For a moment, I stared at a flustered orc who was hesitant to shake my hand. A soft chuckle came from Finn, who grabbed my extended right hand, pulling it to himself.

“I told him if he touches you, I’ll kill him until eternity parts away.” He informed.

I tilted my head, gazing at him weirdly.

All I want is a handshake, nothing else.

“Oh, is that why?” I mumbled, pulling away from the orc and towards the demon lord's warmth.

Sebastian sighed softly, though before he could speak, Vorex came closer to me and his king.

“Mhm,” Finn answered, shifting his blue gaze onto the vampire.

“My lord, can I be bold?” the new invader suddenly asked.

“What is it?” the demon king huffed, narrowing his eyes at him.

I was unaware, but this vampire was explosive, much like a colorful firework. A second later, he yanked me away from his liege, clasping my hands in his.

“I think I’ve fallen for you! Will you marry me instead?! I would love for you to have my babies!” he suddenly confessed as I felt something break within me.

My eyes couldn’t go wider than they were, fluttering while my mind lacked the speed to keep up with his words.

“What?!” I yelped, feeling my cheeks suddenly burn.

It was the first time anyone had confessed to me in that manner, and I couldn’t process it.

Fallen for me? Does that mean this vampire loves me?!

“Oi!” Finn snapped, aura erupting from him again.

It caused the vampire to gaze at his king's eyes, squinting like he regretted saying that.

“Hey! Hey! Remember! I asked for permission!” he squealed, stepping away from me and leaving me frozen in place.

Mayhem was soon to follow as bickering started between the generals again.

Ah… After dealing with these clowns who don’t mean half the things they say, I can see why you're in a bad mood most of the time.

Yet there was no doubt that these were the strongest demons around. They acted like fools, but I knew in a second that could all change, especially when they saved me from Finn itself.

“Are you brain dead?!” Vabaru slapped Vorex’s back, triggering the vampire to yelp.

That singular blow was probably less pain than what Finn would’ve dished out, yet it was almost as if the vampire couldn’t help himself.

“Oh, please! I know you want her too! We all do! She’s a lovely flower that doesn’t bloom that often!” Vorex swooned over me, triggering me to take a step back.

You’re making my skin crawl.

Shivers ran down my spine as I felt my eyes twitch. This had never happened to me before, and I wanted nothing to do with his conflict. I hadn’t noticed Sebastian behind me when I moved, though. The orc didn’t budge from where he was, even when I brushed against him.

“Sorry…” I mumbled, gazing back at the other two.

“Stop talking like you know everything!” Vabaru huffed, shifting his eyes towards me as his cheeks appeared rosy.

Eh?! What’s going on here?!

“Oi,” Finn sighed, seeing the train wreck unfold.

The tone in his voice caused me to gaze back at him. His eyes were slowly going red, yet I saw something else that bothered me. Astred hovered over him before hugging him from behind and holding herself close.

“Don’t worry. If the human hitches with one of the generals, you always have me, my lord.” She purred as Finn was focused on the others to care for what she did.

Yet I snapped, “Oh, fuck no! He’s mine!” I growled, launching myself at the demon king.

In an instant, everything silenced, including the aura that erupted from the demon king. Before I knew it, Astred was against a wall before I reached him, allowing me to wrap my arms around him. It was like gravity pinned her to the wall.

I hadn’t caused that, though. No, that was…

“Oh, the heartbreak!” Levaira snickered, watching the two other demons who shifted their eyes away from the moment of affection their king and I had.

“Sparky, you never stop surprising me.” Finn chuckled, returning the embrace.

Sadly, I couldn’t help myself when I saw that succubi hold him. I had to claim him as mine before she did. He could get rid of me if he didn’t want this, but he held me back gently instead.

Pressing his lips against my ear, he whispered. “There hasn’t been a moment since you came that I wasn’t yours.”

When those words erupted from him, his tail wrapped around my hips. Thanks to the cloak, no one could see it. Not even Astred, who was glued to the wall., could see us. She couldn’t even talk, thanks to the pressure the spell placed on her.

“Then don’t let her touch you!” I grumbled, holding him even tighter.

