Laurem just finished his dinner with his close associates and returned to his room to take some rest.

Laurem had had a long and stressful day. He had been invited as a representative of the faculty to a grand dinner organized by the headmaster, which was attended by a number of affluent nobilities.

As usual, the top mentors of the school were expected to play the part of "entertainers" for the wealthy guests, who were nothing but moneybags and goldmines to them. It was all about putting on a show, making polite conversation, and buttering up the nobility to secure investment deals and donations.

Laurem was no stranger to this kind of social engagement, as it is needed to acquire connections and information from various individuals. But he found it tedious when conversations inevitably turned to matchmake. The nobility, eager to secure advantageous marriages for their daughters, often tried to pair him up with eligible young women. It was a practice that Laurem found distasteful, and he deftly maneuvered away from such discussions, as if they were the plague, excusing himself politely but firmly.

The nobles may have been dissatisfied that Laurem was indifferent to their matchmaking efforts, but they soon gave up when they saw he wasn't willing to compromise. They presumably believed they could try again later, but for now, they have to let it go.

Laurem had made it clear from the start that he had no intention of marrying anytime soon. He needed to focus on his profession and personal development, and the concept of settling down was just not on his radar at the time. Of course, he did have someone in mind, but that person was currently out of reach, and it seemed unlikely they would ever cross paths again.

Laurem walked with a slow and deliberate pace towards the coat hanger positioned beside his bed. His eyes, previously downcast and weary, suddenly brightened with a warmth that was palpable. It was as though the mere sight of the coat had the power to soothe all the stress and tension that had accumulated within him throughout the evening.

The coat that hung before him was old and tattered, and at first glance, one might not have associated it with belonging to Laurem. It is also a size smaller akin to that of children's clothing. Yet, unknown to many, it was his most treasured possession. He cherished it more than any amount of wealth or riches that one could offer in exchange for it.

Laurem suffered from selective amnesia.

His mind was a tangled mix of recollections, some lucid and sharp, others fuzzy and foggy. Of course, he recognized his name and age, but beyond that, things were vague. He remembered his mother's warm touch and pleasant smile, but her face was getting harder to picture with each passing day.

The memories following his mother's death were the most vivid, shaping his life and bringing him to where he was now. He could recall the day he ran away from the village, his feet pounding the cold snow as he fled the only home he had ever known.

The years that followed were a blur of hardship and struggle. He lived a solitary life, eking out a living wherever he could, often going days without food or shelter. Many times, he thought he will die from the freezing cold or hunger, but each day his body will always woke up with the determination to survive. Laurem even wondered if his life will forever be trapped in the slums.

Until he met a certain individual.

Laurem has difficulty recalling a specific person, but he does have some faint memories of spending time with them. Despite the haziness of these memories, he still feels a sense of comfort and safety when thinking about the times they spent together. Based on this feeling, Laurem is confident that if he were to be with that person again, it would bring him happiness.

That's why he wondered why they are not together.

There is a scene in his head that whenever he tries to remember it, his head would start hurting. It is all about that person and him running away... fleeing...

Fleeing from what?

According to testimony from Laurem's mentor and a couple of his apprentices, they found him injured on a remote cliff near a tiny village. They noticed a change in the energy surrounding them while on an excursion with the group. They followed the trail until they came upon a tiny demon on the verge of death.

These scholars were more open-minded than the typical individual while being aware of the demons' race. Their desire for information caused them to reject common preconceptions, which allowed them to disregard such trivial details. Consequently, saving a young person's life was not wrong.

Laurem inquired as to why he was discovered in that location. His mentor deduced that after rescuing him, they heard an explosive sound and observed a train careening off the tracks and plunging into the chasm. After assessing Laurem's condition and noticing the unmarked train, they concluded that he had managed to evade the suspected traffickers.

The mentor handed Laurem a tattered coat, which he initially regarded with a blank expression. The coat was considerably larger than Laurem, implying that it did not belong to him. The mentor postulated that the individual who provided the coat must have desired Laurem's survival. Otherwise, why would they have given him apparel fortified with advanced protective symbols?

That person must have treated Laurem as a special person.

The mentor kept another crucial detail to himself. As his apprentice attempted to remove the coat to assess Laurem's injuries, the demon awakened in a frenzied state. He clutched the coat fiercely, holding it tightly to his chest, and gazed at them with eyes crimson as blood. It was then that they realized he was a demon.

Despite the purple glow emanating from his horns, symbolizing his heritage, the group sensed the frigid aura of a cornered beast. Such instinctual behavior was typical of a creature fiercely guarding its precious treasure.

Following this encounter, Laurem became a direct disciple of the mentor. His unique bloodline endowed him with unparalleled proficiency in this field. Though he may have faced discrimination due to his race, his mentor advised him that as long as no one else knew about it, they could not judge him. Furthermore, his hybrid nature meant that his appearance and features were similar to those of humans.

For many years, the protagonist lived this way, his mind consumed with magical studies and a platter of few memories, leading a relatively contented life. However, as the chosen protagonist, do you believe he could continue to live a normal existence?

One of the quirks of being a protagonist is to become someone amazing! Someone different! Someone that anyone could recognize in one glance! Being Normal is not included in their dictionary!

Laurem, plagued by peculiar dreams each night, suddenly recalled the alley where he resided as a child. Anything capable of residing in the darkness inhabited that alley, frightening him far more than his nightmares ever could. Yet, amidst that cold and somber place, a brilliant soul shimmered in the air, radiating an impenetrable warmth. The soul appeared entirely out of place, but only in the shadows could its splendor be fully perceived by the eyes.

That's right, he had seen the most beautiful eyes.

As if a key unlocking a door, memories that had long been concealed in Laurem's subconscious suddenly surged forth like a raging waterfall. It was all about the most thrilling moments of his existence - the battles, punches, kicks, and exchanges of blows - all of it with one person in particular.

How could he have possibly forgotten?

It was this individual who provided his life with purpose - the same person to who he found himself drawn. Although initially consumed by a perplexing hatred towards them, Laurem couldn't fathom why this person would suddenly slap him, kick him, and trample upon his dignity. He vowed to exact revenge at some point in the future, but over time, this animosity morphed into something different after a few fateful encounters.

The flames of animosity were extinguished, replaced by a fierce admiration that burned brighter than the sun. Gradually, the embers of fondness began to smolder, eagerly anticipating the sight of that person every chance it could get. He assumed that it would end there, but his emotions refused to be tamed, spreading like wildfire until that fateful accident.

It was then that he realized the depth of his feelings, a realization that struck him with the force of a lightning bolt. But alas, it was too late. That person had already vanished into the abyss.

Although the face of that person had faded from his memory, the emotions they had ignited remained seared onto his heart.

After three long years of toiling away at his studies, Laurem made the decision to revisit the alley where he once sought refuge. The familiar surroundings remained unchanged, a snapshot is frozen in time. But Laurem knew that beneath the surface, everything had shifted and morphed into something unrecognizable.

He was no longer the wide-eyed youth who had sought shelter in this very alley.

The person who had once lurked in the shadows, waiting to ambush unsuspecting prey, was no longer present. The raucous actors who had once filled the air with their wild dance were nowhere to be found, leaving the alley in a desolate and forgotten state.

Only the coldness is left untouched.