Chapter 3

There was nothing I could say to that. Demons were born from the Demon Tree already perfect and ready to be thrown into battle the moment they took their first breath.

So then, how much more so would that apply to the Demon King? It was clear how worthless a human child like me must seem in his eyes.

Lucifel stared at me for a long moment before grabbing my arm and lifting me effortlessly into the air.

‘Aaack! My arm!’

Seeing the damp and feverishly hot blanket instantly go up in flames and disappear, I swallowed my cry of pain deep down inside me. It hurt as if my arm was about to come off, but whether it was because I carried the Hero’s blood or had received some of the Demon King’s power, it fortunately didn’t dislocate or fall off.

It seemed this body of mine was sturdier than your average infant.

Still, the pain brought tears to my eyes.

Unlike usual, I didn’t scream or wail, I just silently let the tears fall. Lucifel gave a brief “Hmm,” raising an eyebrow at me in response.

Then, as if something occurred to him, he stopped holding me up like a piece of luggage and instead cradled me against his arm, resting me snugly against his side.

‘…I don’t think I can feel shame anymore.’

Even though I was mentally a thirty-something-year-old woman, right now I was nothing more than a newborn baby. I am barely fifty days old at that.

“You reek.”

Yes, yes I do.

But please, I beg you that don’t throw me into the bath like a dirty rag. As a helpless baby, all I could do to survive was silently plead in my heart.

Fortunately, Lucifel had spent a fair amount of time observing the lifestyle of humans by visiting the forest cabin where the Hero’s wife, now my mother, used to live.

Thanks to that, Lucifel had acquired a basic understanding of ‘human common sense’. Though this wasn’t written in any fairytale, I recalled a dreamlike, real-life version of a fairytale scene—one where my mother studied childcare to be prepared for a newborn.

***

“Is it born yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I’m studying in advance, so I know what to do when it is.”

“What’s that now?”

“I’m practicing how to bathe a baby.”

“Is that necessary? Can’t you just get in with it?”

“That’s one way, but babies need frequent baths. There’ll be times when I can’t get in with them.”

“So human babies are dirty enough to need that much bathing, are they?”

***

And so Lucifel came to believe that “human babies are dirty creatures.” Regrettably, my mother never corrected him.

‘Why didn’t you say something… Mother?’

Because of that unchecked comment, every baby in humanity was now labeled as ‘dirty’ in the Demon King’s mind, and my mother only smiled faintly in response. Still, that understanding must’ve prompted Lucifel to recall how to give a bath. As soon as he commented on the smell, he carried me off to an open-air bath that made my eyes and mouth fly wide open.

We passed through a dense thicket of unfamiliar trees before reaching the spot. The large bath resembled an ancient hot spring, surrounded by mystical pillars like something out of Greek mythology. The marble floors shimmered with intricate patterns.

As I rolled my eyes upward to see the sky, I spotted a giant red moon looming as if it were about to embrace the earth. Glittering stars filled the sky around it. If I were to soak in that bath and gaze at the heavens, it would’ve been the perfect moment to say, 

“Ah, this is paradise.”

That’s how fantastical the place was. Lucifel tossed off his outer robe and laid me down, then began undressing himself without hesitation. My swollen eyes – puffed up from crying – suddenly flew open.

Through the blurry vision, I could see Lucifel’s bare form gradually revealed.

‘Wow!!!’

Even if I couldn’t speak, I would’ve shouted in awe. If my fingers could move, I might’ve given a thumbs-up. Yes, it was that impressive.

Lucifel’s body was so perfect, the gods themselves would fight over it.

‘Oh, merciful heavens.

Why are you making me witness such divine torment?’

As Lucifel approached, I shut my eyes tight.

‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry for seeing you naked!’

But I had no time to dwell on guilt. I clung to his arm like it was a lifeline. The steam rising from the bath told me everything I needed to know, it was going to be boiling hot. Just the look of it screamed danger. The slightly purplish tint made it seem like this wasn’t even water.

If all I got was a burn, I’d consider myself lucky. What if I just dissolved on contact?

That was magma. A magma bath.

Clearly, it was a place meant only for demons!

I trembled and clung tighter to Lucifel’s arm.

Seeing me, he gave a side glance and said:

“Human children are such high-maintenance.”

With that, he snapped his fingers lightly. Then he slid his hand beneath my armpits and dunked me straight into the bath.

‘Save me! The Demon King is murdering a baby!’

I braced to become a fully-boiled infant, but to my surprise, the water was warm and soothing. I stopped flailing and blinked in disbelief.

“That should do.”

He said it like he was asking for my opinion, and I couldn’t help but blink again in agreement.

Yes. It was just right.

Lucifel gave a satisfied smirk, his stunning features glowing even more brightly.

Of course, it looked more like he was sneering at something pitiful. But still, one thing was clear: He had adjusted the water temperature for me. It was the perfect warmth. I felt content just soaking there.

