Main Characters

Seraphina Ashwood (FL)

19 years old

Gentle, intelligent, and lonely

Treated as a burden by her family

Doesn't know she was promised to the Devil before birth

Lucien Noctis (ML)

The Devil King

Ancient and feared by all realms

Ruthless toward everyone except Seraphina

Has loved her soul for centuries

Possessive, protective, and obsessed with her

The rain had been falling since dawn.

Cold droplets struck the ancient windows of Ashwood Manor, creating a mournful melody that echoed through the silent halls. The servants hurried from room to room, avoiding the eastern wing of the mansion as though it carried a plague.

In the smallest room of that forgotten wing sat a girl.

Seraphina Ashwood rested beside the window, a worn book in her lap and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The room was simple—far too simple for the daughter of one of the wealthiest noble families in the kingdom.

The wallpaper peeled from the walls.

The fireplace rarely worked.

The furniture was old and damaged.

Yet Seraphina never complained.

She had learned long ago that complaints only brought punishment.

At nineteen years old, she possessed an ethereal beauty that could have enchanted an entire kingdom. Long silver-blonde hair flowed past her waist, while her violet eyes seemed to glow whenever sunlight touched them.

Many people would have called her beautiful.

Her family never did.

To them, she was merely a burden.

A mistake.

A curse.

A daughter they wished had never been born.

A sharp knock interrupted her reading.

The door opened before she could answer.

A maid entered carrying a tray.

The older woman placed the food on the table without meeting Seraphina's eyes.

Breakfast consisted of stale bread and cold tea.

Again.

Seraphina smiled gently anyway.

"Thank you."

The maid flinched.

Almost as if kindness frightened her.

Without a word, she hurried from the room.

The door slammed shut.

Silence returned.

Seraphina stared at the tray.

Then she laughed softly.

Not because anything was funny.

But because if she didn't laugh, she might cry.

Downstairs, the dining hall would be filled with fresh pastries, roasted meats, fruits, and imported tea.

Her father, mother, brother, and younger sister would be enjoying a lavish meal together.

As always.

Without her.

She had not shared a meal with her family in years.

A familiar ache settled in her chest.

No matter how many times it happened, it still hurt.

Just a little.

"Perhaps today will be different," she whispered.

The lie tasted bitter.

She knew better.

Nothing ever changed.

Later that afternoon, Seraphina was summoned.

That alone was unusual.

Her family rarely called for her unless they needed someone to blame.

She smoothed her plain dress and walked through the enormous halls.

Portraits of Ashwood ancestors lined the walls.

Powerful nobles.

Generals.

Kings.

Queens.

People whose names would be remembered forever.

Then there was her.

The daughter nobody wanted.

When she entered the drawing room, every member of her family was already present.

Lord Ashwood sat near the fireplace.

His cold gray eyes fixed upon her immediately.

Lady Ashwood looked away as though merely seeing Seraphina ruined her day.

Her younger sister, Rosalie, wore a smug smile.

Her older brother, Theodore, didn't even acknowledge her existence.

The atmosphere felt strange.

Tense.

Like everyone was waiting for something.

Seraphina lowered her gaze respectfully.

"You called for me, Father?"

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Lord Ashwood nodded.

"There will be guests attending the Blood Moon Festival next month."

Seraphina blinked.

"I see."

"You will behave properly."

She hesitated.

"Of course."

Rosalie suddenly laughed.

A cruel sound.

"Oh, don't worry, Father. Sister is very good at pretending she belongs here."

Seraphina remained silent.

Experience had taught her silence was safer than defending herself.

Unfortunately, Rosalie wasn't finished.

"Honestly, it's embarrassing. Every noble family asks why we keep her hidden."

Lady Ashwood sighed dramatically.

"As though we have a choice."

The words struck harder than they should have.

Still, Seraphina forced herself to remain calm.

Her father stood.

His towering figure cast a shadow across the room.

"Enough."

Instantly everyone fell silent.

For a brief moment, Seraphina felt relief.

Then Lord Ashwood spoke again.

"Leave."

She froze.

"...Father?"

"I have said everything necessary."

The relief vanished.

Of course.

He wasn't defending her.

He simply wanted her gone.

Seraphina bowed.

"Yes, Father."

As she turned to leave, she heard Rosalie's voice.

