Chapter 42 Lust
A Week Later. The House of Silence.
William once again inhaled the pleasant aroma of freshly brewed tea.
The soft and gentle steam rising from the hot liquid wafted directly into the nostrils of his vessel, warming it and offering a multitude of sensations at once. It was as if he were at home, as if everything were fine…
"...And also, I'd like to know your thoughts on my ideas from this section…" Charlie pointed her finger at a whole group of dozens, if not half a hundred, notes that were hung in front of William, spread across three or four boards.
William simply took a sip of tea. Tea that helped him work with Charlie, manage affairs in the House of Silence, and simply ponder his projects… Damn it, how long had he been threatening to return to Earth, where, probably, nothing remained of St. Abel's Church but ruins, and Father Georgy… Curses, William was already starting to forget the name of that kind man, as he wasn't even sure if that was really the priest's name… or had been his name?
Either way… William was currently helping Charlie, or rather, he was forced to listen… She had just come, if not "barged" into his office, starting to "process" or "work through" ideas for Redemption… Not that he was against it, no…
Honestly, he was beginning to understand how he must have looked to Dante, Adam, and other "hardened" angels. If Charlie had even half, or maybe even two hundred percent, of his former motivation…
Velaris shrugged his shoulders, catching Charlie's attention.
The Princess of Hell immediately locked her gaze on William, pleading-begging-demanding a solution, or at least something worthwhile right now, and… William found it somewhat unpleasant to admit, but how much she resembled him in her behavior right now…
"What about that Ascension ritual or whatever it was… Why not wait a couple of decades for experiments and precise tests before trying it on yourself? Thank God Sera helped me, otherwise I would've definitely killed myself at best…" William exhaled, shaking his head, placing the teacup on the table, and folding his hands.
"Charlie… Tell me. Why are you asking these questions again?" William asked in a light tone, receiving a puzzled look from Charlie in return, as if he had just said the dumbest thing in the world.
Damn it, if God or Hell were testing his Pride, which had long been trampled into the dirt, pissed on, and torn apart, they were doing an excellent job.
"Adam said he wants to be wrong about Redemption, about everything!" Charlie spread her hands, once again dressed in tight pants, suspenders, and a shirt unbuttoned at the chest, since this fool even slept like that. "That's why we need to provide him with our evidence as soon as possible, and for that, we need… as you say, to conduct research, especially since we already have the data and literature!"
William was absolutely certain that if Lilith found out how Charlie had been sleeping these past few days, she would personally bury him. Especially considering that Charlie had "asked for a couple of days' sleepover," which had turned into an entire week of her staying at his mansion. No, William had heard how Charlie skillfully and masterfully wove verbal lace to come up with excuses—such creativity, if applied to real matters, would surely solve half her problems.
William was sure that Charlie's sleep schedule had been completely disrupted, as no human could possibly stay awake for three days straight without closing their eyes once.
"...Charlie, dear," William exhaled, looking at the flushed Princess of Hell... William was simply trying to mimic Adam's gaze when they had talked about personal matters back in Heaven. "Do you remember what I told you at the very beginning?" William's words made the Princess pause. At first, it seemed like she had found an answer, but then she hesitated, which was already a huge improvement, as she retreated back into her thoughts.
"...To understand the root cause first?" Charlie asked quietly, pressing her head to her shoulders, watching as William smiled and nodded. "But... We've already understood the cause of everything, haven't we? We've discussed it so many times..." Charlie asked in confusion, almost offended, looking at William, who suppressed a sigh.
William didn't like dealing with this type of person for several reasons... Not only were they often not half as beautiful in body and character as Charlie, but... It was difficult, if not almost impossible, to make them think deeply about what they were "burning" for.
William had indeed spoken with Charlie many times about the essence of her ideas and dreams, each time encountering more resistance and arguments... The downside of "growing up" is that you can justify your stupidest ideas, firmly believing that they are perfect and correct, unable to see other perspectives, or rather, finding reasons why any other position is wrong... He knew this all too well.
As for Charlie...
"We've indeed talked about this many times, but... Once again, Redemption... what is it?" William asked the question that had already become tiresome for both of them, but his tone made Charlie hesitate before answering. Progress in working on her enthusiasm.
"...The process by which a Sinner consciously goes through their sins, acknowledging them, repenting, and atoning for them... Redeeming them if possible, and consciously changing for the better, rejecting their past sins..." Charlie spoke slowly, watching as William nodded briefly at each part of their current definition, which, as they had agreed, could change depending on their level of understanding. Though Charlie still tried to stick to a "single concept," as if only one definition existed and no others.
"You forgot that this process is 'voluntary,'" William raised a finger, watching as Charlie frowned. "Meaning, we can't force a Sinner to change. Otherwise, it would be easier to just dive into everyone's souls and 'rewrite' them, which is what I did with my Song, though not as horrifically," William grimaced, receiving a pained nod from Charlie.
