With nowhere left to go, I braced myself and started walking. My decision to come here was foolish, right? But we all make foolish decisions when we are at our wits end. I didn't regret it though. After all, there was a sliver of hope and that was enough for me.

I walked bravely, step by step, even though a part of my heart was scared of what is coming. If Black does appear, would he still do what he did on that night? And if he doesn't appear, would I cause the death of these kind angels. I wished I was alone. That way I wouldn't be dragging anyone down with me...

I took off the red necklace and wrapped it around my right hand. Triggering its function will cause it to float away. It was better to keep it outside.

Gabrielle and Sophiel walked on either side of me, instead of walking behind me. They didn't seem to believe that the necklace will work.

Soon we were near my house and I could see a woman standing in front of the main gate like a statue with her back towards us. That woman was dressed in purple and black clothes that appeared so tight that it was suffocating to look at them. But they perfectly accentuated her curves. She stood there confidently while looking at the sky, not even caring that she might get attacked from behind.

We stopped about five meters away from that demon and she turned back. I felt her face was familiar and it didn't take me long to realize that I had met that person before. She was the same demon who took me to central park by force on the cursed night Black succumbed to the darkness.

"Asmodeus." I saw Gabrielle move forward swiftly, and Sophiel grasped my left arm. Gabrielle pointed her red sword towards Asmodeus. She was ready for combat. They should at least wait a while, otherwise what was the point of coming here?

Too hasty!

"Hello, Angelheart," Asmodeus remained unfazed by Gabrielle's sword and greeted me in a melodious voice.

I had expected that the demon will start attacking as soon as we were in its range, and I was ready to face that. But I had never expected that the demon would greet me like that. I didn't see any sign of aggression in that demon.

"Um... Hi???" I didn't know how to respond to her.

"I apologize for my mistake. I did not know you were related to that person. If I knew, I'd have never even looked at you, let alone force..." Asmodeus calmly spoke with a tinge of regret in her voice.

"But you surely didn't come to my place just to apologize, right?"

"I came here only to apologize. And may I know where he is?" I didn't believe it! I couldn't! And did she want to fight with my Black after all of that?

"He is not here."

"I see. But he will return to his wife, right?" Asmodeus replied.

"Just what do you want!?" Gabrielle asked.

"You're mistaken. I want nothing." Asmodeus then extended her hand and a scroll appeared in her hand out of nowhere. I was going to walk forward to take that from her hands, but Gabrielle pulled my arm and held me back.

"It's a contract!" It was Gabrielle who spoke up. Was that the so-called contract the demons make and take other's soul in exchange for a wish?

"Throw it over." Gabrielle didn't want me to go near Asmodeus, and Asmodeus lightly smiled in response.

"No need to worry, Gabrielle. I will not do anything. I am not brave enough anymore..."

Asmodeus threw that scroll towards us. Gabrielle caught, and she was about to open it when Asmodeus stopped her.

"Na na. Let Angelheart open it."

Gabrielle pondered for a while and finally handed it over to me while informing me.

"Do not recite anything. Do not affirm to anything even in a simple gesture."

"So cautious."

The scroll paper was slightly yellow, and it looked crude. It was sealed using red wax with a weird-looking stamp on it. From close, I felt a dark aura coming out of that scroll. I couldn't see it, but I could feel it.

I looked towards Gabrielle and Sophiel. They both gave me a nod. I opened that wax seal, and I looked at the cursive beautiful letters written by black ink. As I recited those words in my head, Asmodeus recited them loudly.

"I, Asmodeus, pledge unconditional eternal servitude to the Black-winged angel. My soul be tormented for eternity if I were to break this contract."

The bottom right of that scroll was stained with few drops of blood which, I suppose, belonged to Asmodeus.

It blew my mind. I didn't know much about contracts and all that, but wasn't that like a slave contract? No! It was a slave contract! Why would this demon, who was strong enough to scare two higher angels, willingly want to become a slave for my Black? And it was unconditional too. Asmodeus wanted nothing in return!

I looked towards Gabrielle and she looked back at me with wide eyes and mouth open. She wanted to say something, but she didn't have words to express herself. I looked towards Sophiel and her expressions were the same. Both of them were equally shocked because of the contents of the contract.

