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An elegantly furnished living room basked in a soft, warm glow. White marble floors, velvet sofas, and delicate light drifting through tall curtains.
At the center of it, a woman in flawless white sat with perfect posture, casually sipping tea while flipping through a magazine.
That women was none other than Blanc, also known as Testarossa.
The White Primordial.
Behind her stood two demons. Demons that would later on be known as Moss and Cien, as named by Rimuru Tempest. They were silent and alert, their presence more reminiscent of watchful statues than guards.
It was supposed to be a peaceful, uneventful afternoon.
Which was exactly why the voice that suddenly cut through the room struck like a blade.
"It really is peaceful here, isn't it?"
Moss and Cien jerked in shock.
Their eyes darted toward the intruder and their blood ran cold.
Maroon hair.
Maroon sclera.
An elegant suit.
Hands casually in his pockets, as if he'd been standing there all along.
Haru.
The Maroon Primordial had arrived.
Cien's thoughts raced instantly.
Who is this, when did he get here? How long has he been standing there? Why didn't I sense him at all!?
But Moss on the other hand didn't waste a second.
He lunged forward, almost instinctive. Blanc-sama was in danger and h had to protect her was his thoughts. He was fast, but Haru didn't even blink.
He just raised one hand and grabbed Moss by the head mid-lunge.
"Now that's rude, don't you think?" Haru said calmly. "At least greet me first."
Moss was shocked. He saw me he thought. He then struggled desperately and violently yet his arms barely twitched.
It's uselessā¦ he'sāhe's too strong.
Cien broke out into a full sweat.
He caught Moss, the strongest subordinae under Blanc-sama like he was nothing but a mere inconvenience. What is this monster?
Meanwhile, Blanc continued sipping her tea as if watching children bicker on the floor. Completely unmoved.
Cien made a split-second decision.
He leapt forward, intending to free Moss but Haru's other hand snapped up instantly, grabbing Cien's face as well.
The smile that stretched across Haru's lips was manic.
"Both of you, huh?"
And thenā
BOOM.
He slammed them both into the floor causing the entire castle shake due to the sheer strength in the slam.
The marble ground cratered violently, collapsing through the lower floor with a thunderous crash.
Walls cracked. Dust shot up. Furniture toppled.
Blanc's teacup rattled and a splash of tea spilled onto her sleeve.
Her eye twitched a bit in irritation.
Haru then proceeded to get up and dusted his hands off and looked around at the destruction.
"ā¦Ah, I might have made a bit of a mess."
Moss and Cien lay in the crater groaning.
From the couch Blanc's voice floated in, calm, cold and eerily composed.
"Are you done now?" She asked looking straight at Haru.
Haru pointed at the two demons accusingly.
"Oh come on, don't make it sound like this is entirely my fault. They attacked me first!"
Moss and Cien pushed themselves upright, staggering but still conscious.
Moss clenched his fists.
"I won't let you get anywhere near Blanc-sama!"
Cien mustered a shaky grin.
"T-That's right.... You'll have to kill us first!"
But Blanc finally stood, brushing the spilled tea from her sleeve with a soft sigh.
"Let it go, you two."
Her sharp gaze pinned them both.
"You should have realized during your first attempt that you are no match for him. This pointless self-sacrificeā¦ is unnecessary. You wouldn't even buy me a single minute."
Moss lowered his head immediately.
"ā¦I apologize for my weakness, Blanc-sama. You are right. He's too strong."
Cien said nothing.
Shame written all over his face.
Haru shrugged.
"Don't be so harsh on them, Blanc. They're good subordinates. If you treat them too badly, I might take them for myself."
Blanc exhaled slowly, then looked directly at him.
"What is it? Can I help you with somethingā¦ little brother?" She said it clearly.
Haru smiled. "Do I need a reason to visit my elder sister?"
Silence.
Moss and Cien were shocked. They stared back and forth multiple times between Testarossa, and Haru.
And then, simultaneously exclaimed
"HUUUH!??"
Their voices echoed through the ruined hall.
Moss was still shook slightly from his earlier defeat and his eyes drifted toward Testarossa. He swallowed, straightened himself, and forced a shaky smile.
"Blanc-samaā¦ when you told me about getting a new siblingā"
Testarossa finished the thought for him without looking away from Haru.
"Yes. This is him."
Moss exhaled softly, almost in relief. His gaze moved to Haru, who was calmly brushing dirt off his sleeve as though nothing had happened. "Suddenly," Moss muttered with a weary smile, "my loss does not feel as embarrassing anymore."
Cien blinked between the three of them. His brows pinched. "Why does it feel like I'm the only one out of the loop?"
Testarossa ignored Cien and sat back down, her smile polite and edged with curiosity. "Why really are you here? Surely you don't intend to fight me, right?"
Haru started walking toward her, hands still in his pockets.
"Like I said," he replied casually, "I'm really just here to visit my older sister."
Testarossa's eyes narrowed a fraction in analysis. She studied the way Haru moved. It was calm, loose and obviously not preparing for anything. "I don't feel any animosity from you," she admitted. "You really are as weird as they say you are."
Moss and Cien instinctively stepped aside as Haru approached, both expecting some form of confrontationā¦ only to freeze as Haru walked straight past them.
He plopped onto the couch Testarossa was sitting in, shifted until he was comfortably settled, and then without hesitation rested his head on Testarossa's lap. His eyes closed immediately, like this was the most natural place in the world.
Testarossa went rigid.
Internally, her thoughts scrambled.
Huh!? Does heā¦ think I'm a pillow or something?
Cien's jaw dropped. Moss blinked hard, convinced for a moment that maybe he had hallucinated the scene.
Haru felt their shock and simply ignored it. From their perspective, he knew it must have been bizarre. Demons weren't like humans. They didn't lay their heads on each other. They didn't seek warmth. They didn't relax around one another, ever.
Demons had no compassion for each other. Even the Seven Primordials, who were siblings battled and resented each other for ages.
But Haru wasn't a normal Primordial.
He had lived twice before this third life. He had experienced genuine sibling affection. Warmth, teasing, the kind of comfort that didn't exist in the world of demons. When he died in his second reincarnation and was reborn as a demon, he buried that emptiness deep, but it never stopped hurting. For two years he wandered alone, and even after meeting Diablo, the closest thing he had to a bond there was still a distance. Diablo found him interesting, nothing more.
So when Haru became a Primordial, he didn't hate it.
Because It meant he had siblings again.
They might not feel compassion the way he did, but that didn't matter. He would still form bonds with them on his terms.
Testarossa looked down at Haru, genuinely shocked at how peaceful he looked resting on her lap. His expression was soft, unguarded and completely free of tension. He trusted her enough to fall asleep like this.
Her hand hovered uncertainly over his hair.
What am I doingā¦? she wondered. Why am I letting him do this?
But instead of pushing him away, she slowly began brushing her fingers through his hair. Her movements were awkward at first, sort of mechanical. Then gradually became smooth and gentle.
The sensation was unfamiliar. Strange and softening.
She didn't understand what this feeling was.
But she didn't hate it.
Moss watched the scene with exhausted disbelief.
Cien stared with his mouth open.
And Testarossa, the White Primordial known for elegance and crueltyā¦ found herself smiling faintly as Haru rested, content, on her lap.