As the sound of the footsteps faded from hearing, Mariel's eyes opened.
He slowly sat up. In truth, he had been awake for some time. But after reflecting on what had happened the previous night, he realized that the old man who had saved him was a demon. His appearance wasn't terrifying like the usual depictions, but his mother had once told him that high-ranking demons had forms identical to humans.
There were only two things that distinguished humans from high-ranking demons. First, their nails. Demons' nails were pitch black, and no dye could change their color—the blackness would always erase any polish. Second, their eyes. Demons had vertical pupils like reptiles. Mariel had seen clearly that the old man's nails were black and his pupils were vertical.
He was one hundred percent a demon.
Mariel didn't know why the demon had brought him here. The only thing he could think of was that if he had wanted his soul, he wouldn't be alive right now. Thus, he concluded that whatever he wanted wouldn't lead to his death. If so, did the demon want to make him his slave? Or did he plan to offer him to another demon?
Honestly, Mariel didn't care much. He wanted to follow his mother. Life without his mother by his side was meaningless. Who would comfort him from nightmares when he woke up in the middle of the night? Who would feed him when his stomach growled with hunger? Who would give him warm hugs when his body shivered from the cold?
No one. Not a single one. Now Mariel was truly alone. He no longer had anyone to rely on. That's why he wanted to die. At least if he died, he could reunite with his mother. He wasn't afraid of becoming a demon after death; Mariel wasn't a naughty child like the ones in the stories.
However, Mariel couldn't ignore his mother's words either. For his mother's sake, he had to keep living—for himself, and for them, too. He had to grow stronger. Then he had to decide the kind of life he wanted to lead. That was what his mother had wished for. They would be watching him from the other side of the world, so he had to fulfill those words. Mariel had to honor his mother's final wish.
The problem was, he was now a prisoner of a demon. The cave entrance was barricaded with wind spears; he couldn't sneak out. According to his mother, he was smart and mature for a seven-year-old. But right now, his cleverness couldn't be relied upon. Mariel needed strength. Only with strength could he carry his frail body away from this place.
Mariel racked his brain, trying hard to come up with a solution. He thought of ways a weak human like him could escape. He had beaten his mother in chess before, but right now, Mariel had no solution. He could think of escape plans, but unfortunately, he didn't have the strength to execute them.
In the end, Mariel chose to go back to sleep.
No, it wasn't because he had given up or resigned himself. Not at all. It was just like a game of chess. If you couldn't win with your own pieces, you had to use your opponent's pieces to secure victory. Mariel had nothing here, so he would fully take advantage of the demon. He placed his hopes on the idea that the demon needed him alive. Of course, Mariel knew this was a dangerous gamble, but it was also the option with the greatest chance of success.
Mariel closed his eyes and left his fate to luck.
When Mariel's eyelids fluttered open again, he was greeted by the sight of the demon sitting by a small campfire. Looking more closely, Mariel realized the demon was roasting fishes. He didn't know that high-ranking demons ate normal food. However, if it wasn't for the demon, could it be that he was preparing the food for him?
"There's water beside the cave entrance," the demon said without turning to look at him. "Wash your face, then come here. We need to fill our stomachs before continuing the journey."
Mariel hadn't expected the demon to speak so kindly. But recalling how he had answered his questions the previous night, his kindness now didn't seem all that surprising. Because of this, Mariel's belief that he didn't want to kill him grew stronger. Still, why act kind if he planned to make him a slave?
"It seems you've already realized that I'm a demon," the demon said again—still without looking at him. "But don't worry. I wouldn't go to the trouble of saving you only to kill you. You seem like a smart child. Surely you understand what I mean, right?"
Mariel sat up. "Why are you being kind?" he asked, his gaze became more intense as he looked at the demon. "Do you need me in good condition to enslave me?"
The demon paused, ceasing his adjustment of the roasting fishes. He turned his head to look at him.
"It seems you've misunderstood," the demon said after nearly a minute of silently observing Mariel. "I have no intention of making you a slave or selling you as one. You should wash your face, and then we'll eat. We can continue our conversation after the meal. After that, we'll have a long journey ahead."
Mariel eyed the demon suspiciously but eventually let out a long sigh and did as he instructed. There was no point in overthinking it. Besides, this was still in line with his plan. Mariel washed his face and hair. Once his hair was somewhat dry, he approached the demon.
"Lukhiel. You can call me that."
The demon introduced himself just as Mariel sat two steps to his right. "Mariel Allvar," the child replied. "Demon Lukhiel can call me Mariel."
"Demon Lukhiel...? That doesn't sound bad. But it could be a problem in public. Master, or Master Lukhiel. From now on, you'll call me that. Since I've decided to teach you my knowledge, calling me 'Master' is only fitting."
Mariel didn't know what to say.
