I need a drink.

No, seriously. I need a drink. Not the kind of drink I would have for a spur-of-the-moment or a fun time or even just to get a bit buzzed. The full-on, fuck my life, give me something for the pain, kind of drink. I rub my right temple as I dismiss the latest list of failed applicants for my new club assistant manager position. The last one I had got killed in a drive-by shooting (a pretty common death these days), and now I was forced to find someone new to take her place. You might think that, after tens of thousands of years, I would be used to this bullshit, but the truth was I hated management crap like this.

Being the Queen of Gluttony, Ring Lord of one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and fourth in line for the throne of Hell should anything happen to Lucifer, Charlie, or Satan came with many benefits that I happily took advantage of with glee. While I have changed a lot since becoming a demon, I can safely say that Gluttony is one of the most popular and safe rings to live in. Something I took pride in considering Pride itself was laced with Overlord wars, Greed was a place you got shanked for even a single dollar, and Envy was a place you drowned in because Leviathan was a brat whose upset attitude always caused tsunamis whenever she was angry. But even so, it wasn't all fun and games because you always had to do a bunch of royal duty shit from going to meetings, authorizing laws, protecting your borders, manipulating humans to do your building to cause chaos, and that wasn't even going into managing taxes, budgets, population control, sanitation, and more.

If I had my way, I would just be running my clubs and focusing on that, but nobody else in Gluttony cares about it like I do. Too many of my demons depend on me, including the Hellhounds whom I've come to shelter from those who mistreat them. Hell, I even allow more congenial laws for Imps.

Still, I couldn't do everything, and I needed an assistant. One with experience and talent. Also, one that would not try to secretly usurp me like one of my previous ones did. I made sure that their blood was served as a special cocktail on the night of their death.

Looking at the applications, I just grumbled and shook my head. A hundred and twenty-one demons, and not one of them was good enough for what I was looking for. Half of them wanted to get hired because of the free booze, and the other half were inexperienced or incompetent. I asked them basic questions that any manager would know, and they barely could get half of them. One incubus even tried to use his powers of seduction to get me to hire him. I told him I'd rather fuck Mammon's cock than anything he had and sent him on his way. Right after sending a stinger up his ass.

Although, I think he got turned on by that.

My cellphone rang, and I saw it was one of my bouncers and close friends, Vortex, calling me. I answered it and smirked, "Hey, Tex. How's your date with your girl?"

"Doing good. Still got her father stalking us," Tex says on the other line.

"Loona told him off yet?" I ask while thinking about the strange Imp who managed to actually beat me in a drinking contest. A first for me, and that was a scarce experience anymore. Of course, he wasn't in the best of moods, and Loona told me why. I'm just glad he and Prince Stolas finally cleared the air. They are such a cute couple.

"I think at this point she's given up," Tex chuckled. "How's the job hunt?"

"Shitty," I answered as I summoned that drink I wanted with my powers and chugged it down. "Four days, and I still haven't found someone to help with the club. At this point, I'm willing to hire anyone."

"I'm sure someone will come along," Vortex assured me. "You'll get someone, Bee. I mean, not everyone in Hell is incompetent. Just most of it."

I couldn't help but bark at that before asking, "How's the restaurant?"

"It's nice, but you wouldn't believe who is also here. An angel couple," Vortex said with disbelief.

"Seriously? Wow, they got balls," I said with my eyes widening.

I was still in disbelief that after so many years of hate, murder, disgust, and downright war with each other, Heaven and Hell had their first-ever peace treaty. Princess Charlie and Jesus had finally gotten their fathers to come together and work out most of their issues, as well as get them both to own up to mistakes they made in the past. Ultimately, the two agreed to bury the hatchet (but not forget, mind you) and start things over again. Hell would now focus on helping Sinners get redemption like Charlie had been doing thanks to her successful Hazbin Hotel system. Meanwhile, Heaven, in turn, stopped the Exterminations and was providing more access to their unending resources. As a means of showing good faith, both Heaven and Hell allowed angels and demons to cross each other's borders so long as they obeyed the rules and caused no issues while being protected by their own security.

Despite knowing that some angels had been visiting Rings like Pride, Sloth, and Greed, I had not seen any angel enter Gluttony yet. Pride made sense since it was the location that held the most Sinners, and obviously, they wanted to help them get to Heaven. Sloth was where most of the medical industry was in Hell, so trade for medical cures that Heaven had access to was necessary. Greed, however, was an especially surprising one, but it turned out the angels going there were trying to help the downtrodden with food, money, shelter, and more support than anyone had ever given them. Most demons wouldn't dare accept charity from an angel, but with the latest mob war going into high gear, they were desperate for it, and the angels were keen on protecting it and anyone under their care. No matter how powerful the mobs were, they were nothing compared to the holy wrath of a full-on, heavily armed Angel Marine Guard Regiment. They might be too nice for their own good sometimes, but they did say never underestimate the nice ones.

