? Tane ges in petavir elie un tias¡¯o kiz dho gesc ges pryney?¡± He asked with raised eyebrows, astounded at her attitude. ¡°Elie un tias¡¯o vanr kiz crav dho mez, ges vidi.¡±


    Looking at the mellow derision kept within the gray white eyes of his, Zyponia¡¯s head soon turned around the place, taking in all of the expectant gazes from the single-horned demons. Regardless, moving back to rest for a few moments on Lutiel, she quickly turned around, adding only the words she needed to.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Tis gotovelie gede geas elie geas nete kiz crav,¡± her tone trailed off, disappearing as she began heading for the stairs on the right.


    Without waiting any longer, Lutiel also followed his lady, ignoring all of the glances coming his way, which seemed to move from every demon gathered there, especially from the one near the marble railings.


    No longer donning a smirk, he stared at the collared man with a blank face, as though trying to read everything about him. Yet, before long, he promptly spun away in disinterest.


    Taking sparse glances at the noble demons gradually starting to go back to themselves, either speaking to each other or just downing the drinks from the trays the slaves brought over, Lutiel quickly stepped along the stairs leading up to the higher floor.


    Following Zyponia, he turned right, swiftly traversing around the hallway, where a few more demons conversed with each other. Looking at the lady however, they swiftly bowed their heads down, raising their eyes slightly to include the man in their grasp.


    Glancing at their darkly tuxedos, the slave locked his eyes with one of the demons, but against his thoughts, the demon simply raised his body before going back to talking with his group.


    ¡®It¡¯s different than I imagined,¡¯ he said inwardly while staring at the doors they were moving towards. ¡®They¡¯re all too meek.¡¯ He wondered, only to witness Zyponia boldly grabbing by the handles to the room before he could even get in front of her.


    ¡®What is she doing?¡¯ The man mused while her arms went behind her swiftly, pulling onto the ornate doors. Unlike before, the voices hadn¡¯t come to an end, continuing while merely losing their intensity.


    Of course, the demons still turned at the visitors, and once the image of the girl played in their minds, they quickly quieted down. Flaunty by all vivid shades and shapes, their costumes promptly stopped swaying as they corrected themselves in place.


    Under incomplete silence, destroyed by musician melodies, Zyponia began walking through the middle of the expansive ballroom, the demons inside giving way for a free walk. The silence that prevailed throughout the place, however, briskly halted as the purple-haired lady gestured something Lutiel wasn¡¯t able to catch.


    Almost immediately, the racket of dialogue spread out through the room. Around the clothed tables, groups of demons exchanged fleeting glances at the lady with each other, only to glare at the human slave while conversing with one another.


    Nearly all of the dignified figures, wearing beyond ostentatious attires, kept their stares right at the man behind Zyponia, their words flowing through his head despite their silent nature.


    ¡°In vinta art teca ars¡¯o v,¡± a high tongue whispered far beyond his reach, yet the man felt as though the demon was directly inside his ear.


    ¡°Bie ges misl art szel zy ars¡¯o?¡± Another strident embrace tickled his ears, even with nobody near him, all of the ones staring measly pondering by their tables filled with booze and food to the verge.


    ¡°Oh, tis li secur ara yast beie arn,¡± a coquettish tone filled his head, certain words beaming louder than the others.


    All around, the words spoke to him as they flowed through the space, like a whirlpool that sucked him inside. His eyes shook while staring at the hazily front. Each word that passed through his ears seemed to take him by storm, making following the lady more and more difficult.


    His step faltered slightly, but regardless, he tensed his stomach, looking at the deep blue gown walking in the distance, away from him. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, she was only getting rid of him, further away with each passing moment.


    The words had long since turned into a mush of incoherent whispers, ones that made his gut and mind churn. Walking through the marble floor, he stared at his foggy reflection, as the heart began to beat chaotically.


    He breathed in and out erratically, unlike a few moments ago, yet, before the man knew it, all the sensations swept away, while his left arm hit against a soft impact.


    Feeling someone¡¯s grasp around his arm, his head moved quickly while his lips tried to open up. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ He said internally, quickly realizing he couldn¡¯t speak out in the slightest. His vocal cords didn¡¯t utter a single vibrance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, it¡¯s me,¡± a delicate voice mumbled through his ears, before the image of a familiar face shrunk his agitation. A head full of red flowing past her elbows, with a face that bred softness and sharpness tantalizingly. ¡°Let¡¯s move away from this ruckus, shall we?¡±


    Glaring at the emerald dress desperately clinging onto her shoulders by two fine strips, his eyes flinched away as her cleavage expressed itself freely to him.


    A giggle spread at his reactions, but with a quick word, the girl made him look around. ¡°Are you still distracted? Can you even see me?¡±


    ¡®Luviene? When did I?¡¯ He asked himself with doubt, scouring along his arms that grasped the lady. His right arm was right below hers as she grabbed him by shoulders. Meanwhile, both of their remaining hands united themselves, stretched out to the side.


    Despite his confusion, he saw that his feet were moving clearly, adjusted beneath the step and rhythm of his ball partner. The demon girl with two horns atop her head carried the man, their movement flowing with a smooth grace as they stood by the arched window towering over them.


    ¡°Geez, I was so excited when I saw you yet you aren¡¯t responding,¡± Luviene rolled her eyes while the man finally sprung his face back at the girl, trying to imply her his inability to speak.


    However, his eyebrows furrowed when a finger clasped his lips, burying itself into them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about their gazes. They won¡¯t be able to see or hear you talk at all.¡±


    Even further, his brows creased as he tried to find the meaning of her words. ¡°Ah,¡± he uttered silently, shock splashed within the voice. Unlike his attempt a few breaths prior, the mouth moved with bountiful ease.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lutiel asked mildly, with a voice quieter than a falling leaf. Rapidly, he saw her smile at the question before nodding to affirm the man.


    ¡°They see us as a pair of two dancing. Even if we stopped all of a sudden, unless I wanted it, they would still witness the same,¡± she said while a wink flew his way, the duo turning around simultaneously under her guidance. ¡°I mean, why not see for yourself?¡±


    For yet another time that he saw her, his eyes began to widen as he felt the abrupt grasp around his lips. Glaring at the green gems glimmering into him after stealing his second kiss, before he could get angry at her, the demon had already gotten out of his face, smearing away the saliva around her lips with a bare hand.


    Still, even if it wasn¡¯t as strong or long as the first one, Lutiel glanced at her with an annoyed look, the eyebrows flaring up slightly. ¡°Do you always have to kiss me?¡±

 39. A Dance Under The Moon

    ¡°Hmm?¡± She raised a brow. ¡°Did you not like it? I barely stopped myself this time. I don¡¯t know how, but you¡¯ve gotten tastier. I think I¡¯m in love even more now.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he spoke harshly. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on. Don¡¯t be so cruel,¡± her voice filled itself with disappointment, practically pouting at the man. ¡°I won¡¯t give it to you so easily in the future if you chase me away now. Besides, I just did it to ease your worries.¡± she spoke, but the man¡¯s blank face didn¡¯t believe it. Not until he glanced to the side, beyond her face.


    Like she said, the demons outside of their little scene simply stayed to their own. Some danced together just like they did, while most gathered around the circular buffet tables. However, other than some sparing glances, the guests never stirred up any rumors or trouble. They left Zyponia alone, so his true identity couldn¡¯t have been revealed.


    At least none of the normal demons occupied her. Standing in the middle of the ballroom, where the largest and most prominent of the round tables stood, the purple-haired girl stood around people that never seemed to break under her. Even though the man was unable to categorize them as any of the demon lords.


    Yet, even if she spoke casually to the demons near her, he could see her gaze breaking apart before swiftly drifting off towards where he and Luviene danced, directly under the moon¡¯s glare.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, you know? You should stop looking at other women when you have a fine lady next to you,¡± all of a sudden, he heard Luviene¡¯s complaints, prompting him to look back at her sullen face.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked with indifference. ¡°I was only wondering who the people next to her were. Are they important?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Getting jealous?¡± She asked swiftly, making his face sour ever so barely.


    ¡°I was just wondering,¡± he said after shaking his head.


    ¡°I will take that as a yes, then,¡± she said, a smirk flowing while a sigh crawled out of him. ¡°Let¡¯s just say those ones are actually important, unlike the ones all around the ball. They are here to discuss the actual reason Zyponia came in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he muttered, trailing away into the distance before feeling a rough grasp below him. Gripping onto his chin, Luviene made his eyes unable to leave her.


    ¡°What did I tell you? I tried so hard to get you here, yet you don¡¯t seem to care about me at all,¡± she spoke through a forcefully saddened voice, making him shake his head internally after watching the show.


    ¡°Did you? I was invited here the same day I met you,¡± he stated with a blank face, widening the eyes of a girl somewhat before they subsided. ¡°I thought you wanted others to know Zyponia had a male slave,¡± Then, she raised her brow.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°I guessed,¡± his straight face gleamed to the lady, her intense glare trying to look right through him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you, but I don¡¯t believe those words,¡± she said, quickly changing back into a serene expression, her lips creasing just barely as they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Though, since you already know, how are you enjoying the invitation so far?¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be worse,¡± he blurted, making her brows smear away to a frown. ¡°The glares of some of them could kill me.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was the opposite,¡± she said, her sight going down somewhat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you learning a lot about the demons right now? Don¡¯t you remember how you felt a few moments ago?¡±


    Furrowing his eyebrows, he thought about the words, only to shake his head in a swift reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve learnt a lot more just staying in the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s only just started anyways, there is still a full night for -,¡± she stopped speaking suddenly, glancing up and smiling at the man once again as he cut her words. Yet, when the sentence grazed the ears, Luviene¡¯s face wrinkled with a fuddle.


    ¡°However, I can¡¯t deny some of the words they keep saying are stuck in my head,¡± he said, under the girl¡¯s eerie confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean? Which words?¡±


    He stared at her green eyes, glimmering under the rife chandeliers. Looking at each other, with a casual, almost emotionless approach, Lutiel poured the words out, in as best of an attempt as he could.


    ¡°Tis, ges, li, bie, or something like that. They keep repeating without stopping,¡± he said, to which the girl soothed the flow of their dance. Gradually slowing down, she stared deeply into his face, the confusion dissipating away into the unknown.


    ¡°Meiar,¡± she spoke all of a sudden, under the confident look on her face. ¡°I knew it,¡± she followed as the look around his face seemed unfazed, as though he had already gone through the action.


    ¡°Haa,¡± she sighed while her head quickly plummeted down, glaring at the ground. ¡°I knew I should have done it earlier, damn it! Tell me, who was it? Who told you about it?¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Rudrik,¡± he said boringly, his eyes with the same, dim gleam about them. ¡°Though Zyponia said it right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°I think I get the picture,¡± her words trailed off for a moment, however, she quickly came back, beaming at him with her smirking composure. ¡°But, nevermind that, you¡¯re really making my mind stutter, huh? It¡¯s great that you¡¯re still in one piece, I would¡¯ve killed that old fart had I heard anything.¡±


    Immediately, his eyes sank. Recalling the murky thought prior to reading the note, his face blossomed solemnly. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Yet, despite his seriousness, her lips curved further up. ¡°Usually, human hearts explode the moment they hear that word.¡±


    ¡®Huh? What?¡¯ His depths roared while his face painted a portrait for the lady. She couldn¡¯t hide her amusement, so she instead sped up his moves. Flowing through her lead, his feet followed right after her, all while the girl¡¯s face neared closer.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand how. You won¡¯t get it anyway, at least for now,¡± she said, somehow making his face turn back to normal. Watching as their noses were practically glued to each other, she closed the distance even further.


    However, unlike the welcoming kiss, she came closer to his left ear, making his brows flinch while the steamy breath brushed past his earlobe.


    ¡°The tongue is more powerful than you can ever imagine,¡± she whispered to him, barely abstaining from kissing the skin. ¡°Do you want me to show you?¡±


    Once again, before he could break her grasp of him, she quickly stepped back. Leaning under the movement, he danced swiftly, spinning about through the floor.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be so tense. I can¡¯t always make you move,¡± she spoke, promptly making his body flop about, staggering against itself as though he had just learned to walk.


    But, he didn¡¯t care for that. ¡°Are you saying words correspond to magic?¡± He asked quickly, the idea hardly leaving his mind.


    ¡°What do you think? I won¡¯t say any more on that,¡± she said, quickly grasping his hands as the man tripped over his own feet, falling back. Looking ahead at the lady, who laughed her heart out, he exhaled a deeper breath before finally trying to move somewhat.


    ¡°Hmm? Were you purposefully trying not to dance?¡± She asked with a tilted brow, but he didn¡¯t reply, moving briskly to the falling moonlight.


    Slowly, with a composed nature, they danced together, one acting to the other¡¯s motions. As his feet moved, she immediately replied, going there as well.


    When the girl moved, he followed, never leaving the lady¡¯s motion behind.


    ¡°What does it mean?¡± He asked, turning her around before she regained proper control. Suddenly, they walked to the left, each with decisive steps that wanted to take over the other.


    ¡°The word? Why do you want to know? Don¡¯t you hate us demons like the rest of humans?¡± She asked, taking her hands off his shoulder before a sharp nail dug through his tie and met with the wall of flesh. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite funny? The way you have no idea how many times we could have wiped your kind off the face of your continent?¡±


    Staring at the man with an enthralled gleam, Luviene asked threateningly.


    ¡°I do,¡± he said however, making the girl think twice with the stunned mien she put on. ¡°Ever since I learned about magic, it has plagued me. Despite these powers, you have never attacked us directly.¡± His words halted Luviene, who stared at him solemnly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re actually evil, which makes me want to understand your reasons for coming here in the first place. Because it¡¯s not to destroy humanity,¡± he said, quickly sinking in the resounding silence while she smiled promptly, muttering under her breath while looking down.


    ¡°Ahh, it seems like I made a good decision, huh?¡± She said secretively after glancing up. ¡°Did you come to the conclusion on your own?¡±


    ¡°Partially, but it would be a lot slower without Raeyine and Rudrik,¡± he exclaimed, making her sour in confusion once again.


    ¡°Rudrik? I was sure he wanted your heart to break apart, not nice you,¡± she mumbled quietly, however, he heard it all. ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Calming the eyebrow that was wrinkling up, Lutiel quickly spoke up. ¡°He mentioned the guests are coming from a voyage.¡± Glancing outside to his right whilst the words flowed, his eyes caught the reflection of the ocean, peering at the large, ornate ship docked near the shore. One that could make travel for a few hundred comfortable.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she said intermittently. ¡°Do you know?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Nodding deftly at the words, Luviene didn¡¯t really ponder about it for too long. Instead, she once again put on the amorous smirk.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, then. No, I think it''s better if you know already. As for the word, what did you think when you first experienced its effects?¡±


    As the words rang out in his ears, he stood there silently, lessening his movements around the dance floor. However, not letting her sit in silence for too many moments, he breathed out a response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t really describe it. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. My organs seemed as though they were about to twist inside my body before leaving it.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she said, catching him somewhat by surprise. ¡°It¡¯s magic. Something you just can¡¯t describe when feeling it, yet everyone has a word of their own to categorize it. That¡¯s what meiar is.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he uttered meekly, letting his body be consumed by the motions. ¡®I was correct, it seems.¡¯ The man mused, staring at Luviene¡¯s eyes as their silhouettes continued to cling against one another.


