Demon lord’s estate….

Matazus held the laughing succubus against the wall, raw fury in his eyes. He had little patience for horny demon girls. Especially the kind that raped him constantly in his dreams. He could hardly look his life mate in her eyes, without feeling shame, ever since Princess Alice brought her wench cousin to the palace.

“If you intrude one more time, I will kill you,” the demon said. “The hell with the Glider’s pact.”

Tear continued to laugh. Matazus tossed the woman to the floor, knowing it wouldn’t hurt her. He lost his temper, which could get him killed, but as the Middle Eye of his lord, he’d demand respect even from her kind.

Matazus stormed off, cursing both Alice and Tear under his breath. He also cursed Melody. As the Hidden Eye, she was virtually untouchable. Even with that position, the succubus would probably continue her nightly intrusions while he slept in the same bed with his life mate. Something had to be done about her. He’d extend that invitation to Alice too, but the princess spent more time arguing with his lord these days. No threat to him.

He walked into the barracks of his men, searching, until he found his righthand.

“Find a way to free me of the succubus. Look into her interests. Do whatever it takes.”

His righthand, a thin half-shadow, half ether creature, nodded with a faded, pale face of a man then vanished.

Matazus, still fully dressed in black armor, nodded at his men as he left. He’d return to his search to locate possible areas for Omen’s spheres. That idiot Zeth let himself get too arrogant, cocky and thus slain by an adventurer. Suited the fool. Matazus wouldn’t let the same happen to him. Not when the chance of promotion was right there. He’d love to see a dethroned Alice too. Hopefully, Lord Hades listened to his suggestion to give her a life mate. And the one he had in mind, the arrogant ass from the Ashfall family, should tear her apart. He chuckled to himself. One step at a time, he thought.

Academy…

Clyde watched Harumi’s healing take root without anyone noticing. The blood remained, but the girls would turn out just fine. Harumi had Sazuki a way off, chewing her out. Clyde couldn’t make out the words, but even he felt the sting of the lecture. The student council president looked defeated, but still held an air of defiance in her. A few moments later and both of the young women were in a shouting match. And not a single professor around. He decided he had enough and walked in between them, a glare daring an objection.

“Both of you chill out,” Clyde said. “Explain to me why you’re acting like children.”

Both the women folded their arms and harrumphed. “Well?”

“It’s her fault!” Sazuki said, her voice a bit childish.

“My fault?” Harumi said, venom in her voice. “My fault? You’re constantly picking fights with any and everyone. It’s like you’re trying to throw away student council president.”

Sazuki said nothing.

“You are, aren’t you?” Harumi said. “After working so hard.”

Sazuki gave the pink-haired girl a harsh glare.

“You didn’t even try to run, as if being considerate, but no. It’s insulting. You’ve become a shell of yourself ever since Airi left.”

“I didn’t become a shell of myself,” Harumi snarled. “I just grew up. I suggest you do the same.”

The women held fiery gazes until Sazuki threw up her hands and stormed off. The pink-haired girl stared after her, eyes sad.

“She doesn’t know you fight demons at night,” Clyde said, his voice a statement. Harumi shook her head.

“Airi and I decided it was best not to get her involved. When she moved, I continued fighting the demons and spending less time with Sazuki, without giving her any explanations.”

“Harumi, if you don’t mind me asking,” Clyde said. “Why do you fight?”

Her eyes hardened, distant. The eyes that recalled an unpleasant past. He recognized a hint of trauma and attempted to walk his question back. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“My…family were murdered by demons,” she said softly then sat on a nearby bench. “Not even demons of this city, just rogue monsters in the countryside. Where…where Grandma lived.” A tear slipped from her eye, but she quickly wiped it away. “Everyone slaughtered, except my big sister who’s abroad. She’s afraid to come back, constantly and rightfully insisting on me coming with her, but I can’t run from this. It took a few years to get over the death of my mom, Dad, and Grandma, but I did. Airi was the one who told gave me all the answers, taught me how to fight. Told me about the gifts. She also told Toru. Chika at the time didn’t believe and I suspected she was going through something with her family, not that I knew her that well.

“Truth to be told Clyde, I’ve been keeping a dangerous secret from Sazuki. Something Airi discovered but told me to never reveal until the time is right. But I could never find it.” She looked Clyde in the eyes. He nodded. “Sazuki has a younger sister named Kiko. Supposedly, she ran away a year ago never to be found, but Airi said she saw her. Kiko was turned into a vampire. And she attacked Airi. Attacked as if they were total strangers.”

Tears flowed from her eyes. “I want to tell her but can’t. She’ll continue to hate me…” Clyde pulled the woman into an embrace, allowing her to release the tears. He especially felt like shit, hearing how Harumi’s family died. He wished he could meet this Airi, maybe get a few details about the vampire. In fact, he could still do so.

“Do you still talk to Airi?” Clyde said.

“I do,” she said, on the phone sometimes.

“Could you get her to text you details about the vampire girl. Like where she last saw her, what time, so on. I know I have no right to snoop, but you shouldn’t let this drag on. She needs to know about the gifts and everything.”

Harumi didn’t look especially eager to reveal the information to her protected friend, but Clyde knew that would hurt things more than help. Sazuki was level nineteen the last time he checked. Harumi had to know something about that but chose to not bring it up.

[Quest: locate the whereabouts of Kiko the vampire. This quest is mandatory and cannot be refused. Rewards: unknown.]

He was still pissed about the prior quest being cancelled rather than getting credit for all of the trouble. The system wanted him to splatter Natalia’s guts all over the pavement instead of ending things peacefully.

“I sent the text,” Harumi said, “but it may be a couple of hours before she replies.”

“Alright then, let’s just go to class. The professor’s going to chew us out for being late.”

Harumi chuckled.

“Sorry.”

“It’s cool,” Clyde said. Abruptly, the hairs on the back of the young man’s neck stood up and the feeling of being watched overwhelmed him. He looked around, but the presence vanished as quickly as it came.