The moment I finally dared to look directly into the demon's feline pupils, I felt a chill crawl down my spine. It wasn't as if his appearance was grotesque, but he certainly wasn't human. His image was so strange to me that for a moment I considered I might be hallucinating again.But no — this was real. He was real. And, in turn, what I saw on that fateful night was also real.Like I said before, I may be a child, but I am not a fool. What I saw that night — the things that happened — it was this being, this demon, who showed them to me.
Without further delay, I looked at him inquisitively, and as I made a motion to get up from the bed and walk toward him, the demon interrupted me:
"Whoa, whoa, easy there, boy… I wasn't the one who caused all that tragedy, okay? Looking at me like you want to kill me won't solve anything. But hmm… who knows, if you free me, maybe I could go after those guys and get revenge for you, how about it, huh?"
Said the demon, smiling maliciously, his eyes brighter than the first rays of morning light.
I confess, his attempt to seduce me with wild ideas — like avenging Lizzie's death — made my heart skip a beat. I almost let myself be convinced by this completely untrustworthy creature. But truth be told, what benefit would an orphaned twelve-year-old boy gain from watching bad adults die?I mean, yes, I do want them to suffer as much as she suffered in her last moments — every drop of her tears, every cry of pain, her expression of discomfort, shock, and betrayal.
Yes, I want revenge. Who wouldn't?She was my world — she was everything to me. With her by my side, I could have the most terrible days and still end them smiling.But no — even the only source of joy in my life was stolen from me.So why should I let those wretched people live?If she — my very reason to keep breathing — no longer draws breath?
However, I must be careful. After all, I don't have an extra life to waste — and I absolutely cannot trust this demon. If he were really as powerful as he claims, why didn't he stop them? Why didn't he save her?In this sense the miserable vision he showed me was not a help at all, but a burden.
Determined not to let myself be swayed by the lies of the creature floating in the air, I stood up and made a motion to leave the room, as if I no longer intended to listen to the nonsense this being had to say. Sensing that I was about to store the clock back in the chest, the creature grew desperate:
"You're not even curious, boy? You see me here, floating, and you don't have anything you want to ask? Who I am, where I come from? What my powers are?"
Haaaaaah… (I let out a sigh)
"Okay, okay, I get it — the boy is so self-centered that not even the secrets behind his mother's pitiful death are enough to spark his curiosity… hehe."
Upon hearing his last words, I turned abruptly to face him again. My eyes burned with unspilled rage, my chest throbbed as if someone were squeezing my heart with their bare hands. I took one step, then another, and stopped right in front of the creature, saying:
"Whatever you know, demon — give me one good reason not to lock you in this old chest and bury you deep in the backyard."
It was the first time I had spoken in about three months.My own voice sounded strange to my ears; the words tangled on my tongue, and no matter how calm I tried to sound, they came out a bit too fast and harsh — nothing like what I had imagined.I don't want to give him the credit, but the being in front of me is undeniably superior to an ordinary human — let alone a child.I hadn't planned to show how deeply all of this affected me, more than I could bear — but I needed this demon.Revenge?! Yes, of course I want it!But in this moment, what I need most — what is absolutely essential — is information.Information this detestable demon claims to possess. Regardless, I need to show that I hold the upper hand here, and that he has to fight for my favor — not the other way around, which is what it truly seems.
The creature seemed surprised to hear my voice for the first time. I saw its eyes tremble for an instant.But its surprise didn't last long — soon it burst into laughter.Not the sarcastic mechanical chuckles it had given until now — no.He was truly amused.He laughed so loudly, in such an incomprehensible tone, that it felt as if every creature in existence were laughing at once.Yes… it was terrifying.
Then, wearing a crooked smile, he looked at me and said:
"Perhaps not a water flea, but a true baby dragon, huh?!"
"Shut up, creature. If you're not going to say anything useful, I don't intend to waste another second here!"
"Calm down, calm down, little lord. What would you like to know?"
"Hmmpff. Finally we're talking. What do you know about Lizzie's death?"
"Hmmmm… Look boy, to be honest, not much more than what you already know."
"Ahhhhh, I knew it. You're useless after all!"
