The Demon’s Bride

Elise and Ian hadn't move at the place, and her blue eyes went from the place where she saw the carriage earlier toward Ian, "He spoke about his younger brother whom I met during the first exam and the content of second exam." and Ian hummed in response as if in a thought, and Elise quickly remembered what she needed to urgently tell him. Hallow told me about Mr. Oliver, he said that he smelled like Gallows."

"Hm, I know," Ian answered much to Elise's surprise and Hallow's who had stuck his head from her pocket. She looked at his eyes with full of question to see him chuckle at her, "My forever silly bride, do you think I would miss something such as this when the chick can do it? When we were in Saltige, I noticed he smelled different from before."

Elise lifted his brows, her hair falling from her shoulders when she moved to exchange his gaze, "Do you mean that he had taken the place of the real Oliver?" that would explain his sudden change of behavior.

Ian confirmed her correct guess with a prompt nod, "I suspect that Oliver lost his soul somewhere during his mission and the Gallows entered his body at that time. It's a shame, the previous Oliver was quite smarter but this one goes by his stupidity. They do say while most illness have cure, stupidity doesn't."

"But why would he took Oliver's body? Hallow told me about Gallows that they never leave purgatory," asked Elise with a light frown, she then added, "Lucifer shouldn't be able to order Gallows, can he?"

Ian understood the suspicions that sweet Elise had as she was surrounded with thorns all over her who are ready to harm her. "Ive never heard Gallows leaving purgatory either. They are controlled by the Archangel, while I wish to tell you Lucifer wouldn't be able to put any instruction for the Gallows to follow, he was also once an archangel who had chose the darker path. But for the same reason we can believe the Gallows won't follow a fallen angel."

"I hope so," whispered Elise, she then looked at Ian where the thick sable of his black hair fell on his forehead was blown by the wind, "What are we waiting here?" she finally asked after a while as she noticed he didn't move but chose to stand at the entrance as of waiting for something. Another thing that Elise finally note was the coat Ian wear as if he was going to go somewhere.

"Carriage," was Ian simple but impactful reply he trailed his hand to her cheeks. "I wasn't lying when I say we are scouting for Churches to hold our marriage ceremony, you know. It is going to be a special day for you and me, us, and I want it to be the perfect marriage for us to tell to our child, grandchild, great-grandchildren. We can tell them about their gorgeous great-grandmother and their handsome great-grandfather. That way, they would be able to learn about how good their genes are."

The words moved Elise's heart, she looked at Ian who watched her with an endearing gaze. A chuckle passed by her lips, taking part in the joke he made, "I can already tell our marriage would be amazing." and she hoped no hiccups would happen between their roses path to marriage. 

"Don't wait for the marriage only, there is still the night after," whispered Ian with another wink that had her cheeks turning pink akin to the color of her lips. 

When the carriage arrived, Elise saw Frank the coachman when Ian draped the new red cloak to her shoulders. "I can do it," she said, referring to the ribbon that tied the cloak, but Ian placed her hands aside, shaking his head.

"This is my privilege of being the man you choose, and it is your privilege to enjoy all my pampering," Ian stated when he was done he pulled away Hallow who seemed to be in his own world and thoughts as if avoiding to see the share of affections the two exchange. 

"W-What?!" growled Hallow when the Demon pulled his body from his safest place, Elise's pocket. Knowing how Ian had threatened him, he was afraid he would squash his body.

Ian raised an eyebrow at the flinching attitude the grim reaper showed. It seemed after being a child, the grim reaper had regress his mental age, being no less than a seven-year-old child. He rolled his eyes, "We are going to the Church and you are not coming," and he put him on the floor, moving his body with his feet to put the chick aside. Elise watched Hallow on the ground, his expression seemed as if he want to talk but Hallow didn't want to go to the Church either, therefore, the chick went to leave when he fell backward, rolling on the floor.

"I'm coming with you two," Beelzebub chimed from behind. Seeing the Demon, Elise wondered since when he had been there because she hadn't notice him the entire time. Based on his words, he seemed to have overheard their conversation for a long time. 

She shifted her gaze to Ian who seemed to be weighing a choice before shrugging his shoulders. They were about to leave with Elise entering the carriage first. She looked at Ian, "Earlier you said that you have a Church in mind, where are we going?"

"I have been thinking to meet the Father Redrick you've talked about, we will be going there," stayed Ian.

The trip to the Church didn't take too much time. It was only a while ride before they arrived there. Elise saw children playing outside the Church where a green yard was seeing the tall trees, and gust of wind blowing the leaves from the floor, she felt somewhere at peace. She didn't know why but whenever she was at Church, perhaps due to her beliefs, she always felt at safe.

A lone man played with the children and as if noticing something, he turned his face toward the three people who walked out from the carriage. When seeing Elise, Father Redrick's smile softened but it lowered when he saw the two Demons that stood behind her. 

"You two can go, I will be staying here," said Beelzebub while leaning to the wall of the carriage. Elise didn't understand what Beelzebub was thinking by agreeing to come with them. He didn't seem to be interested with the idea to come to the Church and he did told her he wasn't fond of the Church but then he invited himself that had her question why.

The reason to Beel's sudden impulse remain a question as Ian and Elise left to meet Father Redrick who came toward them as he was right across the couple. He ushered the children to play somewhere away, and first looked at Elise and exchange a sweeter smile, "Miss Elise, have you come to visit the library?" said the priest as he unrolled the sleeve of his shirt which he had bundled up to access his hand and play with the children.

"Yes," Elise looked at the children who looked at Ian with fascination that had her smile before looking at the priest again, "I was wondering if it would be alright to read the books that you mentioned before," she said to the older man whose hair was dark brown but eyes blue almost like hers. 

"Of course, I won't mind," Redrick answered and he lifted his chin to look up at Ian before his eyes falling to their hands that were locked. "Before that, would it be intrusive if I ask who is this dashing man?"

Ian took the initiative to say, "Ian White, Lord of Warine," came his simple but heavy reply that seemed to surprise Father Redrick. Elise noted how the man was taken aback by the revelation and she could guess it was because a chance to meet the Lord of the Lands are rare to common people. 

What Elise didn't know was Father Redrick was surprised out of a different reason.

Ian's lips curled deeper as he looked at the priest who was shocked while gazing at his face, "I have heard everything from my bride about you, she had spoken very highly about the priest and this Church that I was very curious. Now seeing you, I think I can understand what Elise meant," and saying that he reached out his hand as if to offer the man a handshake, "It's nice to meet you."

Elise didn't remember when she had praised Father Redrick but didn't question as Ian seemed to be up in something. 

It took a good one minute for Father Redrick to return the offer after staring at it in a very deep contemplation, "Likewise-" Before the preist could say anymore words, he felt his hand squeezed tightly by Ian and his eyebrows furrowed at the Demon in front of him.