A.N.: Dedicated to yorushihe; come on, don't cry! It's only a cliffie! Also to KibaSin for some really useful advice ^^v

Happy Reading!

Chapter 10

"Yuuri-heika."

"Gah!"

Yuuri stiffened and almost had a heart attack but relaxed when he saw it was only Conrad who called out to him. His godfather smiled warmly at him when he came near. "Whew, it's only you, Conrad; don't scare me like that. And keep your voice down; if Wolfram finds me ditching paperwork while Gwendal's away, I'm finished!"

Conrad's smile widened at Yuuri's pout. "What are you doing in Her Ladyship's corridor? Gunter says she didn't want to be disturbed. You know you don't want to make her angrier."

The Maou sighed sadly. "I know, I know but… I was hoping that… you know? She'd forgive me already. I mean it's not like I wanted to hurt her, right? As her brother it's my right to keep her away from that fart, right?"

"Well to be honest?" the warm eyed night said. "If I were in her place, I'd be pretty mad at you too."

"Wah?! But, Conrad—"

He was cut off by his godfather's mildly raised brows. "Tell me, Yuuri, how many times have you and Shouri argued about this very same thing?"

"That's different! Shouri's a pain in the ass!"

"And he loves you like no other."

"But—"

"If Shouri somehow drags you around and tells you, you can't be Maou anymore because it's too dangerous right after you have sacrificed so much to get to where you are, would you be happy about him too?"

Yuuri's troubled face looked towards Kagome closed doors and Conrad softened at the despair he saw in it. "No."

"You need to respect the fact that she has built a life away from you; that she has duties of her own to fulfill no matter dangerous they are."

Yuuri sighed heavily. "I just think it's unfair, Conrad. She's gone through Kami knows what facing every sort of danger there while I am surrounded by safety and security here! Sure it wasn't a walk in the park and I've had a lot of misses but you guys cover for me! If you knew about the Feudal Era of Japan then you would understand it's hardly a picnic especially not for a 15 year old girl who shouldn't have anything to do with it. I just want… what's best for her. I don't like seeing her suffer.

"Did you know that she's at the top of her class before all this happened?" Yuuri breathed out in irritation. "She was popular; pretty! Boys lined up to ask her out! Her whole future was ahead of her! She was the smart one, I bet she's even smarter than Shouri! Whenever I hear her tell me about her adventures I just keep on wondering, what if she'd been the Maou…?"

"Yuuri…"

"Question was would I be able to survive if I were given her job," the Maou said bitterly. "Would I be able to accomplish half of what she was able to do?"

"I have no doubt you would have, don't think for a moment you would have failed and I admire that you want to give her a time to heal," Conrad placed a warm hand over his king's shoulder. "But is she really the type of person who loves just to suffer?"

"No…" Yuuri sighed again, looking directly at the suite of rooms next to his in discontent. "But she loves everything and everyone! For all I know, she's just sorry for the guy."

Conrad's brows flew to his hairline. "Sorry for him?"

"Inuyasha's half human, half demon just like us," Yuuri pursed his lips. "Back in that era, Halflings don't have it easy either; even worse. Here you'll get ridiculed and belittled but back there you can get killed. I remember her telling me Inuyasha lost his human mother at a very young age and his demon father the day he was born so he was pretty much all alone since childhood with no one to care for him. Humans would shun him and the demons would try to eat him. I know my twin sister, Conrad and though she may say other wise I don't believe that that's love she's feeling. She allowed herself to think she's in love with him because she thinks Inuyasha has no one else."

Conrad blinked; amazed by the seriousness his Maou was showing him. He had seen Yuuri state a lot of things but none with this kind of confidence. It was mesmerizing. He had observed that ever since Kagome came it was like something in Yuuri became complete. Like he had become more mature, more of a man ever since Kagome arrived. Like a piece of a long forgotten puzzle had found a place back in the young man's heart.

"That does not explain Kikyo."

"Kikyo is dead," Yuuri frowned at the name. "And all she wants is to drag Inuyasha to hell. If I were in Kagome's place I would want to save him too even if I had to promise my soul to make him stay."

"…I see," Conrad stared at the closed portal Yuuri was in front of with new respect. "Kagome… is an unusual being as well."

"What's worse is she's hiding things from me!" Yuuri said and Conrad could almost feel his frustration flowing off him in waves. "If she were in danger I should have felt it but I only found out because I initiated the connection this time! She's keeping something from me, I know it!"

