The air thickened with each passing second as the silence grew longer and heavier.

No one knew what to say, or if there even was anything to say.

Even Rita remained silent.

Akane's flames had vanished.

Syl's trembling had stilled.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance.

"Well, aren't you all lively today?" Levia chuckled as she approached, her long hair brushing her bare shoulders as she walked, dress shimmering faintly.

'Tsk.'

Akane couldn't help but click her tongue.

One Demon was bad enough.

With two of them, she had an even more minuscule chance of changing Syl's mind.

'Still, I can't let her do that. I can't let her turn into…'

Akane's thoughts trailed off as she noticed Amon following Levia, hands in his pockets, walking leisurely.

The Fox felt her throat suddenly go dry.

Having felt Amon's scent change in the night when the Corrupted Draconic Spawn had appeared, she insctinvelly knew that Amon could only go against her in this discussion.

To ask the Evolving Monster's opinion would be a horrible decision.

Akane inhaled sharply, forcing calm into her body.

She turned slightly, stepping in front of Syl without thinking, tail fluffed.

Syl raised an eyebrow, slightly confused by the Fox's posture. A defensive, almost protective posture.

Levia blinked at the odd tension.

"What's going on?" she asked with a playful lilt. "I could feel some sparks in the air, the three of you weren't fighting, were you?"

Rita stretched her arms as if shaking off stiffness.

"Just teaching Akane about magic, like I said I would." The Succubus shrugged.

Levia tilted her head.

"Why does the Fox look… Mortified then?"

"I don't." Akane said immediately, too quickly.

Amon raised an eyebrow, and Syl flinched.

"It's nothing." Syl suddenly stood up and dusted herself off. "We didn't expect one of the Demons to be killed in the night, that's all."

Akane glanced at her for a moment. She was hiding the discussion from Levia and Amon. It was for the best.

"You could have told us." Syl sighed, directing her gaze towards Amon.

"Sorry." He pressed his lips. "She had to go."

"You killed her?" Levia frowned.

"Rita did." Amon pointed, immediately throwing the Succubus under the bus.

"Uh-hu…" Rita gulped as Levia's eyes slid toward her. "We caught her before she got to Vulkan, thankfully." She explained with her hands raised in front of her.

"Hm..." Levia scratched her head. "Well, that's a shame."

"So,." Amon stepped towards Rita. "Do I need to put the cuffs back on?" He asked, eyes on Akane and Syl.

Just when Akane's lips parted,

"I don't think that's necessary." Syl said first.

"Alright." Amon nodded.

Rita crossed her arms, smirking, keeping them in front of her. "I think I might go for a walk, enjoy my freedom."

"I'll walk as well," Amon scratched his head. "To make sure we don't have another runner."

"Huh…" Levia scratched her cheek for a bit. "I guess we can work on your magic." She told Akane. "What do you think, Fox?"

She started walking away. "I'm… Going to take a nap."

"What about you?" Amon asked Syl.

"I'll hang around Akane." She answered, and followed the Fox.

He waited for the two to get a bit further. "Keep an eye on them?"

Levia blinked. "Okay." She nodded obediently and followed the two.

Rita watched with a raised eyebrow as Levia walked away.

"You're putting Levia in charge? I don't think the others will take it well." She whispered. "They're pretty-"

Rita's words were interrupted as she bit down on her lip.

Her tail had suddenly and roughly been grabbed.

"You were hiding this for me, huh?"

"I-I just thought you… Wouldn't be into the whole… You know…" Rita gulped, scratching her cheek. "Horns and all…"

"Why not?"

"I don't know, no one around you had horns so…"

Before Rita knew it, her cuffs were back on.

Her arms were crossed behind her back, and a lustful sigh exited her mouth.

"I'm not putting them on to make them safe now." Amon whispered in her ear, holding her chin with a hand. "You remember how I forced the truth out of Rika, right?"

A nervous drop of sweat formed on Rita's forehead as she froze. At the same time, she felt the urge to push her knees together, feeling the birth of a tingle between her legs.

"I-I…" The Succubus stuttered, unable to get a full word out.

"You…?

Rita swallowed hard, her breath caught between panic and thrill. "I-I…"

Her voice trembled, barely a whisper.

Amon turned her face a little more, forcing her gaze to meet his.

"You kept the horns and the tail from me,," he said calmly. "What else are you keeping from me?".

Rita's tail twitched beneath his hand, trapped.

Her legs squeezed together on instinct.

"I wasn't trying to… To keep anything from you… It's just…"

Amon leaned in just enough that his breath grazed her cheek.

