The first light of dawn filtered through the window, clearly outlining Artoris' face. He lifted his eyelids, vision still blurred. He pulled his head off the pillow, directing his gaze towards the entrance door. Nobody would be waiting for him, no servant to serve his breakfast.

Yet, he didn't even feel a fleeting sense of guilt for what he had done to Archeas; it was as if since he had become a demon, his psyche had undergone changes. It was a joy to have torn the wing from the angel's back. It was as if his goodness was gradually neutralizing, replacing it with an unrecognizable feeling. After all, as a demon king, any uncivilized behavior on his part was the norm; in reality, everything he did was accepted. He got out of bed and put his feet on the floor.

Artoris stretched his arms, and in an instant, the cloak hovering in the air descended to envelop him. The sleeves fit perfectly, sliding agilely over his arms. Behind him, the fabric of the cloak rippled, while instantly, double, shiny boots appeared at his feet, made of impeccable black leather.

He walked towards the door and opened it, revealing the dark corridor of the catacombs. He took a step forward and instantly stopped, feeling his shoe squashing something. He lifted his foot, noticing he had touched something hard. A tray, with a severed and pale arm, and flies buzzing around it. On impulse, Artoris covered his nose with his hand and pushed the tray as far away as possible with his foot.

Artoris scratched his horns, and looked left and right, but had no idea who the servant was who had brought him breakfast. The angels were dead, a race now exterminated, except for Archeas, who had been imprisoned for life, under torture and abuse. A slave should not rebel against the superior race of demons.

From the dense cobwebs covering the ceiling, a figure jumped down so quickly that Arturo jumped backward. The individual stood before him, elegantly placing his heels on the ground. Wings were trying to sprout from his back, but they were entwined by chains reaching his feet. The fair and delicate face resembled that of Archeas, but the voice was completely different, more masculine, and princely.

"Aurelia at your service, Lord Artoris."

"Y-you?!"

"Do you not like breakfast by any chance? I noticed you completely ignored it."

Aurelia's sharp gaze and the sound of his teeth repeatedly clashing together did not show the pride of a servant at all. The conditions were these: a new slave was needed to bring breakfast to the king. The only angel left capable of fulfilling that task was Aurelia.

Artoris rested his palm on the silky smooth hair and patted him, and since he couldn't restrain his desires as a depraved person, he leaned down to see the neckline and saw that there was nothing there, the chest was flat, indeed, it was nonexistent.

But he's a guy!

"Just so you know... one day I'll get revenge for what you did to our queen."

"Yeah, yeah, sure."

Artoris stepped past him and continued down the narrow corridor, not bothering with a response.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?"

He was shocked by Aurelia's lack of chest; he had mistaken him for a woman through and through, even during their fight in the depths of the catacombs. He must have gotten worked up several times seeing those legs flailing as Aurelia tried to launch an attack.

Angels aren't defined by a specific gender; it's often hard to pin down their sexual identity. There can be male angels with feminine traits, and female angels with masculine features.

As Arturo solemnly made his way down the corridor, the royal guards, stationed on opposite sides, bowed respectfully. Arturo had become an imposing authority figure, making the guards break out in a cold sweat with just one look. This tension added an extra weight to his already burdened shoulders: managing the castle and the kingdom. Despite enjoying power and fame, the burden of his dutiful life was exhausting, even frustrating, as he strived to balance respect and the weight of expectations on him. It was bizarre to think that even a revolting monster like Purply respected him like a puppy; this alone made him think that being reincarnated as a demon had more perks than a hero.

Artoris climbed the stairs that led to the throne room, where he sat down and finally had a moment of peace.

What bothered him the most was the food; he wasn't used to eating human flesh and didn't plan to start. So, since there were no leftovers of the food he liked, he preferred to fast.

Leaning back on the throne, Artoris let his thoughts wander to everything concerning him. Something was missing in this relaxation, his headphones, music, and computer. On one hand, he wanted to return to his monotonous life, but on the other, he realized that in this world, he held a significant position, unlike the school loser Arturo, who was mocked and called a bowling ball every time.

