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As he landed on the 665th floor of Babel, Asmodeus was furious with himself. The muscles in his wings were numb and sore from the long flight, but he paid it no mind. There was something far more terrible waiting for him in Babel.
Asmodeus landed gracefully, retracted his demonic wings into their wings roots, and walked briskly toward the Demon King's private chambers, the masked servants who had been patiently awaiting his early return at his side. "Any news on Iruma-sama's health?" Asmodeus asked sharply, the two servants at his sides. One of the two, with short white horns, shook his head. "I regret to say that there is no news, my lord. The Demon King has not emerged from his chambers since he announced his intention to retire there" The other servant, hornless but with a long tail, added "The Demon King does not answer the knocking of the door, so we cannot arbitrarily decide to enter. It would be a very serious and unforgivable act"
Asmodeus nodded, his brows furrowed in concern. He had been on a mission for several weeks already at the northern borders of the Netherworld, when he had been informed by Purson that Iruma was ill.
Those weren't exactly his words, but something more like "You finally answer! Is the signal in the North that bad? I've been trying to get in touch with you for days! Listen, our estimated Demon King- I mean Iruma-kun doesn't seem to be doing well lately. He's always very tired and seems worried about something. Last night I saw that he didn't eat all thirteen post-dinner desserts. Do you understand? Iruma-kun not eating dessert?! There's something wrong with this story, I don't like it at all. He seems apathetic, and always tired. The other Crowns are also on missions, but you're the one who goes berserk as soon as Iruma-kun has a hair out of place, so I thought I'd inform you first. Now I'll call Lied-kun and the others too, you never know, maybe they know something. Especially a few hours ago... seriously, Asmodeus-kun, I'm not joking. I’m deadly serious. More serious than this and I could be dead. I saw it with my own eyes. Iruma-kun got up during an official meeting with high-ranking demons and left apologizing but saying he wasn't feeling too well. Iruma-kun. Not feeling well. That human, eh, the same one who is capable of accomplishing the most impossible or incredible missions and couldn't handle a simple formal meeting with some noble demon dudes. What do you suggest? Should I try to call Balam-sensei? It would be faster than calling a human doctor, and..."
Asmodeus hadn't listened to the rest of the rant of his former classmate and now a new Crown like him, he had only had to understand the basic urgent meaning of the call to suspend the mission and fly in the direction of Babel.
Asmodeus, as he approached the door that led to the Demon King's private rooms at an increasingly faster pace, was regretful and angry with himself. He knew well how much Iruma was in danger despite his position in the Netherworld, because many high-ranking demons did not look favorably on one of his new important and revolutionary projects. Other demons, even years after his ascension to the throne, continued to look favorably upon the two previous candidates, so they certainly hoped that something would happen to the Demon King in their favor. Not to mention that his true nature was still a secret reserved for a few trusted demons close to him, Asmodeus did not want to think about what would happen if the news leaked out among those noble demons with old beliefs.
Asmodeus had agreed to carry out that mission because at the time the suitable Crowns were busy elsewhere. It was a mission that could not be postponed and that required a Crown’s physical presence, but at that moment he bitterly regretted having made that choice. He should have remained at Iruma's side.
Of his King, of his mate.
'What if some demon had poisoned one of his dishes? Summoning Balam-sensei to Babel seems the wisest choice, he’s becoming a true expert on human matters thanks to Iruma-sama. I should have a trusted demon hired as a taster from now on. If all goes well, it will be the first task I will undertake and I will complete it tomorrow' Asmodeus promised himself, determined to discover what the mysterious illness of the ruler of the Netherworld was.
Asmodeus arrived in front of the door made of finely carved and precious wood. The two servants said goodbye and walked away. Asmodeus took a deep breath, then raised his left hand and knocked. The sound of his knuckles against the wood resounded in the corridor. Nothing else could be heard, especially no response from the other side. Anguished, Asmodeus repeated the gesture.
