"I can feel that, fufu. Yet it's too early to be doing these things. You didn't even confess properly." Yuina pouted cutely before Asmodeus kissed the tip of her nose.
"You're right, but now isn't the best ti."
"It's always 'not the best ti' for you... Well, I suppose it won't change. You are that kind of man." She sighed helplessly, staring up at him with expectant eyes as her blonde locks fell over her shoulders.
"Since we are going into the woods, our clothes have been made more fitting... we should look fine?" Yuina turned to see herself in the small mirror on the carriage door, a mirror that she had brought along.
Yuina wore a leather tunic with a high-grade cloth blouse and pants underneath; though her long boots were made of beast hide, they looked quite stylish. Asmodeus also wore similar clothing, with his collar propped and a buttoned vest under a high-quality white coat.
"Hm? Well... you look adorable to , Yuina."
"Hmph! You said that to all the girls! Even the knights!" Yuina frowned, pushing his cheek softly before laying her head on his shoulder. Her five tails swayed gently from side to side while she felt his heart beat faster, yet his body remained motionless.
The two rode together in their carriage while the others did the sa thing.
***
anwhile, at the Grand Hunting grounds, the Empress sat in her private tent quietly; opposite her was a youthful blonde male in priest garbs. His eyes flashed with a black light while mist began to flow from Aurelia's body.
"Empress, you cannot let those traitors steal your throne—this isn't God's will."
"G....gods....will..... traitors?" A strange slur in her tone, and her eyes looked dim as she started speaking. "They... they will all die..."
"That's correct. No one must be left alive... That boy especially... He will ruin your plans to revive our god."
"Ahhh... God... he is coming back?" She whispered.
Aurelia's expression was akin to an intoxicated woman under an aphrodisiac; however, this enchantnt was nothing kind like those drugs. It drained her life force and brainwashed her.
"Once you gather enough souls... the dark lord will return to our world. If you do as I say, he will reward you..." The man's face shifted slightly, revealing an inhuman appearance covered by his illusionary magic.
'The prophecy of the demon lord and angel will bring the downfall of enemies kingdom... hehehe.'
The man thought to himself and opened his palm to reveal a shining purple orb, absorbing all the surrounding mana.
"I wonder how you will act when everything begins... Will you rise above everyone else or crumble under the weight? Demon King Asmodeus..." Pope Johan Vidus Pontymare chuckled while holding his black prayer symbol. "Your body should have begun falling apart thanks to my lord's 'gift' by now. Hahaha!"
Suddenly, the flap on the tent entrance flew open as two figures appeared before them.
"You must be quiet if you want to speak of secrets, Father Johan..." One girl muttered with her hand behind her back. However, her chest held the emblem of a serpent and two daggers.
A mber of the death cult.
"Oh... it's you, the whore of an apostle."
"Tsk~ don't speak down to , you insane freak." The Apostle dashed forward, her daggers placed on either side of the Pope's neck while he stabbed towards her chest with his dagger.
"Know your place, slut. If the great one didn't need you. I would have killed you for your blasphemy!" Discover stories with empire
"Don't speak to her holiness that way." The second figure spoke, soone with pale skin, but their eyes were pitch black, and the mark of the death cult etched into his cheek.
'This kid feels eerie... who the hell is he?!'
Pope Johan thought to himself, but the mont he considered attacking, the young man glared at him with empty black eyes devoid of all emotion.
"Tsk!" The two pushed each other away, and Johan felt that sothing was amiss.
'Whatever... all is for the great lord phisto in the end.'
Johan took out a large map of the forest and spread out several markers. "Pay attention."
"We have to prepare. They are apparently going to split into groups. Empress, you will attack their first group. Who we will guide to this point on the map." He pointed to a marker that would be led away from the main trail.
"The second group will be ignored. That is their strongest group, and we will deal with them later."
Johan sighed. It was so much effort for one man. It made him feel irritated by the permanent scar left under his robe from the attack on Asmodeus.
"I will lead my holy knights and attack the third group to deal with the Inukami princess, removing any obstacles. Then, the final group is the task of you two." The Pope made sure the two freaks paid attention. He really didn't get along with the female Apostle and this strange boy. Yet he couldn't disobey the oracle from phisto.