He craved a breath of fresh air, not the stale air of Abylissilum, but the pure one from the surface, the one he considered real, infused with the spring scent of flowers. He opened the screen, ready to teleport to the surface world. He was about to click the button: AWAY.

But he shivered the moment he felt a breath on his back.

"Master Artoris, good morning."

There was no need to turn around; he knew it was Purply right away.

"G...good morning, Purply."

He heard Purply detach from the web and roll across the floor.

"Listen, Purply, I need to leave the castle, just for a bit."

"Master, are you planning to leave already?"

"No! I just want to take a walk."

"Master Artoris, I shall accompany you."

"No, I'd like to go alone, if you don't mind."

"But master, we would feel responsible if anything were to happen to you."

"Purply, I know you're my most loyal servant, but I need to catch some air on my own, okay?"

"Master Artoris, I cannot, I must follow you. What if something happens?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"What could possibly happen? Purply, I want to be alone, just for five minutes."

"Master Artoris, and where would you like to go?"

"To the surface."

Purply recoiled, retreating on its legs.

"Are you mad?! The surface world is full of humans! Can't you take your walk in our royal gardens?"

Artoris managed to catch a glimpse of the sterile, destroyed lawn through the windows. That sight didn't help him find peace with his thoughts at all; he needed the aroma of flowers he'd breathed in the forest. He was well aware of the danger, a demon roaming the surface, especially the king, would cause chaos and pursuit. But it was the only place where he could truly be in touch with nature.

"Alright... you win, Purply."

With a long face, Artoris headed for the castle exit, Purply lurking behind, as loyal as ever. Artoris abruptly stopped, and Purply mimicked the action. Artoris resumed walking, and so did Purply. Artoris quickened his pace, and Purply's legs hurriedly followed suit.

Reaching the castle exit and stepping onto the decayed grass of the royal gardens, Artoris spun around and, with an exclamation, raised his arm and pointed upwards.

"Look out, behind you?!"

Purply instantly turned around.

"Eh? What?! Master Artoris, what is it?"

Arturo vanished, moving so swiftly he was already at the exit gate. He knelt, catching his breath, having shaken off Purply, ready to reopen the interface and initiate the teleport. But in a flash, Purply was at his side again.

"Master, there was no one behind me."

Artoris pressed his hand to his forehead in despair, then extended his arm, pointing to the horizon.

"Look!" He shouted, eyes wide. "Over there, it's terrible, there are humans, and lots of them!"

Purply dashed off, its long legs leaping to the end of the world. Returning with a winded expression, Purply said,

"Master...huff...huff... there were no humans, they eluded me, damn it!"

Purply spun around, not seeing any sign of the master; he had disappeared as if by magic. Artoris slinked away in shadow mode from the gate. Once he was far enough, he reemerged in demon form.

"Phew... fell for it!"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he had managed to ditch Purply, albeit with effort. He reopened the interface, focusing on clicking "AWAY." But he was interrupted, as Purply descended from above.

"Master Artoris, there were no humans!"

Artoris coughed twice and furrowed his brows, altering his voice's tone. His eyes blazed with a fiery flame as he fixed them on Purply. Not sure exactly where to look, given Purply had eight eyes, he settled on the pointed ears.

"Purply, listen, I have a task of utmost secrecy to perform, I won't allow anyone to follow me."

Silence. After what seemed an eternity to Artoris, Purply replied:

"As you wish, goodbye, Master Artoris."

Purply flapped its wings and ascended, vanishing into the air. Artoris let out a sigh of relief. Was it that simple? Just make it clear who was in charge. He wanted to explore the surface world alone, naturally without being detected. In any case, if something went wrong, he could always teleport back to the demon realm.

Teleportation worked through various mechanisms, there were rules to be followed, and one of them was location.

Outside the realm, if teleportation occurred outside the realm, Artoris would appear in the forest. This was not really teleportation; it was the catapult effect.

The world of the depths and the world of the surface were linked together; to move from one place to another, one needed the technique of the 'catapult effect, which allowed the subject to be repelled directly into the intricate portals of the world below or above.

