The night in Kuoh Town had fallen quietly, as if covering the streets with a velvet blanket soaked in silence. Neon lights flickered gently over the commercial street, where most shops had already closed. Only a few vending machines still hummed softly, and the occasional passing car broke the stillness with a fleeting beam of headlights.
Standing alone under a flickering streetlamp was a girl—Naruse Mio. Her school uniform was slightly disheveled from the wind, and the crimson ribbon at her collar fluttered gently. Her expression was unreadable: not quite scared, not quite calm. She seemed... alert, yet somehow uncertain, as if waiting for something. Or someone.
Her vivid red hair glistened faintly under the artificial light, a striking contrast to the muted colors of the evening.
Then, the silence was broken.
"Miss, why are you standing on the street alone?" came a voice, followed by mocking laughter.
"Do you want us to play with you?" Another chimed in.
Three figures emerged from the alley beside a shuttered convenience store. At first glance, they looked like ordinary delinquents—teenagers with bad posture, hands in their pockets, and sickly grins. But something about them was... off. Their eyes gleamed unnaturally, and their movements had a strange, twitchy quality—like puppets with fraying strings.
Mio's eyes narrowed. Something cold flickered in her gaze, instantly dispelling any semblance of helplessness.
"Don't come near me," she warned, her voice steady, yet brimming with killing intent. "If any of you takes one more step, I swear I'll kill you. A hundred times over if I have to."
A moment passed. Then another.
And then the "thugs" burst into wide, unnatural grins.
"You saw me!!"
"You can see it!!"
"HAAHHHH!!!"
Their bodies began to convulse grotesquely, bones snapping, skin bubbling, as their human forms dissolved like wax under fire. What emerged were twisted, grotesque beings—low-level cursed spirits, corrupted by lingering resentment and negative emotion. Their heads elongated, mouths gaping unnaturally wide, and a nauseating black mist oozed from their clawed hands.
Mio froze. It wasn't fear exactly—more like the body's instinctive response to something that should not exist.
The cursed aura hit her like a wave. She stumbled backward, her knees buckling as she sat heavily on the curb, fingers trembling against the asphalt.
What… what the hell are these things?
Just then—
Whoosh!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Three glimmering needles of light streaked through the air with surgical precision, impaling each cursed spirit through the chest.
The creatures shrieked—no, gurgled—as holy light tore through their essence. Within seconds, their twisted forms disintegrated into ashen mist, leaving only a lingering trace of malevolence in the air.
Mio blinked in disbelief.
Not far away, a young man stood with his hand extended forward. He lowered it slowly, his expression calm, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of tension.
He was tall, with slightly tousled black hair, wearing a dark gray coat that fluttered in the night breeze. His eyes—gray-blue like steel under storm clouds—surveyed the scene with quiet focus.
Adrian Blake.
Ever since awakening his demon bloodline, Adrian had acquired a host of unusual abilities. Chief among them: the ability to perceive spiritual entities—what the East called "Yin-Yang Eyes."
He'd sensed the cursed spirits the moment he walked out of the store and followed their presence here.
Truth be told, he'd been startled the first time he saw one. But after studying them, he realized they were little more than animated fragments of negative emotion—dangerous in groups, but feeble alone.
He glanced at the system message floating faintly before his eyes:
[Ding! Points Card +0.03]
"Huh…" Adrian murmured to himself. "I haven't played hero in years. Since when do I get points for this?"A possibility crossed his mind. "Could it be… because of my fallen angel bloodline? Maybe the system now classifies me as part of the fallen clans?"
He filed the thought away. No time for theory-crafting. The important thing was: he could earn points this way.
Points meant survival—currency for artifacts, healing items, upgrades. Life insurance in a world that had become increasingly unpredictable.
He turned his gaze to the girl sitting on the curb.
"Are you alright?" Adrian asked gently, stepping closer.
She looked up slowly. Her crimson eyes, wide and shimmering with unshed tears, met his.
"This kind of low-level cursed spirit can be deceiving," he continued. "Next time, try not to let your guard down."