"Iruma-sama, it's me, Asmodeus. I ask permission to enter" said the pink haired demon. Again, there was no response. Hours had passed since Purson's call, that prolonged silence was quite alarming. Asmodeus mentally asked for forgiveness while he turned the door handle. As he imagined, it was not locked. Iruma had the bad habit of never locking his rooms, trusting too much in the presence of the Crowns and demons in general. An assassin could have entered at any time and directly from the main door, if Purson had not had among his various duties as a Crown also the secret surveillance of Iruma and therefore his protection. Lied also had the same role, thanks to his Bloodline ability, very useful in this sense, but he fulfilled it in other ways, looking for possible troublemakers.
The room was dimly lit, the heavy curtains on the windows blocking out much of the sunlight. Asmodeus entered the room and closed the door behind him, pausing for a moment. He knew the layout of the furniture in that room by heart, but he didn't want to risk stepping on something new by mistake. As soon as his pink eyes adjusted to the dim light and were able to see a little better, the demon began to advance. He looked around, but found no possible unwanted intruders. He slowly approached the large canopied bed located in the innermost part of the Demon King's private chambers, noting that the thin curtains were drawn and tied to the bedposts.
When Asmodeus saw a shape on the queen-sized bed, his blood ran cold. Iruma, still wearing the Demon King robe he wore for official meetings, lay curled up on the soft mattress. Asmodeus quickened his pace again, his heart beating rapidly in his chest with worry. The demon also saw that the blue haired human had not taken off his boots, his body poorly covered by the long dark cloak.
"Iruma-sama...!" he called worriedly, but the other did not answer. Asmodeus approached the bed and stretched out his left hand on Iruma's shoulder to shake him, when he realized from the slow and relaxed breathing that the human was only resting. Not fully reassured, Asmodeus checked his temperature by placing his left hand on his forehead under his bangs, as well as starting a quick and non-invasive series of various checks for his health. Iruma slept heavily the whole time, like every time he fell asleep.
Asmodeus, reassured, breathed a sigh of relief. He sat on the bed, starting to gently caress the Demon King's head. He watched him in silence, with a look full of love but also a residue of concern. Iruma did not seem to show symptoms of poisoning or other attacks on his health, yet Asmodeus could not explain that strange behavior. Continuing to caress his head, the demon's pink eyes noticed the presence of something under the human's body. Or, to be more precise, in the human's arms, whose fingers were holding tightly to his chest and face.
'Is this my jacket...?' Asmodeus wondered, genuinely surprised. He recognized it by the design of tangled white snakes that decorated the sleeves of the white jacket that Iruma was holding tightly. Looking closer, under the dark jacket that Asmodeus slightly lifted with his free hand to check, he saw that his own jacket was between the Demon King's jacket and the human. Iruma, Asmodeus realized at that moment, had fallen asleep hugging one of his jackets.
"Oh, Iruma-sama..." the pink haired demon murmured, sighing in amazement, as he leaned a little over him. So small. This is how Iruma appeared to be, so small compared to other Demon Kings, especially the very tall Derkila. With a few exceptions such as Purson, Lied and Agares, Iruma was shorter than average in stature for demons. And yet…
"So small" Asmodeus said softly, intertwining his fingers in the human's blue hair "Who could ever imagine that such a small body possesses the strongest power in the Netherworld..."
Despite his height and seemingly weak appearance compared to normal muscular demons, Iruma was the Demon King. He ruled over the entire Netherworld, along with the Misfits who had become the new Crowns following his ascension to the throne. He had proven himself since day one as a just and wise ruler, skilled in distinguishing the honest from the dishonest, capable of hitting any target with his famous arrows, since the Demon King's arrows never missed.
And there he was, the strongest being in the Netherworld, wrapped in one of his jackets, as if seeking comfort while he was away. Asmodeus felt an imperious and urgent desire to immortalize that precious moment with photos, but he did not want to risk accidentally waking up the sleeping sovereign with a shutter sound or the flash of the light. But how could he resist that sight? Iruma was so tender and defenseless in that moment, showing in the privacy of those walls that side that he did not keep secret from public displays. The sleeping and relaxed expression on Iruma's face, his lips slightly parted, his way of breathing so delicate, it was a sight that made the demon blush slightly with emotion. Asmodeus shook his head forcefully, trying to regain his composure.
