Chapter 1 – The Awakening

The storage room smelled of dust and old paper. Aoi wrinkled her nose as she pushed aside a stack of cardboard boxes, their edges fraying from years of neglect. “Why do we even keep all this junk?” she muttered, ducking under a low beam. Sunlight filtered weakly through a small, grimy window, illuminating cobwebs that clung stubbornly to the corners.

She was looking for something, anything. that could help with her school project. Her hands brushed over old books, broken toys, and a rusty lantern. Then, buried under a faded tapestry, she spotted something unusual: a small, intricately carved box that glimmered faintly, even in the dim light.

Curiosity piqued, Aoi tugged it free. The carvings were delicate, swirling patterns that seemed to shimmer as she rotated it in her hands. She hesitated, fingers hovering over the latch. “It… can’t be dangerous, right?” she whispered to herself, a little uneasily.

Before she could think better of it, her clumsiness won out. She dropped the box, and it hit the floor with a clink. A pale light spilled from the opening, and the air around her suddenly became charged with energy. Aoi staggered backward, tripping over a crate.

“Wha—what’s happening?!” she screamed, clutching her chest. “Please, don’t... don’t hurt me!”

The air shimmered, and before her eyes, a figure began to materialize. First, a faint outline, then solid form: a tall man with flowing silver hair, regal robes, and piercing eyes that glimmered with an unnatural light. A gem talisman, glowing softly, rested on his forehead, tilted slightly as though it were slipping.

Aoi froze, heart pounding. “I… I didn’t mean to, summon you! Please don’t, please, don’t hurt me!” Her hands shook as she instinctively backed toward the wall.

The man raised his hand slowly, not in attack but in an almost shy gesture. His gaze met hers, soft and curious. His lips parted as if to speak… but no sound came out.

“Y-you can… can’t talk?” she stammered, her voice cracking. “I-I... I’m not supposed to wake you! I, uh… I’m really, really sorry!”

The gem on his forehead shimmered and wobbled slightly. Sparks of magic danced in the air, making the room feel like it had turned into a miniature storm. Books fluttered off shelves, papers swirled around them, and a faint hum filled the space.

“P-please don’t… do anything scary!” Aoi threw herself onto a chair, hugging it like a shield. Her eyes never left him, wide and trembling. “I didn’t want this! I was just… just looking for my stupid project!”

He tilted his head, studying her. Then, slowly, he knelt down, bringing himself closer to her level, not in a threatening way but almost… deferential. The gem on his forehead wobbled again, sliding slightly, and a soft glow pulsed through it.

Aoi blinked. “W-wait… you’re… you’re looking at me like that… like…” She shook her head, her face heating up. “Stop staring! Please don’t stare! You’re scary!”

He made a gentle motion with his hand, reaching out slightly. Though he couldn’t speak, the way he leaned forward and looked at her made her stomach twist. His eyes weren’t angry or cruel, they were… soft, almost hesitant.

“Okay, okay… I get it,” she said, taking a shaky breath. “You’re not going to eat me. I... think. Right? Please, please don’t eat me!”

The room seemed to respond to the tension. The gem slipped almost entirely off his forehead, floating in place for a moment before snapping back. Sparks flew, illuminating his sharp but gentle features. The effect was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic, and Aoi found herself momentarily forgetting to be afraid.

“U-uh… hi?” she squeaked, waving awkwardly with one hand. “I-I’m… I’m Aoi. Uh… nice to meet… uh… whoever you are! Mister… uh… Demon Lord?”

His eyes softened further at her words. Though silent, there was a clear warmth in the way he looked at her, an almost immediate adoration that made Aoi’s heart skip in panic and something else she couldn’t quite identify.

She shook her head violently. “No, no, no! Stop thinking about that! You can’t… you’re dangerous… and I, uh… I’m supposed to keep you, wait, the gem! The talisman! Don’t fall off!”

The gem wobbled again, sparks flying as it tilted precariously. Aoi jumped forward instinctively, reaching to steady it, but it bounced slightly out of place again, making a faint ting sound.

He gave a small gesture, almost like a bow, or a nod of thanks, toward her, still silent, still impossibly attentive. Aoi couldn’t help but feel her chest tighten.

“This is… insane,” she muttered, stepping back and trying to regain composure. “I accidentally summoned a Demon Lord… and he… he… likes me or something?!”

The gem pulsed one last time for the moment, as if acknowledging her words, and the air calmed slightly. Books fell, papers stopped swirling, and a quiet, tense calm settled in the room.

Aoi gulped. “Okay… okay, I need… I need to think. And… and maybe… keep this talisman on his… forehead… before he explodes or something.”

She rubbed her temples, staring at the tall, silent, impossibly handsome demon who had just appeared in her storage room. He still looked at her with soft eyes, unwavering in his attention, and her pulse beat faster than ever.

“Oh no,” she whispered. “This is going to be… really, really, really bad.”