Universe No. 19.47489619–9√π469×@∞人

  July 6th, 2020

  It was supposed to be a normal day.

  I walked through the school hallway as usual, surrounded by the noise of students laughing, chatting, living their ordinary lives.

  Floating above their heads were strange creatures—inner demons—hovering close to their owners like shadows that refused to leave.

  I passed by without stopping.

  Not because I thought I was better than them. Not because I was “too cool” to talk. I wasn’t rich, powerful, or some kind of genius who couldn’t relate to normal people. I was just… ordinary.

  Painfully ordinary.

  To explain things properly, I should start with this:

  I don’t have an inner demon.

  No demonic energy. No supernatural presence. Nothing.

  Because of that, it’s hard for people to notice me. Even if I stand right in front of them, their eyes often slide past me as if I’m not really there. I only get noticed when I do something obvious—like sneezing or coughing.

  And honestly? I hate attention.

  In simple terms, I’m an introvert who accidentally mastered the art of being invisible.

  As for my life outside school… my parents died when I was around three or four years old. Since then, my older sister has been the one taking care of me.

  Just as I was about to sink deeper into my thoughts, something gently tugged on my shoulder.

  I turned around.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Standing there was a short girl.

  Her eyes shone like the early morning sky, framed by thin, rimless glasses. Pure white ribbons fell softly against her hair, giving her the look of a girl who had stepped out of a painting.

  She was my childhood friend.

  Sophia.

  She was talented, kind, and undeniably beautiful—so beautiful that people often compared her to a goddess who had mistakenly descended into the human world.

  She smiled.

  “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, Sophia,” I replied.

  That’s when I noticed the inner demon resting lazily on her shoulder.

  “Good morning, Covi.”

  Covi looked like a small cow with wings sprouting from its back. It opened its eyes slowly and yawned.

  “Morning,” it muttered.

  We walked to class together.

  As always, a question lingered in my mind.

  How could Sophia see me so clearly?

  Was it because of Covi? At first glance, Covi didn’t look powerful at all—but appearances were deceiving. It was a mystical-level inner demon, something only one or two percent of the population possessed.

  Or maybe… after spending so much time with me, Sophia had simply gotten used to my presence.

  I didn’t know the answer.

  History class began soon after we arrived.

  The teacher started explaining something about wars, governments, heroes—honestly, I stopped paying attention almost immediately. The words blurred together, slowing down as drowsiness crept in.

  I tried to stay awake. I really did.

  But being someone who doesn’t snore—and someone who’s hard to notice—has its advantages. Sleeping in class was basically a cheat code for me.

  I rested my head on the desk.

  The teacher’s voice faded.

  “…after the war… there was a hero… chosen by the king… possessing the power of creation…”

  Darkness swallowed my thoughts.

  ———

  When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the classroom anymore.

  Everything around me was white.

  Endless. Empty.

  The ground, the walls—if they could even be called that—seemed to stretch and pull in impossible directions.

  Strangely, it felt familiar.

  Like I had been here before.

  Then I noticed someone standing in the distance.

  Without thinking, I walked toward him.

  He was tall, wearing an old black coat. The lower half was torn and stained with deep red, as if soaked in dried blood. A sense of unease crawled up my spine.

  Still, I forced myself to speak calmly.

  “Hey… who are you? And where am I? Is this some kind of punishment for sleeping in class?”

  The man smiled.

  It was slow. Deliberate. Uncomfortable.

  “No,” he said. “This isn’t a punishment.”

  His voice was deep.

  “I’m here because I chose you as my master.”

  My body stiffened. “What?”

  “I am your inner demon,” he continued. “Or rather… your first one.”

  I frowned. “That’s impossible. Inner demons manifest at birth. I’ve never heard of someone getting one this late.”

  He chuckled softly.

  “There are exceptions to every rule. And I am one of them.”

  His expression turned serious.

  “Tell me—what happens when the owner of an inner demon dies?”

  “…The demon dies too.”

  “Correct.” He smiled again. “But I don’t.”

  The space around us began to glow.

  “My name is Ken,” he said. “I don’t have much time. When you wake up, check your bag.”

  Light flooded my vision.

  I woke up in the classroom.

  It was empty.

  The sun was setting, casting a warm reddish glow across the room. Sophia was still there, asleep at her desk. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

  For a moment, our gazes met.

  Then she looked away and sighed.

  “You stayed up all night playing games again, didn’t you?” she said. “You skip classes just because people don’t notice you. That’s not fair.”

  She puffed her cheeks in an annoyed—but oddly cute—expression.

  “O-Okay, okay,” I lied. “I was playing games. Happy now?”

  Her face turned red.

  “So games are more entertaining than spending time with me…?” she muttered.

  “What?” I asked.

  “N-Nothing! Let’s go.”

  We walked home together, but my mind was elsewhere.

  Ken. The white space…

  As soon as we parted ways.

  I rushed home and locked myself in my room. Inside my bag was an…

  I was shocked to see this...

  _______