Plus, it pissed off Mammon. And that was always a win in my books.

Meanwhile, demons who dared to enter Heaven called it a paradise. Many who visited soon signed up for the Hazbin Hotel program just to go there permanently. I wondered if I should revisit my old home but pushed such thoughts away. My family made it clear that I was dead to them, and I doubt any of my old friends wanted to see me again after what I did in the rebellion. Fuck, I could barely remember much from those days, considering how long it's been.

"Bee? You there?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and cleared my throat. "Y-yeah. I was just lost in thought. Listen, I will let you guys focus back on your date. I'll see you at work tomorrow."

I hung up the phone and smiled sadly at it. Vortex was a good friend. Cute too. Despite our status, I thought about asking him out, but it never came up in time. By the time I seriously thought about asking him, it turned out he met another Hellhound called "Loona" during some contest between their bosses (and her father), which got the two interested in each other. So much so that Tex invited Loona to one of my parties.

I was instantly in love (platonically) with the shy girl doing her best to act cool. I found her adorable. Plus, her father was a crazy, fun Imp who actually managed to out-drink me. Seriously, that's never happened to me. A few more parties and hangouts later, Loona became one of my newest friends and Tex's girl.

Lucky girl, I thought while smiling at a photo of Loona blushing while Tex kissed her on the cheek. Much to the girl's embarrassment, I took the photo during my last Sinmas party.

A beep from my speaker got my attention, and I pressed the receive button. "Yes, Andria?"

"Um, Bee? We got another person here for the management role...but... they're a bit...unusual."

"Unusual in what way?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. Having lived in Hell for so long, I was used to strangeness.

"Well, I don't know how to say it..."

"Just sent them in," I sighed while collecting the failed resumes and pushing them aside. Considering the day I had, I didn't think anything was going to surprise me today.

The moment the door opened, the entire universe decided to prove me wrong instantly.

Now, I've been around the block. I'm older than humanity. It takes a lot to get me to get seriously shocked. Like, a severe load to really surprise me here. Seeing what appeared to be a purple cherub angel dressed in white with a light purple bow tie was definitely worthy of a jaw drop.

"Um, hi? Miss. Beelzebub?" The angel nervously answered with a small smile. "Um, My name is Collin Shepard. I'm applying for the management position."

"...Uhhhhh, excuse me." "I quickly summoned a quick martini and drank it in one gulp to get my brain to start functioning again. "Y-Yeah, come on in."

Sighing in relief, Collin flew inside and soon sat on the chair across from my desk. There was a moment of silence between us as we stared at each other. He was full-on nervous, and I was just plain confused. After a minute or so, Collin cleared his throat and soon handed me the papers he had on him. "So, um. Here is my resume. My cover letter. Letters of recommendation. Oh, and my business certificate I got last year."

"Okay," I said plainly, as I couldn't find anything else to say. The brain was still processing, and the drink hadn't kicked in. I took Collin's papers and looked at them. The certificate was from an online course, but I do not care if someone got a college degree online or not. I was about to look at the resume when I stopped myself because I had too many questions going through my mind that I had to get rid of before we could go forward. Staring at the Cherub, I asked, eyebrow raised, "Why are you here?"

"Um, to apply for the job?" Collin pointed out in confusion.

"You know this is for a job in Hell, corrected?"

"Yes."

"And that I'm the Queen of Gluttony, Beelzebub. Right?"

"Yes."

"So, what is a non-fallen angel applying for a position here in Hell for my club?" I asked while folding my arms. "Did someone dare you to do this?"

"N-No! Not at all!" Collin waved his hands in defense. "I'm honestly applying for the job because...well...I thought I could do it. And, I...needed a change of scenery."

"So you picked the Gluttony Ring?" Beelzebub asked in disbelief.

"Well, it is the safest of all the rings. Besides, outside of Pride, most of the redeemed sinners come from here. You also have a more positive reputation than the other Ring Lords. Plus, I do think you have some very admirable traits that I respect," Collin said with stars in his eyes. "I really was moved by the fact that you have a huge orphanage operation that takes care of the children of your Ring, including Hellhounds. I've heard some of their orphanages are like pounds and prisons instead of warm and comforting places to make sure children are safe. So I felt like that, despite being a demon, some good inside of you made you different from the other Ring Lords."

That was a surprise. I didn't think any angel knew of my orphanage program. I've seen the conditions Hellhounds were placed in various other places around Hell, and it's disgusting how we allow such a thing. Honestly, save for Ozzie, my other Ring Lord brothers and sisters are nonchalant about the well-being of the lower races. Much as I like to portray myself as a badass, I've always had a soft heart for children and the underdogs. That was also why I set up the monthly "Kid's Birthday Surprise," where a kid of the month who had a birthday that day would get a fun one organized by me. Every kid needs to treasure their birthday. It's special.

"And the fact that I happen to be a demon doesn't bother you?" I asked seriously.

