Chapter 6: She Came From Below (And She’s Gorgeous)

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: She Came From Below (And She’s Gorgeous) There were many reasons not to attend the Royal Diplomatic Summit in the capital’s throne hall. Boring speeches. Too much paperwork. The Hero — Kai Veyron — had no idea what "diplomatic etiquette" even meant. And most importantly: Three volatile women in his life now refused to sit within five feet of each other. "Why do I feel like a paperclip in a blender?" Kai whispered. Princess Elira stood to his left, arms crossed, wearing formal armor that sparkled under magical light. She’d been glaring at Yulia since the summit began. Yulia stood to his right, scribbling runes into a floating crystal tablet and correcting everyone’s spell pronunciation under her breath. Lira was nowhere to be seen — probably on the ceiling. Again. The hall was packed with nobles, mages, military officials, and envoys from across the continent. The king’s booming voice echoed from the dais: "...And so, with pride, we welcome our newest diplomatic contact. A rare emissary from the Demon Realms." The room fell into dead silence. Even the chandeliers dimmed slightly. Kai choked on his tea. "Wait, demons?" Elira grabbed his arm. "They must be mad." "No demon’s ever come to the capital without trying to invade it," Yulia whispered. Then the heavy gates opened. And she walked in. She was tall. Statuesque. Skin a smooth grayish-violet, like moonlight through smoke. Horns curved gently from her forehead, glinting with polished obsidian bands. Her hair was midnight black, tumbling down her back like a waterfall of ink. Eyes glowing gold, framed by long lashes. Her voice, when she bowed, was soft, musical — and laced with unspoken threat. "I am Lady Virela Noxis. First Circle of the Infernal Court. I come in peace... on behalf of my people." Kai forgot how breathing worked. Yulia glanced at him. "You’re drooling." "No, that’s tea—never mind." Elira stepped protectively in front of him. But Virela’s glowing eyes locked directly onto Kai. And stayed there. Too long. Too intense. She smiled. And everyone — everyone — felt it. This was no ordinary diplomat. This was a predator. [System Warning: High-Level Threat Detected – Virela Noxis, True Demon General.] [Disguise Active: "Diplomatic Form – Level 9 Illusion"] [Objective Unknown.] Kai gulped. "Should I be worried?" [Answer: YES.] That Night... Kai couldn’t sleep. Too many thoughts. Too many mysteries. Also, he’d accidentally eaten a "mana brownie" Yulia left on his desk and now everything was sparkling. He wandered the palace halls, barefoot and half-conscious. And then... A door creaked open at the end of the corridor. Warm light spilled out. A figure stood silhouetted in the glow. Virela. Wearing a black silk robe. Barefoot. Hair loose. "Oh," she said sweetly. "Hero. Couldn’t sleep either?" Kai stared. "I—uh—yes? I mean no. I mean I was just... hallway-ing." She smiled and stepped aside. "Come in, then. I wouldn’t want my... future ally to wander alone." [Internal Panic Level: Rising.] Her room was... unfair. It smelled like spice and mystery. Candles burned in magical sconces. The bed was larger than his entire dorm room. She poured two glasses of deep red wine. "You seem surprised," she said, handing him one. "I didn’t think demons drank wine." "We drink everything. But wine... is especially good when shared with someone important." Kai turned pink. "I’m not that important." "You are." She sat close. Too close. "To me, at least." He blinked. "We met... four hours ago." "And I’ve been watching you for months." "Wait, wh—?" [System Warning: Flirtation Detected – Danger Level HIGH] [Do NOT kiss the demon. Unless you’re into that.] Kai opened his mouth to respond. She put a finger on his lips. "I know what they say about us. That demons are cruel. Manipulative. That we lie." He nodded slowly. "And they’re right," she whispered. [Achievement Unlocked: "She Told You, Bro"] Kai tried to scoot away. But she gently grabbed his chin. "I’m here to observe the Hero," she murmured. "But what I found... was a boy hiding behind jokes and scrambled eggs." He blinked. "How do you know I like eggs?" She leaned in. "I know everything about you, Kai Veyron." The door slammed open. "HE’S NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE IN—WHAT THE HELL." Elira stood in the doorway, sword halfway drawn. Yulia appeared behind her, holding a sleep spell. Lira dropped down from the ceiling like a bat. All three froze as they saw him. In a demon’s room. At night. Wearing nothing but pajama pants. Virela blinked. Then smiled like a cat in cream. "Oh. Are these your other women?" Kai stood up, arms flailing. "This is NOT what it looks like!" "It looks like you’re committing high treason," Elira snapped. "It looks like I should incinerate the wine," Yulia growled. "It looks like I should’ve stabbed her before she opened the door," Lira muttered. Virela rose, utterly calm. "I simply invited the Hero to talk." "Liar," all three said in unison. [System Alert: Harem Combat Round – Triggered.] Participants: Elira, Yulia, Lira vs. Virela Stakes: Kai’s personal honor (and probably his life) Virela raised her hands. "Please. No need for violence." "You laid a hand on him," Elira growled. "I laid a finger." "That’s enough!" Yulia snapped. Then Lira vanished. And reappeared behind Virela, dagger inches from her neck. "Back away from him. Now." Virela smirked. "I knew you were in the ceiling." Kai was frozen, half-naked, wondering if this counted as a nightmare or a weird dream. Probably both. At last, Virela stepped back. She bowed slightly to the other women. "I’m impressed," she said. "You’re stronger than I expected. Protective, too." She looked at Kai. "I look forward to seeing what you choose, Hero." Then, with a swirl of magic and black silk, she vanished in a puff of violet smoke. The girls turned to him. He held up his hands. "I swear, I just walked in for wine and—" "You. Are. Grounded," Elira snapped. "You don’t have that authority!" Kai shouted. "I’m invoking royal emergency girlfriend code." "That’s not even a thing!" Yulia sighed. "It is now." Lira sheathed her dagger and pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at him. "Don’t die stupidly." Then all three stormed out. Kai sat on the edge of Virela’s bed and sighed. "I need a vacation..." [System Update: Harem Count – 4 / ???] • Elira (Explosive Royalty) • Yulia (Icy Scholar) • Lira (Deadly Ninja Wife??) • Virela (Hot Demon Danger) [Trust Level: Varies between "Maybe Kiss" and "Attempted Murder"]