Prologue

Deep in Hell, the place where the ruler lived had long been recently remodeled, with one room being used the most in particular. In the lavishly embellished large room, Paimon stood aside in a butler-like position next to the demon who was seemingly deep in thought. Then again the sitting demon might just be trying to ignore the piles of paperwork scattered across the desk.

As his right-hand man, Paimon should try to organize the information to help the king but his mind was in a thought bubble too, bringing down his efficiency. Paimon tried to not think about it but after so many millenniums having passed with no clue, his curiosity about something hadn't waned. This was something he assumed would keep being in the back of his mind if he didn't get an answer so he looked towards the ruler decidedly. Despite his own precautions he chose to push his chances and ask.

"Why do you always send Azel to earth for the armistice? Though to his credit, he does fulfill what is expected, despite his unreliable personality. "

Paimon questioned staring intently at the Demon sitting on his throne. He felt that while it was fine for Azel to go given his status in Hell, there should be a deeper meaning since the bronzed demon never did things that would not benefit him in the long run. He had also been extremely curious about why the Demon would choose Azel to go from the beginning. Not to be rude to his Majesty's son but Azel hadn't been the most rational demon a couple of millenniums ago. There had been other highly ranked demons that could have perfectly done the job even if they weren't the representative of the whole demon race.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't, besides it has all turned out well. Now for the last time, it really is just helpful for him to keep being sent, he rarely gets to see Micheal and it is because of my past actions. Don't you feel pity for him? Only getting to see him once every thousand years, if the treaty were to become nullified then even that would not be possible."

Hell's ruler looked to Paimon with raised eyebrows as if to say that he was only speaking the truth.

"If you truly think so, why are you grinning?"

Paimon could not understand the dynamic between this father and his "son", nor would he prefer to. He learned to just follow his given orders. The decision to remain neutral between the two has always remained a foregone conclusion for his own well-being. He wouldn't be able to interfere in their actions anyway, nor had he ever really thought to. He just wished they could stop placing him in the middle of it.

Besides if the grinning demon truly wanted to help his son he wouldn't have messed with his birth in the first place. Though Paimon knew he must have had his reasons that he was not qualified to know.

"My son believes to have become a keen observer on Micheal's thoughts, but he needs to find out on his own how things are being seen through. After all, he's not the only one with some IQ in his brain."

Paimon wanted to point out that him saying that while seated on a throne, instead of an office chair in front of the computer didn't exactly make him seem any better. Or wiser. As humans would say, the pot calling the kettle black.

Despite the Demons' view of humans, Hell's ruler had taken a liking to earth's modernization, implementing it into their lifestyle. Though some things just never really change.

Demons still held to the hierarchy, and Angels were still seen as trophies. The only thing that can be said to have changed was how they held their deals with the humans. Summoning from earth has no longer happened as often and the only planet that kept up was Tekhne, the planet of magic. Though Demons had never really considered humans the main source of their food, so it didn't change their lifestyle much. Besides, Demons didn't like going to the 'restricted planets' much due to how their powers were affected.

Paimon's mind wandered back to what Azel would most likely be currently doing. Most likely he was currently sleeping in to get any of the sleep time he can get before Micheal meets him. After all, the earth had always felt the stuffiest to demons though they did their best to not let it show as a weakness. They certainly wouldn't want to give the Angels any free game to hunt as some demons still appeared on earth and other planets occasionally.

Paimon thought back to Azel, now on earth, he knew regardless of what Azel thought of going there for the treaty, he would be pacified once he saw Micheal. The pale demon could already imagine Azel's delight. Given that Paimon knew that Micheal had already accepted going there early to meet up to keep tabs on each other. Or so that's the excuse Azel seemed to have given the Archangel, and Micheal had actually agreed, which was very bizarre considering how the two races treated each other. Paimon felt he would have to ask Azel how the trip went after he returned from the earth. After all, though he didn't like trouble, he liked to hear harmless gossip.