"Well, so long as you are not trying to tempt me to sin," Collin admitted nervously, "I have no problems with it. I approve of the peace between Heaven and Hell. Even if not every angel does."

"Hmm." That was a fair answer; I could tell he was telling the truth. Yet, I still needed to figure out this. I didn't have anyone else to interview, so I decided to try him out and see what he had. Even if I thought he had low odds of really impressing me. "Alright, let's see your resume. The latest job was some place called C.H.E.R.U.B.? Wow, real original."

"Oh, it was a company my friends and I started a few years ago," Collin said with a smile. "It stands for C elestials H elping E veryone and R eturning U nending B lessings. It was a company dedicated to giving those who passed into Heaven a means to protect their loved ones back home or do good deeds for them. Blessings, protection, saving them from mental issues, and all that stuff."

"Says here you were both a field agent and handled management?" I pointed out with a hint of impressiveness in my tone.

"Oh, I handled most of the logistics, paperwork, scheduling, admissions, file placement, and a few other things back when I was working there," Collin sheepishly admitted, which made me wonder if he even slept or was addicted to coffee to do all that. "That didn't mean I didn't enjoy going down and helping humans either. I just like helping people and working hard."

"Why did you leave?" I asked, and in an instant, my antennas felt a sense of dread, sorrow, and even anger coming from the Cherub's essence.

His face went sour and depressing before sighing, "I...I don't really want to talk about it..."

"...Okay," I said with a bit of sympathy. One thing I've developed over the years with my powers was really getting a feel of the genuine emotions and behaviors of others. It seemed "C.H.E.R.U.B." had brought a mix of both good memories and bad for Collin based on what I was feeling. Clearing my throat, I refocused on the rest of the resume. "Alright, and before that, you were...you were..."

My eyes went wide, and I nearly pinched myself because there was no way that this was real. This had to be completely fake. I turned to Collin with disbelief in her eyes and asked, "Is this for real? You used to be a personal assistant to Chamuel? The Chamuel? The Archangel of Love?!"

"Oh, yes," Collin said with a smile and a nod. "Those were some pretty good years."

"...How does one go from being the personal assistant to a fricken Archangel to working in a small personal company?!" I asked in shock. When I was an angel, I would have loved to work for an Archangel. In a way, I did when I allied myself with Lucifer, but that didn't last long.

"Well, my friends had talked about us starting a company of our own like we dreamed, and I decided to help them out with it," Collin answered with a smile. "Lady Chamuel was very understanding and gave me a nice goodbye package."

"You gave up working for an Archangel to work with your friends?" I asked while trying to come to terms with this. Now, much as angels like to think they are above desire and ambition, many would kill for the honor of working with the angels closest to God. It wasn't just a means for them to achieve high honor and prestige; on the rare occasion, one could even ascend to Archangel status should an Archangel recommend you.

And Collin gave that all up for working for his friends? Yeah, I admit. I was impressed.

"Yeah," Collin sighed heavily, "it was worth it at first. My best friends, Keenie and Cletus? We've known each other since we were babies. We did everything together. I was happy to work with them, and things were good at first, but..."

Collin winced and shook his head. "Let's just say...things went wrong..."

Now I was even feeling more sorry for him. To give up that dream job and work for your friends only to have that all ruined? That honestly has to suck. I look at the rest of his resume and his other papers. Honestly, he's qualified. I cannot deny that, but there is still the problem of him being an angel and wanting to be the assistant manager of a club hosting demons. I needed to make sure he knew what he was getting into.

"Okay, first off, you realize that this job will entitle you to deal with demons, right? Scary, flesh-eating, drunk, high, and lust-filled demons will be having issues that an angel is on their premises as their manager, right? Not just my club regulars but also my employees, right?"

"I...understand the risks," Collin assured me, even though he was nervous. Seriously, I could smell his sweat.

"And you realize you could get seriously hurt or killed doing this," I pointed out.

"I'm ready to risk it."

"...Why do you want this job knowing this?" I asked, folding my arms. "And give me the truth."

Collin looked down and bit his lip before he took a heavy sigh. "I want to prove something."

"Prove what?"

Then, he looked at me with such seriousness that it made me pause. "That demons can be good."

"...Huh?" I asked in confusion.

"...I...I want to prove that demons can be good...and if I can survive here in Hell...employed...working for a Ring Lord...then I can prove to not just myself but others...that you demons? You can be good," Collin said as he clutched his fists. "Make no mistake, Miss Beelzebub, I am terrified of working here, and I know there is a good chance I might die. I even arranged my last will and funeral and everything. I practically had to fight with my parents to get them to leave me alone to do this. But even if you do not hire me, I'll go to Asmodeus, Belphegor, Leviathan, or Lucifer himself for a job. Because I need to do this. I want to do this. So either give me the job or tell me to walk out. Either way, I just want an answer."

He took a deep breath and asked, " Am. I. hired?"

Well, after a speech like that with such steely conviction? I could only say one thing.

"...You start tomorrow at eight."