CHAPTER 4 —
A year ago…
The memory still tastes like iron and smoke. Even now, whenever I close my eyes, it plays out from the very beginning, like a film that refuses to fade.
That night, I had slipped out of the estate again. Just another late-night hunt for money. I needed cash. Always. Training tools… snacks… stuff I wanted… stuff Aria would yell at me for buying.
So I wandered the backstreets, hoping to find an easy target.
And then—
I saw smoke in the distance.
Screams.
Steel clashing.
And the laughter of men who enjoyed the sound of fear.
A noble's mansion was under attack.
My eyes widened.
"…Jackpot."
I crouched on a rooftop overlooking the burning courtyard. The flames glowed orange, reflecting in my eyes.
"It's the best way to get some moneyyyy… no one will be able to stop me. I'll get everything from there. I'll head down as soon as they start attacking the nobles at the mansion."
That was my only thought. I didn't know who they were. They weren't bandits. They weren't thieves.
But I didn't know about the Null Choir back then.
All I saw… was opportunity.
THE MANSION: BLOOD AND SCREAMS
Inside the manor courtyard, chaos had already started.
The lord of the mansion—mid-thirties, well-built, and though trembling, still holding his sword—stood between a group of robed attackers and his family.
"You won't go anywhere! Attacking nobles is a grave crime! You will be punished seriously!"
The leader of the attackers laughed. A cold, echoing sound.
"Punished? By who?"
His grin widened.
"If we kill you right here, nobody will be able to punish us."
Behind the lord, the mother pushed their daughter behind her trembling form.
The father grit his teeth.
"Run! Get out of here, you two! I'll hold them off!"
"B–but—!"
"No buts. I can't protect you while fighting. Go!"
The attackers' leader chuckled.
"Ahh… I like your spirit. If we didn't need to kill you, I'd have invited you to our organization."
He raised his blade.
"But oh well. You're going to die here."
The father stepped forward.
"Come at me then. Even if I have to give my life, I'll kill you!"
The leader flicked his hand.
"You four. Go after the woman and the child. I'll entertain this man."
The father tried stepping between them, but the leader blocked him with an amused grin.
"Hey, weren't you just shouting that you'd kill me? Why aren't you fighting me?"
Steel clashed. Sparks flew.
The fight began.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER: CORNERED
Deep inside the hallway, the mother fled with the young girl, gasping for breath.
"Mother… should we wait for father?"
The mother bit her lip. Tears ran silently down her cheeks. She couldn't answer. She knew the truth, even if she didn't want to.
They turned a corner—
And froze.
The four attackers stood there, surrounding them.
The daughter's voice trembled.
"…What now…?"
One attacker stepped forward.
"Your husband is gonna die. You should die too, without any buts."
The mother shielded her daughter.
They approached, hunger in their eyes.
One licked his lips.
"Shouldn't we have some fun before killing these two?"
Another nodded eagerly.
"Yeah yeah… these two are really beautiful."
The mother trembled, holding her daughter close
And then
A voice echoed from the darkness of the hallway.
Low. Cold. Disgusted.
"…Disgusting."
The attackers stiffened.
"You're gonna kill them, but still want to satisfy your damn desires? It's a shame on the word death itself."
A figure stepped into the light.
Fully black outfit.
Black boots.
Black gloves.
A hooded cloak that swallowed the hallway's light.
A young boy, only fourteen back then, yet the darkness behind him bent unnaturally, like it was alive.
"I'll show you what DEATH really is."
"W-who are y—"
The attacker's head dropped before he finished the sentence.
The sound echoed. Thud.
The other three jerked in shock.
"W-what the—?!"
I yawned.
"I'm so tired of that question… I'm the Death Bringer. I'm here to kill you all."
They gawked at my hooded figure.
"What bullshit is this?! You think we're children?!"
"What's with your outfit?!"
"That cloak, show us your face!!"
"...Boring."
A shadow rose behind me like a massive beast.
And in one clean, impossible motion…
Three heads fell.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The hallway went silent.
The mother dropped to her knees, trembling violently.
"N-no… please… don't kill us… please… we beg you…"
I scratched the back of my neck.
"Uhh… nah. I'm bored. I'm going the other side now."
The mother burst into tears.
"Thank you! Thank you so much for saving us!"
The daughter stared at me with wide eyes.
Shock.
Fear.
Confusion.
And… relief.
She didn't understand what I was. But she understood I saved them.
That was enough.