Thinking deeper it can't be the most friendly of meet-ups, Paimon thought back to the tension between the two races. Usually, when Angels met Demons they tended to go for the kill as did Demons. Their more than rough treatment towards each other is thus labeled to be mutual. The only two who wouldn't fight once they met were Azel and Micheal but considering they were both sides' representing leaders it seemed only reasonable. Additionally, the two would only see each other once, in a thousand years, so there weren't many chances for a fight to occur anyhow. That was a good thing Paimon concluded. If the two were to fight, which could only happen on earth, then he supposed, there would no longer be planet earth.

That would be a whole other type of disaster, the first being the discontinued collection of earth's butterflies. Paimon wondered how many lesser demons would want to kill Azel if that were to ever happen, even if chances were small. As his close friend, he decided he would let him off with being given a higher-ranked bird's core or a few of their memories in exchange. Now that he thought deeper Paimon felt it was a bit of a pity their chances of fighting were so low. Thinking back to the main topic, Paimon looked to the black-haired demon with a pleasing smile.

"As long as I have no idea what is going on between Micheal and Azel, I'll be fine, so I would like you to keep most intricate details on Micheal's side to yourself. Azel will find out from me one way or another if you say anything more than necessary."

"Alright, I just thought given your taste in entertainment you would have liked to know more about him."

Paimon could feel a bit of a headache, he wanted to go to see his other newly acquired treasured collection, recently a Glaucopysche Lygdamus Palosverdesensis had been added. Well, when he didn't have time to collect birds' wings, he joined in the trend of collecting butterflies. Reminiscent of their beautiful patterns, a pair of his many wings fluttered a bit.

The demon on the throne felt the wind pass him and a document fell.

"I never knew you still liked to use your wings as a fan, would you like me to permanently stop the action for a while?"

Paimon sluggishly brought his wings back into his body.

"You're too kind but I would prefer to not go through the hassle of regrowing them."

Thinking back on the last time something similar happened, Paimon completely hid his wings.

It also hadn't been easy to gain a pair back again. He had to give up a more special piece of collection for Azel to help protect him for a while as his powers had lowered. Paimon winced, it had been such a pretty restraining collar for live birds.

Hell's ruler looked straight into Paimon's eyes, with a bit of warning and continued the topic.

"Azel will be finding out soon one way or another, before leaving he asked to borrow something because he wanted to give his all to acquire his obsession this time. Seems he finely couldn't stand waiting for more time to pass. Maybe he grew tired of it? Though us demons tend to change our obsessions after gaining them so it's only given he achieves it at some point. He has waited for five thousand years so maybe for him, it's enough time. He's still so young so I hope he doesn't die in the chase. He is my only 'son' after all."

"We all know that the treatment of his death would be the same no matter how caring the words you say now are. Though yes, as his closest friend I do hope to see him victorious in bringing down an Archangel. It would be his biggest accomplishment yet from his previous time."

Paimon knew that Azel would be fine despite his now lazy demeanor making him appear more harmless than in the past. Thinking of it Paimon felt his back itch from his wings wanting to shiver. Azel hadn't been the most in tune with his compassionate feelings to put it lightly when he was younger. Luckily the human saying is true that most things can change with time, as demons seemed to be included in these things that can change.

Paimon thought back to the past a little, Azel had been born in war. He was made for it specifically so maybe it's only natural that brutality came easily to him as it had back then. Shaking his head Paimon thought of the current Azel, they were so far apart in character that if he hadn't seen the changes personally. he wouldn't believe they were the same demon. Looking at the Demons' ruler on the throne he wondered how he had felt when he brought Azel to life, it had been a big deal for the Angels' side as it had been most unexpected. That's only natural, Azel had been supposed to be birthed as an Angel of War, yet the Angels' plan was ruined by the one in front of him.

So, Paimon thought, Azel went to earth this time to somehow gain Micheal. Wondering in thought Paimon hoped Azel wouldn't do something he would regret. Though, he also wished he wouldn't die as a more caring after thought.