"Hell Scholar."
Azazel gazed at the sign he stood in front of. Emma and George were busy with the gemstone trade at the Serdona Alliance Trading Post, so the black-haired woman urged him to explore the city's main streets and return at sunset. He wasn't expecting to come across a building of such interest.
Maybe it would be the perfect opportunity to learn about Hell. Hell scholars seem to know something about Hell. Ah, yes, scholars of Hell, why didn't I think of that?
Azazel cleared his throat before entering the building.
His eyes investigated the surroundings. It didn't seem terribly sinister. It was like any other building, aside from the pentagram drawn on the floor in the center of the room.
The demon stood there, dumbfounded. Of course, there is a pentagram...
As he thought about the different hellish creatures that may have been summoned to the very floor where he stood, he picked up a loud squeal coming from ahead of him.
He narrowed his eyes to see a young, silver-haired woman wearing a white lab coat. She was rapidly approaching him with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"Are you the Hell Scholar?" Azazel asked, bowing slightly.
"Oh, my god," the voice let out, full of excitement. "A demon! A handsome male demon walked into our facility! I have to let Luke know! OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD."
The woman was clearly spazzing out as she ran to a back room.
Azazel was met with another palming of the face. Maybe I shouldn't have walked into this building after all.
The woman returned, practically jumping with glee, as a man followed behind her. The man was younger, perhaps in his mid-30s. He approached Azazel. His icy stare peered at the demon as he adjusted his wire-framed glasses.
"I ain't scared of no demon."
Azazel hung his head low.
"Yes, I am quite aware."
Stop using that line, please. It's starting to sound rehearsed and spread far and wide to be used as an automatic reaction to the presence of my kind.
The man nodded. "I am Luke. I feel most fortunate you stumbled here. Please, take a seat." The man gestured to a sofa near a fireplace. It looked like such a cozy rest area.
Azazel shrugged, then sat on the sofa. He leaned back and watched as the man sat across from him. Luke waved at the woman as she eagerly left the room. There was some sort of unspoken communication.
"Demon," Luke said with confidence. "What may I assist you with?"
Azazel tilted his head and stared.
"I was simply curious," he eventually responded. "I wanted to learn more about my kind, I suppose.
Luke nodded and adjusted his glasses again. "Unfortunately, this is only my second encounter with a demon. Though the seductress I met with before did allow me to study her, I may be able to assist."
A seductress? I don't think I want to know what his studies consisted of.
"Where is this so-called seductress now?" Azazel inquired.
"My bedroom," Luke confidently smirked.
Of course she is.
Azazel felt like he was the only demon who wouldn't immediately sleep with anything that had two feet. Well, his headcount for demons was now three, but the odds weren't looking good. Though, if he hadn't been reborn, his stance on the matter probably would have been different.
The woman returned with a kettle and cups. She poured the three of them tea as she kept her eyes on Azazel, making the demon feel uncomfortable with her unrelenting gaze.
"This is Rose." Luke motioned toward his assistant. "She helps me compile my studies."
Azazel nervously sipped on the tea as Rose seated herself directly next to him. He was hoping this would not cause a certain woman he knew to fly into a fit of rage at him.
Rose looked up at Azazel with a twinkle in her eye.
"Yes, m'lady?"
"Bite me."
"...No."
Azazel sighed.
"Please pardon her," Luke sneered toward Rose. "She is just in awe of your existence."
Kind of obvious...
The entire time he sat there, Rose kept her eyes directly on him, not at all attempting to be subtle about it.
"Have you used your transformation abilities yet?" Luke asked Azazel. "I would like it if you'd allow me to study you in that form."
"Huh?"
This was the first time he had heard of some kind of transformation.
"Ah, you don't seem the type to often become enraged," Luke acknowledged.
I'm so confused.
"I guess this simply means I must follow you and observe, if you'd allow it." Luke, through his cool demeanor, seemed to be making a plea.
