Chapter 35: Once Every Morning and Evening, a Human Custom
"Huh? Uncle??!"
Nia was completely stunned, as if she had heard some fantastical fairy tale!
She jerked her head toward her grandfather, eyes wide, trying to get a denial from him!
But in response, Tayako only sighed, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"Nia, do not be rude. Hill was sealed in the lower levels all these years, and his physical time was frozen. Just like the Demon Lord, he has maintained his youthful state... By seniority, he is indeed your uncle."
"Me?!"
Hearing this, Nia was utterly speechless... Her eyes twitched, her mouth distorted, and her shoulders trembled... Looking at this "uncle" who was a head shorter than her and as cute as a doll, Nia felt her worldview rapidly collapsing!
In the end, she could only squeeze out a tear in anger, sniffling as she said aggrievedly:
"But... but! Didn't we agree that I was going to the trial! Why does Uncle get to dismiss me with just one sentence! I... I've worked so hard all these years! Waaah—"
As she spoke, Nia couldn't control herself and burst into loud sobs, then looked at the Demon Lord, pleading in a tearful voice:
"Demon Lord! You... you tell him! Please take me with you! Waaaah..."
The utterly aggrieved Nia wiped away her tears.
'Hope of the whole village,' 'Elite of the younger generation,' 'Hero who broke the seal'—with all these titles stacked upon her, she had no idea how much effort she had put in for this!
And yet, here she was, her dignity being rubbed into the ground repeatedly by the 'favorites' around the Demon Lord... and one of them was even her uncle!
What young girl could possibly accept this!
In fact, Nia wasn't a bad kid—the Underground Labyrinth was full of dangers, and the rule that the 'Dawn Antique Shop' didn't accept strangers was originally set by Tayako. Since she had never seen the real Demon Lord, how could she have recognized him!
On the other side, looking at the girl's expectant, awkward, and aggrieved expression, Asmodeus rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment. No one knew exactly what the trial would entail; if Nia were there, she would at least be familiar with the environment of this level. Besides, he couldn't let all the years Tayako and these loyal subjects spent training her go to waste.
"My consort, Lilith Augusta, will definitely be coming with me,"
Asmodeus said in a deep voice.
"As for the remaining person..."
He looked at Hill, who had a face full of fanatical loyalty—standing at 1.4 meters tall with a cute face, he looked like a harmless little loli no matter how you sliced it. Did he even have any combat power?
And he had been tied up like an 'artwork' by the Collector before... "Hmm, I'll think about it some more and decide tomorrow before we set off."
"Ugh! How can you be like this!"
Hearing this, Nia looked completely aggrieved, feeling like a backup choice, unaware that Asmodeus had already made up his mind.
As for Hill, he didn't notice the Demon Lord's intentions at all. He stood with hands on his hips, chin tilted up proudly, delivering a heartless finishing blow:
"Hmph, don't think a bit of beauty can attract the Demon Lord—you're too young, grand-niece!"
"Who's your grand-niece! Waaaah!"
Nia's mental state crumbled, and she ran back to her room, covering her face and crying.
"Sigh..."
Tayako shook his head helplessly.
"Nia has been spoiled by me. I ask for the Demon Lord's forgiveness."
"It's fine. She's quite energetic."
Asmodeus didn't mind. After all, in his eyes, other than his fiancée, other young girls were just children.
He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff neck.
"I'm a bit tired. Where is the bedroom arranged for us?"
"On the inner side. The largest one is yours."
"Mm."
After responding, Asmodeus walked in the direction Tayako pointed.
Being in the Underground Labyrinth, the room's furnishings were relatively simple.
Slightly faded tapestries hung on the walls, thick animal skin rugs covered the floor, and a wide double bed sat in the center of the room. A faint scent of incense lingered in the air.
Asmodeus reached the door and pushed it open.
Originally, he expected to see a refreshed Lilith after her bath, perhaps even putting on her usual cold and aloof front.
However, the scene that met his eyes made him pause.
