A hand moved lazily in the dark room. It was brought up to eye level, rubbing them lightly. The movement was lazy and unsteady, but it succeeded nonetheless. Large wings stretched, making their way from under the covers of the bed. If anyone saw her, they would surely be captivated by the innocent beauty she was displaying—and would believe her to be a demi-human dragonkin.

  “You finally woke up. I was worried about you.”

  A cold voice startled Almodea, who was still recovering from her recent nap. Hirashi was sitting next to the bed, arms crossed. Her violet eyes shone in the darkness of the room, like a beacon in the night. Honestly, the dark clothing, piercing gaze, the katana under the arm, and colossal size made her extremely unsettling.

  However, Almodea was used to that sight, and instead of shaking, she smiled slightly. She was happy to see her sister after just waking up; it helped her think positively. She moved toward the older woman, crossing the legs and turning her torso toward Hirashi.

  “Thanks for coming here to see how I was doing.”

  “There’s no need to thank me. It’s normal to worry about my sister.”

  The woman moved her large and pale hand, cupping Almodea's cheek and massaging it gently and affectionately. Her gaze remained stoic, but her gesture was motivated only by sisterhood.

  “Besides, the Esoterica were also extremely worried about you. Albedo almost had a heart attack when you fainted in her arms.”

  “Yes...I will apologize to her later.”

  “At first I thought you did it on purpose so you could hug a beautiful woman. But that would have been excessive, even for you...”

  “Hey! You make me look like a pervert!”

  Hirashi raised a doubtful eyebrow.

  “Aren’t you one?”

  “Not in that sense, you know!”

  “I’m just teasing you, Almodea. You’re always telling me to be more emotional.”

  “Yes, but not like that! You should try smiling too!”

  “You know I have trouble doing it on command.”

  Hirashi sighed softly, then pulled back the hand that was still holding Almodea's cheek.

  “I know. Sorry, Hirashi...I talked too much.”

  “It’s no problem, dear sister. C told me to help you recover—I would have done it anyway.”

  “Speaking of which, shouldn't you be defending my mother right now?”

  “No, C came back here in a hurry. She was worried about you.”

  "How nice..."

  Almodea wasn't happy with this news. The fact that her mother had put the assigned mission on hold to come visit her was truly heartbreaking. It warmed her heart, as it showed how much C cared about her, but it remained a negative thing, proving once again how Almodea's mission had been a complete failure.

  It should have been simple, in theory. Capture anyone who could use the Battle Arts or magic, so they could be studied later. Any gang leaders or important men, such as nobles or bourgeois, were also to be taken hostage. Even if their power was purely monetary, they would be useful as puppets. Anyone excluded from this list could be killed or turned into servants. Unfortunately for Almodea, there were no women among the gang members, so she couldn't have as much fun with them as she wanted. She didn't care about men, so she killed everyone she encountered.

  Almodea hadn't expected to fail so embarrassingly. She was a level 100 Demon Princess, but still hadn't managed to capture a human who was at most level 30. Embarrassing—highly embarrassing. What would her father say? What would the others think? What would her punishment be for this disgrace?

  The encounter with that group of humans and the two knights was unpredictable, but she couldn't use that as an excuse. If she'd focused on completing the mission and not let her instincts dictate her course, Almodea could have captured them all and gained an immense advantage.

  The golden armor radiated Divine Magic...If used properly, it would have been a huge step forward for us. God, I'm so stupid!

  Noticing Almodea's sad mood, Hirashi patted her head a few times. She was trying to console her with actions, unsure if she could do it with words. She wasn't good at that sort of thing and preferred to be brutally direct, but how could she say something that might hurt her beloved little sister? She couldn't.

  “Listen, Almodea. I'm glad you're okay, and I think that's the important thing.”

  “But...the mission was-”

  “Not a complete success, true. However, it wasn't a complete flop either.”

  The pale giantess declared, massaging the other girl's head with the palm of her large white hand. She could have split a melon between her fingers with such a large limb.

