The next morning.

The whole Raymonds Estate was in a state of chaos.

Be it the guards maids or even the members of the family, they were running everywhere and searching all the nooks and crannies of the humongous residence. They left no stone unturned. But alas, all their efforts were futile.

Duke Raymonds, a middle aged man wearing a khaki robe paced through the decorated corridor. His chiselled face was twisted into a grimace. He himself had participated in the search, using his level 9 senses to the fullest. And he found nothing.

“Fuck!” The man cursed as he increased the rapidity of his steps even further. His strong strides almost left cracks on the wooden floor. “This is not kidnapping. This is escape!” He shouted, his voice echoing throughout the premises.

Soon, another man joined him in the walk.

“Calm down, brother.” The short facial hair he had during his investigation on the Grand Pearl arson case had grown a little longer. “We need to find the princess as soon as possible. Be it a case of abduction, or that of a voluntary action- the Imperial family is not going to be happy with us.”

“Fuck!” The Duke stamped down on the floor, forming a web of cracks. “I should have not sent any forces after we got that SOS message. Come to think of it, where did the message come from? Nobody from that convoy survived.”

“It might have been some passerby who witnessed it. But that doesn’t matter. And be careful of what you say. Even the walls have ears. We need to send every ounce of our manpower to search for the princess. She could not have left the city.”

“You take care of it. I am going to the church.”

“Since when did you start to pray? I know the situation is dire, with the Imperial family’s ire on us. But we should be taking practical steps, shouldn’t we?”

“Pray? Hmph.” The Duke almost spat on the floor in disgust. “Those filthy commoners might believe in those. But we know what a big ploy the Church is playing.”

“Then…” The bearded man frowned.

“You have heard the princess yesterday, didn’t you?” He looked at his little brother as they finally exited the giant mansion. “A black masked man led two confirmed high ranked criminals and a few others to strike the convoy. And he is a being strong enough to easily kill level 8s and 7s. We can’t deal with him alone. We need the Church’s aid.”

The bearded man suddenly halted and knitted his brows.

The Duke halted as well. “What’s wrong?”

“The man could easily kill a level 7 and a level 8, but couldn’t stop a mid level from escaping?”

The Duke frowned before letting out a gasp. “And that message… the timing was too convenient.”

“It was always their intention to make her disappear from right under our noses.”

“Fuck! Why couldn’t I think of this anytime sooner. We would have been able to take the necessary steps!” The Duke kicked the air, sending an invisible wave throughout the fields.

“It’s not your fault, brother. Not just anyone could come up with plans as crazy as this.”

The Duke took in a deep breath. “Either the opponent is too competent or the princess… she is in-“

“Shhhh!” The younger man interrupted as he looked around. “She is still a princess. Do you want us to be charged with treason and spend our entire lives in the ‘Forgotten Dungeons’?”

“We can’t delay any longer. The enemy this time- is unfathomable.” The Duke rushed into his carriage and went on his way towards the Church.

An hour or so later, he returned.

“So… what happened?” The bearded man asked just as the carriage door opened.

“The bishop… apparently he had an encounter with the ma- the being.” A wry smile formed on the Duke’s face.

“And?” The younger man frowned.

“He said it’s useless to put a bounty on his head. He had already requested reinforcements from ‘The Cathedral’.”

“The Cathedral? Is he that dangerous?”

“He is a probable Calamity Class.”

“What?!” The man’s eyes almost popped out from his sockets.

“And they have already decided upon a nickname.” The Duke’s eyes turned serious.

“What is it?”

“The Devil.”

******

Four sturdy oxen pulled a hay filled wagon. An old hunchbacked man was driving the cart. On top of the tall stack were three figures- a devilishly handsome young man, an ice cold beauty and a black eyed woman whose eyes seemed lifeless.

Adrian lied on Irene’s lap, his eyes closed. His companion’s purple eyes were fixed on the other woman of the party as per his order, making sure she did not do anything foolish.

Princess Cassidy’s eyes were fixed ahead. What transpired last night was still haunting her and it would probably haunt her forever.

The maids she grew up with, the ones who were not anything less than her blood sisters- said that they would rather be sex workers than getting together with her again? She thought she heard it wrong, but Desmonia’s next actions proved otherwise.

After having her genital filled with the monster’s semen, she limped towards the two idle blindfolded men before voluntarily sucking one of their penis while pleasuring the other with her hand.

Her whole sky fell down on her that moment. That moment- she knew that she lost her. She then turned to the other maid. Thesily was always the more placid one between the two. But all she did was to avoid her gaze. And that was enough for an answer.

And now she was being abducted to her very own place- the capital of the Empire. All she could do was hope- hope that someone finds her and rescue her. Because escape- was impossible.

She turned the the demon disguised in human skin.

As if he felt her gaze, Adrian opened his eyes.

The sky above was clear of any clouds, different from what it was like in Edenshield; and very different from the situation back in the Confederation.

“Haven’t I said it before? If you do obediently follow me, I will make it that you and your maids never separated in the first place.”

She remained silent.

“You don’t have a choice either way.” Adrian turned his body to the princess while his hand gently caressed Irene’s thighs. “You don’t want your lover to die an excruciating death, wouldn’t you?”

He lips remained still.

A shout came from below. “We are a couple of miles away.”

Adrian looked towards the princess again. “Do you have a way to disguise yourself?”

His question was met with silence once again.

“Tsk.” He looked at Irene and reached out his hand. “I need a something sharp.”

She snapped her fingers. A crystalline, stalactite appeared on his hand.

“Looks like I have to take care of your disguise.” An evil smile formed on his face.

Cassidy took squirmed back as she grimaced. It had been a while since she discovered that she could not circulate magical energy.

He pushed her to the bed of hay, holding her chin with one hand and the icicle with the other.

He brought the tip and stabbed it a bit into her face, drawing out blood, and swiped it across her cheek.

“Aaaaah!”

He left another cut on her face.

“Aaaaah!”

Then another.

“Aaaah!”

And another.

“Aaah!”

Until there was no spot left anymore.

Her whole face was drenched with warm blood and cold water, as she lied fainted on the cart.

Adrian dropped the stalactite into the bushes beside the road.

“Now that’s what you call a make up.”