"W... Why would you do this?" Gabrielle was the first person to get over the shock and she asked Asmodeus her reasons.

Asmodeus shook her head and faintly smiled. I could see bitterness very well hidden behind that smile.

"To appease his anger." She replied. "My foolish action of seizing Angelheart led to the death of countless demons. All the demon kings and sovereigns sentenced me with this punishment to appease his fury."

I had read how people used to present sacrifice and offerings to their gods for their blessings. It was the same case here. The other demons sent an offering to my Black so that calamity doesn't descend on their world. But I didn't want him to keep any slave, especially a slave as beautiful as her.

I had seen many demons that day. Most of them were ugly and hideous, and none were as beautiful as her! I was sure that Asmodeus was a succubus, and I didn't want any such demon near my Black.

"He will kill you if you appear in front of him. I don't want to see it happen again. So please go." Knowing that she had no intention of hurting any of us, I wanted her to go back from where she came. But Asmodeus shook her head again.

"If he would want to keep me, I would follow my side of the pact. If he would want to kill me, I would gladly accept my death."

I was thinking about how I could to handle this demon when I heard my phone ringing. I had set Black's number with a different ringtone, and I knew it was him even before I looked at the screen. I quickly took it out of my pocket and answered it.

"Black!"

"Eve!" I heard a girl's voice from the other side. It was little Eve! But wasn't she just a manifestation of my memories? How could she call me? And why did she call me?

"Come quickly. He is losing himself to the dark side. Save him!"

"Where is he!?"

"Come quickly!" And with that, little Eve hastily held up on me. I dialled Black's number again and again but neither he nor little Eve picked up the call.

How was I supposed to save him when I didn't even know where he was? But it was serious. Little Eve's voice was shaky and her tone was urgent. Something bad must have happened to him! I anxiously wondered how I could save him when my eyes fell on the necklace wrapped around my hand and I got the idea.

"Hey, Asmodeus. Attack me."

"Huh?"

"Hit me with the intention of hurting me. It's urgent. I promise nothing will happen to me."

"No can do!"

"Why?"

"One. I pledged my loyalty to the Black-winged angel, not you! Two. I am not brave enough to do so!" Damn, that was annoying! Her unyielding attitude said it loudly that she won't be persuaded.

"Gabrielle! Attack me!" I turned my hope towards Gabrielle.

"I... I am not brave enough either..." I looked towards Sophiel and she feigned ignorance and looked away.

"I'll tell Black that both of bullied me when I meet him next... Please! Gabrielle."

"So evil..." Sophiel commented.

"Are you sure you want it?" Gabrielle asked after thinking for a while.

"Yeah. Hit it here." I said while pointing at those metallic chains. "He said that it won't break no matter what and will only serve as a trigger to force summon him." The forced summon of that blue gemstone didn't work but perhaps that gemstone was defective. As the two angels told me, there was no way any angel could reject the forced summon. I could only try this method.

Gabrielle tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword. I extended my hand to the side. Gabrielle closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened her eyes, I could see the determination in them. She walked towards me in a pace that was neither slow nor fast.

I was afraid that I will get injured, but when I thought about little Eve's pleas, my fear vanished. Gabrielle stood in front of me and swung her sword. Her aim appeared to be precise. But as soon as her sword hit the chain of the red necklace, my hand was forced down. I felt like a small apple had fallen on my hand.

But on the other side, there was a strong recoil. The red sword slipped from her hands and flew towards Sophiel. Even though the sword's momentum was high, Sophiel was fast enough to dodge it and the sword fell on the ground. Gabrielle continuously moved backwards to deal with the recoil, and she stabilized herself after she moved about ten metres backwards. Gabrielle moved towards the sword to pick it up and I could see that sword had almost shattered from the impact. Gabrielle looked so sad as she looked at that cracked sword.

That was crazy. I looked at the necklace which created such a scene. There was not even a scratch on it. But the red gem didn't glow as it was supposed to. The forced summoning didn't work...

"What... the..." Asmodeus was shocked.

"Requidust enchanted with reflection!?"

"The angel of creation sure is lavish."