Soft.

Mocking.

Cruel.

"The sacrifice should at least look presentable."

The room fell silent.

Seraphina paused.

Sacrifice?

Before she could ask what that meant, her father's harsh voice echoed through the room.

"Enough."

The door closed behind her.

She stood in the hallway.

Alone.

Confused.

A strange chill crept down her spine.

Sacrifice.

Why had Rosalie used that word?

The thought lingered in her mind long after she returned to her room.

Unknown to Seraphina, behind the closed doors of the drawing room, her family continued their discussion.

And none of them spoke of her as a daughter.

They spoke of her as an offering.

A promise.

A bride.

One that had been pledged long before her birth.

Far beyond the mortal world, beneath endless skies of darkness and crimson stars, a pair of glowing golden eyes slowly opened.

Ancient.

Powerful.

Terrifying.

The ruler of monsters.

The king of demons.

The Devil himself.

He looked toward the human realm.

Toward a single soul.

A gentle smile appeared on his lips.

"My little bride..."

The shadows around him trembled.

"After all these years..."

His voice softened.

"I can finally bring you home."

To be continued...

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The storm lasted three days.

Dark clouds covered the sky, turning mornings into evenings and evenings into endless nights. The rain drummed against the windows of Ashwood Manor without pause, and the wind howled through the ancient trees surrounding the estate.

Most people found the weather unsettling.

Seraphina found it comforting.

Storms made the world quieter.

They hid her tears.

They drowned out cruel words.

And sometimes, when she sat beside her window and listened carefully, she could almost imagine she was somewhere else.

Somewhere she belonged.

Unfortunately, reality always returned.

"Miss Seraphina."

She looked up from her embroidery.

A young maid stood in the doorway.

The girl couldn't have been older than sixteen.

"What is it?" Seraphina asked gently.

The maid hesitated.

As though speaking to her was dangerous.

"The head maid asked me to inform you that Lady Ashwood wishes to see you."

Seraphina nodded.

"Thank you."

The girl hurried away immediately.

Seraphina sighed.

Another summons.

Another opportunity to disappoint someone.

She set aside her embroidery and stood.

As she walked through the manor's endless corridors, she noticed something unusual.

Servants were whispering.

The moment she approached, conversations stopped.

Eyes lowered.

Faces turned away.

The same thing happened again.

And again.

And again.

By the time she reached the west wing, a knot of unease had formed in her stomach.

Something was happening.

Something everyone seemed to know except her.

Lady Ashwood sat in a sunroom overlooking the gardens.

The room was warm.

Elegant.

Filled with expensive furniture and exotic flowers.

Everything Seraphina's bedroom wasn't.

Her mother didn't look up when she entered.

Instead, she continued sipping tea.

"You called for me?"

Lady Ashwood finally glanced at her.

Her expression remained cold.

Evaluating.

Disappointed.

As always.

"You need new dresses."

Seraphina blinked.

"...New dresses?"

"Yes."

The answer only confused her more.

Her mother hated spending money on her.

Even replacing worn shoes usually led to complaints.

Yet now she wanted new dresses?

Several of them?

"Why?" Seraphina asked carefully.

Lady Ashwood's eyes narrowed.

"Must you question everything?"

Immediately, Seraphina lowered her head.

"I'm sorry."

Her mother sighed dramatically.

"There will be important events soon."

"What kind of events?"

For a moment, something strange flickered across Lady Ashwood's face.

Not affection.

Not concern.

Fear.

Then it disappeared.

"That isn't your concern."

The answer raised even more questions.

Before Seraphina could ask another, Lady Ashwood stood.

"The seamstress arrives tomorrow."

"Yes, Mother."

"You're dismissed."

The conversation was over.

As always.

That evening, Seraphina wandered into the manor library.

Few people visited anymore.

Most preferred modern books and lively gatherings.

The library was old.

Quiet.

Dusty.

Which meant Seraphina loved it.

Books had always been her escape.

Stories never judged her.

Stories never made her feel unwanted.

She climbed a ladder and selected a thick volume from one of the highest shelves.

As she stepped down, voices drifted through the partially open door.

She froze.

The voices belonged to her father and an unfamiliar man.

Normally she would leave.

Eavesdropping was rude.

But then she heard her own name.

"...the girl knows nothing?" the stranger asked.

