The Demon’s Bride

Elise had not asked but she knew that Ian didn't like his father and had killed him. It was surprising for Elise. She cannot imagine herself killing either her father or mother. But she had her own fill of experience. There were many factors that could lead for one to kill their own parents, and Elise knew Ian had his reason. 

"I do. She was a very kind mother, warm-hearted, lovely, innocent, but foolish," Ian hanged his words there with a flashing smirk he directed for Elise. Elise's curiosity was peak to the highest but when she was about to ask, Ian pushed himself from the bed. "Seeing that we haven't seen your father yet, he could be alive."

"I thought about that too," said Elise, she wondered if Ian had ever the conversation in purpose. "But I don't think it would be easy to find him."

"Don't worry I know someone who knows better than anyone to sniff and find people we want to find, and I have a method of my own," Ian took a shawl that had been folded neatly over one of the cupboard and drape it over her shoulders, "Are you hungry?"

Elise doubted she would feel hungry after what happened. But her body had different thoughts than her. At the same time Ian asked, her stomach grumbled. The sound wasn't too loud but with the room silent with only the two of them inside, the sound sounded louder than it should be.

Elise felt her cheeks reddened when she heard chuckles bouncing from Ian's lips, "We can talk about the rest over dinner."

Leaving the room, Ian and Elise went to the dining room. The food was placed full in front of Elise and although she didn't have much appetite, she told herself to eat as she didn't want to pass out. 

Looking away from the dining table, Elise's eyes looked at Beelzebub who sat on the table with his legs and arms crossed. His lips were pursed while hiding the smirk he always had before he noticed her gaze and looked at her to offer a polite smile.

Thinking she stared too much, Elise returned the smile and heard Ian spoke, "Good that you are here, Beel. Have you prepared your answer?"

Beelzebub raised his shoulders, looking all innocent like a fawn when he was far from it in reality, "I don't think I have hidden anything from you. Look at me, you can even search my room if you are still skeptical. Just for your notice I came from hell naked. Literally all naked."

Elise had never seen anyone being so proudly saying that they walk without clothes. Doesn't that make him a suspicious person?

"Bullshit, you being here is already enough question," Ian's eyes rolled when meeting Beelzebub's eyes that was playing a trick-like smile. "What happen in Hell? Who put you to this mission and what are you searching for?"

So it was true that both Ian and Mr. Beel came from Hell, thought Elise. But based from the words said yesterday when they both visited Sister Blythe, Ian claimed that he had a chance to visit Heaven. 

She saw Mr. Beel was still smiling back while looking at Ian to one point where he sighed and his smile fell to disappear. "Lucifer put me into this. But hear me a little, I didn't come to attack you or anything. Well, I was told to keep an eye but not to report."

Elise had heard somewhere the name of Lucifer before in the past. Wasn't that the name of the angel who had fallen from heaven? wondered Elise. In one of the books she read in the past, she remember to have learn if it before.

"Hm," Ian hummed a tune of weighing, but his eyes held a cold glint as if thinking whether to kill Mr. Bell or not, "What were you told to?"

Beelzebub glanced away at Elise once and she noted of his gesture. The man then sighed before replying in reluctance, "To find someone."

"I'm not going to waste another precious breaths of mind for you, Beel. Tell me the specific." Ian's mood today had turned foul. Maybe one of the worse he ever felt for a few century. Seeing Elise wounded by the help of someone and to know the person was still aiming for her life set a boiling anger in him. He can't waste a single second playing with Beelzebub or else his anger would have acted first to kill the sly Demon in front of him. "I'm not very patient today Beel. Spit out everything you have or else you will have to turn to be a squashed bee that you are more suited to be."

Beelzebub frowned, "You're not thinking of my position here. You know not everything could be reported to you, do you? I was warned not to tell anyone about this, and I would be more than joyful and thankful if you could let me take a free pass for now and turn a blind eye on me."

Does that mean in Hell there was a hierarchy? questioned Elise in her mind. Going by the words exchanged between Ian and Mr. Beel, she gathered that Mr. Beel was ordered by someone who perhaps held a higher authority than him to go to the mortal's world. This also meant that Mr. Beel was lying when he said he had a vacation. 

Elise somewhere had a feeling that Mr. Beel was lying since the first introduction because she thinks that Hell wouldn't give others a vacation. She wondered if the term vacation was there in Hell in the first place.

Ian said with a deadpanned tone, "That would work only if I don't have two eyeballs to begin with. Everything inside this house is mine and you have settled in my house which mean you are included. Get clear with me or you'll have to forfeit your life."

"No option to leave?"

"I see that you didn't know it yet. My house is a rabbit hole. Once coming there's no turning back. Hence, death is your only option," Ian shrugged his answer at his simple answer. He watched Beelzebub forming a deeper frown each second, and he knew Beel was cursing him inside his mind. Not that he minded as his curses wouldn't do any flick against him.

"I've been scammed, tsk, you didn't warned me this before I entered this castle."

"That's your damned misfortune but wasn't my famous and brilliant image in Hell should have given you a gist of what my castle would offer?" Beelzebub looked away from him. He weighed his choice before sighing and ruffling his hair.

"Fine!" said Beelzebub in a defeated tone, "I was told to search for a particular corrupted angel. One who live a life in a seclusion far in the mountain."

On this Elise's eyes looked curious and Ian only hummed without a vocal tune.

"The name?" questioned Ian. There were too many corrupted angels existing in silent and forest was the best place for people who are hunted to hide to. He needed the name to pinpoint the person.

"I don't know," Beelzebub resigned. "I wasn't given the specific."