The Demon’s Bride

Hearing the way Mila had called her turn Elise to smile at her, "You can call me by my name, Mila. We have known each other since long before, calling me by Lady makes me feel as if a rift has been created between us."

Mila returned her smile with a warm one, "It would be rude for me to assume I am in the same position as you, Lady Elise who will soon become the Lady of White Mansion. There are some rites that I, as a maid and servant should follow."

Since young, Elise had been attached to Mila. Somewhere along with her memory she has even thought that she was similar to her late mother before she had gone crazy. While her young self was searching for a mother figure, Mila had become that existence. "But I would be happy if you can call me like usual," she then looked around which Mila caught before turning to look at her with a smile, "What if you call me like usual when there is no one. I don't care about rites and rules."

Mila took the word with another smile, her eyes curved with delight, "It's an honor."

Elise returned Mila's smile with another one which was wider, taking the boo, she begins to turn the pages and study the lines while saying, "This is the book which I borrowed from the Church, about few things that I had been wanting to know."

"I see, I didn't know that books can be borrowed from the Church," Mila said, from the place she was standing at which was behind Elise's chair.

"The books are a special case, I had borrowed it from the help of a priest who I knew," Elise replied. 

Venturing through the books, Elise chose to read the first book which was about Demons. After learning of her father's humans name, she believed there should be clues about him there if the book was completed with all information she needs, and she hoped she would be able to draw luck.

Finding the first few pages, she learned most Demons were drawn the opposite of creatures that would look like a human. On Beelzebub's page, the picture of him was drawn as a large bee with horns attached on its head and butterfly wings. The drawing was detailed, causing it to look more gruesome as there was no Demon that looked pleasant to see. Most of the Demons had an utterly horrific and frightening appearance, with only some looked like what others would see from paintings and statues of Demons.

Beelzebub was said to be a Demon of Honor, while he was a Demon, he held the virtue of a high noble in the mortal's world, who adopt the belief of never forgetting one's kindness to them and at the same time, never letting go of hatred and grudge they have to their enemies until the latter had died. And it was explained that Beelzebub's power involves bringing blue fire across the world and bringing the truth out of lies. The blue fire thought Elise was something she had seen which means to some extent the book she had with her now was very close to the truth. Although she doesn't know about his latter power, she believes that what was written there was correct.

Reading the page being more hope to Elise and she didn't waste her time to quickly flip the next page, reading more into the Demons and their unique titles which was similar to the caste of how nobles had. As more time progress, Elise arrived at the page about the Duke of Hell, Lucifer.

"Lucifer, Angel of destruction, Fallen Angel, Duke of Hell, Bringer of chaos..." Elise muttered underneath her breaths, as her eyes followed each word about Lucifer. What was written about Lucifer's history was close to what Father Redrick had elucidated to her.

Lucifer was written as the son of a High Demon and Angel. He bears the blood of the Angel and ascended to Heaven despite being a cross-breed of a Demon. But it was only until one day did Lucifer turn his back toward Heaven and went to Hell, assuming the position of the Duke.

Elise wondered what was the reason and she tried to find out in the next paragraph but she wasn't able to read it and she frowned. If she can't read this, maybe Ian could? 

Only a day had passed since Elise had learned about the Demon's bloodline in her, but she could feel how it affect the flow of her senses and her body function. Some things remain unchanged, she didn't have horns nor black bat-like wings, but her senses grew much sharper that Elise can't help but to keep noticing it grew at an unprecedented speed. Even though she was far from others, being alone in the open garden, her ears had turned so sharp that she could distinctively overhear the discussion of the maids on the neighboring corridor.

Elise decided to move on into the next Demon when she recalled the name of the Demon that Redrick had told her. "Leviathan," she whispered, finding something odd on her lips when she had called the name. The casted shadow of hers under the chair Elise sat on suddenly quivered and zapped, just for a slight second that neither Elise nor Mila, who sat behind her, was able to sense.

An emotion that Elise can't notice well or ring her finger into it blossomed in her heart. She had been curious since her childhood, wanting to know about many things that oftentimes can be troublesome as her curiosity would always get the best of her. When she thought she would be learning about Demon, her curiosity was high, and it only grew stronger like oil poured to fire when she was about to learn about the Demon, Leviathan.

Turning the page her eyes fell on the first line that opened the Demon's story, "Leviathan, The Earl of Hell, destroyer of the living," murmured Elise to herself. She was about to get to the first page when abruptly her eyes widened and immediately, she raised her chin.

Noticing the abrupt motion, Mila was slightly surprised, "Is there anything wrong, Elise?"

Elise turns to look at Mila whose hands were on her back, "I just sensed something."

Mila stared back at her with a questioning gaze, not understanding, she said, "I don't sense anything. What was it?"

"I don't know," Elise answered, pulling her brows. A moment ago she felt a very sharp premonition thundering in her body, making her shiver as if her senses were warning her but she didn't know what it was. Looking around the garden, Elise squinted her eyes, trying to find out what she felt and who it might be as she sensed the presence of someone getting closer, her eyes stopped when she caught the figure of Cynthia.

The woman stepped out from one tree, making her way to the open ground without using the proper route. Upon seeing Elise, she looked surprised but quickly a smile adorned her beautiful face, "Elly," Cynthia called her name dotingly, "I don't expect you to be here, but it's a good time. I was about to visit your room." Cynthia looked closer at Elise, her head then tilting, "You look slightly odd, is there anything bothering you?"