'Well, I've already dealt with two idiots today. I'll just ignore it and use his arrogance to fondle his princess.'
Yuina's cheeks turned red, but because she didn't mind, there was no resistance. Juliet, however, almost froze solid. The moment his hand wrapped around her body, she became confused, unable to decide what action to take.
'Do I pull away?! No... that might affect the future talks! Ah... but the knights are all looking. Maybe I should remove it after all?'
Asmodeus turned to face her, his lips lifting into a wide grin. Yet, Juliet could only watch him with her cheeks turning deep red, still unable to take action.
'This... this man is taking advantage of the situation!'
However, then she realised that the dark thoughts inside her faded like a cloud dispersing and giving way to the blue sky. Her mind suddenly became clearer than it was before. She could now think properly.
'I can't allow them to see me in this state, especially not in front of this demon king. That would be too embarrassing for a princess like me. Though the knights must also be punished for their rude treatment of royal guests!'
Juliet's nose twitched as she finally showed a smile, the corners of her lips moving slightly. Then she stepped forward and pointed to the knights that insulted Asmodeus.
"How dare you insult our royal guests? This man is the fiancé of the next Empress!"
Juliet felt refreshed saying these words, and felt the beaming smile of Yuina from behind her, which made her feel good.
Her actions and words seemed to shock the knight greatly. Maybe he didn't understand what happened. In the past, Juliet seemed to be passive and uncaring about the crown or ancient traditions, including royal guests and other races.
'This is strange, what happened to my Juliet?!'
"Princess Juliet! We're just..."
"No, you're all to blame—how dare you use such language before me, your princess, and Princess Yuina! I cannot look away, and you must all be punished!"
The knight looked flustered as he could feel the cold aura of his princess, and then he immediately knelt while making excuses.
Princess Juliet was the princess he held secret feelings towards.
Thus, once she began to show disgust at his actions, it caused his small pride to crumble.
'How can this be?! Did Juliet not love me back... she always smiled and greeted me, even giving me her handkerchief after training!'
"You can't do this to me, of all people... Princess!"
'Why?! You are mine, why are you with another man and blaming me?!'
If Juliet knew his thoughts, she would feel confused because these events never happened. However, once, after the royal knights held a competition, Juliet did indeed give him a towel to wipe himself. She did so to all knights who reached the final battle.
To think a simple event like that could twist an honest act of kindness into a weird and disgusting obsessive affection. The knight's face turned pale, and he seemed to be lost in thought.
'If it weren't for you! You damned outsider, I would have been her future husband!'
This thought echoed inside the knight's mind. He could not help but grind his teeth and glare at Asmodeus, his hatred growing as Asmodeus continued to
'Oh, this must be the Inukami princess my dear sister wished to kill or deal with using Baberu?'
The male thought while gazing at Yuina, and then his eyes noticed Asmodeus.
He was about to look away, bored, when he noticed the black horns, sclera with blue pupils and the exoskeleton covering his arms and legs. A cold chill travelled up his spine. 'This man is dangerous! He's not human, for sure... that appearance... a male demon?!'
"Greetings, Princess Yuina, I am pleased you could arrive here safely." The male bit his tongue and forced himself to be civil; despite being enemies, he was not a low-class person like the knight earlier.
'This man didn't even blink or bow?!'
"Princess Yuina." The prince bowed before moving over to Asmodeus.
'Ah, this is it.' Asmodeus thought to himself while grinning. He could already feel the strange aura of the prince.
"Prince Asmodeus." A second bow and a smile, a very weak smile, trying to hide his trembling lips. However, Asmodeus felt this was enough.
'He didn't show disrespect and quickly stopped gazing at my woman. Let's forgive him. I can't make everyone enemies, not until we deal with the empress anyway.'
So Asmodeus gave back what he received; the noble etiquette his mother taught him was an old style used by many races in the time of peace and unity. Thus, the moment he began his elegant salute, not just Lukas but also the other Fenrir nobles and Juliet was quite amazed.
"It is my pleasure to meet a prince of the divine Fenrir tribe. As you heard, I am Asmodeus; my title doesn't matter; I am here for my future wife today."
Yes, today was about supporting Yuina, who looked at him with dreamy eyes before shaking her head and snapping out of him.
"I am Yuina, the first princess of the Inukami tribe."
Asmodeus gazed at his pretend fiancée and her lovely movements. After a lifetime of preparation and training, her subtle movements and the flick of her tail were all in sync as she curtsied for the fourth prince.
In reality, this was a fact Asmodeus only learned after parting with Yumiko that Yuina was the firstborn twin.
However, Yumiko beat Yuina in a childish fight to determine the eldest sister when they spoke to each other. It was Yuina who called Yumiko elder sister. However, this had no bearing on their official title.
"Oh my... so elegant..."
"Is this the princess from the east?" A beautiful noble with a lion's tail and golden brown hair commented, watching from the corner.
There was quite a commotion as people began to move closer, no longer remaining distant from the strange pair.
Yuina and Asmodeus didn't mind the fact the empress clearly started a banquet on the day they arrived, and made sure not to send invites or welcome them.
The pair entering was wearing beautiful clothes.
They wore pure white dresses and suits; the male and female seemed to be extremely high up, Asmodeus knew instinctively, the woman glaring at him with those hungry eyes. She was the empress, for sure.
Yet the one speaking arrogantly was her spouse.