"Luca?! What… what are you doing here?"
Luca's smile widened charmingly when he heard the girl he adored call his name so directly, without hesitation. "I came with my parents."
What? Aren't Luca's parents...
Kelsey peeked past him and saw a pair of mid-ranking demons with two horns on their heads—just like Luca.
"You must be Har's human daughter. I'm a friend of your father's. He invited us to dine together," said one of them.
Her father's friend? Since when has her father befriended a mid-ranking demon? And since when did Luca—the former prince of the North, the current Demon King—become their son?
"Iom! Welcome!!"
Kelsey invited Iom and his family inside, but her eyes couldn't stop drifting to Luca, who was still smiling softly. However, Luca was no longer looking at her. Instead, he greeted the Boar couple with exaggerated respect and hospitality.
"Kelsey, let me introduce you. This is Iom of the Minotaur clan, and their son, Luca."
Luca looked at her playfully, extending his hand with enthusiasm. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Luca. And you are?"
Kelsey frowned as she saw his hand—his nails were short, black-tinged. His appearance was completely different. But that face, that look in his eyes, she couldn't possibly mistake him, even if they'd only met once.
"Kelsey, wouldn't it be rude not to greet our guest?" Her mother whispered, gently warning her.
Having no other choice, Kelsey quickly shook Luca's hand and pulled away before he could tighten his grip. "Kelsey."
"Luca, have you gotten taller? I have to tilt my head to look at you now!" Her mother laughed.
Kelsey turned to her in confusion. Had her mother met Luca before this? Didn't they know the name of the regional prince? Wait! No demon ever knew their king's name. The ruler of a region was always simply referred to as 'the Demon King.'
"This is what makes me miserable." Luca said under his breath, "I won't be able to hide if a high-ranking demon tries to consume my core."
Who would dare hunt the Demon King's core?! Kelsey took a deep breath to calm her suddenly racing heart. "Father, Mother, I'm sorry I can't be a good host. May I step out for a moment to get some fresh air?"
"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? You look pale."
"I'm just a little tired." Kelsey sighed in relief when her mother gave her permission.
She glanced at Luca, who was still chatting happily with her father. Seeing that, she bit her lip without realizing it and slipped out the door. She walked to her father's field and sat under a large tree—her favorite spot. She hugged her knees and rested her chin atop them.
For the past month, she'd been thinking about Luca, the handsome demon king. She had even felt guilty for assuming he was heartless and self-centered, even though he was better than the previous king. And now—he had reappeared, right on her doorstep.
Her heart churned uneasily.
"My father told me to be friends with you."
Kelsey jumped slightly at the sound of that distant, yet gentle voice beside her.
"Does that mean you won't be my friend?"
"I… I don't know." Kelsey lowered her eyes as she couldn't stare him straight in the eyes.
"Strange. I've sealed most of my aura and changed my appearance. But you're still afraid of me."
"No matter how much you change your appearance, you're still the Demon King of the North."
And the fact that he could seal his aura and change his appearance only proved how powerful he was. He could kill her without lifting a finger if he ever changed his mind. "What did you do to my parents?"
"What have I done to your parents?"
"I don't know… They don't feel like my parents. It's like something controlled them."
In truth, Luca had planted false memories in Har and his wife. Har had never been friends with Iom. No one else had noticed the spell—so how did this human girl sense it?
"It seems you're not an ordinary human. But I like that. I'm falling more and more in love with you."
Kelsey turned her face away. "I beg your forgiveness. I can't return your sentiments."
"Is that your final decision? You won't even give me a chance?"
She desperately wanted to. She truly wanted to get to know him better—but her instincts screamed that this man was extremely dangerous. That he was the last person she should let into her life.
Kelsey didn't answer.
Luca sat down beside her without asking. He was relieved she didn't flinch or move away. He had once felt confident she wouldn't reject him. Now he knew it would be difficult to win her over—but at least she hadn't outright pushed him away.
Who would've thought Kelsey didn't even want to give him a chance? "I won't give up. I'll find another way to get close to you. One day, I'll break through your defenses."
Kelsey let out a heavy sigh. "Why didn't you just force me? Wouldn't that have been easier? You even controlled my parents… You could've threatened me through them."
Luca chuckled lightly. "Do you wish me to do that?"
"I would hate you!"
"I know. That's why I won't."
Kelsey wasn't expecting that. "Are you really a demon?"
Luca was not your average demon. He was a Demon King. A self-centered, arrogant ruler. And yet here he was, lowering himself just to win over a lowly human girl.
"I am," Luca said, "But not completely."
"What does that mean?"
Luca put a finger to his lips and smiled softly. "It's a secret. But I'd tell you—if you were my wife. I'd never keep secrets from my wife."
Kelsey scoffed, fending off his tempting words. "I'm not interested in your secrets. Keep them to yourself."
"Sure. Let me know if you change your mind."
Kelsey glared at him, frustrated—but somehow, she couldn't feel annoyed anymore. It was hard to dislike Luca, especially after seeing how sincere he was. Still, she couldn't bring herself to fully accept him either.
"Kelsey, I won't kill people I hate anymore."
Kelsey's ears perked up.
"Just so you know, I rarely hate anyone. My mother always taught me to value all living things—demon or human. If someone manages to make me loathe them, it means they've committed an unforgivable crime. Usually, if I can still use them, I'll give them an assignment first. Otherwise, I kill them directly. But if you can't like me because of that, I'll change. I won't kill people I hate so easily anymore."
Kelsey was stunned. He's willing to change his principles for me?
What did he mean, value both demons and humans? Demons and humans naturally hated each other. They couldn't coexist. How could the former queen of the North teach her children to value their nemesis?