A Trip to the Demon Realm (2)

Walking with Lucifer to the deepest part of the cave, I was so stunned by the sight before me that I couldn’t move: a dragon’s nest. Luminous yellow light streamed down from an opening above, and two dragons—one black and one white—spiraled down from the high rocks, their massive bodies taking up most of the space in the cavern.

Normally, one would associate white with the female and black with the male, but the moment I saw that black dragon, my first reaction was: “Yang Lu!”

Sharp fangs, long bone wings, crimson eyes, jet-black scales, and an aura of wickedness… Having seen Lucifer in Heaven for so long, I actually thought this dragon appeared more like Yang Lu than he did.

Lucifer looked at me in surprise.

“You know its name?”

“Its name is Yang Lu?”

“Mhm. The correct pronunciation is Anglu, Kongo’s wife.” He pointed to the white dragon, with snow-white wings, pale pupils, and a body covered in gleaming white scales. “That’s Kongo.”

So Yang Lu became Mrs. Kongo. I nearly choked on my own laughter.

“Why are you keeping dragons in the demon realm? Is it because God forbade them?”

“In Heaven’s view, all dragons from the underworld are considered evil. Both Kongo and Anglu were captured here. There’s no point keeping them in Heaven, and I can come see them anytime I want.”

“Oh, so they can’t go up there?”

“They can’t. And dragons rarely leave their nests unless something truly major happens.”

I glanced at the two dragons and asked tentatively, “Can they talk? Can they turn into people?”

“Of course. Kongo, Anglu.” He gestured.

Kongo let out a long roar and shook its wings. A flash of light erupted, followed by thick smoke. Through the haze, a young man and an older man stepped out, kneeling before Lucifer.

I stared, eyes wide—this was too much…

Kongo had transformed into Li Bin, and Anglu had turned into Yang Lu.

Yes, apart from the old-fashioned clothing, they were exactly the same!

“You may rise,” Lucifer gestured again. “Dragons have an incredible ability to mimic. Their temperaments are different, but their features are identical.”

Anglu glanced at me, grinned devilishly, and wrapped an arm around Kongo’s waist, pulling him in for a kiss—and not just any kiss, but one that was intense and shameless. What made it worse was how, in the middle of it, his hand slid under Kongo’s clothes. Kongo tilted his head back, using my face to look at Anglu, moaning wantonly.

What happened earlier in the dark rushed back to me…

My face must’ve been turning red and white by turns. Lucifer watched their kiss silently, his expression unreadable.

By the time they finished their “display”, my face was already burning.

“Alright, don’t scare Isar too much,” said Lucifer, pointing inward. “I came to check on the eggs.”

“Please, Your Highness, follow us.”

They led us deeper in. In the center was a nest about the size of a bath. Lucifer and I approached, and inside were three golden eggs, each about the size of a basketball. Their color resembled the hues of a sunset, but they were unusually smooth and radiant. When I leaned closer, I could even see my own reflection on the surface.

Anglu carefully lifted one of the eggs and placed it into Lucifer’s hands. “Your Highness must take good care of this.”

Lucifer thanked Kongo and his wife, then used a spell to shrink the egg and stow it away before leading me out of the cavern.

My mind was a complete mess.

The Yang Lu from my time—could it really have been this dragon in disguise? They were completely identical, even their speech and mannerisms were the same. So does that mean… I really am in the past? Or am I still dreaming?

If it’s the former, then…

I looked over at Lucifer, and my heart started racing again.

Lucifer is destined to betray Heaven. And according to myth, after becoming the Ruler of Demons, he would marry Lilith. But now… do I have a chance to stop that tragedy? To stop his fall, to stop him from… marrying Lilith? But what if he and Lilith are already in love?

What am I even thinking again? How did my mind end up going there?

And yet, I couldn’t control my mouth: “Lord Lucifer, w-what do you think of Lilith?”

Lucifer smiled. “Just seeing her face puts me in a good mood.”

“She’s very beautiful?”

“Extremely beautiful.”

