Yami climbed the stairs one by one. His steps were steady, moving toward the light and the heartbeat he had heard earlier.
When he reached the final step, he saw the exit. It wasn't a door, but a jagged opening that yawned wide like the mouth of a cave.
There, standing in the sharp light, was a figure.
His face was handsome but cold as ice. His hair was perfectly groomed, contrasting with the two horns protruding from his head. He stood with the dignified poise of a man in his fifties, dressed in a flawless, elegant butler's uniform.
In the memories of Yami's old world, this creature had only one name—A Demon.
The demon turned as he sensed Yami's presence. He stepped forward, offering a clean cloth with a respectful bow.
"You have returned, Young Master Kaine. How was your hunt today?"
The language sounded foreign—its tone and articulation unlike anything human—yet strangely, Yami understood every word.
'Kaine?' Yami took the cloth, tilting his head slightly to observe the figure. "What do you think?"
The demon chuckled softly. "You look quite disheveled, Young Master. But it seems… it is quite satisfied." His eyes flickered toward Yami's shadow, which appeared denser and darker than usual.
Yami gave a thin, cynical smile. He couldn't entirely hide the dark satisfaction spreading across his face. "I want a bath."
"Very well, let us return. Please wait a moment while I prepare the teleportation magic." The demon bowed deeply and took the cloth that had now absorbed the blood from Yami's forehead.
While waiting, Yami observed his surroundings, trying to rationalize the madness. The place resembled a forest, but the trees were unlike any in his memory. The air felt far cleaner than his world, yet the temperature was bitingly cold, biting at his bones.
The demon began to chant in an ancient tongue. A dark purple light erupted around them.
When the light faded, there was no painful sensation of travel. Instead, an indescribable sensation washed over him—something his mind couldn't name, yet his body recognized and welcomed with familiar ease. They were simply in a different place.
Classic walls of blended stone and wood surrounded them. The scent of lavender hung heavy in the air. Yami's new senses recognized it instantly—this was his scent.
As they walked down the long corridor toward the bath, the walls were adorned with many luxurious paintings. However, Yami's pace slowed as he passed a massive family portrait.
In the painting stood a husband, a wife, and a small child.
The father looked incredibly dignified with silver hair. He possessed the same red eyes and the exact horn shape as the child beside him. The mother was breathtakingly beautiful with pitch-black hair. And the child between them had black hair like his mother, but had inherited his father's eyes and horns.
Yami stared at the child. In his mind, a realization surfaced unbidden: That child was Kaine Alistair. The young master of this house.
As they continued walking, Yami sharpened his hearing, trying to figure out who the butler in front of him was.
From behind the thick stone walls, he heard the whispers of other servants busy at work. "Hurry! Prepare the bath for Young Master Kaine!" "Is Sebastian already with him?"
Sebastian. That was his name.
"This way, Young Master Kaine. Your bath is ready," Sebastian said as they arrived before a large wooden door.
Yami entered the vast room. Natural stone and dark wood blended perfectly, with warm steam filling the air. The scent of lavender was much stronger here.
"Leave me," Yami commanded Sebastian and the other servants waiting to assist him.
Sebastian hesitated for a moment. He looked at his master's back with an unreadable expression.
Usually, Kaine Alistair was warm yet arrogant; he demanded attention, loved to command with many words, and always looked Sebastian in the eye. But the figure before him now… was cold, silent, and seemed to possess an impenetrable distance.
What happened in that Dungeon? Sebastian wondered.
However, in the world of demons, strength was all that mattered. As long as the young master returned with power that felt even greater than before, a change in behavior was no great concern. Sebastian bowed respectfully and led the other servants out.
Once the door closed, Yami stripped away his clothes. He stood before a large, steaming mirror. He touched the cold glass, staring at the stranger reflected there.
Skin as white as porcelain. Lean, powerful muscle. Long, dark hair contrasting against his pale skin. And eyes… red like a sea of blood.
His gaze dropped to his chest. There, the Black Lotus had bloomed significantly wider. Its petals crept upward, passing his collarbone. One specific petal stretched like the tip of a dagger, reaching the base of his neck.
"Kaine… Alistair," Yami whispered, as if tasting his new name.
Suddenly— His vision went dark.
A memory that wasn't his exploded inside his head.
He saw himself—a much smaller version—locked inside a pitch-black room. He heard his own voice, a child's sob, begging to be let out.
"Let me out! Father! Mother! It's dark… it's too dark in here!"
But from behind the locked door, a heavy, cold voice answered without mercy: "Be quiet, Kaine. You must learn to control it. You are an Alistair. If you cannot master the darkness, then the darkness will be the one to devour you."
The fear in that memory felt so real. Yami could feel his heart racing, the tightness in his chest, and the icy sensation gripping his soul.
Yami snapped back to reality, gasping for air. He was still standing before the mirror, but his hands were trembling.
"Kaine Alistair…" he whispered again.
This time, the name didn't feel foreign. It brought a very real sense of dread. He had just realized something terrifying:
In this world, he was no longer human. He was a demon. He was Kaine Alistair. And he had just inherited a darkness much deeper than he had ever imagined.
Yami stepped into the bath, letting the warm water swallow his body, while the fear remained settled in his heart.