Demon Seed
"That bitch again..."
Lihen couldn't hide his murderous intent as he glared at Ria entering the reception room.
Just moments ago, his father had knelt before the terrifying captain, abandoning all dignity and pride as lord in worry for his own life.
For that instant, Lihen had truly believed his father cared for him.
But then Ria appeared, and everything became crystal clear.
He saw his father's true fear. His true love.
Since when...?
His tenth birthday flashed in his mind.
On a stormy night, rain-soaked children stepped down from the carriage led by Logan.
His father embraced the smallest, palest girl among them.
"This child... she's dying."
"We have to save her. No matter what..."
That day was Lihen's birthday.
The day he was supposed to practice swordsmanship with his father. But his father never left the dying girl's side.
At first, he thought she'd be gone in a few days.
But his father adopted all the orphanage children and called them his 'sons' and 'daughters.'
That was when it started.
Even when Lihen won swordsmanship tournaments, his father was more moved by Ria's first steps. Even when Lihen mastered difficult techniques, he took more pride in Rozelina's minor achievements.
"Rozelina took first in sword practice today. Impressive, right?"
"Ria drew her first magic circle. It's a miracle."
"Marcus organized the account ledgers. Isn't that amazing?"
Every accomplishment from the orphanage kids was a 'miracle.' Lihen's were just 'expected.'
"Good job."
The son of a lord was supposed to do that. Nothing more, nothing less.
Especially Ria was different.
The child pulled back from death's door. The 'miracle daughter' his father had saved himself. Just breathing made his father smile.
"Ria made it through another healthy day. What a blessing."
Each time, Lihen's chest felt like it was being torn apart.
What am I? What the hell am I to you?
He craved his father's love, approval, everything. But he always got disappointment in return.
So he chose rebellion and defiance.
If he couldn't have love, he'd take hate instead.
It worked at first.
"Lihen! Another scandal?"
His father called for him. Scolded him, punished him. It was fine. At least then, his father's eyes were fully on him.
Look at me. Please, just look at me...
But it didn't last.
When Ria fell ill again, his father forgot him once more.
He stayed by her side day and night, summoning the best doctors. No matter how big a mess Lihen made, he was ignored.
"Ria! Are you okay? Should you be moving around like this?"
His father's gentle voice. One he'd never heard directed at him.
Why... why not me...?
Jealousy gnawed at his heart, hatred boiling like blood.
"If it weren't for you... if only you weren't here..."
He muttered in a trembling voice, clenching his fists until his nails dug into his skin.
"If it weren't for you, Father would have seen me. Loved me! I'm a monster because of you!"
His hand instinctively went to his pocket.
The dagger he always carried for protection felt ice-cold.
"Especially you, Ria... you took everything from me!"
The gleaming blade caught the light. Madness filled Lihen's eyes.
"You should have died back then! Why did you survive?!"
Shuak—!
Lihen drew the dagger and lunged at Ria.
The blade, dripping with killing intent, shot straight for the girl's slender neck.
"No!!!"
Killrail's scream erupted.
As lord of Greenwood Territory, he was certainly strong. But now his mind was in chaos.
He'd just been crushed by the captain's overwhelming pressure, then shocked by his daughter's condition.
And above all, he never imagined his own son would do something so insane.
As Killrail gathered mana to move, his son's blade was already at Ria's throat.
Damn it...!
Right then—
Tak.
The world stopped.
No, only Lihen did.
Frozen mid-leap, dagger raised in the air.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
Only Lihen's eyes darted wildly.
This is... wind?
"How absurd."
Astra rose slowly from his seat.
Lihen rolled his eyes toward the voice. A massive silver wolf stood guard at the captain's side.
"I didn't expect an assassination attempt in my presence."
Tak, tak, tak.
Astra's footsteps shattered the silence.
With each step closer, Lihen's face grew paler.
I don't want to die... I don't want to die!
Despair cracked Lihen's lips open.
"C-Captain! As you said, Ria has the Demon Seed right now, doesn't she? We must kill her quickly to stop it from spreading..."
"Enough."
Astra's single word sealed Lihen's mouth.
"You're beyond saving."
Astra snapped his fingers lightly, and Lihen's body slowly descended to the floor.
But he still couldn't move.
"Any action here without my permission is treason. And treason... is a crime repaid by death."
"C-Captain! Mercy, please..."
Killrail's voice shook.
As Astra's hand neared Lihen, his pleas grew more desperate.
No matter the crime, his son was still his blood.
