"Welcome to my house, young lady. Did you have fun so far?"

There was a mysterious young man that was comfortably sitting on his throne. He has a long, unruly silver hair that falls below his waist. His skin was as white as snow. He is wearing a lavish apparel consisted of an black long-sleeved crop top coat that is embroidered with golden laces, woven from tufted velvet fabrics. Underneath is a grey and black stripped tunic that is tucked over a tailored black trousers with a white web buckle around his waist. On his left shoulder, he wears a red cloak with faux fur. He also had a sheathed blade with an intricate hilt that is holstered around his hips, and a pair of leather ankle boots with black leggings.

He has a pair of enthralling crimson eyes, sharp canine teeth, and pointed ears. His fingernails were extraordinarily long as it was painted in a deep shade of red. He is wearing a pair of ruby earrings that dangled on his lobes with a matching carved silver earring cuff on both cartilages. He was also very handsome, but it was not his outer appearance that captured my attention — it was the mystically colored violet gemstone that is knitted on his coat.

If anyone would ask me, he looks like a vampire. Not only that, he is the person that was painted in a portrait which was displayed on the front wall of the grand staircase, and his sensuous and insistent voice is also the one that has been speaking to me. However, my head is no longer throbbing in pain nor my ears are ringing loudly, much to my relief.

"I assume that you, Sir, are the master of this house?" I calmly asked while keeping a straight look on my face as I took a few shallow breathes, and patiently waited for him to reply.

He just nodded.

"I must say that I experienced a lot of life-and-death situations, desperately trying to keep myself alive in the face of danger."

My eyes scanned around the hall, it was an ordinary throne room and everything within my field of vision is still in greyscale, excluding this unfamiliar young man. Behind him, I saw the stars and the moon instead of how dark the night is. The moon is half, the sky filled with stars.

"...There is no way I could consider this as fun. My body is covered in wounds and scars, along with a twisted ankle and a broken rib. It feels so painful that I might die. I never wished to participate in this horrible trials and become your plaything."

His lips curved into a mischievous smirk, it awfully reminded me of the turquoise green-eyed man that 'helped' me earlier. Since I can both perceive their colorations, they must related to each other as well as with the poisonous reptiles.

"You must have something that you strongly desire, but cannot be fulfilled on your own, no?"

"So what if I do? It is not like you can do anything about it."

I pursed my lips, deeply frowning. I tried my best to mask my pain while enduring the stiffness and swelling of my twisted ankle as I was keeping my weight on my right foot.

"How laughable. You wandered in my territory without knowing the gravity of the situation."

Suddenly, he burst out into a laughing fit of mockery, so loud that it made me feel offended. It is tad obvious that he was completely ridiculing me for my lack of knowledge. I despised his discourteousness. How would I be able to know about it anyway?!

"You are such a hopelessly ignorant fool!"

"Are you done, Sir? If you are, then can you now tell me who you are and what are these trials for?"

"It is a proper etiquette to introduce yourself first before asking for someone to introduce themselves."

After being so rude to me, he actually cares about manners?

I gritted my teeth and forced a smile on my face. "Pardon my impertinence, Sir." I greeted while slowly bending my knees, and bowing my head in a reluctant deference.

"My name is Lady Desdemona Ophelia von Ainsworth, the only daughter of Duke Oswald Darius von Ainsworth and Duchess Charlotte Annalise von Ainsworth. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

I carefully straighten my knees, accidentally bending my twisted ankle in the process as I hissed in pain. I somehow managed to bring my feet back into a parallel position.

"Only daughter, you say?" He rested his elbow against the manchette and placed his chin on top of his fist while playfully grinning at me.

"I beg your pardon?"

"No, it's nothing." He rose from his throne as he sauntered towards me, the malicious smirk on his face seemed to be permanent.

"Since you are a mindless human being, I will do the honor of introducing myself. You should be grateful."

"You, Sir, speak as if we're not the same species."

"Indeed. I am a far greater being that you could ever be. I advise that you should not put me in your inferior label."

Throughout my entire life, I have never met such an disdainful person before. Maybe its because I haven't been formally introduced to the high society yet, but I've already heard a lot of detestable rumors about it. Unfortunately, the society is filled with a lot of haughty and greedy nobles that needs to get off their high horses, but I think he is the most contemptuous of them all combined.

I never noticed that he was such a tall, young man until he was already standing right in front of me. He was towering me as if he was trying to intimidate me.

"I am Grand Duke Astaroth, commanding 40 legions in Hell! Bow down before me, mortal!"