"But even so... What do you disagree with?" Charlie asked, folding her arms across her chest as William suppressed another sigh.
"You want to end the Extermination through Redemption... Right?" William rested his head on his palm, leaning on the table, closing his eyes. Charlie slowly nodded. "Now tell me... Why does the Extermination exist?"
"To prevent Hell from rising against Heaven again," Charlie answered immediately, receiving a nod from William, who frowned.
"...So, let me add to this what I've learned from Heaven's libraries, from Adam's words, who has been to every Rebellion and personally organized the Extermination, and from Sera, the High Seraph of the Golden City, who forged the Pact or Agreement..." William exhaled, taking a sip from his cup of the gods' hot drink, while Charlie watched intently, though without her usual smile, waiting for William's next words.
"...The thing is... Even if we prove that Redemption is possible, even if we make Lucifer and Lilith contact Heaven, while Adam kicks the Seraphim... At best, they'll create a new Ring of Hell, maybe a half-ring, and call it something, where all the souls deserving of Redemption will go. Most likely, you'll be in charge of it," William smirked, shaking his head as Charlie nodded awkwardly, looking away.
"But the thing is, this doesn't cancel the Extermination, because it's not about the Sinners..." At William's words, Charlie's eyes widened slightly, and she leaned forward a bit, revealing that she wasn't wearing a bra. William didn't even notice, looking into her crimson eyes. "The thing is, they're humans. Created in the image and likeness of God, whose soul energy Goetia uses to... do something." William waved his hand, taking another sip of tea. "Either way, Sinners are cruel, and without control, they could aim for..."
"Heaven," Charlie exhaled, nodding, her fingers tightening on the black wood of the table. "But... Doesn't that contradict God's Law? Isn't it morally wrong... Even if most Sinners deserve it... It's still genocide," Charlie spoke quietly, and William saw...
He saw and heard that Charlie wasn't listening to him, she simply didn't want to. They had talked about this many times, but Charlie just didn't want to accept that the Sinners deserved such a fate.
William was willing to somewhat acknowledge that there might be relatively innocent souls in Hell or those who genuinely wanted Redemption, yes... But the rest. Take Alastor, for example—would he even want Redemption, or would he just exploit the opportunity and drain their resources, leaving only disappointment in his wake?
Maybe that's why Lucifer gave up. The Sin of Pride might simply not have been able to bear someone rejecting what he offered.
"...Besides the fact that they're Sinners," William exhaled, shaking his head and watching as Charlie's face frowned. "Heaven has trusted Hell before. Four times, if you know... and each time, Hell tried to harm the innocent and wage war on Heaven." William knew Adam had told Charlie this, but repeating these words himself would likely have a greater impact on the Princess than coming from Adam... Probably. "Sigh... And here's the main point. Heaven simply can't be sure that Hell won't attack. They've tried before."
Charlie's head dropped, and her fingers tapped on the table.
"...So... To end the Extermination... In a way that would satisfy Adam and, possibly, Heaven... we'd need to somehow make Heaven believe that Hell won't harm them?" Charlie spoke slowly, looking questioningly at William, who nodded. "But wouldn't that..."
William's tea ran out, and with a snap, he refilled his cup.
"Charlie," William's quiet voice drew the Princess of Hell's attention, and she looked at him. "The Extermination is a measure to protect Heaven from the most cruel and ruthless Sinners, or demons, who might use human souls to empower themselves, as has happened in past Rebellions," William exhaled, wincing from a migraine. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to divide his attention between the affairs of the House of Silence and explaining his position to Charlie. "If Heaven had a guarantee that Hell wouldn't attack, then maybe..."
William winced more and more, as the headache...
"What's wrong?" Charlie immediately set aside her thoughts, approaching William, who was rubbing his temples. The Princess of Hell gently placed her hand on his shoulder, examining him with concern.
"...Just a sudden increase in cases of a sexual nature in the House of Silence. Public fornication, violent incidents, overcrowded clinics, a spike in demand for sex toys... All in one day... So much work," William muttered, not so much looking at the office as working on multiple "fronts" at once...
"Your Honor, I don't know... I really don't know why... That woman was asking for it, she was wearing such an open dress...!" some Sinner-wolf was saying about a succubus sitting to the right, at another table in the courtroom.
This wasn't the first case today, and William was forced to pay attention to this as well, because his Court couldn't handle it—the Construct was literally at its limit, slightly losing track of the details of seemingly identical cases, once again reminding him of the need to "update" its Weavings and Enchantments.
Lines, waiting rooms filled to the brim in the white, pinkish, or soft green walls of the House of Silence's hospitals... Patients complaining about their partners' excessive arousal, dysfunction of their genital organs due to overuse... Broken hips, necks, all sorts of cases where something ended up where it shouldn't be...