"And what could that be?"

"I don't know but that's also one of the reasons I took her here," Yuuri sighed helplessly. "She's always been the more secretive one."

"She may have her reasons, Yuuri."

Yuuri nodded as he looked down, his eyes softening with sadness. "We've never fought like this before! It's hurting me and I don't know what to do! I thought introducing her to Greta would help but I forgot about– Oh what a mess!"

Conrad patted his back in sympathy. "Well then why don't you give her something else? Another peace offering if you're not ready to have her return to the Feudal Era? Something that would remind her of the past but would help her heal for the future?"

Yuuri blinked thoughtfully for a few minutes and Conrad could practically see the cogs in the Maou's brain working before a big smile stretched over his face. "Will I not be enough?"

"Yuuri, right now, you're only contributing to her pain," Conrad scolded him lightly. "It's obvious she's been through a lot and if she's keeping this from you she may be doing it only to protect you. Think about it, alright? I'm not saying that you let her go back is you're not ready, I'm just saying you should reassure her that whatever she decides you'll support her. I'm guessing you don't even understand why she wants to go back or how she intends to protect the jewel, am I right?"

"…I have an idea…"

"Yuuri, if she's as great as you think she is then you should show her and her purpose in life some respect." Conrad frowned at him a little. "Your love for this country has changed it; for all you know her love would bring the jewel peace."

"That's it! Conrad you're a genius!"

"I am?" Conrad blinked, wondering what he said this time.

But Yuuri was already running away. "I'm going to find Murata! I'll need to talk to him and then make plans! Oh! And don't let Kagome know where I am!"

Conrad smiled as he watched his godson run off to brainstorm with his best friend. He didn't know what Yuuri had in mind but he would bet everything that he had that it would bring amusing results.

The king's favorite knight stood outside the white portal leading into Kagome's room and wondered at what Yuuri said, his smile taken off his face. When he met Kagome that day during breakfast he noticed that faint whiff of desperate sadness in her eyes as well so he had an idea why Yuuri would think she was keeping something from everyone. He ignored this fact since he thought it was something related to this Inuyasha fellow but now, after being with Yuuri for these past few years, he knew to trust his Maou's feelings.

He made a promise to himself that he will find out what she's keeping from Yuuri before his king finds out about it too late and is saddened by whatever his sister was keeping from him.

"Lady Kagome…" he whispered to the door. "Just what kind of suffering are you going through…?"

/****/

He looked back at her with regret in his eyes before taking Kikyo's hand and again he turned away and walked away from her straight into that dark void away from her…

Straight into hell…

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome sat up in bed half gasping, half sobbing out the name she had called so many times and in so many different ways for what felt like most of her life. Even as her despairing mind she recognized the inn that Yozak commissioned for them to stay in their first night in Cabalcade but she couldn't shut off the longing, the pain and the heartbreak that always accompanied the memories; the dreams… The fears… All she could do was sit there hugging herself and shake as she rode out the emotions that came with them with gasping sobs she was trying to keep silent as best as she could. She didn't want to wake anybody up. Yozak thought it would be safer to get one room for the three of them and she didn't complain, having had to share rooms or worse before with her friends. Besides, she should be used to the nightmares now; they always came right after that single night of pain that struck her every thirty days. She knew what it was; it was a reminder.

A reminder that she didn't have much time left…

"Are you alright?"

The female soukoku almost jumped a foot in the air when the deep voice of Sir Geigen Hube Brischella shot into the darkness of the room quietly and, having her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, she found him sitting right beside the open window watching her as she slept. Yozak was nowhere in sight.

"I-I'm sorry…" she swallowed when her voice broke and she forced shaking hands to wipe off tears that were too stubborn to stop. "I-I didn't want to disturb you…"

"…It's not like that," he said after a while in his quiet baritone. "Yozak and I have a system when it comes to guarding you. On the road I stay up for half the night while he slept and he does the same for the rest of it. He's out tonight, trying to gather information about the people hauling in all that Maseki. He should be back in a while."

"Oh…" was all she could say, not bothering to peer at his face since it would be useless without the light of a lamp but her voice practically screamed her tears out. Oh why can't she stop crying…?! "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to be so much trouble."

He rose up and brought her a cup of water much to her surprise. "Drink."

