A Child of the Moon Clan
“Hmm.”
Nahen had come to the Human Realm. He stood alone in the forest just beyond the portal, waiting for someone. He had asked Seere if she wanted to come along, but for once she shook her head.
‘I still have etiquette lessons and plenty of work left. I’d like to go, but please go alone this time, Teacher.’
So Nahen had been able to travel by himself. Truthfully, he preferred it this way. No one else’s eyes to watch him, no need to restrain his actions. For the first time in a long while, he had genuine freedom.
Still, he had someone to meet first. Once that was done, he could enjoy his rare free time.
Nahen glanced between the trees. A woman emerged from the shadows.
“Lord Nahen!”
It was Eri. Unlike Dane, she had remained in the Human Realm. Nahen had asked her to obtain an identity document he could use in the Northern Alliance’s territory.
“Did you get it?”
“Yes, here it is!”
Nahen examined the identification card Eri handed him and frowned slightly.
“Eri, this…”
The problem was written plainly on the card. The gender was listed as male, the status as commoner, and the age as adult…
“…Sixty-two years old?”
The age belonged to an old man. As an Archdemon, Nahen’s true age was far greater, but age meant nothing to him. To humans, however, age changed one’s appearance. A sixty-two-year-old was unmistakably elderly; there was no way Nahen, who looked like a man in his twenties, could pass as one.
“I-I’m sorry! It was the only one I could get. The Holy Kingdom has tightened identity checks recently…”
“Hmm?”
Nahen tilted his head, then nodded as he guessed the reason.
“Because of what we did last time.”
“I think so… But, Lord Nahen!”
“What is it?”
“The age might not actually be a problem!”
Nahen’s brow furrowed sharply at Eri’s confident declaration.
“What do you mean by that?”
Eri shook her head vigorously at the look that seemed to ask whether he really looked like an old man.
“N-no, that’s not what I meant! You can just say you’re a half-elf!”
“…Ah.”
Half-elf. A race born between elves and humans, one of the demi-human species that existed in the Human Realm. Because of their elven blood, they possessed extremely long lifespans and did not age. Therefore, appearing twenty years old at the age of sixty-two would not be strange at all. Unlike pure elves, half-elves did not live hidden away in forests, so wandering through cities would not draw suspicion either.
“Not a bad idea.”
“Hehe… It works, right?”
“Still, next time try to find something more suitable.”
“Yes…”
Nahen tucked the identification card into his pocket and looked at Eri. She met his gaze for a moment before asking in a slightly uneasy voice.
“D-did I do something wrong?”
“No, nothing like that. Dane was worried about you, that’s all.”
“Pardon?”
“He’s been extremely concerned. He said he felt uneasy knowing you were alone in the Human Realm.”
Eri let out a small “Ah” and scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
“Ahaha… I’ve always been the one people worry about, ever since we were kids. I was weak when I was little, so…”
“I see.”
“That’s probably why Dane doesn’t like leaving me by myself.”
Eri gripped her staff tightly with both hands.
“But I can manage on my own now! I’m carrying out your orders properly, aren’t I?”
“You are.”
“So there’s no need for him to worry so much.”
Eri smiled lightly. Nahen watched her for a moment, then offered honest advice.
“Eri.”
“Yes?”
“Be good to Dane.”
“Ah, yes.”
Watching her answer without any deeper thought, Nahen shook his head slightly. It seemed the feelings were one-sided after all.
‘Poor Dane. He’s in for a rough time.’
Before leaving, Nahen asked one last question.
“Any new developments since you sent the report?”
“Ah, there is one thing.”
“What is it?”
“The war will end soon.”
Nahen’s eyes widened slightly.
“Who won?”
“From what I’ve heard, it looks like the Bismarck Empire will claim victory. Voices opposing the war have grown louder in the Northern Alliance, so they offered the Empire a ceasefire treaty…”
“I see.”
Fortunately, the outcome of this war matched the game. The Northern Alliance would now sign unfavorable terms and naturally fade from the struggle for hegemony, while the Empire would emerge as the largest power among the three factions.
“Then the Northern Alliance must be in considerable chaos right now.”
“I imagine so. I haven’t been there myself, so I can’t say for certain…”
“Understood. Any other information?”
“No, that’s all I have to report.”
Nahen nodded lightly. Once the war in the Human Realm ended, he would need to adjust his approach here as well. The moment the war between the Northern Alliance and the Bismarck Empire concluded would be precisely when…
‘The Hero will appear.’
It was the time for the second Hero of the original story—the Bow Hero—to emerge. Since the Sword Hero, who should have appeared first, was already dead, the Bow Hero would become the first Hero instead.
‘Being the first Hero, he might be stronger than he was in the game.’
In every Demon King and Hero story, the first Hero was always the strongest. Originally, Luke would have taken that position, but not anymore…
“Eri.”
“Yes?”
