DSB 87

“You came.”

As if he had known Norman would appear, Lebel sat on the bed and looked at him.

At that single sentence, Norman folded his wings and knelt on the floor.

“Lord… Lord Lebel…”

“You recognized me.”

Norman immediately lifted his head.

Even with a demon before him, Lebel’s voice remained calm and dignified, and his posture elegant. It was shameful that he had failed to recognize him earlier.

Norman banged his head on the floor, ruminating on his sins.

“I am sorry. I failed to recognize Lord Lebel and committed countless acts of disrespect…”

[You understand very well. To stand before Lord Lebel and fail to recognize him, and even attempt to take possession of his body, is a sin so great that even your life would not be enough to repay it. How dare you attempt to kill Lord Lebel?]

“I… I did it only to summon Lord Lebel!”

When Karon shouted, Norman hurried to defend himself. Lebel was not surprised at how quickly Norman’s attitude had changed. It was expected from a demon.

Norman crawled toward Lebel. It was the moment he finally stood before the one he had never dreamed of reaching.

Norman’s pupils trembled with a ecstatic glow, and the tips of his fingers shook as he reached forward.

Just as his hand was about to touch Lebel from their now close distance, Karon bared his teeth and growled, “Where do you think you are going?!”

Norman glared at him, but Karon did not back down.

“Do not fight. If you make noise, Yutis will wake. Humans must sleep regularly. I would prefer if you did not disturb Yutis’ rest.”

Lebel had not forgotten that it was the middle of the night.

“Ah….you mean that monster child?”

Caught up in the thrill of seeing Lebel for the first time in a hundred years, Norman failed to notice the twitch of Lebel’s elegant brow.

Like Karon, Norman could not accept that a mere human had taken the place beside Lebel. But he had something he wanted to ask first.

“Lord Lebel… do you remember me…?”

“…..”

Lebel’s silence was the answer. Norman nodded, it was only natural.

“I was only a low-rank demon. There is no way you would remember me. There are too many demons you have saved for anyone to count. But I still remember. Lord Lebel possessed immense power yet was gentle enough to care for weak demons like me.”

Among demons, the strong preying upon the weak was natural. Even among low-rank demons, Norman had been especially weak. Being beaten bloody, having bones broken, suffering for no reason was his daily life.

That was when Lebel appeared.

Norman still did not know why such an exalted being had arrived in that shabby village. Lebel walked past Norman and the group tormenting him with slow but imposing steps.

He did not even glance at them, but the bullies trembled in fear. Norman had trembled too.

The immense power in the air and the weight of Lebel’s presence made it impossible not to feel awe.

When Lebel had walked far enough away and Norman’s tormentors finally managed to breathe again, Lebel spoke.

‘Let me ask. Are you bullying that child?’

The group flinched. At that moment, the demonic energy floating in the air pressed down on them mercilessly. In a instant, their knees hit the ground.

‘You must get along. You must not go around hurting others.’

Lebel, who had arrived nearby in the blink of an eye, spoke calmly, as if disciplining a isbehaving child. He then helped Norman up and treated his injuries. Looking at Norman, who was bewildered, Lebel said:

‘It’s a wound that will heal quickly, but it sti Il hurts.’

‘Lord Lebel! Lord Lebel!! Where have gone!!’

‘Oh, I guess I should go now. I’m going to get caught.’

Norman opened his mouth in shock and reached out, but Lebel had vanished into the distance. At the time, Only then did Norman learn his identity, after hearing others shouting his name from afar.

The object of all demonic admiration. The Great Demon Lebel, the first creation and life form created by the two gods.

He had faced a living legend that day, and Norman never forgot it. He gained a goal in that moment. He wanted to stand beside him. He wanted to become his subordinate.

He told the demon that appeared with its black ears perked up that he had received help from Lebel and that he wanted to repay him, but the demon mercilessly refused

‘A demon like you dares talk about repaying him. Do not make me laugh. Stop bothering him. A low rank demon like you cannot even stand near someone like him.’

