Chapter 017
Shaila went out with the Head Maid and Hannah to inspect the outer castle grounds for the first time.
Although there was a courtyard in the inner castle, the area outside the walls pulsed with the life of the fief’s residents.
Her goal was to engage with the estate and study the Northern region, but the ancient markets in the old city and the daytime stalls along the walls were enough to capture Shaila’s attention.
‘It would have been fun if that boy had come with us.’
Suddenly, she felt a pang of pity for Calion, who remained cooped up in his bedroom. According to Henry, Calion used to go out for night walks before. Perhaps because Shaila visited him morning and night, he no longer showed any desire to leave his room.
At 그 moment, as Shaila and her group were preparing to board the carriage after finishing the inspection, a massive bell tolled from afar.
It was an emergency alarm.
In an instant, fear washed over the faces of the people who had been strolling peacefully.
“Ah!”
Merchants abandoned their stalls and fled, and chaos engulfed the square.
“What is happening?”
Shaila looked around in bewilderment, unaware of the situation escalating around her. Suddenly, she heard a strange sound like a high-pitched ‘beep.’ She covered her ears, but the sound persisted.
“Demos! A Demos has appeared!”
Demos?
The Demos were the army of the Kingdom of Azasha, located behind the northern Hamlock Cliffs. They were known as the ‘Demon Army’ because of their inhuman cruelty and wicked tricks. At the appearance of this absolute evil, which she had only heard about in capital rumors, Shaila froze in shock.
‘Is this… a Demos?’
Black monsters, like tar-colored evil spirits. Their mouths were torn up to their ears, and their sharp fingers were unnaturally long. Their black eyes had no pupils and were upturned. They approached with long strides, looking around hungrily as if searching for prey.
The moment her eyes met one of theirs, a long tongue darted out of its mouth.
“……!”
Licking its lips, the Demos began running toward Shaila with terrifying speed.
“Little Lady! Quickly!”
Hannah grabbed Shaila and pulled her into the carriage.
“Go now!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The panicked driver spurred the horses forward.
“Little Lady, it’s okay. Everything will be fine. The Graywolf knights are coming.”
The Head Maid hugged the trembling Shaila.
“Ah!”
The window shattered, and a black hand thrust inside the carriage. The fingers, moving as if searching for a target, snatched Hannah.
“No!”
The Demos’s long, tentacle-like hand tore through the carriage door and took Hannah. The Head Maid held Shaila tightly to stop her from jumping out.
“Hannah!”
Once one Demos saw its prey, several more monsters swarmed like a school of piranhas. Shaila watched the horrific scene outside the carriage, unable to close her eyes.
“Don’t look.”
The Head Maid covered her eyes too late; Hannah was torn apart by the monsters in an instant.
‘What just happened…’
Her heart was pounding violently. That massive sound that had started in her ears began to shake the earth.
“The Duke has arrived!”
From behind the ghost-like Demos, a gust of wind blew. A cloud of gray dust rose, shaking the ground. As the dust dissipated like mist, knights wearing dark blue capes appeared. The armored Graywolf knights confronted the Demos with spears longer than their bodies and thick as arms.
“Kieeeeh!”
The monsters let out terrifying screams even as they died, piercing the ears with a grim and ominous sound. Although there were only six or seven of them, they were monsters twice the size of a human. Even the Graywolf knights, the strongest force in the Empire, struggled against these beasts.
During the time they bought, Shaila’s carriage managed to enter safely within the walls.
“Close the gate!”
Only now was the reason for those thick iron walls, five times taller than those in the capital, clear.
“Are you very frightened?”
The Head Maid carefully wiped Shaila’s trembling face.
“It has never happened before…… that the Demos descended to the civilian villages like this…”
Without realizing it, Shaila was weeping bitterly. The fear of being caught by the monster, having her limbs torn, and being eaten—it was a horrific dread. This experience was entirely new to a nine-year-old girl who had lived her life in the safety of the capital.
“Sandra, what do I do? It’s me, it’s all because of me, Hannah… Hannah…”
“That’s not true.”
“I should have run away quickly, but I, I’m stupid, I just stood there. Because of me…”
The Head Maid shook her head.
“The Demos relish eating humans. The sound waves they release can only be heard by children under ten.”
Upon hearing those waves, the body freezes. This wicked trick used by the Demos was meant not only to hunt the paralyzed children but to strike down their helpless parents at the same moment.
“Hannah, Hannah…”
“It was her misfortune.”
“But…”
The image of Hannah smiling kindly flashed before her eyes. A face she could never forget.
“In the North, they believe that children who die are reborn as beautiful wild flowers in the Hamlock valleys. Hannah is now playing happily with her friends. You must not keep calling for her.”
The Head Maid finished speaking and took Shaila to her bedroom.
“I will prepare some warm milk for you, so rest well today.”
“But… what about the Duke?”
“He will return safely, as he always does.”
