The Demon’s Bride

Opening his study room, at the same time of Elise's question, Ian shook his head, "Likely not. We don't know how to break the curse and I think it's the opposite. Beel's contract with Lucifer must be along the line of Lucifer helping him to curb his greediness."

Elise who had frowned then thought of how the possibility Ian said was very close to maybe the truth which they don't know as Lucifer was sly when it comes to hiding the plan he was putting Mr. Beel to. She wondered what could it be that Lucifer want? She had met him when she saw young and he had protected her. 

"Which mean Mr. Beel must have suffered greatly with his curse?" Because everyone knew not to sign contract given by Lucifer as agreeing to work with the fallen Angel was the same as falling into a rabbit hole with no way of going out.

"Yes, although we wouldn't be able to know if we are right seeing how Lucifer had put a restriction on Beel to not tell the reason of his contract," Ian then made his way toward his desk, taking the rolled scrolls that were placed on the desk while Elise looked at his table, finding one letter. "Want to read it?" Ian asked, noticing where her eyes fell on.

"Can I?" Elise questioned, she didn't know anything about Ian's work as the Lord but knew it must be taxing with all the responsibilities he have on his shoulders where he need to take care of the massive land of Warine. 

"Of course, you have taken a very good choice of letter to read. I took it from a certain nosy family the other day," Ian said as if he had forgotten the name of the family which was actually the truth as he didn't think he should bother himself to remember the family name who now had combust to ashes. 

Nosy Family? wondered Elise as she opened the letter which had been torn. Pulling out the letters her eyes read the words line by line, catching the word of Lord Garfon and her eyes widened, "Lord Garfon wish to overthrow you from the seat as the Lord." Maybe because she had heard from Ian before and had seen the friction between the Lord of Runalia and him, she wasn't surprise that Lord Garfon would do issue such letter. 

Reading the last name, Elise also noted how the letter was sent to the family of Count Gerald, Lady Monica's family who Ian had referred as the nosy family. 

"Just hearing his name from your lips make me irritated, he is defiling your lips by his name," Ian said with a click of his tongue and he patted the table. 

Elise took it as a cue to walk toward him, only feeling him pulling her close and with a sweep of his arm, Ian brought her to sit on his laps. Elise was surprised and a light gasp escaped her lips. "Could they do that?"

"Dethroning me?" Ian chuckled at her question as if her question was silly, "No, that won't happen as long as I am here. I have never lost in a game a chess, the board chess or the real life chess."

"But it worries me, if Lord Garfon had sent this letter to Count Gerald's family, it means he had also sent the letters to other families," and she wondered how many amongst all the family who was sent the letter would agree to Lord Garfon's offer, "Did Count Gerald agreed?"

"He did," Ian answered and while Elise was concerned, Ian looked barely feeling unruffled about it, "Unfortunately for him and his family though, he could only agree into the offer verbally."

"Why so?" Elise who didn't understand asked, seeing how Ian's cruel grin spreading wider, "Because I burned his house along with his family. He must be back in Hell now, enjoying the pain of his punishment. His daughter was the one who had rumored about your past along with her brother."

Was the reason why Ian had burned the family's house was because he wanted to teach a Monica a lesson for her sake? Elise didn't know how wrong it was if she felt happy upon other's death, "I don't mind the rumors," she said.

"But I do," Ian answered, watching how Elise's lips pursed as if she is trying to find the right word, "When others hurt you, I cannot restrain myself from inflicting a pain much worse than what they do to you. I hate it when others hurt you as they also hurt me by doing so."

Elise can't help but to show him a smile. She knew there were things she had changed from Ian and she also knew how there were more things she weren't able to change from him, "What will you do about the letter Garfon sent?"

"Well? What did you think I did?" Elise was once again faced with riddles that Ian had always like to give to her but this time she took more time to think. She could see that Ian had put a plan in action to counter Garfon's plan but she didn't know what he tried, "Want a hint?" And Elise nodded, knowing Ian wouldn't tell her the answer directly. "I repeated what I did to your sister today to him."

"Reversing the plan?" Elise questioned seeing him nodding in response, "Did you sent another letter like this to people from his side?"

Ian shook his head, "I let him think he is the savior when in fact he had turned into a criminal now. He must be enjoying his time in jail any time soon if our dear Church members aren't stupid enough to miss what I did." Without receiving the complete plan Ian did, she wondered what he had done and she heard him ask, "Did you read the books Redrick gave you?"

"I have just finished the second one about the Angels," Elise said for Ian to nod. "I heard that only Angels have feathered wings, like dove. Like yours except for the color."

"I know what you are thinking," Ian smiled, circling his hands around her waist, "When Maroon came back from Hell we should receive answer about you and I am planning to take you out somewhere tonight."

Elise thought of how they only leave the castle during nights but learn that in night there were more advantages for them to move without being under other people's watch, allowing them to move without a hitch or question, "Where will we go?"

"The only house which I didn't destroy during my early days of becoming a Demon. We will go to find about my past," and over his wordsmith curiosity burned in Elise's blue eyes that had always questioned the reason for Ian's feathery black wings. 

"About earlier, whose crow was that?" Elise then asked before she forgot, receiving Ian!s crafty smile.

"I am guessing it's Lucifer's subordinate."

Subordinates? "Why would he come here?" Did the crow acted dead earlier to let her save him then?

"Maybe he is indeed dehydrated?" Ian shrugged with a smile, "You don't have to worry that the crow came to make trouble. He is famous in Hell for being the most clumsiest Demon in Hell that even cause Satan and other High Demon wondered why Lucifer took him in. He could barely do anything from brewing tea to being a spy."

Still, thought Elise, did Lucifer ordered him to come here if so then what for? Taking in Ian' words, she wondered was it possible that it planned to stay in the castle after being helped by her and then settled itself in the castle to become an ear for Lucifer that only failed? If so, the Demon is indeed a clumsy one.

When dinner time came, Elise and Ian sat next to each other while Esther sat next to Elise and Beelzebub sit in front of the new guest. While cutting the meat, Esther couldn't ignore the gaze of Beelzebub that continue to stare at her. Esther didn't mind by being watch by others, she had been followed, tailed like Austin did to her, but it was different when Beelzebub watched her. She could feel herself standing on her toes as the blonde-haired Demon continue to look at her. 

Esther ignored the man's presence, showing a dear smile toward Elise, "And then you passed the first exam? You must be the first woman to pass the exam for the Church member. Then the second exam will come soon," drawled the woman.