The butterfly didn't have a face, but its wings, posture, even movements showed how it felt about the nearly hundredth patient—a demoness with cheeks even redder than usual, avoiding eye contact while looking at an X-ray of her lower half, where two very wide and long objects were clearly visible...
William wasn't so much paying attention to the thousands of cases in the clinics as he was collecting statistics, because the instances where succubi or incubi "pounced" or were "definitely not voluntarily" coerced into intercourse...
"This started today, around five in the morning, when it 'ignited,' as the cases became more widespread, spreading... Well, it's something affecting the entire Pentagram City, if my data isn't lying..." William said, sorting through various documents sent by his Replicants and Constructs... The Queen was working non-stop, sending, recording, and processing all possible information on this anomaly...
William could understand some holiday celebrated in Hell by the Sinners—after all, he wasn't interested in such trivial information—but if it was something that encouraged or unleashed these...
The corner of his vision caught Charlie's eyes widening, her eyebrows rising, and a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. William's blue sparks immediately focused on the Princess of Hell, who awkwardly lowered her head, rubbing her forearm.
"...I-I... I think I know the cause of this... 'anomaly,'" Charlie said quietly, under William's intense gaze, who even dropped two streams of consciousness, since the point of gathering information was likely moot. William nodded, but Charlie... continued to remain silent.
"...Uncle Ozzie's in town..." Charlie said softly, barely audibly, causing William to raise an eyebrow. "He doesn't come often in recent years, but... Mom says he has this effect on everyone when he's... 'in the mood'..." Charlie's cheeks reddened even more, the Princess of Hell stubbornly refusing to look at William, who...
A sudden spike in sexual activity among Sinners across the Ring... Charlie's awkwardness and an "uncle," who among all her possible acquaintances could be...
"Asmodeus, the Sin of Lust?" William raised an eyebrow, watching as Charlie nodded. "I didn't know you were... on such good terms..." William said slowly, crumpling a useless piece of paper... Sending it to Senator and Elizabeth to update future protocols.
Now the reason for the strange behavior of some Overlords became clear—like how Zestial had surprised him by refusing to leave his residence, as the ancient Overlord still hadn't revealed his exact place of residence.
As for Carmilla...
Earlier in the day, almost in the morning, William had been invited by Carmilla to a small meeting. Just a discussion of some formalities, details of her new "desires," and a simple gathering of the Elder Overlords...
Back then, when William complimented her new office, which no longer resembled a factory worker's cubicle but rather a banker's, he noticed her stiffness and tension.
William was a gentleman, so he didn't outright ask the reason for the Overlord of Weapons' discomfort, but her gaze... Hungry or appraising...
At first, William interpreted it as preparation for an attack, as if Carmilla Carmine was planning to rudely and stupidly attack him, though William had repeatedly demonstrated in various ways that she was no match for him...
Then, when the Fallen Archangel remembered that Carmilla was an intelligent woman, having proven this title time and again through her actions, at least by deciding to strike a deal with him...
So, William had to pretend that the restless woman had simply put on the tightest, most constricting suit, found five to ten stones in her combat ballet flats, and kept throwing glances at his figure, not noticing how her breathing grew heavier.
The meeting concluded with a clarification of a few minor details, a new request from Carmilla, to which she offered something in return—though William immediately sent that proposal to Elizabeth for evaluation—and William also learned how Carmilla's gray skin could blush.
Her cheeks darkened…
William shook his head, blinking rapidly.
Charlie nodded understandingly, giving him an awkward smile, though her eyes nervously darted around the office, across all the boards she had dragged in, as if she…
"Is something wrong?" William asked, to which Charlie gave a short nod, shrinking slightly.
"I completely forgot…" Charlie whispered, barely audible, lowering her gaze to the floor. "Uncle Ozzie was supposed to arrive today, and I didn't even bother to prepare a gift!" She bit her lower lip, tapping her fingers on her forearm.
William's eyes focused on her lips, those full…
William jerked again, gripping the edge of the table.
"Damn it, I didn't even realize… It's as if the vessel itself, its hormones spiked suddenly… This doesn't feel like the influence of an angel… How different is the influence of an entire Sin?" William nervously tapped his fingers on the table as Charlie paced around his office, muttering something under her breath while tapping her chin. "No spatial shift will help here, given the influence… Even the mere presence is so strong… Let alone a direct attack…"
William once again felt like that simple, weak angel sitting before an Archangel during an interview.
William had expected the Instruments of God to be stronger than the influence of a Sin… Until he remembered, with some difficulty, that the Sins were the natural embodiment of a specific part of humanity's Original Sin…
Charlie… was saying something about something, to which William simply nodded, immediately clearing the boards from the office with a wave of his hand, tidying up the table, standing up, and…
Charlie hooked her arm under his.
