Demon Lord: Erotic Adventure in Another World

Bang!

The cell door slammed shut, sealing tightly as Asmodeus rushed out, his finger pressed to his lip, sweeping it side to side as he passed the guards. "Ensure she doesn’t escape."

"Hah!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

A mixture of complex emotions filled his stomach as he stormed up the grey marble staircase, unable to accept his actions.

’This isn’t the time to be falling to lust.’

He’d gotten no answers about the Creator, and Ein, who also appeared to lose herself in their kiss, seemed different from the emotionless monsters he’d suffered defeat to several years ago.

"To think she knew so much about Lumeria..."

The thought bothered him more with each step.

There were too many questions surrounding the Arbiters, their Creator and the strange connection they seemed to possess with this world. Yet somehow, instead of prying those answers from Ein, he’d allowed himself to become distracted by her scent, her body and those strangely innocent reactions.

Then he kissed her.

Twice.

"Fuck..."

Asmodeus rubbed his forehead as he reached the upper passage.

Cool night air immediately swept through the open archway ahead, washing away the lingering fragrance still clinging inside his nose. For the first time since leaving Ein’s cell, his mind seemed to clear.

’Get yourself together.’

He crossed beneath the archway and stepped onto the ramparts, only to stop when something in the corner of his eyes shifted.

"Hm?"

Silver moonlight blanketed the fortress walls, glimmering across the ocean in the distance while countless lights dotted Lumeria below. Yet rather than the peaceful scenery, his eyes immediately settled upon the two women waiting beside the battlements.

Serena stood beneath the moon.

Her long silver-white hair danced gently behind her, strands catching the pale light until they seemed almost translucent. Her argent eyes, equally alluring, stared silently, fixated on him and him alone, calm and beautiful, while the faint smirk at the corner of her lips reminded him of just how sneaky and cunning a fox she was.

Beside her stood Nerim; they made the oddest pair.

Her candyfloss-pink hair contrasted beautifully against her tanned skin, while brilliant blue scales shimmered along parts of her body beneath the moonlight. She rested both hands delicately against the stone battlement, carrying such bewitching charm that Asmodeus almost forgot this woman was once a mercenary.

"...What’s with the look?"

"What luck, my dearest husband?" Serena’s lips twitched as she tilted her head. Nerim remained silent, just smiling faintly.

"The one on your face right now says that you’ve been waiting and waiting, and because I took too long, you’re going to punish me."

"Hah?! As if!"

"Your Majesty, are you paranoid?" Nerim added to Serena’s playful reaction.

Asmodeus pointed to his face. "I’ve done nothing wrong. How about you let me go, okay?"

"Hmmmmmmm.... nothing, eh?"

Serena gave an eerie little hum, and her voice sounded huskier, as if she kept the words in the back of her throat for an extra few seconds.

His eyes narrowed.

’These two definitely know something.’

Asmodeus approached them slowly, his footsteps tapping against the stone while Serena simply watched him come closer.

"Well, whatever, what are you both doing up here?"

"Enjoying the moonlight."

’A blatant lie.’

This was the Grey Tower.

A far cry from the beautiful views of the main palace or even her office, and too far away. Yet there was no answer for a few seconds, until Serena turned towards the horizon, resting her arms comfortably against the battlement.

"To be honest, I just couldn’t sleep."

"Then why bring Nerim along?"

Serena glared at him. "I am the Empress; do you think those noisy girls would just let me walk alone in the middle of the night?! Luckily, Nerim also seemed to miss you. Ahem! Unable to sleep, so we came for a walk."

Nerim’s lips curled faintly, but she still said nothing.

Asmodeus looked between them.

"Right."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Serena’s eyes narrowed.

He almost smiled.

The three of them remained beside the battlement for several moments, surrounded by the distant crash of waves and the occasional calls of soldiers changing shifts along the lower walls. From up here, Lumeria seemed peaceful again.

Too peaceful.

Only several days ago, Leviathan had almost torn everything apart.

Asmodeus leaned against the stone.

"How bad was it?"

Serena’s expression changed.

The little playfulness disappeared almost immediately.

"You mean after you vanished?"

Though it seemed like Serena was interrogating him about the three days he had vanished, he saw the sudden change in her face after she spoke. Asmodeus shook his head and gently tapped her cheek. "Forget it..."

Nerim’s smile became a little more obvious after Serena’s correction, though she had the good sense not to embarrass her Empress any further.

Asmodeus looked between them, then sighed as he finally stepped beside the battlement. "Fine, I’ll believe that story for tonight."

"You should believe your wife more often."

"Sure, I’ll believe in you all you want."

Serena turned away before replying, her silver eyes drifting towards the distant ocean beyond the fortress walls. The playfulness gradually faded from her expression as the moonlight caught across her cheek.

There was a comfortable silence, as the distant waves and soft winds clashed against the grey walls.

Nerim eventually broke the silence.

"The sea has become quiet after the battle, almost calming."