Hearing that, my heart skipped a beat for reasons I couldn’t explain. I nodded and took a few steps back. “Your Highness, I’d like to go back now.”

Lucifer stepped forward at once, cupping my cheeks in both hands. “Are you upset again?”

I had no answer.

“Want to see Lilith? Once you’ve met her, you’ll definitely agree with me.”

I shook my head and brushed his hands away. “No, thank you.”

But Lucifer only leaned in closer, his fingers trailing down the back of my neck until they touched my wings.

My whole body tensed. I snapped my head up.

He continued to stroke my feathers with delicate care, fingertips gliding along the plume. Then, gently, he lifted one of my wings and kissed it softly.

Flustered, I pushed his hand away. “Your Highness, please show some respect!”

Lucifer paused for a moment, then said in a low voice: “Forgive me. I got carried away.”

That whole day’s joy was completely swept away by one phrase of mine. We returned to Heaven in silence, the atmosphere between us so stiff it could freeze. He offered to escort me all the way home, but I insisted we part at the stairway leading to the Seventh Heaven. In the end, he gave in. Before leaving, ever graceful, he still said, “I had a wonderful time today.”

I, on the other hand, felt miserable.

Back home, I threw myself face-down onto the bed, hugging a pillow and staring into space. One hour passed. Someone entered at some point, but I didn’t notice until I was startled by Ruthfel. When I realized I’d completely ignored him, I wanted to punch myself in the face.

Ruthfel patted his little pant legs and sat beside me with a glass of milk, that innocent smile on his face as always, seemingly unbothered.

I let out a long breath. “Farthead, are you in a good mood today?”

Ruthfel nodded, the golden fluff atop his head bouncing cheerfully. “You’re in a bad mood?”

“I don’t know. My mind’s a mess. I really want to hit someone. Let me hit you, okay?” I flipped over, sat up, and pinched his cheeks hard. “Why do you have to look so much like him, huh? You annoying little brat.”

Ruthfel blinked his sapphire-blue eyes without flinching.

I shook my head and went to wash Lucifer’s gloves, my mind still completely empty through the whole process. When I came back, Ruthfel was sitting there holding his milk cup, wearing a strange little smile. I flopped down beside him and stared at the gloves for a long while before slipping one on, still damp or not, I didn’t care.

“You think… he ever gets upset?” I asked. “He always looks so calm, like nothing ever touches him.”

I glanced at the silver chain on the glove’s wrist, then threw it aside and dove into the covers, hugging a pillow over my face.

Ruthfel set down his cup, climbed on top of me, and pulled the pillow away.

“Why’s your face so red? Do you have a fever?”

I pressed the back of my hand to my cheek, trying to cool it down. “Farthead… he likes Lilith.”

Ruthfel blinked in surprise. “Who are you talking about?”

“Lucifer! He likes LILITH!” I shook my head, ranting, “He likes Lilith! I’m a fireball! I’m gonna explode! AHHH! He likes Lilith! ARGH! I’m already exploding! Can’t you see?! I’M ON FIRE!”

Ruthfel looked stunned for real. He grabbed my face, anxious. “So what if he likes Lilith?”

“I don’t know how to explain it. Farthead, your big brother’s in a bad mood today. You better leave before you get caught in the crossfire.”

But Ruthfel ignored me entirely and pinned me down. “You like him, don’t you? You’ve fallen for him again, haven’t you?”

I wrapped my arms around Ruthfel’s small body and buried my face in his chest, rubbing against it like I was the child. Then, in a voice so soft even I could barely hear, I whispered, “I don’t know… I was such an idiot today. I actually went and kissed him… Don’t ask me anything. I really don’t know.”

Ruthfel didn’t react for a long time. I sat up and pulled him into my lap. “I know what you’re thinking.”

He still stared at me, dazed.

I wrinkled my nose and smiled faintly. “I know exactly what kind of person I am. And how far I am from him… so I won’t let myself think too much.”

Ruthfel shook his head. “No. You should think about it more.”

Hearing him say that so seriously, I didn’t know whether to laugh or scold him. I pinched his cheeks and gave them a gentle wiggle.

