Sarah was stunned when she heard someone call Lucas, "Your Highness."
"Wait… isn't that what you call royalty?" she thought, her eyes widening.
Is Lucas… a prince? Like—crown, castle, dramatic cape prince?
"Sarah, stay behind me," Lucas said firmly, his voice tight with worry.
"Why?" she whispered. "What's going to happen?"
"…."
He didn't answer, which was never a good sign. His face looked like the kind of expression people had right before something exploded.
A low growl echoed through the forest.
"Your Highness! They're here!" shouted the man beside him.
Of course they are, Sarah thought miserably. Why wouldn't something terrifying show up right now?
Lucas raised his hand, and in an instant, a silver-colored sword appeared out of thin air.
Sarah stared.
"…He just pulled a sword out of the air.
Yep. Totally normal. This is fine."
She scrambled behind a nearby tree, hugging it like it was her long-lost best friend. Before she could fully process anything, black, beastlike creatures with long, sharp fangs burst from the shadows.
Lucas and the man with cat-like ears charged forward, fighting with terrifying skill.
Great, Sarah thought. Monsters. Magic swords. Cat-eared people. And I forgot my pepper spray.
So caught up in shock, she didn't notice one creature sneaking up behind her.
"Sarah!"
In a flash, Lucas appeared, blocking the monster's claws with his sword.
Sarah's legs instantly gave up on life. She collapsed onto the ground, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.
"Are you okay, Sarah?" Lucas asked, his eyes full of concern.
"I'm… not!" she yelled. "I almost got eaten! That's not a 'walk-it-off' situation!"
"I see."
Lucas clearly had no idea what to do with a panicking human girl. After a brief, awkward pause, he reached into his pocket and handed her a small strawberry-flavored candy.
"…Why do you just carry candy?" Sarah muttered.
"It helps," he said seriously.
"I'm not a kid," she complained—
then immediately took it.
"…Thanks."
"What were those things?" she asked after a moment. "Were they… monsters?"
"Yes."
Somehow, the calm answer made it worse.
"You must be shaken," Lucas said gently. "Let's talk about it another day."
Another day, Sarah thought. Sure. Because people totally forget monster attacks overnight.
Lucas walked her home and stopped at her doorstep.
"I'll explain everything soon," he said quietly. "But before that… there's something I need to take care of."
"Like what?" she asked.
Instead of answering, he turned and disappeared into the night.
"…Rude," Sarah muttered.
Days passed. Lucas didn't come back to school.
Sarah couldn't forget the silver sword, the monsters, or the way he'd said Yes like monsters were as normal as pigeons. She woke from nightmares clutching her blanket like it was a holy artifact.
Then came her eighteenth birthday.
For once, her parents were home. The celebration was warm and cheerful, but something felt… off. Like everyone knew a secret except her.
Upstairs, Sarah admired her gifts, humming happily.
Downstairs, her parents sat in silence.
"She's eighteen now," her mother whispered. "It's time."
Her father sighed. "How do you even start a conversation like that? 'Happy birthday, by the way, you're not exactly human'?"
Lucas sat across from them, composed as ever.
"She's your daughter," he said calmly. "A daughter born from a demon… and a holy knight."
The silence that followed was so heavy it could've crushed furniture.
Upstairs, Sarah suddenly felt an ache in her chest.
Why do I feel like something dramatic is about to ruin my life?
The next day at school, Sarah nearly dropped her bag when she saw Lucas standing by the classroom door, chatting casually.
Casually.
Like he hadn't fought monsters with a magic sword.
"Hey," he said, waving.
Oh no. He's doing the 'pretend nothing happened' thing.
Annoyed, Sarah ignored him and sat down.
During class, her body began to feel strange—warm, heavy, like she'd swallowed a tiny furnace.
Did I eat something weird? Or am I dying?
Lucas noticed immediately.
It's starting, he thought grimly. Dual mana awakening. Demonic and holy. Horribly unbalanced.
He glanced at Sarah, who was trying very hard not to panic while secretly wondering if spontaneous combustion was a thing.
If she loses control…
Lucas clenched his fists.
I swear, the moment she turns into something dangerous, I'm blaming fate. Or destiny. Or whoever thought this was a good