||Dulce Periculum||

Flawless ivory skin, red lips, and neat silver braids framing her responsible face. Head held high, hands clasped and stature of a royal servant, and steely silver eyes coldly glaring at him, brimming with silent contempt and an undeniably shapely body that couldn't be hidden by her blue and white French maid uniform.

This maid was definitely a lady he would be delighted to know better.

Stunning, mature, and beautiful. Even these words did little justice for her. A stoic look worn on that mean pretty face of hers, but it was easy to tell she was downright pissed. A fact made obvious by the thin coat of blue demonic energy lining her fine curves. Nonetheless, she was a fine woman, and would make a fine addition to his new list of 'those who loves him that are not cult members of a satanic rite'.

"Who are you?" she demanded in an expectedly callous, icy tone. It would've sent shivers had he been anyone with lesser confidence. "Dare you lay a hand on the Young Lady?"

He should be uncomfortable. That was an insult no matter how he looked at it. She was transparently unhappy with how the naked Young Lady was still in his arms, sobbing, naked, crimson hair a beautiful mess, with her breasts exposed, naked, still glinted by sweat; a hint of their previous thrilling activity, but Lucifer was instead enamored by her voice.

So cold. Loveless, vindictive. Horribly lacked compassion that either indicated she had a dark and troubled past, or she was simply a psychopath. And yet, developed and fully ripen. Now... if he could get her to whisper in his ears, or yell loudly as she lied on top of him, preferably naked, that would be wonderful.

"How do you do?" he greeted in a good-humored fashion. Gazing straight to her eyes and wearing his very same smile that reached his eyes whenever he met a lovely lady. "I'm Lucifer. Just Lucifer."

Similarly to Rias' reaction of his name reveal, Grayfia narrowed her eyes cynically, promising hurt.

His lips tightened as he hummed in wonder.

"Maybe I should consider adding a last name. Everyone seems offended by my lack of one. I considered Lucifer Morningstar but that seems… rather repetitive. That's basically Morning Star Morningstar…" Both women gave him an odd look, though the maid was subtler and meaner. It was like she wanted to kill him or something. "No? What about Pellegrino? 'Lucifer Pellegrino'... That sounds oddly Italian. Do I look remotely Italian to you?"

"Do not try humor me, whelp." the maid warned, "Don't avoid the question, and perhaps I may consider killing you swift."

"Madam please!" Lucifer winced jokily with a tiny smile. "Never have I imagined a maid could be so intimidating! And yet so picturesque..." his smile grew slightly wider. "Would you mind telling me your name? I did tell you mine, so you owe me."

"I owe you nothing. You owe me an explanation." It appeared his charm didn't work yet, since the maid instead increased the intensity of her unholy power. "I suggest you to carefully consider that name and start your explanation before I turn you to cinder."

Scary. "Yikes." Who on Hell raised these devils to be so violent over a name?

"Grayfia...?" A still sobbing and soundly sniveling Rias joined in, peeking with an eye while her head lied on his chest. "...It's... it's not what you think it is..."

Meanwhile, Lucifer quirked an eyebrow in interest. "Grayfia hm? That's a nice name. Reminds me of that eagle-lion-thing. What's it called again? Gryf0- Griffin- Gryffindor?" No that wasn't quite right…

Sadly, no one bothered to correct him.

Grayfia calmed her demonic power down, but not yet the contempt towards our fun-loving gentleman. "Then please clarify, Young Lady. If you may."

Wiping her eyes, Rias finally get off her head off his chest as she covered herself with a blanket. Her eyes were swollen and red from all the tears.

After a moment to ease herself with Lucifer gently rubbing her back, a gesture she appreciated, Rias continued in a diffident voice as she timidly stared at the bruises above her left breast.

"It's not how you think it is..." She began, before pausing. "Well actually it is exactly as it is..."

Lucifer smiled smugly, fueling Grayfia's unholy rage that was quick to resurface.

"W-wait!" Rias hurriedly wrapped her arms around him, enticing his smirk to form as she pressed her breasts into his chest; a sensation of these springy pairs were always welcome at all times. "He's not just someone, I want to be with him! Is it wrong to give my chastity to the person I want to be with?"

The maid fell in silent consideration, and she again, recalled her intense force. However, she didn't erase her disdain at him as her steely eyes eyed him like a predator.