Looking at the sleeping human, he wondered what had caused the strange behavior he had had during his time away from Babel. As far as Asmodeus knew, the negotiations were going swimmingly. There were some obstacles with the previous legislation on the matter, but Iruma was committing himself heart and soul to that mission: to create the possibility for humans who ended up willingly or unwillingly in the Netherworld to remain there with the same rights as demons but with guaranteed protection.
The legend about the goodness of human flesh as a superfine delicacy was hard to die. As long as it lasted, any human who found himself setting foot in the Netherworld was at risk of being killed and eaten, not necessarily in that order. At the suggestion of the cautious previous Crowns, the nature of the new Demon King had not yet been officially declared, so that insistence on such a subject must certainly have seemed strange to the elders and high-ranking noble demons.
Azazel Henry had known Iruma's human nature for many years, yet even he could not overturn the regulations regarding the treatment of humans. What Asmodeus was certain of was that no human would ever again be subjected to the cruel Human Deportation Act put forward by former Crown Naberius Narnia. Asmodeus grew nervous at that thought, at the memory of what the former Crown had planned to harm Iruma when they were still students. The pink haired demon took a deep breath to calm himself. He closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled. He opened his eyes, looking at Iruma with renewed affection.
Perhaps, Asmodeus hypothesized, it would have been easier to understand what was going through the Demon King's mind if Clara had been there with them. She, like some of the other Crowns, was doing her educational trip into human culture in the Human Realm, an idea put forward by Iruma and that the enthusiastic Crowns had immediately accepted. In order to interact with humans who ended up in the Netherworld for one reason or another, it was necessary to know them better.
Translation spells, like the one Iruma had on him since the day Sullivan had adopted him and brought him to the Netherworld, were certainly a valid tool. But, as Iruma had explained on various occasions, following the revelation of his humanity to his soulmates first and to the rest of the Misfits later, humans, like demons, had different cultures and approaches. For this reason, in turn, each Crown did a period of educational travel in the Human Realm, trying to gain as much information as possible, where Iruma's personal knowledge did not reach.
Asmodeus smirked, thinking back to the experiences some of them had already had.
Equipped with mana-containing pills invented specifically for the occasion by Balam with the help of Eligos Schenell, since Human Realm was completely devoid of food containing mana, they had set out in shifts.
Allocer had been the first, thirsty for new knowledge. He had taken on a more human appearance, after Iruma had explained to him that among humans, people with animal heads were not common. Once there, he had written in the report that Asmodeus had read, the demon had discovered that human evolution had led them to develop a technology that was decidedly more advanced and different from theirs. He explained, in fact, that it was not powered by mana, nor did they have the ability to cast spells. The technology was used in countless ways and with varying degrees of usefulness, even based on different Nations.
Allocer had spent a couple of weeks in a mysterious land called "Silicon Valley", before returning with knowledge that he considered useful for the development of technologies in the Netherworld. With this new information, Allocer explained in the report, it would be possible to use various items without having to waste precious mana, as well as provide them to humans who chose to sojourn in the Netherworld indefinitely.
Jazz had been the second to leave for the Human Realm. He had learned to play some musical instruments and performed with a small group of humans in smoky pubs in the most isolated parts of the cities of the nation called "Great Britain", but the constant rain and the bad tasting foods were lowering his mood, so in the end he preferred to move.
Jazz had been strictly forbidden to touch or steal even by mistake the human jewels, but he could not help but be amazed by the spectacle of jewels of the local royal family who exhibited them at a ridiculous price in museums. Then he had traveled around various human nations and cities, stopping the longest in a place called "Hawaii", from which he had returned with a heavy but not dangerous tan.
Lied was the third, and his report was rather disappointing. He had basically tried to learn how to approach human women without success. He had spent entire days in small rooms in a nation called "South Korea", playing computer games and reading comics. Before his return he spent some time in a human city called "Las Vegas", apparently famous for gambling, something the blond demon could not give up.
There he amassed great wealth in a single night, to the point of being almost killed after dodging bullet after bullet from a bald tall man dressed in black and his black-clad minions, accused of cheating. Something Asmodeus himself thought highly likely, but preferred not to elaborate. To be safe, he banned that city from future travel by other demons, deeming it too dangerous.
