Chapter 104: Try to perform CPR on it

The Dominion Authority was positively euphoric over the dedication the new converts showed towards the Master's dogma.

The massive angel was herding the new converts into the 'chapel of True God' that it had ordered to be made near the impromptu field hospital, where a few 'true converts' hand-picked by the Dominion Authority for their holy fervor were introducing the newly-resurrected into the cult.

For some reason a lot of the humanoid-looking angels with white wings were hopeful and peaceful when entering the chapel, and were extremely embarrassed and were blushing deep red and had black wings when exiting the chapel.

The Dominion Authority had merely shrugged and kept the resurrections rolling, albeit the fact it was starting to run out of mana and daily casts for resurrections was somewhat concerning. Nonetheless, the fact that the Cherubim Gatekeepers, the Dominion Authority's elders in terms of levels, power and age, had given it a hand when resurrecting had eased it's workload a huge amount.

"I am most grateful for thine aid, senpai." The Dominion Authority had picked the term 'senpai' from the devils, and bowed deep to the maid-looking Cherubim Gatekeeper with number 'one' tattooed on the side of her temple. "I must confess my envy… For thee to be able to serve the Master by his side at all times… To be able to serve as his sword, broom, quill, and hammer at the same time… I hope that you can forgive me for my envy."

"Of course." The strict-looking maid nodded her head just minutely, albeit there was something quite unapproachable in her sub-tone like if she was feeling conflicted internally.

The Dominion Authority attributed it to the senpai feeling conflicted over helping the massive angel as opposed to being by Master's side to serve his every need and whim, where she truly belonged. 'I am sorry to bother thine exalted servants, Master… I shall strive to be better in the future. For now, I am lacking strength…'

The massive angel felt shame for it's powerlessness and for the fact it needed to bother the stronger Cherubims, who had more important things to do than to humor their kouhai.

Indeed, the Dominion Authority looked at the maid-looking senpai's face, and saw that she was red with anger, and she was quite literally fuming.

.

.

The Cherubim Gatekeeper who had self-named herself as 'One' was feeling… conflicted.

'...Dominion Authority. The one who Master has tasked in converting the Underworld under His cult, under Master's authority… Alone. And it has succeeded easily, being the spearhead of Master's conquest, serving as his loyal servant that managed to decipher Master's will from a few words and thoughts imbued to it's psyche upon summoning…' The maid, 'One', hid the nervousness and guilt from her face, but couldn't hide it from her heart. 'Whereas us, the six sisters, the Cherubim Gatekeepers… What have we done for Him?'

The memory of the six 'maids' gathering in a lounge in 'Momon's estate' alongside Miki Hyoudou just to laze around and watch a movie popped to the forefront of One's mind, and then a memory of her just lounging on the roof of the mansion while eating crisps under the pretext of watching over the estate's grounds in a literal sense. Or the myriad of failed attempts at cleaning the mansion, like when One had tried to dust individual leaves of a bush for an hour, or when she had cleaned a toilet with a small and convenient brush she had found in the same room that she later learned was a toothbrush that needed to be replaced.

And then she remembered the 'lessons' Miki had taught the six maid-sisters for the purpose of… of…

One blushed as she remembered Miki's 'training' and gripped the front of her apron with both hands. 'Sensei… Did you truly mean for us sisters to… u-umu… h-have a-a-a- i-i-intercourse with m-master w-when h-he c-c-came b-b-back and… n-naked apron, and… "W-would you like a bath, a meal, or m-m-me?", O-or something like that?'

A small mushroom cloud of vapor formed above One's head as she thought about it, even though her face was forced to a quite calm and collected expression. Although she couldn't stop the raging blush that spread across her face both from embarrassment and shame to the point her face had the colour of a cooked lobster. 'We're sorry for being useless maids, Master… We'll try harder and become more useful to you, like Dominion Authority-sama!'

.

.

Lady Phenix's hand shook as she walked closer to what were her living quarters by her current role, and which had been her living quarters by ownership mere weeks ago.

Before the entire Underworld had turned into a madhouse.

