That night, I couldn't sleep. So I did what anyone my age would do when faced with a terrifying truth.
I turned to the internet—and looked up everything I could about the demon clan.
They first appeared during the Second Calamity, when the gates to other worlds tore open and monstrous beings spilled through.
And at the very heart of it all… were the demons—commanding the chaos.
But in the great war that happened about twelve years ago, the last of the demons was supposedly wiped out.
Humanity, they said, no longer faced existential danger.
Monsters still existed, sure. The gates still appeared without warning. But without a leader to guide them, these creatures could be dealt with easily.
Peace had returned to humanity—or at least, it should have.
If only I had never been born.
"We found you during a Raid," she'd said. "You couldn't have been more than three months old. Just a baby. Helpless. Innocent. We thought you didn't know anything, couldn't harm anyone …
"… but not everyone saw you that way."
The International Hunter Syndicate made their stance clear: I had to be erased.
"It was an outrageous decision. A lot of people agreed with us—it wasn't right. But even more people supported the verdict. After countless appeals, we finally got a conditional pardon. You could live… but only under one condition."
Demon race, they claimed, reached their true potential at the age of seventeen.
At that age, they would awaken—fully. That's when the instincts kicked in: the aggression, the destructive urges, the unstable emotions. The curse in their blood.
Luckily—or so the researchers said—there was a way to suppress it.
The Marking.
Originally created in hopes of establishing peaceful contact with the demon clan, though… that never really worked.
But not this time.
#
"Burgers? For breakfast?"
"It's all I could find in the fridge."
I could hear Mama Val and Mama Fiona bickering from the dining room.
"I just went shopping two days ago."
"Well, it's the only thing I could cook. And hey, don't look at me like that. You made Enna mad last night, and now we're all paying for it."
"She's still upset?"
"Honestly, do you ever understand how people feel?"
"Tch, I didn't mean to offend her. I just—"
"G-good morning," I said softly, cutting into their conversation.
Both of them turned to look at me.
Mama Fiona's eyes locked on mine—sharp, unreadable—and I couldn't help but hear her words from last night echo again:
"None of us are really his mother."
I kept my head down and slid into the seat beside Mama Val.
"Did you sleep okay?" she asked, nudging a plate toward me.
The smell hit me immediately—grilled ham, cheese, mayonnaise. My stomach growled before I could answer.
I gave her a small nod.
"Good." She grinned and ruffled my hair. "Better eat up fast. You've got class in forty minutes, right."
So I did what I was told.
It wasn't perfect—some of the ham was too dry, the bread a little too toasted, the flavor a bit plain.
But when it hit my stomach, it still brought warmth.
The warmth of being cared for.
By the time I finished, Mama Val was grabbing her keys, ready to head out. "Alright, let's g—"
Grab.
My hand was caught before I could even stand.
Mama Fiona spoke first.
"He's coming with me today."
#
At first, Mama Val questioned the sudden decision, but Mama Fiona had already grabbed my hand and pulled me away.
It all happened so fast—too harsh, even—and it hurt.
Once the engine started, we drove in silence.
Thinking about it now, I realized we never really talked, just the two of us.
Any conversation we had usually happened when all four of us were together, and even then, Mama Fiona mostly spoke to my other moms.
And after what happened last night … I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared of her.
Mama Val had mentioned that there were people out there who might not want me around—people who wanted to erase me from this world.
Was … Mama Fiona one of them?
"Val already told you?" Mama Fiona asked suddenly, her voice as sharp as ever.
I didn't respond.
But she probably already knew the answer. "That woman's been told again and again to follow protocol—"
"I was the one who made her talk!" I cut in, my voice louder than I meant it to be. Still, I forced myself to turn and look at her.
She was already staring back—calm, unblinking, and unreadable.
Unlike warm, cheerful Mama Val, or kind, comforting Mama Enna, Mama Fiona didn't give off any warmth at all.
It was like looking into a void. I shuddered and looked away. "I pushed her into saying it. S-so if you're angry, be angry at me."
She didn't reply. Just let out a short breath through her nose.
When we stopped at a red light, she finally spoke again. "I'm sorry."
And I froze.
Wait … did I hear that right?
"I said things I shouldn't have. And I think I hurt you."
It took me nearly a full minute to process her words. Then she continued.
"But that doesn't mean I hate you. These eleven years we've spent together… they've been quite pleasant, and I value them. So…
"… I'm sorry."
After thinking it over, I answered, "Y-you were just stating the truth, right? I mean … better I hear it from you than from someone else."
A flicker of emotion—surprise, maybe—crossed Mama Fiona's face. A rare sight. "You're sure?"
I nodded after swallowing the lump in my throat. "I don't think there's anything to forgive."
She seemed to agree and gave a small nod just as the light turned green. "Alright."
The car moved forward again.
"But … if it's okay, can I ask you a favor?"
She glanced at me. "If it's within my power."
I took a deep breath. "Please… do the Marking on me."
Surprise returned to her face.
The Marking was done by transferring human fluid—usually blood—into the body of a demon race member.
It would suppress the build-up of aggressive tendencies and prevent me from reaching my full potential, obviously.
But I never cared about being strong.
I just didn't want to be a burden to the three women I loved most.
As long as I could live with them forever, it didn't matter.
She paused. "Wouldn't it be easier to do it with Enna? She has the tools, the clinic …"
"I know. But … if it's with Mama Enna, she'll use a syringe. And I really hate needles. They're kinda hurt."
"And you don't mind if I get hurt. So… you haven't forgiven me after all, huh."
"Th-that's not what I meant!"
Mama Fiona kept her eyes on the road, unfazed.
I thought she was angry. But just before we reached the school gates, she pulled over.
"Close your eyes."
Before I did, I saw her remove her white glove and bite into her thumb—hard. Hard enough to break skin and draw blood.
I felt a twinge of guilt, but it was too late to stop now.
"You know, Cain …"
A chill ran down my spine when she said my name.
"There's a reason why Enna and Val kept delaying this. It's something you won't find online. Something no one talks about …
"The Marking is painful. Very painful. It's not just about suppressing. It's about reversing a process your body is naturally meant to undergo."
I started to understand.
No wonder no one from my kind ever volunteered for this—not if they had any sense.
"So … before I continue, are you sure about this?"
I trembled.
Pain isn't something I've ever liked.
And the way she described it, this sounded worse than scrapes from falling … worse than the sting of the needles Mama Enna used whenever I was sick.
But …
"I'm sure."
Because once again, I didn't want to be a burden.
"Very well."
Then suddenly, something touched my lips.
I thought she was placing her finger there, wanting me to suck the blood from it.
But when I opened my mouth just a little, what entered was something wetter … more untamed.
I peeked—and saw Mama Fiona's face right in front of mine.
Way too close.
I'd seen this before. In those romantic comedies Mama Val liked to watch every Sunday afternoon.
A scene where the two leads kissed.
Wait … does that mean I'm… kissing Mama Fiona? Right now?
Something inside my mouth moved—soft, warm, tasting every corner of me.
And just as I was about to run out of breath, she pulled away.
A thin strand of saliva still linked us.
"Well?" she asked, as calm as ever. "Did it hurt?"
No pain.
Instead, there was a strange sweetness.
And something else.
Something that… probably shouldn't be there.
My body felt hot in places I never thought about before. My heart pounded like it didn't belong to me anymore.
And Mama Fiona…
… no longer looked like a mother to me.