Hearing about beautiful and attractive human women, Caim practically begged on his knees to be next. His desire was granted by Iruma. However, unlike Allocer, he didn’t take on a human appearance, too distracted by the beauty of the human women. He was mistaken for a well-trained animal with a rare talent for human speech, so he received a lot of attention and cuddles. Having appeared in Iruma's homeland, called “Japan”, he became very famous as the mascot of the city where he was first spotted. Gadgets began to be produced, he was hosted for free in a very comfortable place where he was filled with food and attention.
Countless humans went to him every day to photograph him, to hear him speak or interact with him. Unfortunately, as much as he was considered "cute" for his apparently harmless appearance, precisely because he was mistaken for a rare animal he was kept as such.
Only after several days did Caim realize that he was not in a luxurious place at all. He was fed and cared for in a place that for his race would be considered luxurious in the Netherworld, instead he discovered in the Human Realm to be considered a zoo.
The language of animals kept in captivity but well cared for had been relatively easy to understand, but the dismay was the same. Being pointed out by beasts as one of them had been a hard blow to his demon pride. Caim disappeared from the zoo that same night, with great stress and panic of the zoo managers when they found his place completely deserted and his food given as a gift to the pigeons. He was the only one to return regretful and in tears from the trip, even if Asmodeus suspected that it was just a scene to gain Elizabetta's pity and sympathy.
Eager to undertake that journey as well was Sabnock. The blond demon was eager to face the strongest beasts that lived in the Human Realm in combat. When he arrived there, he headed straight for the city that Iruma had once told him was told it had a giant theater where mortal fights between humans or humans and wild beasts used to take place.
Sabnock entered happily and determined to test his strength against the fearsome lions of the Human Realm. There were no wild beasts, muscled human men waiting for a mortal fight or live demonstrations of their strength waiting for him. After arriving in the human city called "Rome" and struggling to cope with the sensory overcrowding caused by the constant honking of the klaxon from the cars stuck in traffic, he arrived at the desired place. The Colosseum, the theater of the fights where an individual could show off his strength… at least, in theory. Sabnock was informed by the humans of the area that the theater had not hosted that kind of show for a few thousand years and that in general it was just a tourist spot.
Shocked and disappointed, the blond demon found himself out of nowhere collaborating with the human workers for the renovation of the Colosseum. His strength was greatly appreciated by the humans, in no time he found himself doing other useful jobs for the community. He saved humans from burning buildings, faced mad boars that came from outside the city and tasted the local delicacies. Sabnock had gone to the human city in search of ways to demonstrate his strength; he returned as a tourist enthusiastic about the experience.
Asmodeus, however, burned the packages of the brown beans used to do a drink called "coffee" that the demon had brought with him as a gift that had been given to him by a couple of humans, because it caused even more hyperactivity in the demons and this only led to further problems that he himself would then have to solve.
At that moment, while he continued to watch Iruma sleep, Clara was in the Human Realm.
There had been a bit of panic in Babel when she had insisted on going there too. It was unknown what her presence in the Human Realm could bring. Iruma was terrified that something might happen to her, because he knew from experience how cruel some humans could be and how good they were at taking advantage of other people's kindness. Asmodeus shared the same terror, mixed with terror of how many disasters she could cause in the Human Realm. To break that stalemate, Ameri had to intervene, offering to take on the task of accompanying her and protecting her from any threats- or protecting the humans from her, if necessary.
The Demon King and Asmodeus had sighed with relief and approved without having anything else to note. Ameri had informed them before leaving what their itinerary would be: first they would visit "purely out of curiosity" the human city called "Paris", also known as the "city of love"; after which, they would move to Iruma's homeland and from there return to the Netherworld. Asmodeus and Iruma had given Clara a lot of recommendations before her departure, and the pink-haired demon could feel the anguish of a parent who sees his little daughter go on a trip for a few days for the first time.
One day, Asmodeus knew that his turn to undertake that cultural journey would come. He had made it clear from the start that he would only go with Iruma, both to stay by his side on his first return to his home world after several years and to have the best guide on human customs and habits that the Netherworld had.
