The river flowed quietly.
As if nothing had happened.
As if a life hadn't almost been lost just moments ago.
---
Shiro sat on the grass, still slightly wet, his clothes clinging uncomfortably to his body.
The cold hadn't left yet.
But he ignored it.
---
Across from him—
Ruby.
---
She was sitting with her knees pulled close, occasionally glancing at him.
Then looking away.
Then glancing again.
---
"…You're staring."
---
"I'm not!"
---
"…You are."
---
"I'm just checking if you're okay!"
---
"…I'm fine."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
"…You're weird."
---
He blinked.
---
"…What?"
---
Ruby tilted her head slightly, studying him.
---
"You saved me… but you don't look happy."
---
"…Should I be?"
---
"Of course!"
---
"…Why?"
---
She frowned.
---
"Because you did something amazing!"
---
He looked at his hands again.
Small.
Weak.
Still slightly trembling.
---
Amazing?
---
"…It was nothing."
---
Ruby's expression changed.
Slightly annoyed now.
---
"It wasn't nothing!"
---
She leaned forward.
---
"You jumped into the river even though you could barely stand!"
---
"…I calculated the risk."
---
"You what?"
---
"…Nothing."
---
She stared at him.
Then suddenly—
---
She laughed.
---
Bright.
Light.
Carefree.
---
"…You talk funny."
---
"…You talk too much."
---
"Hey!"
---
For a moment—
He felt it.
---
Something unfamiliar.
---
Not power.
Not control.
Not superiority.
---
Just—
---
Ease.
---
---
Time passed slowly.
---
The sun moved higher.
The air grew warmer.
---
Ruby plucked a blade of grass and started playing with it absentmindedly.
---
"…Shiro."
---
"…What?"
---
"Do you live around here?"
---
"…Somewhere."
---
"That's not an answer."
---
"…It's enough."
---
She puffed her cheeks slightly.
---
"You're bad at talking."
---
"…I've been told worse."
---
"…Like what?"
---
He paused.
---
Memories surfaced—
Titles.
Fear.
Hatred.
---
"Monster."
---
He said it without thinking.
---
Ruby blinked.
---
Then—
She shook her head.
---
"That's wrong."
---
"…What is?"
---
"You."
---
"…Explain."
---
She pointed at him.
---
"You saved me. Monsters don't do that."
---
Silence.
---
A simple statement.
---
Yet—
---
It lingered.
---
"…You're making assumptions."
---
"I'm making facts."
---
"…Based on one action?"
---
She smiled.
---
"Yep."
---
"…You're naive."
---
"And you're too serious."
---
"…Hah."
---
Another strange feeling.
---
Light.
---
Unnecessary.
---
Yet—
---
Not unpleasant.
---
---
Ruby suddenly stood up.
---
"Wait here!"
---
"…Why?"
---
"I'll be back!"
---
Before he could respond—
She ran off.
---
"…Strange human."
---
He lay back on the grass, staring at the sky.
---
Blue.
Wide.
Endless.
---
So different from the void.
---
"…This world…"
---
It felt…
Noisy.
Messy.
Unpredictable.
---
And yet—
---
"…Not boring."
---
---
A few minutes later—
---
"Shiro!"
---
He sat up slightly.
---
Ruby was running back toward him—
Holding something.
---
She stopped in front of him, slightly out of breath.
---
Then held it out proudly.
---
Bread.
---
Simple.
Small.
---
But fresh.
---
"…What is this?"
---
"…It's bread."
---
"…I can see that."
---
"It's for you."
---
"…Why?"
---
She blinked.
---
"…Because you're hungry?"
---
He paused.
---
"…How do you know?"
---
"You look like it."
---
"…I always look like this."
---
"Exactly."
---
"…That doesn't explain anything."
---
She sighed dramatically.
---
"Just take it!"
---
"…Tch."
---
He accepted it.
---
The moment it touched his hand—
Something felt…
Heavy.
---
Not physically.
---
But…
---
Meaningfully.
---
He took a bite.
---
Soft.
Warm.
---
Simple.
---
And yet—
---
"…Good."
---
Ruby smiled.
---
"Of course it is!"
---
They sat there.
Quietly.
---
No grand conversation.
No deep meaning.
---
Just—
---
Two children.
---
Sharing a moment.
---
---
The sun began to lower slowly.
---
Orange light painted the sky.
---
Ruby stood up again.
---
"…I have to go."
---
"…Then go."
---
She hesitated.
---
"…Will you be here tomorrow?"
---
"…I don't know."
---
"…That's not a good answer."
---
"…It's the only one."
---
She looked down slightly.
Then—
---
"…Then I'll come again anyway."
---
"…Suit yourself."
---
She smiled again.
---
"…Shiro."
---
"…What?"
---
"Let's meet again."
---
"…We just met."
---
"I know!"
---
"…Then why say it like that?"
---
She thought for a second.
Then said softly—
---
"…Because I don't want this to be the last time."
---
Silence.
---
For some reason—
---
That sentence felt…
Important.
---
"…Fine."
---
Her eyes lit up.
---
"Really?!"
---
"…If I'm here."
---
"That counts!"
---
She turned—
Then suddenly stopped.
---
"…Oh!"
---
She looked back at him.
---
"…In 15 years."
---
"…What?"
---
"I'm going to another place soon."
---
"…Irrelevant."
---
"…It's not!"
---
She pointed toward the horizon.
---
"There's a city called River Valley City."
---
He said nothing.
---
But listened.
---
"Let's meet there again."
---
"…In 15 years?"
---
She nodded.
---
"Yeah! When we're older!"
---
"…That's inefficient."
---
"It's a promise!"
---
"…Promises are unreliable."
---
She stepped closer.
---
Then—
---
Extended her pinky.
---
"…What are you doing?"
---
"Promise."
---
"…Explain."
---
"You hook fingers and it becomes real."
---
"…That has no logical basis."
---
"JUST DO IT!"
---
"…Tch."
---
After a brief pause—
---
He raised his hand.
---
And hooked his finger with hers.
---
"…There."
---
She smiled.
Wide.
Bright.
---
"Now you can't break it."
---
"…We'll see."
---
"…Don't break it."
---
"…No guarantees."
---
She laughed.
---
Then ran off again.
---
"Bye, Shiro!"
---
"…Bye."
---
Her figure slowly disappeared.
---
And silence returned.
---
---
Shiro looked at his hand.
---
The one that held the promise.
---
"…15 years."
---
Meaningless.
---
Long.
---
Unnecessary.
---
And yet—
---
"…I will remember."
---
For the first time—
---
The Demon King didn't think about war.
Didn't think about power.
Didn't think about revenge.
---
Only—
---
A promise.
---
Made under a quiet sky—
---
By a boy who shouldn't exist.
---
And a girl who didn't belong to his world.