The morning sunlight shone through the opened blinds, causing the woman's face to twitch, before she finally awoke.
Lady Geruth's eyes opened, "Ngh...?" A dull ache lanced through her muscles, and her skin tingled. She winced when putting her lips together, swollen and sore.
Her legs were heavy and covered in bruises.
The elegant, noble lady had vanished.
All clothes gone. Geruth's lace night gown, silk undergarnts, even the gold chain which she never removed... all scattered around the floor in a ss.
When she moved, a sharp sting spread along her neck and chest; marks blood there, dark red and purple, fingerprints and kisses she didn't rember inviting, let alone craving.
Why did I…? Her thoughts twisted. She rembered the wine, and Alan's eyes beca strange, green, sharp as a blade. His voice, deeper than she recalled. The heat of his hands on her hips. The way she'd gasped, pleaded, begged...
No, she shouldn't rember that. She had a husband, a title; her na was her shield. She was Lady Geruth of the High Table. No one did this to her, least of all a foreign duke.
But the mories wouldn't leave. The pleasure, the wildness, the humiliating hunger. Even now, sore and covered in evidence, Geruth shivered at the thought of it.
Her fingers traced the bruises along her thigh, sha and excitent battling for space in her chest.
She didn't hear Alan enter until he was already beside the bed, dressed and sharp, not a hair out of place. His eyes were now an ordinary blue, but still too bright, raked over her with quiet amusent.
"You're awake," he said, voice low, soft as velvet. No apology, no sha. He poured her a glass of water from the decanter and set it at the bedside.
Geruth tried to sit up, wincing at the ache. "Last night… I—what happened?"
Alan's smile was lazy, predatory. "What you wanted," he said, not unkindly.
She felt a fresh flush rise on her cheeks. Part of her wanted to shout, to demand an explanation. Instead, she found herself looking away, her voice weak. "My husband—"
Alan leaned in, just enough to brush his knuckles along her jaw. "Is far away, and much less interesting," he murmured. "Besides, we have an understanding now. You agreed."
She blinked, confusion knitting her brow. "Agreed to what?"
He only smiled. "You'll rember soon enough."
She hated the way her skin burned at his touch, the way her thighs squeezed together beneath the covers. She hated that she couldn't loathe him.
Lady Geruth forced herself upright, fixing the sheet across her chest with as much dignity as she could muster. "This changes nothing," she whispered.
Alan's smile said otherwise.
He straightened his collar and strode for the door, and paused, only to glance back at her with a faint grin.
"Human won are so easy."
"It changes everything,"
Alan slipped from the room, leaving her alone with her racing heart and the aftermath of a night she'd never confess to anyone... not even herself.
In the soft morning light, Lady Geruth shivered, unable to decide if what she felt was regret or the mory of pleasure she already wanted again.
"What have I done?
Just for a night of passion..."
Lady Geruth worried her actions might have endangered the empire and regretted everything as a noble.
But as a woman, did she really regret it?
***
A few days passed; spring's warmth settled over the citadel, chasing away the last chill of winter. The city felt alive, with music and laughter echoing through the gardens. For once, Asmodeus allowed himself a day away from politics, his hands stained not with blood or ink, but berry juice and flower petals.
Sunlight filtered through the cherry blossoms, dappling the palace gardens in gentle gold.
Asmodeus sat cross-legged on a velvet mat, his arms cradling both of Yuina's newborn daughters, Aurelia and Velmina, while Yumiko settled nearby with her baby, Tsukihana, in her lap.
Aurelia, the "golden one," blinked up at him with serene blue eyes, her wispy blonde hair catching every stray sunbeam. Even so young, she was quiet and observant, content to clutch his finger and study the world with an inquisitive gaze.
When she grew fussy, a soft light would flicker around her lashes, able to use magic unconsciously.
Beside her, Velmina clung a little tighter, black-haired, red-eyed, her tiny fists curling as she pressed herself into his chest. Velmina rarely cried; instead, she watched the shadows dance across the mat, babbling to herself.
Asmodeus leaned closer, and a little darkness gathered around her hand, like a shadowy comfort blanket. He smiled and brushed a kiss over her hair.
"Even now, you're your father's daughter."
