A King's Silent Sorrow

---

Years have passed since that day.

I now live among humans—those fragile beings who believed they had rescued me from a nightmare. I reside in a quiet corner of a small village, under the roof of a woman named Anna. She is known as the leader of a band of adventurers—having risen to that position after I personally killed their former captain.

She has a daughter named Eno, seven years old, full of energy and innocence. Both Eno and I were adopted by Anna—survivors plucked from separate tragedies, bound together by loss.

While I busied myself setting the table, Eno prepared the food. She cooked for us often, and I assisted where I could. Anna had gone to the city to collect her payment from a recent mission.

"Big Brother! Go meet Mama—she might have brought stuff home," Eno called out cheerfully from the kitchen, placing down the last of the dishes.

"Are you sure you can handle everything yourself, Eno?" I asked, glancing her way.

"Of course, Big Brother! I'm strong! I'm a Great Healer, remember?" she replied with a grin, flexing her thin arms as if they were thick with muscle.

I turned toward the window. Just beyond the trees, I could already see Anna approaching from the distance, carrying heavy sacks.

Without a word, I stepped outside to meet her.

As I reached her, she smiled and dropped the bags onto the ground. Then, without warning, she ran toward me and threw her arms around me.

"Tch…" I winced slightly but didn't pull away. These gestures… They were part of their culture—a strange and exhausting one.

"Rin! I missed you and Eno so much!" she cried, her voice trembling. "You know how far the city is! I couldn't bear not seeing you two."

"You were gone for a single day," I replied flatly. "And we need money, don't we? If you don't work, Eno and I won't have food. She's starting school next year."

"Still…" she murmured, tightening her hug, "Even a single day away from you both feels like a year."

She rubbed her cheek against mine like a clingy child. I sighed.

"Enough. Go inside—dinner's ready. Eno made a lot. I'll handle the rest of your things," I said, gently peeling her arms off me and walking toward the sacks on the ground.

"Really? My little princess cooked for me?" she gasped, then broke into a full sprint toward the house.

"Enooooooooooo!"

"Eeehhh! Big Brother, help!"

…Sigh.

I heard their playful voices echoing inside the house. Anna yelled in excitement. Eno screaming in mock protest.

These scenes… they've become a strange part of my daily life.

In this world, they call me Rin, not my real n. A young boy with dark hair and the rough features of a slave. Even Eno bears a similar look—except her hair is a wild crimson red.

…

After dinner, I told them I would wash the dishes. The two of them moved to the living area, chatting animatedly. As I scrubbed the plates, my gaze darkened and slowly dropped to the floor.

"Hrymo."

In an instant, a creature emerged beside me—shrouded in armor the color of midnight. Faint violet mist drifted from its body like smoke. The helmet it wore resembled the head of an insect, long and segmented. It knelt before me without raising its eyes.

"My liege," it said solemnly.

"There are bandits passing nearby—several kilometers from here. Kill them all. No survivors."

"As you command, my king."

With that, Hrymo vanished, still kneeling as he faded from existence.

I finished cleaning and returned to the living room, joining the two of them.

"How was the city?" I asked.

Eno suddenly stood up and marched toward me, then smacked me on the head with the palm of her hand.

"Call her Mama! Not 'the woman from the city!'" she scolded, like a strict little elder.

…Sigh.

"Now now, Eno," Anna said, chuckling. "Don't fight with Rin."

She looked between the two of us with that same gentle smile.

"Rin," she continued, "in three days, you'll be starting school in the city. We're moving there. I want you and Eno to grow up normally—to make friends, to be around other children your age."

"The city's scary…" Eno whispered. "There are bad rich people there…"

"Don't worry, Eno," Anna said, pulling her daughter close. "The bad ones are gone now."

"But Mama…" Eno said with uncertainty, her small hands clinging to her mother's sleeves.

I watched them silently.

This… bond they shared. That protectiveness. That warmth.

It was still alien to me.

The city…

In truth, I was curious. I wanted to live in the city. It would give me more answers. More humans to observe. More opportunities to understand what gave them strength in the face of certain death.

The more people I encountered, the faster I could find the truth.

---

When we moved to the city, Anna found us a modest home—slightly larger than our old one. We spent the day cleaning every corner, arranging our things. I watched the two of them laugh as they worked, finding joy in something so mundane.

