Chapter 1: The Transfer Student Gabriel
At 6:59 in the morning.
Just one second before the alarm clock rang, the boy lying on the bed opened his eyes right on time. His movement was steady and practiced, as if his body had memorized this rhythm long before. Without hesitation, his hand reached out from under the blanket and silenced the alarm before it could even ring.
He sat up, the thin blanket sliding down his shoulders, and took a deep breath. The air carried the faint scent of detergent and early spring dew. For a brief moment, he just sat there in silence, staring at the faint lines of sunlight peeking through the curtain.
Then, with a calm exhale, he stood, stretched, and began his morning routine.
Get up. Dress. Wash. Routine motions, repeated countless times, yet somehow fresh each morning.
When he finally drew the curtains aside, dazzling golden light spilled into the room, scattering the shadows that had pooled through the night. The city outside was alive with quiet beauty: birds chirped from the power lines, and a delivery truck rumbled down the street. The sun was warm, but the air still carried the chill of winter's fading breath.
A soft breeze brushed through the open window, carrying with it a delicate floral scent. In the distance, faint pink petals drifted through the air, swirling lazily before settling on rooftops and sidewalks. It was early March—the time when everything began to wake, when cherry blossoms stretched open under the touch of the season.
"This is the life I've been looking for," the boy murmured, his lips curving into a faint smile. His voice carried neither arrogance nor regret, just quiet contentment.
He looked about sixteen or seventeen. His features were clean and handsome, with a trace of gentleness beneath the calm. His black hair was slightly messy, and his clear eyes glimmered with both intelligence and mischief—a gaze that once could command armies, now softened by the mundane world.
Kouya.
That was his name now.
Three days ago, he had still been the Demon King who had conquered every god, who had sat alone upon the Eternal Throne and watched empires rise and crumble. The silence of eternity had been his only companion—until he heard that faint, fragile plea drifting through the void.
"—If there really is a god in this world, please… help me escape this life of despair! I'll give up everything for it!"
A foolish, naïve wish.
A mortal's cry tossed into an endless sea.
No god would have answered such an empty prayer. But one Demon King, grown weary of omnipotence, had listened.
Having reached the summit of existence, having slain and surpassed every rival, Kouya—then known by another name—had felt only hollowness. The world had grown small. The stars too dim. The laughter of comrades, the clash of blades, the warmth of family—all of it gone.
No matter how many worlds he ruled, the loneliness never faded.
Strength without companionship, eternity without purpose—what meaning was there in that?
So when that voice reached him, trembling and desperate, he smiled for the first time in countless ages.
A mortal who would give up everything for excitement. A godless king who longed for peace.
A contract formed between two souls on opposite ends of existence.
...
"No wonder that kid wanted to trade everything for an exciting life—this one's honestly kind of miserable."
Having sealed away his power and assumed the body of a normal high school student, Kouya shuffled toward the bathroom, muttering under his breath. "It's the first day of the new semester, and not a single message from anyone. No childhood friend waiting outside, no flirty senpai, no adorable little sister barging in, no idiot best friend to drag me out. My life's just school and this tiny apartment. No wonder he made that wish."
He glanced at his phone. The latest notification was still a supermarket discount coupon from a week ago.
Kouya sighed and pocketed it. "Still, I guess this peace isn't so bad. No one to bother me. No endless wars. No divine rivals. Just… silence." He paused, smirking faintly. "A little dull, maybe—but a dull peace is still peace."
After a simple breakfast of toast and milk, Kouya slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped into the street. The morning air nipped lightly at his face, but sunlight spilled down between buildings, painting the pavement gold. Students passed by in pairs or small groups, chatting and laughing. Their voices carried the vibrancy of youth that only mortals possessed.
By the time he reached school, the first bell had not yet rung. Perfect timing.
He entered the classroom quietly, choosing the seat by the window—the best spot for daydreaming. Placing his bag down, he rested his chin in his hand and gazed outside.
Cherry blossoms danced like soft snow in the air. The branches swayed gently, scattering petals that glittered in the sunlight.
On the field below, students in gym uniforms jogged laps. The teacher's whistle echoed faintly through the open window.
This school, once an all-girls academy, had only recently opened its doors to boys. The result: over twenty girls for every two or three boys per class. The imbalance was almost comical.
Looking out over the field, there was a sea of white thighs as young girls ran beneath the sun, their youthful sweat shining with vitality—a sight both refreshing and pleasing.
"Youth sure is nice," Kouya murmured, leaning back in his chair.
Textbooks, schedules, lectures—none of it interested him. After all, the Demon King had long since mastered every law of magic and logic known to creation. The simplicity of this life was its only real novelty.
Then came the sound of footsteps outside. Two sets—one heavy, one light. Moments later, the tall, bald homeroom teacher entered the room, voice deep and commanding.
"Sorry to interrupt, everyone. We have a new transfer student joining our class today. Please treat her well."
"Eh? A transfer student?"
Whispers erupted instantly. Their excitement was palpable; it was still early in the term, after all.
"I hope it's a handsome guy!" one girl giggled. "Then our class would finally have someone cool!"
The two other boys in class exchanged defeated looks, nearly in tears. 'Sorry we're not enough, ladies!'
"Yeah," another student chimed in. "We've got twenty-something girls and only three guys! Who's supposed to carry all the heavy stuff around here?"
Kouya's brow twitched. "Hey now, I didn't come here to be your errand boy," he muttered.
"Ah! I see her!" a girl in the front row suddenly gasped. "She's wearing a skirt—it's a girl!"
Just a transfer student. Nothing to care about—or so Kouya thought.
Then the door slid open.
A warm, fresh breeze swept into the room, carrying the scent of sunlight and grass. The noise faded. Every head turned.
"Hm?" Kouya's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's… divine energy? A faint trace of holy light? So there are angels here too?" He smirked faintly. "Well, as long as she doesn't mess with my peace, she can be whatever she wants."
The figure standing in the doorway was breathtaking.
A girl with waist-length golden hair that shimmered like spun sunlight, her fair skin gleaming softly under the rays filtering through the window. Her face was delicate and pure, yet her posture carried an elegance that seemed almost ethereal. She smiled gently, and that simple act brightened the entire classroom.
A breeze from the window lifted a strand of her hair. Time seemed to slow as she turned her head slightly, her golden locks glinting like threads of light.
It was a scene so serene and radiant that even Kouya, who had witnessed divine beauty before, found himself pausing.
For several seconds, the room fell silent—until whispers began again, trembling with awe.
"That smile… it healed my soul!"
"My heart's melting, I swear."
"She's gotta be from some rich family, right? Look at her aura."
"She seems so kind too… I can't believe someone like her exists."
The bald teacher cleared his throat, unbothered. "Gabriel-san, please come up and introduce yourself."
"Yes, sensei." Her voice was soft and melodious, clear enough to cut through the spring air. As she walked to the podium, every movement seemed deliberate yet effortless—like the gentle rhythm of nature itself.
She bowed politely. "Hello, everyone."
"My name is Gabriel White Tenma."
"I'm sixteen years old and just transferred here. Please take care of me."
Her words were simple, but they carried warmth. The sunlight framed her from behind, making her almost glow. Then, clasping her hands together before her chest, she smiled—a smile so bright and pure that for a moment, even the most cynical hearts forgot to breathe.
"And… my dream is to make everyone in the world happy."
The classroom went silent once again.
"..."