Scarlet valkyrie

The tranquil night that encompassed Znena was broken by the sound of a panicked demon running away. His fast and shallow breaths were drowned out by heavy boots stomping on the ground, getting closer and closer to the incubus. He had no idea what the other demon wanted from him, but just at first glance, he could tell that it wouldn’t end well for him. Bearing dark as night armor, which he had only taken a glimpse of as the knight approached him, made his already tall and bulky, albeit also athletic, posture even more imposing than it already was. The black knight was closing in on him. Dammit, he thought that his disguise was perfect. He looked like an ordinary brown-haired student, of which there were plenty in the town. He never stood out from the crowd, and he didn’t intend to. Perhaps he was being chased because he looked too human? But turning back into his true form could be seen as challenging him to a fight. Dammit all, he needed to get away from him first. The incubus turned right and ran into a back alley.

It might have been a red brick dead end, but if he could climb over the wall, there was no way that the knight would be able to find him in the maze that was central Znena. Just as he was about to reach the wall and climb over it, a hot red chain wrapped itself around his ankle. A sharp and quick pull made him fall flat onto the ground, breaking his nose in the process. The incubus could see the knight’s shadow right beside him. Before he could do anything, a strong hand grabbed him by his hoodie and slammed him against the brick wall. The knight has raised him to his eye level, which left his feet dangling a good half a meter in the air.

“Sadza, where’s he?” Even despite the visor, he could see furiously red eyes glare right at him.

“I-I don’t know who you are talking about. I-I swear!”

“ ‘s that so? Rather curious, wouldn’t ya say? I recall ya talkin’ ‘bout a flame-bearin’ demon that got to be quite known in the underground. How d’ya want to explain this?” The demon couldn’t believe his ears. While it was true that he had this talk with his buddies, how in the world did the knight get to know about this? There was no way that he would forget such a peculiar demon. Now, getting a better look at the armor, his face paled. Full-heavy, black armor with a bunch of orange aspects, mostly on the wrists and ankles, along with flame-like patterns on the torso, wasn’t a thing he would want to bump into at night.

“L-Look I wasn’t talking about this whole Sadza. He is probably dead anyway." The incubus felt the grip shift from his hoodie to his neck, nearly crushing it in the process.

“Oh? And what makes ya say that?”

“The flame-bearing demon I mentioned. If this Sadza were here, there’s a good chance that she and the angel would get rid of him." The grip loosened slightly, allowing him to take a breath. “They are quite a pain in the ass. You can’t even cause as much of a ruckus without having them and the whole Force involved.”

“A demon working with an angel? Sounds like a bad joke to me. Ya better not try to lie to me, boy. And Sadza would know better than to go and get himself killed.”

“I-It’s true! Unbelievable, I know, but there is something wrong with that succubus. Hell, I heard people saying that Tetra themselves wanted her dead!”

"Tetra, ya say?” While the incubus wasn’t sure, he could swear that he could hear an ounce of confusion in the black knight’s voice. Was he not from this region? Even then, he should have at least heard rumors about them that were going left and right. Like the one about the black dragon that was wandering around their hideout just not so long ago.

“Yes, I don’t know what she did to them, but it must have seriously pissed them off. And the fact that she is crazy strong…Hey, perhaps that Sadza guy went to them? I also heard that they are looking for soldiers." The grip once again moved back to his hoodie. Perhaps he would be able to make it back home in one piece. The knight turned around, still holding the younger demon. A peculiar rectangular box was glaring right at him. Cameras, he believed they were called. Being in their vision could be problematic, that much he knew. Throwing a swift fireball at it, the knight faced the incubus.

“Sadza was a proud warrior; hence, this wouldn’t be out of the question…” The knight muttered to himself. ”But first, let me ask ya ‘bout this succubus. Is she as strong as ya implied?”

“Yes! People say she did take down Tetra's soldiers. No normal demon can do that!”

“Curious. And this Tetra, where can I find ‘em?”

“I don’t know, I swear. They aren’t a group that just anyone can join. Even their soldiers have to be extraordinary. You should ask around the town. There should be a bunch of demons that can tell you something about them.” The knight seemed to consider this idea. The grip loosened completely, and the incubus fell onto the concrete.

