“Amelia.”

“…”

“Amelia.”

“...”

“Adrian.”

“…”

“Eleanor.”

“…”

“Amelia. Amelia. Adrian. Eleanor. Amelia. Adrian. Eleanor. Eleanor. Eleanor…”

“Shut up, you annoying bitch!”

“Don’t speak to your mother that way, young miss!”

“I don’t care. Amelia is dead, so you’re not my mom. Go away.”

“Why so grumpy, Grumpy? Grumpy, grumpy, grumpf, grumpf!”

Eleanor groans. She turns her back to Gilda and pulls a blanket over herself.

“Eleanor? Baby? Are you mad?”

“…”

“Looks like somebody is in need of… a tickle! Tickle! Tickle! Tickle!”

“Hey! Hahaha! Stop it! Ah haha! I said stop!”

“Not until you apologize for lying.”

Eleanor slaps Gilda hand’s away.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.

“Amelia, why won’t you tell your father the truth? And what happened to you? Where have you been all these years?”

“I keep telling you, Amelia is dead.”

“No, you’re here! You may wear a different face but deep down you’re still—”

“Deep down? Ha! Hahahaha! Oh duchess, do you honestly believe your daughter is hidden inside me? Just beneath my skin,?”

Eleanor melts and turns into a featureless figure made of red substance.

“This is what I actually look like! This is the true face of the devil!”

Duchess Gilda looks at Amelia in shock. Then she gives her daughter an understanding smile.

“Oh, so you’re just self conscious about your looks. Don’t worry darling, everyone experiences that at your age.”

“Ugh! You’re impossible!”

Eleanor recreates her features and closes her eyes. She still can’t move her limbs and her condition has gotten worse. Gilda pets her forehead and decides to climb into bed with her.

“...What are you… doing?”

“Keeping you warm, dear, like the old days.”

“...The old days are gone…”

“I know, Eleanor. I know. We still have a whole future ahead of us.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Gilda hugs her daughter tightly and they fall asleep.

Prince Gael’s mansion is in ruins. The guests migrate to hotel Merlot and other boardings while they wait for the knights to finish their investigations. Admiral Sullivan and Knight Irving slip away in the chaos. Duchess Gilda was able to grab the rest of the conspirators and now they are standing before Eleanor.

Prince Gael, Professor Declan, and Lady Tate are sweating as the girl on the bed bares her fangs.

“Do you know who I am, hmm?”

“Y-yes, Master Acker!” The prince’s legs are shaking.

“Call me Devil.”

“Yes, Lord Devil!” the three say in unison.

“Good, good, at least you know your places, unlike four-eyes and baby oil.”

Dan Declan gulps. Tessa Tate looks like she’s about to vomit.

“Now, with all of you here…” Eleanor glances at Gilda. “Explain to me what the fuck is going on! Start from the beginning.”

Declan coughs and steps forward.

“At the dawn of the three continents, there were—”

Eleanor extends her arm to whip him.

God, I wish that was me.

What!?

You heard what I said.

“Keep it brief!”

“Y-yes, master! There is a cult. Call themselves the Antediluvian. Members are split into four echelons—Initiates, Followers, Heralds, and Tongues, with the Leader standing above all. High ranking members of the cult are connected to the leader via something called a Blood Gyve. It gives them incredible powers…”

“But it also corrupt their minds and turns them into obedient slaves,” the duchess chimes in.

“Wait, really?!”

“Sigh… Yes, Gael, really.”

“Then why didn’t you warn me, Gilda?!”

“I thought that was a given, even to a complete moron like you.”

“Hey! Don’t call me a moron! Everything I did was for our family! Our people! I wanted the power to chase the foreigner king from our shores and take back what should rightfully be mine!”

“That foreigner king is the father of your niece. Which, need I remind you, you endangered, you stupid asshole!”

“Don’t call me stupid, ugly!”

“Pot belly!”

“Stinking breath!”

“Silence!”

Eleanor roars and the royal siblings shut up.

“Let me guess, four-eyes was a follower and you lot were his pet projects.”

“Uh… Yes, I believe you can say that, Lord Devil.” Declan rubs the back of his neck.

“How many of them are there?”

“I… don’t know, my lord… T-the Initiates, I mean! Hubert was the one who kept track of us. With him gone, there are sixteen Followers, eight Heralds, three Tongues, and one Leader.”

Wait, there are eight more people on Xanxus level?!

A-and four higher ranked than they are… Are… Are these people more powerful than Elders?! T-that can’t be right? Right?!

If… if a goddamn admiral belongs to the lowest rung then… Holy shit, I don’t even want to imagine.

Devil… I-I mean Lady Amelia, you took these people out r-right? Tell me you wiped the cult off the face of the planet!

Don’t know. Don’t care.

D-devil…

“Last question—what are their goals? What do they want?”

“That is… I don’t know, lord. Lady Tate, you worked on their equipment. Do you know?”

“I… Hic! I don’t… I… I did as told and… and… worked on the design and… and… Barf!”

Ew, gross!

She vomits all over the floor! It even lands on Eleanor’s bed!

M-master, please forgive me! Hic! I-I didn’t mean to…! Hic! H-here, I’ll rub your shoulders so don’t be mad…

“Get out! All of you, get out!”

Eleanor cheases the conspirators out of her room and the duchess changes her bedsheets. After the excitement is done, Eleanor plops on the bed, tired.

“All I wanted to do was be the bad guy. Why are there so many people standing in my way, mommy?”

Gilda chuckles and pet her hair.

“I promised you’ll become an excellent villain one day, baby. As for the cult… hmm… I overheard Hubert muttering some peculiar words. Tell me if they mean anything to you… Eternal Slumber… Endless suffering… Starving gods… and… Hate-Runner.”