    ¡°How long has it been since he made you understand it?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± Lutiel denied readily, giving her a singular shake of the head. ¡°I read from a note he gave me yesterday.¡±


    ¡°That works too, I guess,¡± her soft voice mingled to the graceful melodies played in the room, the instruments moving in the air out of free volition. ¡°It also explains why you¡¯re so disoriented.¡± Saying so, she began to tighten her grip around him.


    ¡°The energies flowing through you have increased incomparably, and since there are so many strong demons around here, it¡¯s seeping inside you unlike any day within the city,¡± she quickly concluded, to which his vision promptly darted around the room, catching the glances of a few curious demons. However, more importantly, he stared on top of their heads, at the double horns that prevailed through most of them, only a minority in the back possessing a single one.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking correctly,¡± she added quickly. ¡°Most of it comes from the table in the middle. It would be best if you stay around the edges of the room while Zyponia finishes her talks here.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he spoke silently. ¡°I will make sure she stays near my sight. Wait, are you going already?¡±

 40. In Trouble 1

    ¡°Hmm?¡± She raised an eyebrow, interest smitten along the face. ¡°Are you saying I would only be around you if I was here?¡± With the question going through him, she made the man stutter suddenly, flustered about the words.


    ¡°Eh? No, I-¡± Quickly, his voice cut off under her tongue.


    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t wrong.¡± Getting a piercing grin from the demon, the winds around them once again changed as they moved along the floor orderly, their time together finishing only when Luviene¡¯s face flinched up, turning behind her.


    Lutiel, similarly, looked somewhat shocked as he saw the purple-haired demon. Without a single word, Zyponia simply gestured to the girl, who turned back and left her dancing partner with a downhearted expression, swiftly moving away.


    Looking at the back escaping, he caught Zyponia, who stared at him for no more than a brief moment, only to follow the red-headed girl.


    Just like that, he stared at the two girls leaving him alone. And before he could even try to speak, a shackling grasp twisted around his chest, prickling away at his throat. No matter what he did, his lips stayed shut adamantly.


    ¡­


    Listening to her prior advice, Lutiel stood near the end of the ballroom, glancing at the lands beyond through one of the arched windows that also acted as doors to the balconies against the shore. Spectating through the light blue curtains, as well as the metallic grilles separating the window into multiple rectangles, the ship near the shabby platform caught his attention.


    Curving daintily along the shore, the ship anchored in the waters didn¡¯t wobble remotely at the waves crashing into it from behind. Regardless of any repeated attacks, it stood sturdy in its appearance, not fading away in the slightest.


    His eyes couldn¡¯t find a single imperfection perforating against the sleek, curved planks that made up the external walls of the ship. Despite the darkness approaching all around, he could still witness its true beauty, painted with a mix of red and golden that faded into each other from his lengthy distance.


    Its pale sails, rolled up for a resting period, glistened under the bright crystals at the top of the masts and its sides, illuminating the entirety of the ship, along with the waters around it.


    The lines connecting the sails and the masts couldn¡¯t sway in the calm wind, its tautness simply cutting through the wafts.


    Regardless how long his gaze hovered about, his eyes didn¡¯t seem to want to break their reflections apart. Stuck to the enticing ship, Lutiel left the thoughts to himself, pondering his earlier talks with the demon seamstress. Still, he couldn¡¯t keep them all from pouring out to the world.


    ¡®I guess even you can call something home, huh?¡¯ He mused as his eyes perked up slightly, glancing at the dark clouds beyond the horizon blending in with the ocean.


    Standing there, as though frozen in time, Lutiel didn¡¯t try to move away in the slightest. His eyes were kept on the waters, glancing constantly into the unknown. However, after tens of breaths left his nostrils, the slave eventually turned around, the entirety of the ballroom finally attaching itself within his pupils.


    Having situated himself near the left corner at the end of the room, a few steps away from the center and from where he danced with Luviene, he promptly started walking back. Without prolonging too much, the man quickly found the sole source of moonlight mellowing out under the crystallic light.


    Briskly, taking only a few glances before going on his way, Lutiel stared at the where the city would have been if not for the nightly shadows veiling the lands. Yet, seeing nothing other than the crescent gingerly disappearing from the face of the skies, he once again looked at the at the ballroom ahead of him.


    With a dim nature, the marbles reflected the chandeliers dully, overwhelmed by the shadows of the people inside. Fully in front of him, amidst the pairs of demons dancing with each other, the man saw more than ten backs facing him as they lingered near the center, where the largest table was set in place.


    Many unknown faces pronounced themselves to him, only two of the figures blaring with familiarity. As for the rest, despite their hidden fates, Lutiel could still tell their importance. Not overly dressed, they hadn¡¯t come to the place to party, it seemed to him. Rather, they looked uncomfortable wearing such loose attires.


    Especially the man, whose image beamed to gather attention. Towering over the rest with his eerily tall and brawny figure, much like Magon¡¯s, a scowl naturally rested atop his square-like head. Matching in with the eyes and horns, his black pupils reflected a simple gleam of the lights and nothing more.


    Glancing down at the table, his pale lips moved swiftly, but identically to the demons around the smaller tables, Lutiel could hear no word utter out into the space beyond their group. The only voices creeping along the expansive room came from those not included in the middle.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Nearly all of them wore two horns on their heads, except for a sole girl in the bunch, who possessed a singular one. However, they didn¡¯t treat her any less. Listening as she spoke, they exchanged words respectfully, unlike the racket he could hear moving near the doors.


    ¡®It must be someone very important,¡¯ mused Lutiel as he ingrained their gestures, along with the movement of their lips. Yet, before he could ponder any more about them, his sight broke apart out of nowhere. Looking in front of him, at the one that came into his sight, his head lowered itself slightly, taking a glance at the glasses filled with a sparkly fluid.


    Dressed in a simple, sleek suit of dark and white tones, the human stood next to the waiter, quickly glancing up to witness the cold, murky gray metal clinging around the man¡¯s neck.


    Somewhat perplexed, he stared at the slave, few of which made their way around the ballroom. Wherever they happened to be, however, Lutiel always witnessed their demonic master in the front, as if trying to show off their possession.


    Suddenly, the man¡¯s mouth began to open. ¡°Prie, taca arn,¡± he said, the meek, yellow skin around his face not moving a strand¡¯s breadth, the orange eyes of his glancing down instead of at the slave, no light bouncing off of them.


    Looking at his nearly dead expressions, he could see a few similarities to the human slaves, at least in the composure. However, other than that, nothing seemed to relate. The man looked as if he had been taken care of every day, his skin as smooth as a candle. Compared to the countless souvenirs of war entwined upon the human ones, the slave with no horns clearly stood out to him.


    Nonetheless, quickly forgetting the thoughts, Lutiel once again glanced at the glasses on the wooden tray. ¡®I guess he wants me to take one, huh?¡¯ He mused, staring silently for a few more moments while not responding in the slightest.


    Eventually, he grabbed one of them, prompting the demon slave to back off immediately, turning around and walking away, making sure to not come too close to the table in the middle.


    Glancing down at the cup for a few moments, he swirled it around, however, not a single muscle in his right arm engaged to take even the vaguest sip. Quickly taking his head back, he lingered around the space, holding onto the champagne while letting their bubbles float away into the air.


    ¡®At least the music is nice,¡¯ He thought to himself, glancing at the left wall of the ball, also filled with the curtained windows.


    Swiftly, he went over to the side, his eyes kept at the handle of one of the windows. The balcony beyond led to an overview of the large courtyard he had previously walked through with Zyponia. Witnessing the absence of any soul on the platform with stone railings, he grabbed onto the round handle, only to disappoint himself as no amount of strength could open the glass.


    Sighing internally, he once again turned around before lingering next to the left wall of arched windows, nothing greater for him to do in the place. Despite that, leaning on the walls in between the panes didn¡¯t seem to bring great light upon him.


    Under the odd looks he received from other dancers, on top of the demonic guests, before he even knew it, a figure flickered in the corner of his eyes, coming from the left side. Quickly moving his head to the side, he stared at the demon that clearly headed right for him.


    Moving off the wall, he stopped leaning on it, but still gave way for the guest to pass by. Yet, as the man started doing so, he halted himself before turning straight at him, making Lutiel¡¯s brows furrow.


    He quickly glanced up at the short, brown hair the man ruffled through with his black claws against the two dark brown horns, a dismissing attitude covering his cloudy red eyes. The leisurely demon pocketed his left hand before doing the same with the right, hunching his back slightly while gaping at the man.


    ¡°Hmm? Vic ges li dho involni un Zyponia, eh? Tis mesl ges tene yast bec e bisa einc voi,¡± the man said with lazy eyelids, but the marbles inside screamed something else altogether. Rapidly, Lutiel took a few glances to the side, seeing as all of the demons stopped speaking with each other, apparently no longer interested in the mundane task.


    Instead, all of them, except for the table in the middle, stared down at what was happening to Zyponia¡¯s slave.


    ¡°Tis li nuen,¡± he said, getting the slave¡¯s attention back with a delayed reaction. ¡°Kozs¡¯o bie ges misl ges li? Tis intomi vier art teca v e kelike involnia. Jun li e zero,¡± he snorted with laughter at the end before glancing at the glass in his right hand.


    ¡°Ges li stre, huh?¡± He asked under no speech coming from the man. The demon''s lips promptly churned up into a crooked smile. ¡°Inbie baj, tis¡¯e involnia tane maci arn pil¡¯yj,¡± he, the grin festering Lutiel¡¯s eyebrows even further.


    ¡®You couldn¡¯t have waited any longer, huh?¡¯ He thought whilst feeling the glass wriggle out of his control. Swiftly, without being able to move under his magic¡¯s ploys, the glass fell down to the marble flooring. Shattering rabidly, the shards splashed along with the alcohol, promptly getting all over the hems of his trousers, as well as the glossy shoes.


    Immediately, from the laid-back and grinning expression, he forced the anger out of his face like a thunder, changing too quickly for the human to understand.


    ¡°KOZS LI GES BIE¡¯YR!?¡± He screamed at the top of his lungs, glancing down at the legs of his trousers, the bottom all doused in champagne. While shaking his left leg off, all of the demons¡¯ sight gathered around them, the voice catching attention of the ones in the middle as well.


    Deftly turning around, the man¡¯s nose scrunched up as he started walking towards the table. The music halted immediately while the immured dancers also looked at the commotion, their sight swiftly following the movements of the angry noble.


    ¡°Zyponia! Pat kozs ges¡¯e involni bei!¡± He shouted through the space, directing his fingers at the purple-haired lady with a somewhat perplexed focus. However, glancing at the slightly shaking head of Lutiel, she sighed internally before stepping over to him.


    ¡°Kozs?¡± She asked, somewhat irritated, making the man explode even further as he stopped right before her, almost daring to dig his finger through her gown to prove his point.


    ¡°Kozs? Ges li zaipi¡¯yt kozs? Jun!¡± He bellowed, showing off his sullied attire, along with a few scratches on the surface of his glossy shoes. ¡°Ars ret e laeg ne tis¡¯e!¡± Agitated beyond belief, his irk poured out in the room, dissipating any conversations.

 41. In Trouble 2

    ¡°On kozs li tis rekomia kiz bei? Tis crav ges¡¯e tukza,¡± she said, but the man remained in his composure, screaming at the girl.


    ¡°Jun li inpiraj¡¯no!¡± He roared, on the verge of shattering the innards of his throat. ¡°Tis, Falen Kator, vyzov Zyponia un Afiern kiz e tika un dho involnia!¡± He said, making the crowd chatter up excitedly. However, the look around Zyponia only festered with anger.


    ¡®Damn it, will I have to kill somebody now?¡¯ Lutiel mused while his eyes scoured through the place, hopping from one demon to another, all whispering to the person near their side whilst peeping at the white-haired slave.


    His heart began to beat with slight chaos, panicked from the ploys played upon him. ¡®Should I have drunk it? No, he still would have dropped and shattered it. Haa,¡¯ sighing internally at whatever was happening in the distance, he promptly saw Zyponia waving a hand towards herself, inviting him to move.


    And, steeling himself, the man walked, despite the slight hesitancy filling out his steps.


    ¡°Li jun kozs arn choda kiz?¡± Suddenly, the demon that towered everyone in height began to walk, his figure wobbling from one side to another from the sheer size of the fleshy frame. ¡°Tis tane bic kiz vidinud dho tika,¡± his deep, harsh voice trailed throughout the entirety of the place, promptly continuing.


    ¡°Falen, vizen ges¡¯e involni. Zyponia, ges zibe,¡± he said, quickly recieving his answers.


    ¡°Hasye Icora, ars li tis¡¯e yedin involnia nuen,¡± the demon said, under which a rattle of chains could be heard, going all the way from the doors. With a size of two heads taller than Zyponia¡¯s slave, she gritted her teeth silently while glancing at the singular horn on top of his head full of scales.


    ¡°Li ges junt eznad? Elie ausapre un roche silva?¡± She asked, turning at the man with hazy red eyes, however, he simply continued to act angry. Though, the slight curve around his lips began to show slowly.


    Meanwhile, Lutiel had already arrived near the three demons, one of which was his master. Glancing at her under the racket of their tongue, he quickly looked at the single-horned demon coming their way, a long chain fluttering along his back against the floor as his collar was connected to it.


    ¡°Zyponia?¡± The tall demon asked, awaiting her answers.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned annoyingly. ¡°Kanthier un Yaras,¡± she said while nearly all the eyes fell upon her slave, who stood near her, looking around with soiled serenity.


    Despite whispering to themselves quietly, his ears roared with uncertainty, not knowing what exactly he was hearing. However, suddenly, the scraping of the hard floor cut off the consternation, grasping all of his attention.


    Coming through the suddenly opened doors, a wooden rack full of identical pairs of weapons began being pulled towards them, by a certain man with light blue hair. Genor walked through the doors, a smile prominently beaming on his face, as though he had been awaiting this moment from the very beginning.


    Closing vehemently after his approach, the doors slammed shut while he welcomed himself into the party. ¡°Oh, pat ne art! Inli ges¡¯e mali faci vic lidne, Zyponia?¡± He asked under a grin, pulling the rack all the way to the participants, who already faced one another, a few tens of steps separating them.


    Making up a semi-circle, the demonic guests came closer to witness the battle in all of its glory, as close as possible, yet not to the point of limiting their space.


    Standing next to the man that almost doubled his size, the demon lord leaned onto the rack filled with weapons, presenting them to the slaves.


