Fora stared at Lilith for a whole minute before finally turning his eyes to me.

“What?” He asked with a stupefied expression.

We were in my main living room where each of us sat on one of the three couches in front of the unlit fireplace.

“I have decided to start a business.” I smiled.

“Yes but what does that have to do with… her?” Fora squinted and I simply gave him the same flimsy excuse that Alexter gave me.

“I see… that doesn’t make sense.” He groaned.

“I know but the powers that be apparently said the same thing so our hands are tied.” I sighed.

Fora returned his gaze to Lilith who was on her phone.

“Mmm… and what do you want me to do?” He asked.

“I want you to register my business and while it would be cooler if we could call our work demon hunting or something, I don’t think that’s an official job position so we’re gonna have to go with Private Detectives since investigating is what we’ll spend a lot of time doing,” I explained making Fora return his gaze to me.

“You do know I can’t just register your business like it’s nothing. The appropriate documentation is needed, it’ll also be some time before you can operate and that’s if everything is approved.”

“I know but I trust that you will get it done swiftly and without fail.” I nodded but this just made Fora pout.

“What makes you think I’ll do anything at all.” He raised his nose.

“I… because… when have I ever asked for anything-“

“You ask me to do all kinds of things for you, you lazy old man!” Fora cried and I knew I’d have to answer him honestly and sincerely if I didn’t want him to get up and leave.

“Because, if everything goes well, I’ll never ask you for anything again.” I smiled and this time, it was a gentle and pleading smile.

Fora’s big grey eyes widened and even Lilith raised her head to look at me.

“Mmm… fine. I’ll come collect the documents I need later but for now, let me talk to the Great Mages and see if those dummies really know what they are doing.”

“Thank you. Would you like to stay for some tea?”

“Unfortunately, I have to set up my appointment with the Great Mages as soon as possible and- oh, you still need to pay your outstanding fees for last month before we do anything!” Fora yelled making me groan loudly.

“I…” I thought about what I could possibly sell.

I had sold and auctioned most of my collectables over the years and only had one last thing of high value.

“I guess I could always buy it back once we start working,” I muttered.

“Mmm?” Fora frowned.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll sort everything out.” I grinned.

“I hope so.” Fora sighed as he stood up.

Lilith then followed me as I accompanied him to the door.

I waved him goodbye and it was here that Lilith spoke.

“What do you plan to do?”

I remained silent and instead led her to my underground cellar which had since become empty but this wasn’t our destination.

Behind all the vacant shelves and barrels was a vault.

I placed my thumb on a sensor next to the large steel door and like that, it opened revealing an empty room which housed only one item.

Well… one item was left after I sold all the others.

It sat on a marble pedestal and on a big red pillow.

“Really?” Lilith snickered but I ignored her while walking towards the pedestal.

Atop it sat the head of the very Spear I had used during the final battle.

Well, what was left of its head.

“This ought to fetch a pretty penny,” I whispered and this made Lilith scoff.

“I don’t know whether to be insulted or flattered.”

“I’ll call my usual buyer. He's a guaranteed sale.” I nodded while pulling out my phone.

“What else have you sold him?” Lilith tilted her head curiously.

“A Dragon scale shield, a ton of gold coins from back in the day, some stuff from your Palace-“

“You piece of shit.”

[AYY! Mr. Hero! How are you doing on this wonderful morning?] A voice boomed making me pull my phone away from my ear a little.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Good morning, Deis.” I sighed.

[Is it time?]

“Yeah, yeah. Send the money you offered and I’ll ship it over to you.”

[About that, I’m only going pay you if you agree to give me a vial of your blood. That Spear tip is lined with the blood of the Demon Queen. Would it not be fitting if I was also in possession of the blood of the Old Hero?]

I bit my teeth.

[I think it would. Anyway, I’ll send you a bit of it directly since I know how much you’re… struggling and the rest will arrive in time.]

“Thank you.”

[No, Chuma. Thank you. As a collector- no, as a historian, you have been the greatest alley… and you know just how dearly I want to add you to my-]

I ended the call and not a moment later, I got a message saying that I had just received some money.

“Hungry?”

“I mean, I don’t need to eat but it has been ages since I had something that wasn’t that tasteless paste they fed me in the slammer. And while your tea wasn’t half bad, I would prefer something that was made by someone who knew what they were doing. No offense.” Lilith smiled.

“Consider me greatly offended. Anyway, I’m going to freshen up and get changed and then we’ll do some shopping and get her highness something to eat.” I scoffed before walking out of the vault with a certain royal asshole in tow.

“Hehe, no need to take it so personally. I was just jabbing at that self-serious shell of yours.” Lilith awkwardly laughed but I ignored her while walking towards the bathroom.

“And what made you think I was so self-serious?” I clicked my tongue.

“I would have thought that even if the Great Mage hadn’t spent the last nine hundred years talking shit about you.”

“I swear, when I next see that old man…” I muttered while walking up to the bathroom door.

“Are you gonna follow me everywhere I go? Wait for me in the living room or something.”

“What? You faced me in mortal combat but are too shy to face me in such a casual setting? Sheesh, it’s like you haven’t changed a bit. Still the mortified Spearman-“

“Alright! Do whatever you want! Just… please shut the fuck up.” I whined while entering the bathroom.

