As Kael sat on his new throne, he felt something inside him shift uncomfortably.
The weight of all those gazes...
The shine in foreign eyes studying him...
He wasn't used to so many people watching him in silence.
It made him feel small, clumsy, out of place.
His hands trembled slightly. His throat burned.
He couldn't bear it.
He stood up immediately from the throne, causing several people to glance at each other in confusion.
— I-I… the Demon King… — he began, but his voice shook. He coughed, clearing his throat. — I, the Demon King, have returned. And I swear on my life that I will not abandon you. I am determined to rule this kingdom as best I can… with help.
Kael looked around. He searched among those present for a steady figure.
And when he saw her, he pointed without hesitation, even though inside he had no idea what he was doing.
— That woman.
The woman with silver hair—as silver as the glow of her eyes—looked completely surprised. A murmur ran through the hall like a silent wave.
She took a step forward.
— My lord… your words honor me. But… are you sure that I should be your personal assistant?
Kael, with no one else in mind and his heart pounding like a drum, nodded.
The entire room fell silent.
The woman bowed her head gracefully.
— Very well, my lord. If those are your orders, then they shall be carried out. From this moment on, I present myself as your personal assistant. My name is Serenna Kaeloria. If you need me, do not hesitate to call.
The soldiers struck their weapons against their shields, making the hall thunder like a storm of loyalty.
Little by little, the governors and representatives of the kingdom came forward before Kael, swearing loyalty to the new Demon King. One by one.
Until the enormous throne room was completely empty.
Only Serenna remained, standing beside him, and two guards watching the door.
The silence was uncomfortable. Tense.
— My King —Serenna said, breaking the quiet—, tomorrow the warriors will present themselves.
Kael frowned.
— What warriors?
— The warriors, my lord. The Seven Deadly Sins. Those who return every time a Demon King is born or resurrected. Have you never heard the prophecy?
— Prophecy?
Serenna sighed softly.
— Ah… so you haven't heard it. Allow me to explain the basics…
But before she could continue, a notification echoed in Kael's mind.
«System message: The Seven Deadly Sins will not delay in arriving.
Guardians, warriors of the Demon King approaching.
End of message.»
The echo faded slowly.
Serenna continued:
— Every thousand years, a new Demon King appears… or it is said that he resurrects. And that King is always accompanied by seven warriors. Warriors who will never betray him, who will fight by his side until death. They are called the Deadly Sins. Their destiny is to reunite. It has always been this way. It always will be.
Kael remembered the demi-human who had fought protecting the demonic soldiers. That fierce warrior who had faced the hero without hesitation.
— Wait, Serenna… so the Seven Sins will arrive soon, right? How will I know who they are?
— No one knows exactly, my lord. Only that each one possesses a unique weapon, strange, impossible to replicate. Their weapons are manifestations of the sin they committed in life. They cannot use anything other than that weapon… or the magic those weapons allow them. That's all we know.
— I see… And can the sins be of any race?
Serenna paused thoughtfully.
— I believe so. It doesn't matter the race. If someone was cursed by a sin, they will come to you.
The room fell silent again.
Until the doors burst open.
They opened from the outside inward, with force, as if a storm had broken into the hall.
Seven figures crossed the threshold and advanced with firm steps.
Serenna reacted immediately.
She stepped in front of Kael, drew a short sword, and faced them like a warrior ready to die right there.
The newcomers stopped a few meters away, observing the place with fierce calm.
— You! —Serenna shouted— Who are you and how did you enter this place?!
One of the men smiled with dangerous arrogance, as if the entire castle belonged to him.
Kael looked at them carefully.
And there he saw him.
Among them was the demi-human.
The warrior from before.
Agnitus.
— Lower your weapon, Serenna —Kael ordered.
She hesitated for a moment, but obeyed.
Kael took a step forward.
— You must be… the Seven Deadly Sins, right?
Upon hearing that, some smiled with pride. Others remained serene, but none denied it.
One of the men laughed softly.
— That's right. Though I fend for myself. I don't know who the other six people who came with me are. We only met at the castle entrance.
The others glanced at each other, as if sharing the same thought, preparing for what was to come.
Then Agnitus stepped forward.
He was the only one to kneel.
He planted one knee on the ground and lowered his head in absolute respect.
— A pleasure, Your Majesty —he said in a deep voice—. I am Agnitus, of the demi-human race. Known as the Sin of Wrath. It is an honor to present myself before you.
The atmosphere grew tense. The air seemed to change.
Another of the young men smiled and stepped forward, proud.
— I see, I see… so you're a sin too. No wonder those weird gauntlets —he laughed lightly—. Well, my Demon King, allow me to introduce myself: I am the Sin of Greed, Aurum, of the dragon race.
He was tall, elegant, and carried himself with confidence.
Shining golden hair, intense yellow eyes, and a dragon tail swaying behind him.
A woman stepped forward after him.
— I am the Sin of Lust, of the succubus race. My name is Seraphyne, my lord King.
Her crimson-pink hair fell in waves down to her hips, and her wine-red eyes held an irresistible seductive glow.
Her pale skin seemed to shine softly.
The next one introduced himself without much ceremony.
— I am the Sin of Gluttony. My name is Gorgos, of the human race. A pleasure.
His body was that of a sturdy young man, tall, with black hair and completely dark eyes with a single white dot in the center.
Then another woman advanced.
— Ahh, my turn, right? I am the Sin of Pride, Magnus, of the angel race. A pleasure, my… Demon King.
Her white wings opened slightly, shining.
Her pure white hair was long and perfect, adorned with a small golden star.
The next woman stepped forward with a playful smile.
— Hahaha… nice to meet you, Demon King. What pretty eyes you have, hehe. I am the Sin of Envy, Viridia, of the elf race.
Her emerald-green hair fell to her shoulders, and her eyes of the same shade sparkled with mischief. She was beautiful, though her figure was more delicate than the others.
Finally, a thin young man walked slowly, almost dragging his feet.
He carried a black cushion with an inverted moon symbol.
— Hello… I am the Sin of Sloth. You can call me Dormius, of the vampire race.
His dark, soft hair was messy, his gray eyes carried deep bags, and his enormous black cape looked like a blanket embracing him.
And so, one by one, they all presented themselves before Kael.
The Demon King took a step forward and, with a faint smile, spoke:
— Nice to meet you all. I am the Demon King Kael. You can just call me Kael. No need for so much formality.
It's an honor to meet you.
At that moment, a system notification lit up in his mind.
«You have met the Seven Deadly Sins.
It is time to begin leveling up.
Tomorrow at 9:30, you will receive a mission. Please complete it.»
The system fell silent.
And so did the room.
Everyone watching their new Demon King.
And thus, the true beginning of Kael's reign began to take shape.