NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: New Life Starts Today
Soaring through the vast, beautiful night sky, the child lost all his sullenness, immersed in an experience most humans could never dream of. Amon, who possessed jet-black wings that spanned his height, made this possible.
The scenery rushed by, and a somewhat chilly wind caressed his cheeks with increasing force.
“Who would have thought I’d get to experience this!” The child’s excitement was fitting for his youthful appearance.
“Hey, kid, don’t flail too much. If you fall, I won’t be responsible.”
“Ah, yes… sorry about that.”
“…Don’t get too calm all of a sudden. You’re strange, being a child, but not really.”
“Sorry for being strange. So, where are we headed?”
The child hadn’t been informed of their destination nor the contents of the contract they’d agreed to.
“Don’t worry, you’ll understand once we arrive.”
“And where is that?”
“My master’s castle.”
“Castle? Wait, a castle means… is it possible that…”
The color drained from the child’s face.
“Could it be… that castle is…”
“Look, there it is, kid,” Amon interrupted.
The child, mid-question, turned his gaze forward.
“What in the world is that!?”
In the distance, there was a massive, majestic castle, firmly grounded yet not at all sinister.
Around it bloomed colorful flowers in stark contrast to the typical image of a dwelling of the Demon Queen — the most powerful among demons.
“Is this really where the Demon Queen lives?”
The child could not help but ask Amon. He had always imagined the Demon Queen’s abode to be forbidding and inaccessible, but this castle was anything but. Bathed in moonlight, its white, pristine appearance seemed almost fairy-tale-like. “This is like something out of a storybook,” the child thought as Amon descended to the ground.
As they passed through the creaking gates of the castle, demons greeted them. Though humanoid, their otherworldly nature was unmistakable.
“Welcome back, Lord Amon,” “Where have you been?”
“Oh, is that child…” “Could it be the long-awaited arrival?”
The demons crowded around Amon, bombarding him with questions.
“Calm down, everyone. Lady Astaroth’s child is still very young. We were just out for a moonbath. The child must be tired, so let’s keep it quiet now.”
Amon silenced the excited demons with a commanding tone, showcasing his high status within the castle. The child couldn’t help but be impressed.
“All I
want is to get out of here as soon as possible.”
A human alone in a castle inhabited by the Demon Queen and her minions. It was anything but a comfortable situation, and the child’s mind was far from peaceful.
“Can you tell me what you plan to do with me?”
After escaping the crowd of demons, they found themselves in a stark, unfurnished room. The child’s patience seemed to have run thin inside a cage as he questioned Amon.
“Then I shall tell you, boy. The contract into which you have entered is simple: you are to act as the son of Lady Astaroth, the master of this castle named Tzvalnea.”
“…What?” the child exclaimed in utter disbelief.
What was this demon talking about? The child’s puzzled gaze met Amon’s calm response.
“Lady Astaroth had a son, his very first child. I’ve never seen him so joyously happy.”
“Wait a minute. You said ‘had’… does that mean…”
“You catch on quickly, kid. Yes, it’s exactly as you imagine.”
Amon cast a shadow over his expression and gently lowered his eyes.
“It’s unclear how to address a child in this situation.”
“Any careless words might just end up hurting the other person.”
“Even if one is a demon, their grief over death is no different.”
“Silence is the best solution here,” concluded the child.
After a moment of silence, Amon slowly but surely broke it.
“Lady Astaroth was unable to have children. No, she had already passed away when she gave birth. What mother could calmly process the moment when her firstborn dies on the same day? She was greatly disturbed, and now she’s in a deep sleep thanks to my magic of slumber…”
“…”
“That, too, is only a matter of time.”
“…So, you want me to pretend to be a child?”
“Yes,” Amon stated flatly.
This is absurd. The child was at a loss for words.
A child is still a human, after all. Pretending to be the child of a demon is impossible.
Moreover, the contract Amon proposed also posed a great risk to himself.
The child pointed this out to Amon.
“Amon… That’s too dangerous.”
