Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Demon Realm #1
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I died and woke up in another world.
The name of that other world? The Demon Realm.
Did I croak and end up in hell or what? That was my first thought, but nope—it wasn't a mistake. It was the real deal. The Demon Realm is hellish, plain and simple. The name gives it away. I reincarnated into this place, totally different from Earth.
"Whoa."
It's so absurd I still can't wrap my head around it. I know all about it, yet it's still shocking.
A world crawling with winged monsters and beasts? Demons, demonkin—straight out of some movie. And the fact that I reincarnated here? Fucking mind-blowing.
The Demon Realm is a brutal world teeming with all sorts of vile races.
The vast landscape glows in shades of purple, red, or black, and the demonkin tribes form their own factions, fighting tooth and nail to defend their turf.
"Totally different from Earth."
Word is, beyond the dimensional barriers lies the Middle Realm, home to humans and other races, and some higher plane called the Great Heaven full of angel-like beings. But that's beyond me.
All I know is that the Demon Realm and Great Heaven are at war.
Hell, I only picked up the language less than a year ago. Even though I've been alive for about nine years, I know next to nothing. Being a mute who could barely speak kept me cooped up everywhere.
My world is limited to the insides of this massive fortress.
Anyway, here I am.
Reborn as the son of a demonkin named Duchess Kerasis.
"And I hatched from an egg, no less."
Like some ancient myth.
—...
"I still can't believe I hatched from an egg."
Lost in those thoughts, I perched on the windowsill and stared at the sky.
No sun—just a massive, evil-looking giant eyeball floating there. The sky was purple. Instead of pigeons, gargoyles flitted across the violet heavens.
Below sprawled a jagged cityscape.
"What the fuck am I?"
I reincarnated as a demonkin, but I know jack shit.
That's the problem. Reincarnating with my memories intact made learning the Demon Realm's language a nightmare.
It's worlds apart from a newborn picking up their native tongue versus some Korean guy struggling with Demonic.
"I'm such an idiot."
So here I am, treated like a retard inside this giant fortress. A mute retard who can barely talk.
"A fucking retard."
At least last year I finally got conversational... but way too late. I'm nine now. Nine years old, and I'm sorely lacking in the basic knowledge and common sense all demonkin kids should have.
I poured every ounce of myself into mastering this alien language from scratch, but I'm still hopelessly behind my peers.
"Fuck."
Thinking about it just pisses me off. Why'd I have to reincarnate? If I'd lost my memories, I could've just lived like a normal demonkin.
All I can muster is a sigh.
Why retain my memories after reincarnating? Do souls really exist? Is human consciousness one with the soul?
Just deepens the rabbit hole.
Demonkin are considered adults at ten.
And I'm nine.
No telling what happens in this savage, cruel world once the "kid" label wears off.
"Dragged to the front lines as cannon fodder, probably."
I don't know much, but I know that much.
Kids get protected just to be used as soldiers later. A loser like me? Straight to the rank-and-file, fighting Great Heaven's angels.
"Guess I'll work out."
All I can do right now is basic exercise. Not human anymore—been demonkin for years, body like an adult human's. But not strong.
I'm weak.
For demonkin, demonic power is everything. That wicked energy that lets you cast spells.
But I barely have any.
My demonic power is a pathetic trickle.
Hell, I don't even know how to grow it. Language barrier meant no learning it. So yeah, I'm a weakling. Physical stats are average at best, but demonic power? Below that. Fucking doomed.
"Goddamn it."
Time for push-ups or whatever.
If I don't do this, I won't last. Training the body helps, but for demonkin, demonic power is king... No clue what's gonna happen to me.
"Huff! Huff! Fuck!!"
In my tiny attached room, I focus on strength training. Breath ragged. Worries piling up. I shove it all to the back of my mind and endure the burn.
How long later?
"Grahhh!"
Workout done.
Drenched in sweat.
