Behind the door, Lydia felt Roy's gaze and immediately clamped her legs together, stumbling upstairs in a hurry.
In her rush, she didn't notice the wet trail she left on the floor.
But Roy, who stepped out to check the room, did. His expression turned a bit weird.
Lydia felt like she was burning up—her face was flushed, her body weak, like she couldn't muster any strength.
Was it the alcohol? Or was it the terrifying fight she'd just witnessed?
She made her way to the bathroom Wolf Jackson had used earlier, hoping to splash some water on her face to snap out of it.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror—worn out from a sleepless night and the sting of betrayal—Lydia tried to pull herself together.
"Come on, Lydia, you're a mom with a daughter. You can't keep falling apart like this!"
But her mind couldn't help drifting back to the jaw-dropping scene she'd just seen.
How could something so… impressive exist in this world? Wait, what am I even thinking?!
Lydia smacked her forehead, trying to shake the mental image of that "arsenal" out of her head.
"Roy Black is a demon? How is that possible? I didn't notice a thing!"
Thanks to the Beelzebub Brand, that wasn't surprising. A Demon Lord's brand often came with perks, and Beelzebub's hid the wearer's true power.
The realization sent Lydia into a panic.
The guy the FEA trusted was secretly a demon?
Her first thought was that Roy's presence had to be part of some hellish conspiracy.
Sure, most demons from Hell were chaotic and shortsighted, chasing immediate gains like human souls or flesh the moment they hit Earth. Those types were easy to spot and banish.
But higher demons? They played the long game, lying low and planning something big.
Lydia was now convinced Roy was one of those.
"No way! I have to tell the FEA!"
Despite her kind nature, her first instinct was to alert the FEA.
But as she pulled out her phone, a whistle startled her, and the phone clattered to the floor.
There, at the bathroom door, stood the Underworld Archmage, decked out in a black-and-white pinstripe suit, striking what he thought was a suave pose but was actually just greasy.
"Miss me, darling Lydia?"
Lydia instinctively stepped back, nearly tripping over her phone.
"You—how are you here?!"
Sadly, the Archmage had never heard the song Gentleman and didn't catch the hint when Lydia backed away.
Then again, this green-haired weirdo was less "gentleman" and more "penguin with mossy hair."
"Oh, sweet Lydia, I should be asking you that! After you summoned me last time, you vanished. I looked everywhere for you!"
Lydia kept retreating, but the bathroom was small, and she soon backed into the wall.
"What do you want? I'm trying to use the bathroom—get out!"
The Archmage flashed a sleazy grin.
"Don't be like that, Lydia. I just want to have a heart-to-heart—well, heart and lungs, really. I'm not coming in!"
Lydia pressed herself against the wall, panicking.
"Then say it quick and leave! I really need to use the toilet!"
"Alright, but you better watch closely!"
Lydia was about to ask why a "heart-to-heart" required watching when the Archmage suddenly ripped open his stomach, spewing out his heart, lungs, and a bonus helping of guts.
(Iconic scene alert!)
Talk about a literal heart-to-heart!
Lydia's face twisted into a mix of horror and disgust, like an old man on the subway staring at his phone.
But the Archmage? He just stood there with a lovesick expression, as if he'd done something wildly romantic.
"So? Feel my love yet?"
"Oh, I feel it—it's disgusting!"
Lydia couldn't take it anymore. One more second, and she'd puke.
But the Archmage ignored her reaction, rambling on.
"Marry me, Lydia! For you, I turned down that gorgeous succubus who tried to seduce me. You have no idea—she tried everything, but my heart belongs to you!"
Far off in San Francisco, Adra suddenly started sneezing uncontrollably, startling Paxton.
"Master, are you catching a cold?"
"Impossible! I'm not some mortal like you. Probably just bad air here. Paxton, how much longer until I meet Genevieve Aristide?"
"I've sent an email to Genevieve. She'll come as soon as she sees it—I've got something she wants."
Paxton held up a small glass vial filled with a sludgy black substance.
"Good. I'll wait a bit longer then."
Adra sank into a sofa, closing her eyes to rest, oblivious to the shift in Paxton's gaze.
Back in the bathroom, Lydia couldn't hold it in anymore and threw up. Then, with a steely tone, she shut the Archmage down.
"Don't even think about it! I'd rather spend the rest of my life alone than marry you!"
Harsh words, but the Archmage didn't care.
"No worries! Just marry me, and you can live alone afterward. I'll even make your wish come true—leave you truly alone!"
Was this guy for real?
Lydia was freaking out. Trapped in the bathroom with nowhere to go, her only escape was the grimy toilet.
Dive into the toilet to reach the Spirit Ledger Prison?
Her stomach churned at the thought. The last time she'd gone through there had been gross enough, but compared to marrying the Archmage, it was a tough call which was worse.
Just then, a fist smashed through the Archmage's stomach. Roy, shirtless, appeared behind him.
The Archmage looked shocked—he hadn't sensed Roy at all, so he didn't even try to dodge.
After dealing with Athena and the others in the basement, Roy had sensed someone spying and thrown on pants to check it out.
He'd spotted the suspicious wet spot on the floor outside the door.
Guessing it was Lydia peeking, he hadn't thought much of it.