She gripped a pillow with her other hand and had already donned a covering and thick nightgown, the last bastion of resistance she managed to build in a vain attempt to keep herself faithful to her now-deceased ex-husband.

A part of her realized how foolish she was for keeping herself faithful to the deceased Lord Phenix, as it placed her only remaining daughter, Ravel, and herself in danger of 'Momon's, or rather, 'The Supreme Being's ire. But that was a small part, as most of her felt either fear, anger, or terror towards the hidden master of lies who had infiltrated her family so easily and had cast it to shadows, while lifting it's name to it's greatest heights and crashed it down to dirt in mere weeks.

There didn't seem to be an end to the Supreme Being's power and cunning, and Lady Phenix felt utterly powerless in front of what the creature could accomplish from the shadows and with just the fearful whispers of his victims… Let alone when he had unfolded his power in the Human World mere hours ago, wiping away ancient and horrible creatures with a single strike, manipulating multiple factions and armies into clashing with one another and then uniting under His banner…

Lady Phenix could barely move her legs as she took one more step towards the quarters where she would lose what agency she had left over her own body, and she stumbled against the wall. '...That the monster could deceive us so… Ravel…'

The fact Ravel had accepted 'Momon' so easily and had become his willing slave and, at least on the surface level, had become utterly dedicated and mindless plaything, had shook Lady Phenix's mind to the very core. After all, Ravel knew that the man whose bed she warmed had also been the one responsible for the deaths of her brothers, and her father.

At the same time Lady Phenix had never realized that Ravel could be so strong, that Ravel's mind could withstand the terror she had undergone and she would emerge in a state where she could make calculated, rational decisions, ensuring the survival of the family and herself at the same time by quickly calculating the stronger of the lords, between Momon and the rest of the factions, and pledging herself wholely on the ultimately winning side. That alone had impressed Lady Phenix to no end, and made her even more proud of Ravel.

Yet, Lady Phenix too had realized that the only way for the Phenix family to even have a chance of surviving, was to swear utter subservience to the Supreme Being, or rather, the guise of Momon that he wore, the 'True God'. 'The Pillars… That message Momon sent… 'Obey me, or die'... There's no doubt of 'Momon's or 'True God's victory, and while the 'Supreme Being' remains an unknown boogeyman, the devil populace will be fearful and looking for strong leaders… And with Sirzechs dead, the maous scattered, and Serafall defected to the 'True God's side… He has already won in all but declaration. A war fought from shadows, and won with a single blow…'

If Lady Phenix's heart wasn't already given to Lord Phenix, and if she wasn't feeling the vengeful anger she felt towards 'Momon' for the fate of her sons and husband, she would have likely developed a small crush on Momon for the sheer power, intellect, and cunning he displayed. But as it was, all that was left on her heart for Momon was spite, vengeance, anger, and terror…

She realized that her legs had taken her to the entrance of her old-and-new quarters before her mind did, and she reached for the door handle of the double-doors out of instinct… And realized that someone was trying to open the door as well.

"Ah…" Lady Phenix looked up as she had accidentally gripped a feminine hand which had in turn gripped the door handle and was trying to open it. "You are…"

She looked up to see a woman who was roughly the same height as her, and had slightly larger breasts, long blonde hair arranged to a ponytail as opposed to Lady Phenix's long blonde hair that had been arranged to a single-drill which flowed down her back… and then she noticed the very distinct nine fox-like tails as well as a pair of fox-ears on top of the unknown intruder's head, turning her into a very much known intruder.

"Yasaka-sama. I'm sorry, but I must ask what you are doing here?" Lady Phenix noticed that the woman had dressed herself in a somewhat risque velvet nightgown that was opaque but failed to hide her curves, and had quite the open chest so that the kitsune woman's breasts were displayed in a seductive way even though they weren't hanging out in the open.

"Ah, Lady Phenix. Or should I call you just Caitlin nowadays? I heard of the terrible tragedy that befell your family… However, as to why I am here, I could ask you the same." Yasaka narrowed her eyes.

Lady Phenix noticed that the kitsune woman's eyes were drawn to the pillow that Lady Phenix carried, and then Lady Phenix's eyes were drawn to the pillow that the kitsune was carrying as well.