  "The cleric you captured has already been locked away in Father's laboratory. As for the corpses of those you killed, they were transformed into lower-level undead. We gained significant advantages, and we lost nothing. Not to mention my mother's return to our ranks."

  “Yes! And the Esoterica, too!”

  Almodea's smile returned as she reconsidered the matter from that perspective.

  “Exactly. I owe you a lot for that, dear sister.”

  Hirashi lowered her head respectfully, as if speaking to a superior. She was happy to have her mother back and owed it above all to Almodea.

  “I told you there’s no need to be so formal. Anyway, have you reunited with Nikusa? Have you two talked?”

  "Not too much. I asked permission to remain here on guard while you were unconscious. She's talking to my father now, I assume."

  Almodea's heart warmed further at her sister's words. Hirashi had never been good at expressing her feelings with words, but her actions could be very revealing.

  “Thank you, Hirashi. Really! For me...having you here means a lot.”

  “You're welcome, sister.”

  Almodea received a couple more pats on the head. They were soothing and she enjoyed them, so she had no reason to refuse them, even if they made her feel a little childish.

  “Anyway, while you were sleeping, I selected some anime for us to watch after dinner. They're on a playlist on your TV.”

  “Really? You're great! What anime did you choose? Yuri with social problems due to the social situation?”

  "Yes."

  “My favorites!”

  Almodea loved harem and yuri anime, along with isekai. She loved the super-complex plots and the female characters who kicked ass left and right. Hirashi, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested in those genres, but she appreciated their plot. While many had simple stories and relied heavily on fan service, she enjoyed being able to better understand the characters and how they expressed their emotions, something she struggled to do.

  “Sorry to interrupt...”

  Out of nowhere, Almodeus entered the room. He'd knocked, but no one had noticed, as they were busy talking about something else. Almodea's gaze suddenly darkened, losing all the clarity it had gained while talking to Hirashi.

  Here comes the scolding of the century...

  She couldn't remember the last time she'd been scolded and punished by her father, but now she was certain there would be consequences for her failure. It wasn't a subordinate who had failed, but the boss's direct daughter—an even worse event in some ways.

  “Oh, I see my granddaughter has recovered!”

  Nikusa unexpectedly entered the room, almost breaking down the door. Almodeus sighed wearily, while Hirashi stood up and approached her mother respectfully. Up close, they looked practically identical, with very few differences. Hirashi looked like a sort of yakuza boss, while Nikusa looked like a bona fide Queen, but they were both tall and pale. Their eyes color differed—violet for Hirashi and pink for Nikusa—as did their hairstyles. Hirashi tended to wear her hair less neatly than the other woman.

  “Mother, I need to ask you to lower your voice. Almodea is recovering.”

  “Don't worry! My granddaughter is a rock! Anyway, when you fainted, you gave me a shock, you know?”

  “Sorry, I-“

  “No need to apologize! You're fine now! Everything's sorted!”

  “Can you two go out for a moment?”

  Almodeus's stern voice silenced the room. Almodea knew where this was going and jumped slightly. She hugged the covers tighter, making herself looking smaller. A slight tremor was making her unable to stay still. Her father looked furious.

  “I'd like to speak to my daughter privately. Is that possible?”

  “Sure, my mother and I can wait outside.”

  “How boring you are, Almodeus!"

  Even in their responses the mother and daughter differed greatly from each other. Hirashi had been polite and respectful, while Nikusa seemed almost irritated by the other's request. Nevertheless, she took her daughter by the arm and began to lead her outside.

  “Come on, Hirashi. I want to take a nice hot bath! I really want to know what you've been up to in my absence.”

  “As you wish, Mother.”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Almodea's inky heart was pounding so hard she felt it would burst. Without Hirashi in the room, she felt vulnerable- and her father's stern, almost angry expression certainly wasn’t helping. It was clear he was disappointed in her, and who could blame him?

  I'm anything but the ideal daughter...

