The Secret of My Birth and the Baby Grim Reaper
"You mustn't run away today, Young Master Kael."
"Pooou..."
I puffed out my cheeks and glared at the skeleton gently stroking my head.
History class, as usual. Boring and dull as ever, stirring up complaints without fail. Even knowing most of this history was forged by Mom herself, I still hated it, hated it!
I sat obediently, book open, staring at the skeleton as its finger bones clicked rhythmically. Normally, I'd have bolted from my seat by now, but today I had to play it safe.
'Mom looked really mad...'
This morning, when I came out of my room with Serdi sis and approached Mom, it seemed the tear stains from yesterday were still visible. Her face turned icy at the sight.
She rushed through breakfast and dragged sis straight to the training grounds.
'Sis... is she getting scolded? It was my fault, though...'
I didn't fully grasp my position, my status, or the value of being Kael la Elion.
Wasn't that natural? I'd only known this world through a game, where the protagonist and player was none other than Aurelia—my mom. I'd never imagined monsters and humans forging a peace treaty, let alone her bearing four children. And with the Demon King, no less. With me, the youngest, as their son.
"And so... Young Master Kael?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah?"
"What are you thinking about so intently? I distinctly told you to take notes on that section, but were you zoning out again?"
"Tch, I already know all this stuff! It's about my mom—how could I not know?"
"Yes, yes, with your sharp mind like the Demon King's, I'm sure you've memorized everything."
Come to think of it, ever since I possessed this body, my memory had sharpened dramatically. I could recall every detail from a week ago, even my first meeting with Leaf a year back, crystal clear.
But hearing the skeleton mention the Demon King like that, it seemed my brains came from Dad's side.
"By the way, what kind of monster was my dad?"
"Pardon...? I'm not sure what answer you're hoping for..."
"You said he was the Demon King! So, didn't he fight humans or try to destroy the world or something...?"
"Ah, haha~ Since you never met him in person, Young Master Kael, it's understandable you'd think that."
My dad, the Demon King, had vanished before I was born, they said. Something about his kind not being built for thriving offspring, exhausting his life force after me as the last.
That's why my eldest sis took after him most, with the rest gradually resembling Mom more. And I, the late baby boy, was a spitting image of Mom because of it.
"The Demon King was incredibly shy. So shy that even after becoming a couple, he could barely speak to her for a whole year."
"What? But he's the Demon King? Wasn't he supposed to be terrifying?"
"A Grim Reaper. You've heard of Reapers, surely."
The skeleton raised a single finger bone and spoke gravely.
Reapers? Yeah, I'd seen plenty in my past life—popping up every time I died in the game to revive me. "This story must not end here," or "You must reach the Demon King"... Though the game was easy, so I didn't see them much. Still, they felt oddly familiar each time.
"The Demon King's race was Grim Reaper."
"...Huh? That robed guy, looking like you, a Reaper?"
"Like me...? No, no. He just wore a skull mask—he wasn't a skeleton. His eyes were a deep crimson, skin pale as snow."
Wait, that description rang a bell. The game's illustrations never showed the Reaper's face clearly, but the skull felt off somehow, those glowing red eyes unforgettable.
Hold on, then...
"...So, what was that Demon King mainly up to?"
"Mainly...? His hobby, you mean? From what I recall, whenever the Hero of that era—our current Lady of the House—was in peril, he meditated."
"..."
...That Reaper who appeared on every death screen... was the Demon King? My dad?
So even amid the monster-human war, he watched over Mom. Sneaking in cheers whenever she struggled...
"Even in wartime, he ignored the battlefield to tail the Lady—caused us no end of headaches."
"Huh? So the Demon King never fought?"
"Indeed. Unlike previous Demon Kings, he shunned battling humans."
Thinking back, humans had numbers, but monsters only a handful of powerhouses.
"Was it because he didn't want to harm humans?"
"No. He just didn't want to waste our forces on pointless posturing."
...Fancy words for being a coward who hated fighting.
"Some hardline monsters did attack humans, and the Hero only faced those."
Ah, so that's the game's battlefield backstory. Made sense how Mom slaughtered so many yet secured peace—she only killed declared enemies.
"So, what did Mom do about the Demon King?"
"...That's a secret among us servants, but since you're his blood, I'll tell you specially."
At first, blood flew as Mom and Dad clashed in near-death duels for days. Amid it, Dad kept talking to her. Mom recognized the familiar voice and responded. Blah blah blah, suddenly she was pregnant...
Eh...
"Wh-what's that supposed to mean...?"
"Ahem, perhaps too delicate for you, Young Master Kael. Simply put: meant to be."
"R-right..."
In short: they talked, found common ground, made a pact somehow, started a family, eldest sis born. Hearing this hidden history, I gaped blankly, unsure how to react.
"Oh? Young Master, is your jawbone loose? Need mine—"
"Boring, skeleton."
"...My apologies."
What lame bone pun was that? The skeleton clenched a fist, coughed awkwardly. Then something sparked in its empty skull—it gleamed as it stared at me.
"Young Master, don't you favor robes usually?"
"Huh? Yeah, sure. Why?"
"Wait here a moment? ...And no running off while I'm gone."
I nodded; it grinned satisfied and shuffled away. The bony touch on my head felt oddly heavy today.
A short wait later...
"Phew! It was stored deep away. What do you think?"
"Huh? What's that?"
"Your new outfit, Young Master!"
"...Huh?"
"Not bad at all. Your form's sharp... You've learned much at the academy."
"Ah... Yes, thank you."
Meanwhile, at the training grounds. Serdi and Aurelia clashed wooden swords in a light spar.
Serdi bowed awkwardly at Aurelia's brief praise, unable to hide her unease.
'The Lady... no, Mother is praising me...'
Always nitpicking her posture, sharp-tongued—yet now, this curt approval warmed her chest subtly.
"...Lady."
"Mother will do."
"...Mother. I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Aurelia tilted her head slightly. Those icy blue eyes chilled to the bone.
Serdi fidgeted, then sighed inwardly and shook her head.
"...I said something harsh to Kael."
"What did you say?"
"Th-that mercenaries should never dream. I spat it out harshly. He's only eight—maybe I should've preserved his innocence. Was I too rough...?"
"No. You did well."
Aurelia cut in coldly, affirming her. She gazed skyward, exhaled deeply, and continued.
"Kael and mercenaries must stay worlds apart. I commend you for drilling that into him."
"...I see."
"Of course. We can't let him dream of such filthy dangers. Kael belongs nowhere near that."
"Yes."
Serdi agreed somewhat. Kael was far from mercenary life. A boy, Elion's sole son. Child of Hero and Demon King. Prime bait for wolves.
As their cold exchange hung, light footsteps pattered.
- Plop plop plop!
Adorably cute, soft and alluring, drawing the eye...
Aurelia instinctively turned.
"......"
"H-how... d-does it look...? D-does it s-suit meee...?"
Blushing faintly, shyly twiddling fingers: Kael. Familiar skull mask, familiar robe design.
"......"
"......"
The mother and daughter fell utterly speechless.