It seemed that both women realized the purpose of the visit at the same time, and their eyes widened just a bit.

"I see that you are planning on sneaking in for the night." Yasaka tilted her head slightly forwards, and Lady Phenix could practically feel sparks flying between the two of them as the two women clashed verbally. "My, there hasn't been a day since the death of your ex-husband and you're already sneaking into the quarters of your adopted son… My, devils sure live up to their name…"

"Oho? And is this fox perhaps implying that me sneaking into my own quarters is a preamble for something unpleasant? Perhaps I should call and ask my son if he minds if a forest critter that was found rummaging around in his bedroom is sent to the dogs?" Lady Phenix's face turned red from the implication of the woman's speech, even if she was right. Or perhaps her face flushed red with anger because Yasaka's offhand words were right.

"My, death threats already? This early in the evening? You devils are truly barbaric…" Yasaka covered the lower parts of her face with a fan she pulled from somewhere. "Nonetheless, I was approaching Momon-san with a trade offer in mind."

"This late at evening? Perhaps you were planning on selling that body of yours to him? Surely the financial affairs of Kyoto are not in such a bad state…" Lady Phenix used [Power of Imagination] to create a hand-fan for herself as well. "Although, I heard that the Governor of Fallen Angels had requested your body in trade for some raw materials, so I shouldn't be surprised…"

"He was denied of that, but I felt pity upon Azazel-san so I allowed him to touch my tails in exchange for all excess trade resources of the Fallen…" Yasaka's face flushed red in turn, and Lady Phenix smirked as the fox had been put on back-foot by her explaining instead of counter-attacking, meaning that her words had hit home.

"Indeed, but is a slut any less a slut if she is paid by the coin or by food?" Lady Phenix felt… Oddly invigorated from the banter. 'Ha… That the horror, the depression… All put to momentary hold from something as simple as some good, old-fashioned bickering… Ohohoho… Thank you, Yasaka… I'm sorry for having so much venom in my words, but I need someone to vent at right now… And I know I'll damn everything if I speak to 'Momon' like this…'

It looked like Yasaka saw the change in Lady Phenix's mood despite her attempt to hide it, and her expression softened just a bit. "However, it is true that I have something to speak of in private with Momon-sama. You'll have to wait."

"In front of my own quarters? I'll think not, Yasaka-sama." Lady Phenix felt like her words were softer than previously, and loaded with less vitriol than before. "If my 'son' wasn't married already, I'd be worried that you were about to whisk him away. Isn't kidnapping usual for the Youkai, hm?"

"Considering that devils seem to be quite comfortable with kidnapping humans to become devils via Peerages, I feel that you probably don't want to take that stance towards us." Yasaka used a reprimanding tone when speaking to Lady Phenix, causing the latter's hands to shake a bit from anger of being condescended to.

"Perhaps I shouldn't feel surprised that the forest-critters of Japan don't know about the ways of devils, and that it is unwise to kidnap people who you plan on being your allies and soldiers. Thus the human-made devils are formed through consensual contracts…" Lady Phenix fanned the hand-fan a bit in a way that changed the delivery of the words to be like an adult explaining to a child why one shouldn't put their hands on a hot plate. She then glanced at the door in a meaningful way. "Oh, perhaps I should clarify what the meaning of 'consensual' is, after all it seems to be quite an alien topic to your people…"

"My, such cruel words, are you perhaps implying that I am attempting to force myself on Momon-sama?" Yasaka's face flushed red, allowing Lady Phenix to pretty much tell that it had been exactly what the kitsune had been planning on.

"I am not implying anything of the sort. However, now that you've brought up the topic…" Lady Phenix smirked behind the hand-fan, and Yasaka sighed.

"I-"

"Ahem, while I feel that it is rude to intrude upon a conversation such as this, I'd like to enter my quarters." A soft voice caused the hairs to stand on ends in the back of Lady Phenix's neck, and she turned around as if spooked… Only to see her worst fears return to surface after the momentary feeling of relief thanks to the bickering-session with Yasaka.

Indeed, Momon was standing a few feet behind Lady Phenix, and neither of the two bickering women hadn't noticed his approach thanks to their arguments.