REI LOOTS THE MANSION
I wandered the mansion while humming.
"Woow~ They have so much money… I hit the jackpot."
Gold coins. Jewels. A few enchanted ornaments.
And then…
A strange old diary among the attackers' belongings.
"Hmm? What's this?"
Back then, I flipped through it lazily.
Notes. Rituals. Something about "Null Choir."
Something about a "curse."
Something about "reviving a god-defying entity."
I didn't care.
Didn't understand.
Didn't try to.
I just threw it in my loot bag.
That careless moment… ended up being the first step into the abyss I'd eventually walk into.
THE MORNING
"Young Master Rei! Young Master Rei!"
I groaned and opened my eyes.
A maid stood beside my bed, worried.
"Uhh… oh. Good morning…"
"Good morning, young master."
I sat up and stretched.
"I was… dreaming about that incident."
The maid tilted her head.
"What?"
"Hmm.. Nothing"
"I see. Let's head down for breakfast."
After I checked the stuff I took from there, I found a book on the Null Choir. Learned a little bit about them. Honestly I just know the name and that they're trying to revive something… someone… Dunno much else.
BREAKFAST
Our estate's dining hall was warm and peaceful.
Sunlight poured through tall windows.
The table was filled with dishes prepared by our chef.
Aria sat at the table already, eating gracefully.
I sat down and started eating.
Halfway through the meal, I looked at Aria.
"Big sis… you're leaving tomorrow, right?"
She nodded gently.
"Yeah. Are you sad?"
"Naah. I'm excited. No one will be able to beat me to a pulp every day now."
Aria narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"…Rei."
"W-what?"
"In three years, you're coming to the Imperial Knight Academy too. I don't want to see you getting beaten up by everyone there. Don't slack off your practice while I'm gone. I want to see you strong when you join the academy, ok?"
I groaned and waved a hand.
"Yeah yeah, I got it."
"You have to promise me."
"Okay okay, it's a promise."
Aldren smiled.
"With that promise, Rei will train much better now."
Selena giggled.
"And if he doesn't, Aria will beat him."
I slammed my utensils down.
"Mother, father, can't you ever take my side?!"
They all laughed.
But that warm moment… was actually precious.
Even if I acted annoyed.
BACK TO MY ROOM
I flopped onto my bed and stared at the ceiling.
"I guess… I have to be an average boy now."
"I'll be an average knight at the academy. Just need to avoid being extraordinary… I don't wanna stand at the frontlines... "
I relaxed…
Until someone knocked at the window.
Softly.
Politely.
"Lord Death."
I didn't even need to turn.
"Ivy?"
The window opened.
Ivy stepped in quietly, green eyes with jealous glints, long emerald hair, wearing the simple clothes I bought her. She was the embodiment of envy… the curse she bore.
"What's up?"
She approached my bed.
"I need to talk with you about something important."
"Shoot."
"I have been thinking about this since the day you saved me."
She looked serious.
"There must be more people like me… whose curses have awakened."
I shrugged, still lying down.
"Yeah… you ain't wrong there."
"So we should go out and help them."
I blinked.
"…Help? Them?"
I sat halfway up.
"Why? I told you, I'm not some hero. I'm not saving the world."
"I know that, my Lord."
She knelt beside my bed.
"I don't want you to help them because it's right. I want you to help them because they can become ours. Because if we save them, they will follow you. Serve you. And we will grow stronger."
Her eyes gleamed with devotion… and envy.
"I know you only protect those you love… those who mean everything to you. Because you… no… we aren't heroes or villains."
I sighed, then raised my hand and placed it on her head.
She froze.
Face turning red.
"That's what I love about you, Ivy."
"T-thank you… my Lord…"
I stood up.
"Alright then. It's time to expand Death Bringer."
Her expression instantly soured.
"My Lord… please. We HAVE to change that name. It's so lame."
I groaned.
"I told you, we'll change it soon. Till then, can't you just deal with it?"
She crossed her arms.
"As you say… but it's still lame…"
A NEW EVIL BEGINS MOVING
Outside, the wind howled softly.
Clouds drifted.
Somewhere, far away, curses were awakening.
Destinies were shifting.
The abandoned storehouse we first met in… grew silent again in my memory.
That night had repeated itself so many times in my dreams.
That night… the first Sin had joined me.
A new shadow was born.
A new path was carved.
A new piece fell into place.
And the world, quietly
unnoticed by anyone
began to shift.
CHAPTER 4 END