"Wait, wait, hold on! I said I don't know yet…"
"Huh?"
"HIHI. Well, boy, how about we start from the beginning?"
~Silence~
"As you've probably guessed, I'm not human, hihihi — but I'm not an animal either, hihihi. Yes, I showed you your mother's last moments, but it's not like I could have more information about what happened right now…"
"Then what kind of help can you give, demon?"
"Calm down boy, wait. The truth is… my powers are… limited at the moment. You must have deduced at least that much, considering I only appear the moment you touch the clock…"
[...]
"The truth, boy, is that I am sealed."
Okay, now I must really be lost.How could I have believed the nonsense this circus peacock is telling me???What kind of help could a being who isn't even visible to others, barely knows how to provide any useful information, and has his so-called 'superpowers' sealed possibly give???He must really think I'm an idiot.I can't believe I wasted my first words in months on this despicable creature. I'm starting to think even the stupid bullies at school would be more useful in my current situation.
As I nervously bit my lips and rolled my eyes in total disdain for what the creature said, it dropped new pieces of information:
"Look, I may be weakened now, but that doesn't mean I'm powerless. Besides, what has been sealed can be unsealed… How about a deal, little boy?"
[...]
"Oh come on, don't be like that. At least consider it. I'm not saying I can solve all your problems overnight, but… I can provide you with the means to claim your revenge with your own hands."
!!!!!!
Yes, the conversation became more interesting now — finally this buffoon realized it's worth trying to please me.He did offer revenge the moment we met again, so perhaps he has some usefulness after all…But I'm still not convinced. Let's see what else this demon has to say.
I thought to myself as I returned to the bed, and sitting cross-legged, I looked in his direction, showing that I was willing to listen.
"Hehehehehehe I knew we'd get along, boy. Alright then, let's start from the beginning — better to align our goals now than suffer later."
After saying this, seemingly more at ease in my presence, the demon lowered himself and sat in front of me in midair, imitating my position on the bed.It was a strange scene, but admittedly a bit amusing.After all, since our first encounter he kept flying around my head, trying to show superiority and all that — but this time he seemed to treat me like a real person, not a "water flea" as he had first called me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laplace told me many things about himself — about how he isn't even sure of his own nature or origin, but claims to be as ancient as the universe itself.He said that for millennia he traveled among historical civilizations — from Incas to Aztecs, Egyptians and Persians — and that at some point in history a new sect called something-"ism" grew too powerful and felt threatened by "superior beings of unknown order," which eventually resulted in his imprisonment in the small object I now held in my hands.
Everything he told me sounded far too fantastic, too wild — and so absurd that it could only be true.You know what they say — once you eliminate all possibilities through logical reasoning, the remaining hypothesis must be the correct one.
From that moment on, I began to think a bit better of this being.I mean, he has lived for thousands and thousands of years.If he isn't as "powerful" as he claims, at the very least he must be the wisest being I've ever met — and undeniably skilled at reading and interpreting people.Which, I must say, is certainly a useful skill for an "innocent" child like me.
To conclude his long and exhausting speech, he took a deep breath, looked directly at me, and said:
"That is why I need your help, boy. I know it may seem pathetic — a powerful creature like me humbling myself before some random kid — but even for me, almighty as I am, it's a mystery how this clock ended up in your hands. And as much as it pains me to admit it, I cannot free myself from it on my own… So? Do we have a deal or not?"
[...]
"Alright. As inclined as I may be to accept your offer, you're still hiding things from me, aren't you? How can I make a deal with someone who doesn't deserve my trust??"
"Haaaaaaahhh. You really are one in a million, huh boy. I never thought taking candy from a child would tire me this much. Fine — what exactly do you want to know?"
"Everything, demon. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. So far you've told me some kind of fantastic story with a sad ending about an 'all-powerful being' ending up sealed pathetically by some random sect. I mean, anyone can tell that something smells fishy."
"Eeehh… okay, okay, I admit it — my powers aren't that unlimited…"
"SPIT IT OUT!"
"Fuuuuh…" (he sighs heavily)"Look… I am Laplace, right? My relic is a clock… so at the very least you can deduce that my powers involve traveling through time…"
"Time travel???"
