Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Symbol of Demon Royalty

Chapter 31: Symbol of Demon Royalty

Kael stood in front of the mirror silently.

The black symbol resting on his forehead pulsed faintly beneath the dim hotel lighting, releasing traces of dark mana into the room. The pressure wasn’t destructive, but it was heavy enough to make the air feel thicker.

And the worst part was—

He didn’t recognize the symbol.

That alone made no sense.

Kael had completed Abyssal Chronos: Veil of Ruin multiple times. He knew hidden routes, secret bosses, unused lore entries, and faction histories that most players ignored.

Yet this symbol was completely unfamiliar.

Behind him, Lillith stared quietly.

Her crimson eyes remained fixed on the crest forming above Kael’s brows while her long black hair flowed loosely over her shoulders. Unlike Kael, she immediately understood the significance of what she was seeing.

"That’s the Symbol of Demon Royalty," Lillith said softly.

Kael turned toward her slowly.

"Demon royalty?" he repeated.

Lillith nodded, though even she looked uncertain.

"In demon society, symbols like that represent ancient bloodlines connected to the highest class of demons." Her gaze narrowed slightly. "But this symbol shouldn’t exist."

Kael frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Lillith hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully.

"There was never a true Demon King."

That statement carried weight.

The entire world of Abyssal Chronos: Veil of Ruin revolved around endless conflict every race Elves, Dwarves, Demihumans and Humans battled against the Demon race, although there are bits of racism between the coalition of races.

Even demon society itself was divided.

The Velvet Gang.

The Infernal Houses.

None of them answered to a king.

Because there had never been one.

Which meant the symbol on Kael’s forehead represented something impossible.

Lillith stared at him quietly.

"Is this why Countess Draven hid him from everyone?" she thought. "He possesses the Demon King Seed..."

Meanwhile Kael simply scratched the side of his head.

"Who exactly is Kael Draven?" he wondered.

At first he believed Kael was just another side character destined to die early in the story.

But now—

Now too many things weren’t adding up.

The Demon King Seed.

The hidden potential.

Tsukuyomi’s ring.

And now this symbol.

Kael exhaled slowly before speaking.

"System. Show me my stats."

A blue translucent screen appeared instantly before him.

[Name: Kael Draven]

[Race: Human {???}]

[Class: None]

[Rank: C+]

[Potential: ???]

[Strength: C+]

[Agility: C+]

[Stamina: C+]

[Mana: B-]

Kael stared at the numbers silently.

"So those stats are because of the state I’m in?" he asked quietly. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

[Yes.]

"I see..."

His gaze lowered toward the ring resting on his finger.

Tsukuyomi’s ring.

The inheritance left behind by the creator of the Celestial Moon Style.

The same ring that stabilized his body after the demonic awakening triggered by contact with Lillith’s blood.

Without saying anything else, Kael slowly slid the ring fully onto his finger again.

Immediately, the pressure inside the room weakened.

The black symbol on his forehead faded gradually until it disappeared completely. The dark mana leaking from his body stabilized, becoming calm and controlled once more.

The system updated again.

[Name: Kael Draven]

[Race: Human {???}]

[Class: None]

[Rank: C-]

[Potential: ???]

[Strength: D+]

[Agility: C-]

[Stamina: C-]

[Mana: D+]

Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"I guess it boosts most of my stats by an entire grade," he muttered.

It wasn’t just a suppressor.

The ring regulated the demonic mana flooding his body while simultaneously allowing him to draw upon it safely.

Tsukuyomi truly had left behind something absurd.

Kael turned toward Lillith—

Only to pause.

She looked strangely guilty.

Her crimson eyes avoided his for a moment before she finally spoke quietly.

"I think I understand now."

Kael raised an eyebrow.

"Understand what?"

Lillith hesitated.

"I think I know why your mother warned me not to sleep with you."

Kael immediately froze.

"...She WHAT?"

Lillith flinched slightly at his reaction.