He had been taught not to trust others too easily. However, this demon seemed sincere. Moreover, Lukhiel's confession explained many things. The problem was only one: whether or not Lukhiel could be trusted. But one thing was certain—if this demon truly intended to make him stronger, Mariel had no choice but to obey him.
"Master… Lukhiel."
"That… that sounds very fitting." A wide smile bloomed on the demon's lips—and Mariel grew even more puzzled by his personality. "And before we continue last night's interrupted conversation, it's time for us to enjoy these fishes. Here, take this. Eat slowly and satisfy your hunger."
Mariel accepted the roasted fish without resistance.
But he didn't eat it right away. No, it wasn't because he was worried about poison. The demon wouldn't gain anything by poisoning him. Mariel was just curious. His mother had told him that a demon's food was the soul of human. So, he wanted to know—could a demon actually eat normal food?
For that reason, he sat quietly, watching Lukhiel, wanting to confirm if he would actually eat the roasted fishes.
Mariel only began eating his fish after seeing the demon swallowed his first bite. Bland, he thought. But Mariel wasn't surprised. They were in a cave—and likely in the middle of a vast forest. There was no place for Lukhiel to find salt. Even if there was a village nearby, it wasn't as though Lukhiel could buy anything. Mariel hadn't seen a single coin in the demon's possession.
"Continuing from my question last night, are you willing to travel to find someone who knows how to meet the gods?"
Mariel had only eaten a fifth of his fish when Lukhiel threw that question at him. "Didn't Master say we'd continue talking after ea—wait… you… you've already finished all the fishes…."
Mariel stared at the demon in disbelief. How could he eat so fast that he finished three fairly large fishes in less than a minute?
"Your body is small. One fish is more than enough."
"…No, that's not what I meant. I'm just surprised. But forget it. As for meeting the gods? Forget that too."
Mariel turned his attention back to his fish and continued eating.
He had already decided to do what his mother had told him. He would become strong and live life as he wanted. He would live for both of them too. Maybe, in the future, a few years before his death, he would try to figure out how to meet the gods. For now, he would focus on becoming strong. Perhaps fate had already aligned with his mother's message—after all, Lukhiel was here.
"You've already accepted the reality of what happened?" Lukhiel didn't wait for an answer. "This is too fast," he continued. "But perhaps your life so far hasn't been normal enough, forcing you to mature quickly. And I can guess that your mother gave you a decent education. The writing on that gravestone is quite neat. But this is normal, too. I've heard of a six-year-old child nicknamed 'The Cruel Killer.' Compared to him, you're still normal."
Mariel said nothing. He focused on the bland roasted fish in his hands. He had no interest in recounting his life on the run with his mother. Nor was he curious about the child nicknamed "The Cruel Killer." As his mother had said, everyone has their own problems. That's life.
"Thank you for the fish. So, why did Master decide to teach me the skills you have?" Mariel asked after finishing the roasted fish. "Is there a special reason? Or was it just spontaneous?"
Lukhiel's gaze settled on the still-burning fire. "You could say it's both," he replied. "Leaving you would make my effort to save you pointless. But I also can't return to the city because of two Level 1 Sterminatore members. It would be troublesome to get involved with them. The reason I made you faint was also due to their presence. That was spontaneous."
"As for a special reason," the demon continued—this time his reptilian eyes fixed on Mariel. "I see great potential in you. It's a pity you haven't been trained to use prana or even taught how to fight, so I can't be sure if my hunch is correct. However, you're smart. You're not like ordinary children. So, I thought, how far could someone like you develop under the training of a demon like me?"
Mariel nodded in understanding. However, although Lukhiel seemed honest and his reasons didn't sound suspicious, it was possible there was more to it. Perhaps he had other reasons; perhaps he didn't. But one thing was clear: his intention to train him was genuine. Mariel didn't doubt that.
"Master mentioned earlier that we'd embark on a long journey. When will we leave? I'd like to see my mother's grave one more time before we truly depart."
"Ah, about that… I've changed my mind. I'm being hunted by both humans and demons. To demons, I'm a traitor. And humans haven't forgotten what I did in the past. Taking you along in your current helpless state would be difficult. You as you are now could be killed with a single kick." Lukhiel's expression then hardened. "We'll stay here for a few years," he stated firmly.
"Here… where exactly is here?"
"Are you familiar with the map of this continent?"
Mariel shook his head, explaining, "Maps are expensive; we didn't have the money to own one. But I know the names of the kingdoms surrounding the empire."
"That's enough. The cliff where we buried your mother is on the western side of the Neiracia Empire, forming the natural border with the Great Kingdom of Camelot. We're in the easternmost region of Camelot. If you step outside the cave, you'll see the cliff immediately when you look up to the east."
"So, I can visit my mother's grave anytime."
"Your conclusion is correct."
