Chapter 2.2: Meet and Greet

Jophiel looked at Lucifer intently and asked, "Why did you cover me back then? When Beelzebub shot the halberd, it's really possible to get me hit there. But you... you instantly covered me. Or should I say... protected me. It makes me wonder."

Lucifer went silent for a moment, his thoughts racing. Then Jophiel settles, "Well, anyway, thanks to the 'dream house' I've conducted, I got over it."

Lucifer let out a loud laugh and commented, "So the archangel lives along with the humans? Impressive! So that I can dominate you at once."

Jophiel's laughter filled the alley. "If you've had enough of your nonsense about 'domination,' then I'm sure you've had enough answers to my question, Mr. Lucifer 'Nightstar.'"

Lucifer's anger flared, and he warned, "Do you want a fight here?"

Jophiel continued to tease, smirking, "The Demon Lord got mad in just an appropriate sentence? Such a shame to the 'throne,' my goodness!"

Lucifer couldn't bear it any longer and walked away, seething. Jophiel giggled and returned to the shop, where Ennemond awaited her.

Ennemond asked, "Where's the guy?"

Jophiel replied, "He walked out, granpabi." 

Ennemond couldn't help but ask, "But why?"

Jophiel calmly replied, "Well, you know, just let him. I'm sure he can handle himself."

Meanwhile, Lucifer wandered through the streets of Bethlehem, observing his surroundings. Children were playing around, and a few of them accidentally bumped into him. Lucifer, irritated by the disturbance, scolded the kids. However, this drew the anger of the parents, and soon enough, many people started to throw rocks and even dumped a bucket of water on him. Despite his protests, no one listened, and Lucifer had no choice but to flee.

He eventually found a small, rundown shed for shelter. Frustration welled up within him as he muttered, "Bloody hell! I'm just like a stray dog now."

Looking up at the sky, he mused, "Is this part of your plan, Father? If it is, then great! But this is not the hindrance that will stop my grand plans."

As he contemplated his situation, a rat approached him, startling him. In his frustration, Lucifer punched the wooden wall of the shed, causing it to collapse around him.

"BLOODY HELL!" he shouted from the wreckage.

Jophiel dialed a telephone number, and on the other end, she heard, "Bonsoir."

"Bonsoir, Mr. Lyam," she replied.

Under the moonlight, a mysterious man dressed in black arrived at the port, carrying a large sack and thick ropes, silently heading to an undisclosed destination.

Meanwhile, Louis had picked up Jophiel for their dinner date, and together they arrived at a fancy restaurant for their evening out.

Jophiel admired the elegance of the place and commented, "It's a fancy place here, Louis."

Louis, with a hint of nostalgia, replied, "Me and my parents used to come here for celebrations or family dinners."

"That sounds like wonderful family bonding," Jophiel remarked.

Louis graciously pulled out a chair for her, and they ordered from the menu. Their dinner date unfolded with lively conversation, laughter, and shared moments, deepening their connection.

As the evening wore on and the clock struck midnight, Jophiel began to prepare to leave. However, Louis had other plans and reached out to hold her hand, saying, "Wait, I will take you home, Jophiel."

Jophiel agreed, and they left the restaurant together. To her surprise, Louis took a detour on their way, and she couldn't help but wonder about their new direction.

"Uh, Louis, my house was supposed to be in that direction," Jophiel pointed out.

With a mysterious smile, Louis reassured her, "Yes, I know. We'll just take a shortcut."

Minutes later, they arrived at the port, and Jophiel became increasingly puzzled about their unexpected destination. They got out of the car, and to her shock, Louis suddenly placed handcuffs on her wrists.

"What is this, Louis?" Jophiel demanded, her voice tinged with concern. "Let me go!" 

As Louis called out, "Boys, here's your bounty!" the black-suited men hurriedly gathered around Jophiel and placed her into the large sack. They were in the process of tying the rope to secure the sack when a sudden projectile, a piece of wood, struck one of the men, sending him reeling.

Amid the chaos, Louis and the other men swiftly drew their guns, aiming in all directions as they sought to identify the source of the unexpected attack.

From the shadows emerged Lucifer, who taunted them with a smirk, "Next time you're about to build a rickety shed, make sure it's made of concrete and not so easily destroyed, you humans!"

Lucifer's attention was then drawn to the sack, which seemed to be moving on its own and emitting muffled sounds.

"Oh, is this some kind of another magic show?" Lucifer quipped. "Because I'm about to applaud and compliment your awful ski—"

Before he could finish, Jophiel's voice cried out, "Help!"

Lucifer's expression shifted, and he muttered under his breath, "Oh, bloody hell."

He recognized that voice and couldn't help but realize, "This tone, if I'm not mistaken… Is that you, Archangel?" 

