Morning light filtered gently through the tall windows of the Vlorian estate, bathing the stone halls in a warm golden glow.
Life moved peacefully within the noble household.
Servants went about their daily routines, preparing meals and cleaning the corridors. The faint scent of bread and warm tea lingered in the air, giving the estate a sense of calm stability.
In one of the quieter rooms, Kaien Vlorian lay resting in a wooden cradle.
His breathing was steady.
His expression peaceful.
For a child barely two months old, he was unusually quiet.
Eren Vlorian sat beside the cradle, humming softly as she rocked it back and forth.
"You really are a calm one," she whispered with a smile. "Almost like you're thinking about something."
Kaien blinked slowly.
His eyes followed her movements with quiet attentiveness.
Eren chuckled gently. "You're just like your father."
She leaned closer, adjusting the blanket around him, unaware that she was being observed—from far beyond her perception.
High above the Vlorian estate, hidden within the overlap of shadow and space—
Sherach Colt stood silently.
The Demon King of Shadows concealed his presence perfectly, his form blending seamlessly with the darkness itself. From this vantage point, he observed everything without being noticed.
His gaze settled on the infant.
"…That's it?" he murmured.
He extended his perception carefully.
No magic.
No divine aura.
No demonic fluctuation.
Only—
A weak, natural flow of mortal vitality.
Sherach frowned slightly.
"What's going on here?" he muttered. "This child doesn't even pose a threat."
He observed longer.
The child's presence did not distort reality.
It did not attract energy.
It did not react to observation.
Just… normal.
Too normal.
Sherach narrowed his eyes.
"Was my Lord mistaken?" he wondered. "Or is this simply a false alarm from the heavens?"
For a brief moment, his killing intent surfaced.
Should I eliminate him anyway?
Sherach considered the thought carefully.
Then dismissed it.
"No," he decided calmly. "Acting without certainty would be foolish."
He straightened slightly within the shadows.
"I'll report this to my Lord first," he said quietly. "Then I'll decide."
With that, his presence faded like smoke carried away by the wind.
Back within the estate, laughter echoed from the training field.
Jay Vlorian wiped sweat from his forehead as he faced his father.
"Again!" Luca commanded.
Jay charged forward, his wooden sword cutting through the air with determination. Luca deflected the strike effortlessly, stepping aside and correcting Jay's posture with a sharp tap of his own weapon.
"Your balance is off," Luca said calmly. "Focus."
Jay gritted his teeth. "Yes, Father!"
On the sidelines, Alora sat with her wooden sword resting across her knees, watching quietly. A faint chill lingered around her, though she made no conscious effort to activate her ability.
She sighed. "You rush too much, Jay."
Jay shot her a glare. "You're one to talk."
Alora smirked. "At least I don't trip over my own footwork."
Jay scoffed and returned to his stance.
Nearby, Eren stood watching with Kaien in her arms.
The infant's eyes were fixed on the training.
On movement.
On repetition.
Though his expression remained blank, his gaze followed each motion with eerie precision.
That evening, the family gathered for dinner.
The atmosphere was warm and lively.
Jay spoke excitedly between bites. "Father said my swing improved today!"
"I said it was less inefficient," Luca corrected calmly.
Jay slumped. "That's basically praise."
Alora laughed softly. "You're impossible."
Eren smiled as she fed Kaien carefully. "He watched you train again today. Didn't look away even once."
Jay leaned closer. "Hey, little brother. Planning to pick up a sword too?"
Kaien stared at him silently.
Jay paused. "…Why do I feel uncomfortable?"
Alora burst into laughter.
Kaien's tiny fingers curled instinctively.
Nothing happened.
No power surfaced.
Yet for reasons none of them understood, the air felt briefly heavier—then normal again.
That night, silence settled over the Vlorian estate.
Moonlight illuminated the garden paths.
Kaien slept peacefully in his cradle.
No dreams disturbed him.
No voices called out.
Only the steady rhythm of a mortal child's breath.
Far away—
In the Dark Kingdom—
Sherach knelt before the dark throne.
"My Lord," he reported calmly. "I have observed the anomaly."
Lucifer's red eyes glinted with mild interest. "And?"
"He is a mortal child," Sherach continued. "No magic. No aura. Only weak mortal vitality."Lucifer leaned back slightly on his throne, his red pupils gleaming faintly.
"…Interesting."
After a brief pause, he chuckled softly.
"Let him live—for now," Lucifer said lazily.
"There might still be a mystery behind why the heavens sent him down here."
His curiosity surfaced.
A faint, dangerous smile curved his lips.
"I want to see what the heavens fear."
Sherach bowed deeply. "As you command, my Lord."