Chapter 23 : A 'real' devil
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"Done." the word was out of my mouth immediately. A 'real' devil never would never make that trade – Clarissa just wasn't valuable enough.
She hadn't proven herself in Rating Games or combat in any way that would increase her value.
Most of her time was spent either training me or in her lab so her true strength was unknown.
Even so, a mutation bishop was worth far more than her, but I cared about loyalty more than perceived value.
If a magical glow rock was what it took to free my mentor, there was no question of whether or not I'd make the trade.
"Riser, wait!" a voice called from behind Lord Gremory as Clarissa emerged behind him. "Do not do–"
"The deal is already made, witch." Refocusing on me, Lord Gremory said, "I trade you my bishop for your mutation bishop."
Pulling my mutation bishop to me from its place wherever it went when it wasn't with me, I said,
"I trade my mutation bishop for Clarissa." Immediately, I felt the change.
The mutation bishop in my hand was no longer 'mine' while simultaneously, Clarissa was now connected to me in the same way Yubelluna was.
Lord Gremory held his hand out palm-up, and the mutation bishop that moments ago rested in my hand appeared in his.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Riser. And for the record, there really are no hard feelings.
You made the most of a bad situation. My daughter needed to be humbled and I have failed in humbling her where I believe you have just succeeded.
You screwed a few things up, but you're young. I hope we can grow to be friends in the future." With those parting words, Lord Gremory turned around and walked deeper into his manor.
"Clarissa, let's go." I said, wanting desperately to be anywhere else.
The witch who had taught me for close to a decade scowled,
but hurried over to me. Once she was close enough, I teleported myself, Clarissa and Yubelluna away from Gremory Manor to a sidestreet Yubelluna and I would come to sometimes.
"That was foolish. So foolish I do not have the words to describe it."
Clarissa said, frowning down at me disapprovingly. "You lost your mutation bishop retrieving a third rate bishop that has not–"
She stopped talking when I hugged her. "I didn't retrieve a third rate bishop. I got my friend back.
There's no price I wouldn't pay for my friends, and unlike my egg donor, I won't ever trade you unless you want me to." Looking to my right to where Yubelluna stood watching the exchange, I added, "Either of you."
"How could a devil grow to be so foolish?" Clarissa said.
I pretended not to notice when she returned the hug, holding me tight with shaking arms. I pretended not to notice when the tears began to fall.
I had no idea what I was going to do now, but the three of us would figure it out.
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Ravel was reeling. The world seemed to have turned on its head and she couldn't tell which direction was up anymore.
Riser was gone. They'd searched everywhere, but no one had been able to find him.
Her mother's rash decision to trade away Clarissa – a decision that irritated Ravel because now she would never be able to learn from the century-old witch, though her feelings for Clarissa's fate were vastly overshadowed by the concern she felt for her brother – had ended horribly.
Riser left in a rage, taking his queen with him. Ruval had disappeared shortly afterwards, heading into the city to search the few areas Riser ever visited during his rare excursions into the outside world, hoping to turn up anything that might help him locate their lost brother. Both Riser and Ruval had been gone for two days.
An illogical part of Ravel's mind couldn't help but think part of this fiasco was her fault.
She wasn't much younger than Riser and ever since she was born her parents had doted on her constantly. She always felt a smug amusement when her mother would read her stories late into the night, indulging her love of attention.
She hadn't thought Riser was affected. All the youngest of her brothers ever seemed to care about was training.
She'd heard the rumors that circulated among the servants, that Riser spent all of his time locked behind doors with his queen.
What else would a young, hormonal Pillar Devil who had everything be doing but having never-ending sex with his abundantly beauftiful queen?
Ravel knew that wasn't the case, and she'd thought everyone else did too. Her brother loved to train.
Yubelluna was with him because she trained with Riser. Yubelluna's growing affection for her brother had been clear to Ravel for some time, but romance was the furthest thing from Riser's mind.
He was too focused on finding new and exciting ways to use the Phenex family's magic. Why was that fact in question?
Her brother was a strength nut, not a horndog. She didn't think everyone was really so out of touch with Riser's interests to think he'd be so…base.
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