The cold breeze drifting through the balcony carried the scent of rain and distant smoke across Vel’Ashera.

Asmodeus stood alone beneath the moonlight, fastening the dark silver clasps around his coat while the city stretched endlessly below him. He glanced back at the comfortably sleeping arachne for a moment before facing the city below.

Even at this hour, the Imperial Capital refused to sleep.

Golden mage-lamps illuminated the layered streets beneath the palace heights, their light reflecting across black stone roads moist from the evening mist.

Countless bridges connected towering districts built atop the enormous web of ancient foundations beneath Vel’Ashera, while enchanted rail-carriages glided slowly between upper sectors surrounded by crimson banners bearing the crest of Lumeria.

"It’s come a long way..."

Ever since he gave Erika and Yumiko free rein over the city’s design and growth, Lumeria’s shape had been changing.

Thanks to Alice’s wit and the overly zealous Demon Knights...

Anything was possible.

Music drifted upward faintly, along with laughter and shouting.

’What a familiar melody...’

The sound of drunken demons celebrating inside taverns and grand inns below.

A normal, peaceful state. Yet beyond the distant horizon to the west, somewhere far past the dark ocean hidden beneath the night sky, something ancient had awakened.

Asmodeus narrowed his eyes.

A golden pair of rings danced within his irises as he traced the ocean.

The Abyssal Leviathan.

Even now, he could still faintly feel its presence pressing against his senses from thousands of kilometres away like a distant pulse beneath the sea.

He could feel its slowly awakening emotions, a violent rage that made the waves churn and grow more vicious.

That thing was moving closer.

It wanted to take everything away from him, yet it didn’t even know his name.

A cruel reaper.

Behind him, silk sheets rustled softly.

"You look so serious already... was that not enough to help calm your mind?" Lumina murmured while half-asleep.

He glanced back.

She lay half-buried beneath tangled golden blankets, silver hair spilling across the mattress while several black spider limbs lazily curled around the pillows. Her flushed cheeks still carried traces of exhaustion from earlier.

"As Emperor, I don’t really have a choice."

"Hmph."

She pouted weakly before hiding deeper beneath the sheets.

"What Emperor~ Heh, just quit! Let’s go find somewhere nice and retire, let those pesky humans deal with this issue!"

His lips curved upward.

"Haha, do you think I could do that?"

"Of course!"

"Well... I can’t flee just yet, but if things look bad. How about I take you all, and we find a way to flee back to my homeland?"

Asmodeus retained a faint smile while holding the balcony wall tight.

’It’s too late, this thing is coming for me.’

Lumina seemed to understand his mood, her eight eyes rolling as she turned over.

"Then... you’d better come back alive after fighting that ocean monster...!"

"When have I ever lost?"

"That’s exactly the kind of thing people say before something terrible happens, look at what happened to me... even after I stabbed your chest. Now you’re the one stabbing me all night long, fufu."

"Heh."

Asmodeus stepped toward the bed once more before leaning down and kissing her forehead gently.

"I’ll return before you can miss me."

Lumina opened one eye lazily.

"Asmodeus..."

She suddenly called out to him.

"Hmmm, what?"

For a moment, she just peeked at him, hidden by her quilt, before a soft whisper leaked.

"What if I already miss you...?"

He staggered with a pounding heart from her explosive display of charm.

For a moment, Asmodeus simply looked at her.

Moonlight sprawled softly across Lumina’s exhausted body while thin strands of silk clung between the blankets and her pale skin. Several of her spider limbs twitched delicately beneath the sheets, still sensitive after everything he put her through.

Or perhaps everything they did to each other.

His gaze drifted lower briefly.

The moment Lumina noticed, her cheeks immediately reddened.

"Don’t even think about it," she warned weakly. "My body’s still trembling..."

"Haha."

"Asmodeus."

"Mhm?"

"If you climb back into this bed, you’re not leaving tonight."

That almost sounded tempting enough for him to tear off his clothes and accept.

However, he chose not to.

"Damn, you really did win."

He exhaled quietly before fastening the final clasp around his black coat.

"I’ll return later."

Lumina stared at him silently for several seconds before finally sinking deeper into the tangled blankets with a soft huff.

"...Fine."

Then one crimson eye peeked back open.

"But if another wife steals your attention before sunrise, I’ll know."

"You make me sound unfaithful."

"You are unfaithful."

"...Fair point."

Lumina snorted tiredly while throwing a silk pillow at him.

Asmodeus caught it effortlessly before setting it back beside her head.

Then he leaned down once more, pressing a slow kiss against her forehead.

Her expression softened instantly.

"Sleep," he murmured.

"Mmm..."

The chamber doors opened silently behind him.

Cool air drifted through the corridor beyond.

And soon the Emperor of Lumeria walked alone through the sleeping heights of the Imperial Palace.

...

Vel’Ashera glittered beneath the night.

