Early morning at the Grand Mage’s chamber in the empire.
Bathed in the warm sunlight streaming through the window, the Grand Mage sipped tea leisurely while glancing at a newspaper.
“…Demon King missing, huh.”
On the front page of the paper was the headline, “The Number One Demon King Void Goes Missing.”
The Grand Mage, reading the article, brushed back his hair and smirked.
At that moment.
—Bang!!!
The door burst open as a woman with ashen-gray hair rushed in, her face tense, and cold sweat running down her brow.
She looked as though she was ready to break the door off its hinges.
With a loud voice, she yelled at the mage.
“Damian and the Hero are nowhere to be found!!”
“Sophia.”
“Ma… Master! Damian is missing!”
The woman, called Sophia by the Grand Mage, had trembling eyes filled with urgency.
“I know.”
Contrary to Sophia’s panicked state, the Grand Mage sipped his tea calmly and replied in a composed tone.
“Know? Master, this isn’t the time for that! Damian, the Hero, and your prized apprentice have run away in the middle of the night!”
“The damage we’ve suffered is—!”
The Grand Mage frowned.
At the same time, the surrounding magic energy began to tremble, pressing down on Sophia’s body.
“Ma… Master…!”
“Silence. I’ve known all along.”
“W-what do you mean?”
Sophia, now collapsed on the floor, gasped for air, her mouth agape and drooling as she looked up at the Grand Mage.
Unmoved by her state, the Grand Mage intensified the pressure while summoning a spell.
“The Eye of God! That’s the name of the magic I created!”
“I’ve known everything!”
“I already saw this future!!!”
As he said those words, the Grand Mage’s eyes changed, emitting a brilliant blue light.
Behind him, a massive floating eye appeared, resembling something ripped straight from a body.
Bits of flesh clung to the edges of the eye, and it glowed with an intense blue radiance.
The eye seemed to writhe in pain, its pupil trembling incessantly as if trying to focus, only to lose it again and again.
Seeing her master’s maddened state, Sophia screamed uncontrollably.
“Aaaaaah!!!”
“You’re noisy!!!”
“S-sorry!”
Sophia quickly bowed her head repeatedly in apology, but the Grand Mage, now scowling, stretched his neck, producing a cracking sound.
Then, with a commanding tone, he addressed her.
“Prepare more Heroes.”
“Make sure they’re fresh.”
“About… a hundred.”
“No, just bring them all. Whether it’s a hundred or a thousand, just pull them out.”
“It’s better to go all-in at once than to risk ruining the atmosphere with failed experiments.”
A crazed smile spread across the Grand Mage’s face as he spoke.
“Y-yes! Right away, Master!”
With the oppressive magic gone, Sophia scrambled to her feet and bolted out of the chamber in a panic.
“Oops, I scared her.”
Seeing his disciple flee in fright, the Grand Mage waved his hand, and the so-called “Eye of God” behind him disappeared without a trace.
“Keuh… Kuhahahahaha!!!!”
“I’ve figured it out! I finally figured it out!!!”
“Hey!!!”
The Grand Mage, laughing maniacally as he shouted about his discovery, called out to someone.
“D-did you call…?”
—Thud!!!
“Gah!”
A woman with gray hair and red eyes, shackled by chains around her neck and her magic sealed, emerged from the corner of the room.
No sooner had she stepped out than she was struck, curling up instinctively and apologizing as if accustomed to the abuse.
“I-I’m sorry.”
—Thud!!
—Thwack!!
As the violence grew worse, the girl’s voice became quieter and quieter.
“Hah…
………………. Feeling a bit calmer now.”
“Hic… sniff…”
“Hahaha! Are you crying?”
“N-no.”
“That’s better.”
The Grand Mage opened his drawer, pulling out five syringes.
Without hesitation, he injected them into the girl’s arm.
“P-please, no…”
“Shut up.”
After having her blood drawn, the girl was struck again and retreated to the corner of the room.
“Where did such a treasure come from?”
The Grand Mage muttered as he collected the vials of her blood, then opened the door and stepped outside.
“Hic… sniff…”
The girl gazed at her bruised body and began to cry.
