Celica and I are summoned into a chamber with the empire's ever-present triangle pattern covering its walls. We are taciturnly greeted by our summoner, a steely middle-aged man. He's clad in simple black robes and is carrying a screaming flaming skullstaff that manages to look more demonic than anything I've seen in the hell itself.

"(So, it really is succubi this time. And two of them. Lovely...) Ahem. I am the empire's head demonologist, Holoster. I presume you are demon lord Antamankataxas' envoy... or is it envoys?"

I better take the lead before Celica does something stupid; she seemed tad bit too excited about being summoned.

"I am the envoy, and she's... spare change--"

"Yeeees~! Tremble with fear~ and/or desire~, mortal, for demons of lust~ Celica and Ais are here~!"

She launches into her intro before I can continue. No plan survives first contact with Celica... Her pomp gets deflated a bit when she realizes what I said though.

"Wa~ait, did you say spare change~? Ais~, your dear big sis~ have so little value~ to you?!"

"... Saying you have 'little value' would be incorrect."

"Awww~, I knew Ais liked big sis~!"

She clings onto me after saying that. Should I point out the another way to interpret what I said? Anyway, the demonologist is looking at us funnily, and I don't mean the amused kind of funny.

"... If you two are done, let's get to the contract, shall we?"

"Hu hu hu~! You are ready to bind your body~ and soul~ to the dread demon Celica~?"

"Not you. I'll get to you afterwards."

"Awww~..."

"Celica, stop overacting. Actually, just shut up altogether."

I'm unsure what the protocol for summonings is supposed to be, but it most certainly is not this.

After Celica starts pouting, I seal a contract with the demonologist Holo-whatever. He seemed fully prepared to deal with your typical succubus, and I detected a hint of him being put off balance when I'm not even trying to insert seduction into the contract.

It was a rather complex deal, and recounting it would be a pain, but in general it was to ensure I pass their requests of large scale demon summons in times of war to the demon lord, who then tells me the general idea of the price he wants. My task is to do the actual negotiation as his representative with the Empire.

At other times I have a token position as military advisor and nobility. That's right, I'm lady Aisen now. I changed my name a bit for an alias in case someone would connect the dots between the demon Ais and sudden appearance of lady Ais. I can't say I tried very hard though.

The main attraction of this contract is that it leads to other opportunities that ought to be lucrative. But I didn't take just the promise of that - I haggled some extra as well. After keeping at it for an hour, we settled for a pair of snaky silver wristlets as a compromise. The demonologist wasn't too happy; apparently that went from his personal expenses. The item is enchanted with poison resistance and as a common item for nobles it doubles as a disguise. I'm not entirely happy that it ironically reminds me of the time I was bitten by poison snakes, but at least if that ever happens again, I'm ready.

And Celica... the summoner wasn't expecting extra demon, so he made just a simple contract with her. To mitigate the damages she'll inevitably cause, I designated her as a maid - as a noble I'm expected to have those after all. Not that I expect her to do anything remotely maid-like, but at least she seemed happy to get an excuse to wear the outfit that comes with it.

I begin my career by meeting the leadership of the empire, consisting of a council of six generals. Apparently there has been no emperor in this empire for several decades now. The last emperor 'accidentally' took a shortcut to the castle grounds via 5th floor window after he attempted to build an army of dead by making necromantic reanimation mandatory for all citizens.

Of course, following his death the council was quick to turn to another kind of unholy magic, namely demon summoning. I'm not sure why they thought the difference was worth committing regicide... Were demonologists just that good at lobbying? I guess demons at least smell nicer than rotting corpses. Well, most of us anyway.

Being the highest leadership, all the generals of course are aware I'm a demon, and therefore seemed quite ready for anything. Just what kind of characters had that stupid demon lord sent before me? As they lectured about the empire's current state, I didn't say much and concentrated on building a tower from the empty glasses in front on the table. They seemed relieved afterwards, which is understandable. A less inhibited demon might have eaten somebody...

***

With that formality out of the way, I was free to kill time in the imperial capital. Since there's a recent cease fire in effect, I don't expect any serious work anytime soon. And I doubt they'd bother a demon about anything trivial - even if you are a general, annoying a demon isn't a strategy of a survivor. So, there's plenty of time for me to get used to all this. I hide my wings and go take a look at the city with Celica.

One of the largest cities in the world, the empire's capital spreads to every direction from banks of the river cutting across the plain. I can't say I'm too impressed by its scale though. It just doesn't feel that big to me... I have never been to any even nearly as large though. Huh. Must be a demon thing. Right, humans swarming everywhere shouldn't particularly wow one.

