"Sir, please mind your actions."
Artoria glanced at Diablo, displeased. "Attacking comrades is going too far..."
"My apologies."
Diablo maintained his elegant demeanor, bowing sincerely to Shuna, Shion, and the others. "I merely heard your doubts and used some means to prove myself."
The others couldn't really find fault with his reasoning.
After all, they were the ones who questioned the four Primordial Daemons first.
Plus, Diablo had controlled his actions carefully, ensuring no one was harmed.
"If I've offended anyone, I apologize."
"Pfft!"
Carrera couldn't hold back, bursting into laughter at Diablo's theatrical display.
"Don't be rude in front of Lord Damien, Carrera."
"Got it."
Carrera waved dismissively, clearly not taking Diablo's words to heart.
As Damien's familiars, they could directly sense his mood.
If their actions would anger Damien, they wouldn't have done them in the first place.
"Enough."
Damien halted the Primordial Daemons' behavior.
He didn't expect his familiars to all get along like family.
That was unrealistic.
Besides, the four Primordial Daemons were daemons by nature.
Damien wouldn't impose human standards on them.
His only requirement was simple.
No harming comrades or turning on their own.
"This is the first and last time."
Damien warned, "Don't do it again."
"Yes!"
Diablo bowed his head. "We will abide by your will!"
The three women also expressed their intent to integrate into the group and avoid causing trouble for Damien.
"Good."
Satisfied, Damien nodded. "Congratulations on your successful awakening."
"Thanks to your generosity."
"We present ourselves..."
"Primordial Black, Diablo."
"Primordial White, Testarossa."
"Primordial Yellow, Carrera."
"Primordial Puple, Ultima."
"We come to pay our respects!"
Led by Diablo and Testarossa, the four primordial daemons knelt before Damien. "We offer everything to our lord, Demon Lord Damien!"
"!!!"
While the other monsters were unfazed, the seasoned Hakurou and Kaede were visibly shocked.
Not just the old couple, but Treyni, Trya, and Doris... dryad who had lived for millennia... gasped instinctively.
"Primordial Daemons!"
"Black, White, Yellow, Purple... the Primordial Daemons!"
To the beings of the cardinal world, daemons were like ghost stories from Damien's previous life.
The four Primordial Daemons before them were akin to childhood nightmares.
Whether it was Hakurou or Kaede, they had heard tales of their deeds from their parents in their youth.
Nation-destroying, massacres, racial extinction.
"Unbelievable..."
Hakurou's voice trembled. "To think you'd pledge loyalty to our lord..."
No, it was fitting for their lord to tame even these embodiments of ultimate evil.
Daemons were evil, no doubt.
But they honored contracts, rarely lied, and never made unfulfillable vows.
Yet just now, the four had clearly sworn their loyalty to Damien.
This meant they would serve him wholeheartedly, never wavering, for eternity.
"Your words are hard to understand."
Ultima said, "Serving Lord Damien is our honor."
The Primordial Daemons' clear devotion to Damien left the monsters speechless.
Unfortunately, the four were loyal only to Damien, accountable only to him, and concerned only with his thoughts and feelings.
As for others...
Sorry, they weren't in their considerations.
"Boop?"
On the other side, Ogerpon peeked out from behind Snow Empress and Artoria.
After this evolution, Ogerpon had grown from a 12- or 13-year-old loli to a 16-year-old young woman.
Well, aside from her chest remaining unchanged, she had indeed matured.
"You've grown, Ogerpon."
"Come here."
Damien beckoned Ogerpon to his side.
He had always treated his initial companion like a little sister.
"Boop!"
The girl hopped over and threw herself into Damien's arms.
"Good, good, very well-behaved."
Damien let her sit on his lap, gently stroking her hair. "Ogerpon has successfully awakened too."
"Ogerpon got stronger!"
Ogerpon chirped, "I can protect Damien better now!"
'Such favor!'
'Who is this person, to receive such affection from Lord Damien?'
The sight left Diablo envious... he, too, wanted a head pat from Damien.
"Daemons, strange creatures."
Snow Empress, trailing behind, slowly walked past the now-standing four, taking her place beside Damien.
Unconcealed hostility!
Snow Empress made no effort to hide her disdain for the four Primordial Daemons.
"An elemental's aura?"
Testarossa smiled faintly, her red eyes meeting Snow Empress's icy blue ones, sparking invisible tension.
In the cardinal world's classification, Snow Empress was deemed an elemental.
Elementals and daemons had a suppressive relationship.
Elementals countered daemons, daemons countered angels, and angels countered elementals.
Of course, this wasn't why the ever-composed Testarossa provoked Snow Empress.
She simply didn't like her.
The reason was straightforward... their personalities.
Like Snow Empress, Testarossa was a cool, calculating, and reserved type.
So...
'This one.'
Both thought simultaneously, 'She's a bit of an eyesore.'
"Are you really a majin?"
"You've got the vibe of a human Hero."
Carrera was intrigued by Artoria. If possible, she'd love to spar with her right now.
Just a friendly bout, nothing serious.
It wouldn't break Damien's rules.
"A berserker, huh?"
Sensing Carrera's fighting spirit, Artoria smiled. "Sure, I'm ready for your challenge anytime."
"Hey?"
Someone willing to fight her was a true comrade!
Just as Artoria could see Carrera's essence at a glance, Carrera could sense the knight's refined martial prowess.
***
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