Adrian extended a hand.
Mio hesitated.
Then, silently, she took it.
Her palm was cold—whether from fear or shock, he couldn't tell—but her grip was firm, as if trying to hold onto something solid.
As he helped her up, the streetlight caught a shimmer on her thigh.
Did she… pee herself from fear?
Adrian's expression didn't change, but he awkwardly fished out a pack of tissues from his shopping bag.
He handed it to her without a word.
Mio froze, her cheeks suddenly burning. She accepted the tissues with a trembling hand, muttering a soft, "T-thank you…"
She turned away, wiping herself hurriedly, ashamed to be seen like this.
But Adrian said nothing—no teasing, no sarcasm. Just quiet patience.
Eventually, she glanced back at him, her composure slowly returning.
"Who… who are you?" she asked. "Why did you help me?"
Adrian shrugged lightly. "Adrian Blake. Professionally? I'm a student. Part-time I do some work as an exorcist, part-time hero, part-time demon hunter… you know, whatever pays."
Mio blinked, thrown off by the nonchalance. "You… you're a student?"
"Yep."
"…And a demon hunter?"
"Among other things."
There was a long pause.
Then, without prompting, Mio muttered, "My name is Naruse Mio."
Her voice was small, almost lost in the night.
Adrian waited, sensing there was more she wanted to say.
But she hesitated.
Because how exactly was she supposed to explain it? That she was the illegitimate heir to one of the most feared demon families in existence? That her life had gone from normal schoolgirl to hunted demon princess in a matter of weeks?
That her only companion now was Maria, the nightmare succubus assigned to protect her—a girl she barely understood, let alone trusted fully?
She bit her lip.
"Now… I don't know what I am," she said finally, her voice cracking.
Adrian saw her hands clench.
"She… Maria… she left earlier tonight to meet a contact. She said she'd be quick, but she never came back. I thought… maybe I was safe if I just waited here, but then those things appeared…"
Her voice trailed off. She looked down again, lips trembling.
For a moment, Adrian remained silent.
He could read between the lines. He didn't need the full story.
"You're not safe out here," he said quietly. "If you've got nowhere else to go, you can come with me."
Mio looked up, startled. "Huh?"
"I've got a place not far from here," he said. "Small apartment. Safe. You can stay until your friend comes back. Or until you figure things out."
She blinked.
"Why… why would you help me?" she whispered.
Adrian paused. Then offered a half-smile. "Because no one helped me when I was in your position. Let's just say I'm paying it forward."
She stared at him, speechless.
She could sense no ill will, no hidden intention in his words. Only quiet empathy.
"…Thank you," she whispered.
And then—
"Oh my~ I leave for just a moment, and Lady Mio's already being seduced by a mysterious older man?"
The voice was playful, syrupy sweet, and came from behind.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
Turning around, he was met by the sight of a young girl—no more than fourteen, though her demeanor was anything but childish. She had waist-length white hair, styled into soft curls, with matching white stockings and a gothic black dress adorned with purple ribbons.19:48Her porcelain face wore a mischievous smile, and her crimson eyes twinkled with amusement.
"Maria," Mio breathed, a mix of relief and annoyance.
"Really, Lady Mio," Maria continued with a sigh. "You should be more careful. What if this handsome young man had wicked intentions?"
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"I might still have some," he muttered.
Maria blinked. Then smiled wider.
Oh? This one has some bite.
She walked forward, twirling slightly as she approached, her black boots clicking softly on the pavement.
"Maria Naruse," she said with a polite curtsy. "Bodyguard, confidante, and part-time big sister to Lady Mio here."
Then she turned to Adrian.
"And you are?"
"Adrian Blake."
"Well, Mister Blake," she said with exaggerated formality, "thank you for not letting my dear lady become spirit chow."
"Happy to help."
Maria studied him for a moment, eyes sharp.
Then she grinned. "I like you. You're dangerous."
Adrian chuckled dryly. "You don't know the half of it."