Chapter 306 - 306: 305. Hunting bastards

"So, what's up? Heard you've got important news to tell me," Asher murmured, lounging comfortably on his bed. He wore a white, silky gown; Rose, dressed in an identical one, rested her head over his chest, her eyes half-lidded in thought."Yeah… my realm's a mess," she sighed. "That's why I didn't bring Agatha with me today. Demons under my rule are being kidnapped, killed, and sacrificed for someone in your world. We suspect Berial might be behind it. Our scouts followed every trail and clue regarding the missing victims. It all led to Debechaury—the most miasma-choked region of the demon realm. We found an abandoned house there, piled high with dead flesh, and a forbidden summoning circle carved into the floor."

He frowned. "A summoning circle?"

"Yeah," Rose confirmed. "A type of forbidden human magic… the kind they once used to summon demons for contracts."

Asher's fingers idly traced through her hair as he processed. "Hmm… Then maybe Berial's using that same concept—but in reverse. Sending demon corpses to the human world?"

"Exactly," Rose hissed. "The process seems slow. That's why the bodies were stockpiled. Usually, summoning magic only allows a demon to stay in the human world briefly before their soul is dragged back. But if the body's already dead… it stays there in the human world. Permanently." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on ????????????????????•????????????????•????????????

"That's concerning," Asher said quietly. "What could they possibly want with demon corpses?"

"Who knows?" Rose scoffed, her lips curling in disgust. "Humans sometimes come up with the most idiotic things. Still… whoever's receiving those bodies must have power, status… enough to make a proud bastard like Berial serve them."

Demon corpses… Asher's mind tightened around the thought. Something about this didn't sit right.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he murmured. "I might even know who's behind it."

Rose shot upright. "Really? Then let's go now, hubby! They should be executed on sight! No mercy!"

Her fists trembled with barely-contained rage.

"I'm not sure it's them—it's just a hunch," Asher said.

He remembered that time he fought a grotesque, mutated beast Tama mistook for her mother… only to find out it had been her corpse, repurposed into a mindless creature. Tama had also said many black-cat bodies had vanished after their massacre. Could this be the same culprit—now expanding from beast corpses to demon ones? His gut screamed yes. And if so, only one group came to mind: the Revolutionaries. Especially their elusive "Number One." And if Asher's growing suspicion was correct… that "Number One" was none other than Duke Martinsville himself.

"Your hunches are never wrong, hubby!" Rose's voice shook with conviction. "Please… take me to this suspect. I'll know if they're guilty the moment I see them. And if they are…" Her watery eyes hardened with fury. "…I'll rip them apart myself!"

Asher blinked. "You sound… really worked up."

"The bastard killed…" Rose's voice cracked. She looked down, fists clenched so tight her nails bit into her palms. "…the bastard killed Tanya. She was Tia and Tio's mother. And the only one who ever gave a damn about me. She raised me when everyone else wanted me dead."

Asher's chest tightened. "You were raised by a succubus? What about your parents?"

Rose swallowed hard, fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry," Asher offered softly. "If you don't want to—"

"It's fine," she cut him off. "My parents were royals: rulers of the demon realm for decades. Our greatest enemies were the Infernal Demons. They wanted our extinction. Eventually, they killed my parents. During that war, I fled. I was the sole heir, and a prime target. I wandered for weeks, terrified like a lost puppy. I was nothing. A nobody. And Tanya…" She bit her lip until it bled. "She hid me. Fed me. Loved me. Now she's gone, butchered like the rest, because of whoever's behind this."

He reached for her and hugged her closer, but she didn't stop trembling.

"So, yeah," she spat, voice low and venomous. "I'm worked up. I want their screams to echo in every pit of Hell."

"So who ruled after your parents died?" Asher asked.

"My people," Rose replied. "They drove the Infernals back eventually. My parents' old advisor held the throne until I was strong enough to reclaim it."

"And then you… surrendered to Draegonoth's 'love,' taught him curse arts, and he used them to destroy your clan once again!?"

Rose's hands gripped his gown desperately. "Don't remind me. It's my greatest failure! I couldn't protect my people. I still can't. They're losing faith in me as their King. "

Asher wrapped his arms tighter around her trembling body. They hurt her. They've hurt his beloved Rose. Who the hell did they think they were, hurting his wife?

Yeah… they'd pay.

If his hunch was right, the first to fall would be the Duke himself and that idiotic prince of Zephandria. Last time, Asher had reasoned with him, even returned Rex without issue. He had acted indifferent, as if a dangerous hound like Rex meant nothing to them. Maybe it hadn't, maybe they could simply make more monsters from corpses.

He didn't care about what they wanted to do with their mutated monsters, but now he does!!

"Alright, Rose," he said finally. "We're heading to the human world. Time to meet my first suspect."

"First?" Rose arched a brow. "So there's more than one?"

"Yeah," Asher admitted. "It's a whole network of devil-worshippers. Last time I fought them, I almost died. But with you by my side? I like our odds."

"Humans strong enough to nearly kill you?" Rose scoffed. "Hard to believe."

Asher smirked. "You still don't get humans. We're weak by nature, sure. But when it counts, we'll do anything to win. Lie. Cheat. Burn the world if we have to. And we hide it all behind smiles."

"Tch." Rose snorted. "Pathetic. No human will ever put me in my place. Let's move."

"Yeah, yeah… still the arrogant Rose. Just keep your guard up, okay. There's one they call 'Number One.' He has a power that nearly tore my soul apart—without lifting a finger."

"Guess we'll see," she said, a dangerous grin spreading.

Asher opened his wardrobe, discarding his gown. He handed Rose his white shirt and a pair of his loose black shorts. On her, the shorts clung scandalously to her curves; the shirt refused to button over her chest. He dug out a black bustier from his wardrobe which his mother left the last time she was here and passed it to her. Thanks to the fact that both women have massive titties, Rose slid into it perfectly, leaving the shirt unbuttoned to show off the bustier beneath. She let her long hair fall loose and, with a quick illusion, concealed her horns.

Asher gave a low whistle. "Damn. You're almost too sexy to take outside. Makes me want another round."

Rose smirked, swaying her hips. "Later. Let's go hunt some bastards."

TBC