He had already moved away from the kingdom, continuing along a barren path that seemed to vanish into utter nothingness. Despite the desolation, he found himself in a familiar spot: the same from which he had been catapulted into the forest for the hunt. It was a safe starting point for the journey, free from the fear of unexpected setbacks.

The text AWAY was glowing. Artoris focused intently on clicking it.

Except the interface shut down automatically. Something was off, haunted by the thought that someone might follow him.

He looked around but saw no sign of any subjects. Purply had stayed at the castle, the servants were busy with other tasks, and the populace was going about their duties. The problem was the sky because up above, he saw air demons fluttering about, monitoring the kingdom day and night, never closing their eyes, and they wouldn't shut them that day either.

Despite the precarious situation, Artoris ventured further, entering a territory unknown to him and the others, as it was not part of the kingdom's extension. He was in a desolate land, where the wind blew so hard it seemed capable of breaking stones. At that moment, he understood why the king had not extended his dominion over that vast area.

He kept his feet firmly on the ground to not be carried away by an impending storm.

He focused and reopened the interface; this was the moment, he clicked on AWAY, and nothing could stop him now. A smile lit up Artoris's face; he could finally enjoy a day entirely in peace.

"YOUR MAJESTY?!"

Artoris looked up at the echo.

"Your Majesty, it's dangerous! Don't be reckless!"

He saw an air demon plummeting towards him.

"He followed me!"

Artoris stomped the ground with his feet, frantically clicking the "AWAY" button over and over. Again and again, he clicked until the demon approached with the speed of a missile.

"Don't do it! Not in this place, not here!"

A gust of wind swept over Artoris, lifting him into the air.

With a sigh of relief, Artoris felt the spell kick in.

Like the rushing current of a river dragging everything in its path, he was sucked into a wind vortex, catapulted into that infinite abyss where he couldn't even see the bottom, just absolute darkness.

When he was enveloped by a blinding light, he covered his eyes with his arm, and as soon as that massive glow engulfed his entire body, everything became foggy.

He lowered his arm and took in the towering trees surrounding the area. The grass was green, not dry or barren, and the flowers had just bloomed, not wilted. The birds chirped and fluttered under the blue sky, a sight his eyes hadn't been accustomed to seeing for what felt like ages.

This world was much cleaner, the food was good, the sky was blue, and there were no cobwebs scattered around the house. He couldn't bear the thought of no longer being part of it.

He hadn't been teleported to the forest; this place was different. Bees buzzed around flowers, birds clutched the branches with their tiny feet, side by side, chirping in perfect harmony. The grass was well-maintained and cut just right, and the bushes that stretched around made it clear that human labor had made this garden so beautiful to explore.

Further on, he saw a stretch of grass, cut so high it seemed like a maze, and after his experience in the catacombs, he was tired of intricate places. However, he decided to continue to admire the majesty of its structure.

It was so tall that it blocked out the sunlight, with only a few rays filtering through the dense foliage along the path. He turned, following the maze's curve, and continued along a straight path.

Arturo moved through the passage until he reached a turn. Cautiously, he rounded the corner, curious about what awaited him. At the next turn, he abruptly stopped. In front of him was a human, a boy with his pants down, urinating in the garden.

"Don't give me shit for this, I'll piss wherever I want!" he muttered to himself.

Artoris's eyes widened, and his skin turned even paler than it already was. He shook uncontrollably, trying to steady his hand, but he couldn't because the feeling was too overwhelming. Fear took over Artoris's body; he couldn't do anything, couldn't run, scream, or become a shadow because he was so terrified, he had turned into a statue of stone.

The boy pulled up his pants, but as soon as he turned around completely, all doubts disappeared. The rough tone of his voice, his behaviors, and that devilish face with tousled hair confirmed his identity.

When Arturo and Geronimo came face to face, it was as if time had stopped. They stared at each other without blinking: Arturo with his mouth agape, and Geronimo with a furrowed brow, barely holding back a shout.

The two exchanged looks while everything around them moved in a frenzy. At that moment, it seemed as though they were the only ones frozen in time, their gazes inextricably linked to each other, stretched to infinity.