"Because that monster Asmodeus will be alone—it seems he won't have any guards. Ignore the fourth group. The nobles will be used to wipe those grunts out." He said while closing his eyes.
"Hmmm... not a bad plan for soone useless like you, Ponty." The female Apostle insulted him with a snarky tone.
'Ugh...' Johan really had it hard to maintain his temper. Being stuck in between monsters such as them left him constantly in a battle between emotions.
Even as an apostle himself, having served Lord phisto for so long, there are still monts when Johan feared for his life around his other apostles and worshippers.
****
The journey to the grand hunting ground took quite so ti, but there were strangely no issues.
Asmodeus t the others once they arrived at the site: Ciela, Vinea and Velvet dressed like Yuina, wearing hunting clothes and carrying different bows and light weapons.
Unlike their usual heavy weapons and plate armour, which would get in the way. However, the leather armour looked exceptionally well made.
A few carriages later, noblen and noblewon joined the hunt in a variety of ways. So wore similar clothing, yet so seed to be more interested in watching rather than hunting.
Although many mbers were excited about the occasion, many seed to rember the ball and looked quiet.
"It seems we aren't very welco, Asmodeus." Vinea chewed on so dried jerky while looking at the cold stares and whispers from the nobles of the capital.
"It can't be helped, Sister. They are scared of change." Liana walked past her leather armour dyed wine-red while wearing a black shirt and pants.
Her hands carried an elegant spear engraved with red runes, which emanated mana around its edges.
"Hey! Asmodeus!" A loud voice called from behind, and Asmodeus turned to see Lukas jogging over with a sword over his shoulder.
"Oh, Lukas, what's the matter?"
Since the accident and everything cleared up, Lukas and Asmodeus started speaking. It didn't an they were friends, but rather that Prince Lukas wanted to train with him.
The training itself was harsh; however, given how demons trained, it beca intense, and sohow, the young prince started seeing Asmodeus as a big brother.
"I was just wondering if you're all set for today's tournant. It seems my mother and many other nobles are acting strange. I just wanted to warn you."
"Hmm? Your mother?" Asmodeus cocked an eyebrow and scratched his cheek. 'I haven't seen the Empress for a while. I wonder if she's planning sothing...'
"Yes... I just found her far colder than usual. Even Sister Juliet is getting restless."
"Oh, hello, King Asmodeus..." Juliet called to him shyly while walking over in her unique outfit.
Unlike her noble gowns and dresses, she wore a short skirt with black tights underneath and high leather boots. Her weapon was a crossbow with a small dagger tucked in her boot. She also held a bag filled with arrows.
"Hm... Well, it doesn't matter. The important thing is that you all remain safe and enjoy the hunt, which isn't too difficult. Even if soone plans a trick against us."
"Asmodeus... are we really splitting up?" Liana looked worried before she hugged his arm.
In reality, many of the won felt worried because he would be going alone, yet they couldn't say anything.
Not even Velvet, who could be quite aggressive at tis, stepped in to complain about Asmodeus going by himself. Since she knew it would only cause trouble, Velvet kept herself calm.
"It should be the best, they will send the strongest after , that ans the rest of you can fight and survive." Asmodeus looked at the worried faces of his won.
"What if you're wrong, and he chooses to target one of our groups instead?" Alice added with a cold gaze.
'I know she has a good point, but...' Asmodeus turned and saw Aurelia finally erging from her tent.
The beautiful and cold Empress held a bow with a quiver filled with black-fletched arrows.
"Alright everyone, please divide yourself according to your pre arranged groups, the hunt will begin shortly."
Empress Aurelia instructed the nobles.
'Although I prepared, the doubts of Velvet, Alice and the others... I know they aren't wrong.' However, Asmodeus felt danger today, as if sothing might have happened if he hadn't taken this action. 'If I'm not careful, I might regret everything...'
"Asmodeus, you better co back in one piece!" Ciela suddenly shouted while poking him with the tip of her elven blade.
She looked stunning in her hunting clothes, but she made the nobles turn pale after seeing soone pointing a weapon at another human so visibly.
'I hope that everything goes according to plan...'
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