Andariel placed Alice back on the sofa and lowered herself to Alice’s eye level. “You’re right about the continent’s current situation. As part of the Demon subrace, Succubi and Incubi are indirectly indebted to Aleister and Aleena’s sacrifice during the Great Crusade, but it’s not that simple.”
Alice placed a hand on Andariel's shoulder and looked her in the eyes. She whispered, “Without the Abyssal Dome that protected Nightflame Castle from the Holy Church, the entire Northern Region would’ve been conquered long ago. Once Diablo is completely taken, there would be no home to come back to for Succubi, Incubi, or any demi-human race on the continent. If that ever happened… you know what comes next.”
“All hell would break loose. Literally. They wanted to conquer hell itself. Once the Northern Region has united under the Holy Church's banner, we will be done for.”
“Exactly.”
“I’m glad you actually pay attention in my weekly class.” Andariel smiled like a proud mother and nodded quietly. Even if they were only acting as mother and daughter, Andariel never forgot that Alice was the rightful heir of the Diablo, Princess of Nightflame.
Tusa Village had stayed passive to maintain the status quo between Demi-humans, Demons, and Humans. But this time, she had to act before the Holy Church could establish its cathedral in Arlenheim.
At that moment, Andariel made up her mind. She rose to her feet, walking toward the window, her gaze perceived far into the future. “For the past seven years, Tusa Village has sold tons of Love Nectar to humans, whether they were believers of the Holy Church or not. But from today onward, we’ll only sell to our supporters. Tusa Village will accept your plea, but on one condition.”
“What is it?”
Andariel glanced at Alice, silently asking for her to continue.
The little demoness cleared her throat dramatically and finally spoke. “Reject Emperor Romanov’s marriage proposal, and we’ll sell our Love Nectar and our new inventions through Arlenheim’s marketplace. That way, your kingdom can earn profit through goods and service tax. Abolish the slavery, and accept Demi-humans as the rightful citizens of the Arlenheim Kingdom.
“But remember,” Andariel added firmly. “Succubi and Incubi are not dairy cows. There’s a limit to how much Love Nectar we can produce daily. Things would be different if we had Alraune on our side. They can synthesize a fluid similar to succubi’s Nectar, but they’ve become extremely rare in the wild for the past seven years. Thanks to the Holy Crusade.”
Freya spoke up as soon as Alice finished. “Rejecting the marriage proposal is like throwing a white glove at Romanov’s face. He’ll definitely send an assassin for my head and march his Red Legion to Arlenheim. But the Princes would catch wind of my plan and kill me before my letter leaves the palace.”
“That won’t happen if we get them first.” Alice smirked.
“How, exactly?” Freya asked with a tilted head. “All military forces in Arlenheim are under the command of the Three Princes. Even my magic is reserved for emergencies, to protect my people against the inevitable. I can’t just use it freely.”
Andariel already understood what Alice was planning. With Catharina The Black Scythe as her guardian, getting rid of the three princelings was a child’s play.
“The less you know, the better. Stay here for a week or two and you’ll see the results,” Alice replied.
Freya was stunned by the vicious glint in Alice’s eyes hidden behind her adorable appearance. “I expected nothing less from Tusa Village. This place must have old monsters hiding in the shadows.”
“Alright, enough politics. Let’s talk business. What do we do about the Primordial Stones? The Princes will soon notice they’re gone.” Andariel sat Alice on her lap and stroked her hair to help her focus.
“I have the real stones in my Storage Ring. The counterfeits are in the Royal Treasury, the magic reserve in those stones would be just enough to buy me time. The Princes can’t see them in person unless the kingdom declares an emergency.”
“What about the treasurers who let you take the Primordial Stones?” Alice asked sharply.
“I put them to sleep temporarily until I secure my position,” Freya answered.
“Smart move.” Alice chuckled. Queen Freya really was as cunning as she was beautiful. “May I see them?”
“Certainly.”
Freya waved her right hand and summoned five spherical stones from thin air.
Alice’s eyes sparkled as she saw the crystals pulsing with immense, untamed energy. Just from their aura, she could tell they were powerful enough to supply energy to a city for decades.
Veins of gold and sapphire twisted beneath the surface, flickering and distorting the surrounding air. If cultivated by a Rank 1 Mage, the energy could push them to the Morningstar rank, assuming they survived the pressure.
“Wow. They’re so beautiful.” Alice reached out, tempted to touch the palm-sized crystal.
“Beautiful and deadly.” Andariel stopped her hand. “They must be handled with Levitation Magic unless you want to get scorched. And you don’t know that spell.”
“Because you never let me read the spellbook, dear mother.”
“Soon. You’ll master it quickly.”
“Just give me an hour or two,” Alice said sarcastically.
Freya was shocked by her words. It takes a human Rank 1 Acolyte Mage an entire semester to learn that ability, yet this little succubus thinks she can do it in a few hours?
“I think that’s everything. You may leave, dear daughter.”
“But what about my share?”
Andariel sighed. “Talk to Lady Cydaea. I’m giving you full access to my bank account. Buy anything you want. Just stay out of trouble. We need to talk about serious matters.”
A wide grin appeared on Alice’s face. She already knew what they were going to discuss, a mischievous grin arched from ear to ear. “Can I ask for details later?”
“Nope.” Andariel stood up, grabbed Alice by her armpits, and threw her out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her with a loud bang.
“Goodness gracious.” Andariel shook her head. She had meant to teach Alice a lesson, but she ended up being the one who got schooled.
“Your daughter is quite… extraordinary,” Freya said, laughing softly.
“Yeah, tell me about it. Not long ago, she almost drove the entire Magic Class into chaos after messing up the Seduction Spell.”
“Oh dear.”
“Well now, what do you think of her brilliant idea?”
“If I may speak frankly, it's not a bad idea. If we have the means to protect what we believe.”
****
Alice rubbed her backside after being thrown out. “Ugh. You’ve got some nerve, Andariel. I’ll whoop your ass when I grow up!”
Despite the embarrassment, she walked back to the main hall. The auction was ending, and most guests were leaving with big smiles.
She glanced upstairs. Catharina vanished into the shadows and reappeared in front of her in an instant.
“Is something the matter?”
“There is one.” Alice gestured at Catharina to lower her head and whispered, “Our most esteemed guest has a rat problem in the castle. Dozens of them. It’ll be very tedious but can you do something about it?”
Catharina’s vertical pupils dilated. She understood the real meaning behind Alice’s innocent tone. It was a hidden order from the Demon Princess, not the little succubus.
“Consider it done, Your Highness.”