Azazel pondered it for a moment. He figured it may be a good opportunity—a very easy one—to expand Granny's kingdom. This researcher was practically throwing it at him.
"I do have a condition," Azazel smirked. "I am assisting a former queen with rebuilding her nation."
"We'll move there," Rose happily sang.
"One moment," Luke paused. "Is that Charlotte whom you refer to?"
"You know Granny?"
"Not directly," Luke acknowledged.
Azazel could hear footsteps in the distance. He assumed they belonged to the female demon Luke had spoken of.
"The offer still stands." Azazel nodded.
The female demon decided to make an appearance. She slowly walked to the group having tea. There was a strange aura about her. It wasn't completely sinister, but it had an essence of dominance. She had long, flowing black hair, beautiful features, long horns, and a ridiculously curvy frame. Azazel may have wanted to blush just from being in the same room, but he kept his composure.
"Ah, Emilia," Luke said. "I was just speaking about you."
Emilia laughed as she sat next to Luke, her fingers playing with the scholar's brown hair.
"I didn't think another demon was even alive at this point," she said, narrowing her eyes at Azazel and flashing her fangs. "It is a pleasure to be in the company of my kind."
"I am Azazel," he said to the woman.
"Azazel. A familiar name in hell," she mused.
I'm sure it is, as I blurted this name out without a second thought. He sighed.
"Emilia. He stated that he wanted to rebuild Charlotte's kingdom."
The look on Emilia's face lit up as she gazed at Azazel. She leaned forward, flicking her wrist to point a finger at him.
"Do you know, my dear Emma?"
Azazel swallowed hard. Is this Emma's mother? It has to be. What are the odds?
"A fair bit." Azazel swallowed hard on a sip of tea.
"I hope you've been nothing but a gentleman to her." Emilia raised her brow suspiciously.
She already knows the desires a demon has. I may be in trouble.
"I swear I have not, um, not--"
I almost did, but it was more your demon daughter's doing.
Emilia let out a hearty laugh, flashing her fangs. "My dear demon, I simply tease."
"That settles it," Emilia cooed. "I must return, Luke. My dear child may be in danger."
So much danger, I'm sure.
"If she is returning, we will join her," Luke said, pushing his glasses up yet again. "I would like to study you, so this is the perfect opportunity."
Rose grabbed Azazel's arm. "Please, I want to go, too."
Oh, for the love of...
"Alright~ When do you plan to depart?" Emilia asked.
"As soon as I register Granny's place as an official kingdom,"
Emilia seemed amused. "I will get you an audience."
Azazel nodded. "Thank you, m'lady."
Rose's eyes twinkled more, Luke seemed pleased with himself, and Emilia appeared to just be having a good time.
"May I ask one thing, Emilia?" Azazel inquired.
"Absolutely."
"Why did you leave Granny and the kids?"
Emilia frowned and tilted her head. "I just wanted to have fun. My demonic desires were out of control."
Azazel shook his head. He was glad it was nothing too sinister. Though one could argue sleeping around with random men in a capital was a different kind of sinister,.
Azazel peered at Luke, who was visibly gushing over Emilia. A very different kind of sinister. She's sleeping with the fanclub.
Azazel stood up, thinking about how it was nearly time for him to return to the siblings. He really didn't want to get stuck here.
"I better be going," Azazel bowed.
"I won't be able to take you for registration until tomorrow," Emilia said. "Why don't you stay here for the night? We can all travel back together."
That's right. He didn't think he would need to find a place to stay as George wanted to camp another night, but having a place to stay would be much more appealing than getting bitten by insects.
"Alright," Azazel agreed. "But I need to go find the others I traveled here with."
He kept it intentionally vague.
Emilia seemed to know whom he was speaking of, which would be easy to figure out since there weren't many people living there when she got up and left.
"Please do." Emilia nodded.
With a bow, Azazel left the trio. The night was just getting started.