The man looked just like Lady Phenix remembered, like an average-looking tall japanese late teenager, and had an expression of openness yet polite confusion on his face as he looked at the two women.

It was a perfectly innocent and ordinary image, and made Lady Phenix want to throw up on the spot from the dizzying contrast to the real, horrifying monster that the perfectly normal and calm visage hid.

On an basic instinctual level she couldn't find the visage of 'Momon' to be threatening, or even particularly interesting, but her mind knew that if she spoke even a single word that Momon could construct the wrong way, moved her body in a way that would display the anger and spite she felt, she would pay for it in a way that her mind didn't want to even imagine.

She lowered her eyes in submission, hoping that the motion would convey what she wanted to delived to 'Momon' and hide her rising urge to either march up to him and slap him with all she had, or throw up on his shoes from sheer terror.

"Ah, Momon-sama. It seems that I was ill-informed of what would be my quarters, if these are yours. But now that I am here, and while I understand that the hour is late, there is an important topic I'd like to discuss with you. Please forgive me for my choice of attire." Yasaka lied fluently, as Lady Phenix knew for sure that the kitsune knew the quarters in front of which the two stood belonged to Momon.

'Yasaka, you fool. You absolute fool… That blatant lie… There's no way he wouldn't see through it. And even if it was just an excuse, the fact you lied makes you suspect… Lady Phenix wondered for a moment if Ravel's words were truthful, that the Supreme Being could truly read minds.

She considered testing the mind-reading abilities that Momon had according to Ravel, like thinking of asking him mentally to perform some action she wouldn't vocalize, or accurately tell a number Lady Phenix thought of, but realized that no matter what the results of the test were she'd only tie herself deeper into the swamp she had found herself in: Either 'Momon' would do as she thought, and prove Lady Phenix's fears true, or 'fail', leaving her in a state of uncertainty where Momon could have heard her thoughts but merely chose to ignore the test in order to bait her into false sense of security and thus allow her to tie a noose tighter around her throat by thinking without restraint. And no matter the result, it would let Momon know that Lady Phenix considered him her enemy, as she was testing his abilities for vulnerabilities she could exploit- Something an ally wouldn't do.

So instead she gulped and sent Yasaka a glance and resisted the urge to shake her head just minutely in order to convey a warning, a real warning as opposed to the bickering from a moment ago, to the kitsune woman. A warning to run, to not get involved with Momon in any way.

But, she couldn't do it. If she warned Yasaka… What sort of horror would befall upon her? Or more importantly, Ravel? The Supreme Being had already shown that it would not take it's temper out on the one who insulted him, but would torment everything the insulter loved until they were left alone in the ruins of their previous life.

So, instead Lady Phenix did as Ravel had instructed her to do, the only way for the two of them to even have a chance of survival: To submit.

She had no illusions what was required of her.

'I'm so sorry, hubby… you supported me in everything… yet… I… I have to… let you go, for Ravel's sake… I'm sorry…'

.

.

Momonga was a bit confused.

He had gone to have a late evening snack with Rias and Akeno after the two had calmed down a bit, and had found Koneko and Kuroka stuffing their faces in the kitchen.

The pile of plates had been quite high, and it looked like Kuroka had been utterly ravenous in her feeding frenzy that had left multiple (thankfully cooked) chicken carcasses in her wake.

Rias had taken a single look at Kuroka who had frozen utterly still with a chicken bone sticking out of her mouth and a chicken leg between each of her fingers when she had spotted Momonga, and then Rias had turned to look at Koneko who had began hissing at Momonga in a warning way, and she finally sighed before shooing Momonga away with reassurance that she'd sent someone with food to their shared quarters and that she'd have a talk with Kuroka and Koneko.

Akeno had chuckled to herself and had assured him that she'd be alright, and that she'd have a chat with the girls as well.

