The demon realm knew no dawn. The sky burned endlessly—two crimson suns hanging heavy, casting blood-red light over a land forged in fire and shadow.
A sliver of that harsh light slipped through the narrow window slats, landing on the pale cheek of a sleeping boy.
Leo, just eight, shifted beneath his thin blanket, groaning softly as the heat touched his face. Sleep was a fragile visitor in the Demon King’s castle.
He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and his gaze fell immediately on a folded parchment beside his straw mattress. The seal was broken. The handwriting, quick and chaotic, ignited a spark in his chest.
He unfolded the letter, reading aloud in a whisper:
"Dear brother,Today I’m getting my knight approval ceremony.Unfortunately, you’re not allowed in.Wish me luck!See you later.Byeee~— Lera"
A smile lit his face. Lera—his sister, his only family in this cold, towering world—was finally to become a Royal Demon Knight. She had fought tooth and nail for this day, and though he couldn’t be there, Leo’s pride burned brighter than any flame.
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He pressed the letter to his chest, then tucked it safely into his pouch.
The castle bell rang—sharp, insistent.
The day began.
Endless chores dragged him through the halls: scrubbing whispering enchanted floors, carrying steaming buckets past roaring infernal stoves, polishing armor he would never wear. Invisible, unheard, merely a shadow in the servants’ ranks.
But today, something moved inside him—hope. His sister’s triumph was a light in this dark place. Even servitude couldn’t snuff it out.
As crimson day slipped into silence, Leo returned to his room, heart heavy but expecting news.
The bed was empty.
The blanket untouched.
His breath caught.
Maybe she was late. Maybe the ceremony had run long.
But hour after hour passed.
Restlessness drove him. He ran the cold corridors, threading between nobles and guards until he found the one man he trusted—Captain Kael, scarred and burdened, one of few left with honor.
“Captain,” Leo gasped, “Have you seen Lera? She was at the ceremony, yes?”
Kael’s eyes darkened. “No, Leo. She never made it.”
The world froze.
“What?”
“A scout confirmed she left this morning, but no one has seen her since. And no one speaks of it.”
The weight settled deep in Leo’s chest. No parents. No magic. No future.
Only her.
And now—not even that.
What becomes of a boy when his last light vanishes?
What flame burns in a heart hollowed by loss?
This is only the beginning.
The Demon of Revolution stirs.