    ¡°Nuen, yast e vybir,¡± he spoke to the slaves while an undisclosed Zyponia clenched her fists, however, she didn¡¯t do anything to stop the two from battling.


    Quickly, Hasye began walking over to the rack, prompting a reaction in the human slave. ¡®Should I take the spear? I know the moves, but will my body follow? Damn it, I have no idea,¡¯ while his mind churned and furrowed, the slave with a single horn and black scales all around his head already chose, picking one of the two longswords.


    ¡°Kanthier, vybir,¡± suddenly, the brawny man turned towards the human slave, his words repeating stridently inside his ears. Clenching his jaw, however, Lutiel took a decisive step to the side, stopping a foot away from the rack before grasping the weapon of his choice.


    Under the puzzled look of his master, he walked back to his previous position, a long spear in the slave¡¯s right hand.


    ¡®This is my only option.¡¯ He pondered while glancing at the slave¡¯s blue eyes. ¡®Will they let me win if I just knock him out?¡¯ Already thinking of the future, he lowered his stance slightly, grasping the long, wooden handle of the spear with both hands.


    Meanwhile, shimmering against the light above, the cold, gray metal spanning across Hasye¡¯s blade glistened with its cusp put against Lutiel. Threateningly sharp, the crystals from chandeliers reflected off the longsword¡¯s tip with a shining sprawl.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Nonetheless, despite the clouded thoughts roaming around his head, the human hadn¡¯t taken his gaze away from his opponent, whose advantages were clear. ¡®What is this feeling?¡¯ He wondered while seeing the slave take on a deeper stance, under the gleam of the demons¡¯ voice and anticipating applause.


    ¡®It¡¯s the same as whenever I faced Raphael,¡¯ he mused rapidly, flickering images kept at the back of his mind. ¡®Can I really not defeat him?¡¯


    However, he could no longer ponder on the matter, a trampling presence lurching at him with flabbergasting deftness. Despite his stout build, the horned slave closed their distance with a few concise, but harsh steps.


    The sword in his grasp followed him from behind, the suit around his right arm beginning to rend as he tightened the flesh. Swiftly, standing a few steps away from Zyponia¡¯s slave, the man began to swing his way. However, peering at the sight with strange eyes, Lutiel promptly moved towards him.


    The handle in his hands dangled momentarily before straightening itself out briskly, the sharp head atop stopping the sword in its approach. Attacking with raw power, the demonic slave quickly arrived near Lutiel, his eyes twitching as a wall appeared in front of him.


    Holding the blade still, Lutiel¡¯s arms convulsed underneath the pressure, his legs waning ominously. However, with an unrelenting step, he clenched his jaw and arms, pushing even harder against the sword.


    Skimming through the surface, he pried away the weapon while his opponent¡¯s arm briskly flung to the side, opening himself to the man.


    Quickly, with his eyes solemnly staring at the dark jacket, he retreated his spear before springing back at the shoulder. The demons stopped chanting their cheers as they looked at the spectacle. The weapon flying swiftly through the space, he easily cut through the attire.


    Yet, once again clasping their excitement, they watched as black scales revealed themselves. No blood poured out from the attack, the human¡¯s brows somewhat furrowing at the situation. Still, he recollected himself timely, jumping a few steps back before the sword clanged against the marble floor, faint cracks spreading from the fervent force.


    Simultaneously, the slave replied, staggering forward with his spear equipped. Cutting through the room¡¯s thrilling air, the blade advanced rapidly, however, just like before, in the same place, he could do nothing against the tough scales.


    ¡®Damn it! It¡¯s like hitting rocks,¡¯ he mused before once again collecting himself. Swinging up from the floor, Hasye dared to cut up his enemy, but the attempt turned futile. Looking at the small, slippery slave right in front of him, he grit his teeth before clenching the sword¡¯s with both hands.


    Rushing forward, he tried to mutilate Lutiel¡¯s range, following with a ferocious slash to the side, free of any skill. Slicing the air up with nothing but pure force, Lutiel leisurely maneuvered through the space, circling around him as his head tinkered.


    ¡®Weird. Despite the lacking movements I produce, the glyph isn¡¯t even itching. Yet, it wants to light up a single streak. How come the sword was so different?¡¯ He thought, quickly halting whilst abruptly moving to the left and dodging a sword strike.


    His arms rushed in, raising the spear upwards before thunderously slashing down at the black scales, only for his hands to reverberate instead. ¡®Again, damn it.¡¯ He mused, glaring at the man straightening his back. Staring at the glossy scales around his face, placed against one another with no slits between any of them, he suddenly started running towards him, despite the sword readying itself to slash down.


    The eyes of the spectators glanced reinvigorated while Zyponia¡¯s flinched momentarily, her brows staggering at the sight. Despite that, she didn¡¯t back away in the slightest, observing as Lutiel rushed into the strife out of his volition.


    Quickly, right as the sword was about to cleave him in half, a breath away from eternal slumber, he stopped moving. Feeling the nippy wafts brush his body as the sword fell upon the space, the guests stared in silence, watching as the weapon missed the slave by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    Another whine of the metal came about while Lutiel moved his arms in response. With a keen eye, his spear reappeared next to the burly slave, grazing the neck above his collar, to be precise.


    Cocking his head back instantly, the demon staggered through the space, his footing wavering. Moving to the right before slashing back at him immediately, the blade fell upon the side of his neck, nothing ever coming out through the tough defenses.


    Overpowered by the repeating forces, the slave tilted to the side, falling vehemently to the hard floor. His sword rang countless times while wobbling, however, before long, he once again grasped it. Lutiel wasn¡¯t even able to come close before he had already crawled away, nimbly standing up under the sight of nearby demons.


    With attrition, their gazes met, one after another walking with steady, vigilant steps. Watching closely their opponent, none of the voices around came into their heads, both focused immensely upon the duel.


    Unlike before, the duo darted at their opponent at the same time, both activating their weapons, attacking the slave in front of them. Quickly, under the scattering chant of metal, they stopped the other. Clenching their jaws, Lutiel suddenly gained advantage, caving in the man¡¯s grip, only for his foe to repeat the same actions.


    Going back and forth, suddenly, Lutiel thrust to the side, swaying the demon¡¯s stance. Veering inside, he propelled his spear at the man¡¯s chest. However, right as the blade started to dig through the fabric of the suit, his purple eyes widened. No matter how hard he pulled the spear away, the grip of his hand around the blade never lessened.


    Ripping apart through his white gloves, red smears tainted the material, but it didn¡¯t matter. With a rabid glare, Hasye pulled the spear, Lutiel dropping it a moment before his body would be sent flying. Almost immediately as the demon pulled his left arm, the weapon slipped out and flew through the space before coming to an abrupt stop, Zyponia stretching out her hand before it could pierce through her heart.


    Dropping down to the floor, however, she simply left the weapon there, not helping her slave in the slightest.


    ¡®I hope it¡¯s just a rule,¡¯ with a fleeting thought, Lutiel quickly focused his head on the approaching tower of shielded flesh. With a swift run to the right, he dodged the incoming sword before it could split him from the head in half. Regardless, making his brows crease up, the demonic slave followed each of the man¡¯s steps, as though the prior falter amounted to a measly nothing.


    A slash to the side came right after, one the human could only duck to evade. Yet, suddenly changing directions, the sword threatened to behead him.

 42. Surprise

    Impetuously, Lutiel rolled away from the sword''s trajectory, feeling the faint chunks of marble hit against his hair. Rapidly, he raised his body up, scouring the eyes around to witness the surroundings. Once again, like a rampant beast, the slave was already moving at him, to which Lutiel could only grit his teeth away before evading to the side.


    Still, when he did, as though the slave had been deliberately hiding his skills with the cold steel, the sword fell before flying to the side, nicking onto the man¡¯s thigh.  A warm liquid immediately escaped through the ripped attire.


    Although gritting his teeth harder than ever, he continued the run. But, of course, the slave wouldn¡¯t let him off so freely. Following the man with succinct steps, he began to descend his sword at him for yet another time.


    Though, having focused upon the strike, the demon failed to witness the clarity around Lutiel¡¯s eyes. With a swift, vim step to the side the moment his sword came ever closer, the human placed his right foot firmly around the marble, promptly raising the left leg before shrouding Hasye¡¯s vision with the glossy surface of his boot.


    Raising his left leg up, he immediately brought it back down, kicking at the gloved hands. The sword fell away to the floor whilst Lutiel already moved his right foot, knocking the sleek blade away into the distance.


    Stopping a few tens of steps away, right before the legs of the guests, Hasye had already stepped away from him, raising his fists up at the situation. The shorter slave following in his actions, the two stared down the other, circling around themselves patiently before both came closer to their respective weapons.


    Once again, Lutiel took on a stance with his spear, the demonic slave did the same, however, his back stood erect, with both of his hands gripping the hilt of the cold blade.


    They stood still against the passage of time, their breaths exposing themselves upon the immured silence all around. Glancing into the depths of each other, Lutiel saw the muscles of the man move suddenly, yet, in a matter of a flash, his eyes disappeared from him.


    For the longest breath, silence prevailed as he looked ahead at the flickering lights spinning around him. With a thud, a sudden aching spread throughout his body, his lungs halting themselves, desperately gaping for some air.


    Sliding across the strident floor, his closed eyelids convulsed repeatedly, his mind striving for answers under the grinding screeching that the ears constantly rang out. ¡®What the hell happened?¡¯ He asked himself whilst coughing up through the turmoil.


    Screams veiled themselves under the ringing, begging to be heard in the distance, yet, he had barely just opened his mouth, the chest heaving up tremendously from the sudden intake of air.


    Finally, his eyelids gave way, glancing ahead at the world beyond him. Foggy to the point of fully obstructing his vision, he mused. Through the haziness, the only things he could witness were the faint lights all around him. Next to his body, as well as in the distance, the light yellow light pervaded through the whiteness.


    Yet, feeling the aridity of his skin and nudging his arms ever so slightly, he could only describe the fog as a pall of dust.


    ¡®Ugh,¡¯ Lutiel groaned internally, trying to slowly raise his body through the mess. Immediately, a sprawling headache hacked into him, however, continuing to push, the man finally raised himself to the knees. Steadily, he worked his way up to stand on his feet firmly, despite the constant wobbles he encountered right after.


    From faint whispers, the voices began to linger more and more, getting progressively distinct each breath more he exhaled. Turning around, he glanced down at the floor beside him, his eyes widening as he saw the stone chunks of all sizes scattered around, entwined with bits and pieces of glass and metal.


    ¡°....Ooooov,¡± a certain voice spread out in the distance, however, he couldn¡¯t tell what it was in the slightest. Continuing to look around, soon, he saw the spear he had used in the previous battle. Or rather, the remnants of it. Splintered around the top, the weapon had been shortened by more than half.


    Regardless, moving down to grasp it, the voices once again repeated themselves. ¡°Moooooov!¡±


    Then, as if the gears inside him clicked and started to turn around once again, the ringing stopped momentarily, along with the hazy vision.


    Quickly, he grasped the spear before raising himself up, glancing all around the destroyed ballroom. ¡°MOOOOOVEEEEEE!¡± A certain voice added on top of the cadence of footsteps. Instantly, Lutiel¡¯s head darted to the source of the noise, only to see the shadowy figures scattering out through the maze of grayish dust.


    ¡®Humans?¡¯ He doubted himself, certainly having heard a sound familiar to him. Swiftly, as though to confirm his worries, his eyes widened as another few words entered his ears.


    ¡°Quickly! Kill all of them! Don¡¯t leave anyone alive!¡± The voice scattered through the place while rushed movements revealed themselves through the dust that the winds had brought out into the world beyond.


    Armed from head down to the toes, the leather armors they wore bent underneath the stress, a plethora of the soldiers rushing in from the ropes hung along the ruptured facade of the mansion.


    They screamed vehemently, each grating their own throats from sheer intensity. However, equipped with shining blades, all the attackers cared about were the figures in the distance that hesitantly raised themselves from the rubble. Under Lutiel¡¯s stagger, the humans ran at the felled demons.


    The ones already broken apart, with their limbs twisted beyond recognition and faces unrecoverable, were run through immediately. A spurt of crimson swiftly tainted the floors, readily absorbed by the lingering, fine powder.


    Raising the visibly deceased demons, Lutiel¡¯s eyes lingered on their cold blades. Without the slightest tint of doubt, with a rabid look around their helmeted faces, they dug through the flesh, letting their sword guzzle on the warm blood streaking down the pale necks.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The man didn¡¯t turn his head away, watching on as heads began to roll, stopping whenever a large piece of debris blocked their path. With horror-stricken eyes widened wholly, blood swiftly trickled down the dirty floor, any remnants of the scarlet fluid draining off with each breath the slave took.


    His gaze scoured through the place, swiftly arriving at a familiar face. Hasye, the one he had been facing, looked around while clutching upon his head, utter confusion taking over the man. Unfortunately, before he could even hear the steps and shouts, he fell down to his stomach after an attack from behind.


    Five humans came over at him. Despite turning around, he couldn¡¯t do anything in the face of their dominance. Desperately wriggling about, his limbs were apprehended by the assailants, a single one standing behind his head and staring down at the demonic slave with cold eyes. Raising his foot, instantly, he stamped down with all of his strength.


    Yet, seeing as nothing came about from the step, he slammed down once again, only for the slave to squirm in pain, raising his voice increasingly with each attack. Treading through the scaly face, soon, the metallic shoe glistened bright red, muffling out the voice slowly, but surely.


    The nose had already become flattened and the whole face caved in visibly, the blood forming a puddle inside that slowly drowned its holder. Continuingly, the blood splashed ever more as the human hammered down with his foot, only stopping when the slave halted his wriggles.


    Looking at the scenes with widened eyes, Lutiel finally saw the warriors step closer towards him. Quickly taking his sight away from the flickering, obstructed horizon, he clenched his jaw after seeing the soldiers raise their weapons right at him. Five of them stood through the space, ordered to deal with him.


    ¡®Wait!¡¯ He wanted to scream at them, however, he quickly grit his teeth from the sensation near his chest. ¡®I¡¯m a human!¡¯ He raised his voice, once again omitted by the brand. With a haggard breath, he quickly clutched the area near his wildly beating heart, regardless, it halted none of the humans.


    Standing loosely about, with his spear hovering freely in his right hand, Lutiel watched as one of the humans rushed straight at him, the short sword in his possession coming down just as he came a few steps away.


    Quickly, Lutiel jumped to the side, protesting with his hands. Rocking the arms to the sides, he begged them to stop, but none of the humans dared to listen. Especially the one that already started running at him. The rest simply watched as the soldier tried to finish the demonic slave, grins resting upon their faces seeing as their mate got increasingly frustrated each time the enemy evaded his attacks successfully.


    Finally, after tens of attempts, a single one fell true, nicking on Lutiel¡¯s left shoulder. Staggering through the scattered bricks on the floor, he promptly fell down, his teeth gnashed. Ravaging through his chest, the heart pumped vigorously whilst the breathing stormed pantingly.


