"Five years ago… when Leo was only a twelve-year-old boy."
Emira's voice was low and heavy. Her eyes dropped to the floor, shadowed with grief.
"In this very place… in his house…"
[FLASHBACK]
The polished wooden floor gleamed beneath the late afternoon sun. A boy sat cross-legged on the rug, short brown hair brushing against his cheeks, golden eyes sparkling as they raced across the pages of an ancient tale.
Leo Julius Eros, twelve years old.
He wore a simple shirt sewn from bearskin, a little too big on his thin frame, sleeves rolled just above his elbows. His lips curved in a faint smile, his entire world consumed by the story in his hands.
"Leo… your father's calling you. You should go."
The gentle voice of his mother drifted from the kitchen.
"Aw, man… I was just getting to the good part."
Leo puffed his cheeks, reluctantly snapping the book shut. He set it carefully on the table, then hopped to his feet and padded toward the doorway.
But the moment his hand touched the doorframe, his eyes caught something—dark liquid seeping across the threshold.
"…What the—?"
His breath hitched. The golden glow of his eyes trembled.
"B-Blood…? M-Mom! MOM!"
His panicked voice cracked as he stumbled into the kitchen.
The smell hit first—thick, metallic, suffocating. Blood pooled across the floorboards, seeping through the cracks. His mother sat there near the drawer, her head tilted at an unnatural angle, a crimson stream trailing down her neck. Her long ponytail of brown hair veiled most of her face.
"M…Mom?"
Leo's voice was small, broken, trembling. His legs quivered as he inched closer, his right hand outstretched.
With a shaking motion, he brushed the strands of hair away.
Her eyes.
Empty. Blank.
"WAAAHHHH!!"
Leo screamed, his body collapsing to the ground. His tiny frame shook violently, tears spilling faster than he could blink.
"N-No…no!! Mom!! Mother!!"
Sobbing uncontrollably, he scrambled to his feet and bolted from the kitchen, sprinting toward the house's front door. He flung it open with desperate force.
"Father! Help! M-Mom is—!"
But his words froze in his throat.
A figure stood in the doorway.
A tall elf. His long, flowing hair shimmered white, like snow under moonlight, yet stained with streaks of blood-red. His skin was pale, deathly white, and draped in a coat of crimson and black. His lips curled into a grin far too wide.
Leo stumbled back, his heart thundering.
"Y-You…?"
The elf stepped forward, the soft tap of his boots echoing on the stone. His deep crimson eyes glowed with an unnatural light. He lowered himself to the boy's height and placed a hand—gentle, almost tender—against Leo's cheek.
"You look so healthy today, Leo Julius Eros."
"W-Who are you…?"
Leo's voice cracked, fear and tears choking him.
"Me? Think of me as your new guardian… your new guide."
The elf's lips twisted into a wicked smile, his glowing red eyes locking onto Leo's.
Leo's golden eyes flickered… then began to burn red. His fear melted away, his trembling stopped. His expression turned empty—entranced.
The elf's smile widened.
[CURRENT TIME]
"And that elf," Emira whispered, her voice shaking with fury, "was the Devil King."
Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles whitened.
"What!?"
Leo's voice burst out, her golden eyes filled with horror. "You mean the Devil King himself… killed Leo's family!?"
"Wait… does that mean, in this world… the Devil King is an elf?"
Leo[Pride] asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
Emira shook her head sharply, gaze dark.
"No. Long ago, the Devil King had his true form—a monstrous giant with horns, i heard it. During the Great Elven War, the Chosen Hero my grandfather destroyed the Devil King."
Her teeth clenched, fury burning behind her green eyes. She turned her gaze to the wall, where a faded poster bore the image of a shadowed figure.
"…But that devil was cunning."
Her hand trembled as she pointed toward it.
"He transferred his soul into the body of our kingdom's prince. No one realized… not until it was too late. Not until he made Leo into a monster."
Her words hung heavy, laced with grief.
Leo and Leo[Pride] sat frozen, the weight of her revelation pressing against their chests like chains.
Hearing Emira's words, Leo froze. Her golden eyes wavered, her lips parting as if to speak but no sound came out. Nervous tension clouded her expression, her thoughts spiraling.
"So… that means Leo and the Devil King are working together? They're the ones behind all of this?"
Leo[Pride] leaned back, arms crossed. The porcelain teacup he held steamed faintly between his fingers.
"No."
Emira's voice cut through the room. Her green eyes dimmed as she lowered her gaze. "The Devil King doesn't exist anymore."
"What!?"
Leo's voice cracked with disbelief, her chair scraping against the floor as she half-rose.
Even Leo[Pride] froze mid-sip, his cup hovering inches from his lips.
"…What do you mean, he doesn't exist?"
Emira's hands curled into fists on her lap. Her tone grew heavy.
"We didn't know either. Not until the last time I faced him."
Leo's breath caught. "Y-You… fought against that Leo?" she asked, voice trembling.
"Yes." Emira nodded slowly. Her eyes flickered with memories that made her shiver. "And what I witnessed…"