"Let's do one thing," Carmen spoke up with a sigh, "Since we already know that she is in the palace, you should try to get along better with her. The closer we can get to her, the more chances there would be of us figuring out how she keeps coming back here."
Leon looked to be speechless as he heard this and his eyebrows furrowed together as he repeated the man's words in his head in order to check whether he had heard it right or not.
"You want me to... Get to know her better?" Leon asked slowly, as he dragged every word with an intimidating tone.
If it had been someone else hearing Leon's question, they would have certainly started preparing for their funeral, but since this was Carmen, the situation was a bit too abnormally calm.
Carmen nodded his head as he responded, "That would be for the best. Being a friend would feel better than being a stalker, don't you think so?"
The glass that Leon was holding suddenly shattered as he clenched it with a bit too much force.
"Who are you calling a stalker?! You are a stalker! Your whole family is made up of stalkers!" Leon shouted accusingly like a little child.
Carmen couldn't help but chuckle under his breath as he heard this, "I'll make sure to convey your words to my father."
"..."
"But ignoring that, I really think you should get to know her better," Carmen shrugged his shoulders as he casually stated.
Leon clicked his tongue as he heard this, "If I get to know her better, I might really just end up killing her. Do you want me to be affected by the curse?!"
"I really doubt that," Carmen muttered under his breath as he shook his head with a sigh.
"Carmen, I think you're also being brainwashed by her," Leon spoke as he looked at Carmen with suspicion, "There is no way you'll take her side if she hadn't brainwashed you."
"I'm not taking sides here," Carmen spoke with a short chuckle, "I'm only stating facts. She broke into the palace and she probably has a reason for it. If we don't get to know her, she would never tell us the reason. We can't just kill her or we'll be doomed by the curse. Under such a situation, isn't it best to just become friends with her? I never asked you to be honest with her. Just a pretend-friendship is more than good enough."
"You're telling me to be friends with a person who burned down my room?" Leon pursed his lips into a thin line as he looked at the man in disbelief and asked.
"Well, it wouldn't hurt you to try, would it?" Carmen also pursed his lips into a thin smile as he responded.
"You're asking for the impossible!" Leon exclaimed with a scoff as he folded his arms and acted extremely stubborn.
Carmen shook his head with a sigh as he saw such an expected reaction, "I guess the prince is a bit shy."
Leon frowned as he heard this and opened his mouth to protest against that, but soon closed his mouth without saying anything as he realized that Carmen was trying to trick him into agreeing.
"In that case, would you play along if she is the one that wants to be your friend?" Carmen tilted his head with a mischievous smile as he asked.
Leon looked to be a little surprised as he heard this and gulped as he thought about it for a minute before responding, "That arrogant mortal would never do such a preposterous thing."
Carmen's smile seemed to have deepened as he heard this, "But what if she does?"
"..." This time, Leon took a little longer to respond as he became a little conflicted.
"Would you be willing to play along so that we can trick her and get rid of her once and for all?" Carmen rephrased his question and asked once again.
Leon closed his eyes and took a sharp breath in as he spoke, "If she really takes the initiative first then I have no reason not to play along."
Carmen couldn't help but chuckle as he heard this and although he said nothing, in his heart, he couldn't help but think that things were going to be really entertaining from now onwards.
Unlike Leon, Carmen had already overheard a few things about Alora's deal with the three succubi and hence, he was more than sure that Alora would be making her move anytime soon.
However, he was yet to inform Leon of this crucial detail and it was simply because he considered this as nothing more than a harmless joke. Even if Alora tried to kill Leon, she would not be successful.
But it would make a good show to watch so Carmen decided to play the role of a watcher who does not interfere until it's absolutely necessary.
"Then I'll be taking my leave now. I guess your new friend would already be on her way here. Treat her nicely," Carmen spoke with a smile as he bowed his head respectfully and took his leave.
Leon didn't say anything as a response but it was clear that he didn't trust Carmen's expectations this time.
There was absolutely no way in hell that Alora would come first and ask to be friends with the demon prince...!
.
.
.
.
.
"You're the demon prince?!" Alora shouted at the man's face as her eyes widened in shock.
Leon's eyebrows creased together as he heard this and he was also too stunned to give a clear response.
He was sure that Alora would not be taking the first initiative, but somehow, it seemed that Carmen had been right and Leon was proven wrong.
Alora was really a dumb ridiculous mortal who dared to come back and meet the demon prince.
Alora gulped as she stared at the man's face with an indecipherable expression plastered on her own face.
It looked as if Leon wanted to say something but when he saw the girl looking at him like this, he couldn't help but feel like a prey who was being eyed by his predator.
It was truly a refreshing change of positions...