    With exhausted eyelids, Lutiel slowly pulled himself along the floor, watching as the man came ever closer. Just a step away, the human stopped, peering casually at the slave while a sword rested along his shoulders.


    So, the fallen man quickly used his chances. With a thumb, he pointed to himself a few times before quickly doing the same at the human. However, unlike his wishes, Lutiel¡¯s brows plummeted as the soldier¡¯s brown eyes filled themselves with derision.


    ¡°Me? The same as you?¡± He asked sneeringly, fiery contempt boiling across his face as the blade started to move forward. ¡°Don¡¯t make me furious. You¡¯re just a demon slave, nothing else. I will at least save you from a painful death,¡± he said, underneath the defying shakes Lutiel¡¯s head produced.


    With a swift slash, the sword came rushing down at the floor, only to bounce back as the slave had rolled to the side quick enough. Clicking his tongue, he no longer cared that Lutiel raised himself up to stand, turning his head around at the jeers from the back.


    ¡°Help me out, you damn pricks,¡± he uttered, not needing to add any spare words. Quickly, the four resting began to rush at the same enemy, who simply stared at them, astonishment entwined within the eyes.


    ¡®Why are you not listening? I¡¯m the same as you? Ahh,¡¯ he whined internally as the soldiers had already closed off their distance. However, it was simply because just like his cords, the body stopped listening any longer.


    ¡®NOOOOO!¡¯ He roared in the depths of his spirit, glancing at the pierced face of the human right in front of him. Protruding from the back of the soldier¡¯s skull, the metallic spearhead made the rest of his companions flinch away before gripping their swords tighter.


    ¡°You fucking swine! I¡¯ll slaughter you!¡± One of the humans rushed in rage whilst the slave stood still, pondering his actions. ¡®No, no, that wasn¡¯t me, no,¡¯ he repeated through the mind, only glancing at the last second as the human attacker came at him, yet his body was already in motion.


    Flowing to the side, he omitted the slash in a facile manner, only to cut through the space with his own weapon, widening his eyes as the blood plashed the face.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not me,¡¯ he muttered with a defeated tone, but the expression around his face gave off the opposite. No emotion took hold of him anymore, the bleak eyes dimmed out from the lack of any light. Without waiting any turn, he rushed in at the rest of the humans.


    Two of them were already there, their weapons raised with enraged fright fuelling the faces. Yet, he easily dodged one of them, moving to the right before blocking out the other assault with his spear. A firm thrust to the side swayed one off his stance, and with a deft motion inwards, Lutiel already cut through the man¡¯s face, leaving a deep gash from the top of his forehead down to the chin.


    Staggering back while dropping the sword, grasping onto his face before screaming, the soldier promptly gargled as a metallic spear pervaded through his throat. Still, swiftly taking back the weapon, Lutiel shielded a sudden attack before disrupting the soldier¡¯s heart.


    Despite the screamings happening inside of him, he couldn¡¯t utter a single word, staring coldly at the last human up front. Falling down, the sword bounced a few times while the warrior shivered at his sight, the eyes quivering as he stared around at his dead group.


    A crimson shade took over the space around them as the hearts cried out their last melody to the world, the slave in the middle of the four quiet tunes.


    Nonetheless, not glancing at the shivers, he quickly moved forward while dropping the spear and taking one of the identical, five shortswords. Within a few steps, he was already near the last man, his body flowing continuously.


    With a dainty wave of the arm, the blade whistled from his motion. Swiftly, he had appeared beyond the human, the head rolling down his back before the body followed its approach.


    The man responsible didn¡¯t stop for the vaguest breath, going on about the moment while looking to the sides. Left alone, no soldier climbed down from the ropes any longer, all focused at the horizon, where a battle his sight couldn¡¯t handle took place.


    Something there caused his eyes to linger on the area. Despite being unable to grasp its full clarity, gazing through the blurry picture, lights flickered constantly through the whole space. However, as much as he wanted to continue looking, when the lights started getting brighter and brighter, the man could only hug the ground right in front of him, his sight twisting away with fearsome ardour.


    ¡®I didn''t, do it¡­¡¯


    ¡­

 43. A Guilty Boy

    A dark expanse covered the cusp of the face, falling gracefully along the ears. Waving ever so slightly, the hair rested calmly, unmoving through the space. Paleness twirled through the loose eyes, dark blue and void of light, peering right through the sphere of the living down to the grasp beyond. Smeared red around its lips, the tainted face breathed raggedly, trying to catch fresh air before coughing up. More of the liquid flew out however, a deepened shade had overtaken the blood, barely on the verge of turning black.


    ¡°Haa, haa, Lutiel,¡± the face called out, desperately begging for the boy with her soft, yet roughened voice. ¡°Do you see what they did with me? Argh!¡± Once again, blood escaped the lips, but fully black instead. ¡°B- but, don¡¯t blame yourself. You did the right thing. Just, please.¡± The voice, turning bleaker and bleaker, started to lack the strength to even speak out the words. ¡°... member, me. Please. Goodnight, Lutiel, may your dreams be the sweetest.¡± It stopped, all of a sudden, the voice no longer lingered through the air, halting completely as the eyes died out.


    The boy¡¯s chest collapsed as he rang for the wind, gasping loudly beyond the nightly world he had witnessed right before. His lips parted quickly amid a somber tone. ¡°Ahh! Ahh! No!¡± He screamed to the gales, reverberating in the skies and stopping right before the fair clouds.


    Right as his tongue quivered, the eyes widened up to their verge while he raised his body briskly, veiled by the shadow of the tree he sat under. With rapid intensity, his sight swept through the lands he found himself in, the ragged chest falling restful soon after. Staring ahead of him, the dancing grass moved the strings inside, illuminated through the motherly embrace shining down at the wavy hills.


    ¡°That dream again?¡± A petulant voice asked, moping about and making the boy turn to his right, the indigo eyes lighting up. Reflected through the pupils, the little girl perked up in his eyes, sharing the delicate blanket he napped on just a few breaths prior.


    Enlightened by the sun while sitting on the edge of the shadow, her golden, undulating hairs glistened beautifully. Enthralling the boy, his eyes battled harshly to get away from her image, failing miserably in doing so. Still, forcefully taking his vision from there, the boy flinched down instead, looking at the soft dress she was wearing.


    Matching with the hairs, faint frills scattered down the sides and around, creating a sparse contrast compared to the one next to her. Wearing an attrited shirt and trousers, made from the same, pale brown material, the scene almost depicted a royal sitting next to a peasant.


    However, for as long as he upheld the staring, the boy immediately veered off once her deep, lapis eyes met his, quickly angling his head low at the checkered blanket they were calmly sitting on.


    Swiftly, he caught onto the lengthy staff sprawled out next to her legs. At the very top, shining mellowy, a clear gem fit snugly in the wooden, engraved frame. With its sapphire-like shape and tones, it matched the darker shades of the ornate stick. Always ready for the girl¡¯s grasp, the staff perfectly adorned her person.


    Seeing the weapon near her, the boy quickly glanced down around his sides, soon taking hold of something starkly different. Looking quite shabby, with splinters throughout the handle that began to hold memories of the countless drops of sweat he poured out, the spear no longer seemed adequate for any battle. The head at the top, chipped along the edges and the tip, had long since lost its proper shine, a dull embrace taking over through the tens of scratches and smudges along the gray metal.


    ¡°Yes, that one,¡± he finally replied, drooping his eyebrows to barely witness the eyes. Silence met the two of them, the little girl¡¯s troubled expression glancing at the boy, no speech able to be uttered for the current breath. Sharing the composure he faced, she repeated the look around him, though only with the mood. Dropping her shoulders, she looked at him defeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the girl spoke softly, almost silenced despite the gentle gusts. ¡°If not for the priests, I would have cleared it already,¡± her tongue beat herself as she uttered the words, a sullen glow surrounding her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡¯ the boy spoke once again, clearing the dull looks with a spry motion. ¡°The priests are right, you shouldn¡¯t waste your powers,¡± he added promptly, but it only created an irked flurry around her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste!¡± She raised her voice slightly while glaring at the boy. Deeply radiating within him, he instantly stopped any of his movements, staring at her in a docile manner. ¡°What¡¯s the point of having this power if I can¡¯t use it for those that need it?¡± Through clenched fists, she crumbled tightly the cushion below her, asking a pointless question. Only a rustle of the leaves above answered her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied as a large cloud began to cover the rays. ¡°But, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡± he added briskly, making the girl slowly raise her head and look up at him.


    ¡°What is?¡± She pondered, lifting the slumped shoulders slightly. However, the airs around her weren¡¯t exuberant in the slightest.


    ¡°You know, that the priests keep you so restrained,¡± he said with furrowed eyebrows. Her eyes flinching as his words tumbled around the ears, she kept mum at the following statement. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything without their surveillance.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you were talking about that,¡± she muttered, lowering her head once again. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about that.¡± The girl said, with eyes that barely looked at what lay ahead.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± The voice scattered through the hills while the light finally shone through the clouds, a clear sky escaping their shackles. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, whether you think otherwise,¡± she said meekly before her eyes briskly looked up, a sudden wriggle of the blanket engaging her.


    With puzzlement entwined, her eyes stared at the boy raising himself from the space, the hands quickly firming up into tight fists. Squishing her brows together at the energetic person next to her, she soon raised one of them.


    The boy stood proudly against the sincere winds, gnashing his brows before his lips parted. ¡°Then, if you can¡¯t, I will tell them myself!¡± A shout reverberated through the lands while he scooped down to his left. With eagerness, the spear that was taller than him lay securely in his hands, making the wooden handle creak under his clasp.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°What are you thinking about all of a sudden?¡± She asked, raising the eyebrow even higher .¡±Weren¡¯t you still asleep a few minutes ago?¡± Alas, her words weren¡¯t much to persuade him.


    Listening to the words, he momentarily glanced to the side before quickly stepping out of the blanket and walking along the grass. With a vehement strike, he raised the spear, just barely missing the vast expanse of branches above. ¡°The world waits for no one!¡± He shouted through the space whilst beginning to move downwards. ¡°So, I will train enough for the priests to acknowledge me! I will help you, Sheila!¡± He added near the end, making the girl exhale through the nose, on the verge of giggling.


    With a soft smile, she shook her head while glancing at the spear that hailed down whilst cutting through the air. ¡°You¡­¡± she spoke with eyes plastered all over the boy as she continuously swung his weapon. ¡°You really are an obstinate one, huh?¡±


    With a soft sigh escaping her breath, she promptly grabbed upon the staff near her, raising herself from the blanket before running up to the boy. A step away, she watched as the sweat trickled down the sides of his face and along the bridge of his nose, observing as the man trained uninterrupted.


    She simply kept standing there, letting the clouds pass by in the meanwhile. Yet, as a large cloud once again floated through the sky, omitting the shine from above, the happy face of hers hesitated, uttering. ¡°Why?¡± She asked through shaky lips.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He asked with doubts, creasing his eyebrows together as the shades fell away. Darkening by the second, he saw the murky clouds, illuminated by no more than a sparse few stars. Yet, somehow, the flat scape all around took on a crimson hue. With a doubtful mind, he swiftly swept his gaze across the space whilst halting the chanting of his spear.


    Immediately, his eyes quivered incessantly. Mutilated bodies lay across the lands, metal speared through the reddened mud. Around the soil, an unending layer of hands and feet lay, severed by varied means. Some extended with the arms and legs, others simply cut away or ripped apart by the wrists and ankles. Digging through the mud, the lifeless body parts jumbled up to small piles, a floor of flesh made up by them.


    His heart shook at the sight, only ever increasing the beats once the man started witnessing the heads, greased with blood around their faces. Yet, despite their state, all started to glare at the man, with increasing passion every halted breath he took. ¡°Why?¡± Once again, the voice resounded in his ears, making him stagger through the place. However, something stopped him. His own hands gripped upon the tightly fitted handle, one which hooked onto something.


    Finally, he saw the one in front of him. Her golden hairs seemed to have brightened up, while her features became more pronounced than before. Clearly, she had aged quite a lot, just like him. Unable to speak as he saw her, his mind churned when the smiling, bloodied lips began to part.


    ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± She asked, through the faint droplet of blood pooling out from the mouth. Dripping along her lips, the smile around them promptly receded as the girl¡¯s blue eyes began to falter harshly, the eyelids convulsing. Swiftly, the girl looked down at the wound she had received, from the very man before her.


    Trembling all across, her sleek, pale arm traced down to the stomach. Immediately, it painted itself entirely in red. Seeing it all, the man couldn¡¯t speak, at least properly.


    ¡°Ah, ah, n-no, I-¡± clustered up, his tongue stuttered completely. However, despite his mutterings, his voice was overwritten by the clear voice from the front.


    ¡°You killed me, Lutiel. Why?¡± Her words once again trailed in his ears, making the pupils shake without halting.


    Quickly, with strengthless arms, he dropped the grip around the handle, falling to his knees before clutching the top of his head, trying to hide from the girl. ¡°No, please, believe me, it wasn¡¯t me! I-I, I didn¡¯t do it. I didn¡¯t kill you, please,¡± his voice stumbled, breaking down by the end as the throat glued itself together.


    However, suddenly, while a tear threatened to drop down his cheek, he stopped. A voice from the right took his focus. ¡°Why did you kill us?¡± With a soft tone, the voice traveled nippily to his ears, making him turn around.


    The girl stood in her armor, shorter than usual from the lack of her calves. Still, despite the cut legs, she walked through the mud towards him, her body lacking any real features, as though she had just been submerged into a sea of fire and melted.


    ¡°Why? Did it feel good?¡± Another voice grasped him, firmer to the prior one. Turning behind, Lutiel stared at the large body. Similar to the girl, all of it had become burnt, however, the man stood barely. Ripped apart in countless areas, the parts came together to form him, but they didn¡¯t hold firmly.


    Once again, before he could take a truly good look at the man, another prompted him to move to the side. ¡°Did you have to send us there?¡± She asked, sparse green strands remaining on top of her melted head, nothing else making her figure stand out.


    Then, finally, he heard the voice that made him stagger for a few breaths, not moving towards it despite hearing him. ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± Raphael¡¯s voice headed for him, Lutiel¡¯s eyes shaking vehemently. However, before long, despite not moving there at all, he saw the man right in front of him.


    His head lacked its usual features, the eyelids melted over the sockets. The nose, as well as the lips, behaved in the same manner, the skin having melted to leave a blank face. On top of the head, the platinum hairs no longer flowed with dignity, all burned away through a fire.


    ¡°Why did you kill me, Lutiel?¡± The previous sword hero asked whilst blood started to incessantly pour out from the gaping hole in the middle of his chest, no heart ever beating there.


    ¡°Why?¡± A voice sprung up from the back, simultaneously. Immuring the man in place, he could no longer look at the world before him, the shine around his eyes disappearing as the maimed face of the woman showed itself before him, only the head ever showing, the rest of the body stood with a dark cloak.


