The faint light of the spirits revealed a secret long hidden in the dark.
On the canvas, two figures could be seen: a slender man dressed in a light brown formal suit. His timid gaze and shaky smile were so vivid that the painting almost seemed to capture his spirit.
His silver hair was a mess, and his green eyes gleamed brightly. He looked careless, but cheerful.
Lloyd swallowed hard. That man had to be his father—who else could it be?
But that was impossible. His father was the mad necromancer, Balthazar Kaitos, and this young man didn't look intimidating at all.
Still, the Kaitos family was known for their white hair and green eyes, and there was no reason this man would belong to another lineage.
Then Lloyd's eyes drifted to the other figure in the painting—a tall woman, holding the man gently by the arm.
Lloyd was struck by her beauty. Her skin was pale, yet not lifeless—it had a faint golden glow, almost ethereal.
Her hands were covered by long, elegant black lace gloves that matched her dress.
Her hair was long, straight, and impossibly dark—a deep obsidian that looked like a starless night.
Her features were as delicate as her expression—a soft smile, and a gaze full of mystery.
Her irises were black, but her pupils shone with a golden hue.
Even as a painting, Lloyd could tell—she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Not even the models of his old world, with all their filters and makeup, could compare to even a fraction of her beauty.
"Are those my parents?" Lloyd asked. He already knew the answer, but he wanted Sebastian to start talking.
"Yes, young master," the butler replied, eyes fixed on the portrait, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "I suppose it's time I tell you their story."
Lloyd nodded and sat on the floor, expectant.
"Very well," Sebastian began. "Your mother, Barbara, was an illegitimate daughter of Nikolai Morpheus—the Demon King of the Fifth Circle."
Lloyd nodded again. In the novel, at least as far as he had read, there hadn't been mention of any specific Demon Kings, though their existence had been referenced in general.
The Demon Continent had been rebuilt under the rule of nine Demon Kings, each governing a major territory.
They were beings who had overcome the madness of profane power; some had even restored sanity to others who had fallen.
Over time, new monarchs had arisen, seeking power and control, and the Demon Continent became a constant battlefield—a land where Demon Kings were ranked by their influence and strength.
Setting that aside, it didn't surprise Lloyd that Sebastian shared his mother's surname. Unlike humans, only noble demons bore family names, and they could grant them to their most loyal vassals.
That alone said a lot about how remarkable Sebastian truly was.
"She had to endure endless scorn for being a half-blood," Sebastian went on. Lloyd noticed that his mother had neither horns nor wings in the painting; though such features could be concealed, perhaps she had never been born with them. "Unable to bear it any longer, she traveled to the Central Continent—a terrible mistake. Avalon treated her horribly. Those bastards…" Sebastian clenched his fists, fury flashing in his eyes. "They kidnapped her and sold her as a slave! And then they have the nerve to call us demons."
Lloyd shared his anger—the people of Avalon had always struck him as hypocrites.
"Fortunately, she was sold to House Kaitos," Sebastian continued. "At first, she was to be used as a mere sacrifice—turned into an undead. But your father saved her, defying even his own family."
Sebastian's face lit up with pride as he spoke of his master, and Lloyd couldn't help but feel the same.
"In time, they grew close—and fell in love," the butler said softly. "But then, word of it reached the Demon King's ears. He sent me to 'resolve' the matter. I came to this continent ready to face all of Avalon if I had to."
Lloyd tensed at those words. Even if victory was impossible, the conviction in Sebastian's tone spoke volumes about his strength—he must have caused significant destruction.
"But instead," Sebastian said with a faint smile, "I found Barbara alive and well. That was enough for me. What came next, you can probably guess—House Kaitos exiled Balthazar, sending him here with the mission to conquer Cocytus. Yet even in exile, their love only grew stronger. I chose to stay by Barbara's side, moved by their devotion."
He paused, biting his lip. What came next was far too cruel to tell a child.
A groan of pain broke the silence—Lucia had woken up.
* * *
Lloyd was restless. First the revelation about his family—then Lucia's threats.
She was still writhing on the floor, cursing at both of them.
She was the one who had revealed the harsh truth: his father hadn't ignored him for eight years—he'd been dead all along.
Officially, Balthazar had "disappeared" into the Abyss of Cocytus—but after eight years, there was only one logical conclusion.
Lucia had been sent to the mansion undercover. Her mission was to keep watch over Balthazar's heir—because if Lloyd died, control of the territory would pass to her employer: Bernard Sargas.
Lucia hadn't said that as a confession, but as mockery.
She knew the truth was easy enough to deduce—and she enjoyed taunting them, knowing full well that more assassins would follow: stronger, deadlier ones.
Sebastian was powerful—he might be able to hold out for a few years under constant threat.
But eventually, he would lower his guard—and when that happened, Lloyd would be finished.
That was how dangerous the assassin guild was.
Of course, Sebastian could easily kill Bernard if he wished—but that wouldn't change a thing. Bernard wasn't the only one who wanted Lloyd dead. It was the entire underworld.
If Sebastian acted, he'd only put Lloyd in greater danger—both by leaving him defenseless and by risking legal repercussions for his servant's actions.
Lloyd was cornered. Up until now, his illness had been his shield; the idea that he might die of natural causes made the job easier for his enemies.
But Lloyd had survived—he had resisted the illness far too long. They were growing impatient. That's why they had sent Lucia—to "speed up" the process if he took too long to die.
Yet Lloyd had survived. He'd defeated Lucia.
And that made him a serious problem.
It was a difficult situation—even Sebastian looked troubled.
The most reasonable plan was to run, take what they could, and return to Avalon.
But Lloyd knew they couldn't. Without his father, the law required him to remain in Cocytus until he conquered the Abyss.
If they fled, they'd be fugitives.
Sebastian wouldn't have minded fleeing east—even back to the Demon Continent if necessary.
But Lloyd hated the idea. It would trap him, limit him too much.
And that's when he got the brilliant idea... to fake his own death