He'd planned to get dressed and talk strategy with her about handling the Archmage, but then he heard weird noises. Sneaking up using Deception Space, he witnessed the Archmage's bizarre "heart-to-heart."
Yeah, no normal person could handle that kind of chat.
So, Roy took advantage of the Archmage's distraction and landed a punch.
The blow tore through the Archmage's stomach, but as a ghost, physical attacks didn't faze him much.
Roy had laced his fist with mental energy, but the Archmage just turned his head 180 degrees, staring at him like nothing happened.
"Who are you?"
Is this guy immortal too?
Roy had already run into a few people with immortality traits lately—Cain, Dorothy, and now this guy.
But immortality varied. Cain's was on another level, something even Roy couldn't crack. Dorothy and the Archmage? Not quite as tough.
"The guy who's gonna kick your ass!"
Roy threw another punch, this time aiming for the Archmage's head.
Crazy, not stupid, the Archmage retracted his head into his neck, making Roy's fist whiff.
Roy smirked, swinging his arm downward with force, smashing the Archmage's upper body into his own stomach.
When the Archmage finally popped his head back out, he looked like a squashed penguin.
(Action choreographer: Tom-sensei, as always.)
"Hey! Who just starts punching people like that?!"
Roy's third punch missed as the Archmage teleported to the bar counter, his body back to normal.
Roy's expression grew serious. The Archmage's magic seemed to need no setup—it was like he could do whatever he wanted.
Add in his partial immortality, and he was a tough nut to crack.
No wonder the Underworld Police and the succubus couldn't take him down.
"Why can't I hit you? You broke into someone's house—don't I get to punch you for that?"
Fair point. The Archmage had no comeback.
Roy wasn't actually the bar's owner, but the Archmage didn't know that.
"So what? You can't stop a man from chasing true love!"
"Oh, I'm definitely stopping you!"
With that, Roy shifted into Ghost Wolf mode, bursting forward and summoning Dark Touch to grab the Archmage.
If punches didn't work, maybe pure energy attacks would.
This time, Roy didn't miss. Dark Touch seized the Archmage, but the next second, he exploded into a puff of white smoke. Roy realized he was holding a chibi doll styled like the Archmage.
Scanning the room, Roy spotted the Archmage lounging in a booth, feet on the table, chugging a bottle of booze.
But with the hole in his stomach, the liquor just poured right out.
"Mmm, this stuff's not bad! Want a sip, dear Lydia?"
The Archmage waved toward the door, and Roy realized Lydia had been quietly sneaking toward the exit.
Caught in the act, Lydia gave an awkward smile.
Roy shot her a deadpan look.
"Why are you running?"
Lydia had every reason to bolt. In her mind, Roy and the Archmage were both dangerous—a demon and a ghost.
Until she knew Roy's true intentions, she wasn't trusting him.
"Uh, I drank too much. Just need some fresh air!"
Yeah, not even a ghost would buy that excuse.
Wait—scratch that. One ghost did buy it: the Archmage.
He tossed his bottle aside and jumped up.
"Perfect! Let's go for a walk!"
It was broad daylight, and this ghost was talking about a stroll. Was he serious?
Roy wasn't about to let him get away.
Fear Incarnate!
Roy unleashed his fear-based power, instantly paralyzing the Archmage.
Then, using True Sight to confirm it was the real deal, Roy rushed forward, binding him with Cursed Hair.
He'd promised Dorothy he'd catch the Archmage, and now he was keeping that promise.
It took a while, but the Archmage finally broke free from the fear illusion.
"Hey! What are you trying to do? I'm a pure soul! Only Lydia gets to taint my pristine body! Lydia? Lydia?"
"She's long gone!"
Roy had no idea why Lydia suddenly decided to make a break for it, but with the Archmage caught, he wasn't about to chase her down.
The Archmage looked heartbroken, like a jilted lover, and started bawling dramatically.
"No! How could Lydia abandon me? We swore eternal love, unbreakable vows! She can't do this!"
He was acting so convincingly that Roy almost believed there was something between Lydia and the Archmage.
But something felt off. The Archmage's eyes were like faucets, gushing water at a cartoonish rate. In seconds, the bar's floor was flooded.
The water started flowing toward the basement.
"What are you up to?!"
Roy unleashed Fear Incarnate again, trying to rein him in.
It worked, but it didn't stop the tears. If anything, the Archmage cried harder.
Faucet? Try high-pressure fire hose!
Screams echoed from the basement—Athena and the others had clearly been woken up by the flood.
Roy had had enough. He swung a fist at the Archmage's face, aiming to darken his panda-eye makeup.
But the Archmage vanished.
No—not vanished!
He'd turned into a fish, using fart-propelled speed to zip through the water toward—
The toilet?
No way was Roy letting him escape. That'd make catching him again a nightmare!
Roy whipped out the Leviathan Axe and hurled it.
Boom!
The axe broke the sound barrier, splintering tables and chairs in its path, pinning the fish-Archmage to the floor.
But then, to Roy's shock, the fish split in two, and one half leaped into the toilet with a carp-like flourish.
The sound of flushing followed.
All that was left was a flooded bar and a mess of debris.
Your comments, reviews, and votes really help me out so much and they make me super motivated to keep working on this story! Thank you! Pat**on : Belamy20