Chapter 6 #8
Long black tables stretched across the massive chamber beneath silver chandeliers while servants moved quickly between nobles and council members carrying trays covered in dark fruits, pastries, glowing drinks, and enough coffee to stabilize civilizations.
Honestly? Best part of Hell so far.
Nina was already there sitting sideways in one of the massive velvet chairs with the younger brother sprawled lazily beside her. Actually, no. Correction. Nina was half sitting in HIS chair. One of her legs rested casually over him while she stole food directly from his plate without shame.
The younger brother was entirely unbothered by the arrangement. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying it far too much.
Nina noticed us and pointed dramatically while holding a pastry. “There they are. Hell’s favorite scandal.”
“I hate this kingdom,” I informed the breakfast hall.
One older council member looked up from a stack of papers calmly. “That statement has become less convincing now that you keep staying.”
Rude. But he was correct.
My demon pulled out the chair beside him automatically before I sat down, and that tiny domestic gesture made three nearby nobles whisper aggressively into each other’s ears.
Seriously? We weren't surviving thirty days here at this rate. Before I could complain, a cup of coffee appeared beside my hand. My gaze dropped to it, then lifted to my demon. He remained completely calm as he poured himself a drink.
“You remembered my order.”
“You insulted Hell’s coffee for twenty minutes yesterday.”
“That feels invasive actually.”
“It was loud.”
Fair.
Across the table, Nina watched both of us suspiciously before leaning toward the younger brother. “See? That’s relationship behavior.”
“You stole food from my plate thirty seconds ago.”
“That was survival.”
“You’re sitting on me.”
“That feels unrelated.”
A pleased smile tugged at the younger brother's mouth as she sat on him.
Meanwhile several council members were openly watching all four of us now with the exhausted expressions of people realizing the royal family had become compromised beyond recovery.
One older ruler folded their hands together before speaking across the table.
“Humans require public approval.”
Nina stopped chewing. “…That sounded threatening.”
“It is procedural.”
“That is threatening language.”
Anderson, sitting farther down the table with visible exhaustion already, sighed quietly. “The kingdom wants reassurance that the humans can adapt to demonic society.”
I blinked once. “You people watched us survive Hell portals, assassination attempts, and palace politics. What exactly are we proving now.”
One ruler answered calmly, “Competence.”
Nina pointed. “Absolutely not. Nobody informed me there would be exams.”
The younger brother leaned closer toward her lazily. “You once argued with a ruler about lighting design for forty minutes.”
“And I was RIGHT.”
“Exactly.”
The older ruler continued speaking while completely ignoring Nina’s growing outrage.
“Each of you will complete traditional palace assignments over the next several days.”
Then Nina lowered her pastry. “That sounds fake.”
“It is not.”
“Can I decline?”
“No.”
“Wow. Dictatorship.”
Meanwhile I was already suspicious. “What kind of assignments?”
The ruler stared directly at me first.
“You will assist in resolving disputes among lower court houses.”
I blinked once.
“…You’re putting me in charge of demon arguments.”
“You speak to the nobility without fear.”
“That sounds less like a qualification and more like a personality flaw.”
Several council members looked thoughtful after that. Oh no. Then the ruler turned toward Nina.
“You will participate in ceremonial combat instruction.”
The entire table went silent. Nina stared blankly.
Then: “…I’m sorry WHAT.”
The younger brother started choking laughing beside her.
“YOU,” Nina snapped, “need to stop enjoying my suffering.”
“You challenged three palace guards to fights yesterday.”
“They were rude.”
“You threatened one with a chair.”
“He deserved fear.”
Meanwhile my demon leaned slightly closer beside me while the council continued discussing schedules and traditions across the massive table.
“You’ll enjoy the dispute halls,” he murmured quietly.
“That sounds suspicious.”
“You like winning arguments.”
“That is slander.”
“You once argued with me about soup for forty minutes.”
“The soup was wrong.”
The corner of his mouth lifted briefly. It was worse when he smiled casually now.
Across the room, servants rushed toward the tall palace windows after loud cheering erupted from outside again.
One younger servant practically bounced with excitement. “The crowds returned.”
Nina groaned. “Why are they still here?”
