The Crown Prince In Hiding

For over twenty years, no one on the demon island had ever witnessed anything like this.

It didn’t take long before Casca Saint-Maximin became the first human in history to stand before the Demon King’s throne—surrounded by the entire royal bloodline and their highest-ranking generals.

Naturally, the only one allowed to stand beside her and keep her under control—the only one capable of doing so—was Fury.

“You’ve come here... to ask for permission to stay in our country for two months?”

“That’s correct, Your Majesty.”

“What is the reason?”

Casca looked left and right.

Encircled by demons—massive, towering beings—any normal human would’ve wet themselves or fainted from panic.

“Your Majesty, I understand that this is a sudden and outrageous request, and I deeply apologize for my brash actions… but I would prefer to explain the reason to you privately.”

At once, a wave of murmurs burst through the hall.

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The cries rang out from all directions, but Fury, who stood guarding her, remained perfectly composed.

“Why privately?”

“...Because it’s complicated, Your Majesty.”

>

Then—Freya’s voice rang out from the royal guard ranks:

“She’s planning to assassinate His Majesty!!!”

>

>

But Casca paid no mind to their screams.

“I wish to disclose everything to you directly… including the full royal family… and Her Majesty, the Queen…”

Her golden eyes didn’t blink, didn’t flinch. There were no lies in them.

“I will reveal everything. All I ask is that I may do so in private.”

Maybe the King was in a good mood that day.

Or perhaps he simply felt secure knowing Fury was closely watching her.

So the briefing was allowed—privately, as she requested.

Inside a sealed chamber, only the King, Queen, Fury, Everton, Fiorentina, and the senior royal guards were present to hear Casca Saint-Maximin’s reason for coming.

“You had a falling out with your country?”

“Yes, Your Majesty…”

Casca knelt low, one knee raised.

“The heart of the matter doesn’t concern Diablo—there’s no political gain or loss for your nation. It’s a matter internal to the human world. However, the consequences have left me in need of seclusion for a long while. With my status, it’s impossible to hide anywhere on the continent without being recognized. This place... is my last resort. I came here to retreat from the chaos, to reflect… and to seek answers through a conversation with God.”

“Conversation with God? In a land your people say has been cursed by Him? No fucking way that’s your come up... Pardon my language Your majesty.”

Fury rolled his eyes toward the back door—Freya, as always, spouted her protests without a care.

“The scriptures never state clearly that this land was cursed.”

Casca calmly responded.

“In fact… in the original texts, it’s never directly stated that it’s even a landmass.”

Freya: “What are you going with this!”

Casca whipped her head toward the Demon King.

“Your Majesty… I have nothing to offer in return but a plea for goodwill. Please… let me stay anywhere—any corner—of this island for just two months.”

Casca bowed her head in full submission.

Had she not asked for a private meeting, the rest of the demons surely would’ve mocked her—seeing their #1 enemy now groveling at their leader’s feet.

Fury couldn’t explain it… but since the moment they met on the Salawan Field, he had sensed a strange connection with Casca.

He glanced at his siblings—Everton was stroking his chin, clearly scheming. The man was moments away from whispering something treacherous to the king.

So Fury cut in.

“Father. If I may speak.”

Everyone turned to him—including Casca, who lifted her head.

“This human is the one who made a vow to me in Salawan Field. She swore to punish those who murdered our people… gave her word on nothing but trust. Three months later, I received news that thirty-seven knights from the Seagull Unit were hanged and displayed publicly in Luminus. Their families were also executed—for defying a direct royal order… an order not to harm our kind.”

Casca: “!”

“ Two months here are not so long at all, and she’s under my supervision, I see it as a chance to reward that vow. Father… the decision is yours.”

Every time Fury spoke longer than ten seconds, his words carried force.

He normally spoke very little—but when he did, his overwhelming presence silenced all. He had served the king loyally without a single complaint. So when he did offer an opinion… it was usually honored.

Fury didn’t see Casca as someone deserving to be crushed under Everton’s conniving tricks.

Thus, Casca was granted permission to stay on Diablo for two months—under Fury’s complete supervision, for the safety of its people.

Little did anyone know… that this would be the beginning of something no one could have predicted—

A months that would stretch into ten years.

Morning light broke.

6 a.m. sharp. Gentle sunlight. Birds chirping.

Fury awoke in his human form on a beanbag in his home.

And naturally… his entire body was coated in Freya’s slick jellyfish slime. Her transparent mucous had clung to him all night long.

He was glad he’d taken his shirt off beforehand. Still… every inch of his body was numb—he couldn’t feel a thing.

Freya’s poison had seeped into his skin the entire time she’d clung to him.

Her skin was warm… wet, slick, and oddly soft. Fury raised his arm and touched her hardened tentacle-arm.

He shook it.

A soft moan escaped from Freya.