Her lips trembled; all she really wanted to do was hide under the covers and wait out the tremors her emotions brought because of the dreams but she understood he was making an effort and she didn't like seeing efforts wasted. So she took the clay cup and drank. She was surprised when her mouth was engulfed with something pleasantly sweet.

"It's a Zorashiya specialty, Burborian sweet tea. My wife is fond of it because she says it cheers her up when she's feeling down," Hube started to explain when she shot him a surprised look. "She wanted me to take some home for her."

Kagome blinked rapidly, noticing that she wasn't crying anymore. Her tears have stopped. She smiled shakily at the dark haired spy. "So is this made out of honey from Burborian bees?"

Hube blinked at her before answering solemnly. "No, Burbor are plants. They used to be imported from Zorashiya but since that country was ruined because of civil war Cabalcade had to develop a substitute. I was lucky enough to get a merchant to sell me the real thing for Nikola. The substitutes here in Cabalcade are far too inferior because of the soil and quality of the plant, or so I hear."

"Really…?" Kagome's interest was peaked as soon as she heard the word 'plants' but when she realized what the cup in her hand meant, she immediately washed it away with guilt. "Oh, Hube, I'm sorry! This was for your wife! And after you went through all that trouble—"

"Nikola would not have minded," he dismissed her concerns. "She always said that these things should be shared with the people who need it."

Kagome started tearing up at the kindness she was receiving but she blinked back the tears and her smile became brighter once she spoke again. "Yuuri has told me your story as well as Nikola's and I would love to meet her one day if it's alright."

The dark man's half smile conveyed his pride at the thought. "As my lady wishes."

She sighed. "Geez, what'll it take for you guys to just call me Kagome?"

Hube fidgeted. "You are the sister of the demon king; it practically makes you his regent; therefore you deserve the highest of respects."

"Right, like I'll ever be interested in politics…" she grumbled as she drained the cup, making a mental note to research it later. "Seriously, I'm much more interested in this tea."

It was dark so she wasn't able to see his mouth twitch before he walked back to the chair he placed beside the window and just regarded her silently as she quietly finished her drink. After a while, though, his deep baritone filled the room again.

"Yozak tells me you believe Rolf is innocent."

Kagome blinked. It wasn't something she was expecting, after all and this would make the first time Hube ever engaged her in a conversation. "Because my heart tells me so."

Hube looked away and stared at the shadowed streets outside their window. "He is brash."

"He is young," she found herself repeating her argument with Gwendal. "The young are magnificently foolish."

"That is no excuse to believe him."

"It is also no excuse to judge him."

"Then what would you have them do?"

Kagome sighed. "You and your cousin are certainly the same, aren't you?"

"Lord von Voltaire only has the safety and honor of Shin Makoku in mind."

Kagome couldn't help but smile. "You sound proud of him."

He crossed his arms over his chest and answered gruffly. "He is the most honored and powerful of all von Voltaire heirs since the founder himself. His accomplishments in and outside the battlefield are all legendary."

Kagome stifled her laughter. What is it with men and their not-too-straightforward answers? "I have no doubt that Lord von Voltaire is a great leader and a good man; however you place an unfair burden on him by thinking he can do no wrong."

Hube snorted from his seat and once again Kagome found her heart going out to the absent Mazoku lord. No wonder he took everything so seriously. She wondered absently if this was task he had taken upon himself or something he was raised to do. Either way it left him with a large burden. Something she, of all people, understood very well.

"In any case," she chose to continue. "I believe that Lord von Grantz is innocent because of my own reasons. I can't really change the way you think but if this is how all Mazoku feel then I am glad Yuuri is your Maou. I'm pretty sure that he's the only reason why you guys haven't hunted down the poor guy."

Hube sighed. "His Majesty has a heart too generous to break. We do not want to hurt him."

"Yuu-chan is stronger than you think," Kagome reprimanded him gently earning a strange look from him. "And I do believe you know that, Hube."

He stared at her for what seemed like a long, assessing moment before he spoke again. "…You are so much like His Majesty that it is disturbing, did you know that?"

Kagome laughed softly at the observation; how many times has she heard that comment from mutual friends and relatives since she was seven? "So I have been told."

He was lost in silent contemplation for a while and Kagome was beginning to settle into her own thoughts when he spoke again.

"Inuyasha." Kagome felt like she was doused in a bucket full of ice water at the name he called out. "Was that the man who had broken your heart?"