“If ya want to keep yer life, ya won’t speak of this encounter to anyone. D’ya understand?”

“Y-Yes! Yes!” The black knight vanished into the night after hearing this answer. The incubus felt his legs give up under him as he tried to stand up. That was it; he was going to change towns in an instant.

Both girls, in confusion and silence, made their way towards chairman Tvardovsky’s room. This in itself was worrying, as he was known for not letting anyone into his personal research room, save for bishop Ezekiel, and apparently it was an urgent case that couldn’t wait. His room was on the very end of the top floor, making it quite a lengthy path. Even despite the early morning hours, both girls passed by quite a lot of staff members who were busy carrying papers, making coffee, making calls, and trying to pretend to be doing something important. Arriving before the old wooden doors with silver letters spelling “Chairman Tvardovsky’s Office” they entered inside, only to be blasted by the almost blinding light of monitors coming from all sides. The fact that the dark blue-painted room had no ceiling lights and the window covers have remained shut has not helped either.

“Ah, great to see you so soon. Come in, come in; there is something I want to show you." Tvardovksy gestured at the widest monitor in the room with a wide smile on his face. Seeing him happy like that was rather uncommon. For most of the time, he was rather stoic, if not even apathetic. “Grad gave us something rather special, if I may say so.”

“This better be important." The blue-eyed succubus lamented as she shielded her eyes from the monitors. And she thought that the A&R Department was awful in that regard.

“Don’t worry, Miss Lilim; I wouldn’t call you in for anything meaningless. But I believe that what I’m about to show you, you will find rather interesting." Tvardovsky opened a file folder filled with recordings from CCTV cameras. He played the first one. It showed storages with fabrics in the background, Grad’s hallmark, and a demon that was running for its dear life. Due to the poor quality of the recording and the clouded night sky that didn’t let a single ray of moonlight through its veil, it was hard to tell from what it was running from or even how exactly the demon looked. The record switched from one camera to another. This one had a demon facing back to its lens. The demon had its hands raised up and seemed to be talking, or rather begging, with someone. The recording ended when the begging demon was set ablaze.

Tvardovsky played another video. This one came from a traffic camera situated on a bridge that linked Grad with Znena, and once again, it was night. Now a spider-like demon was scurrying through the arc, with another demon just right by it. The other one was fully clad in black armor and carried an enormous war axe. The spider demon was caught in a corner, and with one swift cut, the armored one made quick work out of it. The chairman played a couple of the records, and all of them followed a similar pattern. The black-clad demon was killing whatever demon was running away from it. Alice had a hard time believing what she saw. While she heard and knew that demons did fight with each other, and most of those fights ended in death from one side or another, she had never heard about a demon that seemed to be actively hunting others. Even Tetra wasn’t known for such antics.

"So, what do you say about our little knight?”

“A weirdo like any other. But picking on weaker demons was a rather popular way to make yourself known among other demons back in the day. You got to get rid of some pests that might have bothered some bigger names, and suddenly everyone was talking about you as if you were some kind of true-born nobleman. Bunch of bastards that never fought with anyone on an equal level…”

“Are you saying that is an old custom, no longer in use?” This was new to the chairman. While he was researching demons for a good quarter of a century, officially at least, their customs, traditions, and general culture were always so alien and incomprehensible to him. Who would have thought that Lilim, aside from being a perfect test subject, would prove to be a useful source of knowledge? Ah, her coming here must have been a blessing for all of the hard work he had done.

“I mean, yeah. Even when I was growing up, it was rather unheard of, save for a bunch of older demons talking about it. They prided themselves on just how many demons they killed and whatnot. Seriously, the kind of shit you could hear from those so-called 'veterans' would give weeks if not months of sleepless nights.”

“Interesting, for if what you are saying is true, it would mean that we are dealing with an older demon. Frankly speaking, this is not the explanation I had in mind when those files were delivered to me, as I had thought that we were dealing with someone who has also decided to play a hero." Seeing how the two girls looked at him with confusion, Tvardovsky decided to continue. “Take a look at our mysterious knight. An armored warrior who is keeping the town safe from demons. Doesn’t it sound familiar?” His gaze shifted from the monitors towards the green-eyed girl. Alice was avoiding his stare, clearly thinking about what he just said.

