Delkira, a being of cosmic power, found himself utterly helpless in the face of a single, tiny, human baby.
He had commanded legions and conquered realms, but he had no idea how to change a diaper.
He scoured the local human libraries, his fearsome presence cloaked, filling his arms with books on "New Parent's Guide" and "Baby's First Year."
Thankfully, Iruma was a surprisingly easy child. He was a beacon of pure joy, his small face constantly alight with giggles.
He only cried for the most basic of needs—hunger, a full diaper, or when his father was out of sight for too long. His simple happiness was a balm to Delkira's still-grieving heart.
One evening, as he held his sleeping son, Delkira gazed at Iruma's peaceful face.
A question, one that had been nagging at him, finally surfaced. Should I take him home? To the Netherworld? He looked up from his child to the small, framed photo on the mantelpiece—a picture of him and Kyoko on their wedding day, her smile radiant and full of life.
His promise to her echoed in his mind.
"I will keep him safe."
The human world, for all its mundane dangers, was a sanctuary compared to the perilous politics and power struggles of the Netherworld. He would not subject his son to that.
He gently placed a kiss on Iruma's forehead. He needed to protect him, to make sure he could live a semblance of a normal life.
With a wave of his hand, a soft, warm energy enveloped Iruma's small body. The tiny, budding wings on his back and the faint, curled tail vanished.
He sealed away not just those traits but also the immense demonic power that simmered beneath Iruma's human facade, a power that would only awaken on his sixteenth birthday.