She couldn't answer him if she tried. Hearing his name spoken from someone else's lips was like a stab in the gut that had her swallowing a rush of pain she didn't even know she was still capable of feeling.

"You shouted his name when you woke up; you whisper it while you sleep; we've heard it more than once while on the road," he continued when she didn't answer. "If he hurts you that much then… Well I just want you to know that if he's hurt you that much then he isn't worth your tears."

A tremulous smile was ripped from her against her will. Hube was certainly a man of effort; no wonder his wife fell in love with him. He reminded her so much of Gwendal and she was willing to make bets that the Mazoku general would be a thousand times worse since Yuuri kept telling her about how Gwendal took care of a pregnant Nikola before they found Hube.

"Thank you, Hube," she whispered back to him earning her a gruff snort. "You're a good man. Your family is lucky to have you but Inuyasha… He is someone I cannot regret loving; even if he does break me in pieces because he loved someone else…"

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps emanating from the door and both immediately tensed at the impending threat. Hube motioned for her to stay put but Kagome, being Kagome, got out of bed noiselessly and headed for her bow, notching it with an arrow and ready to back up the one eyed spy if need be. Hube raised his brows at that. She moved so fluently and efficiently, as though she had been in this position a thousand times before. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and unsheathed his sword, his stance signifying his readiness. The door opened and…

"Hey, yo!" called a smirking Yozak.

Both Kagome and Hube relaxed their positions as the orange haired Mazoku entered the room and locked the door safely before lighting the candle on the small table that came with the room.

"What have you got?" Hube greeted him, sheathing his sword.

Yozak sighed and flopped down on his bed in exhaustion. "Well, I confirmed a few interesting things if that's what you're wondering."

Hube sighed in irritation and Kagome sat on her bed and watched the cross dressing spy with amusement and with good reason in her opinion. Because at that moment Yozak was wearing a red and white exotic dancing girl's dress complete with golden tassels and dancing glitter. "You look lovely, by the way."

Yozak's heavily made up face turned towards her and smirked. "Well of course!"

She raised a brow at him. "And modest, I see."

"But it's always nice to get compliments!" he pouted.

"She's being polite now either change into something decent or tell us what you've learned." Hube grumped as he leaned against the wall beside his bed.

The former Luttenberg Warrior pouted his made up lips and fluttered his heavy, fake lashes back at his solemn partner. "I don't know what Nikola ever saw in you; you need to take lessons on how to treat a lady."

"Yozak."

"Oh fine!" Yozak grumbled, winking at Kagome who was trying to stifle her laughter behind a hand. He turned to the darker spy and his face became much more serious even though his voice did not lose its care free tone. "I looked into the shipping records to see who the new owner of the ship was but found it was all legit and that crook of a new owner's name was the only thing I could see registered however, I snuck into the captain's cabin to check out the list of the cargo and who they were supposed to be addressed to. And guess what?"

Yozak threw a folded piece of paper towards his partner who started reading he notes on it, his eyes widening after a few minutes and gazed back at Yozak with something akin to disbelief in his eyes. "Sir Gautier Archimbald Halifrid, Sir Reynaud Adelrich and Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing?!"

"The one and onlies!" Yozak grinned before sobering up. "Seems the three have been hauling quite a considerable amount of Maseki for quite a while now and instead of having them sold here in Cabalcade, they've been secretly hauling them off further into human lands instead."

"But what for?" Hube asked in complete confusion.

"I don't know yet but it couldn't be good."

"Anno…" Kagome finally interrupted and both men turned towards her. "Is it really that alarming, having Maseki transported out of Shin Makoku like this?"

"Well," Yozak sat up properly on his bed before answering her. "Usually Maseki are harmless. There are some that can provide amazing regeneration powers to anything that has any majutsu in it but those are rare. However, large amounts of Maseki, no matter how common, can result to an unpredictable reaction when they are gathered together."

"'Unpredictable'?"

"A long time ago it was said Maseki can be used like Houseki. It can't weaken humans like Houseki can do to Mazoku but they can be used for amplifying magic. I've never dabbled in it since I don't have it so I'm not really sure."

"I'm not particularly skilled at majutsu, I'm more of a swordsman myself," Hube spoke up, joining in on the conversation. "But I've heard speculations about Maseki having the ability to store majutsu eternally and expand it afterwards. I believe it was proven when the majutsu left behind by Erhardt von Wincott aided His Majesty in his battle with Sousho."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Like a magical amber stone!"

