I was the lord of the demon realm. It was only fitting to be called master or lord.

The title of “Your Majesty” was only used for my eldest sister who ruled the highest level of hell.

Even if they mistook me for a human, there was no way they would address me like royalty.

‘Besides, they’ve been treating me as if I’ve been unable to get up for a strangely long time.’

While I curled up in a ball with my mouth covered by pottery, I was fully focused on grasping the situation.

“Your Majesty, the Empress?”

“Oh my! Thank God!”

“Ah, thank goodness. Thank goodness…!”

That’s when it happened. Footsteps rushed in, and unfamiliar humans dressed as maids and servants poured into the room.

They all looked deeply moved with tears in their eyes, but unfortunately, I didn’t want to deal with multiple humans right now.

No, I was sick of humans.

I had loved humans, and I had been betrayed by humans.

Now, not even a speck of love for humans remained in my heart.

“Did you save and treat me?”

Natural words of condescension flowed from my mouth.

I was someone who had commanded thousands of demons as subordinates in my castle. Commanding others had been natural to me since birth.

But strangely enough, when I spoke authoritatively, the humans teared up and looked very relieved.

Not afraid, but.

“Yes, the knight guard Lord Noert caught Your Majesty. But you were in such shock that you couldn’t wake up for two weeks… *sob*.”

An old man wiped his eyes.

Judging by his attire, he seemed to be some sort of head steward.

‘As much as I’d like to kill all these humans…’

If they had used some mysterious method to save me, I couldn’t harm them.

According to demon law, if by some embarrassing chance you received help from someone, you were not allowed to harm your benefactor.

It was a kind law to ensure you never forgot the embarrassment.

‘Right, that’s why my magic power wasn’t generated just now.’

I tried hard to believe that.

Anxiety crept up my ankles, but I ignored it.

“Do I resemble your empress? Is that why you saved me?”

“…Pardon?”

But when I spoke again, all the crying humans suddenly stopped their tears.

“I asked if this body resembles your empress. And what do you mean by ‘caught’? I’ve never fallen.”

I was stabbed to death.

I don’t know for what reason or how these humans treated me. I’m so anxious I don’t know what to do.

Whether it was due to frustration or the dull pain spreading throughout my body, anger kept rising.

“Your… Majesty. Perhaps your memory is… not intact.”

That’s when it happened.

The knight who had been chattering annoyingly right next to me all this time opened his mouth in a trembling voice.

“Memory? This body’s memory is fine.”

“But…”

The knight, who had been tightly shutting his mouth, suddenly stood up and brought a mirror from somewhere.

“Have you perhaps forgotten yourself, Your Majesty.”

“What nonsense…!”

At that moment, I realized that my voice had changed slightly.

My voice, which used to be husky and low with dignity, was now thin and frail as if it could disappear at any moment.

Tilting my head, I looked down at my hands and flinched.

They should have been big, handsome, and magnificent hands, but what was this?

A smooth back of the hand without a single joint, and a wrist so thin it looked like it couldn’t even hold a book. The fingers were so slender they looked like they would break if someone applied even a little force.

While staring intently at these hands that didn’t look like mine, I reluctantly shifted my gaze to the mirror.

‘This is crazy.’

The first thing that caught my eye was golden hair that looked as if it had been painted with sunlight.

The face reflected in the mirror was pale and ashen, but no one could dispute that it was an exceptional beauty.

The eyes and mouth were large and open, and the nose was high.

Despite having been ill for a long time, the reddish lips were sensual even at the corners, and the two eyes were as beautiful as rubies.

However, the empty gaze devoid of any vitality made it look not like a living person, but like a jeweled doll.

‘What’s going on here? Where did I go… and who is this human woman?’

I hurriedly searched for the magic core that should have been embedded in my soul, but I couldn’t feel anything. The magic power that had once been so powerful I could barely control it was now completely gone, not even a drop remained.

“Ha!”

I coldly mocked myself and started laughing, my whole body shaking. It was so absurd that laughter came out.

Yes, this was it.

The reality I had been avoiding. The reality I had felt was strange from the beginning but had gritted my teeth and tried not to see.

‘My power, my magic that I had accumulated for over a thousand years, is all gone. I’ve become… human.’

Even though I’ve become the human I so desired, I’m despairing.

This wasn’t how I wanted to become human.