I wish I could melt into you; that way, I’ll never have to worry about not being with you.

“Is our king tamed?” Sebastian rasped.

A soft chuckle left Finn, who didn’t let me go.

“Want to see for yourself? It seems you’ve recovered from your stumbling. Let me ask you. Did my future wife take your heart, too?” he didn’t let me see his expression.

Yet the three males behind me were silent.

“Hah, I’m sure he fell for our saint, too. She’s a demon magnet, and even I want a piece of her.” Levaira answered.

Is that supposed to be a fucking compliment?! The only demon I want in the end is…

It would’ve been a mistake to believe her, though. Sebastian’s eyes only showed hatred towards me. Vorex, although a jester, wasn’t someone to be trusted with his words of affection. Neither was the chimera known as Vabaru.

These demons aren’t capable of love in their current state, but does that include you, too, Finn?

There was no doubt Astred would kill me without a second thought to claim her king back. A soft sigh left me when I snuggled myself to his chest. This was the only demon who wouldn’t hurt me at first glance, yet I also knew it would’ve been a mistake to believe that.

Solas’s eyes were glowing within the cloak, leaving me to wonder if Finn radiated that menacing aura again. I didn’t feel it while being so close to him. Brielle had been quiet the entire time, yet her hand was on the blade that rested on her belt.

Out of all the demons, she was the most level-headed and disciplined, though it wouldn’t be something I’d admit.

“Levaira, tell Soren I’ll meet him in this castle if he wants to meet the saint so badly. This saint is the most priceless jewel in my hoard. I’ll make sure he knows that by the time he leaves.” Finn suddenly announced, holding me in place.

“Yes, my liege.” She acknowledged before disappearing.

“As for you, Sebastian, keep studying the barrier. Sylvia has valid points. We don’t know how many demons will come from this disaster, and we aren’t doing well right now either, but that isn’t new.” He sighed, shifting my gaze toward his face.

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However, what they said next yanked me away from the warmth I had claimed for myself.

“That’s because those humans locked us in here! I don’t see why they should be treated any differently.” Sebastian growled, clenching his hands into fists.

“What?” I mumbled, tugging away from the demon king's embrace.

“You don’t know what your kin did to us?” the orc huffed, crossing his arms.

Whenever anyone threw that question around, nothing good ever followed it. Yet…

“History isn’t something I know a lot about. Rizak has filled me in bits and pieces, but learning his world’s history will take years. Oh, and they aren’t my kin, or did you forget I’m not from this world, orc.” I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.

It's not like I chose to be born a human. We never decide what happens to us, but we can choose how to react.

The only thing that kept me from becoming a demon was Finn and their need for me. Not that it was a pleasant idea to become one.

“Well, how wonderful. I get to play teacher today.” He huffed, shrugging before waving his hand and summoning a holographic map. “You know how the elves separated the two countries?”

The sudden illusion he had created caused me to smile.

It’s an accurate representation of the world I’m in.

I had yet to explore it physically, yet I had looked at its picture before. Rizak had a big map in his study, yet it wasn’t as detailed as this one was. The enormous forest area between the two civilizations was known as the elven groves, the Misty Forest.

“Yes… before the miasma claimed your homelands. Right?” I walked over to his map, followed by Finn, who allowed Astred to fall onto the floor once I had some distance from her.

The succubi gasped for air when she was finally free.

“Well, before that happened, when the humans of Traedan noticed the miasma was spreading, they locked their borders to most elves. They had no use to those who couldn’t contribute to their society.” Sebastian scoffed, “They had plenty of space for all of us, yet human greed is unsustainable.”

Ah… that’s where your hate stems from. I wonder… how…

Rizak had told me humans once saw elves as lesser beings. However, before the fall of Fathal, the current king was trying to mend their relations. Sadly, this sparked Traedan to act, fearing a union between the two.

“They even used to send prisoners to become demons or die there. Their groves are nothing but a tombstone for the many. There was no worse fate than turning into a monster without reason or getting torn to bits by them. They didn’t know that some of us would eventually find it again.” Finn sighed, grabbing me from behind before scowling at the orc.

