"I had been waiting for you,

" said Haagenti as soon as Regina stepped inside the room.

He was sitting on the sofa, a glass of wine in one hand, while Farren stood behind him with his ever-present smile. He had been in his space for quite some time until he's sure that Regina was returning. After all, he wanted to know something from her.

Regina's perfect eyebrows raised.

"And why is that? Do you need something from me?

"

Her butler took the coat from her shoulder and stepped aside afterward as she plopped herself down on the other sofa..

"I want to know the identity of the lady who attended your little tea party,

" he didn't try to beat around the bush because there is no need to. Haagenti only wants answers.

The woman he had sense while he was out and had deliberately met just so he could confirm the depth of the woman's powers. Their meeting wasn't an accident, it was very much planned by him from the start. He almost abandoned the plan when he saw the tower's magician walking along with her.

Good thing that he teleported out of there and his ploy still happened. And boy did he hit a jackpot. It was just like Farren had told him. An ocean.

A mana reserve so immense that he almost grabbed her right there and then to finally fulfill their mission.

Regina's eyes widened for a fraction upon understanding what he meant and upon seeing the greedy look in his eyes.

"You…

" she straightened her back and frowned at him--

"I saw her first.

"

She has other plans with Nadia, and she sure as hell won't be giving her to anyone else. The power she sensed in her, made her salivate. With Nadia, she will truly reach greatness.

'Like mother, like daughter…'

Regina thought. Her mind wandering back to the memory of a certain woman.

Haagenti's lips curved upward and drawled.

"That's where you are wrong. She was the one Farren had told me about.

"

"I want her for myself. That lady is mine,

" Regina insisted.

Her mind was already set. Ever since she learned of Nadia's magic, she already planned to get it for herself. To make her transition as a witch complete.

'Ohh… To be able to possess that power. I will surely go down as the greatest witch in the history…'

Regina is slowly being lulled away by her desires. And these desires grow stronger the more she thinks about them.

'Yessss… You will be the strongest sorceress, my Queen… This world is yours to take…' A snake-like voice hissed inside her head, adding more fuel to the fire, stoking the flames.

'The strongest…'

"You don't get to decide about that, Queen,

" Haagenti then cut in, halting whatever haze she was under and stared at her as he downed his glass of wine.

"You do know where you stand, right?

"

He released his demonic aura for a little bit, enough to scare the wits of the butler at the side, and warned Regina. The narcissistic queen of Rosenthal had been acting way too familiar with him lately and had completely forgotten the level of authority between them.

She may be the queen of this empire but Haagenti is a proud devil. A human such as her doesn't stand on equal footing nor stand above him. He let her run wild these years because he could care less and because he's pretty much preoccupied all the time.

But the years don't change anything.

Regina clenched her fists tightly as she fought the fear that was gradually spreading to her heart.

"But you already have--

" She remarked out of frustration but didn't get to finish whatever it was she's about to say...

"Queen Regina…

" Haagenti warned.

"!!!

"

The sharp glint in his crimson eyes stopped her. The atmosphere shifted and turned the room gloomy. Farren's smile didn't waver but his eyes did have a trace of madness in them. Seemingly craving to at least teach the woman a lesson for baring her fangs against his master.

"I… I apologize for my rudeness, my Lord…

" she couldn't help but utter, mentally berating herself for completely forgetting that even if he schemes alongside her, he's still a dangerous demon through and through.

"I hope you still remember our little deal…

" Haagenti muttered and cocked his head to the right--

"Shall I remind you?

"

Regina shook her head gracefully, calming herself down. Afterward, she warily met his crimson eyes, ones that belong entirely to the demons.

The eyeballs that should be white are black, and the irises glowed a bright red that looked like pools of blood. It was eerie and hauntingly beautiful at the same time. But at this moment, it only creeped her out.

"... What about me? How can I get stronger--

"

"Leave that to us,

" Haagenti immediately answered--

"Aren't you steadily gaining power? You shouldn't rush it or the tower will definitely catch wind of it and destroy our plans.

"

The tower is always their biggest enemy, especially the owner. One grave mistake and everything they had been carefully building on will fall apart.

"Don't worry. In no time, you will be known as the greatest witch alive,

" Haagenti assured her.

"That is right…

" Another voice chimed in.

It was low and seductive, pulling on the heartstrings of anyone that hears it.

The people inside the room turned towards the source and at that moment, a magic portal appeared, revealing a fairly beautiful man with white hair and a seductive charm. He was wearing a white tux with only a blood-red necktie for a change in color. The red deeply contrasted against him who had always been pale and emphasized his red eyes. Behind him entered other men as well and clearly, without a doubt, all of them are demons.

"Lord Asmo--

" Regina gasped in awe.

"Hush,

" the man grinned wickedly--

"You shouldn't casually say a devil's name just like that. Names held power...

"

"I apologize…

" Regina blushed and pried her eyes off of him. Even so, she still found herself looking back at him as she was compelled to do so.

Haagenti, on the other hand, was frowning all the time, displeased to see him. Asmoday casually sat down on the chair, both him and Regina on each his side, while his men retreated in the shadows and waited there.

"Mhmm… So? Both of you seem to be in the middle of something…

" Asmoday began to dig.

"That is none of your business,

" Haagenti sneered.

One archdemon lunged to attack him but Farren had already jumped in front of him as a shield and stopped its attack. But other archdemons were surrounding them now, both from him and Haagenti's side.

"How dare you talk back to the Lord,

" it was Asmoday's subordinate.

"Move your filthy claws,

" Farren sneered rather joyfully but the madness in his eyes was present.

Tension rose in the room as bloodthirst fill the air. It feels like a fight will break out any minute and every single one of them is in the mood for it. Aside from two people, Regina and her butler, which are the only humans in the room.