[Present day]

“I can’t help but wonder... why are you here?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at Azazel, who is lounging on my sofa like he owns the place.

He smirks. “I saved your ass yesterday. And you still don’t appreciate my presence?”

I sigh. “Sorry, you’re right. It’s just unsettling that you can waltz into my apartment, even though I made sure to lock the door.”

Azazel reaches into his pocket and tosses something at me. “Here, take this. It will make you a free pass to my apartment”

I catch it mid-air, expecting a key or something useful. Instead, I find myself holding a small bottle of... pills? “What is this?”

“Remember the gadgets I mentioned? This is one of them,” he says, nonchalantly. “These pills make you intangible for ten minutes, with the purpose to pass through most walls or solid objects with high density. That’s how I keep dropping by.”

“ Get one or two, and use only to trespass walls, it actually requires some focus to use this ability given, else you can get stuck in the floor and believe me you don't want to get tangible while in the middle of the body of another living being.”

I got four just in case. I don’t know many he has but in sight it seems like thirty pills.

“But... aren’t you supposed to be some all-powerful demon lord? Why would you even need these?”

Azazel leans back with a teasing grin. “Unlike Elene, I’m here in a human body. She crossed over in her original form. It doesn’t look like but Elene can easily destroy this town in an hour or less.”

That’s terrifying but I will deal with it if something happens. I hope so.

I couldn't help but glance sideways at Azazel. "Since you brought up Elene, why don’t you just… I don’t know. Make it official with her? She’s pretty, and she’s clearly obsessed with you."

He gives me a look, the kind that could sour milk. "Would you fall in love with your dog? Get married and all that?"

I blinked. "Huh? I don’t even have a dog, but… no." What a bizarre comparison.

"Exactly," he says, as if his logic was flawless. He sits adequately "Elene is more like a dog to me. And not even a high category one"

I wince. "Yikes. That’s not a nice thing to say, especially if you ever want to win over a girl. Insensitivity isn’t exactly romantic."

Something clicks in my mind. "Wait a second," I continue. "She’s a succubus. Shouldn’t she be the perfect teacher to explain love to you?"

He respond with a serious tone. "No matter how silly or clumsy Elene appears, she’s a demon, Elysia. She doesn’t know real love. Just selfish desire and lust."

I frown, feeling a weird pang of protectiveness for Elene. "Oh yeah? Well, that reminds me, we never really have the time to talk about your great love experiment." I sit down beside him, folding my arms. "What kind of love are you even looking for? A passionate romance? Or just trying to understand the concept?"

I cough, suddenly self-conscious. "Like, I love my mom. Not romantically, obviously, but when I think about her, I feel this ache in my chest. It’s sad, but it’s also warm and happy. This feelings tell me I love my mom so much"

For the first time, Azazel looks genuinely intrigued. His eyes widens, and he look like to have miscalculated something big. "I was just bored," he admitted. " Since most of the acts of love I see in my magic screen Tv involved a female and male. figured if I found a female I could unlock this enigma and fill my time with something other than boredom. “

My jaw drops in surprise. "So, you’re not really searching for love exactly? You’re just using this as a distraction?"

"Sort of," he says with a smirk. "But hey, if I can entertain myself by searching for it, why not? If there are many types of love as you said, I can be lucky and find one of them." he talks in a nonchalantly cocky way as he is talking about gaining a prize.

"Ugh," I groan. "Azazel love isn’t something you find for selfish reasons! It’s about putting someone else before yourself. It’s… selfless."

Azazel’s face twists in mock horror. "Selfless?" He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Nope, count me out. Putting a human before myself sounds impossible."

“So what are you giving up to find love?” I ask to him.

“ I don’t know, now that you told me, maybe.” He says calmly and somehow his face returned to the cold stare he used to. These days that expression disappeared but now it's back.

“Well I have to go, see you tomorrow.” I can't help but wave my hand at him as he eats a pill and trespasses my wall.

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4 Days ago [Hell]

A deep, resonant voice echoed through the darkened hall, its tone carrying both curiosity and concern.

“He is taking too long.”

A soft, raspy voice responded, coming from a wizard of the council, "Indeed, Lord Astaroth, but surely there is no cause for alarm. He follows his own pace."

Astaroth’s gaze hardened as he stared at the old man from the council. "I know, but even as a demon, this raises questions. I bet with Malzareth that he wouldn’t last the week. Now I have to fulfill my part of the deal.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

The silence lingered before the subordinate spoke again, cautiously.

“That reminds me of a rumor circulating among the council. One of them, who has spoken directly with Lord Azazel, claims he went to Earth... looking for love. Maybe it is true that would explain why Lord Azazel so attached to this planet”

Astaroth’s lips curled in a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Love?"

Astaroth’s dark eyes narrowed. "I see. He was so bored that he decided to embark on a fruitless quest. I can understand that, but he should have realized by now that such things are beyond even his reach."

“I would expect him to return soon,” the subordinate offered. “But I’m sure he knows when his... vacation is over. As long as he stays within the rules, there is little harm. The council is also growing weary—creating the magical TV alone has drained our energy. Watching the lives of billions in the universe is no small task, even for us."

"Indeed.” Astaroth understands if Azazel sought conflict or war would be understandable. But in this universe, no mortal could possibly even fight with a medium rank demon.

Astaroth’s expression darkened as he crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Fine. I will oversee the viewing of the TV, then. The council can continue their work on the camouflage and analysis of the tributes from the living. But before all of that..." He paused, his gaze now cold and calculating. "There’s something I must address first."

