Arc 1: The Beginning of Atonement
—–—
?? ?? ??
"God, I do not know who You are, and I am not even sure that You exist. But… if You truly do exist… grant me one more chance, allow me to atone for the sins I have committed all this time…"
...
June 28, Year 37
The sound of a baby's cry echoed as a new life descended into the world.
"Look, dear, our child is finally born. He looks so cute when he cries."
"Yes, he's cute...just like his father, hahaha."
The mother, who was holding the baby in her arms, chuckled softly at her husband's joke, then asked,
"What should we name him?"
"How about Clusius?" the father suggested.
"Isn't that the name of that beautiful blue flower? I really like it. That's a lovely name."
"I'm glad you like it. Very well, from now on his name is Clusius, and he will become a great adventurer—just like his father."
"A great adventurer? No matter how I look at you, you don't seem like one," the woman joked lightly, laughing at her husband. Her husband laughed along with her.
The newborn child was named Clusius. He was born into a very simple family, in a deme¹ called Deme of the Night Sky. He was born with a permanent blindness in his left eye, as well as a mark of a curse embedded within it.
At first, Clusius's parents believed that the black line in their child's left eye was nothing more than a birthmark. However, because of its unusual shape, they called a healer to examine it.
Initially, the healer could not determine whether it was merely a birthmark or something else. But after opening several books, he finally realized and remembered that the mark in Clusius's left eye was a cursed sign, an omen that foretold the birth of the future successor to the Demon King.
Shocked, the healer stepped back in fear. He advised Clusius's parents to kill their child before he grew up, as he feared that the boy would truly become the Demon King someday.
Clusius's parents clearly refused.
"Why should we kill our own child? We will never do such a thing! Besides, that's just a myth. There is no proof that it is truly a curse," Clusius's mother said, unable to bear the thought of taking the life of her newborn child.
"If you refuse to kill that child, then you and the child must be prepared to be shunned by society! You will be seen as people who raise a demon and bring misfortune to those around you!"
The healer warned them of the great risk they would have to bear.
"I don't care! To me, my child will not become the Demon King or anything that harms others. We believe our child will grow into a true man with a pure heart. After all, that curse is nothing more than a myth passed from mouth to mouth. There is no real evidence to prove it. And we will prove to everyone that the myth they have believed in for so long is wrong!"
Clusius's father stared at the healer firmly, without any trace of fear toward his threats.
"That's right! We believe our child will become a great adventurer who will one day save the world from the threat of the Demon King and restore the peace that has long been lost from this world!" the mother added with unwavering conviction.
"I have already warned you. Do whatever you wish with that demon child. But remember, I will not help if something happens someday," the healer said before leaving.
Clusius's parents were now truly worried about what might happen to their child in the future. They knew that news about the curse in their child's eye would soon spread throughout the deme. They feared that everyone would be afraid of them, or even drive them away.
However, they still chose to raise Clusius until adulthood, believing that he would grow into a good child and one day become a great adventurer.
—–—
¹ Deme = a Greek term meaning village.