At one point, Anna glanced at me. She raised her fingers to her lips and smiled—urging me to smile back.

I simply stared at her, unblinking, unsure how to react.

I was a king. I once ruled a vast domain with legions at my command. In my world, strength determines one's place. The strong ruled. The weak served.

There was no place for laughter. No meaning in smiles.

She walked toward me and ruffled my hair with a laugh. Then she knelt and placed both hands gently on my shoulders.

"Someday, Rin," she said softly, "you'll find the answers you're searching for. And when that day comes… I hope you'll also find happiness."

My eyes widened.

Something stirred in my chest.

A flicker of warmth.

Faint. Unfamiliar.

But real.

---

Two years have passed since I began my studies in the city. Eno was with me, attending the same school. We were both learning a lot in this new world. I often spent hours in the library after class, immersing myself in history books—stories about the human world, the rise and fall of powerful nobles, legendary kings, and vast kingdoms.

Eno and I lived in a dormitory not far from the academy. We stayed in touch with Anna through letters. She was always busy working at the Adventurer's Department. She put her life on the line day after day just so Eno and I could live peacefully and attend school like normal children.

Tomorrow will be my day off. I planned to visit her at home.

Eno couldn't come along—She was buried in her studies, diving deep into the healing arts. She wanted to become a skilled healer someday, so she could take care of both Anna and me when we grew old.

That evening, after finishing a long book about ancient wars in the human realm, I overheard a rumor that swept through the academy like wildfire: a wealthy nobleman had been cured from a severe, deadly curse with the help of the Church that worshipped Goddess Alfiria. At first, I paid it no mind—until they mentioned the name of the noble.

It was him.

The very noble I had cursed.

But that couldn't be. It shouldn't be possible. My magic… there was no known cure. I made sure of that.

Or so I thought.

---

Morning came, and I prepared for the journey home to visit Anna. Eno handed me a letter, a note of apology explaining she couldn't come with me. As I left, I stopped by the local market to buy some of Anna's favorite foods. I wanted to surprise her. Over time, I had come to understand human customs and how to blend in. Even at school, I had learned what was acceptable and what wasn't—for someone like me, someone trying to live as a human.

Excitement filled me as I walked through the city. Maybe I was close to finally understanding the answers I had long sought about humanity.

But when I arrived at our home…

It was empty.

Anna wasn't there.

I figured she might still be at work or running late. I decided to take a walk through the nearby streets to pass the time.

As I neared the Central Square, I noticed a large crowd had gathered. People were yelling, their voices full of rage and bloodlust.

"Death! Death to the servant of evil!" one man cried.

I assumed it was just the city's weekly public execution—perhaps a captured bandit or a rogue adventurer. I kept walking, uninterested.

Until I heard a voice.

A voice I recognized.

"Behold this woman!" the man shouted. "She cared for a demon! A devil in the form of a boy! I bear the scars from his accursed magic! I am the victim! Yet this foolish woman—blinded by sentiment—dared to call him her son and claimed he wasn't a monster. She betrayed mankind. For this, I sentence her to death!"

That voice...

No.

I shoved my way gently through the crowd, not wanting to believe what I was hearing.

Then I saw her.

Anna.

There she was, kneeling beneath the guillotine.

Her once-kind and gentle face was bruised and beaten, her long hair ruined—cut in jagged chunks, the result of humiliation and torture. Her arms and legs were covered in wounds—scratches and bruises where once her skin was soft and clean. She wore blood-stained rags that barely clung to her body.

Her own blood.

From her own torment.

Our eyes met.

Time froze for a moment.

And then—

She smiled at me.

That same warm, motherly smile she always gave me.

My eyes widened.

I reached for my magic—time freeze, just like I'd done before.

But I was too late.

Thud.

The guillotine fell.

Her head rolled forward, blood trailing behind it. But even in death, her face remained the same.

Still smiling.

My vision darkened. It felt as though the sky itself collapsed above me.

I wanted to scream—but no words came out.

I simply stood there, frozen.

Staring at her head, lying lifelessly on the execution platform.

I walked toward it, picked it up gently…

And held it close to my chest.

