Delia was raised by demons.
Three-year-old Delia rode on the fat sheep chosen by the townsfolk, her little body nestled in its soft wool as it carried her toward the sacrificial altar deep in the forest.
When they reached the altar, little Delia couldn't get down from the sheep by herself. After a great deal of fumbling, she rolled off its back.
Kneeling on the ground, she reached forward with her little hands, confused. She touched her forehead to the earth and recited the words the adults had taught her in a childish voice: "Great Demon, Delia is your offering..." She couldn't remember the rest, and started crying in frustration.
A man of noble and holy bearing appeared. With a soft sigh, he picked up the little bundle.
The demon in the forest taught her to read and speak, sing and dance, and identify plants and animals. He raised her into a bright, clever girl who could tell right from wrong.
Years later, Delia returned home, where she found that her family had a new daughter. Though her memories were hazy, she was delighted to see them again. The townspeople, however, didn't feel the same way: no one could survive the demons unless they pledged themselves to them.
Wary of her, neglecting her, and framing her, they broke Delia's heart. She decided to make a living on the grasslands.
A haughty, free-spirited young man from the grasslands pretended to scare her while teaching her to ride, but stood up for her whenever she was bullied.
One day, the young man suddenly disappeared. Delia searched the entire grassland without finding him. While herding sheep, she accidentally wandered into the legendary Lost Marsh.
A demon lived in the marsh. He ate all of Delia's sheep, then carried her off to his lair.
Delia never returned home. The townspeople all said, "Pretty little Delia got eaten by a demon!" Her parents were relieved, and her younger sister smiled. Then one day, the grass withered, the sheep fell ill, the houses collapsed, and disaster swept through the town.
A slender figure emerged from the murky yellow sandstorm. Wherever she went, the sand receded, the withered grass flourished, and the sheep came back to life... Only then did the townspeople realize that Delia hadn't been eaten by a demon at all. She had become the girl cherished by the Shepherd God.
*
The Shepherd God slept. His three hearts foraged in the forest, grasslands, and marsh, gathering energy to awaken him.
They had always existed as hearts, until they met the one-of-a-kind girl, the girl destined to belong to the Shepherd God.
The male leads:
Forest Heart: perceptive and refined, with noble restraint
Grassland Heart: wild and free, with a wolf's ferocity
Marsh Heart: obsessive and dark, sensitive and suspicious
*
Reader's guide:
This is a slow-burn story in three parts: raising her, coming-of-age adventures, and romance~
Inspired by my short story Shepherd God at Afternoon.
The heroine isn't a self-sacrificing saint, but she isn't forceful either. The male lead raises her into a sweet, sunny little darling. There won't be any scenes of her turning the tables and humiliating her enemies, but! This doting author won't let anyone who bullies her daughter get away with it!
The tone is all indulgence, affection, and sweetness.
The blurb may change, and the worldbuilding still needs filling out.
The first version of this blurb was archived on 2021.6.10. Long live originality!
Theme: Follow the laws of nature
