Chapter 304 - Who do you love more?

He opens his red eyes lazily, leaning back in his chair. 'Yuan Bo' stares at the enchantment on the ceiling. The demonic enchantment glares in an orange hue as fire bursts out. 

"A reaction after such a long time," He mumbles slowly. 

"L-Lord..." Old Nagasawa shakes in terror. Is this an omen? He looks at Lord's scarred arm. The body is dying. "What is happening?"

"The sacrifice," The demon mutters nonchalantly. "What could it be? I have been inside that violin for such a long time. I forgot how things were set up by the previous heads."

"I will bring the log of the changes." Old Nagasawa steps toward the door.

"Later." The demon clicks his tongue in annoyance, tilting his head slightly. "Have you found a new body for me?"

Old Nagasawa halts in his tracks. He can't wait to leave this room. The demon makes him nervous. "We brought a few boys who were born under the constellation that you prefer." 

The demon sighs. "I will visit them later. Did you resolve everything related to Tezuka Kohei?"

Tezuka Kohei had been a nuisance. He was supposed to be a tail, but he aimed to become one of the main members of the Consortium. Old Nagasawa knits his brows, feeling distressed. Tezuka Kohei's death still makes him nervous. Perhaps, it's good that Tezuka Kohei died. The man was too greedy but he was also a coward. "We have removed all the evidence that connects him to the AD foundation or Ash Corporation."

"What was that reporter's name again?" The demon scratches his chin, thinking deeply. 

"Kinoshita Iori," Old Nagasawa answers him in a low tone.

"The kingdom that the Ash family built is precious to me." The demon closes his eyes. He was the reason why they could build it. The founder didn't wish for wealth, fame, or women. 

Protect the heir. Give them your strength. Make them ruler. 

Just enough to make them more greedy. Awake the evil. And then, grant their wish if they are capable of recreating the spell.

That crooked man bounded him to the Ash bloodline and then, he told his descendants something vile.

Honestly, the founder was more evil than him. 

Telling his descendants to fight to the end and then, asking them to sacrifice something they love the most… Why? The founder thought that a ruler shouldn't have any weakness. If love isn't a weakness, then what is?

He agrees partially. The founder and he could have gone along well if the founder didn't trap him inside the violin that he built out of the woman he loved. What did that founder think of him? He wasn't a jinn. He is a demon.

The only way to be released was to cast the spell that nobody managed to recreate for hundreds of years. And he was supposed to go into the violin that the heir created. The wish was strange. He isn't a god. But the binding is much stronger than any power. So, he was able to turn back time because of the strong d.e.s.i.r.e of the spellcaster. 

"Strange." The demon taps his fingers on the table. D.e.s.i.r.es. Wishes. Love. Sacrifice. Will Mira Kirishima sacrifice the same person to make another wish? 

He has time. Mira Kirishima will return to the Consortium. She can't ever let it go. No one from the Ash family can ever let the Consortium go. The d.e.s.i.r.e in their blood is stronger than their ability to love. And those d.e.s.i.r.es are enough to bring the bird back to the cage.

"If she pokes again, show no mercy," The demon commands him. "I can't put this kingdom under the limelight until the right time."

"B-But… But she's Kamiyama Takeshi's lover." Old Nagasawa hesitates, "We can't harm the people --"

"Is that a rule?" The demon creases his forehead. Even if he finds the sacrifice, he can't touch the hair of that person because of the damn rules that the founder made. That evil… 

He takes a deep breath. It must be fun watching the descendants plotting to kill each other's loved ones. It's a good strategy. If one kills the potential sacrifice, the heir will have less power when they take the throne. 

Dionne killed her mother. Silvester Ash killed his older brother. Christopher was meant to kill his younger sister, but he got killed instead. Christopher wanted to choose his sister instead of the Consortium. What did that boy get in return? But it was a loss indeed. He can't let it repeat. 

Though he wants to bet on Valerie because she can't produce the song, he is intrigued by Mira Kirishima. 

"If she's not on the list of the potential sacrifices, it should be fine." The Demon grins at Old Nagasawa. "She doesn't have any influence on Valerie or Mira. I am going to give her a chance though. We won't kill her. Life is valuable, isn't it?"

Goosebumps run down Old Nagasawa's spine. Life is valuable? What about the bodies lying between him and the demon? But there's little that he can do. He must serve the demon. 

"You have a daughter, right?" The demon studies Old Nagasawa's pale face. "Bring her to serve me."

"Lord, she's naive. I don't think that…" Old Nagasawa trembles when the demon starts laughing. 

"How naive can she be? She's your daughter." The demon stands up. "You also have a son. What was his name again?"

"Declan." 

"Daniel and Declan." The demon nods at him. "Your daughter's name is Dianna. Did you name her after Dionne?"

"I was just…" Old Nagasawa sweats profusely. Why did his children attract this demon's attention? 

"Ah, you must have looked up to Silvester a lot." The demon walks to him. "Did you know that Dionne gave birth to her father's children?" 

Old Nagasawa clutches his c.h.e.s.t. "Lord, mercy."

"You love her, huh?" He grips Old Nagasawa's shoulder. "I like it. The stronger the love, the harder the pain. Bring her or I will slaughter your whole family for Daniel's sins. Choose between your only son and your daughter. Who do you love more?"

Seeing Old Nagasawa calculating his options, the demon smirks. What is love? It's the root of all evil.