ODGD 01

Chapter 1

Prologue

“Grr! The Great Demon Baal has appeared! I’ll take all the cute little babies!”

“You’ll never catch me this time!”

I darted away, giggling, dodging my dad’s line of sight. Laughter burst out nonstop, my mouth stretched wide in a grin.

My dad, unbelievably handsome for someone with a five-year-old daughter, was named Lloyd Delight.

A legendary beauty of a man raising his little daughter alone at the age of twenty-four.

With golden hair the same shade as his fluttering in the air, I ducked behind the curtains.

My heart pounded. Thump, thump, thump!

“Where did this cute little angel go? Could she really escape the eyes of the Great Demon…? Well, maybe! This demon dad has gone blind from her cuteness! Ahhh! I can’t see!”

Dad covered his eyes with both hands, pretending to be in pain.

I grinned and stood up on tiptoe, pressing close to the windowsill.

If I get caught, it’s all over! The punishment is 200 kisses!

“Are you here? Or here? Ah—gotcha!”

“No!”

Caught so quickly, I burst out from the curtains and bolted in the opposite direction.

Our only servant, the cook Mrs. Marsha, laughed heartily as she watched us.

“Oh my, how can they be this happy and lively without resting for even a second?”

In our tiny, cozy two-story house lived only the Delight father and daughter.

In our peaceful, pastoral village of Neverland, we were the most famous father-daughter duo.

It started when I was one year old.

One day, the two of us suddenly showed up in the village, drawing everyone’s attention and leaving a crowd wherever we went.

Because we looked like dolls straight out of a fairy tale!

A baby girl with golden hair like spun gold and eyes like sweet pink candy.

And an impossibly handsome young father—whose beauty outshone even his adorable daughter’s.

While he went around asking for milk to feed me—Crescent Delight, his daughter—he swept away the hearts of every woman in the village.

It turned out he wasn’t just handsome—he was also polite and kind to a fault.

Just as he was sweet to his daughter, he was also gentle and considerate to everyone else.

The affectionate love he poured solely into his daughter left everyone in the village moved and full of warmth.

In truth, he was a powerful being hiding his strength—but being a “single dad” had long since made such things irrelevant.

Even when I turned six, then seven, then eight, nothing ever changed about our happiness.

Then, one day, just before my eighth birthday…

“Daddy! Can you read this book to me again?”

“Why not? I’ve already memorized it—I could read it with my eyes closed!”

He threw off his apron from doing the dishes and lifted me into his arms.

Truthfully, I had already memorized it too.

At eight years old, I was known across Neverland as the greatest genius. But still, I loved the story about the Great Demon Baal more than anything.

Because when Dad read it with his dramatic flair, it felt incredibly real.

Sure, I had outgrown fairy tales and now devoured all sorts of scholarly books—but I could never let go of Baal’s story!

Dad carried me upstairs and set me down.

“Our angel Crescent should hide with her wings on. The demon will be chasing after you with 200 kiss attacks.”

Smooch smooch smooch!

Dad covered my cheeks with kisses. Not a day passed without his kisses.

“Ah, it tickles.”

“Daddy’s coming to get you soon!”

“You’ll never find me this time!”

Brimming with confidence, I ran into my room and strapped on wings over my princess dress.

I crouched inside the storage closet.

Thump, thump, thump.

He’ll show up soon, right?

Playing with Dad was the most fun in the world.

We weren’t rich, but I never lacked for food or clothes. Dad even boiled and ironed my pajamas.

He peeled every fruit I ate and removed the seeds—nothing unpleasant was allowed.

And when we played, he gave it his all!

Even though I didn’t have a mom, Dad gave me so much that I never had time to feel her absence.

He got me every ancient book and scholarly text I wanted.

In my world, there was nothing but joy, happiness… and Dad.

Up until this very moment, that is.

…How long had I been waiting for him?

I’d been nodding off without realizing it when I suddenly snapped awake.

“Mm?”

I glanced out the window—darkness had fallen.

‘How is it already so late? Did Daddy not find me yet?’