"While I have no right to whom you shall grant your chastity to, have you not considered a more appropriate person to bear such responsibility? And perhaps, mention him in advance to Lord Gremory and Lady Gremory?"

"Oooh~ sassy." Lucifer smirked playfully, and was ignored.

"Are you suggesting something, Grayfia? Are you saying he's inadequate?" the Gremory Heiress prompted as mild fury swept her previous nervousness. "I chose to be with him. It is my decision. Even if it's you, I won't take it lightly."

Lucifer could barely contain his smirk from spreading much more, as he knew that would irate the maid much, much more. That wouldn't do. He wanted to be closer to her, not make her hate his entire guts.

Closing her eyes, Grayfia then bowed politely. "I apologize, Young Lady." she said, stoic but contrite. "I shall make no further allusion of him."

"If you understand, then it's fine." Sighing, Rias eased herself down. She too was relieved that the tension between them didn't grow. As she glanced at Lucifer, who was making it obvious that he wanted to know more of the person standing, Rias sighed again. "...Lucifer, this is Grayfia. My handmaid and the head housemaid of the Gremory household. Grayfia, Lucifer. He's... a Devil."

"I see your cloud of mistrust hasn't completely dissipated yet, Princess." Lucifer teased, "Is it because I have no horns on my head?"

Grayfia eyed at him with severe distrust, running questions in her head regarding his name, but bowed courteously.

"Pleased to be your acquaintance."

'Professional.' a thought rang in his head. Already he was curious on how she would act when she wasn't a maid. "Pleasure's all mine. Are all headmaid as enchanting or is it just yours?"

"Grayfia, are you here on your own accord?" Not quite wanting to watch him flirt with another woman yet - even if Grayfia was not showing any response - Rias swiftly regained the conversation. "Is it my parents? Did they send you here? Or perhaps..." her expression changed a bit here. As if she rued her last guess the most. "...My brother...?"

"All of the above." the maid said. "The entire household is worried about you, Young Lady."

Rias frowned. "Well they definitely didn't make that obvious." snapping, she then sighed another sigh, this one much exasperated than the last. "What is it about now? My answer won't change no matter what they say or do."

"Lord Gremory and Lady Gremory would like to have a discussion with you." Grayfia replied, "I was not informed much, but I am fairly certain it is regarding your betrothal issue."

Funny. The way she worded her sentence gave him the impression that she wasn't as supportive of the idea of Rias' marriage either. It made Lucifer wonder what kind of Devil Riser Phenex was. From the information so far, he sounded like a despicable person.

"Is that so..." Rias frowned, massaging her temple. "I can't refuse either way if it's them... Not like they'll let me, considering they sent you." another sigh.

He could see the trouble had caused her many stresses in just a short amount of time.

Poor, poor girl. "Leaving me so soon?" Lucifer whined, tilting his head in a way that made him look like a small animal to Rias, just tugging on her guilty conscience as if abandoning him would make her a cruel, cruel woman.

Rias hesitated, blushing a bit, and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek as she squeezed his hand.

"I'll be back before morning." she hoped. But knowing how lengthy their talk would be, she restated, "...I'll try to."

"Just the cheek? What are you, a girl?"

Her blush deepened. "Y-you'll get more of it afterwards..." She squirmed. She was being toyed, but she liked it more than she liked to admit.

Of course, Grayfia was revolted by his act, but said nothing and showed no reaction whatsoever, dutiful to her place; once as Rias Gremory's nurse and caretaker and now the head maid of the Gremory House. At the moment, she had stopped seeing him as a man but more of a human-shaped air instead.

As the heiress crawled off her sweat-stained, damp, comfortable bed of hers, Rias shivered as her soles touched the cold tiles.

"You can go on ahead Grayfia." Rias headed to her dresser, taking out clothes and underwear that caught a certain pair of eyes to linger. "I-I'm taking a quick shower first. Let my parents know I'll be with them soon."

"As you wish, Young Lady." the handmaid bowed, and then to the man wearing only a boxer as she excused herself politely, disappearing in the same flash of crimson light.

Peeking after the light faded off the room, Lucifer then pranced off the bed and sauntered towards the sullen crimson beauty before she entered the bathroom.

Lucifer then quipped at her pair of underwear. "Lacy even when you're off to see your parents? My, my, quite the devil already eh?"

"I-i-it's the only ones available for my size." Rias admitted, embarrassed.

