Chapter 23 Side Story: Minnies Sinful Hear (1/2)

Recently we've come under the service of a new Master.

His name is Damien Claybrook. Does that sound familiar, perhaps? It did to me too, though I couldn't recall it back then.

It'd be no surprise to have heard of him either, he's quite infamous. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say over half of the younger generation of Nobles feared and hated the youth in equal measure.

There were many stories of his misadventures and roguish deeds, each more terrifying and unbelievable than the last.

Meanwhile the other side were either in awe of his eccentric charisma, how he lived as he pleased and gave no mind to rank or station.

Or they were in love with his face, said to be blindingly attractive. The latter faction dominated by young Ladies who gushed and gossiped over him every chance they got.

And it was true he was unnaturally handsome despite still being young and not yet fully mature. Master was really the most handsome boy I'd ever met, indeed. It was almost hard to look at him, even, because whenever he went outsidea pillar of light would somehow follow him wherever he went and give him this sort of sparkly background.

I don't think he's aware of it himself, though.

Also despite his face being somewhat indifferent most of the time that only gave him a uniquely cold, sadistic appeal I knew was very popular among his female peers. The amount of times I'd heard the daughter of a past Master say she wanted to be scolded by him was embarrassingly high.

So the bit about him being an attractive boy was true.

But the parts about him being a Devil, or ancient demon king reincarnate? Those couldn't be further from the truth!

He was so different from the other Masters we've had up till now. He did not hit us when we made mistakes, nor did he yell. And he certainly did not ignore us, as if we didn't exist.

He was no Devil at all. He was actually the most humane person I knew.

I noticed his difference from the first time we met.

That day was cold and grey. Harsh, bitter, and entirely unforgiving. Like most of our days up to that point.

Lord Barnabus was in an especially foul mood back then.

He'd wished to marry his son to one of the prominent Noble families' young daughter but had been rejected mercilessly without even getting past the door. Apparently she'd already been promised to another.

I didn't know which House it was he wanted but supposedly he'd been trying to curry favor with the Family Head for several years. Being turned away at the door without the slightest of courtesy made him black with rage.

He was a cruel man, Lord Barnabus. So I knew what he wanted. I didn't realize it at the time, but at the back of my mind I understood.

From the moment he handed Evie the bottle, from how his hands trembled, eager for violence and ready to lash out.

All he wanted was an excuse, a way to vent his anger.

Sure enough, he found one.

That's when Master stepped in. Like a force of nature, like the wrath of the gods. He ended the disaster imposingly, without fear, whispering unspeakable threats into their ears.

Then he looked towards us. But not like others. No, in others there was disgust, disdain and...other things...

In his eyes there was only concern.

He saw us as people and treated us as such.

Even Evie's charm had no effect. This was another indication of his strangeness. Being immune to that which when unveiled drove men to madness?

....What sort of being was he, I wondered?

Evie knew instantly: An Angel!

I didn't think Angels existed for people like us. No, for me.

Yet everything about him reinforced the idea.

He was good to us! He was caring towards us! He was strong and righteous and glowed beautifully with Divine Light!

We were a mere mutant and Demon with no place nor purpose and only each other to hold on to. Yet he appeared and treated us with a decency the world said we did not deserve!

He came and saved us from one final misfortune, giving us new lives!

And someday he would do the same for others as well.

Master was our Angel, but he was not ours alone. No, he was a special being. He would cleanse the world of it's filth, smiting the truly wicked while leading mere wayward souls back onto the path of righteousness.

With the Holy Sword in hand, Saint-Hero Damien, ArchAngel of Heaven, would bring forth a golden era free of ignorance!