The Great Hall of the Primordial Empire was silent enough to hear a soul flicker.
Alexander, a Duke who had seen galaxies born and die, stood before the Emperor with a face pale as death.
He didn't speak; he simply let the aura signature of the demon bleed into the air.
The Emperor, usually a pillar of unshakeable gold, watched the dark energy swirl.
Unlike the Duke, his face didn't twist in fear, but his eyes narrowed until they were sharp as daggers.
"This is not the prisoner," the Emperor said, his voice echoing like deep-sea currents.
"The demon under our seal is a beast of shadow. But this... this aura is fundamentally different."
"It is ancient. It is hungry."
Alexander nodded quickly.
"That is the point, Your Highness. This information was sent by a native from a primitive world."
"He was allowed to send it, which means the demon wanted us to see."
"It even hid its name in the vibrations of the aura: Beelzebub. The King of Flies. The Sin of Gluttony."