And so Momonga had accepted Rias's proposition, considering that it looked like Kuroka was about to have a heart attack every time she looked at Momonga. 'I used [Control Amnesia] to wipe off Kuroka's memory of me being the Supreme Being, so it should be alright… Although, I think some instinctive fear might have been left over since she was quite afraid back then… Ah well…'

He had been quite surprised to find two women in their bedwear standing in front of his quarters in Phenix castle-manor. Although in retrospect Yasaka's answer did make sense, as she was a stranger in a strange land so it wouldn't be a surprise if she got lost in the winding corridors of the estate, and Momonga remembered that there were some rooms in his quarters that had been designated for 'concubines', so Lady Phenix sleeping in one of those made sense as well.

The fact he had separate rooms for concubines, and even had occupants to fill them, caused Suzuki Satoru a twinge of embarrassment.

However, seeing Lady Phenix quelled that embarrassment as it was replaced by feelings of intense shame and guilt, both spiking well above what [Emotion Suppression] would normally automatically suppress.

Except, this time he had no such crutch.

Momonga had lost his unborn child through Rossweisse's betrayal, and had a taste of what kind of pain his actions must have caused on the woman who had given birth to Ravel and her brothers, and had nurtured from babies to grown adults and late teenagers… Only to be culled by Momonga for utterly selfish purposes.

And now, the woman lowered her eyes and her pose was that of a broken, subservient concubine. A far cry of the headstrong and composed woman she had been when Momonga had first met her. '...The consequences of my actions… I cannot ask for forgiveness… But I can still make things right.'

The 'Overlord' part of Momonga realized what Suzuki was about to do, and tried to reason with him. Beg him to reconsider. But Suzuki had made his decision.

He grabbed Lady Phenix's hand and opened the door to his quarters. "Yasaka-san. Your quarters are…"

"Ah, and while I'm here, there are some matters I'd like to talk to you about-" Yasaka started.

"Tomorrow."

"I assure you that-"

"Tomorrow. There is something I need to clear up with her. Everything else can wait." Momonga squished Lady Phenix's hand, even though the woman looked like she'd vomit and her face had turned green as soon as he had grabbed her hand.

Yasaka opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again after noticing Lady Phenix's expression. "Clearly. Well then, in that case I'll depart as the situation is within your capable hands, Momon-sama."

"Thank you. We'll talk tomorrow." Momonga walked into his quarters, dragged Lady Phenix with him, closed the door and promptly used a few anti-divination and anti-eavesdropping scrolls.

The woman turned to face him, an expression of stoicism, fear, and disgust warring in her features.

"I'm the supreme being." Momonga's lips spoke the words that Suzuki Satoru desired to speak out, to come clean, to find redemption. Even though his rational side warred with him with all it's might, and the 'Overlord' of the mental scape practically begged on it's bony knees for him to reconsider.

But the words were spoken, the arrow released.

"...I know." Lady Phenix's lip quivered before she spoke with quiet words, and then closed her eyes as if waiting for a headsman's axe to lop her head off, likely realizing that she had spoken even though she clearly hadn't planned to.

'...'

'...Eh?'

'...Umu?'

For once both Suzuki Satoru and 'Momonga' parts of Momonga's head were speechless.

The confusion however overtook the guilt, allowing his rational mind to resurface even though his stress gauge was still very much in the red. "How long have you known? And how did you find out?"

"I… For… Since the start. I found out myself." The woman kept her eyes closed but was starting to shake. "No-one told me. If you suspect Ravel, then know that she stayed loyal to you."

"I see…" Momonga's words were slow and calculating as he started to walk around the woman in a circle, the caution and shock of his secret actually not being a secret causing him to backtrack his original intention of apologizing to the woman. "Hm…" 'I could use [Control Amnesia] on her… Ravel might be crass with me since she seems to have a good relationship with her mother, and would no doubt realize that I was the one responsible for her change in personality… Moreover I pushed loyalties hard with the death of her brothers, and it feels as if she'll break if I push it harder… Moreover… That is not my intention…'

The woman shook harder, like if she was circled by a terrifying and gross beast she couldn't fight off. Momonga realized that if she indeed knew that he was the 'supreme being', then that would more or less be how she viewed him.

"Hm…I see… Have you told anyone else?" Momonga asked while he was behind her in the circling motion.

"No. No-one. And I never will." The woman was practically shivering and her lip quivered. "I am loyal to you, as Ravel is, Momon-sama."