"No."

Lord Ashwood's voice sounded firm.

"She suspects nothing."

A chill ran through Seraphina.

The stranger laughed softly.

"Good. The offering must remain pure."

Offering.

Again.

That word.

Her heart began beating faster.

"What if she refuses?" the stranger asked.

"Refusal isn't an option."

Silence followed.

Then the stranger spoke again.

"The Blood Moon approaches."

"We know."

"The Devil's patience has limits."

The book nearly slipped from Seraphina's hands.

Devil?

Her breathing stopped.

The Devil?

Surely she had misunderstood.

People told stories about devils.

Legends.

Fairy tales.

Nightmares used to frighten children.

They weren't real.

Were they?

Lord Ashwood's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"The agreement will be fulfilled."

Agreement?

What agreement?

"What matters," the stranger continued, "is that the bride reaches him alive."

Bride.

Seraphina's blood turned cold.

Bride?

What bride?

Who were they talking about?

Before she could hear more, footsteps approached the door.

Panic surged through her.

She hurried deeper into the library.

Moments later, the door opened.

The two men entered.

Seraphina hid behind a shelf and held her breath.

Lord Ashwood looked irritated.

The stranger looked worse.

Tall.

Pale.

Thin.

His black robes resembled those of a priest.

Yet something about him felt wrong.

His smile never reached his eyes.

The stranger glanced around the room.

For one terrifying moment, Seraphina thought he'd found her.

Then he turned away.

"One month," he said.

"One month," Lord Ashwood agreed.

The men left.

The door closed.

Only then did Seraphina breathe again.

Her hands shook violently.

Bride.

Offering.

Devil.

Agreement.

The words echoed endlessly in her mind.

What did they mean?

And why did she feel like somehow they were connected to her?

That night, Seraphina couldn't sleep.

The wind rattled her windows.

Branches scratched against the glass.

Moonlight filtered through the curtains.

She stared at the ceiling.

Trying to convince herself everything was fine.

Trying to convince herself she hadn't heard what she heard.

Eventually exhaustion claimed her.

And she dreamed.

At first, the dream seemed ordinary.

She stood in a field of silver flowers.

The sky glowed crimson.

Thousands of stars filled the heavens.

Beautiful.

Unfamiliar.

Then she sensed someone watching her.

A presence.

Powerful.

Ancient.

She turned slowly.

A man stood among the flowers.

Tall.

Dressed entirely in black.

His face remained hidden by shadows.

Yet somehow she wasn't afraid.

Instead...

She felt safe.

The feeling made no sense.

The stranger stepped closer.

The flowers bent toward him.

The stars seemed to dim.

Even the wind grew silent.

As though the entire world bowed before him.

And still, his attention remained fixed solely on her.

"Have we met?" Seraphina asked.

The man smiled.

A sad smile.

A lonely smile.

"A thousand times."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"What?"

"You don't remember."

His voice held no anger.

Only sorrow.

He lifted a hand.

Almost touching her cheek.

Almost.

Yet stopping just before contact.

As though he feared she might disappear.

"I missed you."

The words sounded heartbreakingly sincere.

Something inside her chest tightened.

Before she could respond, darkness swallowed the dream.

Far away from the mortal world, beyond kingdoms and oceans and stars, a magnificent black palace stood upon a mountain of obsidian.

Demons filled its halls.

Monsters bowed in its corridors.

Nightmares guarded its gates.

Yet complete silence dominated the throne room.

Every creature feared disturbing its ruler.

Upon a throne carved from black crystal sat the Devil King.

Lucien Noctis.

The oldest being in existence.

Golden eyes glowed in the darkness.

His attention remained fixed on a magical mirror.

Within its surface appeared the image of a sleeping girl.

Seraphina.

A demon approached cautiously.

He immediately knelt.

"My King."

Lucien didn't look away from the mirror.

"What is it?"

"The preparations are complete."

Silence.

The demon swallowed nervously.

Every servant in the Underworld knew one truth.

The Devil King was terrifying.

But mentioning his bride made him even more dangerous.

"The Blood Moon ceremony approaches," the demon continued carefully.

"Yes."

Lucien's gaze softened as he watched Seraphina sleep.

A sight few creatures would ever witness.

Tenderness.

From the Devil.