“Are you calling Alice a demon?” Lilim asked, still not sure what exactly the chairman had in mind.

“No, of course not. I was just pointing out what I’ve observed. Now, this might be a good omen for us. If our knight really is just like our dear Alice, we might make him into another potential ally. That is, if they aren’t acting like Miss Lilim stated.”

“You know, I do doubt in kind-hearted demons…Is that all you wanted to show us?”

“There is one more video that you have to see. It was recorded just yesterday." And with that, one last video was played. This one, happening in an all too familiar town. The black knight was already in Znena. This town was a magnet for all of the troubles, wasn’t it? The CCTV camera was destroyed before it could show the aftermath, but the girls already knew that they would have their hands full of work. One thing that was worrying was the fact that their radars didn’t seem to pick up its activity. And it seemed like Grad had a similar issue. If the knight was smart enough to use concealing magic, then finding him would be no easy task.

“I assume there is nothing like him in any of the databases?” Alice asked. If they could learn anything about him, then maybe getting him on their side could be a possibility. That is, if this vigilante wouldn’t see them as a potential threat.

“None that I could find. But this is nothing to worry about, is it? You are capable girls, after all. And if he is too dangerous to keep around, you know what to do. Now go; the work won’t do itself.” Tvardovsky pretty much shooed them away hastily before any of them could even ask any further questions. He had another important job to do, and the case of the demon in the mountains couldn’t wait for long.

Going back to the hallway, Lilim noticed that Alice was rather absent, not saying anything about the current matter. Normally, she would say that they should stop him before anyone gets hurt, that they have to protect Znena no matter what, or even just remind her to keep safe. But this time, she seemed to be thinking about something.

“Hey, Lilim.” The half-angel stopped and turned to face the succubus. “I don’t come off as just playing a hero, do I?”

“Wha-? No! Of course not. Jeez, Al, you take what the old fox says too seriously sometimes. Now come, we have a knight to catch.” Lilim added with a smile and extended her hand, which Alice grabbed immediately. Lilim was right; she shouldn’t occupy her mind with meaningless stuff. For now,at least. They should focus on how to deal with this knight. Getting into the cafeteria, they sat at one of the tables near the window and started coming up with a plan. From what they could tell from the footage, the knight was mostly active at night. It was understandable, as acting in broad daylight would quickly attract Force. The knight also wanted to leave as few traces as possible. Luckily, CCTV cameras could catch him, but if spotted, they would get destroyed right away.

“You know, I think we should bait him out." The blue-eyed demon proposed. This seemed like the best option so far. The problem would be finding a suitable bait for the knight. They barely knew any demons to begin with, and those that could agree to do so would be put in too great danger. Lilim, of course, had one in mind, but she doubted that Alice would like that idea.

“But who would be the bait?” The succubus pointed at herself. “Can we go with a different plan?”

“And what’s wrong with this one?”

“There are too many things that could go wrong. What if he would see through it, or I wouldn’t be able to assist you in time, or he was too strong, or- I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Hon, that’s sweet, but you should know that I’m a tough cookie." Lilim shot her a small smile.

“I know, but still…”

“Hey, trust me, it’s going to be fine. We went through worse and came out fine. A single knight won’t make much of a difference.”

“I suppose you are right." Despite saying that, the worry still had not left Alice’s face. While she didn’t doubt in succubus’s skill, she still couldn’t shake off the feeling that something would go wrong. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but there had to be a reason as to why the knight hadn’t been dealt with yet. “So how exactly do you want to bait him? Us taking a stroll at night?”

“A midnight date sounds pleasant, yes, but I had a different idea. A mock battle.”

“It doesn’t sound bad, although are you sure it would work?”

