The afternoon after their union, Asmodeus watched the beautiful dark elf clinging to his chest, her soft snores and warm breath enchanting as she remained the same.
'It seems you were fine the way you were, Ciela.' He thought, realising that just because he evolved or reached a new level, that wasn't why his women changed and evolved with him. Ciela had long accepted him and given her heart on a silver platter. 'I was the one who didn't accept it...'
Although they finally connected, it reminded Asmodeus once again that not every woman was the same. Yumiko liked to enjoy dates in the city, acting like their previous world on nights he would sleep with her. Erika enjoyed acting like students, training together before enjoying a simple meal together for her night.
'Liana's heart is simple to me, yet for others, she might seem difficult... because we both share those dark, destructive feelings. In that cave, I felt a connection to her that even now feels like the flames of passion smoulder in the darkness. As if waiting for her to come to me covered in blood and ready to bring evil into this world.'
"Phew.... Asmo....es...." Her soft voice muttered gentle words. From the moment he awoke, she whispered her feelings of affection and worry.
"Such a gentle elf, you want to save your mother and sister... no matter how you are treated, you even want to save me. Are you sure you are not a saintess in disguise, Ciela?"
Ciela's body shone with a glossy sheen in the afternoon sunlight; when Asmodeus awoke, he cleaned her body with water and fire magic before pulling her into the quilt and gently stroking her back.
'It was hard to endure your dried tears and leaving you in such a wretched state...'
There was a sudden knock at the door—while Asmodeus was enveloped in the calming scent of Ciela like a forest of beautiful trees and various sweet flowers. He suddenly snapped out of his obsessive focus on the lovely elf curled against his chest.
"Come in."
Asmodeus felt rather shocked that this innocent woman could even charm a demon lord and cause his heart to be affected so deeply.
'Is it her passionate feelings, the cute thoughts she had during sex? Or rather because we are so compatible, it felt like nothing we did or said was strange...'
Velvet entered the room carrying a clean training uniform for Asmodeus, but upon seeing the exposed buttocks of the dark elf beneath the quilt, her eyes seemed to take on a strange glint with her purple magic swirling around her body as if agitated by something.
"Hah... It's Velvet, your training is about to start so I wanted to find you. How many women do you have? How does your crotch not collapse?"
"What, are you jealous?" Asmodeus couldn't help but respond with a sly comment, only for Velvet's beautiful eyes to widen as if she was speechless, her mouth opening, yet no words came out before it closed, and she looked at her hands...
'Hmm? What's wrong, Velvet? Why would you hesitate?'
"Here's your training outfit; meet me in half an hour; I am leaving..."
"Ah.... sure?"
"Am I jealous? Is this feeling jealousy...?"
Velvet left the room as Asmodeus responded, her voice trailing off the more she spoke—by the time she mentioned jealousy. She was halfway down the stairs leading to the lower floor with a genuine look of confusion and shock on her face as she touched her chest.
"My chest, it feels a little heavy... am I sick?"
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Asmodeus stroked the smooth back of Ciela and played with her hair, listening to her cute sounds as she began to wake up from her slumber.
"N-no, you pervert!"
She realised she had slept for so long and how he was touching her, immediately snapping at him while trying to hide her body from his gaze. Ciela resembled an innocent herbivore being gazed upon by a predator waiting to strike. "I-It's really sore... so.... we can't do more..."
"I was playing with you a bit."
"Ahh, Husband, wait?!"
Her body shivered, and her skin was flushed as she tried to get up from the bed. Yet she found her legs were still too weak, causing her to slip on the silky quilt and fall into his arms.
Alice wouldn't tell her. She only said to spend more time with Asmodeus, and she would soon understand. Yet spending time with I'm caused her to feel confused, disgusted and angry.
"Let's train, today you are late..."
"Understood, let's fight."
Asmodeus and Velvet took positions like usual, yet he could feel it... under her calm guise.
Velvet's mana was like a raging ocean, surging and flowing like a powerful tsunami around her body. The flicker of purple mana flowing around her fists and legs felt different from usual. He felt a sense of immense danger.
'This is...'
Her body vanished, and his eyes widened because he couldn't keep up with her moves at the moment she attacked.
The gust of wind flowed past his ear before Velvet's body appeared to his right. Her powerful kick was a perfectly timed and structured attack to his blind spot. Yet, at the moment her leg was inches away from his body, it felt like it slowed, and his vision became sharper, like a switch had been flipped in his mind.
He could see her attack coming. Although he could only react thanks to his demon lord's eyes, it was like the world had slowed and given him ample time to respond. Asmodeus's arm moved and blocked her leg—a loud sound echoed coming from mana, crashing into his forearm like a clash of heavy metals.
"Shit." Asmodeus cursed as the shockwave caused his body to step back before Velvet's face appeared beneath his chest, her fist rising with a fierce uppercut, her beautiful eyes looking at him with a deep, strong, and powerful emotion.
'She is fast. Those purple gloves formed from her mana seem to be something she isn't even aware of... her magic is freely flowing like a raging tiger within human flesh. I can't underestimate her when she is like this...'
Her fist connected with his chin, causing a small crack to appear in his jaw, the shockwave causing his head to turn to the side as he twisted his body and aimed to smash into her face with his elbow.
Velvet's hand seemed to move, almost as if she was reading his movements. The thick black and purple gauntlet on her wrist covered her cheek like a shield. Her body seemed to bend backwards.
'There's a limit to her body. Yet... it's different.'
Asmodeus could feel his heart beating faster as his breathing became heavier. The explosion of Velvet's strength was incredible, her fighting power at least doubling or perhaps tripling. Asmodeus's desire to fight started rising explosively, a dark urge looming inside his eyes as he began to change his approach. .net
Their clashes were violent—magic flew like blades and destroyed the ground and trees, each blow enough to cause a rumbling sound upon impact. Velvet held the advantage, but because Asmodeus had strong endurance and grit, her blows that would kill a normal human only cut him slightly.
"Ha.... Haah!"
"Phew...!"
Both of them had bruises and cuts, their clothing torn, and their bodies covered with a layer of sweat that glistened in the sunlight.
'Shit, what is this, Asmodeus? I can't win; his strength is so high despite not using magic, his defence is tough, and he can heal quickly! Fall, you bastard, making my heart ache and these emotions that make me feel so horrible!'
Velvet's anger was rising—she wanted him to fall. She wanted to beat him, to hurt him. So she could be proud of herself and understand this feeling in her heart, the anger she felt at seeing him with others.
'Damn elf. Why couldn't it be me!'
Suddenly, as Asmodeus was about to punch her abdomen with a violent blow, Velvet's mind became blank. The thought she had... it completely stunned her.
'Did... did I just say I wanted him to be with me? I don't understand what I'm thinking; I'm angry, so why do I want him? Why do I wish it was me in that bed with him? I...'
The sound of the air being displaced from his fist suddenly rang out, and her eyes turned cold as she was hit with a violet blow. Her magic was completely unstable, her flesh body taking his blow to her abdomen, blood vomiting from her lips with drool as she coughed.
Velvet was sent flying through the air and crashed into the stone wall surrounding the inn. Her body left a dent and a cloud of dust before she collapsed to the ground, rolling several meters, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Velvet?!" Asmodeus spoke with his usual charming deep voice, yet there was a sense of worry and confusion that lingered as she lay on the ground, unable to move... her ribs shattered, and a feeling of paralysation.
'Why... does his voice sound so sweet... even after injuring me so much the painful feelings and agony... why do I care more about his kind voice?!'