The Devil's family/Devil of the sea/ The devil's curse

Prologue

150 years before the events of romance down

" Leon, Let's set sail" A girl cheerfully called to her male companion.

" I have no interest in being a pirate." The tall man responded with an annoyed sigh.

The little girl pouted at his less than enthusiastic response. This wasn't the first time the two friends had this conversation.

It always starts with an invitation to an adventure then it is followed by a lukewarm response and a brief period of sulking from the young girl before they repeat that conversation the. Leon had that conversation so many time that become some sort of a daily ritual.

"but Leon. It is so boring here. There nothing fun to do…. Don't you want to have an adventure? Meet new interesting people and see the world." The girl's eyes shone with barely contained excitement.

"No." Leon bluntly refused her offer again. " I like my boring life and I have no intention of risking my life sailing such dangerous seas.

" But…..Leon" she whined.

"No"

" Where is your sense of adventure?!"

" don't have it. I am content with my life here in the village. if you want to sail so much join the marine."

"What? no way! I don't want a job. I want an adventure!" Those marine are no fun. It is always justice this and justice that. She also didn't want to follow orders of grumpy old men.

" And are you really happy here, Leon?" Her carefree tone turned somber. Leon paused in surprise. Their usual conversation usually ended with her storming off in displeasure after his constant refusal. It never took such a serious tone.

"Are you really happy being the town's outcast? Even after years of living here they still see as an outsider despite all of your hard work. Those closed mind people and their traditions are the reason you and living in the jungle instead of in the town." They two of them were a bit unusual and that made them into others instead of a human being in the eyes of town's people. Leon with his big muscular body and ugly face was repulsive to town's people.

" Even that silly dream of yours is just a dream in this village."

" It isn't silly," Leon argued with a heated tone. There is nothing he disliked more than people mocking his dream. It was a humble dream that couldn't be compared to his friend's dream of grand adventures, but it was still he desired with his heart.

" well, The dream itself isn't silly. It is the fact you believe you can achieve here that is. You can't achieve your dream in a small town."

Leon's expression fell at her words. She wasn't exactly wrong but admitting it hurt him deeply.

" Oh, I am sorry, Leo." She didn't want to hurt him. It always baffled her how can he cling to the people who shun him for merely his appearance. Was he seeking their approval? Why?

" It is a silly dream, isn't it. It might be a common dream to other men, but for a hideous person like me it is a joke."

" What nonsense are you saying? It is just those idiots' opinion and that doesn't make it a fact." She snorted. The opinion of a bunch of narrow-minded people was particularly useless.

Leon's lips curled up into a grateful smile. His friend was exactly the model citizen and she could be incredibly selfish sometimes, but there was no doubt she cared about him.

" how about we set sail? You might finally achieve your dream…. I like your dream. To find a place to belong and to have a family of your own isn't a silly dream. It is a nice and heartwarming goal that just shows how you are no different from other men in the village…." At first, she didn't understand his dream, but the more she learned about the world the more she understood the importance of a family. As an orphan who was abandoned in the jungle as a child. She never experienced that thing called family. Her friendship with Leon was her first human interaction and the first time she cared about someone else besides herself. She owned a lot to Leon. While the town's people were content with ignoring the wild girl in the forest. He took her in and taught about the outside world. Despite his outward appearance, he was the gentlest and kindest person she ever met. She always looked up to him and considered him as her in and the only family.

He let out a defeated sigh. "why not? Let's set sail."

"Yeah. I will be the captain…" She declared with a confident smile.

"No way. We would die with you as a captain" The deadpan response dampened her spirits.

As a proof her resilient she bounced right back up. "how mean! I would make the greatest captain ever."

Leon tried to contain his amused smile at her childish response. " Oh of that I have no doubt, Captain." He patted her straw hat with a teasing smile. Those words set in motion the formation of an unusual pirate crew that later became a living nightmare for the world government. That is the story of two dreamers, one with a humble dream and another with big enough dreams to fill the ocean. Who could ever expect that two silly friends would shake the world? This is the humble beginnings of the sea devil.

Writer's note

Thanks for reading. I had the story in my head for a while and please tell me if you enjoyed that little snippet and would like to read more. I don't want to write a story that no one is interested in reading it. My writing has improved in the last few years, but it hasn't yet reached the level I want so reviews and constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated.