Chapter Text
That was during the wintertime after Sullivan had returned from the tower —
“Opera, tell them to stop the carriage,”
The servant took a moment to process the order before promptly doing so.
It wasn’t unusual for demons to ride carriages during winter. In the netherworld, there would be instances where snow would be so harsh that it was impossible to fly. It was for convenience sake of course, but it was also due to the fact that demons hated the cold. Ice froze their wings making it difficult to fly and the sensation of snow against their back wasn’t really preferable.
The servant followed as his master got off the carriage, shoes crunching against the snow, Sullivan’s cane clicking along. Opera’s curious as to why they’ve strayed off the path and are walking towards the forest but over the years he’s worked for the demon, he’d learn not to question him. Sullivan’s the strongest he knew, a candidate for the next Demon King.
There were certain things only the highest of ranks could sense.
Opera’s ears twitched, eyes slightly widening when he started to notice —
A human.
“Sullivan-sama,” Opera called out, terrified as they walked into the unknown.
He knew better than to fear since he was with his master but then again this was a human. He wasn’t scared of getting eaten, mythical creatures were known to be weak but it still doesn’t change the fact that mythical creatures were mythical creatures. He’s never met a human before but he knew; he knew that they were headed towards one.
Myths say that humans taste as sweet as they smell. That their blood could heal the deadliest of injuries and illnesses and that although as fragile as they were, their tenderness could tame the deadliest of monsters and demons alike. Humans were a delicacy but that was a tradition lost hundreds and hundreds of years ago after they’ve gone extinct.
Opera’s current conclusion was based on his textbook knowledge about the creature — there was a sweet scent that lingered in the air, enough to make his mouth water due to his enhanced senses as a cat demon. There was a presence in a faraway distance, something he couldn’t make out due to the lack of mana which only proved it more.
Then came the sound—
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
A child.
Opera’s legs sped up along with Sullivan’s and the servant found himself running deeper and deeper towards the woods, his master not bothering to stop him with how far ahead he’d gone.
No way. No way. No way.
In the middle of one of the harshest winter in the Netherworld—
Opera huffed, coming to a halt in the middle of the forest where there was a small clearing, snow falling from the sky. His figure towered over the basket that contained the small human, its ears short and cropped, eyes brimming with tears, cheeks flushed and hands tucked against its body as it wailed from the cold. A moment later, Sullivan appeared behind the servant.
—they found a human child.
The trip back to the mansion was silent and Opera who was sitting across Sullivan had an odd expression on his face.
Demon folk was quite affectionate creatures when it came it their young. Even the three great heroes, the worst of all demons, were known for being caring to their subordinates and kin. Demons weren’t the type to abandon family and although there were orphanages, those children were usually from parents who passed away.
Perhaps that was the reason why Opera couldn’t understand this situation. The servant’s heart clenched as he watched small hands peek out of the poorly woven basket, Sullivan’s jacket placed over the child to hopefully provide him with more warmth.
Mythical creatures were fragile creatures.
The child whined when Sullivan poked his cheek, sleep disturbed by the demon.
Opera doesn’t understand.
This is Sullivan:
One of the Three Heroes, one-third of the most powerful and influential demons in society.
His every order is followed. Every command obeyed unquestionably. Every plan executed flawlessly.
It is common knowledge that when the previous Demon King, Derkila disappeared, he was the one affected the most due to his devotion, a subordinate who held a very close relationship with the other. Derkila was a monster. That is a fact. His servants respect him in varying degrees, but they all share incredible strength, Sullivan most of all.
His rank Teth is simply not for show and he prided himself as one of the most knowledgeable.
(But that was only until he met his grandson, a human, the one he’s been waiting for quite a while now.
Because demon or not, strong or weak, it was no secret that the man yearned to have a family.)
“Hmm… What should we name him, Opera?”
“Principal, you’re going to keep him?”
The servant watched as his master sat by the fireplace of his room, the child gently cradled in his arms. It’s good that the boy’s not fussy. Not even a peep when they took him out of the basket and carefully checked for horns or wings, not even a tail. Usually, demons had at least one of those qualities the moment they were born. This one had none.
That just another proof that he's human, isn't it?
“Well, we can’t give him away, can we? They’ll eat him up,”
“Principal...”
It wasn’t like he could simply go against the desires of his master. This particular desire, however, was quite hasty and risky. This wasn’t a hellhound that they just picked up on the side of the street. It was human. Opera kept emphasizing human over and over again because, in their world, that certain species did not exist. At least they thought did not exist but apparently they do since they just discovered their young.
“What if its parents come back to look for it…”
“I don’t think any parent would leave a newborn by themselves,” Sullivan stared at the small bundle in his arms, eyes unexpectedly warm. “And I didn’t sense another presence aside from his when we arrived. It’s more likely that he was abandoned,” the servant pressed his lips into a thin line, hands tightly clenched.
Abandoned.
This child…
“Tell me, Opera,” the demon continued as if to prove a point. “Do you think a human could survive by themselves?”
The servant remained silent for a moment before bowing, “I’ll go see if there are any things available for children in town, Sullivan-sama.”
And with that he softly shut the door close, both demons silently agreeing that the boy’s needs are more important than dinner today. It wasn’t like they could just leave him in this state, wrapped up in damp baby clothes from snow and a bundle of thin blue cloth.
It’s a cold night tonight.
Sullivan protectively tightened his hold around the child.
“Iruma, your name is Iruma,”
Which meant river in the Netherworld and oddly enough, similar to how the character human is written on Earth.
(In the years to come, in the far far future ahead, Iruma’s rise is marked by his encompassing kindness which most demons struggle with. Out of all the candidates for the Demon King, counting those from the beginning of time, it’s Iruma who gains a reputation for being the most compassionate, loving and tender-hearted of all.
In the future, he makes his grandfather Sullivan proud. There’s a reason for that.)
After Opera returned from a short trip to town, the servant clothed and bathed the child after previously cutting his nails. They found out that humans were soft, very, very, soft. Opera liked soft things but this kind of soft was scary because one wrong swipe and he might injure the child. He emerged from the bathroom returning with Iruma dressed in a blue cat onesie and shocking, not shockingly, Sullivan immediately took out his camera to take pictures.
“I-Iruma-kun, look this way!” Opera wondered what it would be like if the other high-ranked demons saw one of the three heroes crouching on the floor to take photos of a human child on the bed. For now, it seems like the child couldn’t do anything other than extend his arms and legs. He was still a baby who couldn’t sit up properly or lift his head.
“Ba?”
Sullivan faked a heart attack and the servant could see his future, a doting grandfather who spoiled his grandchild to pieces. In no way was the demon short on money, he actually had a ton because unlike other demons, he had no children to spend it on.
“Is it even possible to adopt a human child, Principal?”
“Hmm… Do you even know who you’re talking to, Opera?” Sullivan waved a finger, knowing full well that something like this would be a piece of cake. Well, there would most likely be questions sent his way but that’s something not related to the adoption process itself. “An adoption paper is just a piece of paper,” and with his power, that’s easy to do. No need for a higher-up when you’re a higher-up.
“But what if they find out that Iruma-sama’s a human?” Won’t that affect your reputation? Won’t you be arrested and sent to jail? Can they even send you to jail?
Sullivan blinked before giving his usual smile, “Who said that others needed to find out?”
Oh. Ohhh.
That was during the wintertime after Sullivan had returned from the tower.
“You can’t be serious, Principal…”
In the middle of one of the harshest winter in the Netherworld —
“But I am though,”
— they found a human child.