1.27.

"Sequencee!"

"Sequencee, are you okay?!"

Ro and Lilian who were waiting at the dining hall called out to him the moment he arrived.

"I'm fine."

"That's a relief.. geez, don't scare me like that.." Ro sighed.

"Sequencee, who exactly is that elf?" Lilian asked with a shaky voice.

"Yeah. She came 'carrying' you in her arms. You were injured or something, is your body alright? What happened exactly?

"Where is she now anyways?"

'Thank you Schwii.'

Schwii purposely delayed her arrival so that Sequencee could have a word with Ro and Lilian to better clear up the misunderstanding without having to hide anything. If Schwii was around, there was no doubt these two would hold back.

"What?! So they didn't even pay you a single G?!" Ro shouted.

"Keep your voice down," Sequencee warned.

"Aren't you mad?! They even kicked you into a ditch!"

"What's gone is gone. Not like I can so anything about it anyways," Sequencee clicked his tongue.

"Damn it. What kind of world even is this? So damn unfair, hey. What are we going to do about Leticia now?"

"Um.. can I ask my question now?" Lilian timidly raised her hand.

"Yeah, whoops. Sorry I got.. carried away," Ro lowered his head.

"Who is that girl?" Lilian asked again.

"Schwii. She's.. an acquaintance of mine."

'I don't know if saying that she's my fiance here would be a good idea. The two of them still don't know that I'm a demon lord.'

"I see.."

"Is the deed done?"

Schwii's alluring voice echoed. Her rosy skin and sweet fragrant hair caught the attention of everyone in the hall. Today she was wearing a normal blouse and pleated skirt which didn't diminish her charm in the slightest.

'As expected of a succubus queen.'

Even Sequencee had a hard time trying to keep himself in check.

Ro and Lilian flinched. Schwii walked up to them and stood beside Sequencee with an indifferent expression.

"She's an acquaintance of mine so you two don't need to be so worked up. She was just panicking yesterday so.." Sequence drawled.

"I haven't given a formal introduction to the two of you. My name is Schwii, a long time friend of his. I just happened to be passing by when I found him in that perilous situation."

"Oh.. okay," Lilian gulped.

"Yeah.." Ro struggled to find the words.

"I apologize for yesterday alright? Come on, let's eat," Schwii sat down and waved to one of the waiters.

The stares of the people on Sequencee could burrow a hole in him.

Ro and Lilian' food arrived first as they had ordered earlier. Sequencee waited for Schwii to arrive before ordering his own.

'It's been a while since I felt like this.'

Knowing that Schwii, who was also a high demon like himself, made him feel less alone. A fuzzy familiarity he couldn't really put into words.

Schwii ordered something quite lavish, a whole breakfast set brimming with sausages, eggs and toast that would've normally been enough to feed 2.

"You may have some of this. It's a shared plate," Schwii portioned her amount so that she would only have to eat little to fill her small stomach.

"A-Are you sure?" Ro's voice trembled.

"Yes. It's on me. You too Lilian."

As someone who was psychologically weighed down by the issue of money, Schwii knew that Ro and Lilian had ordered the cheaper items on the menu.

"Thank you.."

"Sequencee, if you don't mind, I'll be paying for everyone here," Schwii said.

"Alright?"

'I guess she's trying to mend her relationship with the two of them.'

The breakfast proceeded in an awkward silence where only the sounds of utensils could be heard. The surrounding customers who would usually be squawking around were talking in whispers.

'Is there no way to make her stand out less?'

"Sequencee, can I clarify once more what your goals are? Please put mine aside for now, I need to hear your's."

"Sequencee's goal? If I'm not wrong he said he wants to become the hero's companion," Ro said.

"Why would that be his goal?"

"Ask Seqeuncee, not me. I heard it from someone else," Ro's voice tensed.

"Fine, I'll be honest here.."

'I trust you Schwii.'

"Three years ago–"

– His wish to avenge his late mother by killing The Sovereign.

To do that he needed the help of the hero. Not only that, but once The Sovereign and demon lords were killed down to the last, the next step should be to cull every last high demon on the continent.

"Sequencee you.." Ro was amazed.

Lilian eyes were peeled.

But Schwii..

"Follow me."

Schwii grabbed his arm and dragged him outside. She pulled him deep into a quiet alley where no one would come and disturb them.

"Do you have any idea what you just said? Kill all high demons? You should be aware that you're a high demon yourself right?!" Schwii's voice trembled.

"Once I kill everyone, I'll just kill myself–"

Slap.

The force behind it cause Sequencee's head to turn.

He turned towards Schwii with an indifferent expression. Tears spilled from her eyes as she desperately held in the swirling emotions in her heart.

"Kill yourself? You have such audacity to say something like this in front of your fiance?!"

'Please Sequencee.. don't let it be like this..'

"Hey," the emptiness in his voice sent a chill up her spine. "I wanted to kill you too."

"!!!"