‘…I guess it’s my fault for being born.’
‘I’m just a filthy breed.’
She was the last half-dragon in existence in this world—
The last of the royal bloodline among the half-dragons.
“…God, please… just let me die.”
Her resilience was remarkable—her sanity intact despite her circumstances.
She reached out toward the sunlight, staring at it longingly.
Yet, it seemed the gods were too busy tending to the bright world above to notice her plight in the shadows.
Acknowledging her existence as a creature of the darkness once more, she pushed herself deeper into the shadows.
That morning had left me so shaken that I spent the entire day lying in bed with my mom.
After some time, I decided to let go of the heavy thoughts.
It wasn’t worth dwelling on them, especially about someone who felt more like a criminal.
“…That Demon King you mentioned—did you have fun playing with them?”
“Yes, we get along great!”
“Really?”
“Yes! She’s my first friend.”
It wasn’t a lie.
In this life, Void-unni was my first friend and best friend.
My mom’s slightly sour expression shifted to one of surprise.
“A friend?”
“Yes, we’re close.”
“I… see.”
Mom looked a little worried, muttering under her breath, “I hope she doesn’t learn anything weird from her…”
Still, I wouldn’t hang out with someone truly bad.
For a Demon King, Void was incredibly kind and gentle.
Demon Kings are typically unpredictable and kill anyone weaker than them, but she had spared me.
“Mi… Minho, you shouldn’t get too close to her, okay?”
“Why not?”
“She’s a Demon King. It just makes me nervous.”
“Alright, I understand.”
I didn’t fully grasp why she was so concerned, but since it came from a place of care, I couldn’t ignore it.
When someone worries about me, I’m not heartless enough to brush it off.
“Okay, I’ll be careful.”
“That’s my sweet girl~”
“Hehe.”
Mom patted my head.
Being patted like a child felt a bit embarrassing at my age, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
Not long after, my dad came home, looking utterly exhausted from a meeting.
“Dad!”
“…My girl~”
I waved at him, and he dove straight onto the bed.
Of course, he avoided where Mom and I were lying.
As a result, my body bounced up with a soft whoosh into the air.
I found the feeling so amusing that I asked him to do it again, but Mom scolded me, saying it was dangerous.
“I-I’m sorry.”
—Thud!!
—Smack!!
As the violence escalated, the girl’s voice grew fainter and fainter.
“Hah…
…Finally feeling a bit calmer.”
“Hic… sniff…”
“Hahaha! Are you crying?”
“N-no.”
“That’s how it should be.”
The Grand Mage opened his drawer, pulled out five syringes, and stabbed them into the girl’s arm.
“P-please, no…”
“Shut up.”
After having her blood drawn, the girl was struck again and retreated to a corner.
“Where on earth did such a golden treasure come from?”
The Grand Mage muttered to himself as he stored the vials of her blood, then opened the door and walked out.
“Hic… sniff…”
The girl gazed at her bruised body, tears streaming down her cheeks.
‘…It’s my fault for being born.’
‘I’m just a filthy creature.’
She was the last half-dragon in existence,
The final descendant of the royal half-dragon bloodline.
“…God, please… just let me die.”
It was a miracle she hadn’t gone mad yet.
She reached out toward the sunlight, gazing at it longingly.
Yet, it seemed the gods were too preoccupied tending to the bright world above to pay attention to someone like her in the shadows.
Realizing once again that she was a creature of the darkness, she pulled her body deeper into the shadows.
The shock of that morning was so overwhelming that I spent the entire day lying in bed with my mom.
After some time, I decided to let go of those heavy thoughts.
There was no point in dwelling on them, especially over someone who felt more like a criminal.
“…That Demon King you mentioned—did you have fun playing with her?”
“Yes, we get along great!”
“Really?”
“Yes! She’s my first friend.”
That wasn’t a lie.
In this life, Void-unni was my first friend and my best friend.
My mom’s slightly uneasy expression shifted to one of surprise.
“A friend?”
“Yes, we’re close.”
“I… see.”