“Think about it. He was mostly active at night, chasing demons. Usually small fries, so if we gave him an actual demon to fight with, we could have him trapped. After all, if he really does that to keep peace, then taking on a terrifying and evil demon that threatens the town and a beautiful angel that guards it would be an occasion he just wouldn’t be able to pass upon." The half-angel got a little pink tint to her cheeks as Lilim called her beautiful, and she had to agree that the plan wasn’t half bad. They could always have an added safety net in the form of Beatrice and maybe even one or two Extermination Units stationed nearby, just in case things went south. With the plan more or less ready to go, all that was left was to wait until nightfall and come face to face with the knight.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The night fell, and both girls decided that the place for their ‘bait’ should be the old docks. Not only were they no longer in use, meaning that any collateral damage wouldn’t bring that many losses, they were also rather far away from any usable storages or houses. Ultimately, they decided not to drag Beatrice and other units along with them. Finding good spots for them to hide in and wait for the demon was too much of a hassle, and with the knight being as cautious as he was, there was no saying that it would even work in the first place. Lilim summoned Prince, and Alice got Rosary ready. After the last incident, it was as good as new, without any visible signs of damage.

“Think of it as unofficial training, ‘kay?” The succubus stated as she took a lower stance, holding her blade pointed at the ground. The half-angle nodded, gripped the spear with both hands, and pointed it at the black-haired demon. Alice charged first, which ended with the tip of her spear being deflected by the black blade. She tried to recover with a swipe, but the succubus sidestepped it, and the stab that she wanted to do got quickly countered. Lilim struck Alice’s fingers with the blunt side of her katana, which made the ginger loosen the grip on the weapon. “Just because it is unofficial doesn’t mean you can just slack off. We have to make sure it looks believable.”

“Keep in mind that we will still have to perhaps deal with a knight after this.” Alice lamented as she massaged her hand. While it wasn’t a strong strike, it still did hurt.

“Maybe wear your armor? I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. And besides.” Alice gave her a confident smile and prepared her spear. “I won’t let that happen again.”

Both girls kept on going for a while. For most of the time, Lilim was holding a steady grip on the situation, utilizing all of the mistakes in Alice’s techniques, stances, and overall way of fighting, while also making sure to let the younger girl know how she could work on those flaws and perhaps turn some of them into strength. As they kept going, the mock battle got fiercer, especially when spells joined in. Mostly used by the half-angel, Lilim also wasn’t shy about coating her blade in blue flame. She had to admit that, while Alice wasn’t the best close combat fighter she had seen, at a distance, with her spell arrows and spears, she could be troublesome. In the meantime, she kept in mind to let her aura release from time to time, hoping that this would catch the knight’s attention. After a good hour of non-stop mock battle and no sign of the knight, Lilim decided to take a short break, seeing how Alice had to sit down from exhaustion. They might have overdid this a little bit, but even that seemed to not be enough to be convincing bait.

“This isn’t really working.”

“I know, but why? I’m sure that I released more than enough aura to get his attention.”

“Maybe it scared him away?”

“I hope not. Otherwise, we might never catch him. How ‘bout a second round?” The half-angel nodded. Even if the plan turned out to be a dud, she could still spend some more time with succubus alone. And a nightly stroll back home through the city didn’t seem like a bad idea. Picking up the mock battle from where it was left, the spear once again clashed against the black blade. With Lilim annoyed by the lack of results, Alice could take advantage of more of her openings than usual, scoring a bunch of hits. That didn’t mean that the blue-eyed demon gave her an easy time, as even in such a state, her combat prowess was shining through. Just as she was about to block an upcoming stab from the half-angel, with a corner of her eye, she noticed an orange glow that was making its way towards them from over the storages. She quickly pushed the ginger away just as the fireball struck the ground where they were standing and exploded, pushing both girls even further away. Right after it, a loud metallic clang echoed through the area, and a black silhouette approached Alice. Before she could recover from the shock, the knight scooped her up, much to her protest. Kicks and punches didn’t phase the demon, and the half-angel didn’t have enough room to stab him with Rosary in any meaningful matter.

“Fret not; as long as I’m 'ere, not a single maiden will've to fear losin’ their life." The knight still refused to let her go, no matter how much she squirmed or tried to break away. Just what was he thinking?

“Not only a headache, but also a woman stealer.” Lilim muttered as she stood up and wiped the dust from her white dress. “I guess you didn’t come here to talk in peace, did you?”