When the subject was mentioned, a flash of sadness would appear for an instant in the human's blue eyes. With a forced smile, Iruma would apologize each time and promise to decide the departure date soon. Asmodeus suspected that Iruma had no desire to return at all to the Human Realm, which was more than understandable. When they were still students in Babyls and Iruma had revealed some episodes of his life in the Human Realm, Asmodeus and the other Misfits were animated by pure rage and thirst for revenge. Even though Iruma tried to downplay what had happened to him, the demons couldn't help but notice how many times the humans had abused his kindness and his pushover nature. He had had no one to protect him before he was brought to the Netherworld.
'No' Asmodeus corrected himself, stroking Iruma's cheek. 'There was someone. But those cowards chose not to'
Iruma's breathing rhythm changed. He let out a small sigh, then slowly opened his eyes. He slowly raised and lowered his eyelids, while turning his face towards the hand that was caressing him. Asmodeus felt incredibly protective and also lucky, to be able to see the Demon King who ruled the Netherworld in a moment of such intimate weakness. Iruma yawned, covering his mouth with one hand, while he used the other to lift himself from the soft mattress.
"Azz-kun...?" he asked doubtfully in a sleepy voice, looking at his face. Asmodeus withdrew his hand and replied, offering him a short bow with his head "Yes, Iruma-sama. It's me, Asmodeus. I'm back from the mission"
Human fingers suddenly grabbed the sleeve of the arm that until a few moments before was near the sleeping Demon King's head. Iruma, now fully awake, sat up on top of the jacket he had been hugging earlier, maintaining both eye contact with the pink haired demon and a gentle but firm grip on the sleeve of the jacket he was wearing.
"I'm glad to hear you're back!" Iruma said, smiling heartily. "How are you? Was everything okay? Were you hurt? Since when have you been here?" Asmodeus was happy to be able to listen to the voice of his beloved human after so many days of separation, but he hadn't prepared answers that wouldn't worry him. Especially since the mission was still ongoing, so he didn't have a real report to give him. And, even if it had been the case, that wasn't the reason why he had flown for several hours in different weather conditions just to get to Babel quickly.
Asmodeus lovingly covered Iruma's right hand, the same one that was holding his sleeve, with his free hand. He didn't want to worry Iruma, but he didn't want to lie to him either. He looked into his blue eyes and replied calmly, "Iruma-sama, I'm fine, don't worry. I came back early. I will appoint someone to complete the mission in my place, my contribution is no longer strictly necessary. Naturally, I will provide you with the report as soon as possible"
Asmodeus took a small breath of encouragement, then continued, "I apologize for failing to do my duty and anticipating my return, but I deemed it necessary. I was notified that you have shown some forms of discomfort and behavior different from your usual, so I chose to return early to certify with my own eyes that you are fine. If your health condition were to worsen, I could not bear it. Have you suffered any illnesses? Have you been poisoned? Are you too stressed? Would you prefer me to call Balam-sensei or the personal doctors of the Thirteen Crowns?"
Iruma slowly shook his head, then reassured the demon "No… no, I'm fine. Nothing happened to me, I... I'm really sorry for worrying you, Azz-kun. Who else is worried because of me? I have to apologize right away, I don't want there to be a misunderstanding"
Asmodeus understood that something was wrong from the fact that Iruma lowered his gaze the moment he gave that weak excuse. It was suspicious, and he wouldn't let any unknown cause undermine his ruler.
"Iruma-sama, with all due respect, but you should take your health seriously" Asmodeus replied, then he moved a little closer to the human "Now that you are the Demon King, you have responsibilities not only towards the Netherworld and its inhabitants, but above all towards yourself. Please, tell me what ails you, and I will try to remedy it immediately"
Iruma flinched, mindful of his pushover side. Although to a much lesser extent than as a young student, he was still sensitive to the word "please". Iruma kept his face turned downward, his other hand tightening his grip on the jacket he had slept on. "I... felt a little lonely. I'm sorry" the human sovereign replied, as if he was admitting to having committed some crime.
