BXBX NOVEL Chapter 196 196 - Failed Execution And A Familiar Guest
"I've stationed a clone of Michael at the gates, that should keep them from trying to escape the city," Haruki explained to his group right as he arrived back at their house.
After having switched with a clone, he now stood before his companions. Still, in the appearance of their mask, all six of them seemed drained by the act they had to put up not too long ago.
"What happened at the mansion, did you get that potion into the devil girl's body?" Shifting into herself from the appearance of Razor, Moriyana made her way around the bar counter to get some drinks ready for herself.
Changing into their real bodies as well, the rest of Haruki's companions settled down around the bar counter. Moving closer, he took a seat in the very middle.
"We couldn't get to her, there's some sort of miasma protecting her, probably a spell or an ability," unsure how to deal with it, Haruki rested his thumb under the chin and began to wonder exactly how to tear through that barrier. "We can keep trying until the month is over though, Riley will be making sure nobody leaves the city and all the guards are under our control as well."
While glancing at his companions to see if they had any idea on how to deal with her, Haruki noticed something odd about Athena's body. Unlike the regular dark tone of her skin, she seemed slightly lighter than usual.
"Athena, are you having trouble controlling the masking ability?" Haruki asked, wondering if the newly turned demon was too subconscious to ask for help herself.
A bit embarrassed, Athena closed her eyes and tried to completely undo the mask. It took her a moment and a few tries to get the tone right, but eventually, she managed to pull it off.
"Sorry, I still don't understand how this all works…" With a light blush on her face, she turned her gaze away from her master.
Turning to Alice, Haruki tried to spot if she was having any trouble as well, but thankfully there didn't seem to be any issues with Athena's daughter. However, that did end up reminding him of his daughter who was now being cradled in Fay's arms sitting along with the rest of his party.
'She had grown again.' Staring at his daughter who'd grown twice in size yet again, Haruki felt his heart implode by forcing her to live in the kind of environment that they were in. 'The faster I get this done the better it will be for her safety.'
"Forget everything!" Slamming two bottles of wine on the counter, Moriyana popped them open for everyone to enjoy.
"You guys have fun, I have a meeting with someone," surprising everyone, Haruki got off the stool to head upstairs.
"A meeting with whom?" Asked Margarette, getting off her chair as well.
Asuka wasn't too far behind and grabbed Haruki's hand before he could take a step further toward the stairs.
"Are you talking about the mistress?" She asked, her worry apparent in her eyes.
Turning to them once again, he shifted his gaze between the two for a while before gently getting Asuka's hand off of his arm.
"I have a lot to discuss with her, especially when it comes to what she wants from me, and why she only gave us a single page of the prophecy when knowing it all will help us a lot more?"
Upon hearing his sound reasoning, they all squinched backward, knowing they had no real way to refute his reasons. Knowing how they all felt just from their expression, Haruki let out a sigh before beaming a smile right at them.
"You guys said it yourself, I'll find a way to take care of everything, remember?" Extending his hand forward, he made shadow hands appear over their head to pat them lightly. "So now I can't have those words be lies, can I?"
With warm smiles painted across the room, Haruki took a few steps back before heading toward his room. Seemingly content with his idea to visit Asmodia again, the others simply watched him climb up the stairs before he disappeared out of their sight.
Heading towards his room, the questions he wanted to ask Asmodia kept circulating in his mind, but the moment he pushed the room to his door open, he was baffled to see a familiar face already waiting for him.
"Mind if we join the others for a glass of wine?" Sitting by the dressing table, the queen of darkness stared at Haruki with her glowing violet eyes.
Puzzled as to what to say, Haruki stood by the door unsure whether to up his guard or simply let things play out to not make her act out violently. This being the very first that he was seeing the mistress in the flesh, he had no clue how to react.
"I-I guess so?" He muttered.
"Lead the way," she replied with a smirk.
Although suspicious of her intentions, Haruki had no other option than to lead her downstairs. With every step she took behind him, he felt a trail of cold sweat running down his spine. And by the time they were descending the stairs, he could feel his throat drying up to the extreme.
The very first few steps turned everyone's attention to their master. Seeing how he was coming down to join them, they all had wide grins plastered on their faces, however, the moment the light violet feet of the mistress behind him came into view, their eyes went wider and their hearts felt like imploding.
'No way…' Was the general thought of everyone seated at the drinks counter.
With each step down the stairs, Asmodia's came clearer and clearer. Her violet skin felt akin to twilight, and her defined dark horns were a pure testament to her true nature. Scanning over her body, the demons also noticed her one-piece tatooish clothes barely covering her privates.
"Children…" Turning her sharp gaze to them at the end of the stairs, Asmodia gave them all a warm wide smile. "You're finally using your heads, oh am I so proud as your mother."
Despite her warm greeting, the room was filled with silence for an uncomfortably long amount of time.