Chapter 2:The truth

Kiyomi’s arm draped over my shoulder, her touch surprisingly light as she guided my trembling frame toward the velvet couch. My legs felt like lead; my mind was a chaotic storm of static and shadows. She sat directly across from me, her presence commanding and heavy, and tilted my chin up so I had no choice but to meet her eyes.

Her gaze was unblinking—piercing through me as if she were dissecting my very soul. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, until she let out a long, weary sigh. Suddenly, the distance vanished. She lunged forward, pulling me into an embrace so tight I could hear the frantic beat of her heart.
“Kaito…” she whispered, her voice vibrating against my chest. “Your real name is Justin Nomoshiki. And you are the sole heir to the Demon Throne.”
The air left my lungs. My jaw dropped, but no sound came out.
She pulled back, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her own thighs to steady her hands. The atmosphere in the room shifted; the shadows in the corners seemed to grow longer, darker.
“Kaito—no… Justin. Listen well,” she began, her voice taking on the tone of an ancient chronicle. “Long ago, the gods wove the fabric of many realms. They birthed the Angels, Demons, Devils, Dragons, Elves, Fairies, and Dwarfs. But their creations were flawed, stained by a hunger for dominion.”

She looked toward the darkened window, her eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight.
“Strength became the only law. War bled the realms dry until only the Angels, Demons, Devils, and Dragons remained standing amidst the ruins. To save what was left, the gods severed the worlds, sealing the borders with celestial magic. Then, they created the Humans—fragile, peaceful, and meant to thrive in the light.”
Her hand tightened. “For a century, there was peace. But the Demon Realm is a place of hunger. They broke the seals, pouring into the human world to feast. The gods retaliated by ordering the Angels to protect mankind. Using holy magic, the Light drove the darkness back into the abyss.”

She leaned closer, her fingers gently brushing through my silky black hair.
“That was when the demons evolved. They developed Alter—the forbidden magic of metamorphosis. They learned to hide their horns, their wings, and their malice beneath human skin.” Her eyes locked onto mine, burning with a terrible intensity. “Just like you are doing right now.”
She reached into the folds of her garment and produced a small glass vial. Inside, a glowing blue liquid swirled like a captured galaxy. The luminescence cast a ghostly pallor over our faces.
“The essence of the heavens,” she murmured. “The Angels created this to force a demon back into their true, monstrous form. It’s how they cleansed the human world once more. But while the demons were weak, the Dragons saw an opportunity. They sought an alliance.”

Her expression hardened into a mask of cold fury. “Your father, the Demon Lord, was a man of steel and suspicion. He didn't trust the Dragon King, but for the sake of his people, he formed a fragile peace. It was a mistake. The Dragon Lord’s brother, Rufus, harbored a hatred for your kind that bordered on madness. He poisoned his own brother, seized the Dragon Throne, and launched a genocidal ambush on the Demon Realm.”
My breath hitched. I could almost hear the sound of clashing steel and the roar of dying gods.
“The war that followed tore the skies apart,” Kiyomi whispered, a single tear tracking down her cheek. “And in the middle of that fire, you were born. When Rufus breached the Demon Castle, your father realized the end had come. He didn't die a victim—he detonated his own essence, a blast of pure demonic energy that scorched the horizon and drove the dragons back… for a time.”

She looked away, her voice trembling. “With the throne empty, Rufus returned. He claimed the Demon Realm as a conqueror and issued a decree: every demon child was to be hunted and slaughtered.”The air in the room felt cold enough to crack bone.
“Your mother, Queen Eliza, did the unthinkable. She tore a hole in the fabric of the realms and fled here. That is where I found her. She was a shadow of a woman, draped in a black cloak, clutching a small chest of gold and those two cursed blades.”

Kiyomi’s smile was fragile, breaking through her tears. “And beneath that cloak, she held a baby. You. She told me your power had been sealed and begged me to hide you. She disappeared into the night, promising to return when you turned fourteen.”Silence fell over the mansion, heavy as a shroud.
“I used that gold to build this life,” she said quietly. “Every bruise I gave you, every hour of training… it was so you would be ready. I’m a member of one of the Five High Human Clans—families sworn to slaughter demons. But that’s a story for another day.”My mind was a jagged landscape of fire and blood. Demon. Heir. War. I looked at the girl who had raised me—the woman who belonged to a clan of my natural enemies, yet had bled to keep me safe. Without a word, I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
She froze, her breath catching in surprise, before she melted against me, sobbing into my shoulder.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you for everything, big sister.”
She leaned into my ear, her voice returning to that sharp, crystalline tone of authority. “Tomorrow, the peaceful life ends. You depart for the Demon Realm. You have already been enrolled in the Yutoraksaki Demon Academy.”
As quickly as the gravity had arrived, it vanished. Kiyomi pulled away, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and bounced to her feet with a dizzying burst of energy.
“Alright!” she chirped, her crimson eyes sparkling with forced cheer. “Enough with the gloomy stuff! It’s your birthday! We’re going out to celebrate—tonight is for fun!”I watched her, the flickering light of the room catching the red of her hair. I realized then that my world had just ended, and a much darker one was beginning. But as long as she was there, I had a mission.

No matter what I become… No matter what blood runs through my veins… I will protect her smile.