Laethreel is a Demon Destroyer, one of the best in the land...not that she wanted to be. She also has a gorgeous demon admirer...not that she wanted him, either--or so she believes.
Laethreel is a Demon Destroyer, one of the best in the land...not that she wanted to be. She also has a gorgeous demon admirer...not that she wanted him, either--or so she believes.
She lives in the Floating Castle where anyone who has the power to fight demons gathers for training and support. Some can trap demons and render them harmless, some can enchant them into being obedient servants, and a talented few are chosen to wield swords with the power to kill demons. Added to the complexity is that there are three kinds of demons: Lesser demons, which are little more than beasts, are the most common; minor demons have more power and thus appear more humanoid; and noble demons are extremely powerful, yet are few in number, with an overall population of about fifty. Of the noble demons, there are five Demon Lords with unimaginable strength to whom the other demons swear allegience.
Laethreel is the daughter of the most unlikely couple possible--her mother was formerly the head of staff at the Floating Castle, and her father is the Golden Demon Lord. Laethreel inherited her father's mesmerizing golden eyes, though otherwise took after her mother, while her younger brother was the exact opposite. One tragic day, her father's underlings could no longer stand to have their master "stolen" by a mere human and took advantage of his absence to kill her mother. The Golden Lord was heartbroken, but he honored his dead wife's wish that their daughter be allowed to live as a human, essentially cutting all ties to her. Laethreel, traumatized and abandoned, turned her back on her demon half.
Through a long series of events, she wound up at the Floating Castle, where she was chosen by Gurenki, the strongest of the demon-destroying swords. She has just one problem--Gurenki is so ravenous for demon life energy, none of the "tame" demon Protectors are willing to work with her, and so she is never sent on any missions. Then one day a demon named Anshu shows up, so incredibly powerful he must at the very least be a noble demon, and claims to be Laethreel's Protector. He insists that she captured him with the magic of her eyes and swears to stay by her side forever.
Is he telling the truth? Is his flirtatious persistence True Love, or is he simply playing with her to pass the time? As Laethreel grows to depend on him more and more, as time and again he helps her defeat stronger demons than any other Demon Destroyer would dare to challenge, the mystery surrounding his motivation begins to unravel. Then the question becomes a matter of whether Laethreel, who was hurt so deeply before, can learn to see his true feelings and allow him to heal her wounded heart.
The writing style is a bit iffy at times, particularly during combat when it can be difficult to figure out exactly what is happening, and most of the demon adversaries tend to react the same. However, the romance is adorable. Anshu is so cute when he flirts, and it's an added bonus that he heals by kissing. Laethreel is rather oblivious in the love department, but that only makes their interaction more fun. If you like to savor the slow progress of a budding relationship, this series is ideal.
Titles in the series: