What? You Have to Be Kidding Me

Lila's POV

"Celeste, are you out of your mind? There's no way that the Demon Prince would save me. I mean, his primary goal was to eradicate my pathetic existence, wasn't it?" I questioned, in bewilderment.

"Um.... Oops!" her highness smirked, flashing her annoying grin at me - torturing me to death. My mind was agitated, constantly swirling around my head as my thoughts manipulated my mind. Did Celeste know something that I didn't? 

"Celeste, be honest with me," I grumbled, folding my arms with a huff. "If there's anything you know that concerns me and I'm not aware of it yet, you'd better spill the beans."

"Bye!" With that, Celeste darted to the palace in a graceful manner. Her steps seemed to barely touch the ground as she floated forward. However, just before disappearing into the palace, she turned back and grinned: "il vous aime!"

Anger powered through my veins like a tidal wave. Why can't anyone talk proper English? Everyone in this palace is making me feel insignificant, making me cowering at the sight of anyone. Why is my kind even being treated like this?

"Do you want to go to the library? You will undoubtedly discover more answers," my inner-voice soothed me, sending calm waves vibrating in my body.

"But didn't I already went to the library before?" I inquired to my inner-voice.

"Go there again," it advised me with a smirk etching across its face.

Wait, does the inner-voice even have a face?

Cursing my foolish brain, I stormed off towards the library once more, determined to discover answers about why my kind was being despised so much and the reason why Lucian was displaying lenience and tolerance towards the creature filled with an astounding amount of inelegance - which is me. Rumours about him were as terrifying as hell and they could make you shiver, even in the warmest of temperatures. He was known to be ruthless, not even sparing a glance of mercy for the weak. Clearly, I was categorised in the 'weak' section so why was I treated differently? Or was Lucian known to deceive his maids, enticing them with false lies so that he could suck out their souls later?

Shuddering despite myself, I quietly entered the massive, extravagant library. The shelves were towering over me, as if implying the fact that the rusty old books were more admirable than me which could be true. The supernatural never cared for us mortals, which is why we need to stick together. Anyways, I decided to skim through the book covers on Supernaturals, hoping to discover more information about that enigmatic figure that's too powerful to exist. (no joke)

Finally, after hours of endless and torturous flicking through titles, I came across a book called "The Demon Prince - The Conqueror of Darkness's Powers Explained." 

"Aha!" I snorted triumphantly - my mind tarnished by my victorious thoughts. First, I used my 'awesomeness' to slink away from Lucian's malevolent hands and the good-for-nothing chamber. Second, to my amazement, no guard had decided I was to be devoured today - maybe thanks to Celeste. Third, I finally possess a item for blackmail usage. Against who? I have no clue, perhaps one of those wretched guards who keeps eyeing me suspiciously like a hawk scanning its prey. They have been making me shiver for days and was the one of the sole reason why I was getting plagued by nightmares. What can I blackmail them with? No idea - hopefully something in the book can prove to be beneficial. Otherwise, count this as my first rule-breaking incident to annoy Lucian. What rule am I breaking? No clue.

Anyways, deep in my mind, I knew that being his slave was not a laughable matter. It included many challenges and dangers that were lurking in the shadows at every corner. This required me to retrieve as much knowledge as I can on his abilities, his skills and more. Otherwise, I was probably going to encounter him and then get murdered as if I was a mouse. 

"Ok," I muttered as I prepared myself to face the reality of the world.

After dedicating a full two hours (Yes, I read very slowly) to examine over the hefty volume, I obtained several key insights:

1. The Demon Prince's origin is unknown and citizens believe his father was Lucifer/Satan.

2. The Demon Prince possesses powers of Telepathy, Teleportation, Mind Control, Blood-Bending, Soul Control, Necromancy, Umbrakinesis, Elemental Control, Regeneration, Telekinesis, Reality Warping, Absolute Invulnerability, Time-Manipulation, Omni-Linguistic, Eternal Youth and more. 

(BTW: My mind is hurting from all the powers. Like dude, who made you?)

3. The Demon Prince's mastery of swordsmanship is legendary, with a astounding record of 6794 opponents defeated in five minutes. His movements can be compared to the swiftness of the wind, effortlessly weaving through his opponents with unparalleled speed and precision. 