A Grand space lined with marble.

At its center was a large bathtub which was covered in intricate golden patterns.

“If you tell me to do whatever I want, then I won’t shut up, you know.”

I ignored her and removed my evening gown revealing that none of my ancient scars had healed.

Even the ones I had gotten as a child and the ones I’d gotten during my training to be a warrior.

I was stuck in a body from all that time ago.

I turned around to see that Lilith had removed her tracksuit revealing her own scars.

Scars that were too many to count across her pale skin.

She then removed her underwear and I tried not reacting in an obvious way although I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

Her body, just like mine, hadn’t changed since that day either.

She was still in her prime.

Tall, muscular and… somewhat beautiful.

I couldn’t help but gasp lightly as she undid her bun and I watched with awe as her long black fell to drape over her body.

I shook myself out of my daze and began running the water while Lilith unashamedly looked me over.

“Of all the warriors and mages… it just had to be the scrawny one.” She smirked.

“Huh… funny you say that I always thought you’d be prettier like one would expect from a queen. Instead of a muscle-bound brute that we ended up getting.”

Lilith’s eyes widened to their limits.

The air suddenly grew really heavy but I was tired of her shit.

I walked up to her and, by absorbing the light from the lights in the bathroom, I made a Dagger of Light which Demons were particularly weak to.

I also focused the light at the blade’s edge until it became hot enough to warm the air around it all while waves of malice rose from Lilith.

She raised her right hand towards my head and I raised my dagger towards her chest.

“If… you’re going to insult me… do it properly. No need to lie.” She said before ruffling my hair.

“I know that you know I am incredibly beautiful so try something a little better next time.” She winked before pulling back all of her animosity and stopping the water from running.

She then entered the bath and I stood there for a solid second considering decapitating her while her guard was-

“I wouldn’t have stopped you, you know.” She exhaled with closed eyes.

I frowned.

“All my children are gone and I genuinely don’t know what to do with the cursed eternity that remains of my life. However… for whatever reason, I cannot bring myself to suicide but I wouldn’t mind if I died by your hands. Then I could join them wherever they are with some kind of dignity. That’s what I tell myself, at least.”

I…

Demons were hatred made manifest.

That’s all they knew.

All they were.

And yet Lilith was saying all these things.

I squeezed my dagger as I wondered where all this remorse and regret was during the war.

I bit my teeth and destroyed my dagger.

“You’d let me kill you, huh?” I asked as I joined her in the tub although I sat across her.

“Yeah.” She whispered while clutching her arms.

“Alright. Help me in figuring this mystery out and if we do it before the thousandth year, I’ll give you the death you so desire.”

Lilith raised her eyes and looked into mine.

“Alright.”

I nodded before finally allowing myself to relax.

My heart had been racing the entire time but I could ease up finally.

Well, that was until slid her leg next to mine.

“Ahem! Let’s hurry up before the shops close.” I loudly coughed but this just made Lilith smirk.

.

..

“Did you need to grab so many?” I asked while sitting on a small chair by the changing room’s in a clothes shop.

I had taken Lilith to a nearby mall so that she could get whatever she’d need but we ended up spending most of our time selecting clothes.

“I spent the past nine hundred years wearing the garbs of a prisoner so excuse me for looking for a means of self-expression!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, make it quick then.” I sighed.

Lilith would go on to try several outfits but she eventually settled on a pair of black jeans, some leather boots and a beige cardigan which went over a pure white vest.

It was like she couldn’t decide whether to go for a dark and intense look or a softer look but I chose not to express that thought.

“What do you think? Good, right?” she grinned as if she had done something she was really proud of.

I took a deep breath and weakly smiled.

“Yes-“

“I knew you’d say that.” She smugly nodded and it wasn’t long before we left the store.

People were definitely staring but anyone who asked seemed to believe that she was just a maniac who altered their appearance to look demon-like.

Some people even asked to take pictures with her when they should have been trying to get some with me - the Hero of Old!

We eventually got some dinner at one of the mall’s many restaurants where we ignored everyone who stared.

“Oh, yeah. I need to think of a name for our little company.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully while Lilith downed her Tenth cup of soda.

“Mmm… I can’t say what you should call it but I think your tagline should be something along the lines of “Vengeance is due and it will be paid in full!"” She nodded smugly.

“You see, it has a double meaning because you yourself have outstanding payments-“

“I get it and no, that will not be our slogan. I have a name in mind but it ain’t rubbing me right.”

“What?”

“Chuma and Lilith incorporated.”

All of the joy and life drained from Lilith’s face as those words left my mouth.

“Really?” she raised a brow.

“Yeah, it’s probably too long-“

“Sure, that’s the only problem with it.” Lilith rolled her eyes.

“That said, my name is pretty iconic so I suppose we could use it.”

“What? Lilith?”

“Yes. It’s very much the name of the dark… the mysterious. So… it also has ties to the demonic and the occult...”

I tapped my chin again.

I didn't like the fact that she cropped my name out but she was right.

Her name was the first anyone thought of when it came to demon related things which would make for catchy branding.

“Alright. I officially welcome you as an employee of Lilith Incorporated!”

“You could have left out the incorporated part!”