Besides, now that I’ve been betrayed by Enrique, what use is it to become human?

If this is fate, it’s cruel. It’s such a terrible mismatch.

“Ugh, huk…!”

Without realizing it, I struggled, clutching at my chest. It felt like my chest was blocked and I couldn’t breathe.

“Your Majesty! Please allow the doctor to examine you.”

Anger rose up my esophagus and I spat out blood. It wasn’t the black blood that was evidence of being a demon, but the red blood that flows in a human body. Then the knight looked at me earnestly with a face as if he would die right away in my place.

The sight of him just fretting, not daring to lay a finger on my body, reminded me of my past self and made my insides ache.

‘I was a fool. I was stupid. I should have listened to my sisters earlier.’

I thought our love would be different somehow.

But in the end, we were just another cliché love and common betrayal.

Just one of countless stories in the human world.

My whole body is trembling. I bit my lower lip hard, ignoring the knight’s restraint, and chewed until I tasted blood. It felt like that was the only way to regain my senses.

“Please… please, Your Majesty. Rather, punish me. If I’m dirty, I’ll give you a handkerchief. Just stop harming your precious body…”

At that moment, the knight crumpled the bed sheet and approached on his knees.

As I looked closely at the gray eyes wavering with anxiety, I realized that what was reflected there was not me, but the owner of this body.

In an instant, a scene flashed in my mind.

A crescent moon hanging on a high tower, a wailing knight, white toes dancing on the cold stone floor.

And then, the fall.

‘When the soul left this body, my soul, drifting in the abyss, took its place. I was strongly drawn to something.’

Me. That I should end up like this.

I lost my mighty power and my strong body. I had no love and no one to love.

I was trapped.

“Ugh, ugh huh…”

At that miserable realization, I finally silently screamed and then passed out.

This body couldn’t even cry at will.

* * *

When I regained consciousness, it was dark night.

A night so familiar and cozy to me.

But the darkness I faced in a human body wasn’t the kind feeling I knew.

“Your Majesty, are you awake?”

Just as I sensed a presence, it was that knight from earlier.

Staring blankly at the man’s face, which had grown gaunt in such a short time, I slowly moved my lips.

“Lord Noert?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty. Derek Noert. Your knight.”

“…I see.”

So it really has come to this.

I stared blankly at the ceiling while lying down.

I felt dejected. But who was I?

I had never once forgiven an enemy since I was born. I was at the forefront of trampling and mocking my male siblings who tried to take my place, looking down on me for being the youngest.

Even my sisters had to stop me because it was too much.

I had just lost myself in love for a moment.

“I just need to regain it.”

Muttering softly, I forcefully tried to raise my body by putting strength in my arms.

“I, I will do it for you.”

At that, the knight immediately came over and supported my back. And with one hand, he skillfully arranged the cushions so that I could lean on them.

He loves this body.

It was impossible not to know, given his dedicated and devoted attitude that was so meticulous.

That worthless love. How could he go to such lengths for such cheap love?

I felt nauseous.

“Your Majesty. How are you feeling?”

Eventually, the knight carefully knelt before me.

I liked his extremely polite attitude, but he was still human. And I had just decided that with my death, I would no longer trust or give affection to humans.

“If you’re done, get out now.”

At the command I spat out in a cracking voice, the knight looked like he was about to cry.

I was about to say something harsher, but I hesitated. Strangely, I felt like I had done something I shouldn’t have.

“Am I not Your Majesty’s most cherished bedroom furniture?”

“…”

“How could you discard me?”

The knight said something crazy and shed a tear.

He didn’t cry prettily, but truly pitifully.

‘Sigh. Why do they all cry in front of me?’

Once upon a time, I was busy comforting my lover when he cried.

I was restless, trying to give Enrique everything I could until he showed his shy smile again.

Even though all Enrique wanted was cream bread that he couldn’t usually eat or sugar-coated cookies.

Back then, I wanted to smash the world and give it to him in my arms.

But now I was sick of tears.

“Stop crying. It’s ringing in my head.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“You foolish thing, you’re just like a winter bear.”

“If Your Majesty calls me a bear, then I am a bear.”

“…Sigh.”

This stubborn knight probably won’t leave no matter what I say.

“If you insist on being a servant, I’ll treat you like one with my toes.”

At those words, the crazy knight smiled brightly.

It was such a familiar face, one madly in love.