"Oh woe is you, whose body will turn heads miles away." His eyes widened, amused. "They are quite the impressive pair. But I digress. You look stressed, hon. Mind if I de-stress you a little bit?"

The vague offer quickly set her cheeks aflame and sent a noticeable jump to her pulse. "I can't make my parents wait any longer."

But Rias shook her head as she went inside the lavishly furnished bathroom, closing the door, only to have it halted by a bare foot.

"Two people cleaning your body will be twice faster than you doing it alone, don't you think?" That was when her resolve began to falter, and Lucifer capitalized on that as he had done many times. "And you know, Princess, we can argue here a lot more and stall your 'parental meeting', or we both can head in, and save us both the time, and some water." he smiled, cheekily.

"So? What do you say?"

Break

As expected, her bathroom was just as pleasant as her room — minus all those eccentric artifacts collection, and more minimalistic and modernly themed. Freshly-scented with a hint of citrus, furnished with a nice white vanities and cabinets, white tiled walls and floorings, a shower, and a bathtub separated with a foldable room divider.

Steam filled the room, covering the mirror in with haze as the water droplets trailed down her slick and wet body, gliding down her enviable breasts, fluctuating around her fine waist and the smooth plains of her stomach, rolling to her hips and thighs... how he wanted to tease her more. To feel her warmth and turn her into a hot mess once again.

The only thing held him back from doing so was the warm water showering her. And warm, as in, scalding hot.

"What's the matter, Lucifer?" Rias tittered with a coy smile, presently washing off the suds off the nook of her breasts, moving her hands slowly as to infuriate him more. "Aren't you going to help me?"

Her remark was met with a hushed chuckle from the man sitting inside the white bathtub, hands on the rims.

"Tease all you want, Princess." Lucifer sneered playfully, staring at her glistening body, and then at the purplish circles cladding her neck and tits. "Those hickeys aren't the last ones you'll have."

Rias gasped, and stared consciously at her love bites. Makeup will cover them easily, though, so it didn't cause her as much panic once she arrived on that conclusion.

"I can handle these just fine."

Not having the reaction he's expecting, Lucifer groaned quietly and got out of the bathtub. As the sudsy water dripped down the floor, Rias took a glance, marveling the shadows his muscles cast and his chiseled chest for a moment as he headed towards her. She also couldn't resist staring down there, and felt somewhat happy to notice to see it was saluting her still.

What a silly thing to be happy at; having some penis being erect because of her body, but here she was. Proven wrong again.

She half-expected him to come and do things to her, but instead, he extended an open palm, carefully to avoid any unnecessary spatters of the hot water, and said, "Can I have some of your shampoo please?"

Rias obliged, and Lucifer strolled to a mirror hung nearby the shower and the bathtub. As the shower had transparent glasses, Rias could see the young, witty young man began covering his head in foams, and used the shampoo to shape his hair to a pair of tusks.

And then he turned to her with a proud smile akin to a young boy. "Look. Will you admit that I am a devil now?"

Blankfaced, Rias continuously stared at him as he toyed around with his foam-covered brown hair. Him, the man who made her a woman.

"Do you reckon I'd look good with a mohawk— nope. Bad bad bad."

It was impossible not to laugh at his ridiculous borderline childish antics.

Stepping out of the shower, Rias strolled to him, leaving puddles in her trails. Pressing her breasts to his back, she slung her arms over to his chest and feel his muscles. As he was quite tall, Rias had to tiptoe to get her chin on his shoulder.

Lucifer held on to her arms. "Oooh~ Princess," Even with a bubble beard, his smile still had its charm. "Fancying another round? Those hickeys not enough for you, hmm?"

Her cheeks flushed a little. "No!" Rias giggled as she then looked at the steamy mirror. She was smiling, at him and herself. And he was too, but that smile was for her only.

"It's kinda crazy, isn't it?" she said, "…I think I might actually fall in love with you. You, someone I met just hours ago, without even knowing who you are or who you were."

The foams on his face began to fade as Lucifer played an expression of hurt. "Aw, are you having second thoughts on me? Oy vey, belladonna, must you hurt me this way?"

"I-I didn't mean it that way!" Rias exclaimed, panicked that she hurt his feelings despite knowing he was only joking. "It just… seems surreal... It's like I'm in a dream..." her cheeks reddened, "All in just a day? How often does that happen to anyone?"

