Most of the population in the capital was from all five of the main tribes. Many drifters from the smaller tribes also gathered to avoid a single race dominating.
"Lord Rufio... lost?!" One of the minor Fenrir nobles began to tremble, their eyes gazing upon Asmodeus like a monster.
"Hurry, we must tell the princess and empress!"
Asmodeus didn't stop them; he watched the several nobles rushing away with pale faces; some of them weren't wolves but seemed to be members of the other clans.
'This seems to be more than just the Fenrir's doing... The cult of death, Fenrir and Milduke from the west seemed to have allied.'
Though he couldn't confirm this, he could feel it. Similar to the situation in the past with Lord Qwass and his allies, there would be no reason for lion-beastmen to join the current wolves.
Unless there was something to gain from letting the Fenrir remain the leading clan. There was a need for Asmodeus to ensure the safety of Yuina no matter what, because the situation felt more complicated than he thought at first.
'They will probably never let her take over the throne unless she has the correct backup. I have to be careful and avoid anyone harming her.'
***
After a short while, he used magic to kill the remaining Fenrir guards and caused their corpses to vanish. The gaze of the citizens looked on in terror before finally Yuina came down from the carriage.
Her beautiful golden hair bounced with each step, glossy and light, while her clear blue eyes gazed at Asmodeus with her lips curling into a soft smile.
"You've done well, Asmodeus." Her voice and actions carried a more refined and elegant aura than before, causing him to gaze at her for several moments in a daze.
She and Yumiko were two unique beauties; one of them had a cold aura, while the other was like a warm spring day. While Asmodeus watched her face. Yuina's sudden appearance from the carriage took aback the people, as they never expected the Inukami heiress to come to the capital.
"The princess, she's come to us?!"
One of the fox-type beastkin spoke in the crowd to them, although they knew it was the year to change over the reigning empress and emperor. They doubted she would actually come and face the dangers of the Fenrir tribe and strange cult that now supported them.
"Shh... we can't let Princess Yuina become endangered! Don't you remember the Varmen heiress five years ago?!"
'Hmmm?'
Asmodeus noticed their chatter and looked back at Yuina; he heard about the death of the previous Varmen princess but thought that it might have something to do with the handover. He never considered the relationship between the two issues and suddenly felt that things were going to become more complicated.
"Yuina, come to me." He spoke with a commanding voice.
'There is only one thing I can do now: become her shield and sword as I promised.'
He recalled how he swore to her when he left Yumiko to come here. To help her sister and protect her. Even though the promise was to help her gain the throne, she still couldn't do anything without the proper authority.
She bowed her head, a gesture of respect that Asmodeus appreciated.
"I am the demon king Asmodeus Vincenzo, fiancé to the princesses from the Inukami tribe. I am sorry to have forgotten my manners as well. I hope we can be friends despite the situation."
Yuina then stepped forward, holding his hand and gave an elegant greeting. No losing to Juliet in grace and charm.
"Second princess Juliet, I, the crown princess of the Inukami tribe, Yuina Inukami, greet you. I would like to offer my thanks to you, a worthy member of the Fenrir tribe." She said softly but with a powerful voice.
There was truth in her words, but she gazed directly at the second princess with a strong glare. "I am here to obey the elder's and ancestors' decree and take my position as empress."
Juliet felt a little intimidated by the sudden change in Yuina's aura, and she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. But, after a moment, she regained her posture and nodded her head with a sigh.
"Very well, my sister will not be pleased to hear about this, but I shall escort you into the outer palace."
"Well, it doesn't matter whether she's pleased or not; her time is over." Asmodeus vanished and appeared before the second princess; taking her hand, he kissed the back while watching her reaction with his eyes narrowed, an aggressive yet bemused look lingering inside them.
Juliet shuddered at the sensation, her eyes glancing at the tall, elegant man before her and the beautiful fox princess behind him. She knew her sister would not give up so easily. 'There will be a lot of bloodshed, and I cannot do anything about it...'
The werewolf could only remember the slightly hot sensation spreading from her hand, the warmth of his soft lips. Yet she quickly snapped out of it, shaking her head. 'This man is dangerous... his charm almost overwhelmed me!'
"I understand. Please follow me."
Asmodeus was satisfied with her reaction, a small smile on his face. He turned to the people behind him and nodded. 'No matter what, the Fenrir clan will not go down so easily, and they've already joined our sworn enemies, so I have to be on guard at all times.'
Juliet offered them a seat in her carriage, although it wasn't normal procedure. Asmodeus didn't mind, and Yuina grabbed his hand tight as if scared to lose sight of him.
Once they entered the carriage, Baberu stayed outside to watch over them, and the gates to the inner city finally opened. It was at that moment a wave of hot air blasted the group, and Asmodeus couldn't help but look towards a tall mountain range behind the palace.
'I sense a strong existence from those mountains. Is it related to the empire?' He couldn't help but wonder, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous light inside them.
Yuina seemed to know about the mountains, so she leaned close to Asmodeus and whispered, her tone slightly fearful.
"Mount Kremuz, the place where the ancestors of all four main tribes are sealed." Princess Juliet noticed his gaze, and then, with a soft voice and gentle smile, she introduced the mountains.
Asmodeus noticed her clutching his hand. The little fox was jealous of the grey princess. He couldn't care less about the mountain. Yuina was a precious person to him and Yumiko, so he treated her with respect and love.
'It's like having a little sister, but I can't leave her alone when she's so cute...'
"Please, tell me more about the city, I want to know everything. Because my future wife will rule this empire." Asmodeus squeezed Yuina's hand, causing the golden fox to blush while gazing at his face.
'Idiot...'