Chapter 48

In a rather lavish bar, warm amber light spilled across polished wood and brushed brass, giving the place a rich, golden hue. Ornate wall sconces flickered gently above velvet-lined booths, and deep mahogany pillars framed the long, gleaming bar that dominated the center of the room. Shelves behind it stretched high with bottles of all colors and shapes—some mundane, some marked with faint sigils that pulsed subtly. Though elegant, the bar carried a weight to it, a quiet presence that suggested more than simple leisure.

An aged demi-human stood behind the counter, a lion-like tail swaying behind him in slow, practiced rhythm. His short, shaggy mane was tinged with gray, ears flicking now and then as he polished the bartop with deliberate care. He stepped back and inspected his work with a soft nod, lips twitching into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"There. Clean," he said to himself, voice low and rough with age.

His ears perked suddenly, swiveling toward the entrance just before the door swung open.

Hoshikang stepped inside, removing a single glove as he passed the threshold. "Hope you do not mind the intrusion, Yukolk," he said with a calm smile.

Yukolk gave a slow shake of his head. "Not at all, sir. Please make yourself comfortable."

"Well, if you're offering," came Azid's voice as he strolled in behind Hoshikang. He made a beeline for the nearest stool, flopping into it with a content sigh and propping an elbow against the bar.

"Give me, like, pure alcohol. Because that's the only way I'm feeling anything from your drinks," he added with a wide grin.

Yukolk gave him a flat look, one brow arching high. He turned without a word and reached for a bottle from the top shelf.

"Whatever you say... sir." The lack of respect in his tone was deliberate. Azid just chuckled, unbothered.

"Ah~ finally out of the sun," Yuna mumbled as she stepped inside next, using both hands to fan herself with the sides of her jacket. She looked thoroughly miserable.

"You probably shouldn't be wearing a black suit in the desert," Mark commented as he entered last, brushing sand from his sleeves. "I mean this is like going down a place called Crime Alley and being surprised that your parents got shot."

He gave a casual, "Hello," to Yukolk, who responded with a silent nod before returning to his work.

"That is… so oddly specific," Yuna murmured, tilting her head toward Mark in confusion. Not that it made any real difference—between the blindfold and her blindness, facing him was more a formality than anything else.

"Wasn't it named that after their deaths, though?" Azid chimed in as Yukolk slid a thick bottle of clear liquid across the counter toward him.

Mark blinked. "Wait—was it? Also, how do you know that? Do demons read comics or something?"

Azid grinned and caught the bottle without missing a beat. "In Inner-Hell, we do. I've always had a soft spot for human culture, so I know more than most. But yeah, even other demons would know the basics."

Before Yukolk could so much as uncap it, Azid had already tipped the bottle back and taken a long swig. The bartender gave him a long, unimpressed glance and turned away without comment.

"Are you two ta-talking about things from Mark's world again?" Yuna asked, her voice soft as she looked between them. She let out a quiet sigh. "I wish I understood anything…"

Hoshikang gave a low chuckle. "You two look so lively when you speak. One might mistake you for lifelong friends."

Mark shrugged and wandered over to one of the velvet booths, sinking into the seat with a half-hearted grunt. "It's just that he knows stuff from my world. Otherwise, I doubt I'd be talking to him at all."

Azid placed a hand over his chest with theatrical flair. "Oh, how painful. And here I would still talk to you exactly the same, even if the circumstances were different."

"No you wouldn't! You tried to kill me!" Mark snapped, throwing an incredulous look his way.

"He wo-would have killed us all, i-if we hadn't managed to capture him," Yuna added quietly.

Azid waved a hand dismissively. "No, no, that only happened because I was working for someone. If I'd met you all on my own, I wouldn't kill you immediately. I'd wait a bit. Get to know you. Mess around a little. And then maybe I'd kill you~."

He gave a little finger twirl at the end, which didn't do much to inspire confidence.

"We would be lucky if all demons were as friendly as you, Azid," Hoshikang said with a laugh as he sat beside him and motioned to Yukolk for a drink.

Azid leaned back with a grin. "Ha, ha, ha. You'd think that—but no. If you run into demons that are too friendly, it usually means they're a bunch of lust demons. And nobody wants that. Then again, I'm one too, and look where we are."

Everyone stopped.

Mark blinked. "You're a… lust demon?"

"Yep. All demons have a particular sin they're drawn to. Mine just happens to be lust."

Yuna's face colored slightly. "Does that mean you want to…" She trailed off, her expression scrunching as she failed to finish the sentence.

Azid shook his head. "Oh, no, I'm not an incubus. I don't lust after sex, I lust after self-satisfaction. As long as I'm having fun, I'm happy. Though—" he flashed a grin "—I wouldn't say no to sex. It's fun. Just not the main thing I'm after."

Yuna let out a visible breath of relief, her shoulders loosening as the tension faded from her posture. She would have been the likeliest target if things were different.

"Well, that's… interesting to know, I suppose," Mark muttered, then turned toward Hoshikang. "By the way—when's the Emperor coming back again?"

Hoshikang glanced over at him. "At the end of the week, or perhaps a day after. It is his first time attending the Tournament of Greatness, so I doubt he will return until he has witnessed everything."

Mark sighed and leaned his head against the booth wall. "Ugh. I wish I could see it too…" he muttered, wondering just what kind of monsters and legends were crossing blades on that grand stage right now.