*Bylet*

"Hey, Billy boy!" Vapula said, waving as I formed a sphere of swirling black purple, and red energy. "Where are you off to today?"

"I'm going to my father's realm. There's something there that I want to pick up," I said.

"That sounds interesting. Mind if I join?" She gave me a flirtatious smirk.

I sighed. "Shouldn't you be training to recover your Master?"

"True, but I have a feeling I might just run into her if I go with you."

"In that case, you're free to come with me."

"Can I join too?" Camio asked, rushing over. "If Vapula's right about meeting Mom, I want to be there too!"

I nodded. If we ran into them, the more of us there were, the better our chances of retrieving the lost Archdemons.

"Open wide!" I yelled, causing the energy to expand into a vortex. Going first, I found myself on top of a hill overlooking a city in the distance.

"Why did we come here?" Camio asked, tilting his head at the purple house on top of the hill. It looked old with rice paper doors and wooden patios. On the edge was a small stream with a broken bamboo stick. Had that boy broken it?

"Is this where that thing you're looking for is? It doesn't look like a library nor a museum," Vapula said, tilting her head.

"This is my home," I said, walking up the stone stairs.

Vapula crossed her arms as she followed close behind. "You have a home in this world?"

"Yeah," I said. "As I said, this is my father's realm. So Xeleria's like a second home for me and my siblings. They have their own homes throughout."

"How sentimental."

Camio smiled. "I find it adorable."

I grumbled.

"Uh, I don't mean that in a bad way," Camio said, laughing weakly.

"Yeah, sure," I said, shaking my head.

The pair continued eyeing the garden made up of bonsai and other green bushes and trees as we made out way to the house built on top of the hill.

I rang the doorbell as soon as I reach the front door.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. The footsteps grew more intense.

Camio gasped as a yellow blur jumped at me.

"Papa! You're home!" a blond kid said as his large gray eyes stared back at me. He acted more like a dog than a cat.

I put him down. "Knew it was you."

He grinned and yanked on my hand. "Come on, let's play!"

I slipped my hand through his grip. "Sorry, Burai. But I don't have time. I came here for a manuscript."

My son blinked. "Man script? What's that?"

Camio snorted. "Man script."

Vapula raised an eyebrow at him.

"Who are these two?" my son asked.

Vapula stared at him and sighed. "Why didn't you tell me you had a kid?"

"Didn't occur to me."

Camio frowned but then turned back and smiled at the kid. "I'm Camio. The pimped-out lady is Vapula. We're friends of your papa."

"Woah, Papa has friends? I only got one!"

"You made a friend?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah! Her name is Kohachi."

"Met her in school?"

He shook his head. "Mommy hasn't put me in school yet. I met her while exploring the forest. She lives on the other side."

Did she decide to not enroll him because of how explosive he could be?

"Burai, you destroyed the bamboo scarer, didn't you?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

He touched his ears. "It was a Buraichi scarer too."

Camio smiled. "You got scared by a tiny bamboo stick?"

My son nodded. "It makes a loud tapping sound when full of water!"

"Louder than the floor you just ran on?" Vapula asked, chuckling.

He stared at the floor. "Huh. I never noticed it was noisy..."

I sighed. "Seems his sensitivity is still a mystery. Only some things seem to trigger it. Squeaky floorboards for some reason don't."

He grinned. "Yay! I'm mysterious."

"Your son is a weirdo," Camio said, frowning.

Burai grumbled and punched Camio in the gut, sending him back a few steps.

"And strong too!" Vapula said, chuckling

I smiled proudly. Of course he was strong, he was my son!

"Burai! Come here!" a voice yelled from the door.

"Mommy!" my son said, turning to look at a woman with short blond hair with purple tips.

"What did I say about punching people?"

"But he was calling me names!"

She sighed. "You can't beat up everyone who calls you stuff."

"So, that's the kid's mother?" Vapula said, crossing her arms. She scoffed. "Doesn't seem like much."

Benihime's crimson eyes narrowed. "Actually, I take that back. Sometimes violence is the only way." She jumped at Vapula but I grabbed her from behind.

"Stop that! You're no match for her!" I yelled, pulling her away.

Vapula smirked. "Indeed."

My mate grumbled. "Hmph. Fine. I won't stoop so low."

Camio sighed. "It was just about to get good!"

"You shut up," I said.

"Hmph!" Camio said, turning around.

I sighed. "Cam. You're acting like a kid again."

"Whatever! Let's just get this manuscript and get out of here."

"Manuscript?" Benihime asked.

"Yeah, it's one I found when out with my father years ago. It supposedly has a powerful spell."

"Woah! I wanna learn it!" Burai exclaimed.

"Burai, you're too little to be learning such high-tier magic," Benihime said.

He puffed his cheeks. "Am not! I am almost seven!" He raised seven fingers. "That's this much!"

Vapula smirked. "At least he knows how to count."

Camio chuckled. "I would hope so. His dad is the Demon of Math."

"Daddy's a math wiz?" Burai asked.

I shrugged. "I know the highest levels of calculus. Nothing much, really."

Vapula scoffed. "Drop the immodest modesty."

I smirked.

"Well, come inside. I'll help you dig it up," Benihime said. "As for you two, can you stay and watch over Burai?"

Camio smirked. "Asking a pair of demons to watch over a child? That's pretty bold of you."

