The barrier: a magical wall that separates the world of humans from the world of demons.
This wall extends deep into the earth, and ordinary humans can never cross or break through it.
—----------------------
The light of dawn began to seep into half of the sky, while the other half remained engulfed in darkness.
Adrian watched this division unfold before his eyes — where night and day met at the barrier separating the human world from the demon world.
He rose slowly, his eyes examining the place with curiosity.
He murmured in astonishment:
"So… this is the barrier that separates humans from demons."
He stepped closer to the barrier, peering through it.
"Their world looks similar to ours, doesn't it? I can see trees over there too…"
He frowned slightly and tapped his head lightly.
"Of course they have trees, you idiot."
He turned toward the forest leading back to the empire, but there were dozens of paths branching out.
"And now… how am I supposed to know the way back?"
At that moment, his ears caught the sound of horses' hooves approaching quickly.
"That sound… could it be the imperial army? I have to tell them what happened!"
But before he could take a single step forward, unknown hands grabbed him and pulled him into the shadowy side behind the barrier. His necklace slipped from his neck and fell into a pool of blood.
Moments later, the knights arrived under the command of the general, only to find the area drenched in blood.
The general stepped forward cautiously, his heart growing heavier with each step, silent certainty whispering that he had arrived too late.
Amidst the blood, a faint gleam caught his eye…
He knelt and picked it up — Adrian's necklace, stained with blood.
His expression froze, and his eyes filled with deep sorrow and disappointment.
Meanwhile, Adrian was behind the barrier, gasping as he struggled to escape the grip of the person who had forcefully covered his mouth.
The general left with his army, heading back to the palace, holding in his hand what he believed to be the final proof of a tragedy.
The man finally released Adrian, who fell to the ground, struggling to catch his breath.
"You must be out of your mind to dare speak to those humans."
The voice came cold and mocking from behind him.
Adrian lifted his gaze to see a young man with red eyes and long black hair that reached his waist. From his aura alone, it was obvious he was a powerful demon, and fear crept into Adrian's heart against his will.
The demon smirked, his fangs showing.
"May I know what made a demon like you wander around the human world?"
Adrian froze for a moment, then gathered himself and stood up.
"Who's the demon here? I'm human! You're the one who dragged me into this world."
The demon's expression stiffened in shock.
"Y–You mean you're not a demon? Hah… I just brought a human into our world? I'm done for!"
Adrian's tension eased slightly when he saw how foolishly the demon behaved, and he looked away as he said:
"Well, in that case, I'll be returning to my world now."
But as soon as he turned toward the barrier, the demon blocked his path again.
"Human boy, I haven't given you permission to leave yet."
Adrian clenched his fist, trying to suppress his fear.
"It seems my life is miserable enough already — monsters first, and now a demon. Do I have to kill you just to leave?"
He raised a small dagger he still had since he first awakened, and charged toward the demon with whatever courage he had left.
The demon smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming in the darkness, meeting the attack with excitement.
The fight didn't last more than a minute — the gap in power was enormous.
Adrian, a weak human, versus a demon with an overwhelming aura and innate magic.
Even so, Adrian managed to swing a few blows through the air… before stopping completely in front of the undeniable truth.
Adrian collapsed to the ground after taking a single blow from the demon, coughing blood before falling unconscious.
The demon approached him slowly, his gaze examining Adrian's exhausted body before a wicked smile appeared on his face.
"You seem a little interesting, boy."
He said it in a cold tone, then lifted Adrian effortlessly with one hand and vanished among the shadows of the trees, swallowed by the darkness.
---
Meanwhile, the emperor was pacing back and forth inside his office, consumed by worry as he anxiously awaited the general's return.
A knock echoed through the room, and General Andrew entered with a respectful bow before speaking in a heavy, hesitant voice:
"I regret to inform Your Majesty… that His Highness the prince has indeed died."
The emperor's face froze, staring at him in disbelief.
"What… what are you saying?!"
General Andrew repeated:
"His Highness Prince Adrian is dead."
The emperor spoke through clenched rage:
"That's impossible! If he is dead, then where is his body? Did you return just to tell me this nonsense?!"
The general remained silent for a moment, prompting the emperor to slam his hand on the desk and shout:
"Answer me, General!"
Andrew lowered his head in silence, then spoke in a faint voice:
"Your Majesty… the body is not there because…"
The emperor snapped furiously:
"Speak!"
Andrew replied after a moment of hesitation:
"Because the monsters… seem to have devoured him."
Silence fell — heavy and suffocating.
Andrew continued as he stared at the floor:
"From the scene I witnessed, the place was drenched in blood… it appears they tore him apart while he was still alive."
He stepped closer to the emperor in slow steps, then pulled from his coat pocket a handkerchief carefully wrapped around something.
He unfolded it to reveal a blood-stained necklace.
"This is all that remained of him, Your Majesty… the necklace gifted to him by the late Princess Diana."
The emperor stretched out his trembling hand and took the necklace, staring at it for a long moment before collapsing to his knees.
Andrew shouted in concern:
"Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"
But the emperor didn't respond.
Instead, he began laughing — broken, fragmented laughter, a mixture of agony and madness.
"Ha… haha… hahaha! Don't joke with me. Have I just lost the last hope of the empire?"
He continued, voice trembling with fury and delirium:
"There's only Kieran left, and I cannot give him the throne… his mother will rule in his stead, and if she does, Aetheris will undoubtedly fall!"
He threw the necklace onto the floor, shattering it.
"Everything is over."
---
The next day, the news spread throughout the empire:
"The death of Prince Adrian — cause unknown."
The real cause of death was never revealed, because exposing it would have revealed that Adrian had been kidnapped, not killed as they claimed.
A national mourning was declared, and red rose petals drifted through the sky of the capital in honor of his memory. Meanwhile, the emperor's burdens grew heavier as the empress insisted relentlessly on appointing a new crown prince — pressure that the nobles fully supported.
As for Prince Kieran, he isolated himself in his room and was no longer the same.
He stopped speaking to anyone, as if struck by an illness that could never be cured.
Meanwhile, in the demon realm, Adrian awoke to find himself in an unfamiliar place.
"Where am I?" he murmured softly.
He blinked slowly, trying to process what had happened to him, and he remembered the strange demon he had met — the one who had killed him.
"Ah… right, that bastard."
He turned his head, scanning the room, and grabbed his head as a wave of dizziness struck him.
"Damn… it seems my body really has gotten weaker. I haven't eaten anything in days — how am I even alive?"
He stood up cautiously and walked toward the door to open it, but the moment he cracked it open, he immediately slammed it shut again.
He stepped back several times until he reached the bed, then sat down, a faint smile rising on his fear-stricken face:
"Ha… ha… I'm done for."