"You told them about Rika," he murmured.

"I… I know I shouldn't have. You hadn't told them, and I should have let you-"

"You did well," He interrupted. "That's how trust is created.

Rita's lips parted, but the sound didn't come. "You're happy… That I told them before you could?"

"Sure, "Amon loosened his grip on her tail, but only slightly. "I could have told them whenever I wanted anyway. It's not like I couldn't find the time."

Rita let out a long exhale.

Suddenly,

"Aahhh!" The Succubus gasped, suddenly being pulled by her sensitive tail.

"We're going on a walk, right?" He asked with a smirk, having already started walking. "Let's walk."

Rita blinked rapidly, processing the shift.

"You're… Cuffing me… And using my tail like a leash?"

"Mm," he nodded, thumb caressing her tail and sending shivers up her spine. "When you put it that way, I like it even more."

The Succubus wanted to retort, but found herself unable to. His self-assurance and dominance caused her to turn quiet and submit. Plus, with her tail being touched, Rita simply couldn't think straight.

"O… Okay…" She muttered, and followed him.

***

"So…" Levia hummed, hands linked behind her back. "You're taking a nap?"

Akane kept walking, ears perked forward, eyes straight ahead. "Yes."

"Inside?"

"Yes."

Syl hid a tiny chuckle behind her hand.

Levia sighed dramatically. "You could be a bit more talkative, Fox. Syl and I bonded a bit this morning. Wouldn't hurt you to talk to me."

Akane clicked her tongue. "Of course she did."

Syl pressed her lips.

Levia and Syl bonding a bit had nothing to do with their conversation with Rita. Yet, Syl could see why it would seem that way to Akane, like the Demons were slowly turning Syl to their side.

The silence among them was nearly as suffocating as before.

Levia finally spoke again with a light and curious tone.

"You three were really tense when we showed up."

Akane frowned while Syl's steps slowed.

"Fuck off, will you?" Akane said bluntly.

"Hm." Levia raised a brow. "I really missed something, didn't I? I thought we were making progress towards making this a… Team, or whatever."

"Ha." Akane chuckled dryly. "It'll only be one once everyone has been turned into a Demon, I'm sure."

Syl flinched.

"Hm…" Levia remained silent for a bit. "I see," She turned towards Syl. "Rita suggested that you should become a Demon, didn't she?"

Syl froze.

Her foot stopped mid-step, hovering before it touched the ground.

Akane's heart lurched. She whipped her head toward Levia. "So you knew she would." The Fox sighed. "Is that your goal? To turn us all into Demons so you can trust us or something?

Levia frowned and turned towards Syl. "Is she serious?"

"How did you know?" Syl asked, ignoring her question.

"Well, it was pretty obvious from the Fox's attitude." Levia shrugged. "Don't mind Rita. She wouldn't know how to turn you into a Demon if she wanted to."

"Really?" Syl raised an eyebrow.

"The way she talked, you would think she could make it happen right there and then." Akane grumbled. "Why should I trust you over her anyway?"

"Did you ask her if she could do it?" Levia asked.

Syl glanced at Akane, and the latter sighed.

"No."

"So, she didn't lie." Levia nodded with a hand on her chin. "She simply stated that it was a possibility, which it is."

"It shouldn't be." Akane grumbled.

"This isn't your decision, Fox." Levia said with narrow eyes.

"Ha." The Fox chuckled. "The exact same reaction."

"Well, of course. Us Demons value individualism and freedom, since we have no parents or families." Levia turned towards Syl. "What did you tell Rita?"

"Nothing..." Syl scratched her cheek. "Nothing definitive."

"Why are you smiling?" A frowning Akane asked Levia.

"Why shouldn't I?" The Succubus chuckled, before swiftly leaping to stand behind Syl.

Her arms wrapped around the female Hobgoblin's shoulders.

"For us all, Demonhood is a curse. A curse we've learned to accept, enjoy, or even love. Still, in the lives of all Demons similar to us, there is a time when the Demon hates his Demonhood."

"So?"

"Well…" She hugged Syl tenderly. "Of course we would be happy to hear that someone wants to be like us. Someone who doesn't see our curse like the worst thing in the world. Someone who doesn't think we should die because we were cursed." Levia was giddier than ever as she talked. "Rita doesn't show much emotion, but I'm sure that hearing you were open to it made her happy."

"My opposing it made her mad." Akane grumbled.

"Hahaha!" Levia laughed out loud.

Meanwhile, Syl stood awkwardly. "Can you… Let go of me?"

"Nu-uh!"

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