The forest was cruelly silent.
Each step Meteor took felt heavier than the last, as if the oppressive stillness of the woods were pressing down on him.
It felt as though everything around him was mercilessly mocking him.
"This was in my house the day my dad became the Demon King."
"The Demon King has only one child—you."
He couldn’t even muster a bitter laugh.
The voice from the chapel had told him to focus on his suspicions, but he had never thought to take them seriously enough to imagine this outcome.
That Crescent might be the Demon King’s daughter?
It was beyond the realm of possibility.
Crescent, you're the Demon King’s daughter. How... how is that even possible?
Meteor was the heir of the Pluto family, the Holy Knights who had vanquished the Demon King 500 years ago.
His ancestors had defeated the Demon King.
And now, 500 years later, Cyrillote had concocted a potion to reunite the fragments of the Demon King’s soul, bringing him back to life.
And one of those soul fragments had fathered a child—Crescent.
Was this how it had all unfolded?
The weapon merchant had revived the Demon King, and Crescent was his daughter.
Meteor’s mind reeled.
The return of the Demon King and the resurgence of Magi in the human realm had already shaken him deeply.
But this revelation?
It hit harder.
Crescent had always been the most fervent in purging demons. She was the girl who had been born with holy power after 150 long years, even if her current rank was only Primrose.
The Grand Temple had pinned such high hopes on her.
But how could the child of the Demon King possess holy power?
It had to be some kind of cruel joke by the gods.
Meteor had found comfort in Crescent, thinking she was a kindred spirit, a steadfast ally.
And yet—
Suddenly, a thought struck him, halting his steps.
Wait. Is it okay to leave her alone like that?
Crescent had used holy power recklessly three times in her attempt to kill Cyrillote.
Even for a Primrose, her power had been vast—almost unbelievable.
And of course, she had collapsed immediately afterward.
She might appear fine outwardly, but the internal damage would be severe.
Does she even have recovery potions? She’d better take some....
Get a grip, Meteor.
He straightened his back as the realization hit him.
Why was he worrying about Crescent?
She was the Demon King’s daughter.
She wasn’t the Crescent he thought he knew.
Whether she recovered or not, whether she died there in the woods or not, it was none of his business.
In fact, leaving her alive and walking away was a dereliction of his duty as a Holy Knight.
The daughter of the Demon King was his enemy, someone he should have already killed.
Meteor clenched his fists.
Yes.
She deserved to die, but he hadn’t done it.
She hadn’t harmed humans; in fact, she had fought for them. She’d risked her life to kill Cyrillote, the demon who revived the Demon King.
That was what confused him.
A child of the Demon King, fighting for humans?
How could such a thing exist?
Should he kill her? Shouldn’t he?
These questions churned in his mind, consuming him.
Meteor quickened his pace. It wasn’t enough. He began to run, as if trying to outrun the turmoil inside him.
His chest felt ready to burst.
But one fact remained clear.
No one could know Crescent’s secret. If they did, she would be executed by the Grand Temple.
Or worse, she would be used in some wretched way to capture the Demon King.
Meteor didn’t want her to die. She deserved death, but not yet. Not now.
When Meteor finally reached the Pluto estate, his breathing was ragged.
He forced himself to calm the pounding in his chest as he entered the manor.
Crescent wouldn’t be coming back tonight. Her absence would raise questions, so he needed to fabricate an excuse now.
An excuse strong enough to explain why Crescent would leave and never return.
To his surprise, his family was gathered in the drawing room.
“Mettie!”
His mother, Lady Rearwin, jumped to her feet the moment she saw him.
His father, Miles, and grandfather, Reuben, both looked at him with concern.
“Where have you been? The carriage Crescent took was found empty! The coachman swears she boarded it, but then she vanished into thin air! Mettie, do you know where she is?”
“Ah....”
Meteor hesitated.
He hadn’t thought about the carriage.
He exhaled a sigh, bowing his head for a moment before meeting his mother’s gaze.
The words wouldn’t come easily.
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“Crescent was with me.”
“Really? Then why didn’t she return with you?”
Lady Rearwin craned her neck to look behind him, searching for Crescent.
Knowing she wouldn’t find her made Meteor’s chest tighten painfully.
Or perhaps it was anger.
The Crescent his mother worried over so dearly was the daughter of the Demon King.
The princess of the demon race his family had fought for centuries.
They’d all been deceived by her, himself included.
Which was why her secret had to remain hidden. If his family knew the truth, they’d be consumed by shock and betrayal.
Meteor didn’t want his family to suffer like that.
Fighting back the surge of emotions, Meteor stepped deeper into the drawing room.
Reuben, always observant, noticed how unusually dark his grandson’s expression was.
“Meteor, did something happen?”
“....”
Meteor stopped near his family but didn’t sit. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at them.
Rearwin, sensing his unease, swallowed hard, a feeling of dread creeping over her.
Finally, Meteor spoke, his voice strained.
“...It’s all my fault. I made a mistake.”
“What do you mean?” Miles asked, startled.
Meteor had never looked like this before—like someone who’d been told an irreplaceable part of their life was lost forever.
“What mistake? Take your time and tell us,” Rearwin urged, placing a hand over her chest.
Her fear grew. Could it be that something terrible had happened to Crescent? Had she been lost to Magi?
The thought alone made Rearwin shake her head.
Such a tragedy couldn’t happen. Not to her beloved daughter.
When Meteor finally spoke again, his voice was hollow, as if dredged up from a deep, dark place.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I confessed my feelings to Crescent.”
“...?”
“...What?”
“Oh my!”
Reuben remained silent, Miles blinked in confusion, and Rearwin’s heart dropped.
“What are you saying? You confessed? What feelings did you confess?” Miles pressed, his voice rising.
Meteor hesitated, his chest tightening painfully as he prepared to elaborate.
“I’ve cared for Crescent since we were children,” he admitted.
“What?!”
Miles shot to his feet in shock.
Reuben and Rearwin, stunned, could only stare at Meteor in disbelief.
After a tense silence, Rearwin managed to speak.
“Are you serious...?”
“....”
“You must be. You’ve never joked about anything like this before, Mettie.”
Her lack of doubt didn’t feel like a relief.
Meteor nodded stiffly.
“Yes. But Crescent has never felt the same for me. She never will. Given the circumstances, I don’t think we can continue living together as family.”
“....”
“This is all my fault. Crescent left because of me. I’m sorry.”
“....”
The room fell into an oppressive silence.
It was all a lie, yet Meteor’s heart ached as if pierced by thorns.