Mom looked a bit worried, muttering to herself, “I hope she doesn’t pick up anything strange…”
Still, I wouldn’t hang out with someone who was truly bad.
Void was incredibly kind and gentle for a Demon King.
Most Demon Kings are erratic and kill anyone weaker than them, yet she spared me.
“M-Minho, don’t get too close to that unni, okay?”
“Why?”
“She’s a Demon King. It just worries me.”
“Okay, I understand.”
I didn’t quite understand why she was so concerned, but since it came from a place of care, I couldn’t ignore it.
When someone worries about me, I’m not heartless enough to dismiss it.
“Got it.”
“That’s my sweet girl~”
“Hehe.”
Mom patted my head. Being patted like a child felt a little embarrassing at my age, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Not long after, my dad came home, looking utterly exhausted from his meetings.
“Dad!”
“…My girl~”
I waved at him, and he dove straight onto the bed. Of course, he avoided the spot where Mom and I were lying.
Because of that, my body bounced up with a soft whoosh into the air.
I found the sensation so fun that I asked him to do it again, but Mom scolded me, saying it was too dangerous.
Even at thirty, I know how to take care of myself.
Still, feeling a bit indignant, I glanced at my mom.
“Oh my, are you puffing your cheeks right now?”
“…No.”
Before I realized it, a childish reaction escaped me.
It’s harder to suppress than I thought.
Is it instinctual?
I keep struggling to hide my expressions and emotions.
It’s probably because my body has regressed into a younger state.
‘Haha, Albi, look at her. What’s she so seriously pondering about?’
‘I know, our daughter is so adorable.’
As I stroked my chin with a serious expression, pretending to think deeply, I overheard my parents whispering and stopped.
That’s when my dad, who had been smiling warmly, seemed to think of something and spoke to me.
“Sweetie,”
“Yes?”
“What would you think if Mom and Dad had a second child?”
I was caught off guard for a moment.
“Cough!”
“Albi! What on earth are you saying in front of Minho?!”
—Thwack.
—Thwack, thwack!
Mom, her face flushed red, started hitting Dad.
Though Mom wasn’t as strong as before, Dad exaggerated his pain, acting like it hurt more than it did, which made me laugh.
I suddenly felt like teasing them more.
“Are you making a baby?”
The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.
For about ten seconds, the room fell into complete silence after my remark.
The frozen expressions of the two dragons, as if time had stopped, looked utterly comical.
‘Don’t laugh, Han Minho, you’re a pure, innocent child.’
I desperately tried to hold back my laughter as Dad waved his hands frantically, attempting to explain.
“N-no, we’re not making a baby! We’re thinking of adopting a child!”
“It might be a bit difficult, but we want to bring in a child from another family and raise them as our own.”
Would the royal family even be allowed to adopt so casually?
The thought made me tilt my head without realizing it.
“…Albi, are we really adopting?”
“Well, it seems a half-dragon has requested asylum. Apparently, they carry royal blood.”
Mom and Dad began discussing the matter seriously.
Realizing that this conversation didn’t concern me, I quietly snuggled between them and decided to fall asleep.
“In any case, Minho, you’re getting an older sister.”
“…Okay.”
“Oh my, Minho, are you sleepy?”
“…Yes.”
My consciousness began to fade.
It was time for this body, which required plenty of rest, to sleep.
Still, a half-dragon seeking asylum, huh.
‘In the game, weren’t they a despised race…?’
That was the last thought I had before I lost consciousness.
When I opened my eyes again.
“…hello.”
“…Welcome.”
“…pleased to meet you.”
I heard my mom’s voice and someone else’s faintly in my groggy state.
As I sat up and tried to clear my drowsy mind, my eyes landed on someone unexpected.
“Oh my, Minho, you’re awake? Say hello; this is your new sister.”
“…Hello.”
Standing there was a woman resembling an older sister, shyly greeting me.
“…A half-dragon?”
The words escaped me before I could stop them.
“Minho~? She’s your sister, not just a half-dragon. Are you still half-asleep?”
Mom picked me up as she said that, but I noticed it.
The woman standing behind Mom flinched and had a startled expression.
‘Could it be…?’
Incest, please!