Instead of letting go—she clung to him tighter.

“You clingy little blob… wake up.”

“zZzZZ…”

“I’m not your comfort plushie.”

With a grunt and a flip, Freya curled her limbs in and stuffed her face into his head, still snoozing.

“…She really is slimy.”

How much more intense are smells to a human nose, anyway?

Freya smelled like sea creatures—salty, slimy, fishy. It was hard to describe.

“Hey aunt…”

Fury patted her jellyfish cap.

Her body stirred. You could tell Freya was awake by watching her mouth—the only facial feature she had. If it twitched and her tongue flicked out to lick her lips, she was awake.

“Mornin’, Your Highness”

“Guess that means there were no ghosts last night?”

“Nope~ Had such sweet dreams~”

She snuggled in even closer.

“I’ve been drenched in your slime all night… my limbs are completely numb. If you’re feeling better now, please revert to your human form.”

slurp

“Did you just lick my ear? I can’t feel anything but I think you licked my ear.”

“Yes.”

“Freaky ass demon.”

bonk!

Fury smacked the top of her jelly cap. It made a thump, like hitting a rubber ball.

“So squishy~ Adorable~”

“Let go of me, or I’ll transform and send you flying through the roof.”

“Okay fine”

“Augh!”

Fury collapsed. His legs were too numb to hold him.

“Ugh… dammit… I swear to—”

“Here ya go~ I got you~”

Zeedee (back in human form) helped him up.

“Time for school~ Yay~!”

“I hate you… and I hate myself for going along with this crap.”

“You still let me cuddle with you~ That’s love.”

“…Wanna get your limbs chopped off?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Wanna test me?”

“Just stating facts.”

“I’m only sparing you because I know you’d die of heartbreak.”

“See? You do have my spot left in your heart.”

“I’m done talking.”

Artheris Academy

(student chatter in the background)

“Sigh~ I miss lunch breaks already…”

chomp

“Your Highn—I mean, Dan, smile a little!”

“Yeah just call me prince Fury of Diablo at this point. Told yall a thousand times to stop and no one ever listens…”

“Yeah yeah, whatever~ Just smile!”

“What are you up to, Zeedee?”

“Smileeeee~”

forced grin – acting 100%

Click.

She pulled it out again.

That weird rectangular device with a glass center. She aimed it at him and pressed a button.

“Heehee~”

snatch!

“Wha—Hey! Your Highness!”

“I’m going to figure out what this thing is.”

“No!! Give it back!”

Zeedee leapt at him, but Fury extended his leg and kept her at bay as he examined the device.

“There seems to be a mechanism inside…”

“Don’t press anything! You’ll break it!”

“What does this button do?”

presspresspresspress

“…Nothing’s happening.”

“Give it baaaack!”

Thanks to her longer arms, Zeedee eventually yanked it back and hugged it like her baby.

Fury squinted at her, suspicious.

“Alright. Before I take it again, tell me what it is.”

“It’s not important!”

“Oh really? Looks pretty complex to me.”

“Someone gave it to me!”

“The Fairy Gang?”

“Yup!”

Zeedee nodded.

“What does it do?”

“It’s a surprise~”

“Huh?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Hehehe~”

Her crescent-moon eyes gleamed mischievously. Fury knew that look well.

“Ah… one of those schemes again.”

From what he could tell, it had nothing to do with their main mission. It was probably just another one of Zeedee’s silly side quests.

“I seriously wonder what goes on in that Fairy Gang of yours. What do you people do all day?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know~?”

>

Fury and Zeedee both turned toward the sound.

It was the Fairy Gang—Chris and Tristina—passing by and catching sight of them sitting together.

>

Their teasing hit Zeedee harder than it did Fury.

“Shut it, you idiots!!!”

>

The fairies howled as they walked off—cheering their bestie all the way.

“So this is how everyone sees us now?”

“Is it really that weird? We’re not the only couple around here.”

Plenty of students were already getting flirty. Everyone knew. It was just normal academy life.

“Well, at least in their eyes.”

“…Alright, so be honest. What are we to everyone else?”

“…Uhh…”

Zeedee glanced away.

“Talking stage.”

“Talking stage?”

Fury narrowed his eyes.

“What the hell is a ‘talking stage’?”

“Like… flirting. Dating-ish.”

“Who taught you that? The Fairy Gang?”

“Hehe… maybe…”

“Oh great. So now you’ve absorbed more slang in three months than I have in ten years.”

“Ehe~ It happens ?”

And then—

Fury’s eyes caught something perched on a distant rooftop behind Zeedee.

It was a crow.

“….”

While she kept yapping at him, his gaze locked onto it.

A large, black crow…

And as he squinted for clarity—he realized—

That wasn’t a crow.

It was a purple raven.

The same one he’d seen before.

The familiar that belonged to… THE RAVEN.