From the elevated palace bridges overlooking the capital, the city almost resembled a sea of stars stretching endlessly into the horizon. Thousands of crimson mana-lamps illuminated layered districts built upon colossal blackstone foundations older than recorded history itself.

’It’s a shame we stole these from the previous castle...’

He hoped one day these would become the pillar for his empire, his people, his history.

For when he was dead and gone.

Even at this hour, the demon capital pulsed with life.

Music echoed between towering Gothic buildings.

Laughter leaked in waves of drunken song from crowded taverns.

Enchanted rail-carriages glided along glowing silver tracks suspended above the lower streets, carrying drunken nobles, mercenaries, adventurers, and wealthy merchants between districts overflowing with nightlife.

The demons of Lumeria adored the night.

And Vel’Ashera embraced it completely.

Asmodeus descended from the upper palace sectors without escort or royal insignia, his demonic aura suppressed almost entirely beneath a simple dark coat. To most passing civilians, he looked little more than a tall, handsome noble wandering the city alone.

Though a few still instinctively stepped aside.

Probably recognising his aura and instinctively moving out of the way.

The scent of roasted meat and spiced alcohol thickened as he entered one of the busiest upper districts. Elegant inns lined the wide streets beside open-air restaurants where demons gathered beneath heated lanterns despite the cool night breeze.

’It’s different from Earth’

He’d taken advantage of his wide range of tastes, and those of his wives, establishing curry, eastern, and western cuisines as one culture.’

’I love kimchi, kebabs, steak and burgers, but nothing beats a good bowl of monster meat ramen.’

Asmodeus loved his kingdom, especially the women who would listen to his foolish dreams and ideals while in bed together. Then they would do their best to enact whatever he’d mentioned, an empire truly born from his heart and soul.

"Hm?"

A violin played somewhere nearby.

Two-horned women argued loudly over cards outside a pub.

Further ahead, a group of succubi stumbled drunkenly from a rooftop bar while laughing hard enough to disturb nearby pedestrians.

His eyes swept calmly across the crowds.

Then paused.

He couldn’t help but stare at the slightly exposed breasts, which seemed too familiar.

"...Oi, if you’re gonna keep staring at my tits all night, at least buy another plate first."

Several nearby patrons burst into laughter.

Asmodeus stopped walking.

That voice was unmistakable.

But she didn’t speak this way when in front of him.

Near the corner of a crowded tavern terrace, a blonde demoness lounged sideways across a velvet booth while empty dishes covered nearly half the table in front of her.

Golden hair draped down her bare shoulders in messy waves.

Tanned skin.

Bright blue eyes.

Heavy golden jewellery.

An expensive black dress hung dangerously low around her chest while sunglasses rested atop her head despite it being midnight.

Even while suppressing her demonic aura, Erika stood out absurdly.

"Damn, this is so good!"

She fiercely bit into a skewer of grilled meat before finally glancing toward the street.

Then froze.

"...Ah."

Asmodeus stared at her flatly.

Erika immediately pointed at a nearby female knight hidden among the burly men.

"It was her, she wanted to drink first!"

The female knight nearly choked on her drink.

"W-Wait, Your Majesty, that’s not what happened!"

The surrounding patrons burst into laughter.

Erika showed absolutely no shame whatsoever.

She leaned comfortably against the velvet booth while chewing another bite of grilled meat, one long tanned leg crossing over the other beneath the table.

"What?" she said defensively. "You did buy me drinks first."

"Because you challenged half the tavern to arm wrestling!"

Erika’s face beamed as she glanced at Asmodeus, all smiles. "Yeah, and I won!"

"Even though you broke the table in two...?"

"It was already weak."

Asmodeus closed his eyes briefly.

Somehow, out of all his wives, Erika remained the most exhausting, ahem! entertaining.

The blonde demoness suddenly grinned brightly before patting the empty seat beside her.

"Well? You’re gonna stand there looking all scary and handsome, or are you joining me?"

Several nearby women immediately glanced toward Asmodeus with interest. One of the tavern staff quietly froze after finally recognising him properly, but Asmodeus ignored all of them and walked toward the booth.

The moment he sat down, Erika slid a fresh skewer toward him casually.

"Try the black-pepper wyvern meat. It’s insane."

"...How many plates have you eaten already?"

"I stopped counting after twelve."

"That explains why the owner looked ready to cry."

"He loves me."

Across the tavern, the exhausted owner gave Asmodeus the expression of a man silently begging for financial compensation.

Erika laughed loudly before taking another drink.

Then her bright blue eyes shifted toward him more carefully.

There was a moment of silence as she leaned against his chest and asked a question in a cute voice, "You’re not mad, right, honey?"

His mood softened the moment he saw her here, hiding her true identity, or at least thinking she had with the poor owner in shambles.

So he smiled, played along with her mood and enjoyed the moment.

For he knew it would be one of the last chances he would get to do so for a while.

"Not at all! Honestly, I was just overwhelmed by how adorable my wife is."