"He's not a normal child, so I know you won't eat him," I said.

"Wah? Demons eat kids?"

"Some of us do," Camio said. "I prefer pranking them and watching them cry."

Burai stepped away from him.

Camio smirked and chased after him.

Burai ran for it.

Vapula sighed. "What a child. Go on and find that manuscript. I'll wait here," she said, jumping into the couch. "Oh, yeah. Misses, can you at least bring me some wine? It's only proper to serve your guests."

Benihime gave me a deadpan face. "They're your guests, Bylet."

I sighed. "Alright. I'll get her some wine."

"It's alright. I'll serve myself," Vapula said, standing up. "Now, hurry up. I don't want to stay in this moth-infested place much longer."

Benihime gritted her teeth. "How dare she! I clean this place nearly every day!"

"Don't let her get under your skin," I said, pushing her.

She sighed. "Should've figured you still had admirers."

I sighed. My late older brother and I were a rare breed. Most demons didn't stay with one person. There was no moral quirm about it for us. Mother certainly would have no issue, if only Reginald turned her direction. Fortunately for Father, Reginald didn't ever see Mother in that way.

"By, there's something I need to tell you about Bui," Benihime said as we enter the attic.

I ran over to the chest and began searching for the ancient manuscript. It was supposedly part of an ancient book of alchemy. One of its forbidden pages.

"If it's about Burai not going to school, he already told me," I said as I found the rolled up parchment paper. Carefully, I took it out.

"It's more so that he wants to go to school. He wants to join Benio and his new friend," my wife said.

"Why not let him?"

"I am worried about him. You saw how he reacted. Kids can be cruel. I'm afraid Burai might hurt several badly if they tick him off. He's a lot stronger than kids his age."

I smiled. "Well, that is to be expected. He is my son. His big brother is pretty strong too."

"Yeah, but at least Benii has control and a normal mind."

I lowered the paper. "Burai doesn't?"

"Well, that friend of yours wasn't wrong when he said our son is weird."

I shrugged. "He gets it from his grandpa."

She gasped. "Sir Akinari?"

"Yeah. Dad is an oddball with temper issues. Andrey's kids were similar."

"So, this is normal?"

"For my family, it is."

She furrowed her brow. "Shouldn't we get him some help, at least?"

I sighed. "Our son isn't mental or anything like that. Feel you're overreacting."

"I didn't say he was, but I don't want him to hurt himself or others. Burai is too sweet of a kid."

I frowned. "Sweet, huh? Our son is a demon. His anger is a reflection of that. He needs to learn to control his demon side and make it a part of him."

"I see. Do you know how?"

"Not a clue. Maybe if Andrey were still around, I could've asked him."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Big brother is dead. He was killed by his own great-grandchild."

She gulped. "T-that's tragic!"

I closed my eyes. "Tell me about it. That's why he shouldn't have fallen for that dove. Nothing good comes from the union between demons and angels."

"I see."

"Seems my younger brother made the same mistake. Hopefully, his life doesn't come to an end from one of his own descendants like Andrey's did."

"Your younger brother? But, isn't he dead?"

"I thought so too, but it appears he survived somehow and traveled to the past. Likely to the time before my nephew's demise. Alas, for whatever reason, he failed to change history."

Beni sighed. "How tragic. That makes me worry more about Bui."

I took a deep breath. "He can't be cuddled, woman. That would make him weak. He must grow strong and crush or rule the world as he sees fit, rather than be demolished by it."

She kept her head down. "You're probably right."

I stood up and patted her on the shoulder. "You'll soon have nothing to concern yourself about. With this, I will win the upcoming war. Once that happens, my father will be made Magus Maximus. He doesn't have much left to live, so the title will go to me as my elder brother's descendants sided with their dove-ness. Once he's passed on, you'll be made queen. Benio and Burai will then have a chance to gain the title for themselves."

Benihime patted my hand. "But what if you lose? I rather have you alive than risk losing you for the chance to become queen. Frankly, I'm fine living like this."

He chuckled. "Beni, don't undercut yourself. You deserve a lot more than this. As do the kids. Once Zionia is gone, we won't have anything to worry about. The fated destruction of us demons would have been adverted."

"But what about the destruction that's to come from the abysmals."

I sighed. "Mother will be ruling them. So we have nothing to worry about on that front either." I stroked her hair. "Soon, you'll be the princess of multiple worlds."

She frowned. "I rather have you."

"Come on. You know me. I am no pushover. I'll kill those doves! But in the unlikely chance that I do perish, tell Burai that I abandoned you."

Her mouth dropped open. "Huh? Why?"

I turned away. "I rather not make him think his dad is a failure. It's bad enough that I lost once to those doves. To lose a second time is downright humiliating."

"I don't get it. You rather let the kids believe a lie?"

I closed my eyes. "Mainly Burai. The kid thinks of me as the strongest. I rather not shatter that image."

"He'll hate you regardless!"

"That's fine. I rather he see me as a deadbeat than as a loser."

"Those are basically the same thing!"

I sighed. "Seems our sense of pride differs."

"Hey, Bylet! Your rugrat is gone!" Camio said, barging into the room.

"Burai!" Benihime shrieked.

I ruffled my hair and stared at the manuscript. "Seriously?" Why at this time?

**Solar Note: I pray you enjoyed the chapter! Thoughts? Theories?**