"Huff... Mirror. Mirror."
Straight to the mirror.
Reflection: pale skin, slightly pointed ears, horns—otherwise, pretty human-looking demonkin.
Baring teeth shows longer fangs than a human's—not quite vampire. Slit pupils, even. Jet-black hair.
"Crazy demon bastard."
Body and face ain't bad, though.
"Not too shabby."
I was about to punch the mirror in satisfaction and head to the shower when—
—Knock knock.
Someone knocked.
"Yes? Who's there?"
What the hell? Someone visiting my room? Never happened before. Even the fortress maids ignore me—I've been living on scraps.
No one ever comes. Who?
—Creeeak.
Door opened before I could even get it.
And then—
—Whoosh.
A fresh, invigorating scent filled the room.
In walked...
"Qlus Bellacru? That you?"
A woman taller than my near-180cm frame. Short black bob, demonic allure oozing from her. But her looks weren't the point right now.
"Y-yes. Qlus Bellacru. That's me."
The horns.
Those horns were huge.
I grew up here with my peers. One thing I know for sure: bigger horns mean stronger.
Hers dwarfed any I'd seen in the fortress. Bull-sized... She's high-status, no doubt.
"And you are?"
I bowed slightly, shoulders up, hands clasped—grovelling politely. Looked stronger than our group teacher.
In the Demon Realm, might makes right.
"..."
She ignored the question, stared me down, then...
"Little brother? Mother Duchess summons you. Get ready and head there."
Handed me what looked like a pass and a map.
"Yes, sir—ma'am. Got it."
I took them super politely on reflex.
Little brother?
Sister, maybe?
Oh, right. Most demonkin around here hatched from Mother Duchess's eggs. Same bloodline, technically... but "little brother"? Weird.
Not like I can ask. Not to someone with horns that big. I ain't that bold.
"Later, then."
She turned and left like her business was done. Didn't even get her name.
—...
Alone again.
"Huh."
Wait.
What the actual fuck is going on?
Mother Duchess?
"Mom's summoning me?"
Mom called for me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Duchess Kerasis Ninechel Bellacru.
The demonkin woman who laid me.
Basically, Mom.
"Mom."
Ruler of this massive Demon Realm duchy, Duchess Kerasis. Seen her face maybe twice?
Goddess-level beauty.
Raven-black hair, massive matching horns... voluptuous figure. The epitome of demonic feminine allure.
Darkness Goddess fits.
That beauty's burned into my memory. Instinct, probably. Natural for her offspring.
"..."
One of the rare dukes in the Demon Realm. Supposedly insanely strong. Brutal. Formidable. Explains her territory.
Her power comes from her eggs.
From what I hear, Mother Duchess is a succubus-baphomet hybrid. Lays eggs solo, no mate. Most folks in the duchy hatched from those—her minions.
"That's why I rarely see her."
She lays a ton of eggs. Graded, though. Low-grade? Straight to the hatchery. Bloodline breeders hatch 'em, educate, deploy as duchy assets.
High-grade? She handles personally. Infuses demonic power, nurtures carefully. Those hatch strong demonkin.
"Hmm."
Saw her once at birth.
Memory fuzzy: writhing in darkness, light appeared, beautiful devil-woman seated ahead.
First time.
Second: few years back, with all the kids gathered. Like a principal's speech. She addressed the horde, but I didn't speak Demonic yet—clueless.
That was it.
Times I've seen Mother Duchess.
And now she's summoning me.
"No reason, right?"
Why, though?
Surely to her—laying countless eggs, treating offspring like tools—kids aren't precious. Low-grade ones never even see her face.
"Why call me?"
Let's deduce.
Reasons to call... slim to none. But I saw her face at birth.
Means...
"I was a high-grade egg?"
Then why am I such trash?
Why no demonic power?
Makes no sense.
"Fuck."
Anyway, eyed the map and pass in my hand.
"If Mom calls, I gotta go."