Caeldaemos and Listamati were at the new Count’s estate, which was Listamati’s old home. Construction was ongoing as the house was to be refurbished and renovated for the Count’s needs. Though he could slither up a stairwell, they were not the most comfortable.

“Here is some of the documentation about Duke Gaolphista Draconia. Apologies, I cannot get more than this.” Count Polawarta stated as he handed a thin file over.

Listamati looked it over. “This is mostly his business holdings, residences, and public connections… How could we get more?”

Caeldaemos looked over some of the documentation. “I could scout out the areas. Maybe ask some questions?”

Listamati laughed. “No, Cael. The scouting would be fine, but I don’t want you getting used to relying on Dominate.”

He warmly smiled and hugged her.

Jaalorda and her husband watched the pair’s affection with discomfort.

“Oh, sorry. I always forget how upti-… I mean, reserved demon-kind is.” Caeldaemos apologized.

“No. Well… Yes. We are not used to seeing such public displays of affection.” Count Polawarta cleared his throat.

“Can I ask…” Caeldaemos hesitated.

“Please, go ahead.” The Count offered.

“How did demon society end up like this? I can understand why one would believe it is better to be reserved, but you all take it to an extreme level.” Caeldaemos commented.

The Count sighed. “It is due to the Demon-Lord.”

Both Listamati and Caeldaemos tensed.

“H-How so?” Listamati asked.

Jaalorda giggled. “I see you never took to your history lessons, Lissy.”

Listamati blushed.

Her friend continued. “As history has shown, every Demon-Lord has been a demon. We live our lives this way to avoid becoming one.”

“Though it has not been proven, it is said that a demon could get the ‘Demon-Lord Candidate’ Special, showing they have the potential to become it.” Count Polawarta added.

Listamati had yet to tell her friend and husband the truth about Caeldaemos but felt it might be time.

“Cael.” She turned to her husband. “Can you check to see if they have the designation?”

“Oh, uh, sure.” Caeldaemos took a moment to check their statuses.

“Why is he staring at us so intently?” Jaalorda asked.

“Well?” Listamati asked him.

“Yeah, they have it. I think it is because I cleared them of the Entrance.” Caeldaemos answered.

Listamati sighed. “Okay… Don’t freak out.”

Two hours later, a very stressed-looking Count and a disheveled Jaalorda sat before them.

“I think that went well…” Caeldaemos sarcastically stated.

“Cael!” Listamati was knelt by her friend.

“We’re followers of the Demon-Lord… My best friend is married to the Demon-Lord… Oh, gods! My friend is pregnant with the Demon-Lord’s child!” Jaalorda began panicking all over again.

Caeldaemos frowned and decided to use an ability he hadn’t used yet. He tweaked the area of effect to the room and activated it. “Sanctuary.”

The room became filled with comforting motes of silver light.

“Cael? What did you do? I feel… calm.” Listamati was minorly confused.

“It’s the ability I got from Halturnafey. It is supposed to stop all fighting and prevent people from being hurt.” He grinned, seeing the two nobles finally calm down.

Jaalorda and her husband looked at Caeldaemos curiously.

He chuckled. “I swear by Io that I am a good and benevolent Demon-Lord who does not desire to harm the innocent.”

The two smiled and sighed, finally accepting him.

Listamati sat next to Caeldaemos. “You will have to remember this combo. It might help to show new residents of Hallibrush your true self.”

“Oh, goddess… I can already hear Orelia….” He lamented.

Listamati giggled at his expense while giving a comforting pat on his back.

“I think you can take down the… barrier? We have calmed down now.” Count Polawarta requested.

Caeldaemos deactivated his spell.

“Thank you for notifying us of this new title. We will be careful from now on.” The Count thanked them.

“Oh, here.” Caeldaemos handed over a couple of Demon-Lord amulets. “These will hide the title while leaving the rest of your status untouched.”

The two happily accepted the three amulets for themselves and their daughter.

“So, there was another reason why I brought up the truth of Cael, other than the titles.” Listamati started. “I don’t think ‘Demon-Lord Candidate’ is special to demons. The last several Demon-Lords have not been demons at all. They were monsters that took on a form similar to Demons.”

“What? But why would they change into demons?” Jaalorda asked.

Caeldaemos piped up. “We had been trying to determine that ourselves. The two reasons we could think of were that it was in the name or the physical capabilities of demons.”

“I still think the name one is just silly,” Listamati stated.

“Yeah, I know,” Caeldaemos grumbled, no one liking his idea.

Listamati giggled. “It’s okay, Cael. We all love you all the same.”

Her words didn’t do much to make him feel better.

