Chapter 17

It's a beautiful day in Roma, the birds are happily singing, the flower are blooming, sharing their fragrance with the rest of the world, and there is a single cloud blocking the sun. 

And there is this blue-haired exorcist who tried to stab me multiple times a few hours ago cutting potatoes in a big kitchen while glaring daggers at my figure. 

"So... Is this your punishment for attempting to cut this Young Master down?" I ask conversationally after an uncomfortable long silence. One can only watch a female lead peeling vegetables for so long before getting anxious, especially when said vegetables include carrots. 

"No, attacking a hideous devil in the middle of the holy Vatican is common sense for an exorcist. The ones getting punished for that are the ministers who forgot to inform me of the situation beforehand." 

"Then why are you here?" 

She doesn't seem like the type of person who enjoys cooking. 

"I don't have to answer that question, filthy devil."  The female lead hisses. 

I raise an eyebrow. 

She kinda has to. Elder Strada all but commanded us to talk out our differences for the sake of promoting peace between our sects or something akin to that. Had that not been the case, I would have stayed far away from the female lead who I know for sure want to castrate me. 

"His eminence Strada believes that my clothes were too revealing for a reason, even though they are the standard exorcist uniform." She finally spits those words, giving up on the silent treatment. "I am no longer allowed to wear armor that doesn't cover my thighs.."

  That explains why she is wearing a nun habit now. It's a shame really, she does have some pretty nice thighs.. 

"Elder Strada has a point, unorthodox Demonic cultivators are known for their lustful nature, so wearing that outfit would paint a target on your back. Also, wearing armor who doesn't cover your lower body could be dangerous." 

Exploiting weak points like that is a must for any cultivator worth his salt. 

"You would think that, but the mortality rate among exorcists has dismissed in about a thirty percent since we started to wear these uniforms. Apparently, most heretics get distracted leering at our legs in the middle of combat, giving us an opening to strike them true."

  That made sense; distracting the enemy is always a valid tactic in a fight. That and kicking them in their genitals usually work.

"Have you tried fighting them while praying? That should also help." 

"I've seen Mother Quarta do that, but she warned me about relying on that too much. Devils are disgusting tricksters, so executing them before they can open their mouths is usually more efficient."

  "Devils are lustful toads per general rule, so I can't really criticize that approach too much. Personally, I would also attack them while they are monologuing about their evil plans." 

The exorcist nods in agreement, only for her onyx eyes to suddenly widen when she realizes what she's doing. 

"Stop agreeing with me!" She yells at me. "This must be a plot to get into my head and make me doubt my own beliefs by using reverse psychology."

  Is she accusing me of subtly manipulating the conversation to make me seem more approachable, thus proving her core beliefs wrong? 

She is...not wrong. 

...

Rule 9 

As a handsome and rich Young Master, you won't lack option when it comes to romance and sex, therefore make sure to avoid going after troublesome female leads when you can help it. 

That said, a Young Master should not ignore any female lead they come across since that shall result in the latter resenting the Young Master because of the Heavens' will. The safer course of action is to interact the bare minimum with the female lead in order to become acquaintances who will greet each other with a casual nod if they happen to meet at the market, but who won't go of their way to start a conversation. 

...

Building a non-hostile working relationship with this female lead is the key to assure Elder Strada's good will toward me and my clan. I am not even trying to get in her skirts since that would lead to a half-angel MC declaring himself my sworn enemy for getting too chummy with his future Dao-Companion. 

"Not at all." I lie as easily as breathing. "And even if I were, it is not particularly uncommon for a devil to hate their own kind. Devils are assholes, so I don't blame you for having a healthy amount of distrust toward this Young Master." 

The Phenex Clan can be considered virtuous when compared to most members of the nobility in the Devil Empire. We are still cold blood merchants willing to destroy our rivals without a second thought, but it isn't like we go out of our way to be assholes like most devils; we have too much common sense to shoot our own feet like that. 

She is still glaring at me, but at least she isn't pointing at me with a kitchen knife. I would call that progress. 

"I see, you are indeed trying to get into my head and make me doubt Eminence Strada. He assured me that everything was under control, but it is clear that you want to make me over paranoid by doing the unexpected and agree with my point of view. That way I would be the one to blame for throwing the first stone." 

"…What?"

"I will not fall for your mind games, devil. I know for a fact that you want to put me in a situation where I can't do nothing but watch you corrupting all the innocent souls in the holy Vatican by seducing them with sweet words filled with heresy, but I am a step ahead of you.  Prepare yourself, for justice shall prevail." 

I was careless. The exorcist standing in front of me with a half-peeled potato has seen underneath the underneath and discover a very convoluted plot that makes a lot of sense the more I think about it.

If my time learning under Elder Strada has taught me anything about peace and seeing past our differences for the sake of a better tomorrow is that there is only one thing that can possibly salvage this situation.... violence.