Lucifer raised an eyebrow at Jophiel's words, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Are you eating something? Because I'm starving too," he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Louis, growing increasingly impatient and agitated, interrupted their exchange. "Hey, you! Get out of here, or I will shoot you!" he threatened.

Lucifer chuckled softly, his amusement undeterred. "My, my! You look decent, but you're an embarrassment," he taunted Louis.

In response, Louis pulled the trigger and fired at Lucifer, but the bullet had no effect on the immortal being. "Well, I'm still immortal," Lucifer quipped. "Guess you left me no choice."

Lucifer swiftly picked up a rock, crushing it in his hand before tossing it with incredible force at the black-suited men. The impact of the rock knocked them off their feet, leaving Louis to hastily retreat, leaving his companions and Jophiel behind.

With the men incapacitated, Lucifer moved to untie the rope securing the sack. Jophiel emerged, still wearing the handcuffs, and expressed her surprise at his unexpected rescue.

"It's nice to see you again, Archangel," Lucifer remarked, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "I didn't expect you'd come to save me."

Jophiel was equally surprised. "You're wrong, wingless dove," Lucifer clarified. "In fact, while I was ranting because I got covered in ruins, it just happened that I got cross here and saw those men carrying a massive sack. I thought they were the ones who built that wrecked shed."

Jophiel chimed in, "Well, if I didn't shout… perhaps you wouldn't have recognized that I was inside the sack."

Lucifer laughed heartily. "Hmm… it seems fortune favors you this time, Archangel."

Jophiel, not appreciating his tone, retorted, "Excuse me?!"

Lucifer, still amused, continued, "Oh, I clearly remember the day when my devil rushed to me and reported that you'd been the one who got caught instead of priests. I would love to know what you looked like when you were caught."

Lucifer proceeded to search among the fallen men until he found the key to Jophiel's handcuffs. He approached her and released her restraints, saying, "Here you go, wingless dove." 

The handcuffs finally unlocked, and Jophiel was free. She wasted no time and quickly walked out of the area, her wings ready for flight. As she prepared to take off into the night, she suddenly turned back and called out to Lucifer.

"Demon Lord!" she addressed him.

Lucifer, with his usual air of nonchalance, responded, "What?"

Lucifer accepted Jophiel's offer and joined her at the restaurant for dinner. The angel's concern for the starving demon was evident, even though Lucifer seemed to brush it off.

"Yeah, I am, thank you," Lucifer replied.

Jophiel insisted on treating him as a token of her gratitude, and they sat down to enjoy their meal together. The irony of an angel treating a demon was not lost on Lucifer, and he commented on it.

"Well, it's really shocking that the angel treats the devil," he remarked.

Jophiel, true to her angelic nature, reminded Lucifer of God's teachings: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." She expressed her belief in following God's kindness and noted that God's mercy had spared Lucifer's life after his rebellion in Heaven.

Lucifer's prideful nature showed as he mentioned his disdain for humans and his desire to reveal their flaws to his brethren and Father. Jophiel, however, pointed out that he manipulated the people in Daleth to achieve his goals, leading them into his hands. She questioned his motives and his perception of humanity.

As their conversation grew tense, Jophiel decided to leave, expressing her belief that not all humans were unpleasant beings. She left Lucifer to finish his dinner alone, her words hanging in the air.

Meanwhile, in Hell, Beelzebub and Satan were locked in a fierce battle, regretting their failed plan to curse Michael. Asmodeous intervened, urging them to stop and accept the consequences of their actions, for what was done could not be undone. 

Asmodeus, observing the chaos between Beelzebub and Satan, knew that finding Lucifer was their top priority.

"If you hadn't been stupid enough to shoot Michael with a halfway, the plan wouldn't have gone awry," Satan pointed an accusatory finger at Beelzebub.

Beelzebub, however, found amusement in the situation and burst into laughter. "You insect! Instead of using void, why didn't you use the invisible chains? Only demons can see them, not angels. You knew that!"

Satan's fury intensified, and his wrathful aura engulfed Hell. Belphegor swiftly intervened, trapping Satan within a small mystic chamber to help him regain his composure.

"Easy, hot-headed," Belphegor advised, his voice calm and soothing. "Problems are not solved by getting angry unless you have another set of plans."

After a brief moment inside the chamber, Satan emerged, his anger somewhat quelled. Beelzebub, still focused on their mission, reminded everyone of their primary goal.

"We have to find Lucifer," he stated, refocusing their attention on the urgent task at hand.

The arch demons, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Leviathan, Satan, Mammon, and Belphegor, gathered to discuss their plan for finding Lucifer.

"But how?" Asmodeus inquired, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Beelzebub, taking charge of the situation, explained, "We will split into two groups. Me, Asmodeus and Leviathan will go to Bethlehem, while Satan, Mammon, and Belphegor will head to Netherus."