“So, about the physical capabilities?” Count Polawarta asked.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Ah, yes. Out of all four major races, demons and fae were the strongest. We argued over why spirits couldn’t be considered until one of us pointed out that spirits were very pure beings. The first may have been a spirit of darkness, but she willingly gave up because of her grief and desire for revenge. She ended up turning into Halturnafey the Slaughterer, a male demon.”

“Is it because we are… impure?” Jaalorda asked.

Listamati shook her head. “No. In truth, the trend we had noticed was that becoming a Demon-Lord depends on strong negative emotions. Since we of demon society had lived such humble lives, no one could become one.”

“So it is based on negative emotions…” The Count looked to Caeldaemos. “What was yours?”

Caeldaemos grimaced. “Hatred.”

“What was it that you hated so much? Wait, were you a monster?!” Jaalorda asked.

Caeldaemos laughed and stated they had more to tell about himself. Getting the Count and Countess caught up on everything took a few hours. They were surprised to hear that he was once a human, but even more, that he was killed by the goddess Sylfaerune. The one fact that shocked them the most was that the gods were perpetuating the cycle of the Demon-Lord.

They talked long into the night. Speaking of tough times, happy events, and trying days. It was late by the time they finished, and they all turned in for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liara, Rana, and Toto stood before a large, ominous-looking structure with a prideful Geon nearby.

“Um, Geon, are you sure this is what you planned?” Rana asked.

“I’m not so sure about this…” Toto commented.

Geon looked at them, confused. “What do you mean? This is what Liara recommended.”

The two demi-humans slowly turned their heads to the foxy lady.

Liara refused to meet their eyes. “Well… Okay! Fine! I got carried away with the whole Demon-Lord motif! I mean, doesn’t it scream ‘Demon-Lord?’” She seemed desperate.

Rana sighed. “Let’s just let Cael deal with her when he gets back.”

“Agreed.” Toto chuckled as the two headed toward the main town area of Hallibrush.

Liara looked down at a confused Geon.

“Hmm? I like it! It reminds me a bit of my old dungeon!” She gave a bright smile.

Liara squatted and hid her face. “I’m screwed!”

Rana arrived at the old town hall that had been temporarily converted into their residence. After they took over the temple a few times for their… activities, Toto ordered the change.

“Welcome back!” Golden Halo Lady Temerilla cheerfully said.

“Mom!” Lily rushed over and hugged her mother. “What was the house like?” She excitedly asked.

“It was…” Rana looked away with a flabbergasted look. “Something….”

“Oh, dear. Have a seat! I have some fine fruit tea.” Lady Temerilla invited the expectant mother over.

“Thanks.” Rana tiredly said and joined her.

“Lily!” A woman called in.

“Yes?” The girl looked over.

“Are you ready for your next lesson?”

“Yes!” Lily hugged her mother. “I’ll be back! I will be the best big sister ever!”

Rana watched as her beloved daughter went off to continue her lessons on how to care for children.

“My, you have such a lovely daughter. I hope to have one myself one day.” Lady Temerilla commented.

Rana turned to the woman. “Um, I am not trying to chase you out, but will your town be alright?”

Lady Temerilla smiled brightly. “It will be fine. I left in the hands of a competent person.”

“Huh? Oh, you have a representative to watch over it.” Rana concluded.

“Nope.”

“What?” Rana was confused.

“I see you have not realized yet. I will not be returning to Flower.” Lady Temerilla stated.

Rana’s maw hung open in shock. “Why!? Wait…” She paused and fell into thought. “Oh…” Rana felt she had caught onto the truth. “You are planning to be number four….”

Lady Temerilla’s smile somehow got brighter. “Correct!”

“Seriously? What makes you think we will accept you as his wife? We might have allowed you to be a lover, but this is different.” Rana commented.

Lady Temerilla looked at Rana with soft and warm eyes. “Rana, what do you see when you look at me?”

“Huh?” Rana was unsure of the question but decided to go along with it. “Well, a human woman who is a noble?”

“And?”

“Uh… I’m not sure where this is supposed to go.” Rana admitted.

“I am a woman who is completely satisfied.”

“What? What does that have to do with anything?”

Lady Temerilla giggled. “Wouldn’t you also desire a ‘golden halo?’”

Rana’s eyes widened at the realization of what the woman had hinted at. “I don’t know if you could oust her, though.”

Lady Temerilla giggled. “I am sure I will be able to. I have an excellent argument.”

“I sure hope so, ‘Captain.’”

The two ladies giggled together and discussed their plans for when Caeldaemos returned to Hallibrush.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sylvia made it to Venture. She sighed in relief as she made it to the gate.

“ID, please.” The guard requested.

“Yes.” She handed it over.

“Hmm? You don’t have a ranking?” The guard asked as he handed her ID back.

“Ranking?”

