Chapter • 27

♱ •⋅ 1750 B.C. ⋅• ♱

"So?" I smiled and the little girl who was now clinging to a piece of bread looked suspicious at me and then to Asmodeus who did not even try to appear friendly.

"Humm..." the girl bit the bread like a hungry animal "I..."

She swallowed it hard.

"I was too skinny..." she muttered as if feeling guilty "I..."

"Say, dear..." I said trying to encourage.

"I..."

Asmodeus sighed.

"Speak at once, child," he said squatting in front of her "what was it about you being thin?"

I felt like hitting him for treating a little girl like that, but at that moment - I just couldn't.

The girl bit her mouth off by cutting her own lip.

"They said I was too skinny and that... it didn't serve as tribute" she muttered "so... they took my sister."

My chest is heavy.

"Your... your sister?"

She nodded and Asmodeus snitched.

"They weren't wrong, you really are very thin."

"I... know" she muttered as if feeling even more guilty after hearing from Asmodeus that those who took her sister - were right. Those words were like condemning her to blame herself forever for not being taken in her sister's place.

I hit him on the shoulder pretty hard.

"Oh!" he protested "I just told the truth!"

I sighed.

"Do not call him" I said holding one of his hands "the prince hit his head as a child... and it made him well... how can I say? He just got... special."

"Special?" he practically shouted with indignation "what are you talking about?"

Smile.

"See? He doesn't even know what special means."

The blond demon shot me with his eyes.

It was obvious that he would be angry when we were alone returning home, but at that moment I did not care.

"So..." she stared at Asmodeus "I... was not to blame?"

I settled.

"Of course not, it would never be your fault they took your sister, but... do you remember anything beyond what they told you?"

She looked confused, then looked down.

"I remember a mark... a... black mark on the fist of one of them."

I looked at Asmodeus.

That wasn't information that was in the novel, it was something new. Something from that place - something that Elaine didn't know.

"What brand? What was it like? Can you draw?" It was too many questions, but I couldn't help it. They were necessary if we really wanted to catch those bastards.

'They were tall, black hair, red eyes and crimson robes,' reminded me clearly of the description given by the victim when Elaine helped her.

"They... I don't know" said Murmurante "looked human, had different faces and largely covered. Their... bodies were big and... they had the black mark on their fist."

Humans.

Not demons, but humans.

I settled.

"So... do you remember anything else?" she shook her head negatively and when I slid my fingers through her hair, the child lowered his gaze with a flushed face.

"Could you... tell me who the other families were that had relatives being kidnapped?"

She stared at me, it was like she was wondering if she could really do it, but when she noticed I wasn't going anywhere until she answered, her lips frowned.

"V-you... are you leaving?" she asked "when... finish?"

I settled.

"I need to go" I said "after all my house is not here."

She opened her mouth and like an ordinary child, closed it soon after.

"You..." she stopped and then pointed in the direction of an old lady, who was sitting and leaning on a pilaster "she, her granddaughter... was taken."

With the help of that child, we walked everywhere and talked to each of the victims; their daughters, wives, granddaughters and girlfriends. Even brides were taken.

From 13 to 24 years. All the girls in the village were torn from their homes, their beds or even the altar to serve as tribute to the king. A tribute that Callisto had never asked for and a tribute that would never reach the royal hall.

So... where were those girls? Where'd they go?

I remembered how it ended in the novel, but now everything was different and those girls - the girls from Noir Village weren't even mentioned in Elaine's novel. They were girls Elaine didn't even know were missing, so... how could she find them?

It was obvious... everything Elaine had discovered - it was part of Azrael's plans. Parts that he allowed her to see, parts that would help her have Callisto at her feet and that pissed me off.

My blood was practically boiling when I finally returned to the carriage.

"It's Azrael's fault" growled when Asmodeus finally sat in front of me, but the demon just snorted.

"You think he's behind this, too?"

His question was valid, after all I was the only one who knew that he would show this case to Elaine. How could Asmodeus imagine something like that? Or worse, how he could stitch together the points of things that hadn't even happened - and if it were up to me, it would never happen.

"Let's see" I muttered "Shall we do a test?"

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow with curiosity.

"What kind of test? You know I love tests..."

Smile.

That's exactly why I suggested it. I knew that Asmodeus - was completely fond of games and tests, he just needed a little push to turn into a monster that does not accept losing.

That was exactly what I needed at that time.

"I bet you that Azrael brought the "saint" with him" I mocked and Asmodeus raised one of his eyebrows.

"He could not do this without the king's permission."

"And since when does he ask Callisto's permission?"

Smiles and Asmodeus raised one of his eyebrows.

"So?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"If Azrael has brought the saint to the third territory..." my lips bowed upwards "I bet whatever you want you can't force her to awaken her power a second time."

Asmodeus smiled, a mocking smile.

"You just want chaos."

I settled.

"Chaos and Azrael eating out of the palm of my hand."

Asmodeus laughed.

"Great place to..."

I reached out to him.

"Do you think I was titled as duchess atoa? These idiots really forgot who I am."

He nodded, now, I would show them all what Asra was capable of.

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