  Although the title of Princess was more an evolutive stage than a royal qualification, Almodea still remained one in theory. Yet, she didn't even remotely behave like one; she lacked the necessary etiquette and her knowledge on the subject was practically nonexistent. She acted like a normal anime-obsessed teenager, but didn't have the social standing to allow it. She was the heir of Almodeus, the sole heir of the most powerful demon of all. By the social norms of her home world, she should have married a powerful, high-ranking being from a prominent lineage and continued the family line—or so she'd believed, gathering information from seeing anime and talking to the children of other demons from their world's infernal nobility.

  However, that wasn't the fate Almodea wanted. She didn't mind ruling, but marriage wasn't among her interests. Or at least, marrying a man wasn't. She was completely uninterested in a male partner and had always longed for a strong woman by her side—perhaps even more than one. She'd never had the opportunity to form a relationship with someone who satisfied her tastes, so she'd locked herself away in anime to find the fulfillment a missed relationship couldn't provide.

  Her parents knew of her preferences and had been surprisingly supportive—even her mother, who was usually the stern one. Despite this, Almodea repressed her fear of being married to someone for politics or gain. She didn't even know how many men she'd rejected, and how many times she'd been declared a less-than-princess by other members of their former social class. They all talked about Almodea behind her back, not that anyone had the courage to call her a bastard whore in front of Almodeus himself. Her father had never shown any problem with her preferences, and he never took the opinions of other high-ranking demons seriously.

  Almodeus was the strongest, and the rules obeyed him, not the other way around. If Almodeus had wanted her to marry one, two, or five women with his consent, no one would have objected.

  Unfortunately, this aura of submission that kept the other demons in their place had an effect on Almodea as well. She feared disappointing her father. If she were ordered to marry someone, she would do so without a word—she would cry alone in her room, venting her grief to Hirashi—but she would obey Almodeus's command. She would love her father even if her heart was broken.

  Thinking about the future, Almodea grew insecure. She didn't know what to do, what to become, or what she wanted to be. All paths led her to becoming the Fear Demon and the end of all things, but was that really what she desired? At first, she thought so- but after watching so many anime where the children didn't follow in their parents' footsteps, doubts began to creep in. Normally, she hid everything behind a carefree, playful and immature smile, but it was just a mask to avoid appearing weak. Anyone who cries is weak, that's what she'd always thought. And yet... Sometimes she felt the urge to start whining like the spoiled child she was, just to vent her frustrations.

  But now, that mask had crumbled, and Almodea stood trembling before her father, ready to receive a punishment she would never forget. She had failed; she had proven herself useless and unworthy of the name she bore, but that wasn't her greatest crime. It wasn't so much the failure that pierced her heart like a sword, making her eyes fill with viscous, childish tears. It was the disappointment she couldn't shake; she had disappointed someone who was dangerous to disappoint—and now she would suffer the consequences.

  I'm fucked...

  Almodea watched her father in terror, trying to predict what he would say and how to respond without further angering him. It was then that an old memory buried deep within her resurfaced...

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  “Ugh! How boring these royal demon dances are!”

  “Let me guess, the Deadly Sins sons asked you to dance again? It's probably because you're beautiful and you're sixteen, huh?”

  “Oh, don’t start it, Jason!”

  “Calm down, Almodea. I was just kidding. I know you hate it when men ask you to dance.”

  “Exactly! I thought I was clear when I said I didn't want a boyfriend! When I rejected you for the tenth time, I was clear enough, right?”

  “Um...Yes, but -“

  “But what?! Is it really that hard to accept a no?!”

  “It’s not that! It’s just that there’s a big difference in how you rejected me and how you did it with the other royal demons.”

  “Really? Well- since you know everything- tell me where this mysterious difference is, Jason!”

  “Almodea, well... When you turned me down for the tenth time, you revealed to me that you were a lesbian. I realized I had no hope and limited myself to being your friend, even though we only see each other at these events...”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Your point would be?”

