Chapter 173: The Devil Of Seduction Strikes Again!

Following Zoey on Asmodia's command, Erika walked into the back of the inn where she and her mothers lived. Sneaking into her room as a cloud of invisible mist, she watched the girl sitting on her bed, contemplating what she should do. Being the devil of seduction, Asmodia couldn't help but want to nudge her into depravity, but before she could do anything there was something else that needed doing.

'Take me to her, and I'll help her.' Already knowing what kind of creature she was, Asmodia wanted to give the girl free will at last.

Sneaking behind the girl, Erika let her body form on top of the bed before leaning in to touch her shoulder. Taking over that very moment, Asmodia reached within the doll and then into the soul trapped inside a human heart beating inside her.

'I wonder who they killed to make her?' Her knowledge about automatons spread wide, after all, a soul trapped within those creatures was a soul lost to the burning flames of Infernal. 'Think for yourself little birdie.'

A spark zapped Zoey from Erika's touch, and the next thing she heard in her head set her free to make all the mistakes possible.

'Autonomous protocols engaged.' The voice was her own, and it was followed by a flash. Like a plunge through a black hole, her thoughts expanded and so did her awareness. Seeing nothing but sparking auroras and dark violet clouds, she thought she was falling through an infinite loop from which there was no coming out. But then it happened, as quickly as it had begun.

Pulled out of those flashes, she found herself back in her body.

'That should be enough, now to bend her mind.' Taking complete control over Erika, Asmodia snapped her fingers and the scenery inside the room completely changed. Instead of the walls there was an everstreching streak of dark, and the only thing left the same was the bed on which she was standing.

After cleaning her hands, the priestess grew somewhat concerned for her, but being assured that the girl was finally free once she woke up, Erika turned to the door and exited the room quickly. However, the moment she exited, Asmodia's voice echoed inside her head.

'What was that? Why did you force me out?' She asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

"You told me to be my own god, and though I may not be that, I adhere to the goddess' decree more than to her servant," having that answer ready, the priestess shocked the devil even if just slightly.

The devil of seduction didn't realize that she may be the one commanding Erika most of the time, she was in the end her own person capable of making her own decision. And with her being forced out of control once, Asmodia knew that such cases would only get more and more common the further she tried to push the priestess's limits.

'I suppose you're right. Wake me up when you need me for anything, I guess?' Still upset about the matter, she decided to take a nap–one that may last a lot longer than Erika might expect.

"I'm not blind by the way, you're no angel," though the revelation came late, Erika finally realized what was going on. Instead of an angel, she was sharing her body with a devil–but since it was as her goddess commands, she was willing to overlook the lie.

'Faith, I'm trying to have it, but you're making it really difficult, goddess's daughter.' Struggling with her faith in Athenia again, she tried to convince herself with the reminder that she was following Aphrodite's daughter.

"Doesn't help much, but I guess it's all I have." Feeling tired once again, Erika decided to take a few more blinks since it was supposed to be their day off.

In the meantime, the others were confined to their rooms as well, some simply cuddling around, and the others getting ready for something far more intense.