"...Then we need to hurry… I don't know… I mean, I don't remember what Uncle Ozzie has been up to lately, but if we can come up with something in five to ten minutes…" Charlie spoke hurriedly, leading him through the corridors of his mansion, down the stairs of the main building…
William tried to pull himself together when he caught himself thinking "how cute" Charlie looked, discussing a sexually themed gift for the Sin of Lust with him. His thoughts drifted to moments of passion with Sera, Emily, and even Freol… or whatever that nun's name was.
William conjured up some red rope, a few dildos of various shapes and sizes, watching with unusual delight as the blushing Charlie fidgeted, her usual red spots invisible on her flaming cheeks. Charlie added something of her own… perhaps a makeup kit or perfume, and then William teleported them to the grounds of the Morningstar Mansion.
At that moment, William pulled himself away from Charlie's figure, the scent of her hair and skin, pondering the need for additional streams of consciousness…
They walked briskly, Charlie once again explaining something about proper etiquette, mentioning…
"Uncle Ozzie is a good demon and an understanding soul. He often works with imps, hellhounds…" Charlie exhaled, clearly not experiencing what William was going through. She was more anxious than artificially aroused. "The main thing is that he likes you, and then Uncle Ozzie will be like…" Charlie continued, while William nodded, using his streams of consciousness to avoid making mistakes.
His vessel was already struggling, and relying on sheer willpower had become impossible. If William wanted to maintain his calm and clarity of mind, it required a small, barely noticeable effort…
And yet, he had teleported them as far away from the mansion as possible.
As soon as they reached the mansion, things only got worse.
William honestly admitted to himself that he had never experienced… such intense arousal before. William couldn't accurately describe all his feelings. He felt like an overflowing cup, where everything inside was barely contained, threatening to spill out. William was aware that if he were a mere human or a Sinner, he would have long since fallen under the unholy influence of the Sin of Lust.
His vision narrowed, and his attention could no longer focus on most of the surrounding details. William couldn't smell the mansion's pleasant candles and their wax, couldn't see the beauty of the ever-changing interior…
It was as if he was inhaling the scent of a woman, as if all he had to do was reach out and…
William pulled himself together, watching as Charlie, in front of whom he stood, opened the door, holding a box with "their" gifts. William looked at his trembling hand, unconsciously clenching in a grasping motion, and he forced himself to stop, placing it on the top of his cane.
William took a ragged breath, trying to soften the sharpness, but even his best mental Weavings only helped him stay sane in this state. The Sin of Lust was getting closer, and William was already afraid to imagine what Lust would do to him.
"...Right, William?" Charlie said something, to which William simply nodded, closing his eyes, looking at Charlie through "dark vision," which was much easier than seeing her the usual way. "Then… Here goes nothing." Charlie swallowed, allowing Razzle or Dazzle to take her cloak, leaving her in a white shirt with suspenders over crimson pants. Charlie threw a knowing glance at William, taking his arm and leading him somewhere…
"Were her hands always this soft and pleasant?" was William's first thought as soon as he realized he was touching Charlie. William had long stopped "wearing" his "Silence armor" in the Morningstar Mansion, so he could fully feel the warmth and texture of the Princess of Hell's palms.
Charlie led William through some corridors, through some halls or rooms, saying something to him, to which William simply nodded, giving weak replies, staring straight ahead. Sometimes at Charlie's golden hair, sometimes at the empty corridor, as his breathing grew heavier.
With each step further, William's mind narrowed. There were fewer and fewer rational thoughts in his head, and Sera's words about "all available ways to preserve sanity" became more and more tempting, surfacing in his memory more frequently, while his left hand gripped the top of his cane tighter, almost driving it into the floor to keep himself moving.
William distinctly felt his cheeks burning. He hadn't seen himself blush since his Fall, but now he felt it fully… By the way, Carmilla had been so alluring and tight-fitting earlier that day…
William shook his head, staring straight ahead and averting his gaze from Charlie's golden mane.
"How long can this fucking corridor be?! We've been walking forever, where the hell is Asmodeus?!" William almost screamed in his thoughts, as time seemed to stretch endlessly. It felt like they had barely walked a couple of meters, slowly stepping for hours.
One part of William, perhaps one of the last streams of consciousness free from Lust, noted that they had only been in the mansion for a couple of minutes, though with each step, time seemed to freeze, thoughts swirling around memories of past nights or days, warm embraces of angels or Seraphim…
Finally, William heard the double doors open.
Immediately, the figures of Lucifer and Lilith came into view, dressed in their "formal" attire. Lucifer in his white, immaculate conductor's coat… or whatever the circus manager's outfit is called. Lilith, on the other hand, was in a strict, familiar, and typical dark crimson dress, revealing her upper bust, her golden locks adorned with a diadem-crown, standing out between her two long, curved horns.