Tsukihana, nestled at Yumiko's breast, finished nursing and let out a quiet hiccup. The next second, a little blue foxfire puffed above her ear—Yumiko clicked her tongue and gently wiped the fla away, but Asmodeus laughed quietly.
Tsukihana's ears twitched, her wide blue eyes searching for him. She squird out of her mother's arms, crawling clumsily into his lap until her snowy tail brushed against Velmina's toes. "Hana-chan, behave," Yumiko chided softly, but she continued to chase Asmodeus.
"My girl really like handso n..."
"Just like her mother—ouch!"
"Hmph! The handso for is Asmodeus limited."
Yuina lounged beside him, eyes shining with delight as she stroked Aurelia's hair. "It's strange, isn't it?" she asked him. "How quickly the castle feels alive with children's voices… Even if half the ti, it's just babbling and foxfire sneezes."
"Not to ntion the glorious sight of you breast feeding..."
"Asmodeus!"
She scolded him, but honestly didn't mind his gaze when she pulled them out to feed Hana.
The babies hugged his arms and chest, nestling close as they drifted off into sleep. Aurelia curled around his thumb, squeezing slightly. Velmina's soft breath tickled his arm, and Tsukihana squird on his lap until dozing off on his thigh.
"You look more like a nursery guardian than a demon king."
"I'll take it," he said, pressing a gentle kiss to Tsukihana's ear as she let out a delighted squeal, another foxfire sparking in the air.
Yuina's hand slid into his, her golden eyes eting his.
"These are the monts I want to rember."
Despite the current unrest in the territory as it started to take shape, villages and small towns of the cured demons, orcs and goblins no longer affected by the miasma and other animals returning to normal... he read all reports, and any negative press.
To Asmodeus, this land was a paradise, and he wouldn't lose it to anyone.
Above them, petals drifted down like blessings from the old world. In that sunlit patch of garden, even a demon king was just a father, surrounded by his three miracles—his sun, his moon, and his little fox blossom.
***
The garden was quiet. The babies all slept—Aurelia and Velmina curled together on a blanket, Tsukihana tucked under Yumiko's arm. Yuina arrived not long ago after finishing her work, she would soon take them back to the Beast empire like usual.
Yuina watched them with a calm smile, but Yumiko's gaze drifted toward Asmodeus, worry in her eyes.
Yumiko gently laid Tsukihana on Yuina's lap and moved to sit beside Asmodeus. Her fox tails brushed his leg as she leaned in. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" she whispered.
He nodded. "What's on your mind?"
She hesitated for a mont before glancing at the sleeping children, then back at him.
"It's Alan. I know he's handled plenty of trouble, but this eting in the south—those mainland humans are dangerous. I keep thinking about his last letter. He didn't even complain. It was so… stiff."
Asmodeus let out a slow breath. "Yeah. I noticed. He's usually honest with , even when he's annoyed. Maybe he's just busy, or he doesn't want us to worry."
"No, it's not like him. They might try to corner him, or worse. Alan's loyal, but he's only human."
"If I send soone to check on him, he'll be pissed. But if I don't and sothing happens…"
"Then what if old friend stop by?" She smiled.
"Oh? Who do you an?"
"Paul and Simon seem to be bored... aren't they perfect for the task?"
"Alright. I'll talk to them after this."
Yumiko's shoulders relaxed. She managed a small smile. "Good."
They sat together for a while, listening to the babies breathing and the wind moving the flowers. Asmodeus kept his eyes on the garden, but his thoughts were far away—on the border, on Alan, on the things that could go wrong before anyone saw it coming.
"We'll keep an eye on him. I promise."
She nodded, looking back at their daughters. For a mont, things felt peaceful. But Asmodeus's worry lingered, a knot in his chest that wouldn't go away.
Asmodeus sat quietly, holding Yumiko's hand, watching the sunlight fade through the cherry trees. The garden's peace felt thin, like glass ready to crack.
***
A few days later.
Far to the south, rain lashed the city of Baltimore.
Alan stood at a tall window, staring out over the wet streets, a letter in his hand. His reflection showed a smile that wasn't quite his own.
"So you're sending those fools...
Dear brother. I hope you won't mourn their loss."
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