Demon Queen Pov
It was frustrating.
So damn frustrating.
Was it worth it to train in all kind of martial arts and subjects, cultivating both mind and body to become the ruler of my kind and then be humiliated not once but twice by a common human?
The first time it was by conquering a dungeon just outside my castle. Not only it was humiliating and infuriating that she even escaped but also that we couldn't find any trace about her nor able to find her for months, the mages or mercenaries specialized in tracking also weren't able to help.
I could only leave a bounty in her head and hope for the better despite the low chances, that action was a wrong move since I openly stated my hostility with that person
My reputation was reduced by such an event and I could only bear with it and hold my grudge with that person.
Then the second time it was when my archenemy declared war towards me and when I asked the reason for such thing I only received a letter stating that the reason is that I kidnapped Deva, and below that statement all the evidence of the demons' involvement in such event.
It was a conspiracy! Even if all the evidence were to be revealed to be true, that the demons were involved, why is it me that have to bear the consequences and not even getting any benefit from it?
Just the misunderstanting with the Saintess, a strange relationship between her and Deva and my known hostility with Deva led to the situation with me and all my strongest subordinates to desperately enter inside of any dungeon and obtain as many benefits as we can and prepare for the incoming war.
We targeted the dungeons known to have a different flow of time compared to the outside.
Time is what we needed the most and so we found time in these dungeons, yet it seemed the curse placed upon me followed here and heard the name that haunted me in my nightmares for weeks.
Just because we obtained a new identity in this dungeon that doesn't mean that our appearence changed, in fact nothing changed other than having our status being emptied.
So it made sense that I could recognize the famous Saintess which is hostile towards me.
The same Saintess was yelling and trying to rescue a woman in the hands of six members of the bandits I rule but she was too far to do anything.v
The situation was so sudden and..off that I took a step back and took a moment of contemplation.
But life didn't give me that much time as one of the members noticed me and started to drag the weak woman with the help of the other five.
"Boss!What should we do with this woman?" The woman said and licked her lips as she said that not hiding the lust for the captured woman.
I was used to scum that I didn't even get angry or disgusted that I only observed the woman being held in place the bandits.
Deva and Deva.
It wasn't only the voice of the Saintess that echoed in the distance and screamed over and over that name, but also the voice in my mind was repeatedly saying the same name but it was coated with resentment and filled with sadism.
Killing her won't bring anywhere, in fact I would just further enrage the Saintess and obtain the hostility of the entire section she controls.
But I will obtain full advantage if I were to take Deva as a hostage and use her as a bargaining chip to stall time or even stop the Saintess in supporting Elizabeth.
Taking a step towards Deva, I could sense her glare and hostility towards me, something that someone like her shouldn't do towards me.
"Mm.After all the trouble you did to me you finally are in my hands," Raising her chin to meet her eyes to mine I continued. "I won't give you a quick death, no, I'll make sure to make you feel the most excruciating pain and humiliating poses to the point you'll be numb to it, and just lower your head and worship me as you should have done in the beginning like everyone else." But instead of words of retaliation, beggings or curses I received only a single moking snort.
A single and quick snort.
Just that action made me snap and in the verge of beating her to death, the fact that she was grinning and saw how my hands trembled in fury and how my face was contorted didn't cool down my head.
Just by her expression I could see that she knew what I wanted from her and made sure to give me what I didn't want and at the same time infuriate me and have no logical reason to beat her.
As a ruler and aspire to become a better ruler I can't beat her for a single snort. A ruler should instill fear and awe to the ones below it's status and those who don't will be beaten by her subjects, as a ruler she also have to be fair and the one to judge while sitting in her throne, but in the moment I don't have any of my subjects with me and I absolutely refuse to aknowledge these filthy human bandits as my own subjects.
"Quickly let's go away from here before that madwoman arrives here." It was useless to talk with Deva, just a brief interaction with her made me understand that she was a rebellious person by nature, a kind of person who would rather die than listening to my words, her expressions and behavior hinted to that.
-You want her to understand her place right?
As she ran the voice inside her head whispered to her.
-There's no one here other than you that has the right to discipline her.
A voice she constantly ignored. A voice constantly that tempted her to stray from the path of a true ruler.
-Politicians, generals, merchants, saints, heroes, mages, warriors...all of them are worth your time...yet this one, a common human managed to waste your time and even to corner you at some point...someone who doesn't know your authority...should be...
No matter what the voice said the Demon Queen ran without rebutting the voice inside her, that would just make the voice stronger and she didn't want that...She can barely stand sane with the voice always with her, always hitting her in her weak spots and knowing all her secrets.
As the Demon Queen shook her head, Deva who was behind her slightly smiled at the small movement of the Demon Queen.
Deva turned her attention her behind, watching carefully one could see in the distance the silhouette of a woman running towards them but was far too exhausted and far away to reach them.
Lucia could only collapse in the ground and watch as her beloved was slowly being dragged further away from her for the second time.
"You two are so...precious." Deva whispered to herself and unable to restrain herself she smiled thinking of the hell that was about to happen.
Obviously she will make sure that neither of them will die and fuel their hostility with each other to the roof.
...
...
...