    ¡°M-mom, no, I didn¡¯t do it, I swear,¡± he muttered silently, the voices unable to hear him. The only ever came closer with their disfigured bodies, chanting away at his ears like the bells of a church.


    ¡°Why? Why did you kill us? Do you feel better?¡± They asked, just a step away from the hiding man. ¡°Lutiel, why do you like to kill so much? Why did you kill us?¡± Repeating through the dark clouds, he could no longer see anything, one of the arms crawling up on his body ripping the eyes out.


    ¡°No, please, believe me, ah, ah, it hurts,¡± he wailed through the painful moans, feeling as the claws ripped his flesh apart. Slowly, they picked upon his body, to no end.


    ¡°Lutiel, why did you kill us? Why?¡± The voices screeched through his ears, which were no longer there. ¡°Why? Tell us, why?¡±


    ¡°No, n-no, I didn¡¯t-¡± his mouth repeated the same words, however, before long, he couldn¡¯t speak anymore, the red tongue ripped apart along with the vocal cords.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why?¡± They asked, increasing in anger each time he didn¡¯t respond, but the only thing that still spoke of the man was the sole, beating heart, muddied in the soil beneath.


    With an urgent call, the eyes opened up, staring ahead of them while the breath muttered raggedly. His chest caved in and raised itself out, the thumping within vigorous. Glistening under the dim source somewhere in the distance, a droplet of sweat trickled down his face, grazing the earlobe before letting off onto the bed.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯ He asked himself, pondering as the eyes caught the ceiling ahead of him, seemingly made from bloody, loose cloths entwined against each other.

 44. Awake

    His vision rolled about the place speedily, only to look at the sheer fabric making up the curtains that covered the bed, matching with the shades of the bed¡¯s ceiling. Before long, an answer already surfaced through the muddle as he felt his snuggled underneath the duvet body.


    ¡®Why am I in her room?¡¯ A new question replaced the prior, alas, he made no efforts to clear it, his face remaining idle for a few breaths while the chest started to soothe out. With every moment that had passed, the man lying inside the bed heard the beating of his heart abate, all the way until he could no longer differentiate any of the rhythm.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned with an almost elusive tone. At the same time, his face began to churn under the sensations. ¡°Argh,¡± the pained moans trailed off once again, however, with a steady pace and grimacing eyebrows, the shoulders flinched. The muscle fibers visible through the skin started to move, painstakingly gentle.


    With a measured cadence, he pushed regardless of the miens his face put out during the actions. Lacking any adroitness around the hands, he still grabbed on the cloth, pulling it away before revealing his bare torso. But, his actions were promptly reverted once his teeth started to chatter, the body shivering right after.


    ¡®Where are my clothes?¡¯ His gaze meandered throughout the vast bedroom, with nothing but futile results. The vision had been limited due to his weak movements, and the curtains around the bed didn¡¯t help him in the slightest. With a vague sigh, Lutiel simply plopped his head back down on the light pillow behind him.


    However, his head started to follow around the room within a few breaths, his senses flinching under the faint creaks crawling out from the distance.


    Looking to his left, one of the double doors moved inwards before a certain figure moved through. With one of her plenty dresses, she donned a fabric blending in with his eyes. Walking along the room with a wooden bowl in her hands, she suddenly halted herself before briskly watching the man that kept observing her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve woken up already?¡± Zyponia asked softly, through a practically whispering tone.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he replied briskly as their eyes met, the girl resuming her walk towards him not a second after.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She followed while the man saw her approaching ever closer, building questions inside his mind. ¡®Is she coming over to eat right beside me? Why?¡¯ He pondered, somewhat confused by her actions.


    ¡°A bit weak, my lady, but I¡¯m fine otherwi-¡± he almost finished speaking before his tongue froze over, feeling the soft graze of her hand on his forehead. Countless thoughts flashed past his mind, however, hearing her almost intangible words, the mind promptly cleared up.


    ¡°Your fever has gone down, at last,¡± she muttered calmly before taking the right hand off his face. ¡°But we still have to give you the medicine,¡± the lord added right after, omitting his furrowed eyebrows.


    ¡®Medicine?¡¯ He wondered, right before his eyes witnessed the pasteish, light green substance in which a wooden spoon found itself. ¡°My lady, can I ask what this is? No, actually, what happened to me?¡±


    Staring at him with a plain face, Zyponia seemed to be stuck wondering about the answer. However, not long after, she moved away from the bed slightly, adding to his puzzlement. He tilted his head slightly, swiftly seeing her move a chair from the side all the way to the edge of the bed.


    Sitting calmly in her dress, with crossed legs, the girl rested the bowl on her lap before gazing at him. ¡°Do you remember anything about that night?¡± Her voice sat in his ears, a silence quickly permeating in the room.


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he said, forgetting to address the demon, however, she hadn''t garnered any grudge. ¡°Humans have ambushed us and started killing the demons,¡± he said, a deathly silence falling upon the two immediately after.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she spoke through a vague hint of somber. ¡°They have detonated the walls of the mansion and raided the ballroom, but most importantly and unfortunately, they have succeeded in their attack. Almost half of the guests there have died under their blade, or, in the next few days following. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    She asked with a solemn face, confusion replacing her slave. Stuttering inwardly with his thoughts, he stared deep into her pink eyes. ¡®Almost half? there were at least a hundred demons there. Demons that can wield magic, yet they fell so easily?¡¯


    ¡°Lutiel,¡± she spoke suddenly, breaking his daze apart.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°You were poisoned by attackers. You¡¯ve been asleep for a whole week now,¡± she uttered, making his head spin as the words fell out of her mouth.


    ¡°... What?¡± He snorted out unknowingly, with a convoluted mutter. Sinking in his depths, her words rattled before he once again turned to her face. ¡°Are you saying all of the demons were poisoned?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°The ones that were injured, yes,¡± she stated with ease. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve realized.¡±


    ¡°If the poison was strong enough to kill the demons with horns, how am I still alive?¡± He asked the lady in front of him, quickly receiving a meek nod.


    ¡°Neither I or even that vixen have any idea. All I can say is that it was a miracle. I gave you my best treatment, but most of the work had been dealt by your body, somehow,¡± she spoke, bringing him tens of questions yet again.


    ¡°Will I live?¡± He asked instead however. There was no point ruminating on matters he would never be able to understand.


    ¡°It seems so,¡± she spoke vaguely, glancing down at the bowl in her hands. ¡°Your vitals have stabilized and your heart no longer beats so furiously.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said, easing up somewhat, however, recalling the nick around his shoulder from the human soldier, Lutiel promptly lifted his head before glancing down to the left. Nonetheless, it was only skin around there, all healed up and without a scar in sight.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of me,¡± angling his head towards the lady, he swiftly parted his lips. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for dirtying your bed, my lady. I must have sweated a lot.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about that, just open your mouth.¡± Her voice traveled to him quickly, his eyes watching as a spoon filled with the paste traveled towards his mouth. However, touching his lips, they wouldn¡¯t open, so Zyponia took her hand away, with a partly indignant expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°A slave shouldn¡¯t be fed by the master, my lady.¡± He replied, only for the demon lord to raise her eyebrows in amusement. ¡°I will eat it on my own.¡± Or so he said, grimacing while trying to move his arms towards her.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak from the illness, dehydrated, and malnourished. Just keep lying on the bed and be obedient, okay? One more day won¡¯t make a difference to me,¡± she muttered while the man opened his mouth, hastily to the point of seeming forceful.


    Suddenly, as the spoon left the viscid medicine inside his mouth, the man involuntarily released unruly noises from deep within his throat. Yet, before he could barf at himself, something washed over his mouth, making him swallow the remedy fully.


    ¡°Do I really have to eat the whole bowl?¡± He asked immediately, glaring with his straight face at the lady. Still, hiding her chuckle while looking down, she quickly composed herself before glancing at him.


    ¡°Yes, it will give your muscles some strength back. Seeing as you¡¯re relatively okay now, I want to perform a quick test at something,¡± she said, already back to her previous expression before his noises.


    ¡°Fine.¡± with an internal sigh, he simply stared at the mound of a lime-green substance already going towards him on the spoon. Quickly, opening his mouth, he once again barely restrained himself from vomiting, tasting the intense herbal and medicinal flavors.


    However, with quick ten or so spoonfuls, he finally used his arms to raise himself up, sitting underneath the duvet just so it covered his waist and below. No longer hurting as before, he moved his arms around effortlessly, but still gently, checking if any mark had been left as an aftermath of the battle.


    His hands grazed across the areas that had been cut during the attack, but just like the left shoulder, he could find nothing, whether that was a good or a bad thing. Deep in thoughts, he was suddenly brought back by the soft rustle of fabric in the air.


    Gliding gracefully while folded neatly, all of his butler¡¯s attire came floating by, under the demon lord¡¯s attention. With facile and swifty movements, she moved the clothes over to him before tossing them down on his bedded lap.


    ¡°I¡¯ll turn around, so tell me when you change back,¡± the girl spoke to him whilst being truthful to her words. Intrigued slightly, Lutiel took away the duvet, only to witness his glory bare to the world. ¡®I should have expected it, I guess.¡¯ He pondered, promptly standing up from the bed before his underwear swiftly crawled up to protect the genitals. Grasping the pants, however, he had been stopped.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot,¡± she suddenly mentioned, in the middle of him putting on the shirt. Halting his movements, the human froze in place. ¡°Wear just the underwear for now.¡±


    ¡°So you were watching, my lady?¡±


    ¡°I have good hearing,¡± she said, breaking the silence whilst still showing her back to him.


    Within a few breaths passing, the two stood firmly on the soft carpet, neither one moving a hair¡¯s breadth amidst the quiet air.


    ¡°I wanted you to try the experiment we did with Camilla back then, remember?¡± Omitting the matter, she still hadn¡¯t turned around, despite him no longer showing his bareness.


    ¡°I do, my lady. That metal has been stuck in my head,¡± nodding whilst his tongue rolled, she finally turned to him, her face as composed as he had first met her.


    ¡°Good, let¡¯s see your new results, then,¡± she spoke softly before something whistled through the air. Quickly, Lutiel looked to the side of Zyponia, witnessing an ornate, wooden case flying through the space just like the clothes. Placed delicately against the center of the room, the square crate opened right as it settled. Pointing towards it behind her, the demon spoke to the man.


    ¡°Please, repeat what we did back then.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said with a calm look, quickly following her orders before arriving at the center of both the room and the carpet. Glancing down at the round, almost perfectly spherical metal, he lowered his right hand for the shiny, gray ball that seemed to reflect all of the room¡¯s possessions.


    ¡®Odd,¡¯ he wondered to himself, grasping onto the metal before easily raising it up. ¡®Why is it so light all of a sudden?¡¯ Then, he followed in her past instructions, swinging his arm to throw the ball at the wall. Letting go off of his grasp, the ball scattered the air around it, flying potently through the bedroom.


    Staring at the result with slightly widened eyes, Zyponia barely flinched in time, quickly sprawling out her arm. Moving at the pale yellow wall with vehement celerity, the ball was just about to hit the paint when something stopped it, hovering about.


    Falling gracefully and bouncing off the wooden floor a few times, the ball rolled towards the man while he turned his head to the lady, he himself certainly shocked, even if face didn¡¯t show much of it. ¡°Beie arn vyrc?¡± She muttered discreetly, looking at him with a distracted sight.

 45. Quick Test

    Turning her eyes at the magical ball, she promptly used the stretched out arm, rotating the hand before the metal started to fly through the room once again. Without much noise, the soft palm shortly caressed the sphere. Eyeing it with superb notice, Zyponia¡¯s eyebrows flurried instead.


    ¡°Did you feel any opposition from it?¡± She quickly asked, without lifting her head.


    ¡°Barely, if there was any, my lady,¡± replying with a calm stature, she promptly shut her lips after breathing out a puff of air. Wondering on the matter for not long however, the demon lord soon threw the ball back, raising her eyes at him anew.


    Bouncing off the carpet, it quickly started to roll about all the way towards the man, stopping just as it hit his pale feet. ¡°Do it again.¡± The voice brushed the ears of her slave, who didn¡¯t wait long. Just like before, he lowered his body before grasping the ball with all of his fingers. Firming the muscles, his eyelids flinched at the sudden repress coming from below.


    As if sucking out all of the power his flesh possessed, the fingers began convulsing trying to lift up the object, the breathing of the man harshening up with each successive try. ¡®I can¡¯t even budge it,¡¯ he thought before entirely giving in. Looking at the lady on his right through hastened breaths, he parted the lips.


    ¡°I can¡¯t lift it up,¡± said Lutiel, only to receive a nod of her blue face.


    ¡°Alright, try now,¡± she spoke suddenly, but he didn¡¯t question the words, following once again after his breathing fervently calmed out.


    Grasping the ball with his fingers anew, he started raising it swiftly despite garnering visible difficulties. Falling down upon his shoulder, the palm with the ball didn¡¯t rest for long, his arm swinging the ball away, or at least trying to.


    With a similar result to the initial experiment, the ball staggered through the air for less than a hand¡¯s reach before nippily falling down. At the same time, Lutiel¡¯s chest heaved up and down as tried to catch a better breath, only for it to suddenly calm down a moment later.


    No longer standing idly behind him, Zyponia finally closed in on their distance, prompting the man to turn around at the same time. ¡°Has the energy inside me increased again?¡± He asked as she halted right before him, not breaking his peer around the girl for a single time while she moved.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Did Luviene tell you?¡± She pondered through a meekly veiled intrigue. Yet, her brows raised themselves further from him shaking the head weakly.


    ¡°Rudrik?¡± She asked once again, receiving a swift nod this time. ¡°He really didn¡¯t hide his mouth, huh?¡± With a calm thought, she quickly walked past her slave, arriving near the space around her windows while another crate began to move through the air. With the same shape, simply bigger, the wooden box replaced the already tidied sphere, revealing a considerably bigger one.


    ¡°Please, just continue with the exercise as you would have,¡± she spoke, facing him with arms calmly lingering around her sides.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he spoke before squatting down and grabbing the ball with both of his hands stretched out. Raising himself up and straightening the legs, at the same time bringing the ball towards his stomach. Because of the tensed muscles of the torso, the man swiftly brought it back down.


    Despite the clear struggle, however, he completed the task for more than ten repetitions, falling down to the ground at the end before sweat trickled along his body. Dripping from the bridge of his nose, a droplet swiftly broke apart as it hit the surface of the ball, however, despite the scattering, no smudge of liquid was left on the metal, as though it had absorbed all of it clearly.


    Still, Lutiel couldn¡¯t witness more of the same, the ball hastily taken back to the crate, replaced by a long, rangy one. On the deep, red cushion within, the lengthy staff presented itself to the man. Breathing out smoothly as his lungs became rejuvenated, the slave took the extended, metallic pole with both hands before treating it the same as he did his imaginary sword.