"I thought your loyalties lied with your husband? You've been practically clinging to him ever since I resurrected him…" Momonga realized that his circling-around might be somewhat unsettling for Lady Phenix, even more so considering that he realized his tone was quite cold and uncaring. But right now, there were more pressing matters for him than worrying about her mental health.

"Hubby- N… no… I… he…" The woman's legs failed her and she fell to her knees. Thick streams of tears began pouring down her face as she faced the floor and shivered harder, the combination making her words quite hard to piece together. "No… I… My loyalty… sniff… is with… Momon-sama… I'm shorry… hubby… I canth… I am loyal… To the Supreme Being… Ash ish Rha… Ravel…"

Momonga, or rather, Suzuki Satoru felt more guilt than ever as he looked at the broken woman who was practically begging on the floor.

.

.

Lady Phenix realized she had screwed up in a major way. 'I panicked and lied… Ravel told me about Him, but if I told him that Ravel told me his secret then Ravel's loyalties would be called into question, and he might take his ire on her… But… If he sent Ravel to let me know, then…'

'Ravel… Hubby… Momon knows my weak spot…' The horrifying master clad in the guise of a teenager kept circling her without saying a word, each circle causing her resolve to crumble from the indecision it inflicted on her- If she should come clean, or try to carry her lie to the end. 'He knows, he must know I lied, he's just waiting for me to crack… What is he after? Yasaka… No, if I call for Yasaka to help… Was she there to check what I'd do when he 'revealed' himself to me? If I scream for help… No. Yasaka would not be able to help me… The very best scenario for me if I call for help is that I'd prolong my execution from today to the near future, and I'd live to see him take his ire out on Ravel…'

The circling ended, and a hand reached down to place a finger below her chin. She lifted herself to her feet after the hand beckoned her to rise, and remained under her chin.

It was a possessive motion, one that practically oozed the air of a subjugator, of a tyrant.

Momon had donned the guise of a concerned lover in front of Yasaka, but the air had disappeared as soon as Lady Phenix had revealed that she knew about His true nature. And now, the presence of the monster within her house was horrifying.

She gulped while her eyes were closed in a vain attempt to shelter her psyche. She knew that if she looked into Momon's eyes, and saw the dark void within them, the true form of the Supreme Being, then she'd break utterly.

Like Ravel had.

"I can relate to losing a child, you know. Your sons are not yet beyond my reach."

'A cruel offer… And what would you ask of me in turn? Or are you saying that you can still torment them further? That you'd bring them back just to torture them?' The words caused even thicker tears to pour down Lady Phenix's face. She knew that the words were but a lure, a test, if she'd break down and beg. "I thought… The Supreme Being… You… had trapped the ashes?"

"I lied." The words were soft and smooth, causing Lady Phenix to shiver in disgust and hatred.

"And my husband? Would you resurrect him too? If-" Lady Phenix bit her lip to stop herself as she realized what the Supreme Being was after- The offers made by the Supreme Being were but a lure, a way to see if she'd try her luck if she thought she saw weakness in the Supreme Being, if she tried to reach for a treasure in her greed instead of being content with the gold coin she was offered.

"That, I will not do." The voice was equally soft, allowing Lady Phenix realize that she had been correct in her assessment. That she had forever damned her husband, ex-husband, with her careless blunder.

'A single mistake, a single sentence, and… ' The tears pouring down her face only redoubled. 'I… Hubby… I failed you… I can't…'

"Please… forgive me, I didn't mean… I'm…"

"Shh… It is alright to be sad." The tyrant reached to hug her, causing her to take a step back out of instinct and, before she realized it…

She had slapped him.

Lady Phenix's eyes shot open and her heart almost stopped as she realized what she had done. 'No! I acted out of instinct-'

"Hm…" Momon's face was turned to the side and whatever slapmark that he might have had on his cheek had healed already- A show that she wouldn't be able to hurt him even if she tried. "The truth is, your husband is already part of me. His soul, you see. So that is why I will not resurrect him- There is nothing to resurrect. His memories in turn were in the corpse that I resurrected for you, his personality, as part of our deal."

