Aiden, who once lived as a human named Ryan, had died in his world in a way that was anything but honorable.

  At some point during his life, he thought that if he ever died, he would find peace in the next world.

  But that hopeful thought quickly dissolved when he encountered a deity so arrogant and unpleasant that he only mocked him and treated him as less than trash.

  Aiden couldn't help but remember it as he listened to someone as haughty as Leonor.

  'Damn it, remembering that gives me a headache,' Aiden thought as he left the room behind Circe, surrounded by those eight demon guards, headed toward the Demon King's throne.

  Although Aiden believed all of this was provoked by Leonor's influence.

  The demoness who had recently accused him and was now forcing them to present themselves before the Demon King.

  Aiden reflected in silence for a moment at the mention of the words "Demon King."

  Finally, he realized something.

  It was something that only left him uneasy, for he had forgotten something very important.

  'Am I supposed to be the Demon King's bastard son in this world?'

  Perhaps it was because only a day had passed since he transmigrated.

  Or because everything he experienced in this world since his arrival happened so fast that it didn't give him time to fully process that fact.

  But now that they were heading to that place and had to see the Demon King, Aiden began to prioritize the threat this encounter might represent.

  "If that person realizes I’m not the real Aiden, he’ll kill me immediately..." he murmured.

  The memories Aiden had were blurred images that didn't allow him to perceive much information about the Demon King.

  Furthermore, he noticed something strange: he had no memory of the Demon King's face.

  Even though Aiden had stood before the throne in front of the Demon King on several occasions, he hadn't dared to look up at his face.

  When he tried to think of him, the only thing he could evoke was a distant silhouette and the sensation of deep fear that the previous host of that body seemed to have felt.

  "Did you say something, Young Aiden?" Circe asked.

  "It’s nothing... let’s just keep going."

  They followed the guards through the hallways toward the throne room. Aiden noticed that Circe was also uneasy; it was normal, they were going to see the Demon King.

  Aiden walked beside Circe. He brought his hands to his cheeks; they were cold.

  The guards stopped in front of the black and gold door that led to the hall where the Demon King was.

  They opened the door and, with the guards staying outside, Aiden and Circe entered the hall. A vast space, illuminated by rounded fire lamps suspended from the ceiling.

  Circe and Aiden advanced until they stood before the throne.

  Two demons, clearly of a high caste, tall and handsome, stood a few meters from the center of the hall.

  Aiden fixed his gaze on the throne. The demon sitting there had his hand resting on his chin, with his forearm leaning on the arm of the throne.

  Without emitting an order, the interface deployed in front of Aiden, flashing message after message.

  [Alert]

  [Hostility confirmed]

  [Threat Level: Demon King]

  [Elemental Affinity: Fire]

  [Elemental Affinity: Darkness]

  The sound of the system alerts echoed in Aiden’s mind.

  'What... he has two elements? He’s completely different from Circe and Ash.'

  "Aiden." The raspy voice came from the throne. "Do not look at me with those eyes."

  Aiden felt a shiver run through his body; cold sweat ran down his cheek.

  'Did he realize the system tried to evaluate his stats?'

  Circe immediately knelt before the Demon King.

  "Father..." Aiden said. The words came out on their own.

  "Idiot. When you are before the Demon King, you will call him His Majesty," one of the demons present instantly reprimanded him.

  "Agh..."

  Aiden groaned in pain. He felt his knees begin to burn, a slow but intense pain.

  Circe grabbed his pants, pulling him to force him to kneel. But Aiden, due to the pain, fell into a seated position with a muffled groan; his knees were red, deteriorating and smoking.

  "Aedan, that’s enough," the other demon spoke.

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  "Ha. Igniel... you are very considerate of him."

  Suddenly, the rising pain diminished.

  'Was that Aedan? Did that bastard do this...?' Aiden thought, still feeling the burning sensation in his knees, although he didn't know exactly how he had managed to cause that damage.

