Chapter 1
Iruma Suzuki is a kindhearted boy. Whether he is asked for help or nobody asks for help or even an unreasonable request. He can willingly do anything without a single complaint. He himself is also amazed at how he can be such a good-hearted person. Alaster Suzuki is not as much of a pushover as his brother. He was always ready to bite back with a sarcastic quip and he readily enforces the boundaries he’s set. But he will do almost anything if it means keeping Iruma safe because their parents are truly horrid people and generally have a lack of common knowledge.
"Look dear! Iruma and Alaster have learned to stand and walk by themselves!"
"That’s great! Then from now on two of young can strike out on your own!"
And so Iruma and Alaster, only 1 year old, made their way into the world. Afterwards, they travelled all over the world and put their lives on the line for their parents. So it should come as no surprise that the two brothers were sold to a Demon Lord in exchange for money.
Iruma and Alaster Suzuki, aged 14 and both working on a tuna fishing ship in the middle of the stormy ocean. Why? Because their parents are terrible people who refuse to work and instead rely on their children to provide everything for them from money to manual labour. Right now the ship was being tossed about on the waves while Iruma, Alaster, and another worker were trying to store the frozen tuna.
“Iruma! Alaster! Keep working! If you can’t manage it then I’m docking your pay!” the worker shouted over the noise before rushing away.
“We can’t survive on a docked pay,” Alaster growled.
“We used the last of our food on this ship,” Iruma said miserably. Lately, it seemed the two brothers did a lot of things miserably.
An enormous wave nearly capsized the ship and sent all the frozen tuna hurtling towards the boys.
“Iruma, watch out!” Alaster called out, running towards his younger brother before dodging the fish. Iruma was great at avoiding danger so he’d need to watch himself more. He was just about to be speared through by iced seafood before the tuna stopped falling.
“Al? You okay?” Iruma asked in the silence. Because it was far too quiet for the storm to still be going. And there was no way it suddenly stopped in less than a second. Before he could answer, the world fell away and they were floating in the void side by side. Rope wound around their entire torsos, stopping them from moving or getting away even if they could. Alaster noticed a tall, slim figure in front of them. He wore a pair of small round glasses above a handlebar moustache and a purple suit. His head was slightly egg-shaped with two little horns on top. Two large slips of paper appeared in the figure’s hand and were flung at them.
SOLD!
This kind of thing happened to Alaster all the time while Iruma was kept at home to do all the chores. Then their parents would expect Alaster to escape and return to protect his little brother from them, only to be sold again. This time was different. The void disappeared and the boys were locked in an orb floating behind the demon. Because that was the only thing it could be with those horns and bat-like wings.
“Where are you taking us?!” Alaster demanded.
The demon said something in a strange distorted language.
“I-we don’t understand!” Iruma pleaded.
The Demon clicked his fingers and spoke in a deep baritone voice. “My name is Sullivan and I’m a Demon. I’m taking you to my mansion. We’re almost there.”
And Iruma and Alaster could see the looming shape of a building that looked more like a castle. And before they knew it, they were inside sitting on...a cushioned lounge? With tea and cakes?
“What’s this?” Alaster asked.
“It’s my ultimate tea set and sweet cakes!” Sullivan said proudly. “To tell you the truth, I’m single. But I’ve always wanted a grandson. So won’t you become my grandsons?”
HUH?! What the literal Hell was this guy talking about?!
“PLEEEEASE! I’ll spoil you both rotten and give you whatever you want or need!”
“I doubt we even have a choice in the matter,” Alaster scoffed.
“If you don’t want this then I’ll respect your wishes and return you to the Human Realm. I cannot in good conscience give you back to your parents, but I can make it so you have a healthy and happy human family. I’ll also have to erase your memories of this. BUT PLEASE CONSIDER THIS! I’m very powerful and wealthy but no one to spend it with! You’ll want for nothing and be absolutely safe with me!”
Alaster looked between this demon (who was bawling his eyes out) and his brother (who was a second away from giving in) and decided to step in before either or both of them broke down. “May my brother and I talk this over? In private?”
“Yes!” Sullivan answered before promptly vanishing in a puff of dark purple smoke.
“What do you want?” Al asked. Due to Iruma’s habit of never saying no or giving himself consideration, Alaster made a point of making sure Iruma remembered he mattered.
“Uh...it sounds okay.”
“That’s it? Iruma, this could be our new life! A new start away from our parents! But we’ll also be living with a demon! Although, I do find it pretty funny that we’ve been treated better in the last few minutes by a demon than in 14 years by our human parents.”
“Yeah,” Iruma chuckled. “I think we should give it a go.”
“Alright then. And hey, no matter what we’re in this together.”
“Together,” Iruma agreed. “Always.”
