>> “Ah, It’s all over now.” Bellowing tepidly, Pithius utters as he left the banquet hall. Together with the other nobles attended, they walked through the hallway with their servants.

“A strange night, it is...” Marquis Paimon rebutted to the duke as they walked. “Indeed, it is. What’s the Queen’s planning, taking a mere mortal to be the next Demon King?”

“Might be, she has a plan to conquer the human realm. The ‘I want to make treaty with mortal’ thing may be a façade. Don’t you think?”

“That might be true. But, her taking a mortal for a Demon King?”

Pithius grunts as they arrived at the door. Two servants, Kroni and Eisheth stands. “Thank you very much for attending our Queen’s commemoration of birth.”

They both bow and opens the door. Pithius and Paimon nods at the two and they left.

Kroni gazed sideward to Eisheth, as Eisheth nods. “...Let’s go have this night be memorable for him.” With sinister grin, Kroni utters. They quickly left without leaving any trace.

Wagons pulling by horses arrived at the porch. “Well, then. I’ll see you around, Duke Pithius.” Paimon speaks as his attendee opens the door for him.

“Good night.” Pithius greets. The coach holding the reins quickly commands the horse to leave right after. Only Pithius waits for his wagon, and it arrived very shortly.

“Duke Pithius...” from behind him, a familiar voice calls out. “Count Lilith?” walking beside her is the young girl. “I hoped you enjoy the banquet the Queen prepares?”

“Yeah, it’s just... some revelations did happen tonight. I just can’t comprehend right on it.”

“Yet, it’s interesting, right? A mortal being as our new Demon King...?”

Lilith’s eyes upturned to look at Pithius. “And I know exactly what you did to the mortal. A cunning Demon you are, huh?” her lips form a grin.

Pithius bellows as he heard it. “Worry not, I won’t tell the Queen about it. I know you have your reasons.”

“What is it that you want?” Pithius utters. He knows Lilith; a demon who has does things behind close doors. “Nothing much, but I got an interest to that mortal. He made me feel sentiment again, just like how I saw Mephistopheles for the first time.”

“You want that mortal?” Pithius clarifies. Lilith then turns to him as her purple eyes glow. “I want to know more about him. He’s kind of interesting; perhaps, and it’s been a while since the last I encountered a mortal.”

“.... I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Yes, you can. You just need to get along with him and with the Queen.” Her smile widens. “Duke Pithius?” the attendee opens the door of the wagon.

“It’s already late. I should be going.” He then goes inside the wagon.

Lilith nods as she sees the wagon going off. “...Lady Lilith?” Hecate called.

“Worry not. I won’t turn to be an enemy for the Queen. She needs me as I need her. But that mortal makes me get more interest. I want to know him.”

Lilith chuckles, as the next wagon arrived for her to ride.

* * *

>> Inside the wagon, Pithius pondered on the recent events happened tonight. Sound of horse gallop faintly heard and bumps of rock from the road wiggles the carriage.

“What is it you were thinking, Duke Pithius?” a sudden voice heeded beside him. He twitches out of surprise, a woman sitting beside him glares with blazing crimson eyes.

“Huh!? Wha—-what’re you—-"

Before he continues, the woman grabbed his shoulder, leaning him on the carriage and points a dagger on his neck. To his surprise, Pithius didn’t grasped out of scream.

Then he notices the outfit of the woman. It’s the same outfit the servant from the castle awhile ago. “You—-you are!”

“It is indeed us.” Another voice speaks. From his front, another woman appears, holding his servant as it spurts with dark liquid on its neck.

“Ah, Eisheth... that’s unfair, you told me we just need to scare him off.”

“I did, indeed.” Eisheth answers as the cadaver falls on the floor. “You did scare him, Kroni. And I did my part, to avoid any clamor.”

Pithius’s eyes filled with tears; sweat drips on his forehead. “Wha—-what do you want?!”

“We don’t want anything, Your Majesty.” The woman named Kroni widely smiles.

“You see, we’re here to tell you about something.” Eisheth move a step forward where Pithius is. “We’re the servants of the next Demon King, hired by Mephistopheles himself.”

“Huh?” Pithius grunts. They said Mephistopheles? But he’s already gone? Why does he hire these two...?

“That’s his last will, to be on guard and serve the next Demon King of the Kingdom.”

Eisheth utters as she points the karambit knife on his face. “Before he dies, that is...”

“Huh... Uhm, I—-I don’t understand. What did I do to make you go like this?”

Kroni giggles, however, her eyes didn’t blink at all. “And now you’re showing innocence from what you’ve done. You want me to slit your throat—-"

“Kroni.” Eisheth called.

The woman bellows, gritting her teeth. “As you know, we’re here to remind you not to make any fuss to our King. You may be a royalty close to the Queen herself; but we’re the one who works to make our King climb up to the throne.”

“You bitches—-"

“Nah, ah... no other words.” Kroni pressed the blade on his throat. “So, let that thing never happened ever, again.” Eisheth continues.

“Shall you try to make the King suffer on demonic thoughts again; we won’t hesitate to kill you. Understand?”

“Understood.” Pithius weakly and horribly answered. “Good, and no telling of anyone else you saw us. We don’t want to make a mess out of you.”

Kroni pushes him off and smiles. “Well, that in case you do tell ‘bout us, we will cut off your tongue and gouge your eyes out.”

“I will... I will! I’m sorry!” he breaks down, as Kroni and Eisheth looks at him. “Guess we’re done here.” At the sipping darkness of the carriage, once again, the two vanishes without a trace.

Leaving the duke disheveled and breaking down in tears and fear.