Lilith was sitting by the bed, wrapped only in a thin white bath towel, revealing a large expanse of delicate, pinkish skin and exquisite collarbones.
Her head was lowered, her wet white hair clinging to her cheeks as water droplets fell from the tips. Her slender hands gripped the bedsheets tightly, her knuckles white, and her body was trembling slightly, as if she were enduring some great pain.
"Lilith?"
Asmodeus called out in confusion.
At that same moment, Lilith's body gave a violent jolt.
She slowly raised her head.
Her red eyes, which should have been cunning or cold, were now like two rubies soaked in water—moist, blurred, and filled with an indescribable, almost overflowing longing.
"Are you finished washing?"
Asmodeus closed the door and walked over.
"Ugh..."
Lilith didn't answer, only letting out a suppressed whimper.
As the Demon Lord approached, a strong masculine scent washed over her, like adding fuel to a fire, igniting the succubus factor within her that were already on the verge of losing control.
[Love him, love him, love him, love him, love him...]
[Want a hug... want a head pat... want to be close...]
In her mind, countless voices were screaming frantically!
But in a hidden corner, another voice was struggling hard:
[No! No, no, no, no!]
[Stay rational, Lilith! Just give yourself another shot! That thing isn't expensive; don't be an idiot who gives in to desire!]
[But... but my body is so hot... my head is so dizzy... I love him so much...]
[No! Don't forget your dignity! Hold on! Hold on—]
[The surging Yangtze flows east, its waves wash away the heroes...]
An epic tug-of-war was taking place in Lilith's heart; she even tried to sing to distract herself, but her body had already succumbed to instinct!
Seeing Asmodeus approach, she didn't move away, but instead subconsciously opened her arms.
"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"
Asmodeus naturally sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to pull the burning girl into his arms while rubbing her head.
"Since you're done washing, get some rest early."
He leaned back, bringing Lilith down with him onto the soft, large bed.
Lilith was forced to lie on his chest. Listening to that powerful heartbeat, she curled into a ball like a shivering kitten waiting to be bullied.
And just then!
"Right."
Asmodeus suddenly remembered something.
His crimson eyes gazed at the girl in his arms, his lips curling into a gentle yet domineering arc.
"I suddenly remembered that human books say truly loving couples should have a morning kiss and a bedtime kiss custom."
"Since you are my only wife, we should follow this rule too, right?"
As he spoke, he slowly lowered his head, his handsome face magnifying in Lilith's eyes.
[Oh no...]
[Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!]
Her face was so red it almost dripped blood. She bit her lip, tears in her eyes, her hands feebly pushing against the Demon Lord's chest as if that could stop him.
[If I get kissed now... if I get held by Asmodeus now...]
[I'll definitely break... all my reason will collapse! I'll become someone who can't live without Asmodeus!]
"No!"
Seeing their lips were less than a centimeter apart.
At the critical moment!
Lilith's reason finally took the upper hand!
She pulled out her mobile phone, swiped the screen, and without even looking at the price, directly purchased a second [potent sage injector]!
Ding!
A cold injector appeared out of thin air in her hand. A flash of determination crossed Lilith's eyes as she stabbed it hard into her thigh!
Pfft—
"Hmm?"
Asmodeus paused, looking in confusion at the girl who had suddenly gone stiff in his arms.
"What are you doing? What do you mean 'no'?"
"No... Nothing!"
Lilith quickly threw the empty syringe into her System Inventory. Gasping for breath with shifty eyes, she made up a random excuse:
"That... my diabetes flared up, so I gave myself a shot of insulin..."
"Huh???"
Hearing this, Asmodeus was completely bewildered—what were these incomprehensible, profound terms? Some kind of hereditary disease of the Succubus family?
"Forget it."
After thinking for a moment, the Demon Lord couldn't figure it out and shook his head without further inquiry.
He just took it as another little trick the girl was using to resist. Soon, he pinched her chin, forcing her to pout and look directly at him.
"Then let's continue. The bedtime kiss."
"Eh? Wait—Mmmph!"
[So...]
[So what exactly is the point of that injector!]