Back then, Norman had not even been angry.

He already knew how pitiful he looked. He also knew Karon was a high rank demon he had no hope of approaching.

So he tried to become stronger. And as a result, he was finally able to face Lebel again.

“I became stronger here. Demons as strong as I am in the Middle Realm are rare.”

“Well, that seems right. You look like someone who has lived here for a long time.”

Norman looked up at him with bright eyes.

“For a very long time, I wanted to stay by Lord Lebel’s side.”

[Someone like you will never serve Lord Lebel!]

Norman used magic to get rid of Karon, who kept barking in front of him.

Karon had once been someone Norman could never imagine defeating, but he was now inside the body of a demonic beast, with his strength halved just to enter the Middle Realm.

That made him no match. Karon yelped and rolled across the floor until he hit the wall.

“There is no need for that.”

“Why not?”

“I am satisfied with my life here. I do not need another person serving me.”

Lebel calmly watched him. He understood Norman’s desire, but he had no reason to accept it. Besides, Yutis disliked Norman to the point of disgust.

That alone was more than enough reason not to take him as a subordinate.

“I will praise you for becoming strong for my sake. But do not expect anything from me.”

Norman lowered his head, looking disappointed. At first glance, it looked like surrender. But he clenched his jaw and muttered.

“That is impossible.”

“Hm.”

[I knew this would happen. I told you not to talk to just anyone. There are always fools like this everywhere.]

Karon stood up. He knew Lebel’s nature well. He was gentle. It made sense. He had strength, power, and time. He never needed to be harsh with others.

Norman was surely just one of many he had helped without thinking much of it. Karon knew because he had been the same.

Most demons who saw Lebel were drawn to his strength and begged to become his subordinates. Many even moved into the lands he governed just for the chance.

But he could not accept everyone. Allowing one or two exceptions would only lead countless others to bother him endlessly.

So Karon and the other attendants made decisions strictly based on strength.

[Do you know how many demons like you I have driven away for bothering Lord Lebel.]

At Lebel’s feet, Karon’s beast body swelled until he radiated the fierce energy of a full grown monster, and he began to roar.

Karon had a fearsome reputation. He guarded the demon castle where Lebel lived and served as its gatekeeper. Norman tensed, but unlike before, he no longer felt overwhelmed.

“I may not win in the Demon Realm, but in the human world I am stronger.”

Lebel looked at the room that had become a disaster in mere seconds. Karon’s growing size smashed the surrounding furniture, and Norman kept casting spells to counter him, leaving nothing intact.

The only fortunate part was that none of the debris came near the bed where Lebel was sitting.

He looked to the side. Norman had used magic to block sound, so the noise would not spread outside.

Yutis would not wake from the commotion, but seeing the room in this state tomorrow would surely shock him.

“Should I stop them?”

But how?

Norman certainly had no intention of backing down, and Karon was too furious to listen.

“You are weaker than I am here, so I will be the one guarding Lord Lebel.”

[What!? I am weaker? I only look like this because I am inside a demonic beast body. You are someone I could swallow in one bite.]

“It is different here. Lord Lebel will be served by me from now on, so you can step back.”

[You dare try to take away the joy of my life!]

Lebel watched dust rise as furniture shattered and finally let out a long sigh. He opened his mouth to speak, but someone suddenly pounded on the door.

“…Yutis.”

Karon and Norman froze in place, still entangled together. The demonic energy from outside was chilling.

Yutis was releasing destructive power as he slammed the door.

Norman had created a barrier to stop anyone from entering, since he did not want outsiders interfering. But the moment Yutis struck the door, the barrier shook and cracks began to spread.

“That insane human.”

Norman shouted in panic. Yutis was trying to break a magic barrier with nothing but his fist.

It was absurd, and that’s what made him the more dangerous.

Even Norman found him threatening, so just how dangerous would he be to Lord Lebel, whose power was weakened by the vessel?

Norman kicked Karon away and grabbed Lebel’s arm.

“Please come with me right now. How could you live with such a dangerous human?”