Suddenly the fact that Momon could regenerate and had the abilities of Phenix made so much sense. 'He… He ate Riser's soul… And then hubby's soul… Gained House of Phenix's Phoenix-like abilities… Beelzebub-sama was on the right track, but at the same time wrong… '

'...That… Hubby… He's… Of course, the Supreme Being controls all life and death, and undead… Hubby had turned undead, so he was truly himself, except when 'Momon' puppeted him to do his bidding when such was required of hubby… So when hubby died today, his soul returned to 'Momon'... But his memories are lost… Even if he returns… He won't be the man I fell in love with… My punishment…' Lady Phenix's legs lost strength as the slap she had dealt was turned back on her like a sledgehammer strike against her mind. 'The Supreme Being… When hubby died, when he sacrificed himself for me and Ravel… To save us from the Pillar's decision… After his role was fulfilled… 'Momon' devoured hubby…'

"Why?" Lady Phenix realized that nearly everything was lost. She had done exactly what Ravel feared that she'd do- That she resisted the Supreme Being, disrespected him, and then tried to out-scheme him. And each time the Supreme Being turned the table on her, each time she resisted him he revealed a truth more horrifying than the last. Made her realize that for all her supposed cunning, age, and wisdom… She was utterly outclassed, battered, alone, and broken. "Why… Why do you keep tormenting us… Why?!"

"Hm… The most accurate answer is: For no reason." The monster answered simply after a brief contemplation, and the answer was something that caused Lady Phenix's head to lock up from rage… And then spiked in panic when the next words followed. "However, That is about to change. Starting with your sons."

'No! That… That I'd disrespect him so… That I resisted him so… That I'd become the reason why he torments us, that he'd bring my sons back just to be tormented… Ravel was right, life and death are but playthings of the Supreme Being… That uninterrupted death is but a peaceful sleep when facing the Supreme Being, who can commit terror to even those who are dead…' Lady Phenix fell on her arms and knees in a prostration. "Please… stop… I'll…"

"Ah, and speaking about your children, Ravel-"

"PLEASE!" Lady Phenix screamed in her desperation as 'Momon' casually brought up his own fiancee, and Lady Phenix's last remaining child.

Lady Phenix could guess what was to come, and desperately wanted to stop the circle of putting her foot in her mouth before it would lead to Ravel being tormented… Once again. "PLEASE! I'LL- I'll do what you need me to do! Just… Please… Stop this torment… I beg of you! I… H-hic… Pwease… I'll… I'll… please… Let them lie in peace…"

"Haa… Not you too…" Momon sighed, causing Lady Phenix to shiver like pudding.

'Did I displease him? What does he mean, 'Me too'? Just… please… tell me what you want…' Lady Phenix felt thoroughly emotionally bruised and battered 'Ravel… She said that it was no coincidence that I offered myself as a concubine in my desperation… If that's the case, then he has already told me what he wants of me… Oh… If that's the case… I knew from the start what he wanted from me… '

'That… If that's why… I am a fool, an absolute fool…' It was as if she had realized something that should have been obvious, like searching for something that was directly in front of her but she had never noticed it. 'Of course… The Supreme Being is not one to come and make demands. He is one who simply influences everyone around him, and it falls to people around him to offer what he desires… I was a fool… I should have thrown myself at him instantly, went to warm his bed instead of trying to put it off, trying to run away… And instead, I went to hubby, trying to rekindle what I had traded away… Hubby was not cold at the start, he was precisely like he was before… But when I betrayed my contract, when I tried to cheat 'Momon' of what I had promised him, myself, Momon took away hubby's warmth… then my sons… And then started to use hubby like a puppet due to his undead nature… and… Next is Ravel…'

She hiccupped and fell to her knees once again, the final sledgehammer blow of realizing that she had been the architect of her own misery in the worst kind of way- She was but a marionette dancing in the Supreme Being's strings, and what little choice she had been given, she had used to dig her deeper into the swamp she was in. 'What if… Did 'Momon' truly resurrect hubby, but I screwed up, I went to hubby and didn't deliver on what 'I' had offered 'Momon'… No, what he had me offer to him… waiting for me to realize what I was forgetting…