"Well, that’s a good thing. If things hadn’t gone well, we’d be in a lot of shit."

"Asmodeus, language...!"

"Mhm."

Her hands rested along the cold stone, the blue scales around her wrists faintly reflecting the moonlight. "After something like Leviathan, you expect the ocean to feel angry for a while. Currents change, creatures migrate, wreckage washes ashore."

As a Siren, she could connect with the water elements and the sea on a deeper level than anyone else could.

"What do you plan to do now, after all... our supposed alliance with the Imperials became useless as they fled the battle and abandoned supporting us?" Serena jumped in, giving Nerim a soft, faltering smile.

Asmodeus’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He hadn’t thought much about the sea after returning.

There hadn’t been time.

Between recovering, stabilising the empire, examining the aftermath and then disappearing with Lumina...

"...How bad was it?"

Serena gave him a sideways glance.

"You really don’t know?"

Serena exhaled through her nose, but she didn’t seem that angry as she wrapped her arm around his; pressing her weight against him felt nice. Her warmth helped cut through the biting cold of the wind. "Well... You vanished almost immediately afterwards."

"About that..."

"N-No, I’m not blaming you! We all saw everything went to shit, and we all saw how hard you fought... I wasn’t blaming you, Asmodeus..." Serena slowly turned towards him. "But did you have to disappear into Lumina’s chambers for three days?"

’Damn it...’

Asmodeus knew he was being a bastard; with so many wives and such a big battle, how could he have chosen to prioritise one woman over the many? Normally, they would gather in his room; even if only cuddling, they would sleep together on the mattress.

Yet, the moment he went to Lumina, his lust got the better of him.

’Though it’s unfair, I cannot change the past.’

Even using his abilities, three days passed on the outside... in truth, he didn’t notice just how long he and Lumina spent having sex until leaving her abode.

’Almost seven days...’

No wonder she became pregnant again...

Asmodeus leaned one elbow against the battlement; he didn’t want to apologise because that would be rude to Lumina. He didn’t see the time with her as bad or unworthy, so he just closed his eyes.

"I won’t apologise."

Serena’s eyes opened wide as she dug her nails deeper into his arms, as if his answer greatly shook her. "D-Do you love her more...?" The words stopped, like she didn’t dare to finish them, but Asmodeus couldn’t help but sigh.

"Serena."

"Y-Yes?!"

He felt horrible, glancing over her shoulder to Nerim, who remained quiet, peeking at him as she adjusted her pink hair.

"You are the one I love most."

"How the hell can I believe that?!"

She snapped back, glaring up into his eyes, divine aura brimming from her every pore; despite his words, Serena almost seemed reluctant to believe it.

"Do you doubt my words?"

"Of course I do!" Her voice echoed across the empty ramparts, almost as if the grey stones wished to reveal all Asmodeus’s dirty secrets. Revenge for his womanising ways. "How can I feel secure when it’s just one woman after another..."

Asmodeus remained silent, letting her anger wash over him because, by rights, Serena wasn’t wrong.

Yumiko had been his first real lover, his first girlfriend, the woman who stayed beside him before kingdoms, gods, and armies ever became part of his life. If love followed some clean, sensible order, then perhaps she should’ve remained the person his heart clung to most.

Yet whenever Serena looked at him like this... Whenever that proud fox dropped her guard and showed him the frightened woman underneath...

His chest fucking hurt.

"Because I’m not saying it to make you feel secure."

"LIES!" Serena froze, pulling away from him. Maybe it was difficult for her to control herself after spending all her powers, then finding the bed cold despite seeking her husband, her rock for support.

Asmodeus reached forward, gently catching her face between his palms.

"I’m saying it because it’s true."

Her silver eyes trembled.

"I love Lumina. I love Yumiko, and I love the others more than I could ever explain without sounding like some sentimental bastard." His thumb brushed beneath Serena’s eye. "But you..."

He hesitated, almost annoyed by how difficult the words felt.

"There is no one in this world, or any other, who could ever replace your existence to me."

Even though he could see tears collecting in Nerim’s eyes, Asmodeus spoke the truth; these messy feelings haunted him for years. Yes, he loved the woman, but love wasn’t some static value or number that appeared in a system panel.

What surprised him was that the mermaid soon wiped her eyes and glanced over at him with a bright smile, nodding as if she accepted his words as she mouthed them. "It’s alright, tell her."

Sometimes he loved Velvet’s cute side after she spent the day training, even if she smelled of sweat and blood. Other times it was the succubus twins, because of how lewd and endearing they were as they followed his every word.

However...

"No matter how much I love the others... the only woman who’s important to me never changes... is you. Serena."

Serena’s lips parted as she watched him in silence.

"When something happens, I wonder where you are. When I return home, I want to see your stupid fox face waiting for me."

"A-Asmodeus..."

"So doubt everything else if you want."

He leaned closer.

"But don’t doubt this."

His forehead touched hers.

"I truly love you, Serena. You are my Empress, my Goddess."