The servant answered proudly, “The city wishes to support the royal romances.”
I dropped my forehead onto the breakfast table.
“No.”
My demon’s hand slid against the back of my neck afterward, fingers brushing lightly through my hair once.
The tiny touch settled warmth straight through me before I could stop it.
The older rulers simply watched quietly while my demon’s fingers brushed once through my hair before he stepped away beside the palace stairs. Just trusting me to handle this myself.
The lower districts of Hell looked nothing like the palace.
The silver towers disappeared farther into the city until dark stone streets replaced polished marble, lined with crowded markets glowing beneath crimson lanterns and silver fire.
Demons filled every corner of the streets.
They argued across market stalls, laughed from crowded balconies, worked through the noise and heat, and survived however they could.
But the second they noticed royal guards escorting me through the district, the entire street fell silent.
I felt their tension. Not with hatred but with fear.
The council representative walking beside me lowered his voice quietly. “The citizens rarely interact directly with royalty.”
“That feels unhealthy.”
“It maintains order.”
I glanced toward the crowded streets again.
Children peeked from behind market stalls while older demons lowered their heads automatically as we passed.
everybody were tensed. And I understood exactly why the council sent me here.
They expected distance, coldness and typical royal protocol behavior.
Instead, the first thing I did was stop walking entirely beside a fruit vendor struggling to lift heavy crates alone. The guards froze behind me.
The vendor visibly paled. “Your Highness…”
“Please stop calling me that,” I muttered before grabbing the second crate automatically.
The entire street went completely silent. The vendor stared at me in complete disbelief while I carried the crate toward the stall beside him.
“…You are helping me.”
“You looked like your spine was losing a battle.”
“That is not royal behavior.”
“That sounds like a weird rule.”
Several nearby demons started staring openly now.
One older woman whispered softly, “She touched market crates.”
Another whispered back, “The prince allows this?”
And just like that I mingled among the demons.
Third POV
And somewhere above the crowded streets, hidden along a distant balcony, the demon quietly watched the entire thing.
Unease flickered across the council member's face. “The district is responding already.”
Below, more demons approached Eva carefully. Cautiously. Like they expected this to be a trick. Instead Eva spent the next hour helping vendors reorganize damaged stalls after a recent fire spell accident while arguing with two elderly demons about soup recipes.
One of them was wrong. By the end of the afternoon, frightened children had stopped hiding from the royal guards entirely. Actually worse, they’d started following Eva around. One tiny demon girl tugged lightly on her sleeve before offering her a glowing silver flower nervously.
The entire market froze again. Because apparently offering gifts to royalty was a huge deal. She crouched down automatically to her height before taking the flower gently. “Thank you.”
The little girl blinked up at Eva in shock. Then smiled shyly. And the atmosphere across the district changed completely. Warmer now . Like the fear had cracked open without anyone realizing it.
Far above the streets, the demon stared silently down at the scene while the council representative beside him muttered quietly:
“…She’s building loyalty accidentally.”
Meanwhile across the city:
Nina’s assignment had become something entirely different.
The outer districts near the southern gates were rougher than the capital center. Dangerous enough that palace guards escorted merchant caravans through the territory regularly.
Which apparently meant the council expected Nina to stay safely behind the guards. Instead,she climbed onto the front wagon beside the lead driver.
“Nope,” she informed everyone calmly. “If something attacks us I want front row seats.”
The guards froze in horror. The younger brother, meanwhile already seemed deeply in love already. The journey through the southern district stayed peaceful for approximately twenty minutes.Then screaming erupted farther down the road.
Instantly the guards reached for weapons while civilians panicked around overturned supply carts near the marketplace ahead.
A huge shadow beast snarled between the buildings while frightened demons backed away desperately. Several guards hesitated.
Nina didn’t.
“Move.”
Before anyone could stop her, she jumped directly off the wagon and grabbed a fallen spear from one of the stunned guards nearby.
The younger brother swore again before following her. But Nina got there first. The shadow creature lunged toward a terrified child trapped near the market stalls and Nina stepped directly in front of it without hesitation. No fear. No pause. Just immediate reckless protection.
The marketplace froze. Then Nina slammed the spear hard against the ground while yelling at the creature like pure violence in human form.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT.”