The demon nearly forgot to breathe.

"My King..." he whispered.

Lucien finally looked at him.

The temperature in the room dropped instantly.

The demon lowered his head.

"What if the humans fail?"

For several seconds, silence dominated the throne room.

Then Lucien smiled.

A terrifying smile.

The smile of a predator.

"If they fail..."

Darkness spread across the floor.

The palace trembled.

Every demon in the kingdom felt fear.

"They won't survive long enough to regret it."

The shadows settled.

Lucien turned back toward the mirror.

Toward Seraphina.

Toward the girl who knew nothing.

The girl whose soul he had searched for across centuries.

The girl promised to him before she ever took her first breath.

His voice softened once more.

"My little bride."

The sleeping girl shifted slightly.

As though she had heard him.

A warmth appeared in his ancient eyes.

"Just a little longer."

And for the first time in hundreds of years—

The Devil smiled.

To be continued...

The dream stayed with Seraphina.

Even after she woke.

Even after the morning sun broke through the clouds and illuminated her small bedroom.

She could still remember the stranger's voice.

"I missed you."

The words echoed endlessly in her thoughts.

Strangely, they didn't frighten her.

They should have.

A mysterious man appearing in her dreams should have been unsettling.

Instead, she felt a strange longing.

As though she had forgotten something important.

Someone important.

Seraphina shook her head.

"You're imagining things."

Dreams were just dreams.

Nothing more.

Yet deep inside, she wasn't convinced.

The following days passed strangely.

The atmosphere inside Ashwood Manor grew increasingly tense.

Servants whispered more than usual.

Doors remained closed.

Meetings were held late into the night.

Whenever Seraphina entered a room, conversations abruptly stopped.

Nobody explained anything.

Nobody answered her questions.

It was as though an invisible wall separated her from everyone else.

A wall built from secrets.

One afternoon she wandered into the gardens.

The estate's rose garden had once been magnificent.

Now it had fallen into neglect.

Weeds grew between stone pathways.

Dead leaves covered flowerbeds.

Few people bothered maintaining it anymore.

Which made it the perfect place for Seraphina.

She sat beneath an ancient oak tree and opened a book.

The peace lasted only a few minutes.

Then she heard voices.

Two maids stood nearby.

Neither noticed her.

"...only three weeks left."

"I know."

"What if she discovers the truth?"

The second maid shuddered.

"Don't say things like that."

Seraphina slowly lowered her book.

The maids continued whispering.

"My grandmother told me stories."

"What stories?"

"About the Blood Moon Bride."

A cold sensation crept through Seraphina.

Again.

The same strange topics.

The same mysteries.

The first maid crossed herself nervously.

"They say every hundred years a bride is offered."

"Stop."

"It's true."

"I said stop."

The older maid lowered her voice further.

"They say the Devil comes personally."

The younger maid turned pale.

"Enough."

"What if it's her?"

The question hung in the air.

Silence followed.

Then the younger maid spoke.

Very softly.

"Of course it's her."

Seraphina's heart stopped.

The older maid sighed.

"Poor thing."

The younger maid nodded.

"She doesn't deserve it."

Neither maid noticed Seraphina rise from her bench.

Or flee.

For the first time in years, Seraphina cried.

Not because someone insulted her.

Not because her family ignored her.

Not because she felt lonely.

But because she was afraid.

Terrified.

Everyone seemed to know something.

Everyone except her.

She locked herself inside her room and paced endlessly.

Blood Moon Bride.

Offering.

Sacrifice.

Devil.

Bride.

The pieces refused to fit together.

Yet she couldn't ignore them anymore.

Not after what she'd heard.

Someone had to tell her the truth.

And if nobody would tell her—

She would find it herself.

That evening she returned to the library.

Unlike before, she wasn't searching for stories.

She was searching for answers.

The library contained thousands of books.

Many were older than the kingdom itself.

Dust coated forgotten shelves.

Ancient volumes filled hidden corners.

Hours passed.

Nothing.

Then she discovered a locked cabinet.

Curiosity stirred.

The cabinet stood alone in a dark corner.

Unlike everything else, it appeared well maintained.

As though someone still used it.

Seraphina knelt before it.

A small keyhole gleamed beneath the candlelight.

Locked.

Of course.

She should leave.

She knew that.