  “The point is...the other demons of nobility don't know you're only attracted to women! If they knew, maybe they'd stop and give up like I did. The cold, aggressive way you reject them makes you look like a spoiled brat or someone who is playing hard to get.”

  “What a bullshit! You know very well that some people would still come after me even if they knew my preferences. They want to marry me just to suck up to my father!”

  “I know, don't worry. But if you told everyone you were a lesbian, maybe you'd have fewer male suitors and more female ones. Like that Oni woman you started talking to the other time.”

  “Oh, yes! She had nice muscles and amazing horns! Too bad she was just passing through our ring.”

  “Almodea...You're drooling.”

  “Sorry, it happens! Anyway, your idea makes sense, but if I were to tell everyone that I'm a lesbian, there might be repercussions on my father. You know how demons are these days! The old school is very attached to the tradition of the strongest, while the novices who have yet to make it big seek power through dirty tricks—like marriage, in fact.”

  “Yes, but your father is Almodeus. I mean...he's the strongest here. Even the Chaos Queen respects him to some extent, and she's literally an all-powerful Goddess. No one would have the balls to tell you, in your face, that you're a disgrace for being a lesbian. Besides, we're demons! Here, it's all about strength! Not love, morals or anything else; only strength. You're strong enough to assert yourself over whoever you want; I doubt anyone would dare complain about you marrying even a lower-class woman.”

  “I know, but traditionalists might have a problem with that. They're still attached to the old idea of demons; pain, power, and punishment, you know? If I married a woman who was strong but not enough to be considered important, they'd have a lot to say about it.”

  “I agree with you on that, but if anyone wants to tell you something, they'd have to cross your father...and that's impossible. Even mine, Abadon- the Courage Demon- would never dare anger his longtime rival.”

  “You're right, but I don't want to cause him any trouble. I'm already bad at studying, and mom's mad at me for watching anime all day. She says I should be more like Hirashi, umpf...!”

  “She’ll do it for your own good. She doesn’t seem like a bad mother to me.”

  “It's not, but-“

  “But she's kind of right! You'll be the Demon Queen of fear one day, the Absolute Lady! You must know at least a little bit how to govern.”

  “Don’t you start that too, Jason!”

  “I’m just telling the truth, and you know it– and there’s no need to puff out your cheeks.”

  “Hmph! At least Dad doesn’t tell me anything.”

  “And you're lucky! Both my dad and mom are super strict! The other day I left a stain on my armor, and Dad gave me a hard time about it... then Mom came over and scolded me for the same thing, and him too for coming home late. Ironic how our moms are the ones who wear the pants in our families, huh?”

  “Yeah...Wait! By scolding Abadon you mean when he came to sleep over to us because your mother was pissed off?”

  “Exactly. Now you understand how strict she is; much more than C! Imagine if Almodeus were strict with you.”

  “Don't make me think about it! Dad is scary!”

  “See? You're lucky, then! Besides, you're not the one who's been rejected ten times by the same girl.”

  “Are you talking about you and me? Come on! I think I was kind with my rejection.”

  “If calling me weak and uninteresting is kind, I don't want to know what's the bad way to reject someone on your book...”

  “It's objectively true, from my point of view.”

  “Sigh...Okay, let's drop this or my self-esteem will plummet. Actually, you mentioned Hirashi earlier. Do you mean Nikusa's daughter?”

  "Adopted daughter, even though they share the same blood. It's a complicated story. Why do you ask? Do you want to hit on her?"

  “No, she makes me feel so much inferior—I was just wondering. You didn't speak very well of her before, but in the last few weeks you two seem to be getting along well.”

  “I was just jealous. You know, she's this stoic, muscular giantess who kicks my ass like crazy without trying, after all. It made me feel inferior! But now I feel better in her company.”

  “Why don't you ask her out? She seems like your ideal woman, at least physically. She also seems to treat you quite kindly.”

  “It would be weird for me. I see her more as a sister, even though we're not related. I also don't think she has those kinds of feelings for me. She sees me as a little sister. Plus, I don't know where she stands romantically. I've managed to get her to open up a bit, but she still remains stoic and cold more often than not.”