Asmodeus did not take the matter lightly. "Sullivan-sama did not come to visit you, in my absence? Opera-san? The other Crowns?" he asked, worried. Iruma remained silent for a few moments, then replied, "No, no, they were here until yesterday. They’re here often. Kalego-sensei, Balam-sensei, and even Master Bachiko also come by from time to time. This morning at breakfast, Mephisto-san paid me an unannounced visit and we chatted a lot, it was fun"
Asmodeus frowned. He could not grasp what he was missing. "But?" he asked, trying to prompt the human to continue with his answer. Iruma gulped, lowering his head even further. He stopped clutching his jacket beneath him, his jaw hardening. "But..." he replied, almost whispering "But... Azz-kun, you weren't here"
Asmodeus straightened his back, ready for any reproach. On the contrary, Iruma didn't scold him and continued, his voice full of sadness "Clara and Ameri-san left a while ago, but I'm relatively calm because I think they'll be okay in some way. You went to the North, even though you know it's not a very easy territory to communicate with, and it's my fault because even though I became Demon King the problems haven't magically disappeared… so you have to intervene where I can't understand what the best thing to do is. And every time I’ve managed to contact you and I ask you if you're okay you reassure me by saying yes, but I've heard stories about the North and I have... I don't know if you're really okay or if you're saying that to not worry me. Azz-kun, you've always been very thoughtful, but I'm still worried about you. I haven't seen or heard you for a while and there's been no news, so... so..."
Iruma stifled a sob and withdrew the hand with which he had maintained that modest contact with the demon's body. Asmodeus watched the movement with regret, as the pieces finally fell into place like a puzzle in his mind. He quickly reached out to Iruma's hand in mid-air, squeezing it firmly. "Iruma-sama, were you afraid I wouldn't come back to you?"
This time, the sob was clearly audible. Iruma nodded his head, still holding it down, as his shoulders began to shake. Asmodeus looked at his jacket that Iruma had hugged in his sleep. The lack of appetite, the distraction, the drowsiness. These were things Asmodeus had already encountered over the years he had been at Iruma's side. It was not unlike the same condition suffered by demons, so it was easy to give it a name: deep loneliness. But it wasn't just that, because nothing was ever simple when it came to the human Demon King.
Iruma had suffered for the first fourteen years of his life from the constant exploitation by his human parents, to which was added the abandonment. On several occasions he had confided in him and Clara that he had been left alone in the woods with a tent and a few tools for indeterminate periods of time, while his parents disappeared until they had finished spending the money from the dangerous jobs he did to earn them. They would only return to look for other ways to get money by exploiting him, after which they would abandon him again somewhere, each time in a different place.
Again and again.
As if this were not enough, they left him to work alone, so he was forced to interact with adults from various environments without the guidance and above all the protection of parental figures. Iruma had not yet spoken about what had happened when Sullivan had adopted him, for what reason humans would call a high-ranking demon from the Netherworld to offer him their only son for adoption.
And he found it strange that individuals with such a lack of parental love had tried to give better living conditions to their son, even more so knowing that humans were food for demons. But the oddities of humans were countless, so that question would hardly have had a satisfactory answer for a demon.
Iruma always showed a bit of anguish when the Crowns and other demons dear to him went away for long periods of time, with visible joy and relief he welcomed their return. Asmodeus understood that the human did not only suffer from a strong loneliness dictated by his previous lifestyle, as he had discovered together with Clara at the end of the Harvest festival.
Iruma suffered from a strong fear of abandonment. Despite having risen in rank at an impressive and impossible speed for any demon, despite having become Demon King, despite having a thousand merits and a thousand results achieved that Asmodeus himself was happy to remember with endless praise, Iruma thought in his unconscious that he was not worthy of affection without always doing something in return. Thus he had been raised. Asmodeus had discovered it with bitterness, unable to hunt them down and punish them in the cruelest way possible by a promise shared with the other Misfits. Iruma had begged them to never try to look for his parents, and they always obeyed their Demon King’s order and desires.