"Something like that… To be honest, I can see everything that happened — all memories, all people — basically EVERYTHING about a specific place, whether in the past or the future…"
"Wow, so you weren't lying. You really are all-powerful… But if that's true, you should know everything about my mother's death!!! And yet you told me you don't know!!!"
"Calm down, boy… I didn't lie… I just… omitted. To tell you the truth, I really don't know much about your mother or the circumstances of her death. Like I said — I can see the memories and complete past of specific places."
"HUH?"
"AHHHH. Places, boy!!! P-L-A-C-E-S. Spaces, buildings, geographic regions — environments where people go in and out. I cannot read the memories of people!!! I'm not a mind reader!!!"
[...]
"Tsk. Let me give you an example — that day I showed you your mother's last moments, remember?"
I nodded.
"So… that was only possible because you, the person who awakened me, were in that same place at that moment — and it happened to be the exact place where your mother died!"
"Wait, what?"
"That's right, boy. Suppose that day you had never entered the house, and the police officer who gave you the clock had done so here in the orphanage room…"
"Go on."
"Then… even if you held the clock tightly and cried desperately like you did, nothing would have happened — and I would probably still be asleep inside the clock!"
"What do you mean?!"
"To simplify, boy — because I am a 'superior being of unknown origin,' as those lunatics called me, I cannot have direct contact with mere mortals like you."
"Okay, but that doesn't explain how we're talking right now, or how you were sealed in the first place!"
"Calm down, calm down. I'm getting there… Back then, I only managed to awaken because your mother died holding me, and because immediately afterward, at the very moment my seal began to weaken, I heard your desperate plea to 'go back in time' and 'find out what happened.'"
"Wait…!!! So if what you're saying is true, you were awakened earlier through…"
"Yes, boy — exactly what you're thinking: human sacrifices."
[...]
"That's why I said it was a powerful and strange sect…"
"Okay, but what about me??? How was I able to contact you, or even activate your 'dormant powers'?"
"Ah, that's the cherry on top, boy — apparently you were also on the brink of death when you made your request. And apparently, because you share direct blood ties with the woman who weakened my seal, you were able to indirectly trigger my powers…"
"Hmmm, now this is finally getting interesting…"
"Haaahh… You really are a pest of a boy, huh?!"
"So that means your powers are mine now?????"
"No, boy, slow down — that's not what I said. My powers are still mine — you can't use them on your own. That moment was a unique occasion."
"Oh great. Then what was the point of us spending two whole hours talking???"
SLAP! (the demon slaps himself in sheer disbelief)
"Because instead of freeing me completely, the 'ownership of the seal' passed to you, you brat!!!!!!!"
"Oh."
[...]
"Still didn't get it? Want me to draw it for you?"
BLINK!I blinked rapidly as if saying please without saying it.
"Basically, my little idiot — kof! kof! — I mean, little tyrant — it means I cannot use my powers without authorization! In this case… your authorization, milord."
Said the demon, smiling timidly in a failed attempt to please me.Well… that is something. After all, just yesterday I was a powerless orphan boy lying in a hospital bed in a cold dark room, still refusing to accept my mother's death — and suddenly I've become the "master" of a millennial demon??What is this? Some kind of fantasy drama???Who am I in this show? The protagonist???Hah! What a cruel joke — if I were truly any kind of protagonist in this world, such a tragedy would never have struck me.
Before I could properly process the flood of information I had just received, there was a CLICK! from the direction of the door.
In that instant, I panicked.
How could I possibly explain a long-haired red demon, wearing a top hat and everything, floating around the room???And worse — did the person hear us talking this whole time????What if they think I'm some kind of lunatic????And even worse… what if they expel me???No matter how much I think about it, this demon still seems useless to me…What do I do now???
Unable to organize my thoughts in time, the door opened, and a freckled boy with copper-colored hair, light brown eyes, and the expression of a mischievous child stepped into the room, leaving me completely pale in shock.
Laplace only glanced in the boy's direction, shrugged, and yawned as if nothing unusual had happened.
At that moment, I felt a cold bead of sweat run down my neck…
And without hesitation, the boy opened a wide smile and said:
"Isaak, right?! My name is Rafael! Welcome, Isaak!"