Yet something compelled her to stay.

Then she noticed something unusual.

A tiny silver key rested atop the cabinet.

Almost hidden.

Almost as though someone had forgotten it.

Or wanted it found.

Her fingers trembled.

Slowly, she inserted the key.

Click.

The lock opened.

Silence filled the library.

Seraphina hesitated.

Then she opened the cabinet.

Inside rested dozens of old journals.

Family records.

Letters.

Documents.

Most appeared ancient.

One book immediately caught her attention.

Its cover was black.

The Ashwood family crest adorned the front.

And beneath it, written in faded silver ink, were the words:

"The Covenant."

A chill raced down her spine.

She opened the book.

The first pages contained names.

Dates.

Signatures.

Then she reached a section written nearly one hundred years earlier.

And her blood ran cold.

"On this night, the covenant between House Ashwood and the Lord of Darkness is renewed."

Seraphina stared.

Unable to breathe.

"The Devil grants prosperity, wealth, protection, and power."

Her hands shook.

"In exchange, the first daughter born beneath the Crimson Star shall become his bride."

The room seemed to spin.

No.

No.

No.

This couldn't be real.

She continued reading.

Desperate.

Horrified.

"The child shall remain unaware until the Blood Moon Ceremony."

"The sacrifice must be willing in body, regardless of knowledge."

"The Devil's claim cannot be denied."

Her vision blurred.

There was more.

Much more.

Generations of signatures.

Generations of agreements.

Every Ashwood head had renewed the covenant.

Every generation had accepted the bargain.

And then—

She found her name.

Written before her birth.

SERAPHINA ASHWOOD

Her heart shattered.

The date was nineteen years old.

Nineteen years.

The exact year she had been born.

Beneath her name appeared another sentence.

A sentence written in crimson ink.

"The promised bride has arrived."

The book slipped from her hands.

Thud.

The sound echoed through the library.

Seraphina stumbled backward.

Her breathing became ragged.

Everything suddenly made sense.

The hatred.

The neglect.

The isolation.

Her family never loved her.

Never wanted her.

Because she wasn't their daughter.

Not truly.

To them she was merely a future sacrifice.

A payment.

A debt.

A bride destined for a monster.

Tears streamed down her face.

Years of loneliness suddenly transformed into something far worse.

Betrayal.

Her entire life had been a lie.

Meanwhile—

Far beneath the mortal realm.

Lucien stood alone on a balcony overlooking an endless sea of darkness.

The Underworld stretched beyond the horizon.

Beautiful.

Deadly.

Eternal.

A cold wind stirred his black hair.

For centuries he had waited.

Watched.

Protected.

Countless times he could have claimed Seraphina.

Yet he never did.

Because he wanted her choice.

Her happiness.

Her trust.

Even if the ancient covenant granted him ownership.

A shadow appeared beside him.

One of his oldest advisors.

"My King."

Lucien remained silent.

The demon hesitated.

Then spoke carefully.

"She discovered the covenant."

For the first time, Lucien's expression changed.

His golden eyes narrowed.

Not in anger.

In concern.

"How did she react?"

"Badly."

Pain flickered across his face.

The demon nearly stumbled from shock.

Very few beings had ever seen the Devil look wounded.

Yet at this moment—

He looked heartbroken.

Lucien gazed toward the mortal world.

Toward the girl crying alone inside a library.

Toward the girl who believed she had been abandoned.

"You should have had a family," he murmured.

The wind carried his words away.

"You deserved better."

The shadows around him trembled.

Responding to his emotions.

A dangerous sign.

The demon lowered his head immediately.

Everyone knew what happened when the Devil lost control.

Kingdoms vanished.

Empires collapsed.

Entire species disappeared.

But Lucien merely closed his eyes.

When he spoke again, his voice was soft.

"Prepare everything."

"My King?"

"The ceremony approaches."

The demon nodded.

"Yes."

Lucien opened his eyes.

Ancient golden fire burned within them.

"Once she enters my realm..."

His gaze softened.

"...nobody will ever hurt her again."

Far away, in a lonely library, Seraphina sat on the floor clutching the covenant book against her chest.

For the first time in her life—

She knew the truth.

And the truth was far more terrifying than any nightmare.

Because in less than three weeks...

The Devil was coming for his bride.

To be continued...