Sinful Pride - Volume 3: Volume 3 Chapter 61 Prologue: A Lonely Girl's Wish

She was alone again. It was raining and she was cold, shivering. Again. These ruins were all that was left. It wasn’t anything grand before but now it was just four stone walls, falling apart. It was a shelter, a home. There used to be a roof and a few rags she used as clothes. Things she found on the streets. A broken toy, the bowl she used to beg for food. Now, it was nothing more than cold stone walls. The roof was missing. Her rags have become one with the soil. There was no proof she once lived here. But there she was again, cold and wet, like that snowy night.

The rest of the town wasn’t any better. The slums never were much to look at, but now, nothing was left intact. What happened here? How much time has passed? There was even a tree growing out from her neighbors house. Or what used to be a house. Can a few walls with a tree growing from the middle be called a house anymore? She didn’t know. She was cold.

This was how it happened last time. No prince came to her rescue like in the stories. It was too cold to move so she didn’t. She couldn’t find her voice to call for help so she didn’t. If it was going to be the same, why was she even alive?

The rest of the city, the “good” part were the same. Ruins. The castle that stood at the top wasn’t there anymore. All the people left. They must have gone somewhere. Not that it mattered. She was always alone. No one came for her. But she did enjoy watching them from time to time.

Lords she called them. Even though they probably weren’t all nobles. But they had clean clothes and a house. That was enough for her. She liked watching them, while she begged for food. Some were shopping, others were just walking. She made up stories for each of them inside her head. Some where going to important places. Others were looking for their family. Some where riding off to battle… someone. All her stories ended the same way though. A happy ending, with everyone smiling and laughing around a table with enough food to fill their bellies. They were all lords after all. Of course they had enough food.

She never been a part of her stories though. She was at her same spot, next to the church, begging for food. She never asked for money. No one was going to give her any. But they shared food from time to time, the lords.

It was cold. She had curled herself into a ball, waiting to die. Again. It didn’t matter. Everyone had to die anyway. It was going to happen sooner or later. So she just waited.

“My, my, what a cute Demon we have here.”

She heard a voice. It sounded like a young man’s but she didn’t turn to see him. He will soon leave, after making fun of her, she thought. She had dirt on her hair and she was wearing rags. Many laughed at her for that, but she didn’t understand why, so it didn’t really mattered. What was so bad about rags and dirt?

“I see, you are unique but you are not an Irregular. What a same…”

He sounded disappointed. Why was he still here? She heard some bad people took kids from the slums to bad places. Was he one of them? No, it didn’t matter anymore.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” he asked.

She turned around. The man was outside of her home, the place she died. Why was he here? Everyone else seemed to have left.

“A Demon who has all her memories from when she was alive… I would have been happy to see something like that, someone who somehow broken the rules of my creations. But for you who has lived alone all this time, it’s more of a curse than a blessing, isn’t it?”

His face was clad in darkness so she couldn’t see. There was something though, something coming out of his eyes. Was this… smoke? She couldn’t tell but his lips seemed to be smiling. What a weird person, she thought.

The man tossed some clean white rags to her. They were warm.

“I’m sorry, I keep talking and haven’t even introduced myself. I am Ateer. That’s right, “THE” Ateer! The god of Demons and widely known as the best and most interesting of all the other gods!”

The man did a little dance when saying his name and ended with pointing his finger to the sky.

“Who?” the girl asked. Her voice was as pure as water.

The man looked at her for a minute. Then he pouted his cheeks.

“Hmph! It’s fine, you are a newborn so it can’t be helped if you don’t know my glorious name. I’m not hurt or anything. I’m not like the others who make such a big deal of themselves after all. Even though, I am the best god, it’s fine if you don’t know my name. Even though I’m the best.”

The girl leaned her head to the side. She didn’t understand much of what he said.

“You are… Ah, I’m sorry you don’t have a name do you?”

“How did you know?” the girl found her voice, as the white rags gave her warmth.

“He, he!” the god laughed with confidence. “I know everything about you. How about it? Amazing isn’t it? I am a god after all!”

The girl’s eyes were glued to the man, full of questions.

“But how this happened I wonder.” his tone turned serious. “Not only do you have all your memories, your body isn’t immortal either. A Demon who ages… You are truly unique… But you are still not an Irregular…” he said, deep in thought. “So, I have a proposition for you. Would you like to be my student? I will teach you a bunch of interesting things. Ancient Spells that have been lost through time. How to manipulate the soul itself to strengthen magic power. I can even make you an immortal who can change her age as she wishes! How about it?” he asked, cheerfully.

“Student?” the girl asked.

Ateer nodded his head in agreement.

“Does that mean we will become a family?” she asked again.

“Family? No…” Ateer leaned closer, to look in the girl’s eyes. “I see, that’s your wish. I’m sorry, I can’t be your family. I am a very busy god you know? I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay by your side forever. But… I see, if you follow me, I can see you making your own family. It will be dysfunctional and full of problem children, but it will be a family of your own. I will show you the path and the only thing you have to do is help me to see a certain prophesy fulfilled. How about it? It’s a small price to pay for having your wish answered isn’t it?”

“My own family…” the girl repeated.

Ateer enthusiastically nodded his head. “Not only that, I see you becoming a leader of Demons. A Demon King… No, you are a female so Demon Queen? No, it doesn’t sound right…. Hmm… Demon Princess? No, the others will make fun of me for calling you a princess… Hmm…” Ateer pondered.

But the girl already knew the answer. Her new name.