He raised his arm sidewards as his cape dramatically flew while lightning flashed so bright that the room lit up, and shortly afterwards it thundered so loud that the windows rattled. A series of arrogant laughter erupted from his throat as it echoed throughout the room.

"I completely understand it now..."

"Oho, you are surprisingly not as dimwitted as I thought. Now that you have understood, get down on your knee—"

"You are a vile con-artist!"

Another bright flash of lightning crackled loudly as the condescending smirk on his face disappeared and it was replaced with a frown, he was clearly displeased by my obliviousness.

"Do you still not know who I am?!" For a moment he stared at me in disbelief, and then his eyes flared with renewed fury while gritting his teeth. "I am the 29th demon out of all the 72 pillars subjugated by King Solomon in the Ars Goetia! He made the demons work for him back in his time, many centuries have already passed since then. We are still sealed in the vessels and it is impossible for us to get out without a contractor."

"Sir, I think you need to see a psychiatrist to provide you a proper treatment for your mental health disorder."

At first, I thought that he was missing a few screw looses in his head, but this just proved me a certain point. He is missing the whole tool box!

"How come you still not believe me?"

"I'm not that stupid to believe in such lies." A sigh of dismay escaped my lips. "You're sorely mistaken if you think that you could easily fool me just because I am a mere child. Who in this day and age still believes in demons anyway?"

I covered my nose as he gave me a dubious look. "And Sir, will you mind not to speak so close to my face? I'm sorry to mention this, but you have some bad breathe right now."

To be honest, I had a hard time mentioning his bad breathe as I tried my best not to cringe in the foul smell since earlier, but it seems like I have reached my limit. I feel like my nose would break if I continue inhaling his nasty breathe. He might've been not aware, but he has to know despite it would be so humiliating on his part. This was also a major turn-off.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." He waved his hand in dismissal as he does not have any shred of decency or even cares of how other people think about him.

Well, I don't think I have the audacity to tell him about maintaining proper hygiene since I haven't even took a bath for two days straight either. My train of thoughts were interrupted when I suddenly heard him spoke.

"Ah, I get it now. You must be one of his faithful devotees, aren't you?" He turned around and began walking towards his rightful throne, clicking his heeled soles on the floor tiles as he took a seat. "If you are, then I have no use for you. Begone at once." It seems like his attitude shifted from a aristocrat with a haughty disdain to an indolent. He waved his hand, signaling me to leave.

"Who is it that you're referring to? I don't think we are in the same page, Sir."

"We don't speak of his name." He leaned against the upholstered back of the throne as he raised his left leg and placed it on top of his right. Then he pressed his elbow on manchette and placed his chin on his fist. "Young lady, do you not read the bible? He is the author of that book."

"I don't reach much of it, but I do know the story about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden."

"Yet you don't know the Great King Solomon?"

"No, I don't know him... Is he written in the New Testament or the Old Testament?"

He had to stifle his urge to chuckle at my question. He shivered trying to suppress a laugh, and grinned. 

"You ask if a demonic being reads something as holy as a bible? That is the greatest joke that I've heard in the century!"

It seemed like he found what I just said as something really funny. He got a lot of laughter bubbling up inside of him, and as if it was not enough to just laugh about it, he also slapped his knee in order to
release that energy. I wasn't truly pleased of his mocking laughter, I found it incredibly insulting.

The only reason how I got to know the story of Adam and Eve was because my fiancée, Crown Prince William, is fond of reading the bible. I merely read the first chapter out of curiosity!

"...So you just don't know it either." I frowned as our conversation was going nowhere. "Why do you call yourself a 'Grand Duke' anyway? Is that a title or a pseudonym?"

"Demons also live in a hierarchical society just like humans. I am one of the 23 Dukes of Hell under the reign of His Excellency, Emperor Lucifer."

"Then what is your purpose? Since you are a noble just like what you have said — there must be a competition to gain more power and raise your status in the social ladder of the demon society."

I felt my stomach churned in discomfort. "Did your superior told you to capture humans' souls and offer it to him in exchange for power? Is that why you lead the subconsciousness of the humans here in your domain because you want to gain more influence?"

"How old are you?"

"I just turned thirteen yesterday, but does that even matter?"

"...You are quite intelligent for your age. I have clearly misjudged you."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Indeed, what you have said is the truth. However, I am not interested to participate in the competition." He exasperated sighed while comfortably sitting on his throne. "Emperor Lucifer should keep his boring seat to himself. What's so good about politics anyway? It's such a drag!"

