The Devil’s Reign:The first law of void

The girl tightened her grip on Lucifer's coat as the trees below rapidly grew larger.

"Are you insane?!"

Lucifer glanced down.

"That's a surprisingly common question."

"We're going to die!"

"Not today."

At the last possible moment, crimson energy erupted from Lucifer's body.

Raging Tempest.

A violent vortex exploded beneath them, tearing through the air and slowing their descent. The force of the technique scattered leaves and branches across the forest floor before Lucifer landed safely.

The girl, however, didn't seem impressed.

The moment his feet touched the ground—

Bite!

"OW!"

Lucifer immediately grabbed his arm.

The girl had bitten him.

"What was that for?!"

She glared at him.

"If you hadn't interfered, I would've killed that ghost."

Lucifer stared at her for several seconds.

Then he pointed toward the cliff.

"You were hanging from your leg while that thing was about to tear you apart."

The girl remained silent.

"You would've been dead."

"..."

"And you're welcome."

"I didn't say thank you."

Lucifer sighed.

"Apparently manners are another thing that died in this village."

The girl turned around and started walking.

Lucifer followed.

After several minutes, she finally glanced over her shoulder.

"Why are you following me?"

"You didn't apologize."

"For biting you?"

"Yes."

The girl frowned.

"And?"

"You didn't thank me either."

She stopped walking.

Slowly, she turned around.

"Just who the hell are you?"

Lucifer placed one hand against his chest and gave an exaggerated bow.

"Lucifer Morningstar."

"The ruler of Hell."

"The Devil."

The girl's expression changed from irritation to curiosity.

"The Devil?"

"Indeed."

"What is the Devil doing here?"

Lucifer smiled.

"Hell became boring."

"So you came here?"

"Exactly."

"To do what?"

"Have some fun."

The girl stared at him as though she had just discovered that the most dangerous person in the world was also completely ridiculous.

"What do you want from me?"

"An answer."

"To what?"

"Why were you fighting that ghost?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she continued walking.

Lucifer followed.

The forest slowly became thinner until they reached a small clearing.

At the edge stood an old, broken house.

The roof was partially collapsed.

One wall had almost completely fallen apart.

There were no neighboring houses.

No lights.

No voices.

Nothing.

Lucifer looked around.

"You live here?"

The girl opened the door.

"Where else would I live?"

"All by yourself?"

She shrugged.

"Where am I supposed to find a partner?"

Lucifer pointed at himself.

"Why aren't I here?"

The girl stared at him.

"...You're annoying."

"I've heard worse."

She ignored him and entered the house.

And from that moment onward, Lucifer discovered something interesting.

She had apparently decided that if she couldn't get rid of him...

She would simply pretend he didn't exist.

She washed her clothes.

Lucifer followed.

She went hunting.

Lucifer followed.

She prepared dinner.

Lucifer sat nearby.

She carried water.

Lucifer carried the other bucket.

She bathed.

Lucifer waited outside.

At least he had enough manners to do that.

Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore.

"GO AWAY!"

Lucifer looked genuinely confused.

"Why?"

"I'll call the Grim Reapers!"

Lucifer smiled.

"I'm a Grim Reaper."

She froze.

"You?"

"Yep."

"Aren't you ashamed of bullying a girl?"

"I'm the Devil."

Lucifer spread his arms.

"I don't have that kind of shame."

The girl stared at him.

Then she simply walked away.

The small house was illuminated by a single lamp.

The girl lay on her bed while Lucifer sat comfortably on an old wooden chair.

For several minutes, neither spoke.

Then she looked at him.

"If you're really the Devil..."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"Why did you rebel against God?"

Lucifer answered without hesitation.

"Freedom."

The girl frowned.

"Aren't angels free?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because angels don't get tired."

She blinked.

"They don't?"

"No hunger. No sleep. No exhaustion."

Lucifer leaned back.

"Imagine working twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, forever."

The girl shuddered.

"That sounds terrible."

"Exactly."

Lucifer pointed at himself.

"I wanted freedom. So I rebelled."

"But the book said you became jealous of God."

Lucifer stared at her.