  Aiden looked at Circe. She was still clutching his pants; her hands were trembling and her gaze was fixed on the floor with an expression loaded with fear.

  'These two... they're supposed to be my brothers... and they treat me like this?'

  Aiden thought about standing up and complaining, but the sound of a voice stopped him.

  "Circe..." The hoarse and intimidating voice came from the throne.

  "M-Majesty..." she replied nervously.

  "I was informed that you won the duels. If you are here with this useless one, it means he accepted you as his sentinel. Am I wrong?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty! I will now be Young Aiden's sentinel! I swear I won't disappoint you!"

  'Circe... doesn't this look like a knightly appointment? And what do you mean, useless? Everyone here insults me, but I'm a very capable programmer, you know?'

  "Tsk." A clicking of tongues echoed.

  "Your Majesty, I do not agree that a bastard, especially one so weak and useless, should have a sentinel. I mean, what is the purpose of that?" complained the demon named Aedan, adding: "Besides, the one responsible for the theft of the relic has yet to appear. It's obvious who stole it." He turned his face, fixing his gaze on Aiden. "Or did you think we wouldn't suspect you, bastard?"

  'Eh? I didn't steal anything, dammit.'

  "I want you to immediately return the relic you stole," Aedan ordered.

  Aiden stood up, though he didn't know what to answer.

  But a loud sound resonated, echoing throughout the hall. It came from his stomach.

  "Idiot. Do you dare to mock me?" Aedan furrowed his brow, highly irritated.

  [Alert]

  [Hostility confirmed]

  [Threat Level: Infernal]

  [Elemental Affinity: Fire]

  [Elemental Affinity: Darkness]

  'What? Whose stats are these?'

  "Hng..."

  The instant Aedan finished his sentence, Aiden thought he heard a muffled groan, loaded with fear.

  'Circe?' He turned his head to look at her, but suddenly a cloud of steam and smoke appeared in front of them, stirring the wind around them; a gust that violently tousled his hair.

  Aiden didn't know what had happened, but there was an enormous fire bird with its back to him, and in front, remnants of flames dispersing in the air.

  'What the hell is that?'

  "Why do you defend him, Igniel? That idiot needs to be taught a lesson!" Aedan reproached.

  "Haha, calm down, calm down, Aedan. Father, remember what Aiden just went through. Let him go and allow me to handle this situation, yes?"

  "Stupid..." Aedan grumbled, irritated.

  "...Very well. I will leave it in your hands. I have no time for these follies," the Demon King pronounced.

  "Haha, Aiden, you certainly are amusing. Go eat something and heal those wounds."

  "Y-yes..." Aiden replied by inertia.

  As he walked, the words resonated in his head.

  'Demon King...'

  Now Aiden had too many questions.

  Why was he recycled into this world as a demon?

  Although his new life had just begun, it was already full of trouble.

  'There’s no doubt that piece of shit deity only wanted to screw me over.'

  ◇◇◇

  Both Circe and Aiden had left the Demon King's room and were heading down the hallway toward the kitchen.

  Circe was silent, walking with her hands joined in front, behind Aiden, who left the hall with a furrowed brow, quite angry.

  "Do your knees hurt a lot, Young Aiden?"

  "Just a little," he replied. The dose of adrenaline he experienced didn't let him perceive the pain of the attack he hadn't even managed to see.

  'Was I on the verge of dying again?' Aiden questioned himself as he moved forward, but he stopped and let Circe walk beside him.

  "Lord Aedan's fire manifestation is almost at the top of the demonic world..." Circe murmured, trying to break the silence while observing Aiden's knees.

  "F-forgive me. I couldn't do anything, Young Aiden... It's lucky that Lord Igniel was there as well," she said ashamed.

  "So Igniel, huh..." Aiden murmured.

  They walked toward the kitchen. Circe had said she would look for something Aiden could eat there. Due to the hour, there were no longer any cooks, but surely something would be left stored. That’s what she said, and Aiden followed her.