“Farthead, you’ve got such a sweet mouth. But listen. What I just said is for your ears only, alright? If Metatron ever hears about it, he’ll force me to eat noodles with my nose.”

Ruthfel stared at me for a while longer.

Then suddenly, he fluttered his wings and took off, buzzing around the room in bumblebee mode, his arms stretched wide, his short golden hair flying every which way, leaving trails of light like rainbows arching through the air.

At last—

He braked midair and dove into my arms with a bright, bell-clear voice.

“Isar!”

The collision knocked me flat onto the bed. He lay on top of me, hugging me tightly.

“Isar, you really meant all that?”

Embarrassed as I already was, I could only scratch my head and nod.

Ruthfel closed his eyes in contentment and whispered, “Lucifer for sure likes you too.”

“No way. I know my place.”

“You’ll see tomorrow,” he said, kneeling on the bed and shaking out the down quilt. He draped it over the two of us and turned off the lights.

In the darkness, he hugged my waist and murmured softly, “Good night, baby.”

I was just about to say good night back until I heard the last word. Instantly, I pinched his cheek again.

“You little pig, behave yourself!”

After the exams, there came a long break. Once it was over, I’d have the option to continue my studies for promotion or settle down and live a quiet life. Thinking back, I’d already been living in Heaven for over a year. In less than a year, the Day of Creation would arrive.

The next day, Jesus was holding prayer at the largest cathedral in Shima. I immediately tossed aside my newly bought light reading, folded up my wings, wrapped up my head, and dressed in a white robe to join the other angels in attending the service.

As a sign of reverence toward God and His Left Wing, all angels entered the cathedral on foot.

The cathedral had stood for so long, yet because it was constantly bathed in sacred light, everything within remained pristine.

Walking down the silent corridor, light from the Seventh Heaven filtered through layers of clouds and fell through the window lattices, dancing across the floor like spirits. The cathedral’s dome was the highest point in all of Shima. Standing in the great hall beneath it, looking up, everything else felt minuscule. One couldn’t fully grasp the scale of its grandeur at first glance.

On the stained glass windows was a depiction of the Holy Phoenix, its wings entwined with fragrant grapevines. Above the gilded throne glowed a cross bathed in brilliance. Two cherubs adorned the back of the throne, holding the keys to the Gates of the Seventh Heaven and bouquets of flowers.

Jesus stood before the throne, robed in gold, facing the rising sun with his eyes closed, offering a prayer:

The Lord makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike (1).

Let not the sun go down on your anger, and give no place to the devil.

Your adornment should not be external—braided hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes—but the hidden person of the heart, with the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.

Be angry, and yet do not sin.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Serve one another according to the gifts you have received from God.

Let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let your heart turn to God, and your eyes delight in His ways.

Fear the Lord, walk in His paths, love Him, and serve Him with all your heart and soul.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

I give you a new commandment: Love one another.

Just as I have loved you.

The words were plain, the expression solemn. Jesus had a lean face, short hair, and a trimmed beard. A face of ordinariness, and yet it was the very simplicity that touched the heart.

At places like this, I always seemed to forget many of my desires. I lowered my head and out of the corner of my eye, noticed someone sit down to my left.

I sat up, shifted slightly to the right, and smiled at the person beside me before turning back to look at Jesus.

The person next to me was also wearing a white robe, the brim of his hood resting against their forehead, their golden hair tied with a ribbon, draping neatly over their chest.

I kept looking forward at Jesus for about five seconds, then snapped my head around. “L–Lord Lucifer?”

Lucifer pressed a finger to his lips and pointed ahead. “Shh.”

I nodded furiously. “Why is Your Highness here?”

“To listen to the prayer. And to see you.”

“I see.”

After a short while, he suddenly said, “No, I said that backward.”

……

I didn’t hear another word of the prayer after that. I had no idea how long it lasted. I only remembered that when it ended, the angels left the cathedral in perfect order.

I planned to wait until Lucifer left before getting up, but he didn’t move at all.

