The Heavenly Demon Can't Live a Normal Life: Chapter 1 - A Mundane Misunderstanding
The air crackled with unspoken tension. Across the meticulously organized cashier counter, a young woman with fiery red hair, pulled back in a severe ponytail, stared at me with undisguised suspicion. I, on the other hand, was trying desperately to suppress the urge to spontaneously combust. My perfectly tailored suit, a recent acquisition courtesy of my… unique financial situation, felt like a straitjacket. This was not how I envisioned my day going.
My mission, should I choose to accept it (and believe me, I'd rather be anywhere else), was to purchase a loaf of sourdough bread. A seemingly simple task, right? Wrong. For me, even the most mundane errands become Herculean feats. You see, I am—or was—known as the Crimson Tyrant, a name whispered with fear and reverence throughout the Nine Netherworlds. Now, I'm attempting to blend into the human world, a challenge proving far more difficult than conquering the Celestial Dragon Emperor.
The cashier, whose nametag read "Brenda," finally broke the silence. "Sir, are you going to buy that bread or not?" Her tone suggested I was wasting precious seconds of her existence, each tick of the clock a small death in her increasingly frustrated life.
Why is the Heavenly Demon trying to live a normal life?
My reasons are…complicated. Let's just say my past actions have caught up with me, and retirement in the mortal realm seems preferable to eternal torment in the Abyss. Besides, the endless battles and political maneuvering left me utterly drained. I craved…peace. A simple loaf of sourdough bread, even, represented a small victory in my quest for normalcy. And honestly, the pastries in the human world are surprisingly good.
What are the challenges faced by the Heavenly Demon in normal life?
Oh, where do I even begin? For starters, human social etiquette is baffling. The subtle nuances of conversation, the complexities of unspoken rules – it's all a minefield. My innate aura of power tends to intimidate people, turning casual encounters into intense standoffs. And let's not forget my complete inability to operate modern appliances. I once accidentally overloaded the power grid trying to make toast.
What is the Heavenly Demon's goal in this chapter?
My goal in this chapter, as in life currently, is simple survival. Navigating the supermarket without causing mass hysteria, procuring said sourdough bread, and returning home without accidentally setting anything on fire. It's an ambitious undertaking for someone accustomed to commanding armies and slaying gods, but a necessary step in my new, decidedly less exciting life.
How does the Heavenly Demon react to human social interactions?
My reactions range from bewildered confusion to outright apprehension. The small talk, the forced smiles, the awkward silences – it's all intensely jarring after a lifetime spent commanding legions and wielding apocalyptic weaponry. I find myself inadvertently using intimidating language, only to realize that my casual mention of "annihilating a thousand-headed hydra" is not the standard small talk in a grocery store.
Brenda's gaze was still intensely skeptical as I finally placed the loaf of sourdough on the counter. "That'll be $4.79, sir," she said, her voice still laced with suspicion. As I fumbled with my wallet—another surprisingly challenging human invention—I silently vowed to myself to master these earthly tasks. Conquering the mortal world, one sourdough loaf at a time. This, my friends, was only the beginning of my ridiculously difficult journey towards…normalcy.