He didn’t like that I was too close to his general again. Seeing him lurking around me was cute, especially with his tail around my waist and leg. The cloak hid everything, but if anyone got close, they would see what he was doing.

Luckily, they were too busy with matters in their hands.

“They realized their major fuck up when we started to get smarter.” Sebastian shrugged.

“That’s cruel,” I mumbled, wincing at the thought.

Just how many of you were…

“Oh, you humans always are.” The orc huffed, glaring at me once again.

Any effect I had on him earlier had deflected. It would take much more to win any of these demons' hearts, including the flirt, who stopped trying to jest.

“Don’t line me up with them.” I huffed, crossing my arms.

The humans in this world thought it was a blessing to be one, but I didn’t feel the same. At first, the only thing that kept me from turning was the fear of reliving my horrors repeatedly, but that had changed into something else. If I turned, I wouldn’t have been helpful to anyone stuck on this side of the barrier.

I didn’t want to lose my home, and my time with Finn depended on my intact humanity.

“Hm? Even if you come from another world, you are still one of them.” Sebastian cocked his head before smirking. “Yes, you’re nothing but food, broken saint.”

“The only reason I am is that you need me this way, broken or not. Isn’t that right?” I sighed, glancing at Finn, who avoided my gaze.

It caused me to ache in my heart.

You won’t lie to me. So, I know… that the only reason you bedded me was to conquer my heart. At least that’s how it started; it has to be different now, right?

Yet I wasn't ready to hear the answer to that question.

“Correct. Though I suspect my king’s having second thoughts on everything. I know Rizak wants peace, but there isn’t such a thing. Not after everything they did!” Sebastian growled, clenching his hands into fists.

A red aura was arising from him, too. Yet it was weaker than Finn’s. It had to be connected, but to what?

“What? About our goal? No, I’m with you. Even if we lift the miasma or the limit is reached. I’ll still destroy the humans, but what shape or form that takes is yet to be seen.” The demon king smirked, radiating the same menacing aura from before.

What?! No, you can’t!

These words were ones I couldn’t say out loud without creating more discord, yet they resonated within me, wanting to erupt. However, if they ever escaped me, these demons would label me as their enemy.

A human sympathizer like Rizak, or at least that’s what they call you, but why do I feel like there is something more there?

“Good to see that old fool’s idiotic idealistic views haven’t deviated from your correct ideals, my liege. Even if our curse is lifted, they must pay for everything they caused!” The orc declared, bowing to his king.

“That old owl wants something that’ll never happen. Traedan deserves nothing more than to fall, much like our kingdom did. If they can build something from the ashes, that will be for them to decide.” Finn shrugged, stepping towards them.

“So, Maxwell was right then. These changes are permanent.” Vabaru sighed, shaking his head.

“Yes, we’ll never be humans or elves again, even if the curse is lifted. Yet, we can still evolve like we’ve been doing. Without the curse, that might happen more rapidly.” The demon king informed, tugging me towards him with his tail.

Even though he was addressing everyone, he wanted me close. It probably had to do with Astred still in the room, radiating the same crimson hue as the rest. Sebastian’s was the one with the deepest color aside from Finn's.

I could only imagine the elves' pain when turned away and left to rot or die within the cursed fog.

“Perhaps with the hex lifted. We’ll have less dependency on humans and might establish ourselves as a normal race if our immortality goes. Reproduce and all that life-changing stuff we’ve been missing out on.” Finn added, making me feel stings in my chest.

Ah… when that day comes, will your life still be intertwined with mine? Or will you feel trapped because you’re a man of your word?

“A baby…” Astred muttered, wincing at the thought.

“We can only hope. Yet if the day comes, we are free from our binds, I’ll devour them just for fun.” Sebastian smirked, licking his lips.

“Boo… I enjoy drinking their blood. So, leave some alive for me.” Vorex frowned, rolling his eyes before snickering.

“Well, we’ll always have my farms, which will be for pleasure rather than necessity. You can feed on them as much as you’d like.” The orc declared, followed by a sinister laugh.

