Demon's Gentle Embrace

Deep within the endless shadows of the Demon Realm, where sunlight never reaches and darkness holds absolute power, a figure knelt before a towering throne of obsidian. Above him sat the Supreme Demon Lord, his voice like rolling thunder that shook the very ground. “Listen closely. This is your mission: Go to the human world. You shall remain invisible to all — only those who are desperate enough to seek a wish and offer their life force in return will be able to see you. Grant what they desire, take the payment owed, and once it is done, they shall forget you completely. Do not deviate from this duty. Do not feel. Do not forget who you are.” The figure bowed his head. “I obey, my Lord.” In the next instant, swirling black mist wrapped around him, and he vanished from the Demon Realm. He reappeared standing alone at the highest edge of Seoul’s tallest skyscraper. Dark storm clouds rolled across the sky as if announcing his arrival, and cold wind whipped through his dark coat. To everyone walking the streets or driving far below, he was nothing — just empty space, unseen and unnoticed. Only a rare few with a desperate wish would ever catch sight of him. He raised his right arm, where a glowing black tattoo coiled like living smoke — the source of all his strength and magic. “So this is the human world,” he murmured, his voice carried away by the wind. “Very interesting indeed.” Elsewhere in the city, inside the headquarters of one of the country’s largest and most successful corporations, Park Soo-jin sat behind the wide executive desk. She was in her early twenties — strikingly beautiful, with long silky black hair, sharp intelligent eyes, and an air of confidence that commanded respect. She was not just the heiress; she was now the CEO, running the entire family business with such skill and wisdom that everyone in the industry admired and trusted her. To the public, she was the perfect image of beauty, brains, and strength. But behind that success, her personal life was far from easy. Her mother had passed away when she was small; her father married twice and died later, leaving behind two former wives and their three children — her stepbrothers and stepsister. They lived in the family mansion, smiling sweetly in front of others, but always watching her with greedy eyes. The eldest stepbrother and his wife were married, as were the younger brother and sister — all of them hoping to take control of the company and fortune, waiting for a chance to pull her down. That evening, she returned home after finishing her work. Her grandmother was waiting for her in the living room, looking both proud and worried. “Soo-jin,” the old woman said gently, “I know you manage the company better than anyone else — everyone says so. But I still worry. I am growing old, and you have no one to stand beside you. Today another suitable family asked for your hand… will you not think about marriage?” Soo-jin smiled softly but shook her head firmly. “Grandmother, thank you. But I built this company’s future myself, and I can protect myself too. I won’t marry just to please others — I want to choose my own path.” Knowing the conversation would only repeat itself, she picked up her bag. “I’ll go for a while. Need some quiet time.” She left the mansion and headed toward her favorite place — an old, quiet library tucked between modern buildings. It was the only spot where she could escape the pressure of work and family. She had no idea that this quiet escape would lead her to cross paths with someone who walked between worlds — someone invisible to all but those in need, someone whose name she would not even know until much later, when their lives became tangled forever.