“Tell me, did those blue flames belong to ya?” The knight asked, ignoring her own question as he summoned his war axe. Lilim stood up and pointed Prince at him. Alice also got ready with Rosary, although she seemed rather apprehensive about jumping straight into battle. Succubus preferred that, to be honest. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about her getting hurt.

“Only if you are the mysterious vigilante knight." Before the black knight could respond, an ice arrow shot out from the tip of the spear, striking him right in the visor. Loosening the grip, he let Alice go, and the half-angel backed away to Lilim and was preparing another arrow as the knight, with one swipe, removed any ice that had formed on his helmet.

“Ohoho, a feisty one, are ya? Could’ve fooled me. Now tell me, where’s Sadza?” The knight made a vertical swing with his axe, which released an arc of fire that forced both girls to duck.

“Hey prick, if you want answers, then maybe don’t attack!” Lilim grabbed Alice by the hand and dodged two more, now diagonal, arcs that were coming their way. Great, a headache, a woman stealer, and a nutjob. Just because they didn't have enough to worry about, apparently.

“Yer a demon, ya can handle that much." So the rumors were true. That would mean that the ginger was the famed angel. Though honestly, he wouldn't be able to tell at first glance. Still, he had to command them. Putting up enough of a show to get his attention. He should have expected that, seeing just how long the succubus’s aura lingered. If she was being serious, it would end in seconds. The blue-eyed demon in question now started to counter his arcs with her own blue flames. Leaving the angel in the back, she rushed at the black knight. Prince clashed against the war axe’s blade, sending sparks flying.

Lilim jumped away only to lunge back in, this time aiming for the body. The knight blocked the incoming strike with his weapon and retaliated with a swift upward strike that was going for succubus’s head. She barely dodged it, the axe's blade leaving a small cut on her nose. With the weapon over his head, the knight was ready to bring it down and kill the succubus. He found himself unable to do so as vines coming from the ginger’s weapon wrapped themselves around his arm. Lilim used the occasion and stabbed the knight in the chest. Seeing the blade stop at the plate and not being able to dig in any deeper, she backed off again just as the knight got himself free.

“Mine armor won’t crumble upon brittle little blades like yers." The knight boasted while sending a flame arc towards Alice. Half-angel got low on the ground, and the arc hit the ground just right behind her. Lilim, seeing that, coated her katana in blue flame. Play time was over. It was clear that he wasn’t hunting demons for the sake of keeping towns safe, so there was no need to keep him around. The black knight, sensing that the succubus got serious, also coated his axe in a furiously red and orange flame.

Both demons clashed, with blue and red flames spraying everywhere. Each swift strike of Lilim was blocked by the knight, and each slow yet deadly swing of the taller demon was gracefully dodged by the succubus. Their constant back and forth strikes were going on for a while. The weapons kept locking, and flames were mixing. The fires weren’t fading; in fact, with each strike, they were growing in intensity. As Lilim’s eyes shone, her flame grew darker and darker, and while the knight's face was obstructed by a visor, she could see red eyes stare back at her as the flames on the axe turned scarlet. Alice wanted to aid the succubus, but she couldn’t get a clear shot. Both Lilim and the knight were jumping around too much. She could risk hitting Lilim in the process. Dammit, why couldn’t she do anything?

The flames on the weapons were rapidly increasing and decreasing in size, showing that they were ready to burst. Noticing that, both combatants knew they would have to finish this quickly. The knight made a powerful horizontal swipe that Lilim barely blocked with Prince, the fiery axe’s head just inches away from her throat. She could feel the hot flames on her skin. The succubus managed to lodge her sword right under the head, digging slightly into the black pole. Feeling that the flames wouldn’t last any longer, she tried to bring it down. Sensing the blue-eyed demon’s intention, the black knight held a tighter grip on his weapon. They were in a stalemate until Alice took action. Four ghostly spears appeared above her and struck the knight in the back. Losing his concentration, he allowed Lilim to bring both weapons down, the war axe’s blade coming with such force that it broke the concrete under them. Blue and red flames erupted from the weapons, streams of them going just above the water, illuminating the night. Both weapons were burning red, steam coming off them. Lilim kept a steady hand on Prince, not allowing the knight to retrieve his axe. Exhausted, both combatants exchanged glances.

