"You wish for me to help purify your curse?" Asmodeus asked, his eyes narrowing into thin slits while he gazed at Alice.
Although he understood that his unique magic as a demon lord could help the witches, he didn't believe that it could help all witches; would Velvet also ask him the same question?
'Or is that why she is sitting in the next room, listening to the conversation?' Asmodeus thought to himself while looking at the confident duchess. He watched her beautiful red lips curl into an alluring smile while her eyes seemed to shimmer with alternating shades of red and blue as if she were made of fire and ice.
"I do not know the method you used to purify Liana or to help thin the curse that made Alan unable to grow stronger. However..." Alice paused before standing, taking a few steps closer and sitting on the edge of the table beside Asmodeus. "I am sure that you could help cure the entire Grigor female line of their curse, right?"
A seductive whisper, her warm breath on his ear and neck.
"Well? I am sure that our deal was also to remove my curse, at least—hasn't it been long enough?"
Asmodeus lifted the corners of his lips while leaning back against the wooden chair, his gaze not leaving Alice for a moment.
Though it was tempting, he could feel the aura of Velvet in the other room growing, a feeling of anger and embarrassment interwoven with her unique magic.
'This woman is like a deadly black widow—though I can trust her, it feels she might just bite my neck and tear my jugular should I lower my guard.' Asmodeus gazed at the beautiful Grigorian Duchess with a faint smile. Honestly, he knew she was different to Alan Anne and even Velvet herself.
If the Grigor Royal family truly fell into a situation of collapse, he would bet his entire assets on this woman being the one to save them in the shadows, both sacrificing herself and making a deal with whoever could save them. No matter what would happen afterwards.
"How did you grow up to become like this, Lady Alice? Although if it wasn't me, you asked, don't you think they would be trembling in fear or have reported you to the church of light by now?"
"Lord Asmodeus, would you ever do that? Mhm~ I am sure you would never betray me because... You love Liana too much, and eventually, you'll adore Vinea—I believe her name is now, won't you? Just as much, so how could I ever lose when negotiating with you?"
"Ah—you also love my brother so much, so I knew that my gamble would pay off!"
'Ah, why do I find these crazy and strange women so alluring? This woman was never a maiden or someone who needed saving or protection, as Alan thought. She was more of a hero than he was over the past few years. However, she is a dark hero, an anti-hero.'
Asmodeus and Alice watched each other's gaze; Velvet in the other room seemed confused or rather shocked as she stopped letting her magic seep through and wrapped around his throat like a pair of hands ready to strangle him at any time.
"You're probably more of a demon than I am right now, Lady Alice. So tell me, who do you want me to cure first and what method?"
Alice looked at Asmodeus with shimmering eyes, her devilish nature making his heart race, while she leaned closer. The art of seduction could be both elegant and vulgar, yet this beautiful woman was definitely not vulgar.
"If I told you I wanted it for Velvet, the poor witch who can barely use shadow magic and enhancement spells, would you be disappointed?"
"Not at all. She's a beauty, and I want to learn more from her."
"Nnn?"
Velvet's ears perked up as she turned slightly. There seemed to be some kind of item that hid her sound and movements from the other two. Asmodeus could only sense her due to his demon eyes, though he wondered if Alice knew she was there.
"Please, allow me to take a rest now, Lord Asmodeus." Alice waved her hand while turning her face, a faint smile visible.
'She has a beautiful smile, like a harlot; how many men could she ensnare, like another world version of Helen of Troy she could topple the world.. How could anyone believe her to be a kind duchess and a noble lady? Such a discovery...'
Asmodeus opened the door, feeling Velvet moving into the main room. Her magic seemed unstable, which made his lips curl into a smile.
He felt a sense of delight looking forward to how he would help Velvet recover from her curse, one far deeper than Liana's because of the time. The length of the curse seemed to affect how powerful and deeply entwined into the body and soul it became.
'Liana was a kiss, then Anne practically died and was reborn... what method would be good for the lovely lady Velvet?'
***
Meanwhile, as he returned to the others, Velvet sat beside her close friend and distant relative. While Velvet's hair carried a purple hue despite being a dark black colour, compared to Alice's pure black hair, her eyes were also a deep violet colour, contrasting the other's blue and red eyes.
Though Alice was a duchess, Velvet didn't take a rank—instead served as a witch and knight for the royal family, who were her relatives. She was yet to accept the title of a noble yet, and instead preferred to keep things as they were.
"Vel, what do you think of our lovely Lord?" Alice swilled her red wine slowly with a narrow gaze, her eyes like crescent moons, a sense of happiness and danger from her shimmering orbs.
"What do I think? Well... He likes women and fighting, so that's a plus. I am a bit concerned about how many wives and mistresses he plans to have, though. You kept telling him to take all our female relatives, which makes me worried."
"Fufu~ That's because of his charm. Did you never feel it while fighting? He's like a little wolf constantly teasing his prey before biting down. It's like his energy and aura make you want to fight, then surrender and become his spoils, or take him down and make him yours!"
"You mean the power of the demon king is what attracts you?" Velvet asked with an arched brow, her eyes watching Alice's reaction.
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"No, if it was just that. I would have only offered a simple contract regarding help and never would have put my body on the line; you know well that our family don't get affected by charm auras or those kinds of things easily. The stronger the Grigor blood, the more resistance we have to them...
After all the punishment we face and that monster, what punishment would it be if we didn't keep fighting them because of being charmed or bewildered?"
Velvet remained silent for a moment before nodding. "So, what is it about the Lord that makes you act differently?"
Alice looked down at her cup, swirling the red wine inside. "Everything, from the moment I saw him passing me in the hallway, unaware of my existence, I was determined to make him my husband."
"Wait, when was that? Alice, you swore never to marry! You even made an oath?!"
"Fufu~ dear sister, that oath was long broken from the moment I began planning to escape that birdcage."
"Alice, be careful... He isn't someone you can tame easily!"
"Hahaha~ oh Vel, that's why you will be my test subject and let me watch how you fall for him and make my lovely father and brother cry."