“From now on, cross into the Bismarck Empire and continue your intelligence work. As an adventurer, you shouldn’t have any trouble entering.”
“Ah, yes! I’ll do as you say!”
“Go. I should be on my way as well.”
“Yes. Please take care.”
Eri bowed her head and disappeared into the forest. Nahen watched the trees where she had vanished for a moment, then turned and headed toward his own destination.
#
Nahen’s destination was Dorhorn Castle, one of the seven castles that made up the Northern Alliance. There was no special reason; it was simply the castle closest to the Kalt Mountains, the northernmost point of the continent.
Having heard that the Northern Alliance had been the first to propose a ceasefire, he had stopped by to gauge the atmosphere here as well.
‘As expected, the mood isn’t exactly cheerful.’
The entire city within the castle walls was steeped in gloom. People moved quietly, and even the merchants lacked energy, their calls for customers subdued. It was clear that the defeat in the war had come as a shock even to ordinary citizens.
And whenever chaos descended upon the streets, trouble was bound to follow.
“Give it back!”
“I said let go!”
“Ugh…!”
In a dim alleyway where sunlight barely reached, a young girl clung desperately to the leg of a burly man. The man held a square paper bag in his hand. At first, Nahen thought the man had stolen something from the girl. But the man’s next words made it clear he had misunderstood.
“You stole the bread and now you want it back?! Are you serious?!”
Nahen felt a wave of disbelief. If even a child like this had to steal bread… it spoke volumes about how dire the castle’s finances had become.
“I haven’t eaten in days…!”
“That doesn’t matter! Do you think it’s easy for me to make a living either? If you pay the proper price, I’ll give you as much as you want—just let go! I need to go sell my goods!”
“Give it baaack!!”
He could have simply walked past, but something about the scene tugged at him. Nahen sighed softly and approached them.
“How much?”
“Who are you?”
“I’ll pay in her place.”
Nahen said this while handing the man a silver coin. The man’s eyes widened.
“M-my lord! This is only worth about a dozen loaves. I can’t accept silver for bread!”
Realizing Nahen must be someone important after he casually tossed the coin, the man’s tone became respectful. Nahen did not mock the sudden change in attitude; it was a perfectly normal reaction.
“I know. This is all I have, so just take it.”
“Ah…”
The man hesitated for a moment, then handed the bag of bread to Nahen and pocketed the silver coin. He bowed his head in thanks and disappeared down the alley.
Nahen looked down at the girl who had been clinging to the baker’s leg moments ago. Her gaze was fixed on the paper bag.
Nahen took out a loaf and offered it to her. She snatched it quickly and began devouring it hungrily.
Watching her, Nahen asked,
“You.”
“…Yes?”
His golden eyes narrowed as he looked down at the child.
“Why is a member of the Moon Clan pretending to be human here?”
“…!!”
“You really do seem young, but…”
Ash-gray hair that seemed to hold the moonlight of the earth, and reddish-pink eyes that sparkled. These were distinctive features found only among the Vampire race—the Moon Clan—that Nahen had come to find. While not every vampire shared these exact traits, among the demon races, only vampires possessed both ash-gray hair and pinkish eyes together. He hadn’t noticed from a distance, but up close, it was unmistakable.
This child was a member of the Moon Clan, the Vampire race.
“Does the clan these days not even look after its children?”
“U-um…”
“Hmm?”
The child stopped eating and held out the bread toward Nahen.
“I-I’ll give you all of this, so could you please pretend you didn’t see me?”
“So you can go back to stealing bread?”
“Ugh… I-I’ll figure something out!”
“Forget it. Just eat. I have no reason to tell the humans you’re here, so relax.”
“…Pardon?”
The child blinked, then tilted her head slightly. She had done it to get a better look at Nahen’s face beneath his hood. Nahen warned her,
“Just eat your bread.”
“Y-yes…!”
Watching the vampire child resume her frantic eating, Nahen fell into thought. What reason could the Moon Clan have for casting out such a young child?
‘They’re not the type to reject children.’
If anything, they welcomed them. Having abandoned the Demon King’s rule, they were a race that could barely increase their numbers. While not so few as to be called a minority race, their population was steadily declining for various reasons. Therefore, children were precious to the entire clan—they were the ones who would lead the next generation.
“What’s your name?”
“V-Veronika.”
“Veronika…”
Nahen repeated the name thoughtfully, then widened his eyes and stared at the child.
“Veronika?”
“Yes?”
“Wait… You’re really Veronika?”
“Yes. Do you know me, mister?”
“…Mister?”
“Ah, I-I’m sorry. You’re not a mister.”
“……”
Nahen’s expression softened at the quick apology. He thought the name Veronika once more.
‘I never imagined that Veronika would be living like a pauper in a place like this.’