Those wretched beings, Asmodeus had discovered, had raised Iruma with the unhealthy mentality of lame awards from them learned with hard work from him. To have affection, he had to be worthy of it. To receive a quick pat on the head or a compliment, Iruma had to return with a substantial paycheck, regardless of whether it was the result of months and several dangerous jobs that had put the life of their only son in danger.
Offspring were seen in the Netherworld as something sacred that had to be protected by one's clan, so that human behavior had caused even more disgust in the Misfits. Asmodeus knew well how high Iruma's worth was, that he had no need to prove anything to anyone. But the human continued to suffer from that fear of abandonment, so his mental health would suffer the consequences if it lasted for a long time.
And that was the first but no less worrying case, the first alarm bell. Balam had once explained that there was a theory that beasts living in the Human Realm could die of excessive suffering caused by loneliness. Feeling abandoned by their own kind, they tended to lose their appetite, lost the will to hunt for food, and surrendered to a death in some remote corner. When he had told this shocking news to the Misfits, there was a collective and tearful hug that almost crushed Iruma, confused but happy to receive so much affection and promises of eternal friendship from all sides.
But… despite all those reassurances, despite years of closeness and support and unconditional love, Iruma still suffered from the fear of being abandoned.
Asmodeus pulled Iruma's hand towards him, and Iruma followed the movement without resisting. The demon's arms wrapped around the blue-haired human, welcoming him to his chest. With his face pressed against Iruma's neck, Asmodeus stated in a firm, confident voice, "Iruma-sama, I love you. I have told you this since the day I took courage and declared my feelings to you. I repeated it at the beginning of our courtship. I repeat it to you every day, and I will repeat it to you for many days to come. I could never abandon the man I love. Do not worry, Iruma-sama. Wherever I am and for whatever reason I am temporarily kept away from you, I will always return to you. I am your mate, I would fight against the other Crowns all together today if it served to demonstrate to you the seriousness of my words and the concreteness of my feelings for you. I will never abandon you, Iruma-sama"
Iruma returned the hug, clenching his hands into fists behind the demon's back. He nodded repeatedly, unable to speak from the emotion caused by that reassurance. The two remained like that, still, for a long time. Asmodeus enjoyed Iruma's body heat in that pure and genuine way, forgetting the times when they had shared body heat in other ways and with much less clothes on, always on that bed.
After a while, Asmodeus asked "Iruma-sama, if you still need rest, you can do so". He loosened the hug a little, just to be able to look his beloved in the face "In which case, would you prefer the original? I trust that I can give you more emotional support than my jacket" he added, smiling amusedly. Iruma blushed, remembering only at that moment that he had unconsciously taken one of the clothes that Asmodeus kept in his rooms before falling asleep. Then he laughed, embarrassed, and agreed.
Asmodeus helped him undress and put on more comfortable clothes. He himself put on clothes more comfortable than one of the official uniforms he had worn for the mission. At that moment it had proven to be a wise choice to have brought some of his own wardrobe to the private rooms of the Demon King. It was not rare that they exchanged amorous effusions on the soft mattress, so it was not rare that he remained sleeping there, observing the tired but satisfied human in his rest before giving in to sleep himself.
"Here I am, Iruma-sama. I do not intend to go elsewhere for a long time, if that is also your wish" Asmodeus stated, giving him a kiss on his lips. Reassured and no longer feeling alone, Iruma slept embraced by Asmodeus, who uttered other words of love and comfort to the ruler of the Netherworld, helping him slip back into sleep.
When Asmodeus awoke, he found Clara between them, or more precisely, above their heads. On the nightstand on Iruma's side he found a letter. Asmodeus, who had risen with a sigh to allow the green-haired demoness to take his place and sleep more comfortably, read the letter. It was written by Ameri, who reported that she had returned from the mission guaranteeing Clara's physical and mental health, promising to write a report as soon as possible regarding the discoveries made and that she had brought with her some "vital paper goods purchased in the Japanese city of Akihabara" for personal research, which she would consult personally and privately.
Asmodeus smiled, imagining that it had something to do with the mysterious reading sessions she had with Iruma during the days as students at Babyls. Asmodeus turned to the bed, looking at Iruma and Clara sleeping.
The bed was large, Asmodeus thought. He would find room to sleep with them a little longer.
THE END