Leviathan sought clarification, "So we will find Lucifer in these human forms of ours?"

Beelzebub shook his head. "No, we will disguise ourselves as humans. We'll blend in with the earthly population while searching for Lucifer."

Belphegor chimed in, "It's a great idea. I haven't taken a vacation on Earth for hundreds of years."

Mammon, who had an affinity for earthly pleasures, eagerly agreed, "I'll join you there."

Satan, ever the pragmatic one, addressed the group. "Then let's carry out this plan smoothly."

With their mission clear and their roles assigned, the arch demons descended into Hell and embarked on their respective journeys to find Lucifer.

Lucifer found himself lying on the stairs of Mr. Ennemond's shop, battered and bruised from the previous night's encounter with three aggressive men. He groaned as he slowly got up, every movement causing him pain. The sun began to rise, casting a gentle glow over the surroundings.

"Lucifer..."

"Lucifer..."

"Lucifer..." A soft voice called his name, and he felt someone approaching. He turned his head to see Jophiel standing over him, concern in her eyes.

"Oh, Father," Lucifer muttered, his voice filled with exhaustion. He let out a weary exhale, feeling like he could finally find some peace.

But Jophiel wasn't having it. "Hey!" she exclaimed, her worry overtaking her surprise at his condition. "What happened to you?"

Lucifer slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing as the pain from his injuries throbbed through his body. He rubbed his temples as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.

"Yeah, sort of," he replied to Jophiel's question, his voice still laced with fatigue.

He looked around, realizing that he was inside the shop now. Confusion swept over him as he tried to piece together what had happened.

"Why am I inside your shop?" Lucifer asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Did you just pick me up on the stairs and bring me inside?" Lucifer inquired, his tone a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

Jophiel responded, using a playful voice, "Precisely, sire! It's embarrassing for your devilish highness to sleep outside. And since you're awake, I will get some cups of coffee to boost your demonic levels, to 'conquer-the-earthy' successfully!"

As Jophiel handed him a cup of coffee, Lucifer couldn't help but express his satisfaction with the brew. "Mm! I haven't tasted a coffee like this ever since."

Jophiel received his gratitude with a smile but then toned down her playful demeanor upon his request to stop talking like a dying man.

Meanwhile, Ennemond arrived in the shop, greeting Jophiel and Lucifer warmly. Lucifer, ever the jester, couldn't resist poking fun at Ennemond's age.

"Well, if it isn't the demi-lord... Ah, Demon Lord, my bad," Lucifer quipped. "How are you doing, old man?"

Ennemond chuckled and acknowledged his rough night, mentioning that Lucifer seemed like a homeless fellow since their encounter in the ocean. He noted Lucifer's loneliness, to which Lucifer replied with a touch of defensiveness, "It seems you don't need your sympathetic words."

Their banter continued, forming a peculiar bond between the enigmatic Demon Lord and the earthly shop owner. 

Ennemond nodded in understanding. "I understand you, fella. You've been through a lot these days," he said, offering his help.

Lucifer, still carrying an air of reluctance, responded, "You don't know me."

Ennemond persisted, "Yes, that's true, but I can help you if you want to."

As the conversation unfolded, Jophiel attempted to lift a large vase onto a high shelf but struggled. She called for Ennemond's assistance, but as she climbed the ladder to reach the vase, a mishap occurred. Jophiel slipped, and Lucifer, with impressive reflexes, caught her just in time, preventing her from falling to the floor.

"Gladly, I saved you in the right moment," Lucifer remarked with a smile.

"Thank you," Jophiel replied, grateful for his quick actions. They shared a brief, meaningful look, but their moment was disrupted as the vase fell and shattered on the floor behind them, surprising them both.

The shattering of the vase startled them, breaking the brief connection they had shared. Ennemond rushed over to help clean up the mess while Lucifer and Jophiel exchanged awkward glances.

"Oops, that didn't go as planned," Jophiel said, breaking the silence with a nervous laugh.

Lucifer, still holding onto Jophiel, gently set her back on her feet. "It seems I'm not bringing much luck today," he mused, looking at the broken pieces of the vase.

Ennemond joined them, kneeling down to help collect the shards. "No harm done. It was just a vase," he said with a reassuring smile.

Jophiel nodded, trying to regain her composure. "Thanks, both of you."

Lucifer chuckled, "Well, it's not every day an archangel nearly lands on your head."

As they cleaned up the mess, a sense of camaraderie seemed to grow among them, born out of an unexpected and somewhat comical mishap.

Ennemond reached out and gently wiped away Jophiel's tears with a warm smile. "No need to repay me, my dear," he said softly. "Your safety and well-being mean more to me than any vase. But if you really want to change the vase you've broke, then promise me you'll come back safely from your little adventure."