Lucian made his way to the western border of the kingdom, accompanied by a small unit of knights. As they rode through the dense forest, he felt a faint but familiar presence—the unmistakable energy of a demon, but much stronger than the one he'd encountered before.
"Stay back," Lucian instructed the knights, who looked uneasy but obeyed his command.
In the clearing ahead, a demon twice the size of any he'd seen in the human realm waited, its dark form radiating a sinister aura. It turned toward Lucian, recognition flickering in its blood-red eyes.
"My lord… it's really you!" The demon dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.
Lucian sighed, his presence as a former Demon King making it difficult to stay undercover. "You should not be here," he said sternly. "Your presence will draw suspicion."
The demon hesitated, lowering its head in submission. "Forgive me, my lord, but there have been whispers… of a powerful mage in the human realm. The demon lords sent me to confirm it was you."
Lucian crossed his arms. "Return and tell them nothing. My affairs here are my own."
The demon nodded, rising before vanishing into the shadows. Lucian turned back to the knights, who hadn't seen the conversation but looked visibly shaken by the demon's disappearance.
"Let's return to the capital," Lucian said simply.