Veronika was one of the Lords who led the Vampire race in Evil Queen Maker. She bore the title “Moon Princess,” the highest-ranking Lord of the Moon Clan. In the game, the point where one could recruit minority races like her came only after conquering at least the 35th floor. At that time, Veronika would appear as a Vampire Lord, but right now, long before that point…
“…So this is how she ended up.”
“Pardon?”
Nahen looked at the child who had already eaten seven loaves of bread.
“Veronika, why aren’t you with your clan? Why are you alone like this?”
“…I was exiled.”
“Exiled?”
Veronika’s expression darkened slightly.
“They said my father and mother did something wrong, so our whole family was banished. At first we stayed together, but Father kept visiting the clan’s lands to protest the decision, and eventually he died. Mother fell ill from the news and passed away too. Now I’m alone.”
“…Hmm.”
Nahen hadn’t expected such a backstory. He rested his chin on his hand.
‘Then how did Veronika become a Lord in the original story?’
A criminal’s child should never have been able to rise to the position of Lord.
‘It’s likely their crime wasn’t real.’
Some kind of misunderstanding had led to the family’s exile, and once it was later cleared up, Veronika had returned to the clan. That seemed the most plausible explanation.
“Veronika.”
“Um… Thank you for buying the bread, but…”
“Hmm?”
“Calling me by my name so familiarly feels a bit strange. We just met, after all…”
“……”
Nahen felt a twinge of absurdity. He briefly considered not giving her the remaining three loaves.
“You’re treating me like some suspicious person.”
“Ah, n-no, that’s not it…”
“I called you because I have questions. If using your name makes you uncomfortable, I won’t. What should I call you?”
“…Just use my name.”
He had no idea how to match her pace. Feeling this, Nahen was once again reminded of how precocious Seere had been even as a child.
Nahen asked Veronika,
“Don’t you want to return to your clan?”
“…I don’t want to go back. They destroyed my family. And even if I returned, I’d only be pointed at as a criminal’s daughter. I’d rather starve here than live uncomfortably in a place like that.”
Nahen found her answer unexpected. Aside from being a bit eccentric, she seemed to have quite a mature way of thinking. She understood exactly what situation she would face if she returned right now.
This made things simpler. Originally, he had only intended to buy her bread and leave, but now that he knew this child was Veronika, he couldn’t do that.
“In that case, come with me.”
“Um… I’m not really fond of that idea. You should look for another child…”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Where on earth had she learned to think like this? Nahen pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.
“Come with me to the Demon Realm.”
“The Demon Realm?”
Nahen nodded.
“I am Nahen, the teacher of Seere von Devata, the ruler of the 5th floor.”
“Y-you’re the Demon King’s teacher?!”
“Keep your voice down…”
Her volume was loud enough to draw attention from anyone nearby.
‘How does someone who claims to have gone days without food have such strong lungs…’
Nahen made her an enticing offer.
“If you follow me, I’ll give you a comfortable place to sleep and warm meals. In exchange, you must swear loyalty to both me and Seere von Devata. You’ll also need to follow orders properly.”
“…You want to make me your subordinate?”
“Yes.”
“Why…? I’m just a child, aren’t I?? You must have some other motive…”
“Stop twisting this into something strange.”
When Nahen cut her off firmly, Veronika closed her mouth and nodded. Nahen extended his hand to the now-quiet child for one final question.
“Will you come with me, or will you continue starving here?”
It was the last question, but deep down, Nahen desperately hoped she would take his hand. The fact that Veronika became a Lord in the original story meant that if left alone, she would eventually grow up and return to her clan on her own. He wanted to bring her in before that happened and turn her into a valuable asset for Seere.
So if Veronika refused here, Nahen would be the one at a loss.
Veronika glanced at Nahen’s eyes, then looked down at his outstretched hand. Fortunately, she carefully reached out.
“I-I’ll go. You really will give me delicious, warm food, right?”
“…Yes. Of course.”
“B-blood too?”
“As long as it’s in moderation. I can provide that much, so don’t worry.”
The Vampire race’s staple diet was the same as other demon races. However, as their name suggested, they needed to periodically drink blood to sustain their lives.
“Come to think of it, how have you been getting blood until now?”
“I caught mosquitoes.”
“…?”
“I caught mosquitoes that had sucked blood and ate them.”
“Uh…”
Nahen suddenly felt a surge of pity for Veronika.
#
“…What?”
Seere, who had been sleeping, woke up feeling an inexplicable sense of discomfort. The first thing that caught her eye was the white whale plushie lying beside her.
“Teacher…”
A sudden wave of anxiety about Nahen rose within her. Surely he wouldn’t pick up something strange again? Like another girl…
She already had a track record of taking in two humans, which only made her more uneasy. Seere stared at the whale plushie for a moment, then pulled both it and the white bear plushie from her bedside into a tight hug.
Her eyes narrowed as she muttered,
“…I won’t allow any concubines.”