The Demon’s Bride

Elise stood near the window after dinner, watching her aunt from afar when Ian had came and settled his hand gently over her shoulder, "You shouldn't worry too much. Stress is terrible for you as the doctors had said."

"I try to but—" Elise sighed, she was about to explain her anxiousness she felt in her heart when she looked at Esther's face and her determined eyes. The stars on the black sky sparkled and Elise felt something had shifted. 

"Elise?" Ian questioned, feeling the sudden change from her expression. 

"I can't explain it well," she looked to her husband and her smile softened. All her worries faded in an instant. "But I feel that it would be okay now."

Ian raised his eyebrows, placing his hand on Elise's baby bump a smile creeped on his lips, "I look forward to the future."

The next afternoon, Esther pick up her things to her pocket, traveling lightly and early before the early birds would even wake up so she wouldn't bother Elise and her husband. 

Unknowingly to her, when she stepped out of her room, Elise was standing outside the door, startling her. 

"I knew that you would leave early," Elise said with a smile.

Esther can't help but break into a smile, "I sometimes think no one in this world is able to hide anything from you. You bring out the honesty from people."

Elise showed her aunt a smile, "Don't worry, I'm not here to stop you. While I am worried, I don't want you to regret anything either," she handed out her hand to clasp Esther's hand, surprising the latter. 

Esther took her hand and opened her folded fingers to see the pendant in which Elise had given to her. When she looked up, Elise spoke, "It's not much but inside it there's a fragment of Jett."

Esther knew who Jett was after seeing her niece calling the shadow servant to help her and most of the time Jett would appear even without called to help and attend Elise in all her need, disappearing as quickly as he appeared.

"I told the fragment to protect you two and you can use this as a mean to run away as well. By you, I mean both you and Mr. Beel," Elise held her aunt's fingers tightly. "I know the pain of losing Ian and in my life, never would I want to experience the despair of losing him again. It's because I know the pain, auntie, I don't want you to suffer the same fate. Running away is one way to survive."

Esther looked at the pendant which Elise had given to her and offered her a tight smile. Her niece was still unaware that danger which came in between her love wasn't an outside but instead, Beelzebub's own greed. 

Running away together was an impossible feat, but regardless, Esther kept the pendant with her, "Thank you. You know, this side of you reminds me so much of your father," who last night had given her a mirror in means to help her escape during dangerous situation as well, thought Esther to herself.

Esther was then surprised by Elise who had pulled her close for a hug. Elise's warm hands around Esther, put Esther in a peace and she was thankful for her niece gentle action.

"Be careful," Elise wished, watching Esther who left the castle, making her way to Beelzebub's luxurious mansion.

Fortunately for Esther, she didn't have to travel for long as Leviathan had given her the mirror which she used to move from the mortal world to Hell. She opened her eyes when she had arrived in front of the mansion's gate. 

The soldiers who saw her hesitantly used their body to block her from entering. 

Esther raised her eyebrows at them, causing the guards t flinch. 

"It is the Lord's order, milady for no one, more specifically for you to not enter the mansion at all," came the other voice from behind her and Esther looked behind to Venervy.

"I don't need to enter his mansion, if that is what he is worried of, I need to know his whereabouts," Esther replied. She couldn't blame Venervy as the woman was abiding by her master's order. Venervy held a complicated expression on her face and Esther summarized, "He didn't even tell you where he is going to?"

Venervy with silence nodded her head.

"Did he come here?" Esther then asked and Venervy shook her head.

"The lord had given his order through the message crow as for his whereabouts, he didn't explain to us. I had tried to send the crow to relay our message but the crow— they all died," explained Venervy.

Where could he be? To Esther, the only lead she has was Beelzebub's house, but he wasn't here and he hadn't tell anyone of his whereabouts.

"Any lead to where he could be?" Venervy was silent. Of course, thought Esther. If Venervy had a lead, she would have gone there personally. 

They all knew of Beelzebub's critical condition— knowing how dangerous his greed was and how rapid the greed had corrupted him.

Esther bit down her lips, forcing the gears in her head to move faster and find a solution. It was then when she remembered of a bright idea. 

"I will bring him back. Safely," added Esther who then disappeared from the thin air, startling Venervy who had been standing in front of her.

Esther appeared in another large castle, opening the gate to the castle without notifying anyone and entering the building without seeing anyone on her way. As she entered the castle, the house that was dark begin to turn bright a flames bloomed over the unlit candles. 

Esther lifted her face to see the demoness walking down from the staircase. Her graceful action would diminish anyone's thoughts who determined the scar on her face to be her flaw, seeing her only as the most beautiful woman they have ever seen.

The demoness raised one eyebrow, "You are alone. I had pegged that demon who were glued to you would come with you for revenge."

"Revenge?" Esther asked, "To whom?"

The demoness looked at her as if telling that the answer was obvious and pointed her own finger to herself.

Esther shook head head, "No damage was done and although what you did was terribly wrong, I am not the person to judge you or punish you for it.. It's quite shameless but I— need your help."