  "Wait here a moment, Young Aiden. I'll go look for some potions to heal the wounds on your knees."

  "Those potions? Fine, that will be efficient."

  Circe left in a hurry while Aiden looked around the entire kitchen, thinking the place was cleaner than the last time.

  Not even two minutes had passed when Circe returned with two potions in her hand; her beautiful long hair was somewhat messy and her breathing was only slightly labored.

  'Did she run? How silly.'

  "Here, take one of these potions, Young Aiden." Circe uncapped it and brought it to Aiden's lips herself, adding: "I really am sorry, Young Aiden. There was nothing I could do."

  Aiden had many questions in his head. But now he simply placed his lips over the opening of the potion, letting Circe pour it into his mouth; he swallowed.

  The potions seemed to relieve him instantly. He saw how the burns on his knees disappeared.

  "They really are very efficient, aren't they, Circe? I hope you get many for me," Aiden said with a mischievous smile.

  "But what are you planning to do, Young Aiden?" Circe asked with intrigue.

  'Hehe, it’s nothing, just precaution,' he said while turning his gaze, looking around, thinking: 'Actually, I want them in case something like this happens again; I'll keep them.'

  That said, Aiden's stomach rumbled again and, placing his hands on his stomach, he stared at Circe.

  "Ahhh, I forgot. Sorry for my incompetence." She ran to look for the food left over from the midday preparation.

  Bringing the food, she placed it in front of him on the table. A plate and a glass of juice; Circe had a very uneasy look.

  "Hehe. Now to eat," Aiden said and started eating.

  "Uhu." Circe nodded her head.

  'This doesn't taste good.'

  "It doesn't taste very good, does it, Young Aiden?"

  'Did my face give me away?'

  "Don't worry, I'll eat it all."

  "Yes, eat it all, dear little brother, haha," said the handsome red-haired demon who entered the kitchen and, without invitation, sat in front of Aiden.

  "...Are you Igniel?"

  "Who else could I be? Being unconscious for two days made you forget me. I'll get sad, haha... Have you both healed your wounds?"

  "Both? Don't tell me Circe as well?" Aiden turned to look at Circe; she blushed.

  "No, no, I'm fine, Young Aiden. I already took some potions."

  'Dammit, I didn't even notice that.'

  "Even if we have different mothers, I think Aedan went over the line this time," Igniel commented with some seriousness in his voice, but then he smiled.

  "Y-yes... But don't think I’m going to thank you for intervening."

  "Haha, and I was hoping that, in gratitude, you’d return the relic, little brother."

  "But I don't have it..."

  "I understand. You're still shaken by everything that happened. In that case... I'll come see you tomorrow." Finishing his sentence, Igniel left the room.

  Circe remained in silence.

  Aiden took a sip of the juice Circe had brought. He sighed.

  'But how persistent they are! I didn't steal anything!'

  "Young Aiden, it's already quite late. You should go rest now; I think it will be good for us to start training from tomorrow."

  "Will we have training?"

  "Yes, of course. A sentinel's duty is to train to strengthen her lord." She said it with a smile on her face.

  'Should we go to the dungeon?'

  "All right, then I'll go rest."

  There was a lot Aiden had to think about. Not even a day had passed in this new world, and he had realized his great disadvantage in it, and the accusations he was receiving left him uneasy.

  But if the Demon King had let him go, perhaps it meant he didn't think Aiden, his son, was the culprit.

  But that gave Aiden more peace of mind.

  Then he could train and strengthen himself.

  Something that would benefit him.

  After finishing his meal, he went back with Circe to the room and they said their goodbyes so Aiden could sleep.

  Although he wondered what kind of training Circe had planned.

  For Aiden, it would be the perfect opportunity to better test the system and analyze the dungeon. The boss stones.

  Though he knew perfectly well that Circe's eyes would be on him.

  But his goal was clear. Defeat the dungeon bosses and obtain new scrolls.