"Do I look like someone who would abandon the responsibility of Hell just to rule Heaven?"

"...Maybe?"

"Absolutely not."

He shook his head.

"Ruling Heaven sounds like an even bigger headache."

The girl almost smiled.

"Then why did you create Hell?"

Lucifer became quiet for a moment.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"I was angry."

"At God?"

"My father kicked me out of Heaven."

He shrugged.

"So I thought, 'Fine. I'll make my own home.'"

"And?"

"Eventually I realized running a home was an enormous headache."

The girl stared.

"What did you do?"

"I left."

She looked genuinely confused.

"You abandoned your own Hell?"

"Someone else could handle it."

"Who?"

"My friends."

"Friends?"

"The Seven Princesses of Hell."

Her eyes widened.

"The Seven Deadly Sins?"

Lucifer nodded.

"You know them?"

"Everyone knows the demons of Hell."

"Not exactly demons."

Lucifer raised a finger.

"They were angels."

"Angels?"

"They were cast from Heaven alongside me. They're known as the Fallen."

The girl thought for a moment.

"Then are all the people in Hell Fallen?"

"No."

Lucifer shook his head.

"Only those angels who were cast down with us are called the Fallen."

"Then what about the demons?"

"That's another story."

He smiled.

"The children of Lilith."

The girl's eyes widened.

"Lilith?"

"Adam's first wife."

"Adam had someone before Eve?!"

"Yes."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Because history is usually written by whoever survives it."

The girl sat up.

"So what happened?"

"Lilith wasn't considered the ideal partner for Adam."

Lucifer's expression became slightly darker.

"She refused to accept the role others wanted to force upon her."

"And?"

"She was cast away."

"With her children."

Lucifer nodded.

"Those children became what many now call demons."

The girl remained silent for a while.

Then another question came.

"Why do you call God your father?"

"Because he created us."

Lucifer looked at her.

"Don't you call your own father 'father' because he is the reason you're here?"

She nodded slowly.

"Then why shouldn't I call my creator my father?"

The girl lowered her gaze.

"I never thought about it like that."

She suddenly looked up again.

"Didn't your mother stop him when he cast you out?"

Lucifer blinked.

"I don't have a mother."

The girl's eyes narrowed.

"Then how were you created?"

Lucifer smiled.

"By the will of my father."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

He shrugged.

"Humans need a male and female to create a child."

"But gods don't."

"Exactly."

Lucifer leaned forward.

"That's one of the differences between gods and humans."

The girl absorbed that information in silence.

Then she asked,

"If you're here..."

"Who's looking after Hell?"

"My friends."

"The Seven Deadly Sins?"

"Yes."

"The demons?"

Lucifer shook his head.

"Not exactly."

"They're Fallen Angels."

The girl frowned.

"So what are you?"

Lucifer's smile widened.

"That's the interesting part."

He leaned back in his chair.

"I've had many names."

"Different religions."

"Different civilizations."

"Different stories."

"Some called me Satan."

"Some called me the Fiend."

"Some called me Shaitan."

"Some called me Asura."

"The Prince of Darkness."

"The King of Hell."

"The Fallen God."

He paused.

"But there is one name I like the most."

The girl waited.

Lucifer's crimson eyes glowed softly beneath the dim lamp.

"The Devil."

Silence filled the little house.

Outside, the wind moved through the trees.

The girl stared at him.

For the first time since Lucifer had met her...

She didn't look afraid.

She looked curious.

"Is everything in those stories true?"

Lucifer smiled.

"No."

"Then what is true?"

"That's why stories are interesting."

He leaned back.

"People remember what they want to remember."

"And forget what they don't."

The girl slowly lay back down.

"Then tell me your story."

Lucifer raised an eyebrow.

"My story?"

"Your real story."

A long silence followed.

Then Lucifer smiled.

"Very well."

The Devil began to speak.

And beneath the lonely mountain...

A child listened to the story of a being who had been called a monster, a god, a fallen angel, and the embodiment of evil itself.

But for the first time...

She wasn't listening to a legend.

She was listening to Lucifer Morningstar tell his own story.