Marianne stood, holding the Little Devil. Anxiety gnawed at her more and more. She was the only one who could see through the fake smiles and congratulations. What unsettled her most were the gazes of the members of the royal family, the second queen, who was also pregnant, many ministers, and some nobles as well. Some looks were curious, others sharp with envy, almost like hidden daggers waiting for a chance.
To her, it had been a long night finally reaching its end, but she feared this was only the beginning.
Two days later, Marianne's anxiety hadn't eased. The queen was still in a coma, and no one knew when she would wake. Considering her position as the queen's personal maid and the Little Devil's caretaker, she couldn't help but worry.
What should I do? What should I do? She paced the room, back and forth, while Killial watched. At that moment, a memory sparked in her mind: one person she could trust, a mysterious figure in the library, also an ancestor of her family.
She didn't know them yet, but the queen herself had recommended them. So she decided to wait until nighttime before heading to the library, leaving Killial to sleep under the watch of another maid.
But the Little Devil didn't sleep. His adult mind was too busy. It's fine to have a big nose and mustache when I grow up. Being a prince isn't bad either. But why do I have to be the center of attention? I will definitely learn magic and blast everyone and everything… I hate you all.
The library was a few blocks from the palace. Not too far, but not close either. A few months ago, the king ordered that it was no longer available to the public. No one knew why, but since then, no one dared to approach. The strange thing was that no guards were around for protection.
When Marianne arrived, it felt empty, like haunted ruins, except for a deep quiet presence.
An old voice broke the silence. "I rarely have visitors at this hour… and at night? I wonder what this young lady seeks."
Marianne froze. "I… I'm here on behalf of the queen. She told me to come to you if I ever needed help. Prince Killial might be in danger, and I seek your guidance."
The voice replied cautiously, "Hmmm… it's too late. The king made a mistake by following the habits of other kings. For them, announcing an heir's talent is safe, because they are strong enough to protect what's theirs. Here… if anyone wanted to harm the boy, I'm afraid…"
Marianne pressed on, desperate. "But… isn't there anything we can do?"
Finally, the old man appeared. Bald, with a long, flowing beard. "I'm sorry… it's too late. The boy has already been taken the moment you left the palace." Without further explanation, he faded back into the darkness of the library. "I'll be busy here for a few days. Please do not disturb me."
"Wait, what do you mean it's too late?.." the maid yelled, but there was no response. She nearly collapsed; her legs felt like lead, but she refused to believe him without seeing for herself.
She rushed back to the palace. Nothing seemed unusual on the way.
But the room… it was empty. The maid who had been watching over Killial lay motionless on the floor, her head cleanly severed by a sharp tool. Marianne froze, unable to breathe. My Little Devil… Her Highness… how am I going to explain this when she wakes up..??
Not far from the palace, before anyone noticed the little prince was gone, a shadow moved fast across the forests, never looking back. In his arms, a baby slept soundly. Though the distance was vast, he moved so quickly that in just a few minutes, he reached some abandoned ruins. There was nothing except for a few figures, guests who didn't plan to stay long. They greeted the shadow with satisfied smiles.
"You made it. I knew I could rely on you," one said.
"Let's not waste time. Bring him before the palace finds out," another added.
Everyone moved deeper into the ruins. Only one figure was keeping his distance and watching the overall situation. No one paid attention to him. It wasn't their first time; they knew what to do. Not long after that, an altar stood there, embedded with several magical stones, like the one used in the recognition ceremony.
The shadow hesitated. "After this is over… you'll keep your promise, won't you?"
One figure got angry and drew a blade. The shadow stepped back a few paces, still holding the baby carefully. Another figure intervened. "Easy. We all benefit here. It's a fair trade, right?"
There was a moment of silence. Before one figure reminded,
"We take the crown. You return to your family. The baby stays alive. Wasn't that the deal? We don't have much time. Let's get it done."
Only then did the shadow feel easy. Obviously he didn't want to be part of it, but he had his reasons.
Under the gaze of the other figures, he stepped forward and placed the baby on the altar. "Forgive me, little one. I wish I had another choice, but my family comes first."
The Little Devil opened his eyes. What's happening? Who's this scary person?
He received no answers. Instead, he felt energy surge through his body. Too many magic stones surrounded him, each made to force the mark to appear. If the baby really had a lightning crown, it would appear too.
The pain traveled to every corner of his body. Stings spread across his forehead. A lightning mark appeared. Not long after, a crown began to materialize. The figures surrounded him, feeding pure mana into the stones. The crown became fully visible and complete. Only then did they back off.
One figure removed his mask. Blue eyes gleamed with greed and ambition. If Marianne saw him, she would have recognized him as one of the attendants of the ceremony of recognition. Without wasting time, he grabbed the crown forcefully, but it wouldn't budge. He kept pulling, all while the others watched silently.
One of them spoke, "This boy was dead the moment the crown appeared."
Another nodded. "Even if we didn't act today, many would in a matter of days. Either to use it for themselves if they also have a lightning mark, or as a gift for powerful figures in the world, like the leader of the Fallen Moon Temple."
But the shadow finally spoke, his eyes fixed on the figure actively trying to take the crown. "A bunch of insects who serve under the Cult of Whispers would never know what true honor is. Harnessing evil instead of righteousness. That way will never get you far, of countless races and creatures in the world. Evil comes from one's own."
The Little Devil was listening intently, just like everyone else.
He screamed. This time, it wasn't a baby cry; it was the pain of part of his soul being severed. He retreated to his inner space, where no pain existed. There was only an endless lake under the stars.
Back at the palace, chaos erupted. Guards ran everywhere, searching for the missing baby. The king cursed everyone. Marianne sat in a corner, unsure what to do.
The king entered, scolding, followed by a few guards. "Where were you when the prince was taken? Wasn't it your job to protect him?"
Marianne didn't know what to say. Right or wrong didn't matter. Arguing with the king would only get her in trouble, as he glanced at the dead maid he knew that Marianne was lucky for not being there when the boy was taken; she would have died in vain. There was no point blaming her.
Back in the library, it was impossible to see the shelves or the books because of the darkness and lack of lighting. But voices could still be heard coming from the deepest parts. A knock on the head echoed. Then the bald old man's voice sounded. "Ouch… what was that for, old witch?!"
Next, an even older voice spoke. "You useless old man! Why didn't you help her? I alone am enough to keep things under control here."
The old man couldn't defend himself immediately. "I only left for a minute, and here we are again. Two hours of work wasted. The longer it takes, the harder it gets to fix this thing…".
A moment of silence. Then he added, "I'd rather let the prince die and save the capital than save him and risk this thing swallowing the entire city. Don't forget that whatever came out of this thing is still out there. Hopefully it doesn't cause too much trouble."
"Fine," the old woman said. "Let's handle this quickly and go. There's another rift waiting to be fixed in the elven kingdom. It can't wait any longer."
With that, the library fell back into silence.