“What? Is a human worrying about me?”
“That’s not important right now. If we’re found out, you could be killed for bringing a fake!”
“True. But I don’t mind that.”
“Why?”
Amon’s unwavering and strong response made the child tilt his head.
There was no hesitation. He was ready to give his life, a determination the child felt.
“The hardest thing for me is seeing Lady Astaroth suffer. If she’s in pain, I’ll use any means to save her. Even if it means getting killed in her service.”
Amon’s fervor left the child speechless, unable to do anything but offer weak applause.
“As Lady Astaroth’s son, you will stay here until you’re twenty. Once you’re an adult, you’re free. Until then, boy, you’ll live here without anyone else realizing. That’s the contract.”
“Twenty years, huh?”
It seemed both short and incredibly lengthy.
A dangerous path lay before the child, one potentially leading to instant death.
“…Alright. I don’t know how far I can go, but I’ll try.”
The child answered with a determined look.
“…You sure?”
“I’m prepared. Let’s do this contract.”
“Either way, I’d die if I refused here.”
“I’ll do anything to survive as the Demon Queen’s son!”
There was no longer any hesitation in the child’s eyes.
“Then it’s settled. Then, boy, I also make a vow. Until the contract ends, I, Amon, will protect you from all harm, becoming your sword and shield.”
“…Feels weird, but thank you.”
“Do your best for me, boy.”
“I will. I’ll use you to the fullest to get out of here alive.”
The two exchanged a gentle handshake, each wearing a faint smile.
“Then let’s go to Lady Astaroth immediately, boy.”
“What? Now?
“Of course. My magic is no match for Lady Astaroth. She’ll likely wake up soon.”
“Then we must hurry…”
“That’s why we’re rushing. Hold on tight.”
The room Amon carried the child to had a door unlike any other, extravagantly decorated in red, gold, and jewels. This was appropriate for the lord of this castle.
“Lady Astaroth…”
Beyond the opened door was a beautiful woman in a thin red negligee, with striking wet-feather-colored long hair reaching her waist and a noble demeanor.
She had blue skin, straight black horns protruding from her temples, and golden eyes that embodied elegance and demonic elements.
Demon Lady Astaroth is the lord of Tswalnea Castle.
The child was utterly captivated by her presence, while Amon maintained a stern expression.
“Lady Astaroth, are you awake? It has not been long since you gave birth. Please take care of yourself—”
“Amon…”
Her voice, like rolling beads, echoed in the room.
Just one word caused Amon’s body to tense up noticeably, a reaction that the child in his arms felt.
Amon was frightened. Realizing the gravity of facing the beautiful woman, the child silently prayed for their safety.
“I had a bad dream. That my newborn child died was a sad dream… Tell me, Amon, it was just a nightmare, right?”
After a pause, Amon returned to reality and quickly bowed his head.
“Of course. The vision Lady Astaroth saw was probably a hallucination due to the sudden drop in strength after childbirth. As proof, here is your son.”
“Ah, a-ba-boo…”
An unspoken pressure weighed heavily on the child, obviously exerted by Amon.
His sharp gaze scolded the child for not acting more convincingly.
“If I could, I wouldn’t be struggling,” the child thought, meeting Amon’s gaze defiantly.
Their silent stare-off was abruptly cut short.
Lady Astaroth’s slender arms gently enveloped the child.
Passed from Amon to Astaroth, the child gulped.
Astaroth was imposing.
Soft yet firm to the touch.
As the child looked up at her, a tear from Astaroth’s enchanting, golden eyes gently fell on his cheek.
“Demons cry too,” the child thought while embraced by Astaroth.
“I’m so glad… My child… My precious child…”
“Congratulations on your delivery, Lady Astaroth.”
“We’ll always be together from now on~.”
“Ba, ba-boo~”
Internally, the child questioned his acting skills.
“Will this fool them?”
“Our skin colors and auras are so different.”
“Maybe I won’t survive twenty years…”
A flicker of doubt appeared on the child’s face.