"There's a first to everything and that's because you're special." Lucifer sniggered, turning around without warning that caused Rias to yelp. Smooth like his words, his hand made its way to her waist as the other caressed her chin, slowly grazing her glossy lips. "And between you and me, this is also my first time getting the heart after the body."

"...Wh-what do you mean?" Rias flushed, and averted her eyes onto his muscled chest and his abs, and lower. He was so unashamed. She felt like a little girl to him.

"Well usually... speaking from past lives, I have to gain one's approval first... before bedding them." His left hand moved along with his eyes; moving from her lips, her neck that was polished with water, outlining the curve of her breast, before stopping on the pink ring surrounding her nub. "Which make yours a peculiar case."

He pinched her nipple, eliciting a nice yelp.

Starting to get lost in the heat of the moment, Rias swallowed as she stared his eyes. "Is it... is it bad...?"

His grin widened. "Of course not. It's the good kind of peculiar. Like avocado dipped in chocolate, or bourbon with pickle juice. You'd think it's weird, but they're actually taste quite nice."

Both idioms were strangers to her ears, and Rias couldn't resist but ask. "Bourbon and pickle juice?"

"Mhmm!" Lucifer's dark eyes lit up as his smile reached them. "Or if you like a stronger taste, vodka. Whiskey works as well, actually. It really comes down to what kind of drinks you prefer to be fair, not everyone has the same taste."

Rias blinked, actually amazed by his knowledge regarding liquors. Although, perhaps she should've expected that one coming. "You seem to know plenty about beverages."

"Women and bars; the two I've loved to tend." Lucifer winked, flashing his pearly whites. A flirt coupled with humor. "Used to, at least. It was a fun job. Thoroughly enjoyed the part where women and men hit on me." Or his vessel. Whatever they want to call the body that contained his soul without him realizing he was Lucifer.

"Really?" Rias said, fascinated, thinking that he worked as a bartender some time in the past. "Then what do you currently do? I mean... do you make 'deals' with anyone that wants to?"

Lucifer took a while, reasking himself that question. "You know what? That's a good question." he admitted that was something to consider. "Aaand no. I offer the deal, they take it. I don't force them to make one. I like a win-win scenario, you see."

That was a bit hurtful. Though she did it for her freedom, she did pawn her virginity as if something of value. It should be invaluable, she thought. But it was much better than losing it to that spineless Phenex. That would be the same as throwing it to the ground, stomp it, and then throw dirt on it.

"Well... at least you're honest..." Rias muttered, a bit dejected. It didn't change the fact that she was growing fond to him. Maybe because her Gremory instinct was kicking in despite he wasn't exactly her servant. Besides, they were both devils. If any, she should set his slyness as an example.

"Oh, don't be so glum, Princess." He hummed, running his knuckles along her cheek, a thumb caressing her lips. "You're not a human - you're a Devil!" Lucifer said cheerfully, and then lowering his tone to the same one that sent shivers down her neck. "One full of potential... in and out the bed... and," He leaned his head to hers, eyes on her lips.

Preparing for a kiss, Rias closed her eyes, and waited.

"Smells ridiculously good. It's almost as if you just had a shower!" Only for him to draw his head back, smirking at her until she reopened her eyes. "Were you expecting something, Princess?"

Rias gawked at him in disbelief.

"You know what they say; 'if you want it, come and get it'." Flashing a playful smirk, Lucifer left her after a wink, sauntering to the vacant shower. "You better hurry now. Didn't you say you don't want to keep your ma and pa waiting?"

The Heiress stood at the same tile for a while, staring at him as the shower rained on him. So this was his intention; to make her long for him. Was it because of her light jab from earlier? That the Devil was fearful of warm water that he had to embarrass her this so?

Regretfully, it worked.

"You're unbelievable." She mumbled to herself, shaking her head.

"Eh. If I wanted to be believed all the times, I'd be a politician."

She eventually accepted her defeat and plucked a fresh towel off a rack, and began drying herself.

Meanwhile, Lucifer continued his cold shower with a triumphant smirk, watching a semi-erotic show of her wiping her lustrous body nook to nook.

'Devils these days...' the Morning Star thought. As hard as she had tried, to him, she was a little too innocent for a devil. Not in general, but in terms of a relationship. Rias was quite clearly a sucker for a romantic person, which was good as he loved being a romantic.

As Rias strapped her bra and slipped on her panties, wrapping herself in the towel to prepare facing her cold room, she turned to look at him. "I'll be away for a while. Are you going to be okay? There's a lounge with a fridge outside if you're hungry."