The city is full of various monuments that all seem to be basically a big and expensive way to tell 'neener neener' to the losers of all the wars Empire has won. All in all though, the city doesn't look at all like what I'd have expected. There are no oppressing soldiers in dark armors, no huge braziers or dark towers with pointless spikes one would expect from a militaristic, demon summoning empire's capital. On the contrary, when walking to the house designated for us, I note the streets are filled with trade and enterprising people.

Yeah, I got a house now, a fine but small-ish estate at the edge of high end are of the city. It's apparently something a noble from countryside might have as a side house. They probably provided it so that my possibly outlandish demon habits wouldn't be witnessed by too many people.

I have still time today, so I'm taking a round-about route through the market district. I plan to look for magic items later, but it's good to scout it beforehand. As usual, the succubus glamour both of us have attracts quite a lot of attention, but I've trained my cold look of disdain to repel majority of the would-be flirting attempts. I just assume the same look I have when someone is spelling 'you're' as 'your', and lo!, they hurry on their way. This trick ought to work for all but the most dogged people.

Speaking of those, I spot pair of eerily familiar pointy ears in the crowd. ... Please let it be another elf... As she turns, I leap behind a statue before she can see me, imitating its posture to stay out of her line of sight.

"Eh? What was that?"

Ngghhh, this soldier statue has an unnatural pose: keeping myself hidden behind it is a pain. I peek once she resumes her business with a magic practitioner of some kind. My instinct was right; it is the same elf whom I charmed earlier! She shouldn't remember me, so what is she doing here?

"Must have been nothing... So, about the summoning--"

She's looking for a summoner of all things? Has my charm has worn off? Or is this about something else? But I might make her remember it by poking around - assuming she doesn't already do. Do I have a pawn to send in my stead-- Ah.

"(Celica? Wait, you didn't hide? Never mind... She didn't recognize you, so you can go discreetly scout her intentions.)"

"Gotcha~! Celica scout mission, begin~!"

"(Shhh! Does word discreet mean anything to you?)"

"Nope~!"

"..."

Celica runs off. The elf seemed to have been unlucky with her search for a summoner. I guess the recent war with elves has something to do with that. Why does she need one anyway? She was present at the time elves summoned us, but could it be she herself isn't a summoner? I guess I'm lucky she isn't. Being endlessly summoned by a yandere elf would be downright hellish fate...

Celica is speaking with the elf now. Can I trust her to do it properly?

"Hullo~! Ais~ wanted to know if you~ are trying to summon her~."

"She's here!? MISTRESS SUCCUBUS! Ahhhhh...! We'll be reunited!

Nooooo Celica you idiot! You ruined this on purpose, didn't you!? The elf looks around with the too wide eyes of a not fully sane person. I take cover, she shouldn't be able to see me from there...

"HAaa haaAAA! I can sense her... behind the statue! MISTRESSSSSSS!"

The crazed elf homes onto me and trips me on the ground. I think I remember something similar happening, though at the time it was done by a huge dog that got bit too excited when seeing me. When was that again? Never mind that, this is bad!

"I'MSOSORRYIFORGOTYOUILOOKEDEVERYWHEREOHMISTRESSTAKEMEAGAIN!!!!!"

"Noooooo! CELICA HELP!"

"What~? But you're doing so well~!"

"Stop her before she rapes me!!"

"Fiiine~, big sis to the rescue~."

While the rabid elf rolls on the ground dragging me along with strength of a maniac, Celica slams her with a charm. The elf looks dazed for a moment, then slowly faces Celica. I take this chance to disengage from her death-hug.

"Tehe~. Ready~ for some action with Celica~?"

"... Get lost, ugly."

"Wha~!? Celica is not ugly! ... Right...? Uuuuuuuuuhuuuuu~..."

The elf's arctic cold response makes Celica burst in tears. Just what did my charm do to her brain?! She immediately turns back to me, even crazier than before.

"MISTRESS AISSSSSSS, SHOW ME YOUR COLD LOOK OF DISDAIN AGAIN-- Gaaaa..."

I hit her with my charm full force before she gets out of control again.

"Forget ALL about me and anything to do with charms, demons and summonings. Don't try to remember it. And pick some another country than the empire to live in. Preferably as far away as you can."

"... Yeees... I need to go far away..."

Once again, the elf leaves with her memories wiped. How long before she resists the effect? I give it two weeks.

I take a look around the scene. My armor is about to fall off after the elf molested me, Celica is sobbing in fetal position, and the crowd is staring at us like we aren't just demons or crazy, but demons who are crazy.

Days without being ousted as a demon: 0. My new life in the empire is beginning famously.