The afternoon sun was a dark, crimson red, like dried blood.
Moon sat in his usual armchair, an old book filled with notes spread across his lap.
He hadn’t absorbed much of it; every time there was even the slightest sound from the door, he couldn’t help but look up.
*Click.*
The lock turned.
Charlie pushed the door open.
One look at her, and there was no need to ask.
Her coat was stained with dust, her eyes were rimmed with red, and the tip of her nose still carried a lingering flush.
More devastatingly, the exuberant energy that usually overflowed from her was gone, like a punctured balloon.
She didn’t look toward the lobby after entering, keeping her head down as she headed straight for the stairs.
Moon closed his book.
“Welcome back.
Would you like something to drink?”
Charlie stopped and turned around.
She managed to force a smile that looked more painful than crying.
“Ah, Moon.
Good afternoon.”
She tried to sound casual, but her voice lacked its usual lift.
“I take it the talk didn’t go well?”
“…Yeah.”
She sniffled.
“I didn’t even get through the door.
The bodyguard blocked me, saying it was an ‘adult workspace’ and that they didn’t welcome a ‘Disney princess’ coming to cause trouble.
Angel wouldn’t even look back at me.”
She hung her head in defeat.
“Maybe Vaggie was right.
My methods are too weak.
I’m the Hell Princess, but I can’t even protect a single friend.”
By the end, her voice was thick with tears again.
Vaggie walked down from upstairs.
Seeing Charlie in such a state, her fists clenched instantly.
She looked toward Moon, forcing herself to suppress her frustration.
Moon gestured with his chin toward the opposite sofa.
“Weakness and kindness are two different things, Charlie.
Come, sit for a moment.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Charlie walked over and curled into the sofa like a wronged child.
Vaggie poured a glass of water, placed it by Charlie’s hand, and stood beside her.
“You want to save Angel,” Moon said, getting straight to the point.
“I do.”
“You want to prove that demons can become better.”
“Yes.”
“And you want to shut up those people from The Vees who treat others like commodities.”
Charlie looked up.
“Very much so!”
“Good.”
Moon took a photocopy from his pocket, placed it on the coffee table, and pushed it toward her.
The design featured a gold-stamped skull with a very modern aesthetic—the so-called “Hell Hype” style.
[Velvette’s Fashion Week – The Future of Hell]
Charlie recognized it instantly.
“I have the original of this.”
She frowned.
“I was planning to throw it away.
That’s Velvette; she definitely just wants me to go so she can make a fool of me, like she did on the TV show.”
“That’s a correct assessment,” Moon said.
Charlie looked at the invitation, confused.
“But what does this have to do with Angel?”
Moon smiled.
“Humiliation and attention are often separated by a very thin line.
A funny old man once said that only magic can defeat magic.
Well, only clout can defeat clout.”
“This venue will be packed with people, reporters, and social climbers.
If you go, the matter will no longer be just a small conflict between you and Valentino.
It will become a public talking point.”
Charlie was still struggling to keep up.
“But what can I do there?
Sit in the audience and clap?”
Moon’s tone shifted.
“Charlie, if I were you, I wouldn’t just attend.
I would walk that show as the grand finale guest.”
“Eh?!!”
Charlie’s eyes widened, and she nearly jumped off the sofa.
“Walk the runway?!
You mean me?
Be a model for Velvette?
Wouldn’t that be even more of a joke?”
Moon picked up her train of thought.
“More of a joke?
Perhaps.
But have you considered that this isn’t just a show?
It’s a perfect PR opportunity.”
As Charlie stared blankly, Moon continued.
“The Hell Princess, setting aside old grievances to personally take the stage in support of local industry and to showcase the vitality and beauty of Hell.
How sophisticated is that?
Imagine the news coverage.”
“Furthermore,” Moon lowered his voice, “this will make Valentino extremely uncomfortable.
Think about it: his rival, Velvette, treating the person he humiliated at his doorstep as an honored guest.
How much of a challenge would that be to his need for control?
How much of a rift would it create within their group?”
Charlie’s mouth hung open.