Astaroth whistled sharply, calling upon the one suited for this task.

A moment later, he appears, bowing low before Astaroth. “I came as quickly as I could, Lord Astaroth second in command.”

Astaroth's eyes glinted with a sharp amusement, but his voice was cold. “Honoring and putting salt in the wounds, are we? You have guts, but remember Though I do not posses the rank of a demon lord, I am one of the original Prince of hells. .”

The incubus flinched, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. “If I have offended you, I beg your pardon, Lord Astaroth. But sometimes, reality is harsher than any blast of energy.”

Astaroth's expression darkened for a moment, and with a thought, he destroyed the incubus's left wing.

“AHH!” The incubus screamed in agony, his wing unable to regenerate. The pain coursed through him relentlessly, and his eyes widened in panic.

“Do not panic," Astaroth’s voice was a low growl, "or I’ll have your other wing and tail taken as well.”

The incubus gritted his teeth, trying to steady his breath. “Th-thank you...” he gasped, struggling to keep his composure.

“Incubus Varek,” Astaroth began, his tone cutting through the air as he summoned a book, flipping through its pages with deliberate slowness.

“Let’s see... 2148 years of experience... quite impressive,” Astaroth muttered.

Varek nodded, his pain still evident. “What’s the task, Lord Astaroth?”

“You will go to Earth and find Lord Azazel's ‘guinea pig.’ Your task is to kill her,” Astaroth commanded, his voice firm, unwavering.

Varek hesitated. “Lord Astaroth, this human—based on her manners and behavior—seems to be an acquaintance of Lord Azazel. Wouldn’t killing her without his permission cause catastrophic consequences?”

Astaroth narrowed his eyes, his tone sharpening. “Varek, you are too young to understand. Azazel is unlike other demons. Lord Lucifer sealed parts of his personality and memories long ago.”

“What?” Varek’s wings twitched, betraying his unease.

“Yes, intriguing, isn’t it?” Astaroth smirked faintly, relishing the suspense. “Azazel before was once a resentful, violent creature. His fury made him mindless, and his desire for war make him fight with many high rank demons believing he could rival the evil Trinity itself. To Lucifer, he was like a barking hell puppy—annoying but harmless. But when the barks turned to bites, Lucifer acted.”

“Sealing his memories?”

Astaroth nodded, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Lucifer saw killing Azazel as wasteful. Instead, he sealed his rage, his ambition, his very essence. Now, Azazel is a shadow of what he was.”

Varek’s curiosity burned brighter. “But then— Why--”

“Telling you everything would ruin the fun, don’t you think?” Astaroth’s smirk widened, but his eyes darkened with unspoken threats. He leaned closer. “You must kill her, Varek, before she can make a deep connection with Azazel. Any trigger she can make can have even a low chance to recover some of his memories.”

Astaroth knew even a fraction of memories returned to Azazel while he was on earth, it would shatter the balance of life and death.

Breaking that balance could call the angels and descend to Earth. A war he did not plan would erupt.

Varek responds with a mix of fear and conviction, “Of course, my lord. I just need the permission signed, and I’ll be on my way.”

Astaroth chuckles, his tone laced with amusement. “Ah, Varek, I’m afraid I can’t let anyone know I sent you to Earth. Just imagine what Azazel would say—a fight in Hell? Now that would be truly catastrophic!”

Varek’s face was drained of color. “Wait—without any rituals? Or permissions I’d be destroyed if I tried. The angels would retaliate, and I’d perish.”

Astaroth’s gaze darkened. “Or I’ll destroy you myself right now.”

Varek recoiled slightly but tried to maintain his composure he remembered something. “I... I have a sister. She can do it for me.”

Astaroth’s eyes narrowed in amusement. “Oh? Throwing your own sister into the death chamber? I admire your style.”

Varek let out a short, pained laugh. “She’s a failure as a succubus.”

Astaroth looked unimpressed. “Everyone has their own path. She made her choice. But it doesn’t matter—she could have killed her mother and gained her energy. Instead, she offered her mother’s soul to the chamber rooms.”

Astaroth tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “So Varek, It doesn’t matter how your parents left this world. They serve as tribute to our forces.”

Varek murmured, “I wish I had killed them both and kept their energy for myself.”

Astaroth looked at him, a flicker of disdain crossing his features. “You have big ambitions, Varek. It’s a shame you had to share your parents’ fate with her.”

Varek’s lips twisted into a grim smile. “I could see my father’s face when I pierced his heart, full of proud” he said, his voice full of twisted satisfaction.

“Varek. I do not care about your family issues, now. “I show him the tv

“This girl is your target. Do what you must and I will remove the curse that inflicts the anti-regeneration to your wing.”

“I understand, this will be easy. No worries,lord Astaroth my sister will do it without much thought” The macabre smile from Varek widened with ecstasy of the thought.

Astaroth’s gaze turned cold, his voice low and final. “Now, begone. You disgust me.”

Astaroth with a tone of knowledge and macline declared.

“ If I were you I would have taken both their lives—and silenced my sister. No one would have noticed in the area of Tartarus.”

Varek looked confused for a moment, but then his expression twisted into a sinister grin. He nodded, backing away slowly.

Nobody would notice a body killed in the tartarus. is a zone of no one, the only exception is the demon lord but even the demon lord could not care less about a kill in that place, since many demons fight and destroy each other every day in that cursed zone. Their souls and body only contribute to the death chamber recreating another demon or reinforcing the gates of hells, or the castle of the demon lord itself.