Feeling the back of his body ache, Saiba stumbles his way up, mumbling,
"Ow... That hurt..."
Through the dust, Roman floats over to Saiba and asks,
"Master! Are you okay!?"
Saiba rubs the back of his head and answers,
"What was that anyway..."
Suddenly, Roman seems to sense something as his gaze sharpens. The dust clears revealing a tall woman behind.
Standing regally in the open doorway, she has flowing azure hair, glistening sapphire eyes, and a pair of horns at either side of her head. She wears regal black clothing along with a dark purple cloak draped around her body. A distinct blue aura surrounds her.
She announces in a refined female voice,
"Where is Gladius IV!?"
Saiba catches a glimpse of her and thinks,
"She's... She's beautiful..!"
Coming back to reality, she asks,
"Who... Who are you!?"
The woman notices Saiba, feebly leaning on the wall and says,
"Who might you be? If you do not know the location of Gladius IV, then I have no business with you."
Saiba adjusts his view a little upward and notices a long red name written with squeezed letters above her head. Reading it out loud, he mutters,
"Mepitolees... Asarth... Iharel... Lilet... Diblo... Gemora..?"
Looking annoyed, he adds,
"Why is it so long!?"
Staring back at him, even more annoyed and a little flustered, the woman exclaims,
"My name is Mephistopheles Astaroth Ishtarel Lilieth Diablo Gremoria!"
He replies,
"Too long! I'll just call you Mephisto!"
She stammers,
"D-Don't call me that!"
Picking up a large splinter of wood, she recklessly tosses it at Saiba. It zooms past his head at bullet-like speeds, almost impaling him.
Saiba's eyes are wide open as he stands, scared and frozen. She continues,
"I don't have time for this! Where is Gladius IV!?"
Saiba responds,
"Why? What do need with him?"
Getting restless, she answers,
"I've been given orders to put an end to him, so if you plan on getting in my way, I will have to take care of you as well."
Saiba gets a jolt of adrenaline as he perks up and puts his hands on his hips, taunting,
"Huh? You think you can beat me?"
Saiba points his finger out and leans back resembling a certain Jo*star as he commands,
"Roman... something something, go!"
Across from him, Mephisto bends her knees, getting ready to defend. He looks towards Mephisto, but nothing happens.
Waiting a little longer, the atmosphere gets awkward with the two motionless fighters. Saiba turns his head slightly behind him, glancing at Roman who floats behind him.
He positions his head barely above Saiba's shoulder, peeking at the woman. Saiba whispers,
"That's your cue to go..!"
Roman makes an annoyed face, clearly against that suggestion. Roman murmurs back,
"I feel like I know her from somewhere... I don't like it..."
Roman reveals more of himself as Mephisto spots him. Saiba asks,
"Do you think she knows you?"
Quietly, Roman replies,
"A lot of people know me, Master. I've lived for more than 3000 years after all."
Upon seeing his face, she widens her gaze and zooms towards Roman.
Instinctively, Roman dodges backwards, meeting the wall behind him. Now, he is pinned between the bricks and Mephisto.
Staring him in the eyes, she says,
"Are you [The Prince of the Demons], Romani Demiurgos Lucifandis Beelzebub Satanius Gremoria?"
Changing from a nervous expression, Roman floats high above her and crosses his arms together, cackling confidently. He announces,
"Why yes, I am! I am revered as the strongest [Noble Demon]... no! The strongest [Demon] of all time! Ha ha ha!"
Mephisto tilts her head downward and mutters,
"I knew it... It really is you..."
Saiba watches the two, gradually getting more anxious.
Mephisto flicks her head up at Roman and shouts,
"Long time no see, big brother!"
Her serious look completely disappears as she looks at Roman with endearment in her eyes. Roman replies,
"M-Mephy!? Is that really you!?"
Mephisto answers,
"Yes, big brother! It's me, your little Mephy!"
Roman mentions,
"Looks like you've grown a lot since I last saw you... Calling you little might not work out anymore..."
She reminisces,
"These thousands of years have been quite tough... but now that you're back, everything will be alright! I'll make sure to tell what remains of the family about your return!"
Roman suggests,
"I think it's best you not tell them. You know, since I did 'that' and all."
Mephisto looks at him with a confused look and questions,
"Why not? I'm sure they would be quite overjoyed at the return of the true heir!"
Roman insists,
"Overjoyed, huh? Speaking of which, you don't hate me, Mephy?"
As if it were common knowledge, she says,
"How could I ever hate you, big brother?"
Roman explains,
"I mean, I did kil-"
Saiba frantically interrupts, making 'X' signs and cutting him off by shouting,
"Shh!"
With a disgusted look, Mephisto turns her head towards Saiba and utters in a monotone voice,
"Silence, fool."
Saiba quickly stops and thinks,
"She's scary..! But at least we don't have to fight her anymore... I think..."
He lets out a sigh of relief, having avoided a potentially lethal encounter.