But the first thing the Fallen Archangel's eyes fell on was the tall figure, even by Lilith's standards. Broad shoulders tightly fitted in a dark jacket or coat, accentuating the figure… Not muscle, but something else… William saw how the bottom of the jacket-coat transitioned into three long feather-tails, each a different color: green-blue, dark purple, and pink. The lower part of the figure was clad in either high stockings or shoes, covering almost all of the long, curved legs, ending in sharp dark purple heels.
William could only see the figure's back, but… that laugh.
"Ha-ha-ha, oh… Lilith, darling!" The figure waved, still standing with its back to William, whose wide eyes were fixed on it. "You shouldn't have, you really shouldn't have…! After all, the night is just beginning…" The figure leaned in, whispering its words in a sultry tone.
William couldn't tell… Was it a man or a woman? He seemed to see all the features in the vessel before him… Though the masculine traits seemed to "blur" with every glance, giving way to the pleasing curves of the waist, and… the shoulders definitely weren't from muscles…
William shook his head, using every known mental Weaving just to keep from drowning in Lust. If he relaxed even for a second, he wouldn't be able to escape this alluring cycle.
"I'm still surprised…" Lucifer was saying something to the figure, who responded with a warm, affectionate laugh, earning Lucifer a light shoulder tap from his wife, though she too was holding back a smile. Lucifer's eyes darted toward them, widening as they landed on Charlie, and a soft smile spread across the King of Hell's face.
The mane of the jacket, which William had assumed was part of the outfit, flared with purple flames as the tall, broad figure turned around, slowly, almost enticingly… William pulled himself together again, gripping his cane tighter.
"Charlotte, darling!" The figure's hands, clad in dark sleeves with purple-edged jacket-coats adorned with pink heart badges, spread wide. "Oh, just look at this beauty, how she's grown over the past few years!" A small burst of purple-blue flame escaped the figure's small muzzle, and the wide, almost painted curve of its smile was surprisingly tender as it turned to the flustered Princess of Hell.
With the heavy click of heels and the sway of three colorful tails, the figure approached William… Dressed in a dark, buttoned-up jacket with silver curved lines on the shoulders… On the small head, seemingly floating in a halo of purple flame-mane, was a large, elegant top hat with two feathers—purple on the right and light blue on the left.
Flanking the approaching figure's head were two small, almost phantom-like heads, smaller than the main one. One resembled a goat, the other a bull, and each seemed to be… smiling?
Next to William, with her hands on Charlie's shoulders, stood the colossal figure of the Sin of Lust, now looking at the Princess of Hell with genuine joy and care…
The Sin of Lust, Asmodeus.
"Just look at how our Charlotte has grown!" The tall, over three-meter-tall vessel of Asmodeus leaned down toward Charlie, who shyly averted her gaze but couldn't hide her joyful smile, trying not to look at her smirking parents. "So tall, changed your shampoo, haven't you? I always said you should pick your own, not your mother's." Asmodeus pretended to scrutinize Charlie's face, his flaming purple eyes without pupils scanning her figure. Lilith behind him merely rolled her eyes. "And the outfit? What happened to those beautiful, flowing dresses? They suited you so well!" Asmodeus asked, almost offended, straightening up and looking at Charlie's "work" attire, chuckling softly.
"...Funny, right? I just don't like getting tangled in long skirts all the time…" Charlie, despite her slight awkwardness and sideways glances at William, still smiled widely, nodding at Asmodeus. "But, Uncle Ozzie, what about you…" Charlie was clearly trying to change the subject, almost grabbing Asmodeus's long arm, but the Sin of Lust whistled, looking at William as if noticing him for the first time, though the man had been standing next to the Princess of Hell the whole time.
"Oh…! Oh-ho-ho!" Swinging his shoulders and hips, waving his tail feathers, Asmodeus leaned down toward William, inspecting him like a curiosity. "What do we have here? Charlotte, darling…!" Asmodeus feigned surprise, covering his open mouth full of purple flames with a gloved hand. Charlie's smile became strained, and her grip on Asmodeus's arm tightened. "Has our little Lottie finally reached that age?!" Asmodeus spun dramatically toward the royal family, his flame-mane flaring brighter.
William's hands tightened on his cane, which now showed clear cracks. His mind was empty, devoid of anything that could distract him from this… surprisingly soft and pleasant voice of the Sin of Lust.
"Uncle!" Charlie exclaimed, her cheeks reddening, while Lilith chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand, and Lucifer smirked. Asmodeus's smile turned into a fiery grin.
"Ten years ago, Asmodeus," Lilith shook her head, throwing glances at her husband, who shrugged. Asmodeus tilted his head, spinning on his heel back toward William, who stood at about waist height to the Sin of Lust.
