"Liar… this is real, right? I… I've really turned back!"
The young elf girl, who had just regained her original form, trembled with emotion, tears welling up in her sapphire eyes.
From the grotesque, decayed flesh of a [Devil's Possession] to a beautiful elf once more—this was a transformation so unbelievable that even Alhaitham was momentarily stunned.
She had golden hair that shimmered under the light, deep blue eyes like the purest ocean, and skin as pale as moonlight. Though she was still a young girl, with time, she would grow into a stunning beauty—something typical of the noble elven race.
Alhaitham had brought her back to his castle when she was nothing more than a writhing mass of cursed flesh, spending an entire week suppressing her unstable magic before she could return to her original form. In truth, he had planned to take a more refined and scientific approach to the process.
But patience had never been his strongest virtue.
So instead of careful analysis, he opted for a more direct approach—injecting vast amounts of magic into her body, forcefully stabilizing her raging energy through sheer overwhelming force.
It was, by all accounts, a crude and reckless method.
Yet, against all odds, it had worked.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
"You… you were the one who saved me?"
The elf girl gazed at Alhaitham with immense gratitude.
"Hmm. Congratulations, the curse that tormented you is now lifted. You are free."
"Free…?" she murmured. "Curse…?"
Confusion clouded her expression. Her memories were fragmented, disjointed by years of agony.
Alhaitham studied her for a moment before nodding. "I suppose you deserve to know the truth."
He proceeded to explain everything—the legend of Diablos, the truth about [Devil's Possession], and the existence of the [Cult of Diablos], the very organization responsible for her suffering.
It was a lot to take in.
The fairy tales she once believed in as a child—stories of legendary heroes—had all been true.
She was a descendant of those heroes.
And the monstrous affliction that had ruined her life was nothing more than a curse orchestrated by an evil cult.
As the weight of this truth settled upon her, her fingers curled into trembling fists.
"So… what now?" Alhaitham asked, his voice steady. "You know the truth. What will you do? Will you return to the sun, pretending none of this ever happened? Or will you step into the darkness and defy fate?"
He extended his hand toward her.
In the elf girl's eyes, that hand was an invitation—an opportunity.
If she took it, she would step into an entirely new world.
And, in doing so, she would leave her past self behind.
Memories of her old life surfaced in rapid flashes.
She had once been called a genius, adored by her family, praised by her kin. She had everything—beauty, intelligence, a bright future ahead of her.
She was an elegant, noble elf.
Until the curse took hold.
Until everything shattered.
Those who once loved her now regarded her with horror.
Even her own father—the man she had trusted most—had called her a monster.
A devil.
He had looked at her with disgust, whispering that she never should have been born.
Abandoned, thrown away like garbage, she had been picked up by thieves, bound in chains, and set to be sold to the highest bidder.
Despair.
Endless, suffocating despair.
Pain.
Unrelenting, unbearable pain.
If this was what life had in store for her, then wouldn't it have been better if she had never existed at all?
But then—
"What a fateful encounter. Don't worry, I will definitely save you."
In her moment of absolute hopelessness, those words had reached her.
A boy had appeared before her, black hair framing sharp, golden eyes.
Like a prince from a fairy tale, he had saved her.
And now, that same prince was offering her a choice.
The elf girl took a deep breath, pushing her fear aside. Then, with determination blazing in her eyes, she took his hand and held it tightly.
"Thank you for saving me," she whispered. "I have nothing left. If you would have me… I will give you everything I have."
I will follow you.
A slow smirk spread across Alhaitham's lips.
"Very well. From this moment forward, you shall be my sword. Abandon your old name. From now on, you are—Alpha."
"As you command, my king!"
Alpha knelt before him, placing a hand over her chest in solemn devotion.
Alhaitham's smirk deepened.
Yes. This was only the beginning.
It was time for him to forge his own path.
It was time for him to create his own force.
Alpha was only the first of many.
He had always prided himself on his keen instincts, and now they told him that this girl—this descendant of heroes—was destined for greatness.
She would become a powerful ally.
And together, they would crush the [Cult of Diablos] beneath their feet.
That cult…
An organization so deeply entrenched in the shadows that it had altered history itself.
An enemy that had ruled from behind the scenes for centuries, pulling the strings of kings and emperors alike.
But so what?
This world belonged to him.
And for the world he envisioned—one where the strong would reign and the wicked would be purged—the [Cult of Diablos] was nothing more than an infestation waiting to be eradicated.
A smug, almost arrogant chuckle escaped him.
"The enemy is the [Cult of Diablos]," he stated. "They operate in the darkness, far from the eyes of the common folk. That means we must do the same. We will become the hidden blade that hunts them down."
"Understood!" Alpha nodded.
If their enemies were deeply rooted in the upper echelons of power, then normal methods wouldn't suffice.
This was a war to be fought from the shadows.
And that suited her just fine.
No matter how difficult the path ahead might be—
She would follow him.
She believed in him.
She knew he would lead them to victory.
Alpha lifted her gaze to him, sapphire eyes gleaming with newfound purpose.
Meanwhile, Alhaitham was contemplating something important.
The name of their organization.
"Ahem!" He cleared his throat. "From this moment forward, we shall be known as [The Dark Night Courtyard]!"
"[Dark Night Courtyard]…" Alpha murmured. "A fitting name."
"In private, you may call me Alhaitham," he added. "But on missions, address me by my codename—Dark Night."
"Yes, Master Dark Night."
Alhaitham's smirk returned.
This… was exhilarating.
The formation of a secret organization led by him?
It was the ultimate dream of any strategist.
And he wasn't stopping here.
This was only the beginning.
He would continue to expand.
And soon—
The world would tremble beneath the name of [The Dark Night Courtyard].