"About your proposal…" Lilith said. "I don't mind humoring you. You're stronger than most humans, and you might live long enough…"
Alexander turned red again, and the smile on his face practically tried to leap off.
Hmph!
Lilith placed a hand on her chest. "Besides… I find your presence warm now. Cozy…"
(You hear that, Sera?! I have a chance!)
{Yes, yes. Hurray. I shall prepare the red rice for the event.}
(What's with the cold reaction? Aren't you happy for me? That I actually landed a hot, literally red, chick—despite my 1% romantic luck?)
{...Forgive my presumptuousness, Master. I am happy if you are happy.}
(You know, you could just call me Alex if you want.)
{No. I shall continue to refer to you as "Master."}
(Sera… is it just me or are you upset about something?)
{It is just you.}
(Ehhhh?! Come on, tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me!)
While Alexander carried on the invisible argument, Lilith observed him curiously.
'He's... murmuring to himself? No. It's not quite that. Could it be... telepathy?'
That could be a problem—especially if she was going to seriously consider a relationship.
More importantly, how would her father—Lucifer Morningstar—react to an infant human as a suitor?
She decided to test the waters.
"Uhm… M-My love."
{Tsk.}
(H-Her love?! Already?! I thought we were waiting a decade or so?!)
Alexander froze mid-thought and turned to her, blushing down to his collar.
"Y-Yes, honey," he answered sheepishly.
{...Hmph!}
Lilith's tone shifted slightly as her expression grew more serious—if one could ignore the lingering blush.
"I want to know who you really are."
"...Huh?"
"Your name. Your family. Your ambition. Everything. Would you be willing to tell me?"
Before Alexander could respond, another voice cut in from above, floating down:
"He's a baby. A normal human baby."
Lilith's head whipped toward the voice. "Ruben!"
Relief flooded her face as she ran to embrace him.
She started speaking quickly, flustered:
"Ruben, I'm sorry! You were right—I wasn't fit for the battlefield! Because of me, you got hurt. I'm truly sorry. I'll train more, I promise. No more impulsive—"
"Whoa, whoa. Calm yourself." Ruben chuckled as he patted her back. "It's fine. Really. My bones twisted in a weird direction, and a rib poked my heart. That's all. Nothing serious."
"Really? Thank goodness."
Lilith let out a long, relieved breath.
Alexander just stared up at them, tiny and dazed.
'Bones twisting and hearts being pierced are not serious injuries...? I've definitely been reborn in another world.'
{Master, that only applies to high-class demons. Don't get any strange ideas.}
"I'm also glad to hear you're more humble now," Ruben said. "Even the old man might like this sudden growth."
"Gracious, Ruben. Stop calling him 'old man.'"
"What? He is old."
Shrugging, Ruben turned his golden eyes down to the little toddler still standing on the ground.
"Now… how do I thank this small tyrant," his tone dropped slightly, "for taking such good care of my sister?"
His presence shifted, suddenly darker. Hostility leaked out like pressure through a cracked wall.
Lilith's eyes widened.
(Ah. So they were siblings! Thank God—I thought he was already two-timing me.)
She ran forward and stood protectively in front of Alexander.
"I'm sorry, Ruben, but I can't let you harm my b-boyfriend!"
"Eh?!" Ruben's head snapped between the baby and his frantic sister.
(Achaaa... Actually hearing her say it is making me shy. And this is the first time I'm hearing anyone date a toddler.)
{Yes, it seems so. And apparently, they're demon royalty.}
(Hmm? A princess, huh? But they don't look alike at all—she's red-skinned, but this Ruben guy looks practically human... Except no human has that kind of pressure. He's definitely a demon. WAIT—princess?! I'm dating a princess?!)
"Despite what happened earlier, this human isn't like the others," Lilith said, standing tall. "He told me I was unique, that I wasn't useless! He also said I was b-beautiful... and that my horns were polished."
"...That's just you being gullible." Ruben rolled his eyes.
"Wait, wait—he's also kind! And calm! And he even healed me!"
"Which he injured you into needing in the first place."
"Still! I won't let you harm him!"
Ruben sighed. "You're suddenly in a relationship with a human? Do you even know his name?"
"Of course I do!" Lilith said with bold confidence, turning toward Alexander with a wink. "You're Jin-Woo, right?"
(...That's a different novel. Now I feel sad for some reason.)
As Lilith and Ruben continued their bickering, Alexander finally raised his hand.
"Uhm... I feel like I shouldn't say this, but... weren't you watching the whole thing?"
Ruben flinched—like someone just nearly threw a rock at his head.
"H-Hahaha! Young human, it would serve us best if you remained silent."
"No, no, please continue, my love," Lilith pressed, a strange light flickering in her eyes. "It seems I've been mistaken about something."
Alexander tilted his head, shrugging.
"Since the battle started—and up until I snapped out of the curse—this guy was just hovering in the distance. I actually thought you two were fighting or something."
All while Alexander spoke, Ruben had been gesturing at him desperately—"shut up," "please, I'll pay you," "I have treasures!"
But apparently, Alexander wanted to implicate him.
As soon as he finished, Lilith adorably skipped over and wrapped her arms around Ruben's waist.
"Big brother," she said sweetly, burying her face in his chest. "Is what my love said true?"
Her grip tightened ever so slightly.
Ruben glared at Alexander like he'd just betrayed their blood pact.
"Why, human? Why would you do something so horrible?!"
Alexander averted his gaze to a random tree.
"Who knows. Probably the curse in effect… or that I can't stand hot guys. But most definitely, the curse."
Violet flames began to crackle faintly around Ruben.
"You needed this battle experienc—OwOwOw! Okay! Okay!"
But before the moment got any weirder, something shifted.
Ruben suddenly went still, his expression sharp.
Alexander picked it up too. His head snapped east.
(Sera... something changed. Like something stretched.)
{Correct, Master. A portal opened nearby. A new presence has entered the area—that's what you sensed. Good instincts.}
Alexander didn't waste a second. He covered himself with Jericho.
And just in time.
In the blink of an eye, they had company.
About twenty-five figures, dressed in full combat gear, appeared around the mountain slope. Some stood on the ground, others hovered on aerial units, a few floated mid-air like war gods. Weapons ready. Artifacts gleaming.
(Crap! I'm being hunted?!)