She hated, hated the Supreme Being… but realized that she had no options but to endure if she wished for Ravel to be spared, if she wished that his sons could rest in peace. 'In other words… I have to surrender my heart to Him… He, who tortures my family, tears us apart, turns us against one another… And I have to love him…'

"H-haa… hic… sob…" Lady Phenix wanted to tear her own heart out and crush it, slice her own throat to escape the torture and humiliation that was to come. But she knew that it would be a useless gesture, and would only serve to dig herself and Ravel deeper into the swamp. "You've made me your concubine…hic… Is… Is it my body you're after? What in me strikes your fancy? W-why have you picked me to torment…"

"Hm, I recall that you were the one to propose that…" Momon seemed to sigh and then squat down to stroke her head.

She did her best to stop the wave of repulsion she felt from going down her spine, but failed once more, like the vain and feeble woman she realized she was.

"You know, I was genuine when I offered to resurrect your sons. Like I said, I'm not a stranger to losing a child… I can only imagine the pain you've gone through…" The words, while sympathetic in tone and content, were not enough to disguise the true meaning that Lady Phenix could tell from the context. That her torment was an amusement, that her pain was something the sadistic monster in front of her enjoyed and savored like wine.

Something let a clack, like a lock being turned, followed by a creaking sound.

Lady Phenix could tell that someone had entered the quarters, and her heart stopped as she realized who it had been-

"Ah, Ravel." The terror disguised as a teenager stood up. "Good timing. Could you come here? I need your help with-"

"STOP! PLEASE! Please, don't… Whatever torment, whatever pain you want to inflict on me, please inflict on me! Leave Ravel out of this, please! Ravel, go, you must…" Lady Phenix stood up in a flash and threw herself between Ravel and Momon, opening her arms wide… And then a weight settled on her back, tied her hands around her waist, and buried her face in Lady Phenix's back. "Ravel?"

"Mom… Idiot… You promised you'd be good…" A wet sensation in Lady Phenix's back told her that Ravel was crying while hugging her from behind. "You… Idiot… mom… I didn't want to be alone… You idiot, idiot, idiot… I love you… Why did you do this to me…"

"U-umu…" The monster made it's voice sound uncertain, which in turn shook both of the women in the room as the hesitation was a direct message: That they had the initiative, and were the ones supposed to pick the route they wished to go down in. A final show of either defiance that would damn them, or submission that would damn them in a different path.

"M-mom… Please… I told you…" Ravel snuck beside Lady Phenix… And knelt down with a hand against her heart, facing towards Him. Lady Phenix saw that Ravel had thick streams of tears running down her face, which had likely started as soon as she had seen how her mother had acted. "Master… My lord, my love… if I have pleased you at all, if I have any reward I can ask of you, if I have any worth that I can pull from… Please give me this boon: Please forgive my foolish mother. Please, if you wish to take her then take her until her body stops working. Please, if you wish to torment her then let pain flow through her until the only thing that she knows is torment… But please… Please don't take her away from me… She's the only family I have left… H-hic… P-please, my love… My heart… I can't… This is too much for someone as feeble and pathetic as me…"

Lady Phenix shook as Ravel begged for her sake, and realized that the only way for either of them to survive, for Ravel to survive, was for her to shut up and follow her daughter's example.

And so, she fell to one knee and placed her hand on her heart, like her daughter, and shook in terror as she waited for the verdict from the monster in the room

The tyrant among horrors looked down on both of the feeble women in the room, like a cruel king weighing the mother's and daughter's values as entertainment objects- That was their role.

Lady Phenix realized that she had never been an actor in the Supreme Being's play, but a curio, an object placed on a night-table that the curious audience might glance over, not an actor with her own place in the story. Yet, she had acted like she was. As Ravel had warned her not to do- To pretend that she had agency, that she had hope, that she could still control her fate.

'I'm such a fool… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Ravel… I… I failed you… I didn't… I forced you to beg for my sake, discard whatever leverage you might have had on him, what you could have used to ensure your own survival… Yet, you gave it up, for my sake… I'm so sorry…' Lady Phenix could only shake.

Shake and wait for the judgement of the Supreme Being.