The hopes she had to persuade Sequencee to her side crumbled in an instant. The hate he had because of the demons didn't only extend to the faction which killed his mother, but the entire demon race as a whole.

She should've come earlier. She should've taken him in her arms. She should've comforted him when he needed it the most.

Six years– in a mere six years the person she professed her love to had become like this. Only because she made one stupid mistake, only because she wasn't strong enough to make him a priority.

She took a step forward and pressed her head against his chest.

'He doesn't know, can't know... not yet. If I tell him the truth now he'll surely...'

Her mission to save her mother had stumbled upon a roadblock. To think that the biggest hurdle she needed to here was neither the management of the Leviath demon nation nor the politics as the proxy.

"Schwii."

"I'm sorry.."

From the depth of her heart, she regretted it. She could've stopped it from happening– she was just too naive back then.

Tears spilled from her eyes.

For reasons that Sequencee would remain unaware to–

"I should've come.. I should've been by your side.."

"It's alright, I'm saying that my goal is that but it may change depending on how the situation flows. I'm not even certain if it's possible to achieve what it is I set out to do."

'After all, it's just some made up reason to keep myself on my feet.'

Without purpose, people perish. In the despair of his mother's death, he needed something to hold onto, a reason not to end his life–

And there he found it: vengeance.

"Ho, ho. What do we have here?"

'Hm? Spatial magic didn't react?'

All of a sudden, the two were surrounded by a group of around ten assailants. All of them were wearing dark clothes, their faces in shadow.

"What a nice reunion. Don't you think it's about time you let go now? We're here for the girl."

'Not again.. wait. This is a chance to eat, isn't it?'

"Schwii, did you come here for this?" Sequencee whispered.

"You dolt, I didn't," she wiped the tears from her eyes and hit his chest lightly as if the assailant didn't even exist.

'Then why did she choose to bring me to such a dangerous place.. just to slap me?'

"Number 2 to 10. Don't lower your guard, these two aren't your everyday products."

The way they spoke reminded Sequencee of one of the adventures he had with his mother.

'I think this that choose your slave service where some big fat guy rings up the black market to turn a girl of his choice into a minion.'

[Illusion Magic: Universal Haze]

'I don't know what kind of system skills they have but let's assume they're as strong as the mage..'

"Sequencee–"

Schwii sealed his lips.

'Schwii?! What are you.. ?!'

She inserted her tongue into his mouth and forcefully had him swallow her saliva.

Plop–

In an instant, the ten assailants fell to the ground.

'What is going on.. ugh.. what is this.. I'm melting.. no, stop–'

Their kiss continued for a while. A few beats later, Schwii pulled away, creating a silver strand between their lips.

"There," Schwii pouted with flushed cheeks.

"..."

She gave him a pinch.

"W-What?" He glared at her.

She heaved a sigh.

"Your system requires souls, right?"

"Yeah?"

"They're having a sweet dream now. Kill them somewhere less obvious."

"..."

"Were you thinking of protecting me? Sorry, I made a move first, I was afraid they would do something if I didn't take them by surprise."

What Schwii did was release her pheromones to knock out the people in her surroundings. Normally it was the kind of pheromones that would charm people, but she controlled it this time to give them 'pleasant' dreams. The only reason why she kissed Sequencee was to prevent those pheromones from affecting him.

Squencee silently obeyed her words, once again realizing the discrepancy between their abilities.

Killing the ten assailants silently with minimal bloodshed, they kicked their bodies into the ditch.

{SOULS AVAILABLE: 16.8}

'Still not enough it seems.'

Till today, Sequencee couldn't understand why some people's souls only contribute to less than a full point. Perhaps they've used their lifeforce in some manner in the past and in turn, chipped away part of their soul? Or perhaps there were other factors involved? He didn't know.

"Sequencee, cherish yourself more."

"I don't really know how to reply to that."

"Not all high demons are evil. I'll make sure to drum into you the truth.. you've never gone to the demon nations have you now?"

"I don't think I have."

The two left the alley with some tension still lingering between them.

Returning to the inn, Ro and Lilian eyed Sequencee in suspicion.

"What?"

"Your face."

"What happened?"

'My face.. right. I forgot I got slapped by her.'

WIth a sigh, Sequencee touched the still-burning cheeks and applied some simple healing magic. The red mark disappeared at once.

"Now that we're clear, what do you plan on doing next, Sequence?" Schwii asked as if disinterested.

"Don't you have your plans?" Sequencee didn't know if she implied that she was going to support his goal or that she wanted him to do something else.

"My plan is simply to follow you, wherever that may be. I've given myself one year."

"Um, question?" Lilian raised her hand.

"What is it?"

"Are you two in a relationship?"

"Yes," Schwii confirmed without hesitation.

Ro had a funky face, Lilian looked genuinely surprised.

Ro wanted to ask about Leticia but seeing as how Schwii was being the dominant one here, he dared not to. Seqeuncee's relationship with women was complicated it seems.

Whatever it was, Sequencee needed to decide on his next move. What will he do now that his chances to enter Riestallia Academy have become void?