In the end, when only the two of us were left in the cathedral, he finally spoke.

“How did you sleep last night?”

The cathedral was vast and hollow. His voice echoed like a memory on the wind, drifting in from some faraway place. I turned to look at him, into those sky-colored eyes. “I slept well, Your Highness. And you?”

“A bit of insomnia.” He didn’t seem rushed at all, glancing at me, then back toward the cross at the center of the cathedral.

“Same as my little brother, then. He couldn’t sleep either, kept tossing and turning all night.”

That Farthead—just because I looked asleep doesn’t mean I haven’t noticed him rolling all over the bed.

“Your brother?” Lucifer perked up, eyes curved. “You saw the name of this cathedral and still haven’t figured it out?”

“I figured it out.” I recalled the carved inscriptions of The Ruthfel Cathedral. A complex wave of emotion welled in my heart. “So… so this cathedral was established in honor of Ruthfel. Your Highness, I…”

“Hmm?” Lucifer leaned in slightly. His voice dropped—low, silky, and inexplicably seductive.

“Ruthfel isn’t just not Michael. He’s a founding angel, even more senior! Plus, he’s already that old, but still looks like a child. That means—that means he’ll grow up to be someone really powerful!” I clutched my head, overwhelmed by shame and frustration. “Your Highness! I was so ignorant! I hadn’t even heard of his name!”

“…”

“Your Highness?”

Lucifer sighed, softly, still smiling, and gently brushed the bangs from my forehead. He wore the expression of someone who didn’t quite know how to comfort another.

“Your Highness? What is it…”

Lucifer shook his head. “Now that you’re on break, I remember you said that once you’ve settled in Shima, you don’t want to continue your studies.”

Did I say that?

“I used to think living in Shima would be enough. But now… I really want to live in Sancta Faylia.”

“You want to live in Sancta Faylia?”

I glanced at him, then quickly averted my eyes. “Yes. I heard the cost of living there is really high. So I’ll work hard, study hard… Is it true that only six-winged angels can live there?”

“If you can’t find a place, you can come live with me in the meantime.”

I was so startled I almost nodded on reflex. It took me a moment to hold back. “It’s alright. Thank you. I’ll figure something out.”

“I won’t do anything inappropriate again. You don’t need to worry.”

That only startled me more. I frantically waved my hands to deny it, then quickly changed the subject. “Your Highness, is it possible to transfer schools here?”

“It is. Are you thinking of transferring?”

If I had to stay in Divine Law much longer, I’d break. I hated the Heavenly Language, hated Celestial History, hated fire magic, hated memorization, hated everything. If I had a choice, I’d rather go to the Seventh and swing a sword.

“I want to transfer to the Academy of the Seventh, but I don’t know how.”

“I’ll take you there.”

“Okay… Oh, right, Your Highness.” I pulled out the white gloves. “You left these at my place.”

“Keep them for now. You can return them to me later.”

“Alright.” I lowered my head and tucked the gloves back into my pocket, then looked up again. “So, are we heading out now?”

“To the Academy of the Seventh.”

The stillness of the cathedral made even a few casual words echo loudly; every syllable of Lucifer’s voice rippled through the air, distant yet real, reverberating gently in my ear.

In that moment, I was sure the words I’d whispered to Ruthfel the night before were true. Never in my life had I felt this strongly about anyone. Even if we just sat here quietly forever, looking at each other, that alone would be enough.

Ruthfel said I could think about it more—that Lucifer liked me… but how is that even possible?

I watched as Lucifer stood up and then turned back toward me.

“Isar?”

“Sorry, I spaced out.”

Then, without any warning, he placed a hand on the armrest of the pew, leaned down, and kissed me once.

“Let’s go.”

Author’s notes (translated):

Reference (1): Excerpts from the Christian Bible, specifically from the “Epistles” of the New Testament—The Gospel of Matthew, First Epistle of Peter, and Epistle to the Ephesians—as well as from the “Wisdom Literature” of the Old Testament—The Book of Proverbs and The Book of Deuteronomy.