Demon King's Love (rewriting)

1. Feng Deming

In a distant realm, beyond the known world, lay Astara, an ancient land of demons. In the center of a field stood the Astaran lieutenant and the young prince of Astara, Feng Deming, who appeared no older than ten years of age by human standards.

Deming looked surprised to see the hundreds of high fairy lords who knew of his whereabouts blocking his path. "Enemies," he murmured, his pupils dilating with fear upon seeing the fairies for the first time. Planning his escape, he glanced at the lieutenant, anticipating his next move.

"Lord Muchen," the lieutenant whispered.

"Muchen?" Deming felt a knot form in his chest as he turned to the fairy leader. A single tear ran down his cheek, and his anger rose. 'He killed my father,' he recalled that his father had sent his trusted lieutenant to take him to safety before he fought Muchen.

Without a word, the lieutenant slowly lowered his sword. Deafening silence followed, filled only with the prince's rapid breaths and the distant murmur of the fairies.

"What are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed!" Deming cried as the lieutenant approached the fairy leader.

"My lord, you are early."

Deming felt alarmed. "What? Him?" In disbelief, he turned his head to the lieutenant and the fairy leader, noticing the indifference in the lieutenant's eyes. Like a setting sun, his golden eyes lost their vibrancy as the realization hit him. "Don't tell me... that you..."

"Truthfully, Lieutenant, I had concerns that you would not uphold your end of the deal. However, I admit I was wrong." The fairy leader, Lord Muchen, nodded and commanded, "NOW!"

With a flick of the fairy lords' wrists, they activated the chains wrapped around Deming's limbs, empowered by twenty layers of glyphs.

'What... is this?' Deming gazed nervously at the phantom chain around his wrist. With a worried expression, he desperately attempted to break free from the chains, but they held firm and resisted all his efforts. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he realized he could not break free despite his best attempts. The glyphs reinforcing the bindings proved too powerful to break.

"I promise I shall take good care of my slave."

"Me? A slave?" Deming glared at Lord Muchen, gritting his teeth. His eyes wide with disbelief, he looked at the lieutenant and whispered, "What is happening?"

The Astaran lieutenant's eyebrows furrowed as he suspiciously moved forward, noticeable to Deming's eyes, and whispered, "What is happening? Your father was a coward who prioritized himself and his son over his own people. I am only doing what he had no guts to do for the safety of Astara. And as its new ruler, I will do it right." He bowed before the fairy leader and swept his hand from his chest with his palm facing up toward Deming. "Lord Muchen, as you requested."

Deming felt his heart race. "You..." his voice trembled in shock and anger.

The Astaran lieutenant sneered and continued savoring his victory, all while keeping up his façade in front of the fairy leader. "In exchange for my life and the Supreme Throne of Astara, I present Feng Deming—the crown prince of Astara."

Deming's face twisted in disgust, his eyes narrowing at the lieutenant's words. "You despicable traitor!" his voice filled with anger. "My father was a blind man who trusted a coward who stoops so low as to deal in slavery. You are a mockery of a king."

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment, his face revealing a brief flicker of internal conflict. 'I have no choice... If I don't hand over the prince, Astara is doomed. The fairies would wipe us out,' he pondered with desperation. Despite trying to justify his decision, he could not ignore the guilt that tore him apart concerning the morality of his actions. "I am aware that slavery goes against our principles. "However..." his troubled eyes looked away, fully aware of his treason and that his tribe had prohibited slavery since its foundation millions of years ago. 'There's nothing I can do now.'