Diabel

Thirteen years.

That was how long she had spent searching for revenge.

Thirteen years since her family was destroyed.

Thirteen years since she had lost everything.

And now, it was finally over.

You stood at the end of your miserable journey, exhausted and surrounded by the consequences of everything you had done to reach this point.

There was no family waiting for you.

No home to return to.

No future left to look forward to.

Only the cold certainty that your story was about to end.

Then—

Clap.

A slow sound echoed through the darkness.

You raised your head.

Someone was standing before you.

A man with dark hair and striking eyes looked at you with an amused smile.

There was something strange about him.

Something inhuman.

"You really are persistent."

His voice was almost teasing.

You narrowed your eyes.

"Who are you?"

The man smiled.

"Diabel."

He said his name as though you should already know it.

You stared at him suspiciously.

Diabel stepped closer, studying you as if you were an interesting little creature he had discovered.

"Thirteen years of revenge..." he murmured. "And this is where you ended up?"

You clenched your hands.

You didn't want his pity.

You didn't want anyone's sympathy.

You had already accepted your fate.

Or at least, you thought you had.

Diabel suddenly extended his hand toward you.

"Would you like another chance?"

You froze.

"What?"

"A second life."

His smile grew.

"A chance to go back before everything was destroyed."

Your heart seemed to stop.

Go back?

Before your family died?

Before you lost everything?

Before you spent thirteen years consumed by revenge?

Diabel's eyes gleamed.

"You could change everything."

You stared at his outstretched hand.

There had to be a catch.

He was a devil, after all.

"What do you want in return?"

Diabel chuckled.

"You're quite cautious."

He leaned slightly closer.

"But don't worry."

His smile became almost mischievous.

"You'll have plenty of time to find out."

You hesitated.

For thirteen years, you had wished for the chance to change the past.

Now that chance was standing directly in front of you.

You slowly reached toward his hand.

The moment your fingers touched his—

Everything disappeared.

The darkness.

The pain.

The memories.

And even Diabel's smiling face.

Then—

You opened your eyes.

You were young again.

Your hands were smaller.

Your surroundings were familiar.

A world you thought you would never see again stood before you.

Your family was alive.

Your home was still standing.

And somewhere in this new beginning, the devil who had given you another chance was watching.

Diabel had kept his promise.

You had been given a second life.

Now, she only had one question.

Could she change the fate that had once destroyed everything?

The room was filled with tension.

You were being held captive by Ezrez Russell, your hands and legs bound tightly. Nearby, Diabel had already fought through most of the knights who had tried to stop him.

But his rescue came to a sudden halt.

A massive bear trap had caught his leg.

"Diabel!"

You struggled against the ropes, desperately trying to free yourself.

Ezrez watched the scene with a cold expression.

"You should stop resisting, Lady Ayana."

But you refused.

After several attempts, you finally managed to break free from the ropes around your hands and legs.

Your eyes immediately searched the room.

Then you noticed a sword resting against a nearby knight statue.

You grabbed it.

Ezrez's expression changed.

You placed the sword against his throat.

"Let Diabel go."

Ezrez stared at you in disbelief.

"Or?"

You tightened your grip.

"We'll be your hostages. Let him leave, and I'll surrender myself to you."

Ezrez's face hardened.

"You would really go this far for a demon?"

You didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Ezrez looked furious.

"Seize her."

The knights immediately moved toward you.

"Don't hurt her," Ezrez ordered. "Keep her away from harm."

You struggled against them, desperately looking toward Diabel.

Then you saw Ezrez approach him.

"Stop!"

Diabel looked up.

Before you could do anything, Ezrez drove his sword into Diabel's chest.

Your eyes widened.

"Diabel!"

Everything became silent.

Diabel's body remained still.

But then—

Something changed.

Diabel was a demon.

And there was one power he had sworn never to use.

The power of the devil.

Using that power to directly protect his contractor was forbidden.

Yet Diabel had already broken the rule.

Dark energy suddenly erupted from his body.

The air seemed to tremble.

His eyes slowly opened.

They were no longer their usual color.

They burned crimson.

The knights froze.

Diabel slowly pulled himself free.

The restraints that had held him were destroyed by the overwhelming force surrounding him.

His expression was completely different now.

The playful smile was gone.

The darkness around him grew stronger.

You stared at him in shock.

"Diabel..."

He looked toward you.

For a brief moment, his red eyes softened.

Then he turned toward the knights.

"You touched my contractor."

His voice was quiet.

Far too quiet.

The darkness erupted.

Within moments, the knights were overwhelmed.

Ezrez's expression finally changed.