Out of the corner of his eye, William saw Lucifer's smirk, watching him with a kaleidoscope of emotions but no pity. Charlie's eyes darted between her parents, who were whispering to each other, Asmodeus, who was practically sniffing William, and the Fallen Archangel himself.
"Ah, what a scent!" Asmodeus inhaled a burst of blue flame that appeared out of nowhere, his mane flaring brighter. "Charlotte, darling, you only had to write, and the best incubus or succubus would have been yours. You didn't have to settle for a Sinner." A spark of disapproval flickered in Asmodeus's soft voice, only to disappear into the ocean of other emotions. "I approve." Asmodeus's voice grew rougher, taking on animalistic tones.
"Uncle, it's not what you think, Vi… Z-Zephyr is a very good friend, not just a Sinner!" Charlie immediately stepped closer, grabbing William's sleeve, looking up at the Sin of Lust. "Besides… we're not…" Charlie's red cheeks and uncertain voice only elicited a soft laugh from Asmodeus, who patted her hair.
"Not another word, Lottie, Uncle Ozzie understands!" Asmodeus wagged a finger, earning a quiet laugh from Lucifer, which was quickly cut off by a barely audible slap from Lilith. "I don't judge, never have, never will." Asmodeus's flame-mane softened into a gentle fire, and his wide purple collar with a pink-crimson bowtie loosened slightly. Charlie wasn't reassured by these words—if anything, she grew more anxious.
"Uncle Ozzie, this is Zephyr, the one who…" Charlie began to panic, seeing how Asmodeus was affecting William, looking at the Sin of Lust and trying to cram all her thoughts into a few words. A long, sharp finger in dark gloves covered Charlie's lips, and Asmodeus shook his head.
"Yes, yes, I've heard about Zephyr Half, your charming parents have already told me everything!" Asmodeus exhaled a blue flame, looking at William with almost longing. "How thrilling to see our Lottie growing and exploring Lust with her heart!" He clasped his hands together, looking at the blushing Charlie and silent William. "I'm so glad Charlotte found a Sebastian from the Eldritches with a suitable figure for… OH!" Asmodeus exhaled a flame, shaking his head.
"...It's Zephyr. A Sinner, not a Goetia Demon named Seviafan." Charlie raised her eyebrows in confusion, her current awkwardness replaced by surprise. She glanced questioningly between William and Asmodeus…
"...Yes, I should have thought about that formula, because Asmodeus is right, I'm… Seviafan?!" A sudden, strange thought pulled William's mind, drowning in Lust, back to rationality. "...I'm not Seviafan, I don't have a sister named Helsa… My sister is Martha! Or Olivia…?!"
Such thoughts allowed William to regain some control, nodding at the Sin of Lust.
"Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty." William bowed his head, tipping his hat under Asmodeus's wide grin. "I'm Zephyr, Overlord of the Silence District in Pentagram City. It's an honor to meet the Sin of Lust himself." William felt the Sin's broad hands on his shoulders, unusually gentle as they gripped him, and William…
"Just look at this sweet, polite gentleman!" said a sultry, smiling Sera… Sera in a dark, low-cut dress that accentuated her angelic feather patterns. The wide, voluminous dark dress with golden threads hugged her hips and the hem of the dress. Her wings…
- "Uncle!" Charlie pressed with her voice, causing Asmodeus to laugh and step back, straightening up and waving his heads—all three of them. William flinched, his whole body shuddering.
- "Oh, I'm just joking, Lottie…" Asmodeus waved his hand, his voice a soft whisper. "I would never dare to take your other half." Asmodeus whispered in a deep, penetrating voice that made Charlie freeze, blush even harder, and William once again emptied his mind, nodding at Sin. "Besides, you and Sebastian seem so happy, from what I can see… And I've heard a lot." Asmodeus's voice almost sang, and his wide grin didn't leave his face, which seemed to float above the fiery mane. "But not about your demon…" Asmodeus suddenly turned around, clicking his heels as he walked toward Charlie's parents.
- "Zephyr is a Sinner, after all…" Charlie whispered, looking at Asmodeus with a questioning gaze, then sighing and nodding. "Ah, whatever…" Charlie turned to William with an apologetic look, pursing her lips. "Sorry about him, he's just…"
She was interrupted by sudden, solemn music—a strange mix of jazz and orchestra. William and Charlie watched as Asmodeus waved his hands, accompanied by Lilith's quiet laughter and Lucifer's playful gaze, his cane movements complementing Asmodeus's gestures.
A wide sweep of Asmodeus's left hand, and the hall transformed into dark blue, almost purple tones, reminding William of Aphrodite's old brothel. And Lilith…
- "You look absolutely stunning, darling…" Lucifer drawled, grinning with sharp fangs as he gazed at the transformed Lilith.