Seeing how there was no other way around this, the black knight resorted to a less knightly way of solving problems. He struck the grinning succubus right in the temple with his gauntlet. He heard a loud crack, and he felt his hand dig into the demon’s skull. Shocked, Lilim was sent face-first into the concrete, blood spilling out of the wound. The world around her was spinning, and she felt nauseous. He could pack a punch; she had to give him that. With a hazy vision, she pointed her sword at the knight and shot out a stream of blue flame from the tip, just as panicked Alice approached her. The knight vanished into the night before the flames could reach him.

Seeing the amount of blood that had spilled out from the wound, Alice went pale. She froze in place and only kneeled beside the demon when she tried to stand up but failed. Using Prince and Alice as support, Lilim managed to get on all fours. Just barely being able to support her body, the succubus felt that Alice had embraced her, helping her sit up. Even with distorted vision, she could see the pool of blood that formed underneath her. She was going to be sick just by looking at it. The feeling of nausea and headache only grew with time. Lilim couldn’t tell how long she and Alice sat on the ground, but her vision got better, and now she could clearly see the worried face of the half-angel.

“How are you feeling?” Alice asked meekly, probably just after getting over seeing her covered in blood. Lilim couldn’t really blame her; it didn’t happen often.

“Hurts like hell, but I’ll live." After that, the succubus felt the half-angel bury her head in her neck.

“I’m sorry. You got hurt because of me. I couldn’t do anything again.”

"Come, Al, don’t say that. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know, but I should be able to protect you." Lilim felt the embrace tighten, and the half-angel was shaking slightly. “It’s all I’m good for." Alice muttered the last part out, her voice lost in succubus’s dark hair.

“Don’t beat yourself over it. I’d rather get hurt than see you hurt. Hey, do you think you could carry me back home? I think I’m gonna vomit if I even stand up straight." Almost instantly, she was scooped up by the green-eyed girl, who carried her bridal style. Lilim smirked. Just like when they first met, but now with one blood thirsty demon less. Throughout the entire way back, Alice avoided Lilim’s gaze and has not exchanged a single word with the demon. Succubus couldn’t help but feel a little hurt by it. She knew that no matter what she would tell the younger girl, she would still blame herself for her wound. And it’s not like Lilim didn’t know why Alice acted that way. She was too easy to read, and succubus wished that she would spill out what was weighing on her mind. They reached the apartment in silence and found the doors locked. Alice sighed. Beatrice wasn’t home again. She searched her pocket for spare keys. It took her a while, but eventually she found hers. And just like she expected, the house was left in dead silence.

After putting Lilim down on the couch and getting some painkillers and a bandage for the wound, she found a note on the kitchen’s table. Written by Beatrice, it said that she is sorry but won't be home until tomorrow’s evening. She left the kitchen and handed the succubus everything she could need. The demon laid on the right side, as while the wound stopped bleeding, she didn’t want to leave any stains on the couch. And there was no way that she would be able to wash away the blood now. The headache that still lingered on was unbearable, and it would probably take the entire night for it to be gone. Of course she wouldn’t admit that in front of Alice, but she couldn’t remember when she had a wound that had to take so long to heal. The half-angel felt bad enough as it was.

“Those will come in handy." She took the painkillers from the ginger and placed them near her. Alice sat at the edge of the couch, still avoiding eye contact. “Our knight hunting didn’t go so well, huh?” There was no response from the half-angel.

“Hey, cheer up. I’ll be fine, and tomorrow we can continue our search.”

“Sorry for sulking up like that. You got hurt, but here I am acting as if I were the one. It's just that…I don’t know how I can keep the town safe when I can’t keep you safe.” So that’s what this was about. While Lilim could swear that it wasn’t exactly everything, it was still good enough that Alice decided to open up this much.

“I told you, my wounds are not your fault. I knew what I was signing myself into, and I know that there isn’t a fight where you can be left unscratched. You also know how dangerous it can be, and yet you still do it.”

“I know, but you didn’t have to do it. I shouldn’t get anyone else tangled into protecting Znena, and I just can’t forgive myself when others get hurt.” Lilim said nothing and simply pointed at the younger girl, commanding her to get closer. The half-angel did, not really understanding the succubus’s intentions. A quick flick on the forehead made her back away in shock.