Wow... I am clearly astounded. I have also never met such a lazy and unmotivated nobleman before in my entire life. Everyone in the circle are desperate to raise their social standing in the ladder. To me, he seems to be the type of person to go with the flow.

"You seem to respect your superior a lot, Sir."

"Of course I do, all the demons are obliged to respect him. Emperor Lucifer is the one who granted us our powers after all. Don't you also admire the one that you people revered as a savior and a divine being?"

Ah, I think I already know who he is talking about. How come I failed to understood it earlier?

"No. I don't believe in God. The men from church told me that I was cursed because of my ancestors' wicked deeds, and this is the divine retribution that was bestowed upon me by the guardian deity of the empire."

It was no longer necessary for me to show my ancient markings that were swirling throughout my body since he has already seen it earlier, but he did not say anything about it nor did the turquoise green-eyed man. They were both able to talk to me without showing any signs of fear. It gave me a sense of normalcy since everyone who saw me in this horrible state would always run away from me.

Maybe the reason why he is not frightened by the mere ugly sight of me and attempting to run away because he is inhuman?

"I suffered a lot just because I was cursed. My health is slowly deteriorating as it was difficult to walk with my own two legs. Everyone became afraid me as I was shunned out of the manor. I was locked inside a tower and had to live a life filled with solitude."

I suddenly felt emotional as it was hard for me to prevent my tears from streaming down my cheeks. I don't even know why I am crying. I must've looked so pathetic in front of that man.

"I can no longer go back to those days of happiness! I have to live my entire life with this curse!"

"I don't really understand humans. What is there to be afraid of? It's such a shame that they can't appreciate your beauty."

My eyes widened in surprise as I slowly lifted my face and looked at him with a confused expression. "You have seen my face and yet you dare to spout such insolent lies?"

He exasperatedly sighed as he looked straight into my eyes. "I am not. Just because you look a little bit different than everyone else, you were treated like an outcast?"

I nodded as I continued explaining my unfortunate situation to him. "The church also said that my disease is contagious, everyone was afraid that a pandemic might outbreak if I stay with them."

"Nonsense. I assure you that it is not."

"B-But everyone said so... They even called me a monster!"

"If you hate it so much, then would you like me to get rid of the burden that you have been carrying for so long?" He offered his proposal as he had a malicious smirk dancing on his lips. I don't know what he is plotting, but it is probably nothing good.

"There is no one that could even heal me! How can you say that you will?!" I'm not sure if he could really cure me either. I didn't want to trust my entire life to someone else without any reassurance.

"I ask you not to equate me with incompetent mortals. Have you forgotten who I am?" His lips formed a thin line as he frowned deeply while tapping his long fingernails against the manchette.

"I am Grand Duke Astaroth, I can extract any desire in exchange of a price that I deem suitable." He stated as his eyes started glowing a brighter shade of red as the temperature suddenly dropped. I shivered while bracing the cold. "If you truly want me to relieve your pain, then you must complete the final trial before I grant your wish."

"...Is this what you exactly did previously to the humans that wandered in your manor?" I asked, maintaining an eye-contact with him. There are probably a lot of people like me who came in this mysterious place.

"Well, everyone that came here had one thing thing in common."

"A desire that couldn't be fulfilled on their own? Yes, I get it already." I spoke as I know what he was going to say next, or at least I thought I knew.

"That is true," He agreed along with my statement as his lips curved into a malevolent smirk that sent a shiver down my spine. "But it was mostly because people would eventually look for the devil when they are turned away by their God." He nonchalantly explained as if it was not such a big deal. It was difficult to understand him since everything he does is unpredictable.

I used to pray frequently at night before going to sleep, hoping that the guardian deity will set me free from this curse. I have faith in him since everyone throughout the empire does. I thought he would cure me since I have already prayed so many times to him, asking him to perform a miracle on me.

But it seemed like he will never answer to my prayers. He probably wanted me to suffer till eternity because I am a descendant of my treacherous ancestors, but I never committed any wrongdoings in my lifetime. Why must he let me suffer so much pain and agony?! The God I admired so much has broken my trust.

Instead of him, there was a devil who was willing to give me a chance to regain my health again — but with a price. Of course there would be always a catch. Nothing is free in this world.

"It is time for you to wake up, you should think deeply of what you truly desire. And remember, everything comes with a price. Be prepared to pay for it."

That was the last thing I heard before going back to reality.