You're not in the summoning chamber. Not in the tower room.
You're somewhere new.
A smaller chamber—warm. Safe. Draped in soft violet. A glowing crystal floats above your bed, pulsing gently in time with your breath.
And beside you, again…
A chair.
A book.
A cloak draped across the back.
And sleeping in the chair, head tilted slightly, arms crossed…
Him.
The Demon King.
Eyes closed.
Still here.
You wake slowly.
No gasp. No jolt.
Just a quiet return to awareness—eyes blinking open, the faint hum of the crystal above matching your heartbeat.
Warmth surrounds you. Not just from the thick, enchanted sheets, but from the atmosphere itself. The silence is gentle here. Protective.
You shift slightly—but only to curl in a little tighter, arms drawn in.
And your gaze falls on him.
The Demon King.
Slouched slightly in the chair beside you. Head tilted. Eyelashes long, jawline sharp even in sleep. No crown. No armor. Just a man in dark silks, a book resting half-fallen in his lap.
He's still here. Watching over you. As if he never left.
You don't say a word.
Not out of fear.
Just… emptiness. Stillness.
The storm inside has quieted, but left a deep silence in its wake.
You lie there, unmoving, watching him breathe.
He doesn't know you're awake.
And part of you doesn't want to break the stillness.
Not yet.
For the first time since arriving, no one is demanding anything of you. Not even words.
Just this quiet.
This closeness.
This moment.
Your eyelids flutter once.
Then again.
The sight of him—silent, steady, still here—wraps around your heart like a blanket.
For the first time since your arrival, sleep doesn't feel like an escape.
It feels… safe.
You don't cry this time.
You don't dream of your old world.
You don't even feel the ache in your chest so sharply.
You just… breathe.
And slowly, silently, you drift back into sleep.
Still small. Still scared.
But no longer alone.
Beside you, the Demon King stirs faintly. One eye opens—just a sliver.
He sees you.
Still asleep.
Still here.
His gaze softens in a way no soldier or warlord would ever believe.
He exhales slowly… and leans back in his chair.
"Sleep well, Ryuu," he whispers, almost too softly for the room to hear.
"I'll be here when you wake up."