Cold.
That was the first thing he felt.
Not the emptiness of death.
Not the silence of nothingness.
But a real, biting, uncomfortable cold that clung to his skin like a curse.
---
Shiro Ophernel opened his eyes again.
This time—
The world didn't disappear.
---
A cracked ceiling.
Faint sunlight leaking through broken wood.
Dust floating in the air.
And the smell…
Of rot, dirt, and something long forgotten.
---
"…So it wasn't a dream."
His voice came out weak. Fragile.
Unfamiliar.
---
He slowly sat up.
Pain shot through his body instantly.
Muscles stiff. Bones light. Breathing uneven.
---
This body—
Was terrible.
---
"…Pathetic."
Yet there was no anger in his tone.
Only observation.
---
Memories that weren't his continued to surface.
---
A boy.
Alone.
Begging on the streets.
Starving.
Ignored.
---
No family.
No warmth.
No purpose.
---
Shiro.
---
"…So this is your life."
He looked at his own hands again.
Thin.
Dirty.
Small.
---
The hands of someone who had never held power.
---
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
---
"How interesting…"
---
For the first time—
He wasn't above the world.
He was inside it.
---
---
Hours passed.
Or maybe minutes.
Time felt… different now.
---
Hunger came next.
Sharp.
Demanding.
Unavoidable.
---
He stood up slowly, nearly collapsing.
"…Tch."
Even standing required effort.
---
This weakness—
Was something he had never experienced before.
---
But instead of frustration—
He felt something else.
---
"…So this is what humans endure every day."
---
Not wars.
Not power.
Not domination.
---
But survival.
---
Step by step, he walked outside.
---
The slums greeted him without mercy.
---
Broken houses.
Dirty roads.
People who didn't look at each other.
Children fighting over scraps.
Adults with empty eyes.
---
No one noticed him.
---
No one cared.
---
And for once—
That didn't bother him.
---
Because he understood something now.
---
This world…
Was not built on power.
---
It was built on suffering.
---
---
He walked without direction.
No goal.
No plan.
---
Until—
---
A sound reached him.
---
Laughter.
---
Light.
Carefree.
Alive.
---
It didn't belong here.
---
He stopped.
---
And followed it.
---
---
The slums slowly faded into a quieter area.
The air felt cleaner.
The noise… softer.
---
And then—
---
He saw it.
---
A river.
---
Clear.
Flowing gently under the sunlight.
---
And near it—
---
A girl.
---
Small.
Around his age.
---
She was standing on a rock near the edge, arms spread slightly as if balancing.
Her long hair moved with the wind.
Her clothes—
Clean.
Bright.
Completely different from this place.
---
She didn't belong here.
---
"…Why is she here?"
---
She laughed again.
Carefree.
Without fear.
---
And then—
---
Her foot slipped.
---
Everything happened in an instant.
---
Her body tilted.
Her arms flailed—
---
And she fell.
---
Splash.
---
The river swallowed her.
---
For a moment—
Silence.
---
Then—
Struggle.
---
She surfaced briefly.
Panicking.
Gasping.
---
"Help—!"
---
The current was stronger than it looked.
Pulling her away.
Dragging her deeper.
---
Anyone would hesitate.
---
The water was cold.
Deep.
Dangerous.
---
And Shiro—
Was weak.
Starving.
Barely able to stand.
---
This was not a situation he should enter.
---
This was not his problem.
---
This was—
---
"…Annoying."
---
Before the thought could finish—
His body moved.
---
Without hesitation.
---
Without logic.
---
He ran.
---
Fast as his weak legs allowed.
---
And jumped.
---
Splash.
---
Cold.
Violent.
Heavy.
---
The river hit him like a wall.
---
His body screamed instantly.
Muscles tightening.
Breath collapsing.
---
"…Tch—!"
---
This body—
Couldn't handle it.
---
But still—
He pushed forward.
---
The girl was sinking again.
Eyes wide with fear.
Hands reaching for nothing.
---
For the first time—
He saw something clearly.
---
Fear.
---
Real.
Pure.
Human fear.
---
"…Don't panic."
---
His voice was calm.
Even now.
---
He grabbed her.
---
She clung to him instantly.
Desperate.
Trembling.
---
The current pulled them both.
Stronger.
Heavier.
---
His body started giving in.
Arms weakening.
Breathing collapsing.
---
"…So this is… human limit."
---
For a brief second—
A thought appeared.
---
"Let go."
---
"Survive."
---
"This is not worth it."
---
But—
---
Another memory surfaced.
---
A boy.
Alone.
Cold.
Forgotten.
---
"…Tch."
---
"Not happening."
---
He tightened his grip.
---
And with everything this weak body had—
---
He forced himself forward.
---
One movement.
Then another.
---
Slow.
Painful.
Heavy.
---
Until—
---
They reached the edge.
---
He pushed her up first.
---
She collapsed onto the ground.
Coughing.
Gasping.
Alive.
---
Good.
---
Shiro tried to climb out next—
---
But his strength gave out.
---
His vision blurred.
---
Body heavy.
---
"…This again…"
---
Darkness crept in.
---
But this time—
---
It wasn't empty.
---
It was warm.
---
---
When he opened his eyes again—
---
He was lying on soft grass.
---
The sky above him was clear.
Blue.
Endless.
---
"…Alive."
---
A shadow moved into his vision.
---
The girl.
---
Her eyes—
Bright.
Filled with something he didn't recognize immediately.
---
Relief.
Joy.
Gratitude.
---
"You're awake!"
---
Her voice—
Was warm.
---
Too warm for someone like him.
---
"…You're loud."
---
She froze for a second.
Then—
Smiled.
---
"…You saved me."
---
He looked away.
---
"…You fell."
---
"That's not the point!"
---
She moved closer.
Too close.
---
"You could have died!"
---
"…And yet, I didn't."
---
Silence.
---
She stared at him.
---
Then—
Softly—
---
"Thank you."
---
Those words—
Simple.
Light.
---
Yet—
---
For some reason—
---
They felt heavier than anything he had ever heard.
---
"…Hah."
---
A faint, almost confused breath escaped him.
---
"…Strange."
---
"What is?"
---
He looked at her again.
Really looked this time.
---
Alive.
Bright.
Warm.
---
"…Nothing."
---
She tilted her head.
---
Then smiled again.
---
"My name is Ruby."
---
He didn't answer immediately.
---
Names.
---
Titles.
---
They used to mean everything.
---
Now—
---
They felt different.
---
"…Shiro."
---
For the first time—
---
He said it himself.
---
Not as a memory.
---
But as a choice.
---
And under the quiet sky—
Near a simple river—
---
The Demon King…
---
Made his first connection—
---
As a human.
---
Without knowing—
---
This moment…
Would become the most important memory—
Of his entire existence.