"Why aren't you considerate." Lucifer chuckled, "I'll be nice. Your bed's comfy and springy; think I'm hitting the sack sooner tonight." he supposed, "Why, do you want me to come with you? You've got to introduce me to your parents in one time, won't you?"

And to back up his previous thought, Rias was very easy to be flustered.

"W-well... I'd like to... but..." she fidgeted with her towel, averting her eyes. "I figured it may be overwhelming for them... first me disagreeing and then what I just did with you..." her blush deepened a few shades. The memory was as fresh as his scent. "Not now. Some other time, b-but I will. I promise."

"Mhmm. Take it easy Princess. We'll go at your pace." He beamed a smile, "Tell them Lucifer said 'hi'!"

Break

That night, Lucifer found out sleeping without somebody to share their warmth with was difficult, and that the school, day or night, was horribly boring.

No students to tease.

No teachers to tease.

No staffs to tease.

Not a soul to tease.

Nothing but empty, lonely hallways filled with endless boredom. Why couldn't this school be a night school? Better yet, a nightclub? The day and night difference would be almost poetic.

And was it wise to left it unguarded with all the fancy stuffs in her bedroom and the mumbo-jumbos in that eerie clubroom? What if a peculiar individual found out a gorgeous woman with striking red hair lived here and intended to rob her off her underwear?

That would be unpleasant. Only he could rob her underwear directly from her waist.

{Hey, Lucifer, Lightbringer.}

Lucifer jumped. "Whoa Jesus—" he stopped, looking around, and then remembered. "Oh right. What's up Drakey? Bored?"

{I've lied in humans for hundreds of years, trapped in this artifact without being able to use my own power without my host's consent.} Ddraig begrudgingly replied, {I'm more than bored.}

'I think the proper term is 'imprisoned' rather than bored, but I won't fuss it.' The young man smiled, strolling down the dark hall.

{Whatever...} The Welsh Dragon huffed. {I want to know what your goals are.}

'Goals?' Lucifer quirked his brows, not quite wanting to speak. 'That's an interesting subject. Well let's see... I just recently fulfilled one of them... so... I'm currently out.'

{Seducing a girl is your goal? No, no. I'm referring to your vision. Your long-time objective. Your purpose of being.} Ddraig corrected, {Destroying Heaven, for example. Or regaining your throne of Hell. The grand campaign.}

He dismissed the suggestion. 'That's a rather extreme example isn't it?' Lucifer mused in a sing-song voice. 'I get your point, but nope. Nopety-nopety-no. I. Am. Sick and tired of 'leading this', 'lead there', 'do this do that'. I didn't have time to pamper myself! I've done it once and am not planning to repeat it.''

{Then what will you do here? Swoon every single lady and drag them to your chamber? Making true of that boy's harem?}

'They don't necessarily have to be single, although that sounds promising.'

Ddraig groaned. He was getting nowhere with this. {If you're not seeking revenge to Heaven or to regain your throne, then why don't you visit the place?}

"Because it's bo~ring~!" Lucifer sneered, "And tedious. Like this talk. Adieu, my scaly acquaintance."

The link shut before Ddraig could clot more questions.

Smiling, satisfied with the silence for once, Lucifer leisurely came to a halt as he passed by a window. One that was broad enough to capture the entire Kuoh Academy's Main School Building and the gym building in its frame, though hindered by several trees.

'That's one grand school.' he thought, pondering the school and its designs. It reminded him of a certain time when he lived somewhere at the Great Britain, sometime between the 18th centuries and the 19th. He was unsure, as, oddly enough, most of his memories of his past lives were blurry. He recalled it was very crowded, but that was pretty much it.

Not that he cared. He wasn't one to dwell on his past, less so to the pasts that wasn't entirely his. He didn't understand the true reasoning or the so-dubbed 'God's Great Plan' that he had to snuck around human's soul for centuries, but he couldn't care.

He was free. He was his own self. His free will was finally his. Freed from the burden of leading an entire legion against God and having to listen to constant naggings of his underlings. He had a lifetime devoted to Hell, and he didn't plan to do it all over again, thank you very much. Let people be busy.

This was his 'Me' time.

As Lucifer was about to walk around aimlessly while waiting for his lovely devil's return, his walk was again, paused as he noted a flickering light in the distance. Inside the school building, at the second floor, shone a dim light that bobbed up and down as it moved down the corridor. Lucifer followed it with a curious glance, though he frowned as yet again, nature got in his way.