“Your merc rank. It was blank.” The guard commented.

Sylvia checked her ID and confirmed that her rank was blank. It was then that she remembered the guild woman had requested she return the following day. In her haste to find Michael, she forgot to get it updated.

“Is there any way I can get it updated at the guild here?” She asked.

“Sure. We have a small merc guild here. I’m sure they will be able to help you.”

Sylvia thanked the guard and headed into the town. Her first stop was an inn to take a nice long shower and clean up from her week of non-stop travel. After that, she picked up some food from a couple of stalls and headed into the mercenary guild.

“Greetings. How may I help you?” A male demon asked.

“I need to get my ID updated. I was in a rush and forgot to get it fixed.” She handed her card over to the demon.

“Of course. It should have been entered into the system.” He inserted her ID into his console and checked it. “Okay… Uh.” A look of shock came to his face.

“Is something wrong?” Sylvia asked.

“Um, I just have never seen this happen before. Your starting rank will be eight. Let me get it updated.” The male demon went about getting her ID updated.

A thick arm draped over her shoulder. “Really? A little thing like you is a Rank 8?”

Sylvia glanced at his hand that was close to groping her chest. “Remove your hand.” She turned her frosty eyes to his. “Or I shall do it for you.”

He laughed at her threat while backing away. “Oh! So, scary!”

A few other demons laughed along with the one. Most of the other demons in the guild scowled at the actions of the five.

“Krixalment. Back off.” A tall demoness stepped forward.

“Heh.” He just smirked. “Of course, guild master.”

The guild master sighed while turning to Sylvia. “I’m sorry about that. I assure you, we are not like them.”

Sylvia nodded. “I understand, but,” She stared at Krixalment, “What god do you follow?”

“Hmm? Everyone knows we follow Nandunn.” He chuckled.

“Do you swear in his name?” Sylvia was sure she was not wrong.

Krixalment frowned. “Watch yourself, spirit, or else we will be having words in the ring.”

Sylvia laughed aloud. “Fine. Let’s see if your skills are as terrible as your lies.”

The guild master tried to stop Sylvia until the demon working the counter handed over her ID.

“Oh…” The guild master was surprised. “Very well.” She handed the ID over.

Krixalment smirked as he stood in the ring with Sylvia. He wielded a large sword and shield. “Where’s your weapon?”

“This is all you are worth,” Sylvia stated, not bringing her sword of light to bare.

Her actions and haughtiness annoyed him, but then he smiled. “How about a wager?”

“What is it?”

“If I win, you spend the night with me.” He laughed. The demons who came to watch were disgusted by him.

“Very well. But if I win, you must swear to the god you keep faith with that you will only speak the truth forever.” Sylvia stated.

“Heh. Fine.” He agreed, thinking he would easily win.

The guild master called for their battle to begin.

Krixalment leaped toward her and tried to shield-bash her out of the ring for a quick win, but it swished through the air she once was.

“Disgusting.” Sylvia’s performed a light-boosted kick straight between his legs.

Krixalment’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell forward to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

“Bitch!” “We’ll kill you!” Krixalment’s group tried to run forward.

“Sun Beam.” Sylvia pointed it toward the sky, brightening the entire area with her blinding light.

When her demonstration ended, Krixalment’s group was on their rears, utterly terrified of her.

“The next one will erase your existence,” Sylvia stated coldly. She then turned toward the unconscious demon. “Someone heal him. He has a wager to fulfill.”

It took about ten minutes to heal him enough to wake up, and he immediately stared angrily at Sylvia.

“You-!” A beam of light pierced beside his head.

“Say I cheated.” Sylvia dared him.

He swallowed hard.

“You have a promise to fulfill,” Sylvia stated while charging another light beam.

“F-Fine! I swear by Sylfaerune that I will always speak the truth!” The haze of light rolled over his body.

Sylvia scowled at another one of her failures. Many of the other demons looked at Krixalment in shock.

She then turned to the other four that were with Krixalment. “How about you four?”

They shivered at the icy look in her eyes. All four were believers of Sylfaerune.

Sylvia turned and left the area.

The guild master stopped Sylvia inside the guild. “Wait! Sylvia!”

She stopped. “What is it?”

“I just… thank you.”

“For what?”

“Thanks to your actions, we should be able to keep them under better control.” The guild master bowed her head.

“Don’t thank me….” Sylvia trembled with anger toward herself. “I only made up for my failure.”

“Failure?”

Sylvia refused to answer and left the guild. She needed resupply and some rest.

The following morning she checked for Michael’s location to only find that he was now north instead of west. “I guess he is in demon lands.” She quickly checked her map to gauge how far he was. “Perhaps… the capital?”

Forteria was her next destination.