    Cutting the air above, the staff stayed there in the same position while he tried to shake as little as possible, enduring the burning sensation around his flesh. Regardless, he was already out within a few breaths, dropping the staff before taking a deep breath.


    Zyponia stared at the man diligently, watching with clear eyes as the metal had been raised anew, unlike the single instance during their previous session. Though, withstanding the forces much shorter, the staff fell down quickly before the demon lord properly faced her servant.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Shutting the box once the object had been put inside, she easily moved it away from the two of them, making the glistening man take a closer look at her, his unsteady breath gradually waning.


    Their eyes met as Lutiel remained in the middle of her bedroom. Glancing ahead of him, her clear image resounded thoroughly, the rays behind the girl peeking through to paint her grace. However, he quickly changed his sight, looking around her arms. ¡°My lady? What about the sword?¡± He asked, the blank image on him breaking ever barely.


    However, staring at the man, she didn¡¯t reply immediately. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you more comfortable with the spear?¡± The voice resounded in his ears, recalling the events from a week prior. ¡°I can always change the shape if you want to.¡± She said suddenly, while he still mused over the last question.


    Yet, despite the answer he always knew very well, Lutiel¡¯s lips didn¡¯t give it up so quickly. Glancing momentarily at the right hand, where smooth skin welcomed his vision, only then did he start speaking. ¡°It¡¯s fine, my lady. I had visions of training with the spear, but it seems my muscles and I had forgotten most of the movements. I¡¯m okay with the sword.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Alright then.¡±


    Having said so, Zyponia moved her right arm out, following with a whistle of the wind as the last crate swiftly arrived near his legs. Shining boldly as the light poured over the blade, his eyes reflected its belle. Without waiting any longer, he moved his figure down with zero hesitation, grabbing onto the hilt and raising the sword with both hands.


    Putting on a stance with his legs without a thought, his brows contorted slightly after feeling just how much ease his body had received. With a round motion, he clenched his arms and raised the sword up, instantly cleaving the air before him in half.


    And, although it left him almost breathless, the man quickly began doing it one more time, his hands and arms shaking incessantly. Despite that, a few breaths after, the sword had once again been swung, with a form his glyph judged as plausible.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. Thank you,¡± she spoke sincerely, walking over to grab the weapon by herself before effortlessly putting it inside the case, all while Lutiel panted like a dog.


    ¡°Did I do good, my lady?¡± A question spiraled out of his calming mouth, leaving her to ponder silently. Tossing the box in the air before it floated serenely back to its initial place near the other furniture, Zyponia stared into his eyes for a few moments.


    ¡°Better,¡± she spoke tersely, leaving her gaze across his slave brand. ¡°I would have never expected you to grow so quickly, but it seems that the ball has helped you tremendously.¡±


    ¡°How so, my lady?¡±


    She looked up at his face as the question spoke through her hair. ¡°You should thank that old man if you see him again. It could have been the complete opposite had he not given you that note. Though, that makes me wonder if he knew of the planned attack,¡± the lady spoke, leaving him with a faint smile before she quickly fell deep into thoughts.


    ¡°I will, my lady,¡± he said, only for his face to sour slightly as she lowered her eyebrows. ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned, irritated. ¡°How many times are you going to call me that?¡±


    Staggering back somewhat at the question, his calm face still quickly recollected itself. ¡°My lady, but we¡¯re inside the mansion, I can¡¯t speak to you in any other way.¡±


    The words flowed out of his lips, but their intent seemed to have sparked the opposite effect. Raising her brow, indignant, Zyponia retorted at the statement.


    ¡°Did you forget I am the master of this house? I make up the rules, so tone it down with the addressing, understood?¡± With a somewhat raised voice, she berated the man.


    Staring at her serious face for a few moments, he saw it waver for a fleeting breath before quickly coming back. Yet, he didn¡¯t know what to think of it. So, with an internal sigh, he replied promptly.


    ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind next time. Can I dress up now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, regarding the next time. Although you should rest some more, could you exercise before us again tomorrow?¡± She asked, leaving him somewhat speechless. Still, letting the bare rooms air brush against his skin under the complete silence, he finally moved a few breaths after.


    ¡°Of course, should I wake up early? Also, when should I come back to work?¡± He asked, but the answers seemed to have been prepared already.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about either of those. Raeyine will wake you up if need be. As for work, you can start from the first day of Regalian. It¡¯s the 32nd, so you have a day off tomorrow and today.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± he said before glancing down at his bare self, soon turning towards the bed on which his clothes were kept. Without uttering a word, he moved towards them, however, his moves were halted right in the middle.


    ¡°Go and eat something after you leave. You¡¯ve slept for eight days straight and the medicine can¡¯t constantly keep your strength up.¡± She spoke, making him look twice at her in confirmation.


    ¡°Okay, I will,¡± he said back, promptly dressing up with quick and succinct motions. Quickly, he was already headed towards the doors, his swaying hair stopping out of nowhere while he was beside them.


    Creasing her eyebrows at his immured back, the demon saw him turn around, his still as ever face beginning to speak. ¡°Thank you, Zyponia. For taking care of me so much,¡± he blurted out, not waiting for much longer and leaving her alone in the room, a crushing silence accompanying her blank wondering.


    ¡­

 46. Back To The Routine

    The flesh struck against the hard material with swift, nippy motions, underneath the veil of dim silence. Repeatedly, the skin brushed a harsh rhythm while the barely visible figure moved up and down. Using the hands placed on the floor to descend, the shadowy silhouette promptly hoisted itself off the panels. Then, it repeated the actions. No matter how many times the movement played out, the figure continued, as though it hadn¡¯t strained the muscles in the slightest. Yet, just as it looked like the shadow would once again do it, the moves dissipated in clarity, its body falling to the ground with a controlled flow.


    Getting up and standing still for a while, the man looked towards the ceiling, his eyes closed to let the silence settle within. Sparsely covering the face, sweat dripped down, with considerably less vigour to his earlier days in this place. Clenching the fists, Lutiel finally opened his eyes to welcome in the murkiness embodied all around. The sole stream of illumination that came from beyond the window, in the form of minute dots sprawled across the sky, skimpily poured over to his room.


    However, walking through the space with facile coordination, he didn¡¯t call out for the crystal overhead. Instead, his mind ventured off somewhere else, the surroundings becoming the least of importance. Once again, he clenched the muscles around his arms.


    ¡®It¡¯s almost as though I kept training through my sleep. Is this the effect of the magical energy Rudrik was talking about?¡¯ He kept pulsing his arms around, as though trying to feel for the discreet, indiscernible force they all talked about.


    Of course, with a mind as oblivious as ever, the head stopped decisively. ¡®I¡¯ve definitely become stronger all of a sudden, my endurance has visibly increased as well,¡¯ he stated, swiftly delivering a punch through the air only to calm down. ¡®The speed, too,¡¯ he added , momentarily cutting the air with his right leg before a blaring light encompassed the dull surroundings.


    Coming right from the middle of his right hand, a cold shine unveiled his suspended in place figure. Slowly retrieving the leg, he let the thoughts out. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just slight increases, but it¡¯s all starting to add up together with my training.¡¯ Lutiel concluded, his typically composed face staring deeply at the image starting to be reflected along the pane.


    ¡®Yet, would I be able to defeat that demon?¡¯ He asked himself, only to glance down at the crest written in the skin. Already simmering down, it began waning into oblivion beneath his eyes, the reflection before him disappearing briskly. ¡®Those scales, they were like plates of the strongest armors I¡¯ve witnessed. Yet, he could move around as though nothing restrained him.¡¯


    With a quickly emptied mind, he walked over to the middle of the room. Stopping in place, he closed his eyes for countless breaths. As the man waited in the space wordlessly, images washed over him serenely, depicting the sombre ball before focusing solely upon the fight.


    Breaking out of the steady position suddenly, he took on a lowered stance, placing his hands up as if something was there for him to actually hold onto. Opening the lids to reveal his keen eyes, Lutiel stared amidst the night. Despite glaring into nothing for a few moments, he started moving with terse signs.


    The made up spear he held onto swooshed through the space, halting completely right before it could ever graze the walls. Tensing his muscles just like he did at the time, Lutiel thrusted the spearhead to the side, letting free of the sword¡¯s path abruptly.


    With swift motions to the side, the man stepped freely while his upper body churned, trying to pierce through the giant right in front of him. Yet, an image of the tip being stopped overwhelmingly furrowed his mind before he turned back. He once again stood calmly against the room, following the gleam from beneath.


    A quarter of the glyph had become illuminated, however, he focused on the depths of the mark. ¡®You¡¯re saying it¡¯s possible, huh?¡¯ Lutiel mused to himself before taking on an identical stance as prior.


    Though, only for the initial part. Under the itching of the mark, he set his body in different ways. Adjusting the feet ever so slightly. Either rotating their placement or firming up the position of certain parts of the feet, he followed with the arms and the grip.


    Just like a few breaths ago, he saw the slave with black scales right in front of him, the man rushing towards him with his horrendous form. Flying through the room lividly, the sword arrived at the human¡¯s skin. Still, the slave¡¯s blade stopped after being unable to get a chance at slashing him, cut off by the long weapon the enemy possessed.


    Unlike the short past, the spearhead overwhelmed the metal. Disrupting its course completely, the sword fell away while the white-haired man effortlessly pulled to the side. He stopped for a brisk breath, as though hanging frozen through time, only to tighten the grip on the handle.


    Letting go off the left hand, he twisted his body to adorn the other arm. The weapon in his grasp intensified as he suddenly moved at the same shoulder as before. Spinning while slicing through the air, the spearhead promptly arrived at the spot, stopping immediately. With the slight wafts around him calming down, so did his breathing.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Looking at the arm that did most of the work, Lutiel¡¯s eyes flowed to the hand, where a sturdy glow of a single streak invited itself, though with a glow considerably meeker than the first time.


    With a heaving chest, Lutiel pondered on the crest dying out beneath the bracing light. ¡®Why doesn¡¯t it hurt? Why is it so different from the sword?¡¯ However, despite the many questions, all he could do was swing his arms away and try to imitate the movements.


    ¡®I know barely anything. The glyph, the magic, the demons, and even the humans that attacked. And what if I wanted to contact them, what then?¡¯ Standing still while the mind clustered up, Lutiel could only shake his head in defeat. ¡®I should do something instead of weeping so much.¡¯


    Firming up the eyebrows, he prepared his body before gripping onto the air beyond his stomach. However, the form he took on wasn¡¯t clear in the slightest. His feet, unsymmetric, stepped all over the floor while his shoulders became tense beyond measure.


    Messing up, he could already feel the itchiness around his hand, worsening each breath he took. Right as he raised the invisible sword, he could only stop under the paralyzing pain. Dropping the sword away, his head swiftly picked up on the other weapon.


    Once again, with the poorest of forms he could imagine, Lutiel meekly took hold of the spear. Through legs that barely provided any assistance and hips that didn¡¯t work, he swung the handle with nothing but pure strength. Yet, his arms clearly finished the movement, with no effort for him to stop. No, vibrating visibly around the skin, the crest did the complete opposite. Instead of hurting him like the sword did, clear instructions fell upon the mind, exact and proper moves forming through faint visions to aid his journey.


    ¡®Does it just mean I¡¯m incompatible with the sword?¡¯ He mused while scratching the back of his head. Then, he abruptly stopped before looking ahead with clear eyes. ¡®No, there is a way to test that, right, Kylli?¡¯ Slipping through, the thoughts left him to walk around the room, briskly arriving near the chair.


    Stretching out his hand, the man didn¡¯t even close his eyes as the memories flooded. All the giggling and laughing through the jeers, as well as the teasing, he remembered all of them when envisioning the bow in his left hand. Moving the right one soon enough, just around the middle of the string, he began pulling it when a single streak lit up brightly, swallowing the whole of his space.


    Mellowing out as the man let go of the string, he quickly looked at the glyph with solemn eyes. ¡®Must be the opposite, then,¡¯ with his body already drying off under the mansion¡¯s warmth, he finally lowered his body for the nightly shirt. In a swift motion, he moved over the bed, crossing his legs while sitting on top of the duvet.


    His eyes lingered through the room, grasping onto the darkness while submerging inside his head. ¡®If pain indicates talent, why did they never shriek at all? They were the embodiment of their weapons, no human could ever rival them in their field,¡¯ staring at the platinum hairs swaying distantly, Lutiel stared at the dim mark showing itself.


    ¡®Also, why does my glyph have twice the amount of streaks on it?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but ask, with a tinge of irritation. No matter what, it felt like every time he finally uncovered something, another veiled aspect came to shine.


    ¡°Haa,¡± inhaling deeply, he released the air harshly before setting his eyes firmly on the hand, not letting go of it no matter what. ¡®The more something pains me, the more potential I seem to have for it. However, with the pain, the glyph¡¯s corrections disappear. At the same time, when another streak lights up, the pain lessens almost completely. I guess that¡¯s how they hid it so easily. Yet, when the second one lit up, there were no instructions from the mark and there is only so much I can remember from Raphael¡¯s sword swings. Does it mean I just have to experiment and let the pain course through me? I will have to experiment tomorrow.¡¯


    Letting himself become absorbed in the thoughts, even if his eyes were open, Lutiel didn¡¯t glance away from the hand. Without noticing, the clouds in the sky passed by his window numerous times, the man only breaking away from the stupor as his stomach clenched in on itself, striking him by surprise.


    He didn¡¯t wait for long while looking down at the shirt, promptly standing up and coming over to the wardrobe.


    With a set of fresh underwear and night clothes in his grasp, the slave left his room, easily making his way through the corridors. Omitting the baths, he followed further in, quickly grasping on the kitchen door¡¯s handle.


    However, right before he pulled on the door, he hesitated, noises reverberating from the insides. Crackling and scraping of something suctioned his attention. Under the furrowed eyebrows of his, he staggered forward involuntarily, the door pushing him.


    ¡°I was wondering who it was sneaking around. Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± A familiar voice rested inside his ears as the doors flung open fully, a tall maid wearing glasses welcoming his sight. Standing by the fiery stove that released its flames directly at the pans above, Lutiel watched Raeyine tend to them. Rubbing along the surface of a pan with the wooden spatula in her right hand, she briskly changed her attention to the one next to it.


    ¡°I was hungry,¡± he didn¡¯t hide the words. Remaining beyond the doors, he awaited the girl¡¯s reaction inside the sparsely illuminated veil of night around them


    ¡°Please come in. I was in the middle of making myself something as well,¡± she spoke softly, so as to not disturb the night¡¯s serene breeze. Stirring through the dark pan on the stove whilst constantly eyeing the man, her face blossomed a smile as he took a step beyond the doorway. ¡°I hope you like onions,¡± the girl added swiftly.


    ¡°I do, thank you,¡± with his voice battling against the raging fire, he closed the doors delicately before taking a spot on the chair near the table.

 47. Questions, Again

    Staring silently at her barely visible back, his face suddenly looked up. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± She asked solemnly, the voice brimming with remnants of concern.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said while nodding. ¡°The medicine helped me.¡± ¡®As disgusting as it was,¡¯ adding discreetly, the girl continued stirring the pan.