There was a flaw in all of this—one they were aware of, yet I…

“This is all speculation. What if you’re still bound to feed on them?” I mumbled, trying to keep up with their banter.

However, the person who responded wasn’t the general before me. No, Finn gazed at me with a wicked smirk on his lips.

“Then, I’ll enslave them all. Does that bother you?” he asked, eyes still giving off the same bright crimson hue.

The people who lived in Traedan ruined him in more ways than I could count. I couldn’t forget even though I didn’t want to be one…

I’m a human, which represents all you’ve endured.

“Rizak won’t be happy if it turns out like that,” I sighed, gazing away from the demon king.

I didn’t like it when he appeared to lose himself in the hate. At least he wasn’t violent, but his thoughts were chaotic, without a doubt.

“Rizak or you?” Sebastian huffed.

“Ah, for fucks sake, look, I couldn’t care less how you survive. I don’t have a say in that, but cruelty… won’t that make you the same as them?” I clasped my left hand onto my sweater.

“So, what do you want? A world like the old owl wants with peace and all that crap that doesn’t exist.” Vabaru asked, glaring at me.

A soft sigh left my lips, shifting my eyes towards the ground.

“No, that’s a fantasy. It won’t happen even if I wanted it to.” I answered wearily.

“Then, what’s your goal in this saint?” the orc urged me to give my input.

It was probably payback from fighting about the sustainability of his farms, but that point was still valid. It was perhaps something Finn had already thought about, too, but as things were, that situation was almost unavoidable.

It wasn’t like I was brighter than ancient demons who had years over me. No, I was just a baby compared to them.

Heck, I'm nothing more than an embryo against you all, to be honest.

“Like I know! I’m still trying to figure out this whole magic thing! Haven’t you all had the time to figure out this mess?! What have you all been doing for the past years?!” I snapped, glaring at the three demons in front of me.

You’ve been focused on getting your way rather than a way out.

Astred was deathly silent behind me while the demon king was beside me. I could feel his eyes on me, which I slowly met with.

“If you want to destroy them. Then I’ll help you. You’re the best thing I’ve ever gotten, and I would do anything for you.” I announced, clasping my hands into fists.

I’ll do anything to stay with you, but at the same time, I won’t let you destroy yourself. You have to be alive by the end of this!

“But… as I said before, I’ll stop you if I see it be self-destructive. All of you must be alive by the end of this. Otherwise… why do it in the first place?” I questioned, shaking my head.

“Sylvia, we—” I didn’t let Finn finish that sentence.

It didn’t matter.

“No! I don’t want to lose my home again, and all of you, whether you want it or not, are it! Even that fucking succubus that hates me in the back. Heck! Even Sebastian, who seems to have a stick up his ass, is part of it!” I growled, making Solas hop out of his bag.

A second later, I had a wolf next to me. He was glowing white, resonating with my spontaneous magic. It wasn’t like I could control it. Luckily, I didn't threaten them—especially Finn, who still had his tail on me.

“I’m just a human in your eyes, and I honestly don’t care. Just don’t self-destruct.” I growled, narrowing my eyes at the king, who smirked.

It was simple for me.

“Oh? What will you do if we are set on that?” Sebastian asked, studying my every move.

The magic around me was showing I was more than what they saw me for.

Oh… I won’t play with you there. My thoughts are mine alone. There isn’t a single reason you should know…

I didn’t know how to stop them, but that had to lie with Rizak. He was the only one who wanted to prevent this with the least bloodshed.

Yet… Why are you the only one who…

“Well, I’ll grab a few strawberry buns and watch you all burn. I’ll make it a festivity before the apocalypse ends everything.” I smirked, not wishing to let him into my thoughts.

In response, a grin rose on their lips as all these demons knew was power and pain. However, I wished I could change it like they did for me.

But that isn’t happening today, and I can’t allow you to think I’m your enemy.

“I can see why you like her so much, my king.” Vabaru snickered, gazing at me like I did something amusing.

“Mhm, my precious jewel has no fear. Though, I don’t know if that’s good or bad.” Finn sighed, shrugging.

I didn’t know what he meant when he called me that, yet what happened next would send questions rumbling through me.