’’Your Father! The devil!’’

For Grim to stare at someone with such hatred, one would know that what the demon had just said was indeed unforgivable. But the demon doctor was far too excited and oblivious to notice the sudden shift in the room’s mood or realize the gravity of his abominable utterance. All the demon doctor did was smile about, feeling proud to have suggested a sure way out of this mess.

’’Your Royal Highness,’’ the demon doctor said under his breath, not able to keep the magnitude of his excitement any longer. ’’Your Father, the Monarch of all of Hell and the Seven Underworlds and Hades was once a divine being!’’ He laughed, stretching forth his hands as he flapped his gums like a mad man. ’’A divine being. An angel with divine blood and essence. Rumour has it that His Greatness once concealed all of his divine qualities and sealed it all in the first drop of tears he shed the moment he was cast out of heaven.’’

’’Michael didn’t have the chance to steal that from him. There is even a high chance that divine blood still flows through your veins, Your Highness. Haha.’’

’’We simply have to return to Hell and ask the King Of Hell for his divine teardrops and we will surely be able to save your woman, Your Highness!’’

The rain thundering outside slowed to a stop. Tiny teardrops from the heavens fell on the muddy ground as Grim said nothing.

His gaze was cold, and his eyes were so dark they almost became one with the darkness of the room.

There were definitely things people could hardly bear or tolerate. Things some people still had nightmares about.

Some things people only heal from but never forget.

There were scars on his soul that trembled each time he heard the word, parent.

Father or Mother.

They were the worst.

The greatest form of evil he had ever known and met.

But, in comparison to one other being that taught him the extremities of wickedness, he would rather spend a lifetime with his parents than ever get to see that one other being.

His father.

His first enemy.

The one who looked at him and decided he wasn’t worth the chance to exist and live normally like every other demon does.

The one being that would place a hand on his shoulder, lean towards the back of his ears and mumble all sorts of curses to him.

You are forbidden, my son. My greatest regret. That’s more than enough reason to get rid of you.

Grim’s eyes glistened like glass submerged in water. And it was like he went back in time, maybe a few thousand years and got to relive all those painful moments.

His eyes slowly returned to the present to stare down at his dying love. And he wondered how far he was willing to go, how crazy he was willing to be to save his Anais.

Even if it meant encountering death in the process...

Grim could never tire of holding her close.

...then so be it.

Azazel broke the tense silence with a sigh, one disbelieving glare towards the demon doctor before turning around fully to face the bed, falling on his knees, his hands stretched forward in apology as he said, ’’Forgive my disciple’s foolishness, Your Highness.’’

Uh?

The demon doctor moved in confusion at their master and stared when other demons fell on their knees as well, all appearing as though they were begging for his life.

’’He just became one of us a few hundred years ago and forgive his lack of knowledge and discipline. Azazel has failed you once again. I deserve to be punished on their behalf.’’

’’M–master...what are you doing—-’’ the demon doctor blinked severely when Azazel threw him a subtle death glare. And felt it was a bit unfair they were all treating him this way when he had just literally solved the problem on ground.

Now, the human will get to live many more years because of him and even have the essence of a divine being all thanks to him!

They should all have been worshipping at his feet for his awesomeness not acting as if he had just poked into someone’s sensitive past or awful background.

’’Hmph,’’ the demon doctor looked away, planting his hands on his hips indignantly at the injustice being done to him.

Azazel and the other demons all held their breaths for the punishment that was soon to come. Their hearts raced wildly in their chest and it was even worse when their prince acted so calmly before them.

Grim gently eased Corrine from his arms and gently laid her on his bed, making her comfortable as he did so. The demons all watched in awe as their prince stood from the bed and reached over for the many blankets to keep her warm.

’’Azazel, send a message to the elders here on earth that I will be returning to Hell for a few days.’’

W-what..?

’’Sir?’’

Azazel blinked before rising to his feet, matching the urgency in their prince’s voice.

’’They can keep their permission slip until I return. I am leaving with you and your disciples in fifteen minutes.’’

He leaned on the bed to adjust her head placed on the pillow while dishing out the orders. Other disciples rose at the sudden decision of their descent to Hell in less than fifteen minutes!

’’S–sorry, but Your Highness, it will take at least an hour to contact the elders here on earth—’’ One look from Azazel was enough for the demon to swallow whatever doubts or fears he has about this. They should be feeling grateful they wouldn’t be spending a night in the Madness Cave.

’’As you wish, Your Highness. It shall be done.’’

Once he ensured every part of her was comfortable on his bed and safely tucked under the blanket, Grim moved just enough to place a long kiss on her forehead and told her with a smile, ’’I will do my very best. Just don’t give up on me like I will never give up on you.’’

He then kissed her left cheek, his hand tightened around hers before letting go for the first time in many hours.

’’You,’’ he pointed to the demon doctor.

’’M–me?’’

Grim ignored the demon and pointed instead at another disciple—the very one who had an earlier look of disappointment.

’’And you.’’

The demon reacted more calmly than the first.

’’Let her rest here for a while and when it’s morning, take her back home and keep feeding her the energy from your demonic cores. If she comes around before I return, do not let her go anywhere.’’

Then he paused to rethink what he had just said, turning around briefly to stare at her and smiled.

’’If she must leave for any reason, do not let her go three steps unsupervised by the both of you.’’

’’Yes, your Majesty,’’ the second demon said with a slight bow.

’’I am entrusting the life and safety of someone very precious to me to both of you. If anything should go wrong, spending your eternity in Madness Cave will be the least of your worries.’’

The demon doctor’s eyes widened, wondering why he got selected to babysit the human and not any other much capable elite demons. But another freezing stare from Azazel made him more enthusiastic about the role. A strained smile spread wildly on his lips as he stared nervously.

Then, he turned to stare at her unconscious form on his bed again and hoped this wouldn’t be the last time he would get to see her again.

I will not return until I am assured we will get to love each other for many more years.

Until then...

Wait for me.

He turned to Azazel who opened a portal that was lit up with a fiery golden magic. And together they got transported to Hell to seek an audience with the devil.