NOVPUBDespite Dantalion believing that he had everything figured out, Andromalius inwardly smirked when he heard him say that Seere wholly agreed to entering the Human Tower.
'That fast lunatic came over to my castle just the other day asking to use the top-notch weights he heard I acquired from the higher floors,' Andromalius thought. 'He also told me he wouldn't beming out of his training seclusion until he achieved a higher league of speed. So how, pray tell, would Dantalion have received a yes from him?'
'The pretty, two-faced cunt wouldn't wait so long tome to me if he already got a go-ahead from Seere,' hentinued within his mind, though he outwardly nodded to all the nonsense spewing from Dantalion's lips. 'This cunning guy is definitely up to something—probably something to do with that old hag like I first predicted—and he thinks me to be stupid enough to just play into his hands… Ha!'
"Very well then," he said, taking out an old parchment paper. "If we're to do this—and whennsidering the involved risks—I believe it to be totally reasonable if we both sign our names on this. And feel free to read itsntents, but I can tell you right now that it essentially states that neither of us will backstab or work against the other in this operation."
"!!!"
"A Blood Contract??" Dantalion asked, eyes widened. "Is there truly a need to go so far, old friend—"
"Ofurse there is," Andromalius said with a toothy smile. "Do remind me, 'old friend,' what are we?"
"We are…" Dantalion hesitated, the words stuck in the back of his throat.
"We're demons!" Andromalius finished for him as his oppressive aura surged around him. "We do the most vile, evil of things just because we can! Do you honestly believe that neither of us will betray the other if it reallymes down to it!??"
'This… When did this bastard suddenly get a good head on his shoulders!?' Dantalion thought, angered. 'No, wait… People rarely change, with change being even lessmmon among demonkind. This musclehead certainly knows something I don't…'
While indignantly writing his name in his own blood on the Blood Contract, Dantalion's brain lit up like a lightbulb. 'Seere! Yes, that must be it! This idiot must've somehow gotten inntact with him beforehand… Damn! I've beennned…! And by this moron, no less…'
This incident would forever remain a stain on his reputation.
But despite his hate-filled heart and the frustration of a wasted journey to a castle that—though it initially appeared nearby—was in fact tens of thousands of miles away, Dantalion had still managed to gain something valuable: the reluctant support of Andromalius. Even if things took a turn for the worse, who would the Hell Scions be more likely to hold responsible? Dantalion—themposed and diplomatic schemer? Or Andromalius—the violent and rebellious brute perched arrogantly on his throne?
Dantalion left the 72nd Demon King's castle with a bit of malice; but mostly, he was satisfied with the results of this meeting. Even with auple of hiccups along the way, it still went better than ituld have.
'Heh,' both Andromalius and Dantalion seemed to think to themselves while wearing near-identical smirks. 'I won't be on the losing end, dear brother.'
— Meanwhile, within the esoteric Nightmarescape, inside the large, mansion-like private quarters of the 12th Royal Mistalore Princess —
"Tell me again, Opal, are you positive that this man didn't do anything perverted to you?"
Opal Mistalore fervently shook her head, but seeing as she was also taking furtive glances at the devilishly handsome Cassius, Yuna's eyes further narrowed. She defensively hugged her little sister as daggers shot out of her glaring pupils.
"...Why are you treating me like some kind of degen?" Cassius asked in exasperation. "I don't recall doing anything of that sort to you, or anyone else for that matter…"
"Doesn't matter," Yuna said. "You're not a good person. A bad guy—that is what you are. Bad guys like you must be perverts, you pervert."
Silence.
Opal was sheepishly blushing, and Cassius was trying his utmost not to burst a blood vessel.
'This girl…' he thought, shaking his head with furrowed brows. 'She's nothing like her sister…'
"What was that?" Yuna asked fiercely.
"Huh?" Cassius said. "I… didn't say anything…"
He feared this girl's intuition. It was absurd.
"Anyway," he said to change the subject. "I brought your sister back to you and informed you of everything I knew about how she got there. I also told you that I dealt with most of it, leaving only the Chamberlain Duke still left alive. I believe that means we're done here; I'll take care of the Duke and what remains of hisup d'etat plan as soon as I'm able to do so—"
"No," Yuna interrupted. "I want to help. She's my sister, not yours. And this is my family problem, so you return to whatever insane stuff you were doing before and I'll handle this—"
"No," Cassius interrupted. Just as stubborn as her, he said, "You're a princess, and unless I want to be on the receiving end of your protective father's wrath, I won't allow you to go after the Chamberlain Duke. Just stay here with Opal; I'll finish up what I started. Me and that Duke have already burned all our bridges; peace andhabitation are not an option."
Yuna's reddish-orange eyes turned into slits as she glared at the man sitting opposite her. She seemed unwilling toncede this matter so easily. But before the stand-offuld further intensify, the jittery movements of the adorable cat-girl took both of them out of their stare-down.
Neither Cassius nor Yuna wished to make her more umfortable than she already was. On this, the two stubborn peopleuld agree andme to a temporary truce.
"Fine," Yuna said, crossing her arms under her breasts. "You can try to finish up your blood feud with the Chamberlain Duke, but I'll only give you half a year before I intervene and ask father to deal with that presumptuous man."