Confused, I got up. He might still be looking, so I carefully opened the door.

‘Can’t let him see me!’

If I get caught, it’s 200 kisses!

Still feeling playful, I peeked around the house—but Dad was nowhere to be found.

‘Did the rules change? Am I supposed to find him this time?’

I crept downstairs.

And there he was—in the parlor.

Standing by the window, his back turned, with ominous black horns curling from both sides of his head.

He wore a luxurious black cloak that shimmered like flowing light, and the epaulets gleamed like armor worn by an evil overlord.

‘He looks like a real demon!’

Excited by this new act, I threw out my arms and shouted,

“Found you, Daddy!”

Twitch.

The air around me rippled with unease.

Dad slowly turned around.

I had to crane my neck to look up at him.

And then, our eyes met—and I froze.

Red eyes.

His eyes were red.

But Daddy’s eyes were always green, like a lush forest.

And his hair… was black, not gold.

‘Wow, Daddy’s really going all out with the demon act today—he even changed his eyes and hair! And the horns too!’

He’s the best!

Just as I gave him a thumbs-up—

He spoke, eyes cold as ice.

“How amusing. I am the Great Demon Baal.”

“Hmm? But Baal’s gone. He died five hundred years ago!”

“Humans think I died? Did none of you consider I might return?”

Wow. What a performance.

For the past four years, I’d watched him play the demon—this was the most realistic yet.

Now I noticed the wine glass in his hand. Dad never drank alcohol… was this part of the role?

“You really look like a demon! This is so fun!”

I ran over and hugged his leg tightly. His brow furrowed in displeasure.

“I told you—I am the Great Demon Baal. Lord of demons, ruler of the underworld. I don’t play at being anyone’s daddy.”

“Then I won’t be human either! I’ll be an angel!”

I stepped back and proudly showed him the wings on my back—accidentally sticking my butt out a little.

Time for my cuteness attack!

Just then, Dad crushed the wine glass in his hand.

Red wine trickled down his fingers.

“Get lost, kid.”

His voice was cold as death.

Startled, I stood frozen.

His sharp teeth glinted.

‘Wow, he really came prepared today.’

Even though breaking glass was dangerous, I appreciated his commitment—so I pretended to fall for it.

“W-wait… are you a real demon?”

“Yes, foolish human. You thought I was gone from this world? I have finally awakened to my true identity. The Great Demon Baal has returned.”

I rose to the challenge.

“Then I am Crescent the Princess of the Archangel! Prepare to be defeated!”

I drew my toy sword and slashed at his leg.

This is where he should dramatically collapse in pretend agony!

With sparkling pink eyes, I awaited that moment—

Then Dad bent down. As if touching filth, he brushed my hand off.

“Stupid brat. This wine was trash. I’m leaving.”

“Leave? You can’t escape!”

Despite my brave act, he chuckled mockingly.

“Prepare yourselves, humans. The human world now belongs to the underworld.”

Before I could even react, his body rose into the air—and massive black wings unfurled from his back.

‘Huh?’

Where did those wings come from?

They were enormous—large enough to blot out one wall of our house.

Feathers shed and fluttered around from the sheer volume.

I glanced at my flimsy costume wings, then at his majestic, terrifying ones. I was genuinely jealous.

With a smirk, he launched toward the window.

The walls and glass shattered before he even touched them.

Deafening noise and a cloud of dust filled the air. I screamed, covering my face.

Then everything went quiet.

“!”

Daddy?

The parlor wall was completely destroyed.

Beyond it, in the moonlight, his black wings flapped.

‘No, it’s fine if we’re playing demon again… but why did he destroy the house?!’

“Daddy!”

Where was he going?

I ran through the broken wall.

“Daddy, where are you going?!”

How do you even fly like that?

“Daddy!”

I chased and chased him.

But he just kept going—higher, farther.

And then, at some point… he vanished.

“Daddy…?”

The day my dad, who had played Demon King with me for years, really turned into one…

Was the day I lost the person I loved most in this world.

And the day the end of the world began.