Damned trees.

Was it a ghost? A soul left astray as it searched for its purpose of being or to exact revenge? Or was that a ridiculously bright firefly trapped inside and was about to explode? Or a thief that could cast floating light? Or a simple security who decided to patrol in the dead of the night while flailing his flashlight out of boredom?

Whatever that might be, it caught his interest.

Equipped with white dress shirt, black trousers, and a quick wit, Lucifer set forth to the larger school building in a quest to apprehend that individual, or spirit, or insect. Even if it was nothing in the end, he could use a little venturing in the dark for old time's sake. Hell used to be the darkest and hottest.

Drawing with a finger on the blank air, he tore open a slit in space and time, and stepped out from his portal at the back entrance of the academy. Nothing unimaginable, considering laws of physics meant as much to him like morals; he knew why they existed, he didn't have to obey it.

They always said he was the most rebellious one.

Behind him was the track field, which he reckoned would be a lovely sight to spectate tomorrow. Those track girls had always carried a certain charm with them. Refreshing and sporty, perhaps. Issei would've peeked on their changing room if there was a possible peeking spot. A shame none of them could hold a candle against Rias, otherwise, he'd consider the premise of him bedding the entire school.

But that would probably enlist him as a pedophile, which he wasn't so fond of after the second thought.

Teachers would be a fair game though.

Speaking of that boy, how was he doing here, Lucifer wondered. Did he die or did he cease to exist except to the supernatural world?

After a very brief consideration, Lucifer gave no damn about the deceased. Besides, there was a much exciting thing awaiting him. And it wasn't a mere human or an inscet; the magical power he or she possessed was above ordinary, though not necessarily strong. They were even able to hide a chunk of their presence.

"This'll be interesting..." Lucifer muttered out of enthusiasm as he stepped inside the building.

Dark. Creepy. There was something off about schools and some other types of construction of institution that made them so off-putting during at dark. Possibly because of those horror stories that startled his mettle. But that was when he's a human; flawed.

Adjusting his vision to the dark without making it lose its spooky charm, Lucifer glanced around as he casually walked to a stairway. Looking around, the school was even bigger than it appeared on the outside – the same exact thought crossed his mind the first time he's here as Issei. But Issei had never been here during the night. He's too busy doing his 'ritual' with Rosie Palms.

The air was cool, pleasant. But he doubted it'd be the same inside the classrooms with their closed windows.

Sauntering down the hallway, passing a couple of dark classrooms, some billboards, several elite laboratories, seminar room and other whatnots, that presence from earlier became more noticeable. Like a dim candle in the dark. Lucifer could make out its shape - her form. First started out as a silhouette, without features and mostly human-shaped, growing more and more distinctive the closer he was.

Slender, tall for a woman, defined bust, shapely waist, neat hips, and straight purple-shaded silver hair cascading down to her legs. He left out the other defining details, however. He did enjoy being surprised from time to time.

So with his back leaned against the wall beside the Faculty Room's door, arms crossed, he waited for her to deal with her business. No need to rush; the night was still young.

Absently, he checked his wrist – which was still watch-less, and frowned. He considered making buying a watch his top priority on 'things to buy tomorrow'.

The door clicked and swung inwardly, just at the right time. And out came the young woman, fitted in a light business suit, complete with matching trousers. A faint light was hovering above her, which he could only guess as her magic.

Silently, Lucifer watched her with a small smile, mildly amused as she scrutinized the keys chiming in her slender fingers, files tucked between her arm. Assessing her traits; such as her eyes, dark turquoise that seemed to catch all the lights, glinting with slight annoyance as she kept on inserting the wrong key, Lucifer decided that she's indeed another thing of beauty.

And he did what he did to all kinds of beauty; he liked to know them.

"Good evening!" he said in a jovial tone, which was enough to cause the woman to shriek and jumped a little, dropping her keys and her files as her small hovering candle popped. "Oh dear- Pardon me... I didn't mean to startle you."

Actually he did, but he looked as apologetic as possible while the woman kept her gaze at him, eyes wide, looking a little nervous.

"W-who...? Who are you?"

Though she looked like she came from a distant land, probably somewhere up north, she could speak English. That was always nice to hear. But he shouldn't have forgotten. She was his former Civics Teacher, after all.

"I'm Luci, I just recently started to live around here." he said, flashing his smile as he extended an arm. "Very nice to see you."