Mariel took a deep breath, his eyes closes as he deeply engraved everything he had learned so far into his mind. He also recalled the conversation his mother had with the mercenary. Mariel needed to organize all his thoughts so he could fully focus on becoming strong. He had to prepare himself to accept everything Lukhiel was going to teach him.
"Speaking of making me strong," Mariel opened his eyes and looked intently at the demon, "when will you start teaching me, Master?"
"Good question," Lukhiel replied, then stood up. "We'll begin your training tomorrow. For today, just focus on resting. I need to go to the nearest village/town to buy everything we need. Especially salt. We really need salt."
"You're right about the salt, Master. But I don't see you bring any money. Besides that sword wrapped in bandages, you don't have anything else with you."
"Don't worry about that," Lukhiel waved his hand and began to walk. "Just prepare yourself for tomorrow."
"You're going to steal?"
"To ensure your safety, I'll surround the mouth of the cave with wind spears. So, you won't be able to leave until I return. This cave is entirely safe. You can explore it."
"...You're avoiding my question."
"I didn't hear you ask."
Mariel sighed upon hearing that excuse but didn't dwell on it any longer. Lukhiel was a demon; Mariel couldn't forget that most important fact. Moreover, they truly needed salt. Mariel couldn't imagine living for years on tasteless food. So, he couldn't make an issue out of how Lukhiel obtained what they needed.
"Make sure you really rest."
That was the last thing Lukhiel said before his figure disappeared from Mariel's sight. He then lay down a few steps beside the still-burning fire, his face faced the cave ceiling. The fire allowed Mariel to see it clearly.
Perhaps Lukhiel was an exception among demons, Mariel thought as he closed his eyes. And maybe he wasn't hiding any ulterior motives. Lukhiel probably didn't deserve to be called a demon—
⟨ O ⟩
—I take back my words!
Mariel shouted in his heart while running as fast as he could to escape the wild boar's pursuit. Lukhiel was truly a demon! He was more of a demon than any demon!
Half an hour had passed since Lukhiel started his training to make him strong. Without any hesitation, the demon started by throwing Mariel in front of a herd of wild boars that had gathered. Mariel was utterly shocked. If he had been any slower, and if they hadn't been in the forest, his life might have been over by now.
"Keep running, Mariel! If I have to save you, tomorrow I'll throw you in front of a pride of lions!"
Yes, perhaps his life wouldn't have ended in the most basic sense. But his suffering would certainly increase. It would be impossible for him to escape from a pride of lions.
Mariel gritted his teeth as he turned around a large tree. He couldn't run any faster. His legs were already at their limit. He had to rely on strategy here.
"Don't even think about climbing a tree! If you do, I'll destroy any tree you try to climb."
Lukhiel really knew how to ruin someone's fun.
Could he read his mind? It didn't seem like it.
Since it was the demon was who put him through all this, it was likely he had already anticipated that option. Lukhiel really wanted to push his body to its limits. For that purpose, forcing him to keep running was not a bad method.
But at least he should have started gradually!
Of course, Mariel understood that all of this was to make his body strong. But it was too extreme. He hadn't expected his first day of training to be like this at all. Mariel had assumed Lukhiel would provide the training gradually: light, medium, and then heavy.
The first week would be light training. The next two weeks, medium training. And so on, progressing to heavy training. Not jumping straight into heavy training like this!
However, Mariel had no intention of protesting. There was no shortcut to becoming strong. He didn't know how many weeks he would be forced to run every day until his legs gave out. He would hold on and try his best. Maybe this was the right training method for him. Demons naturally had stronger physiques. If he couldn't surpass them in that, at least he should excel in speed.
Seeing a river not far ahead, Mariel pushed himself to run faster toward it. He then jumped into the wide river, which was several meters wide, without hesitation. He swam quickly. The current wasn't strong, so he didn't have trouble. Mariel swam as fast as he could to the other side of the river to escape the pursuit of the damn wild boars.
Mariel immediately lay down on his back as soon as he reached the other side of the river. His breath was heavy, and his legs trembled. But at least the boars couldn't catch up with him. They just stood by the riverbank before turning and walking away.
Mariel let out a sigh of relief. He could finally rest.
"Good job. That was a clever way to escape from them," Lukhiel said, standing on the water—he was standing as in really standing! "And since you can swim, next, you'll swim against the current until your body can't take it anymore. To make it more interesting, I'll find a crocodile or another water predator to chase you. You can take a little break for now."
Before Mariel could open his mouth to protest, the demon had disappeared from his sight. He could only sigh in resignation and continue resting—he really needed to rest if he didn't want to face even tougher and more dangerous training. To survive Lukhiel's demon training, he had to—
"Groaaaaaar!"
—Mariel instinctively sat up and jumped back into the river. He quickly moved his legs and arms, trying to reach the other side of the river in an instant.
Did he intentionally bring the bear here?!
…For the umpteenth time, Mariel was reminded once again that Lukhiel was a demon.