  "With a past like hers, it must be difficult. She was a killing machine until a few months ago. Luckily, Nikusa found her."

  “Yeah. I feel a little sorry for Hirashi. If she's not with me watching anime or helping my mother, she's training or reading.”

  “Does she work out that much? But does she really need to, considering how powerful and pumped up she already is?”

  “It must be a hobby of hers. I have a sheet of paper with all her measurements, although I have to keep updating it. It's not a problem, though—I don't mind looking at her while she works out.”

  “You're drooling...again. You really have a thing for strong women, huh?”

  “You speak? You fell for me after I kicked your ass!”

  “Um…I’d rather not talk about that, cough cough.”

  “False cough aside, thank you for listening. You helped me let my anger out.”

  “You’re welcome. That’s what friends are for.”

  “I hope you find a good woman, Jason. And I hope she's not like your mother—she’s scary!”

  “Don't tell me. Oh! One of Satan's sons is coming. Greetings, Lord Farcuart!"

  “Good evening, Lord Jason.”

  “How are y- “

  “Oh, Lady Almodea! Your beauty always enchants! Would you do me the honor of a dance? Perhaps we could even discuss business while we did so.”

  “No, I’m fine. Thanks for your offer, but...no thanks.”

  “Oh, come on! A beautiful demoness like you can't sit around talking all night! Many of my brothers have told me you're a girl with a wild soul, but I'm sure I can tame you. What beautiful wings, they—”

  “No, don't touch her! She hates it when male suitors—”

  “TOUCH MY WINGS AGAIN AND I'LL CUT YOUR PENIS OFF WITH MY OWN HANDS!”

  “-Touch her without permission. Damn…”

  “W-Watch your tone, both of you! I-I am the fifth son of the great Satan, the Deadly Sin of Wrath and- “

  “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DARE TO TELL ME, YOU DEMONIC PIECE OF TRASH?!?!?!”

  “Ikkk!”

  “I told you. Now she's pissed.”

  “F-Forgive me, I thought-“

  "YOU THOUGHT A FUCKING NOTHING!! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT BEFORE I PUNCH YOUR FACE IN TO PIECES!"

  “R-Right away!”

  “That's why I avoid making you angry. The first time we clashed, you beat me to a pulp.”

  “Hmph! You know what the worst thing about this situation is? Satan has eleven sons and only one daughter.”

  “Do you mean Princess Luv?”

  “Yes! And she's so my type! I know she's made of pure flame, she has a huge sword, and she's got a great body! If she asked me to dance, I'd say yes right away! But unfortunately, she hasn't yet...”

  “Why don’t you ask her first?”

  "Because she never comes to these events. She's always waging war against the angels somewhere, and I don't want to bother her. I'd rather not get in her way and make her hate me from the start."

  “If you put this much mental effort into your studies, you would be a good ruler.”

  “Oh, shut up! You know I care little about knowing how to reign...For now.”

  “Okay, let's talk about something else... Hmm... what could we talk about? Oh, yes! I saw the anime you told me about.”

  “The one where almost everyone dies?”

  “Yes, the one with the woman in military uniform as one of the main villains.”

  “She's one of my favorite characters! The perfect combination of strength and beauty! And I love women in military uniforms with big breasts!”

  “You’re drooling...again. Always the same Almodea, ha-ha!”

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  “Almodea...”

  Almodeus's voice echoed in the dark room, making the girl tremble with fear. She had been silent for about ten minutes- completely ignoring her father- who had taken the chair where Hirashi had been standing guard moments before.

  “Y-Yes, Dad? S-Sorry, I missed you for a second.”

  “Are you okay? I heard you fainted.”

  “Hem...I..."

  Almodea didn't know how to respond. She expected a reprimand after such a caliber of failure, even though she knew her father wasn't one to get angry easily with her. He'd always been very patient, so he rarely scolded her, but this time she'd gone too far. The mission she'd been assigned was relatively important—it should be considered a sort of test, since it wasn't just about killing like the ones she'd been assigned previously.