“What was that for?” Alice asked, massaging the red spot on her forehead.

“For saying dumb things like that. You did not get me tangled into it. I myself said that I'd help you, remember? And what do we have to say when you get hurt?”

“Right, sorry. It-”

“Don’t apologize, c'mere." Lilim extended her arms for a hug, which the half-angel accepted eagerly. The succubus put her on top of herself and embraced the half-angel, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. “And that’s for worrying about me.” Alice said nothing and just appreciated the moment. The exhaustion from their hunt hit her almost immediately. Laying in the succubus’s embrace, her eyes were closing by themselves. Before she knew it, she was out cold on Lilim’s chest.

The succubus watched the younger girl sleep, unable to do so herself as the headache still lingered. At least the wound had closed, and she didn’t have to worry about staining the couch. She gently and carefully, to not wake up the half-angel, caressed her ginger hair. Why did she have to blame herself for everything? Worry about everyone around her? She was just like…just like Alicia. Lilim sighed. Those two were much more alike than she would have preferred. And to think that she tapped into her powers again unconsciously. Damn it all, she was committing the same mistakes.

“Learned from them, my ass. I’m too dumb to do that.” Lilim muttered as she shifted her gaze to the clock standing on the shelf. Third in the morning. Just what was the knight up to? And who was this Sadza? Another lackey of Tetra? Why did this town have to be a hotspot for demons?

When the sun just started to rise, the half-angel felt a lack of a certain succubus underneath her. At the very least, she could wait until she was awake. Grunting, she got up and went to her room for some clothes to change. On her way there, she heard a shower running. So that’s where Lilim was. After changing into a lime sweater and jeans, she went to grab her purse. She really didn’t feel like cooking today, so going for some instant food seemed like a good option. Especially since Beatrice wasn’t home and there was no one to lecture her about the unhealthiness of it.

“I’m going shopping; I’ll be back soon, okay?” She wasn’t sure if the succubus heard her, but she thought that leaving a note about her leave would be a little too much. And besides, the convenience store was just a street away. It shouldn’t take her long.

It was colder outside than the half-angel expected. A coat wouldn’t be a bad idea, but oh well. That much she would endure. As always, the streets were busy. Cars and people passed by, and she was lost in thought. What Lilim said to her, still fresh in her mind. Did the succubus really join the fight on her own? She remembered how the demon said that she would feel awful if she was just freemongering out of them. So a repay then? But now that has probably changed. What if Lilim still felt obliged to help her? What if she didn’t tell her about her mother? If Beatrice didn’t agree to take her in? Would she still agree to help them? What if-

Before Alice could finish her thoughts, someone bumped into her, nearly tripping her over. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder, helping her keep her footing.

“Are ya alright?”

“Yes, sorry. I wasn’t paying attention an -”

“Nay, it wasn’t yer fault. I should’ve been lookin’ where I was going." She could swear she had heard that accent before. Alice took a glance at the woman who bumped into her. She was rather tall, even taller than Lilim. Wearing a long red, unbuttoned coat and a burgundy ankle-length dress, she stood out from the crowd. Now that Alice noticed, she even had red hair and crimson eyes. While beautiful, they looked unnatural. A dye and contact lenses? Maybe, but something seemed off about her. “ ‘s there something on me face?”

“No, no. Sorry, I just thought you looked familiar.

“I don’t get that often. Sorry for askin’, but I’m new ‘round ‘ere, and could you tell me where I could find the Speluna bar?” Alice raised her eyebrow. That place wasn’t exactly popular, mostly for the reputation, or lack thereof, that it had. What could a woman like her want from such a rundown place? But if her suspicions would be correct, then she had to see where this was going.

“Sure, in fact, I can even show you.”

“Ah, thank ya. Big towns ain’t for me. Too easy to get lost, if you get what I mean.”

“You get used to them.” Alice started leading the way. Could it be that she found their knight? She shouldn’t jump to conclusions so early, but it was worth checking out. Perhaps she should have left a note for Lilim. It might take a while.