Lilith's dress seemed to merge with her, leaving her practically naked, her body now a violet-crimson hue, matching her dress. Her chest and lower body were hidden by Lilith's elongated, snow-white hair, which she tossed with a smirk as she looked at Asmodeus, who nodded approvingly at the Queen. The edges of her thighs, shoulders, and elbows were covered in dark, sharp growths, creating a kind of armor, while Lilith's horns stretched higher, splitting into two, resembling a crown. At its center was a large, precious purple gemstone that had previously been part of Lilith's headband.
Lilith rested her dark purple clawed palms on her thighs, squinting her now violet whites with white irises. Asmodeus shuddered warily, feigning to retreat in fear at Lucifer's loud laughter that after a sharp flap of Asmodeus' back feathers....
" Darling... It suits you." - Lilith whispered, wrapping her arms around her husband's shoulders, whose golden hair had lengthened to equal the length of his daughter and wife.
Lucifer seemed to ignore Asmodeus's influence entirely, rubbing his cheek against his wife's, whispering something to her as Charlie rolled her eyes and sighed.
Meanwhile, the room continued to transform, gaining new decorations as succubi and incubi appeared as if out of nowhere, holding various colorful boxes adorned with pink, purple, or green ribbons. The music grew slightly louder, and Asmodeus raised his hands triumphantly, the flames around him dispersing into smoke. Lucifer and Lilith watched expectantly as the Sin of Lust prepared for something grand, while Charlie held her breath, clutching William's arm.
- "Oh, forgive me earlier, dear Charlotte…" Asmodeus placed a dramatic hand clad in dark gloves over his chest, giving Charlie an apologetic look. "I merely wanted to warm your soul, to prepare you for the Main Event!" Asmodeus's fiery mane flared up as he turned, swaying his shoulders and hips as if dancing, extending a hand toward Charlotte.
The instruments reached a crescendo, and Asmodeus's flames grew wider, along with his smile. Lilith nodded encouragingly, embracing Lucifer, who looked at his daughter with joy… Charlie, however, nervously scanned the transformed room, pressing closer to William as she gazed up at the towering figure of Asmodeus.
- "Happy birthday, Charlotte!" Asmodeus exhaled, accompanied by the summoned instruments, conjuring a large blue gift wrapped in a pink ribbon from the blue flames.
- "…"
The music faded, and Charlie's smile became strained. Lucifer coughed into his fist, while Lilith sighed and slumped her shoulders. The succubi, bare from the waist up, and the nearly naked incubi began exchanging glances, clearly expecting a different reaction. Yet, Asmodeus patiently waited for Charlie's response, frozen in his congratulatory pose, holding out the gift to her.
William seemed to snap out of his daze, despite the ongoing aura of Lust. His eyes scrutinized Asmodeus's form, who appeared oblivious to the shifting atmosphere.
- "Uncle Ozzie…" Charlie began cautiously, straightening up. "My birthday was in the summer, a couple of months ago." She whispered softly, noticing the slight tremble in Asmodeus's fingers. His violet eyes, burning with dark pink flames, dimmed for a moment.
The succubi and incubi, scattered throughout the room, quickly found their respective leaders. The Head Succubus, who blended perfectly into the crowd, began directing her subordinates with subtle glances and gestures, while the Head Incubus, an older-looking man with a broken horn and darker skin, did the same. It all happened in seconds.
Asmodeus's smile slowly faded, leaving only a faint green light in his eyes, and the flames revealed a thin, almost bird-like neck, now resembling a lion's mane.
The sounds of succubi and incubi disappearing at their master's silent command blended into the background noise of the hall. Lucifer cracked his neck, wearing a small smile and feigning innocence as he watched the Sin of Lust. Lilith sighed, placing a hand on her face, more concerned about her daughter's discomfort than Asmodeus's.
Asmodeus himself… froze. His pupil-less eyes darted around as if he had just woken from a dream, and William finally felt a breath of fresh air, able to breathe freely without the crushing weight on his mind.
William also noticed the subtle trembling of Asmodeus's sharp fingers, the crimson tips of his dark gloves barely twitching as they gripped and released the large gift box, which reached up to William's waist.
- "Oh." Was all Asmodeus said, slowly lowering the gift as the hall gradually lost the colors of Lust, returning to its former appearance. The two heads beside the "main" one looked… almost sad, expressionless, while the feathers of his top hat now clearly emerged from the Sin's own head. "Well, then we can celebrate some other occasion, something…"
Asmodeus's voice seemed to return to its original tone, as if the "little slip" had never happened. His shoulders straightened, and he took another step forward.