  “Don't worry, I'm not here to scold you.”

  “Huh? B-But...I failed! Aren't you angry?”

  The response that followed was beyond surprising.

  “Angry? Hahaha!”

  The demon's face twisted into a toothy grin, echoing with a loud laugh. Almodea swallowed in confusion at the sight. She didn't know what had brought her father joy, but breathed a sigh of relief nonetheless—for once, it seemed she'd been spared a scolding.

  “I didn’t come here to tell you that you disappointed me or anything, little spot.”

  Almodeus calmed down abruptly, as if his emotions had been forcibly repressed by some kind of skill. He didn't seem to be in a bad mood, however.

  “I'm here to see if you're okay. I was worried, you know?”

  “Yeah...That makes sense. Anyway, I'm fine, Dad. In a few days, I'll be fine again!”

  “I assumed so, but it's always better to check. You've used up a lot of energy, so you'll be staying home for a while, okay? Do what you want, but get some rest. I make myself clear?”

  Although Almodeus had used a stern tone, the content of his words was devoid of heaviness, but was full with paternal concern. However, Almodea had been overcome by a moment of sadness.

  “Sure, Dad, whatever you say. But...Aren't you disappointed? I mean...I failed. I'm your daughter! I should be stronger! More ruthless! More...Everything! Like Hirashi!”

  “Little spot, I have no right to be disappointed in you in this situation. What happened was unpredictable, and I'm glad you're safe. Furthermore, you've provided us with excellent corpses and a cleric for our experiments, not to mention Nikusa's return. All of this is wonderful, and we owe you nothing but gratitude.”

  Almodeus brought his hand to Almodea's cheek.

  “However, I’d like to ask you what happened. Nikusa told me something, but she didn’t know much.”

  Almodea nodded and, despite her still sadness, began to tell her story. She began from the moment she separated from her mother and Hirashi, up until her encounter with El Kaiser. Her memory was completely restored, so she was able to recall everything that had happened the previous evening. Almodeus seemed most interested in the object that had managed to knock her out, along with the two knights she had faced shortly afterward.

  “Golden Lyon Lord and Red Dragon Lord? Flying armor with such powers didn't exist in our world. Do you think they were allies of those who used the item on you?”

  “No…I don’t know. However, the strongest of that group was at least level 60.”

  “I see, so not too dangerous. The two knights?”

  “I'd give the red one a 60 at best, too. He could use instant death magic and some spell that were super effective against dragons. The gold one, on the other hand, had Divine Magic; he didn't seem like a spellcaster, but his attacks could damage even me. I'd say he was at least level 90, but I'm not sure.”

  “A level 90 with Divine Magic? That could be a problem in some cases.”

  Almodeus wasn't very preoccupied about this news. There wasn't much difference between a being at level 100 and one at 90, except in terms of base stats. However, the presence of Divine Magic was extremely problematic, as it was the demons' primary weakness- even more dangerous than the holy element.

  Almodeus himself was far superior to a standard level 100 being, so a fight against that golden knight would be simple enough. The only difficulty would be the Divine Magic, but he was more experienced than his daughter in dealing with it.

  “Could you tell me anything else? Maybe about the object that hit you.”

  “It looked like a crown. It was probably a mind-control device. I managed to resist it, but I doubt beings like Hardshell or Smaug could do anything against that object.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Is there anything else?”

  “Nothing for now, but I’ll let you know if I remember of anything.”

  "All right..."

  Almodea bowed her head as her father stood up. She still wasn't entirely sure why she hadn't been scolded, but she was grateful to have escaped punishment. However, she felt a lump in her throat and couldn't shake it.

  “Rest well, little spot.”

  “W-Wait!”

  Almodea leaped from the bed and grabbed her father's hand, forcing him to stay in the room. She couldn't resist any longer and had to figure out why Almodeus was so calm after a failure. Was it simply kindness, or was there something else going on?