But then I sensed his grip on my armpits loosen, and I frantically flailed my arms.

‘No, don’t let go! I’ll drown!’

I stared up at him with terrified eyes, and he tilted his head slightly and said:

“You’re not going to drown. Relax.”

Before I could brace myself, Lucifel withdrew his hand. I shut my eyes tight in fear and I didn’t sink. Instead, my body floated in the water, half-submerged, as if I were wrapped in an invisible tube.

“Such a cowardly thing.”

The scorn in his voice made my chest tighten. Go ask any baby in the world – who wouldn’t be terrified in this situation? Of course, if you were a demon child born for combat, this wouldn’t faze you at all.

They were trained for battle from birth. A little bath wouldn’t scare them.

‘I’m not some demon, you know…’

I wanted to sigh, but all that came out was wheezy baby breaths. Even so, this first bath in this new world felt amazing. All I could do was wiggle my fingers, but it was enough to enjoy it. The water had a soft violet hue and a slightly cloudy texture.

‘What kind of water is this…? It’s not just hot spring water…’

It was the Demon Realm, after all. Suspicious was the default. But it’s not like I could struggle or escape in this body anyway. Whatever it was, I was at least grateful the cloudiness spared me the full view of Lucifel’s divine physique.

I soaked in silence, indulging in sinful thoughts.

‘Hmm.’

But that too got boring quickly since there was no music. The awe-inspiring view only lasted a moment. Worst of all, this newborn body required a squint just to see anything at a distance and I couldn’t hold that long.

So, in boredom, I floated along and sneaked glances at Lucifel.

Not that I meant to, it just happened naturally…

‘Eep!’

(TL: Guys, this baby is so sinful, I am having secondhand embarrassment because of her.)

But every time our eyes met, my heart pounded out of control. His long black hair clung wetly to his body. His smooth white skin glistened with moisture. Someone once said men looked their sexiest when wet with sweat or water.

No wonder athletes are so popular. Now imagine if that athlete was crafted by the gods themselves. Anyone would fall to their knees naturally.

There was no other reason for my racing heart. His blood-red eyes—like moons soaked in crimson—glared at me as if to kill. To anyone watching, it would look like he was about to devour me. And even to someone who knew better, it still looked that way.

‘Right. No matter how handsome he is, he’s still the Demon King; who could kill me with a snap of his fingers. If I want to live, I have to stay on his good side.’

Just like how he stuck around because he was interested in the Hero’s wife. Lucifel had been intrigued by my mother. I didn’t know the full story since only fragments from a dream and a sparse fairytale where all my knowledge came from but that much was clear.

So maybe the only reason he was keeping me alive now was out of that same ‘interest.’

The whole thing with the contract and my wish might play a role, but judging by Lucifel’s unbothered expression, none of it seemed to actually bind him. Right! He’s the Demon King. Breaking a contract would be nothing to him.

Which meant I had no choice but to follow the most cliché trope in every novel I’d ever read.

The ones I used to scoff at: 

Ugh, how cliché!

But now I understood. They just wanted to live.

‘What did I do in a past life? Did I sell out my country or something? Because why else would this be happening to me…?’

But I pushed that thought aside. Life was always easier when you stopped asking “Why me?” and started asking “What now?” Our eyes kept meeting, so I stopped glancing and focused on my thoughts while hitting the water with my hand.

I was still staring at Lucifer for some reason, but somehow I was getting used to it after receiving it continuously. Fortunately, I didn’t feel the suffocating pressure like when I first made eye contact with him.

I wonder if he hid his energy as if he had adjusted the temperature of the water, or if I had already adapted to his energy.

Thinking back, wasn’t ‘I’ actually the daughter of a hero? I must have been born only a few days ago, but my current condition looked like I was easily 100 days old.

‘I really don’t know what’s going on…’

I came to my senses and thought for a bit, but then I peed myself and was dragged into the bathroom. There was no way I could calmly reason about my situation. Right now, I was more concerned about fighting shame to protect my human dignity.

At that moment, Lucifer, who was leaning against the bathtub and looking at me, said.

“I thought about your name.”

What, so suddenly? I blinked quickly as I was working hard on my small head alone.

He, who was watching me floating around the bathtub with his hands fluttering, wiggled his fingers.

Who wouldn’t call him the Finger Demon King?

Then, a swoosh- current of water formed and moved in front of him.

It felt like riding a water slide or something.

‘Damn it… this is so much fun.’

Now that I think about it, I really enjoyed riding on rides in my previous life.

“Gyahaha!”

Even though I knew that the situation was serious and that there was a scary demon king in front of me, I burst out laughing like an idiot without realizing it. It was my baby instinct overcoming my reason.

So…  It’s not my will.

“Hhm.”

“Kyaaakk!”

Calm down, myself! Don’t laugh in front of the Demon King!