(BTW: I totally did not copy this word for word from the biography of Lucian)

4. The Demon Prince displays remarkable skill in archery, with his arrows consistently finding their mark on the bullseye with unnatural precision.

(BTW: Like how can you do that?)

5. The Demon Prince is known worldwide for his ruthless, merciless, cold-blooded, pitiless.

(BTW: Seriously? I hit him in a pillow and he smiled)

Disappointed by the lack of useful blackmail information in the novel after dedicating two hours to its study, I found myself growing increasingly bored. While I gained some insight into Lucian's character and unnerving character, I failed to discover any potential blackmail material. After helplessly staring at the table for a full five minutes, I decided to give this blackmail thing one last try. Determined to find more useful resources, I became insistent to browse through additional books.

Just when I decided to lose hope, I uncovered a book with rough edges which was covered with dust. This surprised me greatly considering that all the other books in the library were pristine, their pages untouched and their covers gleaming.

"Hmm," I wondered to myself, "Perhaps this book can provide blackmail usage."

In case you're wondering why I'm so fixated on finding blackmail material, it's because I've reached my limit with how everyone treats me like I'm worthless around here. As a result, I need at least something to silence the supernaturals. Earning a tinge of respect would add to my list of successes I made during the castle which will influence my mood greatly.

The letters etched into the spine of the book sent a shiver down my spine. They twisted and contorted in a sinister style, producing an ominous aura over the antique tome. The shadows it cast seemed to writhe and coil like monstrous tentacles, increasing its eerie display. With trembling fingers, I reached out to touch the rough surface of the spine, feeling a wave of apprehension wash over me.

"Should I do this?" I whispered myself, hesitating to touch the spine that could make me tremble by just seeing it.

After whispering lines of confirmation (I can do this. It's just a book and it won't do ANY harm), I gazed at the title of the book.

Mates: The Most Ancient Way of Marriage

After delving into the contents of the book, I uncovered valuable information regarding mates. Essentially, a mate is akin to a soulmate, forming a profound connection with their counterpart. They possess the ability to sense each other's emotions, experiencing joy or sorrow in tandem. Just being in their presence has a soothing effect, capable of calming even the most violent emotions. Mates are renowned for their ability to tame even the most ferocious creatures, producing a calming influence over them. It's believed that every supernatural being is destined to have a mate, forging an unbreakable bond with them. 

(BTW: I think I have the ability to remember whatever I see cause I totally did not copy the book)

My jaw plummeted as I absorbed the information: the Demon Prince had a mate. Instantly, a cunning scheme began to launch in my mind. If I could uncover the identity of his mate, I could use that knowledge against him. With this knowledge, I could finally break free from his menacing claws. (Not that he has claws)

Now, where to find his mate? For over twenty minutes, I racked my brain, desperate to uncover the identity of the only person who could soothe the tempest in his soul.

Shortly thereafter, a guard nervously entered the library, his hands visibly shaking. It was an extraordinary sight, for demons rarely displayed fear in the presence of a mere mundane like myself.

"F-F-F-Forgive the interruption, m-m-madame," he stammered, his voice trembling with apprehension like a mouse cowering in the presence of a fire-breathing dragon. "M-M-My L-L-Lord requests your presence in the dining room in ten minutes."

The guard's palpable unease puzzled me. Why would he, a member of the palace guard, be so fearful of me? It was a question that demanded further thought.

"Ah well," I wondered with burning curiosity, "Looks like I have to interrogate the Demon Prince myself."

Wait one second? How do I get to the dining room? Every step felt as though I were walking into the teeth of a waiting predator, with guards lurking like hungry wolves which were ready to pounce on the prey(me!). To add to my confusion, the palace's maze-like layout left me feeling perplexed, as every hallway seemed the same from the last.

"Hey mortal servant," a guard cried, "Hurry up and do your job!"

Head down, I stared at the floor, hoping that one day my life would become as simple as a breeze, without all those danger lurking around every corner. I hope that I would learn how to survive in the world full of monstrous creatures.

"Well, no time to feel pity for myself," I guess, my words laced with gloom, "Time to eat dinner with the Demon Prince and hope that I will survive the encounter!"

However, on the bright side..... I possess blackmail material!