A girl, dressed in a green dress, lay on a four-post bed as the sun rose, its rays streaming through the large windows and bathing her smooth, silky white hair in warmth. She opened her eyes, green as polished marble, their twitching the only sign of discomfort at the intense sunlight. Slowly, she shifted her body, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Just as she prepared to rise from bed, a memory jolted her awake.
With thoughts racing through her mind, the girl finally sat up on the bed. But before she could move, a door opened ajar, revealing a stunning figure with cropped black hair.
"Good morning sunshine~," purred the demoness, her voice a sultry melody. As she spoke, the door closed behind her, cutting off the light for a moment.
"Who are you? Where am I?" the girl asked, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice. "Please, answer me."
Qarinah's eyes twinkled with amusement, her smile widening. "Wow, I didn't expect you to react this way. I thought you'd scream, 'What are you?!'" She chuckled, a sound as light and airy as the rays of the sun outside.
The girl's face contorted in confusion and fear, tears welling in her eyes. "I need to go. My family is in danger..."
Qarinah looked amused as she inquired, "You mean those two dead men are your family~?" But before Chara could answer, a door creaked open and Marina, a tall figure with cropped black hair, strode into the room, reprimanding Qarinah.
"You idiot! Lady Duvessa sent you here to check if she's awake, not to ask stupid questions," Marina chastised.
"Girl, follow me. The person who saved your life wants to talk to you," Marina said to Chara, who, through sobs and shaky steps, approached her.
"If you have nothing to do, join Magnus in scouting our territories," Marina instructed Qarinah. "We don't want Azazel or his cronies causing trouble."
Qarinah smirked. "That's a great idea. I'll enjoy some fresh goods while I'm at it~."
With Chara trailing behind her, Marina led her out of the room.
Qarinah remained behind, savoring the tantalizing possibilities of the day ahead. She strode through the castle corridors, her mind churning with schemes and mischief.
"Magnus can have his reconnaissance," Qarinah whispered to herself, "while I do a little exploring of my own."
After the demons invaded, Azazel and his faction took control of the Southern part of the Kingdom, while Duvessa established her authority over the Central, Northern, Western, and Eastern regions. The demons settled in the homes and houses of nobles, royals, and the wealthy. The East, with the lowest number of demons, was the most fortunate region.
In a town in the East, fewer people than usual were out conducting business, with some too afraid to leave their homes because of the unknown creatures in their territory.
The streets were deserted, with only drunkards staggering around, kicking objects on the ground. It was midday, and the sun was overhead, casting a stark contrast to the current situation in the kingdom.
Amidst this bleakness, a small old building with its door wide open stood nestled among other buildings on a street. Voices could be heard coming from inside the building.
A short beauty with vibrant green hair that reached her shoulders called out, "Leios." Her large white eyes and alluring figure were hard to ignore. Her name was Ava, and she was around eighteen years old.
Leios, who had been sitting at a table with no customers, replied, "Yes, Ava?"
Ava approached him and said, "Please take these to table three."
Leios picked up three large glasses of beer and made his way to the table where three men sat deep in conversation about the kingdom's situation.
When the glasses were placed in front of them, the men paused their discussion and began to drink. Leios turned and headed back to his table in the corner.
Ava and Leios weren't related by blood, but they had a history that bound them together. Leios' past was a mystery to him. He didn't know where his parents were, or if they were even alive. All he could remember was a woman who had taken on the role of his mother. This woman had already told Leios that she wasn't his real mother.
When Leios reached the age of six, the woman vanished, leaving him alone on the streets. With no family and no means of support, Leios had to find ways to survive: sometimes begging, sometimes stealing.
Competition was fierce, and he often found himself having to fight other street kids for food or money. Life on the streets was difficult enough for adults, let alone a six-year-old child.
Despite the hardships, Leios managed to survive for three years. But one fateful day, he tried to steal from a girl and the mob caught up with him. He was about to be dealt with harshly when the girl intervened, calming the situation.
The girl was Ava and that time she was twelve years old.
From that time on, Ava stayed with Leios, teaching him virtues and etiquette. Before meeting Leios, Ava had been living in the Southern region with her grandfather. Ava was working as a maid at the castle when she encountered Leios while running an errand. Following her encounter with Leios, Ava sought out a house near the castle for him to stay in.She worked as a maid in the castle, caring for Leios, until the previous year when she was dismissed and replaced by a noble's daughter.
She used some of the money she had saved and opened a pub in the East, where the town's business was booming. Living together in the East, Ava and Leios ran the pub as a team.
Back at the present,two men had finished drinking at table six when they made to leave without paying. Ava shouted, "Don't just leave without paying!"
One man sneered, "I thought the Castle was giving out free things as an apology for allowing demons in our land." The two men laughed hysterically.
Ignoring their laughter, Ava snapped, "How does the Castle involve me?"
Undeterred by Ava's ire, the men persisted with their taunts. One quipped, "Maybe you should ask your mother." They burst into laughter once again.
Seething, Ava clenched her fists. In the corner, Leios stood up slowly, and with calculated steps, he approached the two men. His scarred forehead only added to the menacing aura he exuded.
Standing in front of them, Leios fixed his gaze upon the pair. With a steady hand, he reached out, palm open, silently demanding payment.