Overwhelmed, the girl shook his hand before any thoughts about him being inhuman could cross her mind. "I-I'm Rose... It's... a pleasure."

"Rose?" he repeated, tasting the name. "Like the flower? That's a pretty name."

"Th-thanks..." The woman muttered quietly as she stroked her hair. For a moment, she stared at him, looking at his smiling face; until she grew conscious of herself and crouched, picking up the documents and her keys.

Lucifer quirked an eyebrow as he followed her, picking up the scrambled papers. "So, Rosie," he said, casually, "Are you a staff in here? A teacher, maybe?"

The nickname flustered her. "H-huh? Uh... yes... I'm a... I teach Civics." Though her lessons were easy to be understood, it seemed she wasn't as good at small talks.

'Cute.' His smile broadened slightly. Shy women always had a certain charm in them. Shy men? Not so much.

"Civics?" That'd be a boring topic for a conversation if he knew any. "Well, what brings a civics teacher to this place, Rosie?"

She raised her head, meeting his easy gaze. He could see a blush already splattered across her cheeks. Something told him she was not used to be hit on by a guy, more so one with unbuttoned shirt that showed a semblance of his chest and a devilish smile.

The teacher mumbled as they both stood up. "U-umm..."

Lucifer handed her the files as he continued, "I mean, you're not from here, aren't you? I don't recall meeting a Japanese with your features."

Thanking him in a quiet voice as she took the papers, Rose repeated. "My features?"

"Yes, your features." Lucifer smiled, continuing in a casual tone. "Your stature, your face, your hair, your eyes. The women here always have their unique orient characteristics. And while you are still a beautiful lady, I don't suppose you came from around here, do you?"

"Beautiful? Me?" Out of all of the words he said, she focused on the compliment as the color red flourished her face.

"Yes. Beautiful. You." Lucifer repeated, "Why, surely you've heard them often?"

"N-not really..." she mumbled, her soft voice gaining a few timbres. Her cheeks reddened while her eyes averted their sight, subconsciously tucking her hair behind an ear.

Lucifer mocked a look of surprise. "You don't? Now that's surprising." Not really, considering Japanese people's unwillingness and culture about standing out. Too polite for their own good. The old wanted to preserve their stubborn old values while the young were busy trying to change it.

"You still haven't answered my question, by the way."

"O-oh! I'm from far north... I'm here for a study program."

"From the north?" Lucifer restarted, causing the teacher to snap at him attentively. "What're you doing here, late at night? Don't tell me you have a night shift." he would be willing to be a student—preferably the teacher. "Or are you that diligent to come in early?"

Her giggles were reserved. "Oh no, no, I'm just here to take my files... I forgot to bring them with me when I came home… haha… clumsy me."

Lucifer knew better, but she didn't have to know that. Not yet. "Ah, can't always be flawless, can we?" he chuckled, shelving a hand inside his trousers' pocket while she nodded, laughing awkwardly. "Well, you best be on your way then. Do be careful at the stairs."

"Yes... Well... uh... Goodnight." With a nod, the girl left down the hallways. Funnily enough, she looked a little disappointed, as if not wanting to part ways yet.

Which was fine, because he didn't want to either. "Ah, Rosie," he called out, pacing towards her.

She turned around, greeting him with a shy smile. "Y-Yes?"

"It's nothing important really... but I'm just wondering if you're willing to show me your little light tricks some other time?" Mischief crept on his smile while hers faltered.

Here it was. The big reveal. That he had known it all along! If he was a b-rated villain, he would be laughing 'mwahahaha' while crossing his arms.

"It's funny, don't you think? How Norse's mumbo jumbos look so similar to a devil's but completely different at the same time?"

The colors were drained off her face as her expression tensed. "You... are you a devil?"

"Oh, please don't be so vigilant, Rossweisse the Valkyrie..." Lucifer whispered, unconcerned on how uneasy she was becoming as she realized she might be in danger. "I just want to have a little chat with you."

He paused, a confident smile still on his lips as he stared deep at her teal irises, watching her caution peaking. "How is that old coot Odin doing?"

Was his small charade dangerous? Yes. But nothing had the same taste or thrill like danger. Danger could be of different flavor to each individual. To some it was icky. Gross. Disturbing. And they avoided it like they would a plague and live their boring, safe life.

But to Lucifer, danger was sweet.

To be continued...