    ¡°Well, no matter what it was, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay. The poison battled with your insides quite badly, even my abilities weren¡¯t enough to heal you,¡± her voice sank slightly while the man took in all of her words.


    ¡°Lady told me it was strong enough to kill the demons from the ball,¡± he said, making her halt momentarily before continuing.


    ¡°Yes¡­ quite a number has fallen due to it. Although it¡¯s a shame, we can do nothing about it,¡± her voice trailed off near the end, leaving him to wonder shortly.


    ¡°How? Doesn¡¯t Lady Zyponia rule over the city?¡± He asked, alas, the man only received a shake of her head.


    ¡°I know why you think that, and it¡¯s not wrong. However, we can¡¯t just kill humans because of a single event. The ones that attacked the ball have already died, so it¡¯s a done deal for now.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky?¡± He spoke suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed at her words. ¡°Half of the guests were killed during the attack. What if they attack again in the future?¡±


    His question quickly reached her ears and he could see the side of her face turning into a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯re right again, but that¡¯s not up to debate. She, as a demon lord, can¡¯t just kill a human because she wants it. Although, I¡¯m not sure if the other lords still follow their own words after so many years,¡±


    ¡®Words? To not kill humans? What is she talking about?¡¯ His curiosity peaked at the statement, however, he quickly recalled the conversation he had with Zyponia. ¡®Humans only become slaves and die after attacking first, huh?¡¯


    ¡°Why?¡± The man asked sparsely, but the words made Raeyine stop her actions. The uniform she typically wore no longer rustled about under the faint tunes escaping in front of her. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you save yourself a lot of trouble if you got rid of us?¡± He only added intensity to the crackling blaze.


    ¡°No,¡± she spoke softly, beginning to shake her head. ¡°It would be the opposite instead. I don¡¯t expect you to follow my words, but what I said was true,¡± saying so, the maid promptly went back to working on the pans.


    ¡®No, I can believe it,¡¯ Lutiel spoke through his depths. ¡®But, it would be better if I hear the same from another human.¡¯ His eyes swept across the nightly touch around them, lingering with resolve.


    ¡°Do you know who the attackers were? All I remember are their leather armors and identical swords.¡± The question quickly cut through the steamy pans, making the girl ponder for a moment.


    ¡°Do you recall the man you fought with before you came here?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± replying briskly, the center of his face itched all of a sudden. ¡°He was the one that broke my nose.¡±


    ¡°That one. He played out an attack at the coal docks with the revolutionary army before getting enslaved, which failed miserably,¡± she spoke with an unemotional tone, as though reading out the events from a page. ¡°Although they lost this city¡¯s leader, it seemed they used the occasion for a surprise attack. I¡¯m sure you were told how the rest went.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re the revolutionaries, huh?¡± He spoke absentmindedly, quickly startling himself as the shadowed figure turned around right at him. Glaring at him somewhat passionately, Raeyine came closer whilst leaving the pans behind. Though, her face wasn¡¯t vexed. Rather, much to the man¡¯s internal quandary, her yellow eyes glowed with vague worry.


    Peering at him as she came to a halt just a step away, her finger traveled briskly towards his chest. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but it will never work.¡± Her soothing tongue reverberated around his ears while he stared down at the unpainted nail digging through the fabric of his shirt. ¡°You will only waste your life if you decide to go there. Even if they somehow find a way to get rid of your collar.¡±


    Flinching slightly at her words, his eyebrows quickly abated back to normal. Though, before he could even reason her tongue, she followed right after. ¡°Just stay with us here. You won¡¯t regret it, trust me,¡± she said, through a veil of desperation quickly slipping by.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he replied swiftly, raising his head to stare into her troubled eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t try anything. I was just curious about their identity.¡± Talking to the girl still angled at him, his face eased from her cool composure slightly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said whilst turning around. Though, walking leisurely towards the stove, she muttered through a voice he barely caught onto. ¡°Ilku inbie bul art¡¯e, prie.¡±


    ¡®Art¡¯e?¡¯ Furrowing his brows at the words, the mien stayed there for a while, countless thoughts trembling through. ¡®Why does it sound like that?¡¯ He mused, the confused face not letting go.


    ¡®Haa.¡¯ Yet, under so much tension, he could only sigh internally to calm himself. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Though, as if coming to his aid for the second time, Raeyine¡¯s voice traveled from the front before quickly charming his focus. ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± she said gently, forgetting the few breaths prior as if they hadn¡¯t been uttered. Sharing her approach, Lutiel also briskly disregarded them, looking at the head maid turning around with a dark pan that steamed faintly through the shroud of darkness.


    Put directly onto the plate around the table, its contents uncovered themselves under the meek light from the side. Meanwhile, as Lutiel stared at the glistening, caramelized onions filling the majority of the iron, the girl turned around to reach for the second pan, briskly bringing it to the table as well.


    As for the utensils, she didn¡¯t bring any, the wooden spatula left in the steamy onions. Walking to the other side of the table beneath his gaze, the pan covered with fried bread came into his sight quickly, making him glance up at the girl and part his lips.


    ¡°Thank you for the food,¡± he said, the girl swift to reciprocate.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Dig in and enjoy,¡± she said, pooling the first scoop of the onions onto the spoon and revealing the seared and sliced sausages entwined within. Dangling the individual strands of brown onions onto the toasted bread, she promptly handed it over to the man, smiling gently as she looked at the hidden, ravenous eyes around him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he repeated himself, staring constantly at the food with his marked hand already stretched out.


    ¡­


    ¡°You can go outside already. We will meet you there in a few moments,¡± her voice ruled over the space, surrounding the two standing beside her before quickly receiving replies. Lowering her eyes at the snowy-haired girl, the student¡¯s lips moved with a spry manner.


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± she spoke softly, waiting to turn around and head for the doors. ¡°Should I start the lesson by myself?¡± Her delicate tongue rolled again, though, with a slight curiosity entangling it. However, receiving a subtle glare from her teacher, she soundly proceeded to move outside of the room, all during which Lutiel was putting his clothes back on.


    Almost done throughout, he witnessed the events with clear eyes, halting momentarily as the dark jacket sprawled out along his torso. Following Camilla¡¯s movements as she darted outside of the room, he went back at the demon lord as the doors disrupted the steady air.


    Finishing dressing up beneath her glance, Lutiel stood frozen in place when the gloves fit restfully against his hands. However, unlike his expectation, the man stared at the cold face of his owner.


    ¡®Shit.¡¯ He thought to himself discreetly. ¡®Raeyine must have told her,¡¯ adding while searching for clues along her face, he eased his eyes once Zyponia¡¯s cold face melted away.


    ¡°Haa, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get mad at your curiosity. It¡¯s only fair that you understand who it was that almost killed you,¡± her face relaxed as the voice fell out. Moving her hand to her chin however, the demon pondered. ¡°Still, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not irritated. After the lesson is over, you will go to the town, to the upper part,¡± saying so, a smile broadened slightly across her face, staring at the flinching eyebrows of the man.


    ¡°Hmm, it seems like your coldness is breaking apart,¡± she added with a mellow smirk before continuing. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s time we finally have a proper talk, so buy a good bottle of wine, or maybe more,¡± she said under his visible confusion, quickly moving her arms towards his right glove.


    Taking hold of the hand, Lutiel stared down as he felt something graze across the pale fabric around his palm. Looking at her natural, meekly blue nails, the hands promptly moved away from him while something shone in the dark pupils.


    With a catchy gleam, the rays beyond the window next to them reflected their hubris. However, looking at the golden coin in his palm just once, the eyes swiftly traversed all the way towards Zyponia¡¯s modest expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will know the shop when you see it. Rovier will lead you there,¡± tapping him sparingly on the shoulder, the girl said, her eyes easing up from their usual tautness. ¡°Also, you can save the change.¡±


    Looking twice at the face of the girl and the coin, the munificent lord swiftly crawled away from him, soon resting her arms near her hips while glancing down at the backyard from beyond her windows. Not facing him in the slightest, the girl in the soft, pink fabric watched the gales dance steadily.


    ¡°Despite what happened with Raeyine, like I said, I¡¯m not mad at you. Which is why I will allow you to ask a single question regarding the matter before ending the topic, understood?¡± Slowly, as she asked, her body turned to glance at him, her hands lay on one another.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lutiel replied briskly, only for her basking face to gleam in front of him. Awaiting the words coming from him, she stood there solemnly, not twitching the slightest of muscles. However, leaving her hanging, he couldn¡¯t open his mouth so quickly before the mind made up the best decision.


    ¡®If she recalled Raeyine, then she must have told her about everything. But no, that doesn¡¯t concern the revolutionaries, right? However, what more will I understand about them from her?¡¯ the man mused while Zyponia¡¯s pink eyes stared keenly into him. Almost hearing as if the silence permeated their ears, Lutiel finally opened his mouth.


    ¡°Can I ask about something else instead?¡± He asked, making her raise an eyebrow slightly.


    ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you curious about them?¡± Intrigued at his words somewhat, a question rolled off her tongue right after.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, however, I¡¯m more interested in the other thing Raeyine has told me,¡± he said, to which the air around the demon immediately churned, realizing. Looking at the man with a hastily reserved face, she stood silent for a brief period.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she finally uttered. ¡°Ask me.¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not certain about it, I wondered for a while. What is the reason and meaning behind the vows you made?¡±


    Even though the girl seemed to have expected it, her eyes opened slightly at the words. Starstruck, she fell silent at him. ¡°That,¡± she spoke before stopping and continuing soon after. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t acknowledge it,¡± the lips murmured quietly before halting herself again.


    Placed against the strident silence, Lutiel himself froze up, his mind wreaking havoc as the body thumped from inside. ¡®Just tell me already, why are you keeping it a secret?¡¯ He pondered beneath the trembling heart.


    With uneasy eyes that eventually simmered down, despite facing him with her body, the demon lady broke their eye contact. Finally, after countless agitated breaths, she spoke through, ¡°I promise I will tell you later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said, immediately bowing down, however, his body battled harshly against something whilst lowering himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that anymore, alright?¡± She asked softly, almost muttering. Receiving a shake of the head, the girl shared his motions.

 48. A Secret Meeting 1

    ¡°I won¡¯t, sorry,¡± he apologised quickly while the girl fully turned around to face him. With an upright back, he stood serenely before her.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Camilla now. Take these with you because I want you to do the same as you did with me,¡± she said swiftly, a rustle of wind beyond her figure disturbing their peace.


    Floating through the space, Lutiel glanced at the pen holder and a small bottle of ink, all accompanied with two pale papers to top them all off.


    Staring at them while forming a slight crease on the forehead, he didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°My lady, do you want me to count the times she loses focus?¡± The slave asked, to which his lady spryly nodded.


    ¡°I want every little detail you can catch, alright? Any movement of her muscles you can see or loss of concentration, write them down. Just like during our session.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I will try my best,¡± he replied, eyeing the items while promptly receiving them from the air. Without beating around the bush any longer, as a breath left his nostrils, Zyponia¡¯s legs paced up through the room. Heading towards the ornate doors, they opened before he could help her, without any use of the lady¡¯s hands.


    ¡®Magic sure is handy,¡¯ Lutiel thought as he witnessed the action, only to glance at the back facing him and keep up the speed. Apace, without even noticing it, Lutiel walked through the ground floor. Containing his movements behind the lady, he already witnessed the gloomy skies in the next moments, along with the expanse of verdant gardens across the manor¡¯s vicinity.


    Swiftly and effortlessly crossing the empty paths with bush hedges along the sides, he finally witnessed the girl that stood between the vast lands of nursed grass, next to the trailing tree that couldn¡¯t lose its vibrance no matter what.


    All kept within the stretching, black fence intermittent with brick columns, the backyard stood out against the dull skies like a sore thumb, as though stuck in a season prior.


    Regardless, he continued to go after the lady to his right, hesitating only as they met with the dainty girl. ¡°Camilla, start your training as always,¡± Zyponia said promptly, walking a bit closer to the disciple while the slave¡¯s focus lingered on the pen and paper.


    ¡°Master, are you sure we should speak in the human tongue?¡± All of a sudden, the girl rejected her instructions, asking with eyes that scoured around the man.


    Below the brisk sensation that embraced the butler, his eyes flinched up to depict a duo of ladies glaring through his skin and flesh. His skin tensed lightly, be it from the breeze of their sight or the wind¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± Lutiel asked urgently as Zyponia kept her stares, to which she retrieved the hidden thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just start. Lutiel, it would be best if you went back a few steps,¡± her tongue nudged his head. Despite following the suggestion immediately, he always kept his eyes at the fair student, as to not miss any of the movements.


    Immediately, his eyebrows immured in place as the girl started right after his movements. Her eyelids staggered down gingerly. Falling gently upon the blue eyes, she no longer felt to care about the world around her.


    The knotted hands beside her stomach splintered apart, flowing to the sides harmoniously before descending anew. Brushing against each other deliberately, the left hand fell on top of the right, only to ceremoniously stand there amidst the coiling wafts.


    Just as he had seen when they first met, the winds did nothing against the girl. No, rather, she seemed to have utter control over the element. Zyponia, along with Lutiel, watched through the strands of hairs clotting on their faces while swaying about. All while the student¡¯s head remained intact, at least for a breath or so.


    A single strand of her white hairs swiftly shone out around her face. Almost instantly, before it could calm down, the noise of metal grazing through a smooth, pale surface ravaged the irrational wafts. Noting on the paper, his right hand moved expeditiously, unbeknownst of the head that nodded on the side.


    Peering down and ahead, again and again with a rhythmic manner, once Camilla lost her focus initially, it was like a river that found a simpler way to flow about. Writing as her facial muscles flinched or the fingers rubbed against one another, Lutiel didn¡¯t miss any of it. Nothing escaped his visual grasp, including the slightest, yet irregular breaths colluding her mind.


    Continuing to stare, the girl  eventually lowered her bottom to sit amid the blades of grass dancing to her magic. Following in the approach, the man promptly sat right against her, the breaths flowing in and out whilst he reported his work.


    Oblivious to the gray clouds floating by nippily, a full page had been filled out with the dark blue ink before he flipped it and went back to the meticulous hand.


    Yet, staring at the stream of information right in front of him, he looked dubiously at his right glove. Floating about the sullied tip, he made sure to look twice. Turning his head back to the girl, however, it didn¡¯t work. Tightening the grip around the pen while facing Camilla, for a few breaths, he couldn¡¯t write down any word.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    And from the few, individual breaths, the stagnation only increased. Even though he watched as a finger of hers twitched sporadically, no ink spilled out from the nib. Instead, dripping down onto the page because of his hesitance, the spot dried up while the tip lost all of its vivid fluid.


    Still, before he could truly stop writing, he felt a prod around the middle of his chest, gnawing away at him. Prickling at his heed, the demon lord stood with her hands clasped together, watching as he finally turned to her.


