The very next day…
Raya slept deeply in his private chamber, sprawled across a massive bed carved from obsidian and bone. The heavy curtains swallowed most of the light, leaving the room cloaked in shadows.
A figure moved silently across the chamber.
She passed by the sleeping demon lord and stopped by the window. With a soft swoosh, the thick panes slid open, allowing morning sunlight to pour in. The sudden beam of gold cut through the darkness and landed squarely on Raya's face.
Raya stirred awake, he sat up abruptly, arms stretching above his head as a slow yawn escaped him. "I had the craziest dream…" he muttered groggily, rubbing his eyes a few times.
The moment his eyes fully opened….
His body reacted before his mind did.
In a flash, his hand shot forward and clamped around a throat.
"My lord….please!" the figure choked out.
Raya froze. His grip loosened as awareness rushed in. Standing before him was a maid, one of the tower's servants.
She had a single, massive eyeball in the center of her face, still wide with shock. She clutched her neck, coughing softly as she tried to steady herself.
Raya withdrew his hand completely. "What were you doing here?" he demanded coldly. "And why were you staring at me while I slept?"
The maid immediately bowed, wincing slightly from the lingering pain. "I…I am assigned to watch over my lord while he rests. I opened the window to welcome the morning and was… considering how best to wake you." She hesitated, then lowered her voice. "But I became distracted while admiring my lord's grace."
Raya looked away, unsettled. Waking up to a giant eyeball inches from his face was not something he would get used to anytime soon.
"Do not repeat such behavior," he said flatly. "Next time, I might snap your neck on instinct."
"Yes, my lord," she replied without hesitation, bowing even deeper. "To die by your hands would be my honor."
Raya stiffened, 'Why are they all like this? he wondered. Is it loyalty… or something else entirely?'
The maid straightened slightly and gestured to a nearby stand. "My lord, your outfit for today has been prepared." A beautifully arranged set of clothes shimmered faintly with magic. "If it displeases you, I will replace it immediately."
"It's fine," Raya said after a brief glance. "You may leave."
"Yes, my lord." She hurried out, the door closing softly behind her.
Raya turned toward the open window.
Far in the distance, beyond the towering walls and endless wasteland, memories stirred of a small town, of hunger and cold nights, of nearly twenty years spent clawing through poverty.
His hand slowly clenched into a fist.
One face surfaced clearly in his mind.
"Lira," he said calmly, without turning around. "I know you're behind the door. Come in."
The door opened, and Lira stepped inside with a bright expression. "Morning, my lord."
"I'll be heading out soon," Raya said. "Would you like to escort me?"
Her eyes lit up. "That would be my honor, my lord."
Raya smiled faintly. He couldn't help but recall how furious she'd been yesterday when she found out Lucifer was the one escorting him around the tower instead of her, so furious that several unlucky demons had suffered the consequences.
If I walk around like this, I'll scare everyone… he thought.
Summoning the system interface, he scanned his long list of abilities.
[Advanced-Level Magic — Transfiguration]
His lips curved upward. "Perfect."
Without hesitation, he activated the skill.
His horns retracted smoothly into his skull. Claws dulled and vanished, wings folding inward until they ceased to exist. His tail dissolved into light, and the scales covering his skin faded, replaced by smooth, human flesh.
In seconds, Raya looked entirely human.
If one looked closely, they might recognize traces of his former self, but now his hair was snow-white, his frame taller and broader, his features sharper and undeniably handsome.
"My lord still looks magnificent even as a human," Lira said breathlessly. "Those puny humans should be grateful."
She was practically drooling.
With a snap of his fingers, the prepared outfit wrapped itself around him, adjusting perfectly to his body. Rings slid onto his fingers, each humming softly with high-level enchantments that boosted his stats.
Raya glanced at her. "What do you think?"
"The clothes suit you well, my lord," she said quickly. "Though they cannot fully express your grace. Your presence transcends the universe itself, no attire could ever contain it."
She continued praising him until Raya felt his ears grow warm.
"You have a sweet tongue," he said, cutting her off. "But you don't need to imitate Lucifer."
"Yes, my lord," she replied obediently, finally stopping.
After a brief pause, Lira frowned slightly. "My lord, your demonic aura is still leaking. At this rate, you'll be detected miles away before reaching any settlement of the other races."
Raya nodded approvingly, 'That's the Lira I know', he thought, despite having known her for barely a day.
'System, suppress my aura', he commanded silently.
A notification appeared.
[Demonic Aura: 100% → 0.1% detectable]
Lira's eyes widened slightly. To her senses, his overwhelming presence had nearly vanished.
'As expected of the demon lord', she thought.
"Let's go," Raya said.
They stepped out of the chamber.
"My lord, allow me," Lira said, placing a hand forward.
The hallway distorted and in the next instant, they vanished.
They reappeared just outside the towering structure that loomed behind them. Raya looked up instinctively, and a prompt appeared before his eyes.
[Demon Dungeon]
[Name: Nightfall Tower]
[Note: Sentient?]
Raya narrowed his eyes slightly, "Sentient…?"