- "It's alright, Uncle." Charlie smiled softly, taking Asmodeus's lowered hand in hers and giving it an encouraging squeeze. "You've just… been overworking yourself. Got a little mixed up with the dates…" Her smile was strained, but the concern in her crimson eyes was genuine. "It happens to everyone!"
- "…Only the fifth time this week." Lucifer coughed into his fist, his quiet voice cutting through the silence like thunder. "Oh, dear! Save that for later…" He exclaimed as Lilith, smiling sweetly, twisted either his ears or the base of his long hair.
The flames of Asmodeus's mane dimmed, and his voice grew calmer. His green-violet eyes turned to William.
- "You…" Asmodeus asked in a quiet voice, slowly, almost deliberately, examining William's figure. His eyes flared, the flames in his mane subsiding, and the two "neighboring" heads raised their bone "eyebrows." "Asmodeus. Embodiment of Lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins."
His voice lacked its former grandeur, replaced by a forced formality, typical of any aristocratic ball or gathering. His movements, though still confident, were somewhat stiff, almost jagged.
- "Zephyr, Lord of Silence from Pentagram City. Charlie's friend." William nodded meekly, and Asmodeus extended his hand, which William shook hesitantly. The Sin's grip was predictably strong, almost stronger than Adam's when he put a bit of force into his handshake. Though Asmodeus wasn't trying to show off his strength—he simply acted out of habit, disregarding all rules and etiquette.
What made the situation more awkward was that this was just a simple handshake. No hidden contracts, tests, or ulterior motives. The Sin of Lust simply shook William's hand.
Lilith's eyes narrowed, piercing into William's soul, but he tried not to turn around. Even though she was still in her "naked" demoness form, William didn't want to see the burning white eyes of the Queen of Hell.
- "And now you've met!" Charlie clapped her hands, taking both William and Asmodeus by the hands and leading them somewhere. Asmodeus, the Sin of Lust himself, allowed her to guide him without a word, while William just wanted to escape Lilith's wrath.
- "Bring Uncle Ozzie back by six!" Lucifer called after them, earning a playful smack from Lilith, causing him to comically fall to the floor, dragging a cascade of golden hair with him. "The second most powerful Sin after Satan still has responsibilities!" He shouted from the floor, his voice carrying clearly to their backs.
Charlie quickly took the blue gift box from Asmodeus's hands, holding it in one hand while leading the Sin of Lust with the other, as William followed quietly behind them.
- "…So… The second most powerful Sin of the Seven?" William asked, trying to gauge Asmodeus's demeanor. The Sin of Lust simply nodded, holding his head.
- "The strongest Sin of all, the most terrifying Sin… Called many things…" Asmodeus exhaled, allowing Charlie to lead him through the corridors. He wasn't weakened—it was more like he was lost. "You… Again, who are you? Not Sebastian?"
- "Zephyr." William nodded simply, looking at the broad back of the Sin, whose features no longer shifted. Charlie gave William a grateful nod, stroking Asmodeus's hand.
- "Uncle Ozzie… It's okay that you got the dates mixed up earlier!" Charlie smiled, and Asmodeus nodded. "I'm not upset, Dad even liked it… Just don't get on Mom's bad side, and it'll all be forgotten." She grinned widely, waving her hand, and a faint, crooked smile appeared on Asmodeus's face.
- "Thank you, Lottie…" Asmodeus exhaled blue flames, glancing around the halls and occasionally looking back at William. "You really…" His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and his green eyes looked down at the Princess of Hell. "Took a Sinner as your partner?" Asmodeus smirked as he saw Charlie blush and look away.
- "We're not together, Your Majesty." William shook his head, catching up to Charlie, which was somewhat difficult given Asmodeus took up a good third of the corridor's width. Charlie gave a brief, almost imperceptible nod. "I'm helping Charlie with her 'Redemption' fixation, and guiding her toward 'Canceling the Extermination.'" Midway through William's words, Asmodeus chuckled softly.
- "Still obsessed with that, dear?" Asmodeus smirked, his voice gradually regaining its strength, and his mane began to dance with flames. "Adorable…"
- "Uncle Ozzie." Charlie raised her voice, showing a rare negative emotion in William's memory, especially in front of Asmodeus. "I know… and I won't back down." She nodded firmly, and Asmodeus shook his head.
- "But still, Uncle Ozzie…" Charlie added awkwardly, looking away. "Why today…" She changed the subject, speaking to the Sin of Lust as if he were just a family friend, not one of the rulers of Hell, overseeing an entire Ring…
William shook his head, internally complaining about Lucifer… To God, Hell, Evil, or even Adam.
Who in their right mind would build such long, winding corridors?! Maybe Lucifer himself altered the mansion's layout on the fly, but if not?
William exhaled, calmly receiving reports from the Replicants in the Silence… Those few minutes of absence hadn't caused much trouble, but these affairs were starting to wear on him…
…
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