  “Why aren't you disappointed in me? Shouldn't you expect more from your daughter? I...I don't understand you.”

  Almodeus simply stared at her with a grim look, which sent shivers down her spine. However, there was no anger or disappointment in his eyes. He was completely devoid of such emotions when it came to his daughter.

  “I have no expectations that you can disappoint...”

  “You always say it, but it’s impossible for you not to have expectations for your own daughter! You must want something from me, right?!”

  “Little spot, do you know what the worst monster I’ve ever met was?”

  It was a completely meaningless question. What did it have to do with that moment? Almodea didn't know and decided to shake her head, clasping her father's large hand with her smaller ones. Almodeus sat back down in the same chair as before, making her sit on his lap, gently massaging the back of her neck.

  “A few centuries ago, I sensed a person's terror. It was a fear unlike any other. It was genuine, intense, and...unselfish. It was the fear of a little five-year-old girl. Normally, I wouldn't give a damn about the fear of such a small being, who fears everything, but she was different... I still remember her name—Mary.”

  The name meant nothing to Almodea, and she was curious about where her father was going with this story. He was used to talking about his past, but he rarely told stories with such a melancholy tone.

  “Mary was born to a foolish and arrogant mother who got pregnant after drinking heavily. She lived in an apartment and did everything but take care of her daughter. She did the bare minimum to provide for her, but only to get money from the state as a single, unemployed mother. Despite being denied love, Mary firmly believed her mother cared for her, and mistook every aggressive gesture for normal behavior. She was only five years old, but had to walk to school alone and worry about her own affairs without ever receiving support. How naive she was...”

  There was a pause of a few minutes, as if Almodeus was bothered by thinking back to those memories.

  “One day, Mary came home hungry and tired, but her mother was sleeping and hadn't prepared anything for her. To avoid waking the older female, Mary sat in a corner reading a book her mother had bought to keep her quiet. She did everything she could to avoid disturbing the sleeping woman, even quieting her breathing. She ignored her hunger and thirst until an alarm clock rang, awakening the mother. Furious at being disturbed by the alarm she had set herself, she threw it violently at Mary, injuring her arm. The little girl instinctively began to cry, but her mother didn't care. That evening she was supposed to go out with a lover she wanted to exploit to live the good life, and Mary was in the way at that moment.”

  Almodea couldn't help but comment and whispered a low "What a bitch” to which her father responded with a shake of his head.

  “Yes...She grabbed Mary and threw her onto the balcony along with the book. She locked her out—it was winter. In the afternoon, it even started to snow. Mary’s wounds, exposed to the low temperatures, began to hurt; her hunger and thirst grew stronger, so much so that the book was no longer enough to distract her. Finally, her tears froze in her eyes, blurring her vision. When her mother opened the door and saw her crying daughter, she showed no empathy—only disgust. Mary's heart broke when she received a scolding and the door was slammed in her face again.”

  There was another pause, but Almodea didn't dare say anything that time.

  “The little girl's mother went out to have fun with her lover, while Mary remained in the cold all night. She hated herself for having somehow disappointed her mother, blaming herself for everything. How naive of her...Sigh. However, the night came, ill-omened, and Mary succumbed to the cold. Even in her final moments, the little girl thought about her despicable mother, whom she loved more than anything. Her greatest fear was that she would never see her again...I listened to that fear, and Mary closed her eyes forever.”

  “Dad, forgive me...but what are you getting at? I don't quite understand.”

  "It's normal. You'll understand more when you're older. However, you should know that what I mean is very simple: A monster doesn't have to be powerful to be cruel. That mother was more than happy that her daughter was dead, while the poor little girl wanted nothing more than to be with her. Does that sound logical to you?"

  “No…Not at all. It’s despicable, I’m not that bad either.”

  “And that was the worst monster I have ever seen. Not a demon, not a God—but a simple human, a mother unworthy of being called one. That's why I can't be disappointed in you, little spot. I care too much for my daughter to feel that way about her. When I tore out that woman's heart, I laughed like a madman.”