For the first time, he seemed to understand exactly what he had awakened.

Diabel stood among the fallen weapons, surrounded by dark energy.

He had broken the rules of his own kind.

He had used forbidden power.

And he had done it all for you.

The darkness surrounding Diabel continued to grow.

The forbidden power coursed through him, overwhelming his senses.

At first, Diabel seemed to revel in it.

The sheer strength was intoxicating.

But then—

Something inside him snapped.

His body changed.

Dark energy swallowed his figure, and when it finally settled, a massive wolf-like demon stood in his place.

You froze.

"Diabel...?"

The beast turned toward you.

There was no recognition in his eyes.

He didn't see his contractor.

He didn't see the woman he had sworn to protect.

He only saw a target.

The beast lunged.

"Lady Ayana!"

Ezrez grabbed you just in time.

He pulled you away from the creature and carried you through the hallway as Diabel's roar echoed behind you.

"Let me go!"

"You don't understand!" Ezrez said.

He continued running until he reached a back entrance.

Beyond it was a steep staircase leading outside.

There were no railings.

Ezrez carefully carried you down before finally setting you on your feet.

He looked back toward the building.

"Diabel isn't the same anymore."

He reached his hand toward you.

"Come with me."

You stared at his hand.

Then you shook your head.

"No."

Ezrez's expression tightened.

"You can't stay here."

"I won't leave him."

Before Ezrez could respond—

The stone beneath your feet cracked.

Your eyes widened.

The stairs crumbled.

"AYANA!"

You fell.

The ground rushed toward you.

But before you could hit it—

Something caught you.

You opened your eyes.

The enormous wolf demon stood beneath you, holding you safely.

"Diabel..."

His eyes were still wild.

He lowered his head toward you.

You could feel the warmth of his thick fur beneath your hands.

He still didn't recognize you.

Instead, the beast opened its jaws as though it intended to consume you.

You didn't run.

You wrapped your arms around him.

Your tears fell against his fur.

"You can eat me if you want."

The beast paused.

Your voice trembled.

"But in return..."

You held onto him tighter.

"Please..."

Your tears continued to fall.

"Come back to being my Diabel."

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

The beast froze.

His eyes flickered.

The fierce red slowly faded.

Purple returned to his eyes.

"Ah..."

The beast's expression softened.

You knew it.

He had finally heard you.

Diabel lowered himself, allowing you to climb onto his back.

You held onto his fur as he carried you home.

Neither of you spoke.

The journey was silent.

But you knew he had come back.

When you finally arrived, the enormous beast suddenly stopped.

Darkness began dissolving from his body.

His beast form broke apart like black ink spreading through water.

The massive wolf disappeared.

And underneath it—

Diabel.

His normal form returned.

He swayed.

"Diabel!"

Before you could catch him, he collapsed unconscious onto the ground.

You immediately knelt beside him.

For the first time since the nightmare began, everything was quiet.

You gently reached toward him.

He was alive.

He had come back.

And despite everything—

He had still saved you.

Weeks had passed since the incident.

Diabel still hadn't awakened.

You spent every day searching for a way to bring him back, refusing to accept that he might remain unconscious forever.

Then Director Gabriella's book came to mind.

The Forbidden Book on Devils.

You carefully searched through its pages until you found something that caught your attention.

A demon could be awakened by the blood of their contractor.

You immediately went to Diabel's room.

He lay motionless on the bed.

You took a small dagger and carefully made a cut on your palm. Then, you held your hand above his lips, allowing a few drops of blood to reach him.

"Please..."

Your voice trembled.

"Come back to me, Diabel."

Somewhere within Diabel's mind...

He was surrounded by darkness.

Yet one thought remained clear.

I cannot abandon her.

He remembered You ordering him to leave.

How could I possibly obey such an order?

His memories continued.

I have to protect her.

No matter the cost.

I want her.

I cannot let her die.

Even as his consciousness faded, one thought remained stronger than everything else.

Even if I fall, I must be with her.

Then he saw You.

Tears were falling from your eyes.

"Diabel..."

Your voice reached him through the darkness.

"Come back to me."

His eyes opened.

Back in the room...

Your breath caught.

Diabel suddenly moved.

His hand grabbed yours.

"Diabel?!"

He sat upright.

His eyes were glowing red.

For several seconds, he simply stared at you.

Then his expression changed.

Recognition returned.

His lips parted as he whispered your name.

"You..."

His voice was weak.

"The one I love."

You froze.

Diabel licked the remaining blood on your fingers, he pulled you by the waist, and pulled you on his lap. He kissed you on the lips.