A Weak Demon's Ordinary Life

The alarm rang at exactly 6:30 a.m.

Riven groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow.

"Five more minutes..."

A gentle chuckle came from beside him.

"You said that ten minutes ago."

Warm fingers brushed through his messy black hair before lightly poking his cheek.

"If you're late again, your manager will scold you."

Riven cracked one crimson eye open and found his husband smiling down at him.

Ethan.

Tall, handsome, and annoyingly perfect.

He wore a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and a gray apron tied around his waist. The smell of buttered toast and freshly brewed coffee drifted into the bedroom.

To anyone else, Ethan looked like an ordinary office worker.

To Riven...

He was home.

"...Morning."

"Morning."

Ethan leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Breakfast is ready."

Riven smiled despite himself.

"You're spoiling me."

"I married you," Ethan replied with a laugh. "Spoiling you is part of the job."

Riven's heart warmed.

How had someone as wonderful as Ethan agreed to marry someone like him?

Even now, after three years of marriage, he still couldn't believe it.

Their apartment wasn't luxurious.

It was small but cozy, filled with houseplants, framed photographs, and a lazy orange cat named Pumpkin sleeping on the sofa.

It was peaceful.

Normal.

Exactly how Riven liked it.

Because normal was safe.

No one here knew he wasn't human.

While Ethan packed their lunches, Riven quietly slipped into the bathroom.

He locked the door before looking into the mirror.

For a brief moment, the illusion faded.

Two small black horns peeked through his messy hair.

His crimson eyes glowed faintly.

A thin black tail swayed nervously behind him.

"...Still ugly."

With a sigh, he snapped his fingers.

The illusion returned.

The horns disappeared.

His eyes became an ordinary dark brown.

The tail vanished.

Now he looked like every other young man in the city.

Perfect.

No one could know.

Especially not Ethan.

Humans feared demons.

If Ethan learned the truth...

Would he still smile at him like this?

Riven didn't dare find out.

"You're spacing out again."

"Huh?"

Ethan placed a lunchbox into Riven's hands.

"You've been doing that a lot lately."

"O-Oh... just thinking about work."

His husband frowned.

"They're still bullying you?"

Riven froze.

"...A little."

"You should report them."

"I can't."

"They're your coworkers."

Riven forced a smile.

"It's fine."

Except they weren't ordinary coworkers.

They were demons.

Stronger demons.

Riven worked for one of the countless companies secretly owned by the Demon Realm.

To humans, it was just another corporation.

To demons, it was a place where status meant everything.

And Riven ranked at the very bottom.

Weak bloodline.

Weak magic.

Weak body.

Weak everything.

Even low-ranking demons enjoyed picking on him.

Ethan sighed.

"If anyone hurts you..."

"I'll be okay."

"You always say that."

Riven laughed awkwardly.

"I survive somehow."

If only Ethan knew.

The moment Riven entered the office, the peaceful morning ended.

"Well, look who finally showed up."

A tall demon blocked his path.

Victor.

Upper-rank demon.

One of the strongest employees in the department.

One of Riven's biggest headaches.

Victor smirked before flicking Riven's forehead.

"Late again, runt?"

"I-I'm only two minutes late."

"So?"

The other demons laughed.

Riven lowered his head.

He had long since learned that arguing only made things worse.

Victor snatched the lunchbox from Riven's hands.

"Oh?"

"A homemade lunch?"

"Give it back."

Victor ignored him.

"What did your pathetic little self cook today?"

"I... I didn't."

"Your mommy made it?"

"My husband."

The office suddenly fell quiet.

Victor burst into laughter.

"You?"

"Married?"

The room exploded with mocking laughter.

"I almost forgot!"

"The weakest demon somehow found a husband!"

"Is he blind?"

"Or desperate?"

Riven quietly took back his lunchbox after Victor tossed it onto his desk.

Fortunately...

Nothing inside was damaged.

He carefully wiped the lid with his sleeve.

His husband had woken up early to make it.

He wouldn't let anyone ruin it.

Victor clicked his tongue.

"What are you smiling about?"

"...Nothing."

"Pathetic."

As the others walked away, Riven released the breath he'd been holding.

This was normal.

This happened almost every day.

He could endure it.

Because every evening...

He got to go home.

Home to Ethan.

And that was enough.

Outside the office windows, dark clouds slowly gathered over the city.

Far above them—

Beyond the reach of ordinary humans—

A pair of brilliant golden eyes silently overlooked the world.

No one noticed.

Not the demons.

Not the angels.

And certainly not Riven, who simply smiled as he looked at the photo of himself and his husband on his desk.

He whispered softly,

"I'll be home for dinner."

Unaware that fate had already begun to move.

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