Adrien's eyes bulged out of his skull as if he had just seen a ghost. The news he had just received was so shocking that it could knock the socks off a kangaroo.
"Say what now?" Adrien muttered, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "The guy the heroines were looking for... was the demon king of the south? That's like saying pigs can fly!"
But his friend Emma was dead serious. "I'm telling you, Adrien, it's true! Do you think I would mistake my darling Adriel for anyone else?"
Adrien's brain was doing backflips. This was a lot to take in. He had always thought Adriel was just a regular, run-of-the-mill kind of guy. But now he was apparently a demon king himself.
As Emma's anger rose, Adrien's heart rate quickened. He could feel his knees starting to tremble, and his palms were slick with sweat. "O-of course not," he stammered. "I-I believe you, Emma."
Adrien's mind was racing faster than a cheetah on roller skates. The heroines' boyfriend was none other than the demon king of the south?! How on earth was he supposed to convince them to defeat their own lover?
"Uh, excuse me... but are you going to defeat him, right?" Adrien asked, his voice quivering like a bowl of jelly.
Elora, the second heroine, let out a snort that sounded like a warthog with a stuffy nose. "Of course not, why would we do that?" she replied, sending shivers down Adrien's spine.
Adrien was now in a deeper hole than a mole in a tornado. If the heroines wouldn't defeat the demon king, what could he do to stop them from joining his evil regime?
He racked his brain for a solution. Should he try to talk them out of it? Threaten them with a water gun? Hire a pack of ninja cats to take down the demon king?
Suddenly, an idea struck him like a bolt of lightning. It was too crazy, but it just might work! Adrien took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say.
"A lightbulb went off in Adrien's head like a strobe light at a rave. He had a crazy idea... no, it was crazier than a giraffe on a unicycle, but it just might work!" Adrien exclaimed, his voice rising with excitement.
Emma's eyes widened in surprise. "That could be it. Elizabeth has always been a shady character," she swore.
Adrien scratched his head in confusion. Who the heck was Elizabeth? He had no idea, but he was relieved that his tactic seemed to be working.
The heroines were now completely engrossed in their new theory, brainstorming ways they could break the demon king's brainwashing. Adrien couldn't help but smile to himself. It was almost too easy.
Adrien couldn't believe his luck. His excuse had worked like a charm, and the heroines were now on board with his plan.
But just as Adrien thought things were going smoothly, Elora's expression turned dark, and her voice became low and menacing.
"If you're lying to us, Adrien... you'll regret it," Elora said, her eyes glinting with a dangerous intensity.
Emma's expression mirrored Elora's, and Adrien could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He knew these heroines were powerful, but he had never seen this side of them before.
"I swear I'm not lying!" Adrien said, his voice trembling. "I just thought it was a possibility. That's all."
The heroines exchanged a quick glance, and Adrien could tell they were still suspicious. He knew he had to be careful from now on if he wanted to make it through this journey alive.
"Why would our Darling be brainwashed?" Elora asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Adrien felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. He hadn't thought this through. If the heroines found out he was lying, he would be in deeper trouble than a sea turtle with a plastic straw up its nose.
"Well... if he's your boyfriend, he must be really strong, right?" Adrien stammered, his voice shaking with fear.
The heroines nodded, their eyes sparkling with determination. "That's true. He's strong. The other demon kings would want him on their side," Emma added.
Adrien breathed a sigh of relief. His excuse seemed to be holding up, at least for now.
"We'll rescue your boyfriend from the clutches of the other demon kings!" Adrien forced a smile, masking the fear that churned in his gut. He couldn't shake off the thought that his excuse could unravel at any moment, and the heroines would see him for the liar he was.
What if they saw through his flimsy cover story and turned against him? What if they decided to join forces with the demon king of the south instead of fighting him? The mere thought made Adrien break out in a cold sweat.
He had never been one for adventures, preferring the quiet safety of his desk job. But fate had a cruel sense of humor, it seemed, and now Adrien found himself embroiled in a quest to save the world from the clutches of the demon king.
He knew the journey ahead would be long and perilous, full of battles and unknown dangers. But he had no choice but to press on, with the fate of the world resting on his shoulders.
Adrien closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for what lay ahead. He knew he had to be brave, even if he felt like running away and hiding under his bed.
With a silent prayer, Adrien opened his eyes and faced the heroines. He was determined to face this through to the end, no matter what.