Lifetime Gift

• Author: Matthia
• Genres: Đam Mỹ, Fantasy Phương Tây, Tình Cảm
• Status: Completed
• Chapters: 8
• Rating: ★ 4.7 / 5
• Published: 2026-09-26

Fateful Summoning

The story kicks off with a rather absurd situation in the ghost city, where the Demon King is trapped in a terrible mood due to betrayal by his subordinates. This crisis forces the mighty lord into a corner, compelling him to seek an unexpected way out.

Following the advice of a scaly man, a native creature carrying demon blood, the monarch decides to perform a dangerous magic ritual. His goal is to summon a human mage to help him, even though this task seems nearly impossible.

On the other side of the spell, Arlette Hope is a young mage drowning in despair and harboring suicidal thoughts. This fateful summoning not only saves his life but also binds two completely opposite destinies together within a fantasy setting.

Purgatory Worldbuilding

From a worldbuilding perspective, the author portrays the purgatory as a vivid and well-defined world. This realm serves as a sanctuary for various demon species possessing innate demon magic along with vastly diverse forms.

Contrasting the world of monsters are human mage individuals who possess the ability to wield spells from different spatial planes. The appearance of a human in the purgatory is always a rare event that draws massive attention.

The world in the story becomes even more complex due to the threat posed by demon warlock figures, who wield extremely powerful demon magic. Although their presence primarily serves an antagonistic role, this detail successfully balances the power system.

Lifespan Gap Tragedy

The work adopts a primary emotional axis revolving around the deep yet bittersweet romance between the Demon King and the young mage. Despite possessing peerless strength to rule over a ghost city, this lord appears remarkably naive regarding human lifespan rules.

He loves Arlette Hope with all his sincerity, yet remains completely oblivious to the cruelty of time. Arlette Hope transforms from a gentle young man, responding to the warm affection before gradually aging in front of his helpless lover.

When Arlette Hope draws his final breath, extreme pain drives the Demon King to seek a way to turn back time. He is determined to return to the moment before they met, granting Arlette Hope a chance to find happiness once more.

Construction Highlights

• Portraying the Demon King as both majestic and naive in romance creates a deeply captivating contrast.
• The relationship between the Demon King and Arlette Hope carries a healing nature, helping both overcome past traumas.
• The time travel element is skillfully woven, turning life-and-death tragedy into a hopeful beginning.
• Concepts like demon and mage are introduced coherently and easily followed.

Length Limitations

• A mere 8 chapters leave antagonist forces like the demon warlock with insufficient screen time.
• The aging process of Arlette Hope passes by too quickly, diminishing some of the bitter taste regarding time.
• The purgatory setting is expansive but fails to fully explore other cities and creatures.

Community Reviews

• Novel Updates: 4.7/5.0 (154 reviews), described as a brief, bittersweet, touching, beautiful, and simple story at the time of writing. Some readers wish there were more chapters after the ending.

Endless Love Aftertaste

Despite having a length of only 8 chapters, the novel successfully fulfills its role in conveying a profound emotional message. The sacrifice for love made by the lord of the purgatory will surely leave many unforgettable impressions.

This is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a gentle romantic work with fantasy elements yet brimming with warmth. The time-reversal journey undertaken by the Demon King for Arlette Hope will linger with positive emotions.

A deeply touching short story about sincere love, transcending racial barriers and the harsh rules of time.

Tags: danmei, regression, fantasy