The Second Life of Demon King

Episode 7: The Family Library Secret

The Ackerman family library stood like a silent fortress on the east side of the mansion. Its high, dark walls were lined with wooden shelves that soared up to the vaulted ceiling, holding thousands of books, most of them dusty. The bright morning atmosphere barely softened the dark shadows cast on the cool stone floor. The morning sunlight sneaked through the stained glass windows, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on the cold floor.

A small child with a serious expression, Isaac, was hiding in the corner of the room, between the shelves that seemed barely touched. Outside, the soft sound of rain whispered on the tightly set tiles. The servants were busy with household chores, seemingly unaware of Isaac's unspoken fascination with every page of the books around him.

In front of Isaac, an old shelf creaked softly as he skillfully climbed it. His small hands touched the dust that clung to the corner of the shelf, causing him to cough slightly. "There must be something here," he murmured softly, as if reassuring himself.

He stopped in front of an older shelf, appearing more worn than the others. His eyes narrowed as he felt the back of the shelf, sensing something different. His small hand pressed against a slightly loose wooden board, and slowly, he pulled it. The board moved with a soft creak, revealing a small gap that was almost completely hidden.

Isaac took a deep breath, his eyes sparkling. "Finally," he whispered, his voice trembling with hope. With shaking hands, he pulled out an old book, its cover gray and almost invisible from the outside. The book felt heavy, as if it carried a great secret. "What is this?" he thought to himself, as if it were the clue he had been searching for all this time.

The book felt like an artifact from a long-forgotten time. Its cracked cover bore no title, only a mysterious symbol that was familiar to him—a symbol he had seen in ancient ruins when he was still leading a demon army in his past life. Isaac’s heart raced faster. "This... this is no ordinary book."

He opened the first page, and there was writing in an ancient language that had not been used by ordinary humans for a long time. Though unfamiliar, the symbols felt like voices he had known for a long time, guiding his small eyes deeper into the text. "This... this is like a language I know," he thought, studying the interconnected letters.

He continued reading, finding notes on the theory of shadow magic, the flow of energy within the human body, and most intriguingly—experiments on regenerating demons within human bodies. Unknowingly, Isaac's lips curled slightly, as he felt he had found a trail that could lead him back to the path he had long abandoned.

"Imitating the demon regeneration system...?" he murmured softly, almost in disbelief. "Could this be done? Could it...?"

He slipped the book under the blanket on his bed, his eyes still fixed on the pages he had just read. A strong desire burned within him, but he knew—that if the human body hindered him, this experiment could become a disaster.

Carefully, Isaac began to copy the important theories he had found, writing them diligently in his notebook hidden under the floorboards of his room. "If this works," he thought, "maybe I can gradually regain my strength. No one will know."

Isaac stared intently at the symbols written on the page. Something made his heart beat faster. As the rain continued to pour on the mansion's roof, the silence enveloped the library. Isaac took a deep breath. "What will happen if I try?" he thought, a bit confused and anxious.

He gently closed the book, hiding it under the bed. "I can't rush," he thought again. "This body is still too weak. One mistake could be fatal."

Yet, there was also a burning desire, a drive stronger than mere fear. Isaac looked at the ceiling, watching the water spots falling from the window, as if nature itself knew that this was the beginning of something big. "I have to try, not just for my strength, but for something more."

He stood up, straightened his clothes, and took a deep breath. He knew this plan would take time and patience. Every night after his physical training was finished, Isaac returned to the corner of his room, behind the heavy curtains. The small candlelight danced on the pages filled with strange symbols. One by one, he tried to remember every detail he had read, visualizing every movement that could channel energy precisely.

As his eyes grew heavy, Isaac took a deep breath and pondered. "Maybe I'm not just a child of the Ackerman family. Maybe I am more than that."

His small hands clenched the book tightly, as if reminding himself of a greater purpose—a purpose that would bring a great change, not only for him, but for a world that did not yet know what was to come.

The library remained silent, no one knowing the secret hidden behind the stacks of books and the scent of old leather. Isaac continued to carve his destiny in the stillness, one page at a time.