Just then.
Tok, tok, tok.
Small footsteps echoed.
It was Ria, who had nearly died by Lihen's hand moments ago.
Her frail hand grasped Astra's trouser leg.
"..."
Astra's black eyes turned downward.
A tear-streaked little face looked up.
Ria said nothing.
She just shook her head left and right with desperate eyes, still clutching his clothes tightly.
"Hoo..."
For the first time, something else flickered in Astra's gaze.
Interest.
"You want me to spare the one who just tried to take your life?"
Ria remained silent.
Tears streamed down her face as she nodded.
That tiny gesture brimmed with earnest plea.
"Intriguing."
Astra slowly bent down to meet Ria's eyes.
"Even after nearly dying, you want to forgive him?"
Ria nodded again, lips pressed tight against the tremble.
Silence filled the room. Everyone held their breath, awaiting Astra's judgment.
"Lihen."
"H-heek..."
"Isn't it ironic? You're breathing thanks to the mercy of the child you tried to kill."
He snapped his fingers. The invisible force binding Lihen vanished, and he gasped, scrambling to his feet.
"Lord."
"Y-yes!"
Killrail rushed forward and knelt without hesitation.
"Thank you! Truly, thank you!"
"You as well."
Killrail looked up at Astra's cold voice.
"I'll spare your life for now. The Demon Seed feeds on negative emotions. Executing you now would..."
Astra's gaze shifted to Ria.
"...likely cause it to bloom from the shock."
"Th-then..."
Hope sparked in Killrail's eyes.
"Yes. Your crimes are suspended for the time being."
To think I'd encounter a Demon Seed here of all places.
Escorted to the grandest room in the lord's mansion, I stood by the window, lost in thought.
They'd given me the best treatment after I declared I'd stay in Greenwood Territory awhile, but my mind was elsewhere.
When the lord's son dared draw a blade before me, I'd planned to sever his head. In Haven, defying order meant only death.
But then.
I saw it.
Those purple eyes.
I hadn't immediately recognized the lord's daughter's illness for a reason. This world's logic clashed with the game's lore.
In the game, the Demon Seed wasn't a disease—it was an opportunity.
Demon Seed.
The ultimate curse planting demonic essence deep in the soul. It grows on the host's negative emotions—hatred, jealousy, despair, rage.
Like a parasite devouring the soul until it consumes the being entirely.
To this world, it's just a brutal death sentence.
Slowly eroding the self in agony until becoming a demon's puppet.
No cure, impossible to even delay. Utter despair.
But to gamers in my past life?
A hidden SSS-grade opportunity.
Ridiculous. A curse everyone fears could be the greatest blessing.
Flip the perspective, and it's a whole new picture.
What if you didn't succumb, but fully dominated the demonic essence?
Claiming demonic power beyond human limits?
In the game, it was a bug.
Absurd balance-breaker taking two ability slots.
Keep your innate Supernatural Ability and gain demonic powers on top. Pure cheat.
Devs couldn't ignore it.
Emergency patch shut it down, but too late.
Before then, countless players found the method. Guides flooded communities.
What a shitstorm that was.
Major guilds tried to monopolize it, but an anonymous player posted a detailed guide on the public forum.
Views: 10 Million | Comments: 500,000
Devs called an emergency maintenance just 72 hours later. In that window, thousands tried. Most lost characters.
Fail: permanent deletion. Succeed: balance collapse.
High-stakes gamble.
After every method tested, only two reproducible paths.
First: Purify and absorb simultaneously with holy-type abilities. Easy in theory, hell in practice. Miss timing by 0.1 seconds, soul shreds. Success rate? Under 5%.
Second...
A innate talent that sees demons as prey from the start.
And Ria's purple eyes were exactly that.
Demon Eye.
Eyes that pierce, dominate, and absorb all demonic essence. Top-tier rare ability even in the game.
Normally, Demon Eye dominates demons and demonkin.
Pierces their essence, spots weaknesses, even seals powers temporarily.
Paired with Demon Seed?
Perfect synergy.
Demon Eye sees demonic essence as 'prey,' not 'enemy.'
Deadly poison to others becomes sweet nectar to its owner.
The issue...
Ria's young, and her Demon Eye hasn't awakened yet...
The purple eyes prove it.
But Demon Eye is conditional—awakens only under specific triggers.
Interesting.
A smile tugged my lips.
If I intervened, fully awakened her Demon Eye, and helped absorb the Demon Seed?
Ria would become this world's one and only dual ability user.