  “Wait...You killed her?”

  “The mother? Of course! I accidentally made a deal with her, and then took everything away from that woman.”

  Almodeus laughed softly to himself. He didn't care much of what humans did with their lives, but if something bothered him, he'd take action without anyone being able to tell him to stop.

  “So...you're really not angry? I'm sorry, but I can't believe it. I've made so many mistakes!”

  “And will you avoid doing them again next time?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  "Then everything is fine! You've given us excellent information, undeads and even a cleric. You did well. Not very well, but certainly better than a failure."

  Almodea still didn't understood her father's logic, but she was slowly coming to understand the bigger picture, and her mood was starting to improve. She hadn't been a complete failure, after all.

  "Now rest, watch your anime or something. Your mother will come over later to see how you're doing. She's making dinner right now."

  “Is she pissed?”

  “A little, but mostly because she was worried about you.”

  Almodeus stood up and moved his hand towards the door handle, when he heard a voice calling him from behind.

  “Dad...thanks again for everything.”

  “No need, little spot. Hirashi will be back in a bit. Should I let the succubi in?”

  “Yes...were they worried about me?”

  “Worried enough."

  Almodeus took one last look at his daughter before opening the door completely.

  "We will see each other later."

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Once he left the girl's room, Almodeus had to hold back an irritated sigh. How dare they attack his only daughter like that? How could he have allowed such a situation to happen? To say he was furious would be an understatement.

  He quickly glanced at the two Esoterica guarding the room. They were both level 100 and possessed enviable strength. No one would enter that room without permission.

  Not that getting into this tower is easy...

  It was a foolish thought. If anyone entered the Fear Tower, they would have to be monstrously powerful just to avoid dying within the first five minutes. Counting only the underlings, the tower could withstand an attack from at least five hundred level 100s. This calculation assumes that he, Hirashi, Almodea, and Nikusa were not present.

  Almodeus's gaze shifted to the three succubi: Bela, Daniela, and Cassandra. They were positioned next to the women in shining armor. Their faces were visibly dejected and looked sad. They had been assigned to be Almodea's guards, so the fact that their mistress had been injured was tantamount to saying they'd done a terrible job.

  “You three…”

  Almodeus addressed them, making the demonesses jump to attention. The women swallowed and looked at each other. It was only after a minute or so that Daniela, who was in the center, decided to speak on behalf of all of them.

  “Y-Yes, sir?”

  "My daughter's feeling a little down. Spend some time with her until Hirashi gets back."

  His tone was serious and stern, almost irritated. The three succubi nodded in fear, huddling together for courage.

  "Almodea is in a vulnerable state, so make sure you don't take advantage of her. No sex or kissing on the mouth, even if she orders it. Have I made myself clear enough?"

  “C-Certainly, Master!”

  “Tell me, by any chance...no, it doesn't matter! Now get inside!”

  The women immediately entered the room, terrified to death. Almodeus simply sighed, rubbing his eyes. He had been far too harsh with those girls; what had happened to Almodea wasn't their fault. The succubi had left her alone because of his daughter's orders, so it would be unfair to blame them for something they had no control over.

  “You two…”

  This time he turned to the two armored women. Almodeus couldn't remember their names, and he didn't care at the moment.

  “If something happens in that room, you get inside and fix it. Clear?”

  “Certainly, sir!”

  “And if there is any trouble, don’t join it!”

  It was necessary to clarify that. Almodea was very flirtatious with women, and the Esoterica loved receiving her compliments. There was a serious possibility that, if the succubi disobeyed Almodeus's orders, the Esoterica would join them, seduced by Almodea.

  “As you wish, sir!”

  "Perfect..."

  He decided to leave, confident that he had expressed himself well enough.

  The problem of the group of humans and the knights remains. We need to figure out who they are and what to do...not to mention this mysterious Lord Black. However, I have other things to do now.