The night sky hung heavy and gray, enveloping the Ackerman estate in deep shadows. A light rain fell, wetting the quiet stone courtyard and the overgrown backyard garden. Night fog crept slowly, blurring the boundary between the pine trees and the old iron fence. For a moment, the world felt dead, silent, as though nature itself was sensing the growing unease.

Isaac stood by the window of his room, his hand gripping the cold window frame tightly. His eyes narrowed, observing carefully. Among the rustling leaves at the edge of the garden, there was a faint movement, barely visible. The rain intensified, but his body remained still. He focused his gaze, a sense of discomfort slowly creeping within him.

"Who is that?" he muttered inwardly. His instincts as a former Demon Overlord stirred. This wasn’t some wild animal roaming about. The shadow moved too purposefully, too deliberately, like someone very experienced. Perhaps a killer, or worse—an infiltrator.

Quickly, he moved away from the window and slipped into the dark corridor. His steps were light, almost silent. He paused briefly near a corner, hearing the busy footsteps of the servants downstairs. Everything seemed normal, as though nothing was amiss. Yet, Isaac’s alertness only grew stronger.

“Damn,” he muttered to himself, “I have to know who that is.”

Isaac held his breath, crouching slightly, and sneaked toward the high vent that faced the backyard. His hand grasped a small chair from his desk, carefully climbing onto it. When his view cleared, the figure was already closer. The black cloak was nearly invisible among the shadows, only occasionally illuminated by a flash of light that revealed a symbol on the left shoulder—a symbol he had seen before in an ancient book.

“This… this isn’t an ordinary person,” Isaac thought, his eyes sharp. “They know this is a big house, and they know the right time to move.”

The figure stopped beneath a large tree, near the back door that the servants usually used. For a moment, the figure crouched, then appeared to be burying something in the ground, beneath a large pot that was almost hidden from view. Isaac bit his lip, his mind racing, trying to piece together the information he had just gathered.

“Wait,” he thought again. “So they’re not just spying... they’re leaving something behind.”

The shadow moved swiftly, as though aware it was being watched. Before Isaac could think of his next move, the figure moved quickly toward the unguarded east gate, disappearing into the night fog.

“Whoever that is, I can’t just let them go,” Isaac murmured softly, his body still hidden in the darkness. “What are they hiding? What do they want from here?”

As the figure disappeared completely, Isaac stepped back, descended from the chair, and returned to his bed. However, sleeping wasn’t an option that night. His eyes stayed wide open, his mind turning over the pieces of the puzzle that had just been revealed. A hidden note in the garden, a familiar symbol, and a deep feeling that this wasn’t a one-time incident.

“This all feels like a trap,” Isaac thought, taking a deep breath and staring at the ceiling of his room. “But I’m not strong enough to confront them directly. I have to be more patient.”

Isaac glanced at the scattered books on his desk, some theories he hadn’t yet completed. Those books, full of knowledge about magic and power, still weren’t enough to give him answers about the threat slowly creeping around the Ackerman family.

“If I move now, without clear evidence, I’ll just look like a paranoid child,” he thought, shaking his head slightly. “I have to wait.”

However, as he leaned back against the wall of his room, a sound interrupted his thoughts. Faint footsteps approached, slow and careful. Isaac narrowed his eyes, sensing an odd change in the air temperature. Without thinking, he grabbed the small candle on the desk and quickly moved to the other side of the room, hiding behind the curtains.

“Who is that?” Isaac whispered inwardly, trying to calm himself. It could just be a servant passing by, or even his father. But in Isaac’s heart, he knew—this wasn’t a coincidence.

There was a soft sound, the door to the room was lightly knocked.

“Duk… rein… Duke?” The voice sounded hoarse, too familiar.

Isaac froze. It was his mother’s voice.

“Mom? Why aren’t you asleep?” Isaac’s voice faltered, a slight nervousness in his tone, afraid his presence would be discovered.

Isaac’s mother’s footsteps were heard again, pausing for a moment, then retreating.

Isaac stared blankly, his eyes wide open.

“Why is mom out at this hour?” Isaac thought, his heart pounding faster. A doubt grew within him. There was something bigger going on, and the deeper the night grew, the closer the danger seemed.