"She's still smiling…"

"H-HIIIII! MONSTER! It's the demon boy! Kill him! KILL HIM NOW!" the noble shrieked, pointing at me.

I ignored him.

I remained kneeling there, still embracing Anna's severed head.

The crowd began to back away, panic spreading like wildfire. Some tried to run.

But they couldn't.

I had already activated my Domain Sanctuary—a sealed space, completely under my control. No one could leave without my permission.

I rose to my feet.

Eyes glowing red with fury.

And stared directly at the man who killed her.

The noble's screams turned to shrieks.

"HRYMOOOO!" I roared.

With a rumble, a massive knight emerged from a vortex behind me—towering, clad in black armor etched with crimson runes. His aura made even the air around him tremble.

He dropped to one knee, voice shaking. "My Lord…"

"Kill them all," I ordered coldly. "Every last one of them. Except for him."

Hrymo bowed his head. "As you command."

He stood, drawing his massive blade.

The square erupted in panic.

People screamed for their lives. Some begged for mercy. Others cried or tried to flee.

Too late.

Limbs flew. Blood sprayed. Bodies hit the ground one by one. Men, women, children, guards—every single person who had cheered for Anna's execution—slaughtered.

None were spared.

Except him.

"HIIIIIIIIII! HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE!" the noble screamed, trembling in his own filth.

"VRUUUUUUUUL!" I shouted next.

Another being materialized—taller, cloaked in shadow. A skeletal figure in tattered robes, bearing dark armor and surrounded by purple mist. He knelt immediately, visibly shaking.

"My Lord…" he rasped. "Forgive me. I can bring back the dead… but only as rotting shells—soulless bodies with no mind, no spirit…"

Whip—!

I flung Vruul across the square with a wave of my hand. He crashed into a wall, then dragged himself back and knelt in silence.

I stepped toward the noble, still carrying Anna's head in my arms.

"STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY, MONSTER!" he wailed, holding out a sword—his hands trembling uncontrollably.

But he couldn't see me.

Only my burning, crimson eyes.

Krrkk… krkk…

One by one, I bent his fingers backward until the sword dropped. He screamed.

Then I shattered his legs.

Then his arms.

Blood gushed from every limb.

He passed out from the pain.

"Heal," I muttered.

His body repaired itself, restored by my magic.

He woke up—only for the torture to begin again.

Again.

And again.

And again.

For days, the only sound in the square was the noble's screaming. Blood soaked the stones. Hrymo and Vruul remained kneeling behind me, silent and still.

---

Years passed.

I stood alone before a great crystal mirror.

Through it, I could see Eno.

She had grown into a fine young woman—taller, her hair long, her eyes tired but kind. She approached a pair of graves, flowers in hand, and a parchment tucked under her arm.

To the world, we had died.

Rumors had spread that a monster had appeared in the Central Square, killing everyone—including Anna and me.

"Big Brother Rin… Mama…" Eno whispered, kneeling at the gravestones. "I became a healer. Look…"

She gave a soft laugh.

Then burst into tears.

She clutched the graves tightly, as if they could embrace him back.

I clenched my fists.

Even now, the hatred hasn't left me.

After Anna's death, I had felt nothing but fury. Nothing could undo what happened. Nothing could make it right.

I had instructed Hrymo to watch over Eno from the shadows. If anyone dared harm him, they would not live to regret it.

Suddenly, a weak voice reached my ears.

"F-Forgive me… please…"

I turned to my left.

The noble.

Still alive.

Still imprisoned.

Still being tortured.

He was barely recognizable anymore. But I kept him alive—just enough to suffer.

I stared at him coldly.

Said nothing.

To my right, a large chamber filled with preservation fluid shimmered in the low light. Suspended inside was Anna's body.

Unmoving.

Untouched.

Still smiling.

Peaceful.

And for the briefest moment, when I looked at her…

The storm of hatred inside me stilled.

---

Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Just a quick heads-up that updates might be a bit slower or less frequent in the coming days/weeks due to some real-life struggles I'm currently facing. Life sometimes throws unexpected challenges, but I promise I'm doing my best to keep the story moving forward. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and continued support—it means the world to me. I can't wait to share more of this journey with you when I'm back at full speed. Stay safe and take care of yourselves too! 🖤