    ¡°Why did you stop?¡± She voiced towards him quietly, soothing the winds around to reach his ears.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he muttered, almost inaudible. However, her attempt worked wonderfully. Swiftly pushing out new records upon the dirtied page, he no longer seemed so abstract.


    Curving the pen into new entries separated by commas, he finally stopped drawing new lines as the girl didn¡¯t commit any mistake for a while. Though, even faster than before, he no longer wrote down her stumbles.


    The finger of his left hand swiftly caressed his half-closed eyes, massaging them as the head rang out. ¡®Ah, I concentrated too hard for too long,¡¯ he mused, not seeing any other option for the throbbing he felt around the forehead. ¡®Though, I could do it properly with Zyponia. Is it because of the wind?¡¯ He asked himself, never replying.


    Nevertheless, Lutiel finished relieving his eyes before opening them once again.


    Bright flickers all around in a spherical shape, that¡¯s the only way he could describe the phenomena in front of him. Flaring up around Camilla before instantly dissipating, he couldn¡¯t help but glance up towards the sky, searching for a clue.


    Once again, Zyponia called out through the brand as she saw him staring out into the moody skies, barely any light bouncing out from the pallid horizon above. Before long, the effects worked, and he started writing down. Yet, as a single event had been noted, he promptly stopped to soothe his eyes again.


    ¡®Ugh, what is this?¡¯ The question lingered lifelessly as the man opened his eyes, the flickering around Camilla increasing vigorously. Almost to the point of blinding him, Lutiel stared at the blue lights as though in a trance.


    It called out to him, the gleaming specks. Then, all of a sudden, he flinched. Rapidly looking around however, he only looked like an obtuse maniac as the torn noises filled his ears. Disappearing and emerging over and over, the din reminded him of a tidal shore.


    Through the mysterious clash of senses, Lutiel¡¯s body went rigid, put inside an invisible coffin made to fit his body perfectly. Yet, the eyes quivered at the world before him.


    Glancing along the moving sphere the girl was kept inside, its translucent walls spun clockwise. However, as much as he could stare at the sphere of water in the frozen moment, it had already disappeared, the stunned man coming back to the world as the rending migraine faded together with the visions.


    ¡®That was magic, I¡¯m sure of it,¡¯ the idea thundered and screamed while Camilla¡¯s face winced slightly, quickly turning normal again.


    Before the slave brand in his chest started to burn anew, he quickly wrote down the instance. At the same time, his head rummaged through the countless possibilities.


    Sitting against the wafts that considerably calmed themselves, Lutiel¡¯s solemn face headed for the student¡¯s blunders. Occasionally, he raised his head at the lord, but nothing more ever came out of it. The man simply kept to himself whilst steadily noting away.


    ¡­


    The crystallic rock spilled its amber embrace out through the room¡¯s entirety, releasing its beams in a sporadic, fleeting manner right above the man.


    Standing silently in the middle of his room, he didn¡¯t perform his routine, however. Having already done so earlier, Lutiel simply watched the flickering reflection in front of him, the window acting as a mirror at his disposal.


    His eyes scoured through the relaxed guise, the mind quivering instead. ¡®Why is she waiting for so long? It¡¯s going to be the middle of the night soon,¡¯ he mused, keeping his sight around the attire he wore during this time of day. Not much different from his servile one, he didn¡¯t wear his gloves while the suit¡¯s shade varied. Still dark, the tie and the suit itself he received from his lady described themselves with a deep blue tint.


    Regardless, looking at his fairly formal dress-up, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally at the heart buzzing within his chest. Glancing down at it momentarily, he swiftly turned around to face the desk, on which nothing else other than three identical bottles stood firmly in place.


    Straight from the base up to about two thirds of its height, the dark flasks curved to form a narrow neck, fine lines of a silvery metal covering the tip and sprawling out beneath with intricate, spiraling lines. Looking at the wines with a mellow grimace, he couldn¡¯t help but recall sneaking around the mansion to hide them within his room.


    ¡®What would they care if it got found out?¡¯ He pondered about her ways, only to close his eyes under the dim silence around him.


    However, he couldn¡¯t simply stand there and wait. Walking over to the bed with his hands in the pockets, he promptly fell down. Sitting calmly as he stared at the white wall in front of him, Lutiel burrowed into the depths of his mind, trying to pass the time.


    Still, to the surprise of the man, not a few breaths had passed before his eyelids sprung open. Feeling the tight grasp around his chest, he exhaled deeply after grabbing himself by the knees and standing up.


    ¡®Come on, you¡¯ve gone to her room so many times already. Nothing is different this time around,¡¯ he eased himself whilst eyeing the bottles. Staggering forward to the desk, he briskly caught onto the flasks, grabbing a single neck with the left hand while handling two with the marked one.


    ¡°Sait,¡± he spoke meekly near the door before the light around disappeared. Quickly, he exited the room, only to venture through the nightly corridors.


    Warily, through cautious steps, he sneaked around the hallways, making sure to not make too much noise with his feet. Though, more importantly, he watched over the two bottles around his right hand, walking slowly so the glass wouldn¡¯t clash against each other and reverberate its cries.


    Steadily, he swiftly omitted the baths and the kitchen after ensuring no noise came from beyond the rooms. One by one, he moved up the shadowy stairs, all the way towards the top floor, as well as the designated place of their abrupt rendezvous.

 49. A Secret Meeting 2

    Lit sparsely along the long hallway, his confidence resurfaced as he looked at the emptiness budding around. Despite that, his heart hammered against the chest, as though wishing to rupture out of its internal confines.


    In the distance, the double doors that he had seen quite a lot the past few days glimmered out to him. Following the warm lights through a somewhat staggered breath, with enough of them escaping his nose, the doors finally appeared next to him.


    He turned around to face them apprehended, coming to a halt as he glanced furiously at the metal in the middle. Frozen in time, he was stuck inside the corridor despite its plentiful sizes. Staring at the fine wood making up the entry, the man finally steeled himself before moving the muscles of his left arm.


    Three precise, orderly knocks crawled out from beneath his knuckles, leaving him to ponder through the deafening silence. Replacing the non existent melody, his heart rang out with cadence, somewhat soothing the man.


    However, underneath the beatings, the doors flinched eventually, creaking initially before silently moving inwardly, a soft voice welcoming him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait,¡± her tongue spoke as her image revealed itself before his eyes.


    Her face seemed gentler, lighter tones blending into her bluish skin, making the pink eyes stand out beneath the night¡¯s expanse. His sight moving below the nose, he saw the lips that matched her hair, which flowed straight whilst lightly glistening.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied after taking in the whole of her beauty. Glancing lower, her attire came to view, especially the glowing necklace he had witnessed during the ball. Going down further, he saw her stand in the slender dress that clung directly to her body, leaving space for the neck to show itself fully, together with parts of the shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t wait,¡± Lutiel added finally, already back at her eyes.


    However, the matt lips raising themselves along the face to form a crescent smile, she quickly reacted to the words. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re playing a gentleman or not, but either way, please come in,¡± said Zyponia, gesturing with her right arm whilst her body turned to the side, pointing inside the dully lit bedroom.


    Humming in confirmation while still oblivious of the room in front of him, Lutiel made sure not to bang the glass against the doors, carefully walking inside. Though, he staggered once he stared at the unfoldment of void whilst the doors clicked shut behind him. Standing next to the girl that disappeared in the dark, he couldn¡¯t even witness any star peer through the many panes.


    Before he could ever know it, something brushed against his fingers as his hands became empty of the bottles. Taken away by who must have been Zyponia, he was about to voice his thoughts, however, the sudden flash blinded his reasoning.


    Petrified, the man swiftly stared at the shimmering crystals hanging from above the floraly painted ceiling. Pondering at the tens of little, translucent rocks that shone their hearts out, Lutiel couldn¡¯t help but look down at the girl portrayed by the chandelier. ¡®Have I never noticed it?¡¯ He asked himself, however, his mind quickly shook out the belief.


    Instead, it prioritized the lady, along with the orderly laid table she stood beside. Adding faintly to the atmosphere, tall candles conveyed their blue thoughts, sitting snugly in the paleish candlesticks sprawled across the round table.


    On top of its blank, fine fabric that resembled the snow, a few gray-white, metal cloches of varying sizes rested, reminiscent of the seal around the wine bottles. The flasks themselves could already be seen around the table, standing one against the other in a row.


    Near the main two cloches, by far the largest of them all, silverware sat in a docile manner. Beside the knives on each side, sleek glasses sat calmly, ready to have wines poured in. Meanwhile, on the cloche¡¯s left side, a napkin matching the flames carried a fork atop.


    Donning luxurious, violet cushions on their seats, with lines of silver that crawled along the wooden frames of the two chairs, they sat under the table against each other.


    ¡°How do you like it?¡± The girl asked suddenly as all of the scenery ingrained itself within his mind.


    ¡®Is this what she considers a proper talk? It¡¯s too much even for a date,¡¯ he stared with wonder before locking eyes with the demon lady.


    ¡°It looks great, my lady,¡± he spoke with vague intensity, making the girl stagger slightly in her approach. Although hesitating, she kept a meek smile at him, to which Lutiel swiftly corrected himself. ¡°It looks fabulous, Zyponia,¡± he added at the end, receiving a beaming, satisfied smile around her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± she said, the man finally starting to walk over to his lord. Eventually stepping close enough to reach out to her, he grabbed upon the top rail, pulling it away from below before gesturing to the girl.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she added with a dainty tongue. Promptly watching as the man went over to his side before pulling out the chair carefully and sitting down, she once again took over his ears. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused about everything in here, but we still came here to have a conversation. It¡¯s just easier to talk over good food and alcohol,¡± she said before his eyes flinched around the table.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    The cloches trembled for a brief period, quickly moving up by themselves before floating through the air into the disappearing darkness of the bedroom. Briskly gone, the man could finally witness the plate in front of him, upon which a stunning dish garnered his focus.


    Staring at the dark brown surface along the top, with scattered spots of blackness entwining, the steak glistened from the piece of herb butter melting on it. Sliced beforehand into strips that covered almost half of the plate, he witnessed the deeply pink wall that scattered throughout its insides.


    Then, he followed to the side, where minute potatoes lay stuck in their wrinkled skin, filled with seared spots all around. Also glistening from the herby butter, they filled out the plate, though still leaving an empty area, reserved for the small, metallic boat filled with a crimson, silky sauce hidden beneath a smaller cloche that also flew away.


    ¡°Should I pour it over the plate?¡± He asked suddenly, making the girl stop heading for her own boat.


    ¡°Yes, but try it first,¡± she replied to his inquiries, the man¡¯s eyes swiftly looking at the glistening sauce. Taking hold of his knife, he dipped it inside. Dripping initially before leaving the tip covered, he didn¡¯t hesitate to try it.


    Immediately, as the sauce spread around his tongue, the man shut himself, looking twice at the middle of the table with eyes more open than usual, all under the amused looks coming from the front.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± She asked with a dim smirk, having grasped the handle of the metal boat. Moving it along to the plate identical to his, Zyponia poured it at her steak, just enough for it not to spill over to the fair ceramic.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he spoke, nodding his head lightly. Gripping the handle, he followed the girl¡¯s motions and poured it over the meat. However, before they could indulge in the dinner, his sight followed the girl¡¯s right arm. Coiling her fingers around the neck of the bottle, she took the one closest to her.


    Immediately, as she twisted the silvery cap and opened the wine, faint aromas lingered throughout the space, filling their nostrils sharply, yet with a pleasant warmth to them.


    Staring at the bottle she was preparing for use, Lutiel restrained himself from using the fork or knife.


    Taking her glass, Zyponia eagerly filled it out to roughly just a finger¡¯s width away from the center. Before she could gesture it out to him, her guest already moved it over to her, the alcohol pouring out steadily from the bottle while unveiling its green glass around the top.


    Within a few breaths, the opened wine went back to its prior place before the duo held up their glasses, sipping onto it firstly.


    ¡®Ugh,¡¯ Lutiel wanted to spit it out instantly, feeling the harsh sensations on the tongue, however, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. With a creased forehead, he waited as the aftertaste receded down to a mellow harmony grazing along his taste buds.


    ¡°It may be a bit strong for you, but it''s good, no?¡± She asked after a larger sip flowed down her, some of the lipstick smearing along the glass¡¯ rim.


    ¡°Yes, although I don¡¯t know when was the last time I drank wine, I¡¯m sure I haven¡¯t had any better,¡± he judged while staring at the swirling, bloody fluid inside his glass.


    ¡°I see,¡± she muttered whilst putting down the liquid and filling her hands with the silverware, the man following. The two quickly diverged, however. Zyponia stabbed the meat, portioning it with silent grace. On the other hand, the man played out a bit harsher, dragging his knife and fork through the plate rather than cutting the meat.


    Nevertheless, the two came out to the same result, moving their forks with a piece of meat around them to chew it away. Sitting up straight, the two steadily cut through their dishes, sometimes combining the ingredients while other times eating one thing at a time. Sporadically, they also washed the flavors down with the wine. However, not long after they had started, the human-demon duo halted themselves almost completely, especially Zyponia.


    Slowing down, Lutiel briskly raised his head up, the voice of the lady reverberating inside his ears. ¡°You know, Lutiel, I¡¯m sorry if I came off as heartless at first,¡± she opened her lips suddenly, after having swallowed everything from her fork. ¡°To be truthful, you caught my interest from the moment the cage in the slave auction was lifted up. There was something about you I couldn¡¯t see within other humans on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°My chest halted for a moment when I saw your person, and something internally told me to get you no matter what, however, I stopped myself. As cruel as it may sound, I needed to see if you could put up a proper fight, so I waited to see.¡±


    ¡°Then, does that mean you have stopped the fight even if I lost, but showed good potential?¡± He thought for a second before asking, swiftly receiving a nod in confirmation.


    ¡°Yes, that was my plan in the first place. I was sure you were going to lose against him. But, you only intensified my desire to buy you out after winning the fight.¡±


    ¡°Then, I will also say something. I didn¡¯t see you as heartless. Sure, you seemed cold, but more importantly, it felt like you were avoiding meeting or just talking to me. Well, except for the time you slapped me,¡± he said without holding back the thoughts, however, his eyebrows furrowed quickly at the unexpected reaction from the front. Immediately, her face soured vaguely at the mention.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, all of that, I just-¡± she hesitated, rubbing the handle of her knife whilst avoiding his eyes. ¡°You see, other than the fact you are my first slave, I was never this intimate with another human before. And I don¡¯t know how to be a ¡®proper¡¯ slave owner, so I just used physical intimidation to act like one.¡±


    ¡®Ahh,¡¯ he exclaimed internally, as though cold water washed over him. Staring at the troubled mien around her, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡®Why have I never thought of that? She is practically in the same position as me. Wait? First?¡¯


    ¡°First?¡± He asked out loud, her face almost already back to normal. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a girl slave that ran away?¡± His voice trailed out, to which she promptly nodded.