This kind of “palace drama” strategic thinking was completely outside her CPU’s processing range.
Her eyes slowly brightened, then dimmed again.
“But why do you believe Velvette would help us?”
Moon leaned back into the sofa and crossed his legs.
“It’s not about believing she’ll help you; it’s about making her believe that helping you serves her interests.
Imagine the sheer amount of engagement she would get with the Hell Princess shining at her show.”
Charlie looked to Vaggie for help.
“Vaggie, do you think this is feasible?”
In the past, Vaggie would have been the first to jump up and say “This is too dangerous” or “What are you talking about?”
But now…
She sighed and looked at Charlie.
“I think it’s worth a shot, Charlie.
We’ve tried all the conventional methods.
Reasoning, flyers, commercials—none of it worked.
Maybe Moon is right.
We need some unconventional tactics.”
“But that’s Velvette!
She’s so mean!
And I’ve never walked a runway in my life!” Charlie was still struggling.
Moon provided the answer.
“That doesn’t matter.
You don’t need to know how to walk; your presence alone is what matters.
You are the daughter of Lucifer.
Your existence is the biggest headline.”
“Okay, but how does hitting back at them help save Angel?”
“It helps.”
This time it was Vaggie who spoke.
She took a step forward, standing by the coffee table.
“Those people will turn anything into a business.
As long as there’s heat, as long as there’s a topic, and as long as the situation brings them benefits, they won’t let it go easily.
We need to push the matter of Angel to a position where none of them can afford to drop it.”
As she listened, Charlie’s breathing gradually grew heavier.
She hadn’t fully digested it yet, but she was starting to follow the logic.
“So you want to…
push the redemption project into the spotlight?”
“Exactly,” Moon said.
“Haven’t you always wanted everyone to see it?
Now is the chance.”
Charlie looked back down at the invitation, rubbing a corner of it with her finger.
“But why would Velvette cooperate with me?”
“She doesn’t have to cooperate with you,” Moon repeated his earlier sentiment.
“She only needs to cooperate with herself.
You go to her venue, and she gets the attention.
Vox gets the data.
Valentino won’t be happy, but he won’t be willing to have a total falling out either.
All three sides want to get something out of this, and that is our opportunity.”
Charlie pursed her lips.
“It sounds a bit risky.”
“Of course it’s risky,” Vaggie said.
“But standing outside Valentino’s door knocking is just as bad.”
Once those words were out, the room fell into a total silence.
Charlie didn’t say another word.
She just stared at the invitation on the table for a long time.
“If I agree to go…” she finally spoke.
“What’s the next step?”
Moon looked at her.
“You contact Velvette and tell her you’re willing to attend.”
“And then?”
“And then you take me with you.”
Both women looked at him simultaneously.
“What do you plan to do?” Vaggie couldn’t help asking.
“I want to talk to her,” Moon said simply.
“You need to give me a chance to speak with her alone.
Give me whatever title you want—Consultant, Styling Advisor, whatever gets me backstage.
Then I’ll ensure this mutually beneficial deal is closed.
Naturally, it will be beneficial to both you and the hotel.”
The blood-colored sunset outside the window shone right on Moon’s face, half of it glowing red, the other half hidden in shadow.
Charlie looked back and forth between Moon and the invitation.
Although she still felt like this plan could easily go wrong, this was the first time in days she felt like she had something she could actually use.
She picked up the invitation.
“If you can really help Angel…”
Moon shrugged.
“I can’t guarantee anything, Charlie.
But at the very least, we won’t be standing outside the door begging anymore.”
Charlie gave him a long look, then turned to Vaggie.
Vaggie nodded to her, and that small gesture gave Charlie her final burst of confidence.
Holding the invitation tight, Charlie nodded as well.
She took a breath and stood up.
“Fine.
I’ll contact Velvette right now and tell her I’ll be bringing a consultant to the rehearsal tomorrow.”
With that, she clenched her fist and hurried upstairs to make the call.
Only Moon and Vaggie were left in the lobby.
Vaggie watched the stairs for a long moment before turning her head back.
“Styling Advisor?”
She gave a snort of a laugh.
“Heh.”