The Head Maid reassured Shaila as if the appearance of the Demos was no big deal.
“I will sing you a lullaby until you sleep.”
After lighting the fireplace and adding wood, she brought milk with honey.
“A bell rings in the world of dreams, child of the valley, child of the mountain and the moon…”
With the sound of the gentle lullaby and the feeling of warmth, Shaila’s tension suddenly faded.
‘I must go see Leon…’
She missed that ball of fluff dearly, but Shaila lost consciousness and sank into sleep.
* * *
“Hannah!”
She saw Hannah being dragged away before her eyes. Hannah, torn to pieces, turned black like the Demos and stormed Shaila’s carriage.
“Because of you… I died because of you… If you had run away quickly, I wouldn’t have died!”
“I’m sorry, Hannah! I’m sorry…! It’s all my fault! I was wrong!”
Shaila cried as she pleaded.
“If you’re sorry, then be food too!”
“Ah!”
She tried to escape, but the Head Maid held her tightly, and she couldn’t move.
“How useless you are.”
A middle-aged man’s voice came out of the Head Maid’s mouth. The Head Maid, who was holding Shaila, transformed into the shape of a Demos while imitating Count Lexie.
“Stupid creatures like you rabbits should never have been born!”
“I was wrong! I was wrong, Father!”
The Demos raised its long, whip-like fingers to strike her. At the moment she felt the familiar blow—
“Ah…”
She felt a tickle on the back of her hand.
“Wrong… wrong…”
Shaila suddenly opened her eyes when she felt the tickling on her hand.
“Shasha, are you okay?”
Before her, instead of the black evil spirit, there was a white ball of fluff with beautiful jewel-like eyes.
“What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
“…”
Shaila couldn’t speak, only breathing heavily. Calion licked her hand.
“Shasha, don’t cry. Okay?”
She felt reality returning to her with his moist lick.
‘It was a dream.’
Not reality. Only imagination. The tickling sensation on her hand was more than just comfort. Shaila lifted Calion up eagerly.
“How did you get here?”
“I waited for you for a long time and you didn’t come…”
It was pitch black outside the window. He had waited for her until midnight and came to her himself.
“I ran to see Shasha.”
“What a smart boy you are.”
He was barely standing on his hind legs under the bed to lick her, so she pulled him into a quiet hug.
“Can I come up?”
“Yes.”
Not content with just a hug, she placed him on her stomach. Calion sat down naturally and began licking her cheek.
“Don’t cry. When Shasha cries, my heart hurts.”
His words sounded sincere as he whimpered. Shaila felt embarrassed by her crying while he carefully licked away her tears. She had cried like a baby in front of a boy two years younger than her because of a nightmare. What a humiliation…
And besides,
‘I am the leader.’
Instead of leading him wisely, she was sweating and moaning from a nightmare.
“I hate seeing Shasha cry.”
“I didn’t cry.”
“But it’s salty…”
“That’s all mucus.”
“Shasha, you’re stupid. Mucus isn’t salty.”
Shaila laughed when he licked her soft nose.
“That tickles!”
Excitedly, Calion began licking her forehead, ears, nose, and lips with even more enthusiasm. The quiet room was filled with the little girl’s playful laughter. To stop him from teasing her more, she placed him on her chest and hugged him tightly.
The scent of soap and natural warmth radiated from his body. Shaila stroked his soft, shiny back tenderly.
‘Is this what a “love doll” feels like?’
Count Lexie had never allowed Shaila to own a doll. She had to learn lady’s etiquette and the art of accounting instead of playing. To become an adult as quickly as her father wanted, Shaila grew up away from toys.
The heavy weight on her chest, his high temperature, the texture soft as melting… Shaila felt everything in Calion, breaking the silence of the quiet room.
“Leon.”
“Yes?”
“You’ve become heavy…”
“Ah…”
Calion was enjoying her gentle touches, and he said as if justifying himself:
“They said I’m still light…”
“Who? Henry?”
“Yes.”
“For Henry, maybe.”
With his massive arms, Henry could carry ten children like Shaila. Calion raised his head shyly, one front paw lifted.
“Should I get down now? Am I too heavy for Shasha?”
“No.”
If you possess this warmth, I am ready to die smothered by your tenderness.
“Sleep here today. Like this.”
“But I’m heavy… it will be uncomfortable…”
“No. Stay here.”
“Okay.”
Calion lay down and buried his face in her neck. She felt his small, moist breaths like another lullaby.
“From now on, only cry when I am with you. Okay, Shasha?”
“Yes.”
She was no longer afraid of the damned Demos. This boy would protect her. She wouldn’t have nightmares this time. She finally felt safe.
“…When I’m with you, I feel like a child.”
“Shasha is already a child…”
He was always small and cute, needing protection, but today he seemed reliable. Shaila forgot the horrific images in her mind and fell asleep peacefully.
