It was around noon when they returned. Lilastheria now looked like a dragon kin. She had two small black horns on her head. A few red scales were visible on her forehead. Her eyes were golden with a slit pupil. Her scaly tail was crimson, just like her hair. She wore a long black dress and a white apron, a proper french maid uniform.

“I got her a storage amulet and a few sets of clothes. But we need to find a way to enchant them. They don’t offer any protection and they won’t survive a fight.” Lucy said.

I nodded. I did not expect them to find an enchanted uniform and a custom order would take time. We had no idea how long we would stay in Unitera.

Lucy continued: “I also stopped her from buying a bunch of mini skirts. Lilastheria has an… interesting view on maid uniforms.”

The succubus pouted and mumbled. “They would have looked good on me.”

“So, what did you buy for yourself?” I asked.

“Maybe you will find out tonight.” Lucy said with a wink.

With magical storage there was no way for me to tell what she bought. Bags might have given me a clue, or allowed me to peek. I was still curious but I would be patient, for now.

“Any progress on your part?” Lucy asked.

“Yes, I think so.” I briefly explained my plan to conduct a ritual and alter the bond. Lilastheria listened with wide eyes.

“I… I would be honoured to swear myself into your service my ladies.”

I looked into her eyes. “Tell us truthfully, what are your intentions after you gain your freedom?” Right now she could not disobey. So I decided to make sure we were not headed for a disaster. Of course, the problem with forcing the truth out of someone was asking the right questions.

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She stiffened. “I intend to serve you faithfully. You are offering me more than Lilith ever did. I hope to join your inner circle. I want to gain more power. I want to be part of your court.”

“Good enough, I think.” Lucy answered.

I thought for a moment, then added: “Do you intend to betray us at any point?”

“No.”

I nodded. “I am satisfied.”

Of course her intentions might change over time. Someone could bribe her, for example. By giving her free will she could do whatever she wanted. I was fine with a desire for power. It did not really surprise me from a demon. Joining us was a promotion for her, of sorts. She was nothing special under Lilith. Now she was working directly for an archfey.

“An unrelated question, but how powerful are you?” I asked. It would be good to know if we ended up in a fight.

“I have mastered 4th circle spells. My magic is similar to a sorcerer. Further, I have my demonic abilities. As a succubus I can enchant most people and influence their decisions. It’s easier if they are naturally attracted to my form, but that is not a requirement. I can shapeshift, I am resistant to fire, I am stronger than an orc and I regenerate faster than most mortals. Not fast enough to make a difference in a battle but I need less time to recover afterwards.”

She was nowhere near our level, but strong enough that normal bandits or thugs should pose no threat.

“How soon can you perform your ritual?” Lucy asked.

“Hm. We would need to find a good place for it. I would like at least a few hours to make sure I get the runes right. I have all the components we need.”

“How about the park? It’s big. We should find a secluded spot there.”

“I am sure the Empire will have people watching us. Maybe even all the delegations, if they have someone skilled to spare. In the park there will be an audience. They probably are even aware that Lilastheria changed her shape today. Right now they might just assume she was always a dragon kin and pretended to be human to spy for us.”

“Does it matter? How much would they see when you do the ritual? Could they gain any useful information from it?”

“Hm. It would not be demonic in nature. I doubt they could make sense of my runes and if they copied it, it would be pointless. Without the existing bond it would not do anything. It’s also tailored for our specific situation. The biggest concern might be an attack.”

“You could summon Shani to defend us. She is strong enough to hold most things at bay. The ritual won’t take that long, right?”

“It should be quick, yes. And if it is interrupted it won’t explode… I think. Yeah, we should be fine.”

“Let’s go to the park then.” Lucy said.

After I paid we left the cafe. Performing the ritual today was a bit rushed. But was there much point in waiting? I had to admit I was mostly driven by guilt. I did not consider what bonding a demon meant before doing it. Lilastheria was a person and deserved her freedom. Today we would make things right.