"She said there were complications surrounding your condition and that getting too close to you physically could trigger something dangerous." Lillith lowered her gaze slightly. "I didn’t realize she meant this."

Kael stared blankly for several seconds.

There was absolutely no way Countess Draven actually had that conversation.

And yet somehow—

It also sounded exactly like something she’d do.

He sighed while rubbing his forehead.

"So she knew about the seed all along..." he muttered.

That meant Countess Draven understood far more about Kael’s body than he originally assumed.

Which raised an even bigger question.

Why had she hidden him so carefully from the rest of the world?

Lillith bit her lower lip softly.

"I’m sorry."

Kael blinked.

"For what?"

"If I hadn’t come here tonight then none of this would’ve happened."

Kael looked at her for a moment before walking closer.

"You make it sound like you forced me."

Lillith looked away immediately, embarrassed.

Kael stopped directly in front of her.

At this distance he could clearly see the faint redness on her cheeks, the nervousness hidden beneath her usual calm expression.

For someone raised among demons, she looked strangely vulnerable right now.

"You really aren’t scared of me?" Lillith asked softly.

Kael laughed quietly.

"Why would I be?"

"I’m a demon."

Kael stared at her for a moment before answering honestly.

"I’m like you now."

Lillith froze.

The words hit harder than she expected.

Kael wasn’t rejecting her.

He wasn’t horrified.

If anything—

He sounded relieved.

Kael leaned slightly against the desk near the mirror.

"When I played the game as Leon," he thought silently, "Lillith always blamed Leon for killing Kael during the demonization incident at Astraea Academy."

The memory resurfaced clearly in his mind.

The original Kael losing control.

Leon killing him in front of everyone.

Lillith arriving too late while still wearing her nightclothes.

And after that—

The Velvet Gang actively hunting Leon for the rest of the story.

Back then, Kael assumed the original Kael simply lost control randomly.

But now he understood the truth.

The Demon King Seed implanted inside Kael had likely reacted to demonic blood.

And tonight—

History had almost repeated itself.

Only this time Tsukuyomi’s ring stabilized the transformation before it could spiral completely out of control.

Kael looked toward the ring again briefly.

"Good thing the old man planned ahead," he thought.

Meanwhile Lillith still watched him carefully.

"You said earlier that you wanted to survive," she said quietly. "What did you mean by that?"

Kael’s expression became calmer.

"Because eventually this world falls apart."

Lillith frowned slightly.

"What?"

"Humans won’t win. Demons won’t win either. Elves, dwarves, demi-humans..." Kael shook his head slowly. "None of them survive this war completely."

Lillith stared at him in shock.

The certainty in his voice was terrifying.

It sounded less like a prediction—

And more like someone remembering the future.

The room became silent for several moments.

Then suddenly Kael stepped closer again.

Lillith instinctively took a small step backward until the back of her legs touched the bed.

Her cheeks immediately became red again.

"K-Kael?"

He placed one hand lightly against her waist.

"I also have another question."

Lillith swallowed nervously.

"W-What question?"

Kael smiled slightly.

"When exactly did you and my mother have that conversation?"

Lillith immediately looked away.

"...That’s not important."

"It sounds very important."

"It isn’t."

Kael laughed softly.

Lillith only became more embarrassed hearing it.

Then Kael leaned closer toward her ear slightly.

"And more importantly," he murmured, "you passed out halfway through last time."

Lillith’s entire face turned crimson instantly.

"K-Kael!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You can’t just suddenly say things like that!"

"But it’s true."

Lillith tried to glare at him, but the effect weakened considerably because of how flustered she looked.

Kael smiled faintly before lifting her effortlessly into his arms.

Lillith let out a startled sound while instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

Outside the hotel window, the city remained dark and quiet.

Inside the room, however—

The faint traces of demonic mana still lingered in the air.

And deep within Kael Draven’s body, beneath the suppression of Tsukuyomi’s ring—

The Demon King Seed had finally begun to awaken.