"A what?"

"Ambers are stones on Earth made from tree sap, preserved for a long time before it becomes a precious stone. Anything caught in the sap will retain its original form all through that time. Am I right?"

"It sounds right to me," Yozak grinned at her. "I don't have any evidence yet but my gut is telling me we need to find out more."

Hube nodded. "You think they have something to do with the rebellion?"

"Yup."

"I assume, by the way you're dressed, that you tried to obtain that information already."

The large half Mazoku spy's shoulders slumped in depression. "I tried to get myself recruited as the entertainment so I can get close enough to gather information but the owner still won't let me in! And I put on my best lipstick too!"

"Why a dancing girl?" Kagome asked, holding back a chuckle at his expense. "Why not a waitress or a maitre d'?"

Yozak grinned at her naughtily. "Because those three are known to let their guards down for exotic dancing girls on a regular basis and since humans are much more accessible and biddable than Mazoku women, they indulge in that here. It's why they're always together when they do trade in human land."

"You mean they've got a really sick fetish for this stuff?" Kagome's eyes widened.

"Never underestimate gossip."

"Well if you can't get in as a dancing girl then what should we do, Yozak?"

"That depends…" he then made her nervous when he started eyeing her from her delicate bare feet, her figure slightly laid open by a loose, sleeveless cream shirt and gray pants and her loose, wavy black hair enticingly flowing over her shoulders in an thick, ebony wave of eternal night. "Tell me, jouchan… Can you dance?"

/****/

Gwendal turned towards his host and was almost blinded by the presence of a shining head aimed particularly at him making him cover his eyes with his hand and wishing he had the foresight to borrow His Majesty's black tinted glasses before he left for Cabalcade. He had to admit, though, this greeting was a great diversionary tactic and he wondered if this was the reason why Cabalcade had survived through previous wars they were involved in. No matter how strong the opponent, all they had to do was take off their helmets, flash their shiny heads and while the enemy was blinded BAM! They could win just like that.

Seriously, humans and their strange customs… He thanked Shinou he was born Mazoku.

"Welcome back to Cabalcade, Lord von Voltaire, I appreciate you making it here on such short notice." Master Hrysto Cryff, former crown prince of Cabalcade greeted the Mazoku general as Gwendal came out of his carriage in his usual clothes concealed beneath a large coal gray cloak, his dark head hidden beneath a hood as well as half his face. "And I also appreciate that you have agreed to meet me at such a… place."

Gwendal almost snorted. It's not like he had a choice in the matter since he arrived alone and with as little fuss as possible so as not to alert his prey. He was a bit irritated that he had to be invited into a well known brothel here in Cabalcade but Hrysto said it was the only place the three nobles would frequent together. He did not make it a habit to frequent such places since he prided himself for his self control and was never short on escorts when he needed them. Such things were expected from a von Voltaire lord although he did not indulge in them often. "The pleasure is mine; I appreciate that you have taken the time to consider the need for secrecy."

Hrysto put his hat back on and nodded to him simply even as Gwendal's rented carriage left them on the sidewalk covered by the evening shadows of that evening. "The rebellion against Yuuri-heika is a big concern for us here in Cabalcade since we owe a lot to the Maou. Without him we would all be under the mercy of Dai Shimaron or Sousho. This is the least that we can do. Come, let's go inside. They are already in there. I have reserved a balcony seat for you so you can observe them while they are being entertained."

Gwendal nodded stoically and followed the man into the red light establishment. Even now the influence of their Maou never ceased to amaze him. That he would accomplish so much in his short rein was unbelievable indeed. His kindness and compassion was so rare that people, enemies and loyal subjects alike can't help but love him.

And to think that he shared those traits with his twin sister…

The thought of her made Gwendal clench his teeth as Kagome tried to intrude in his thoughts again. No! He had a mission and he will not allow her to consume him like this! She was nothing but a relation to the king! She was nothing but an annoyance! She was miles away from him far into human land searching for that upstart von Grantz! The only thing he should be concerned with about her is if she decided she wanted to be the regent and end up like Stoffel and he would make damn sure that didn't happen.

She. Meant. Nothing! Shin Makoku, however, was everything. Shin Makoku and his family were all that he lived for, all that was dear to him! Not some random new face from another world that can stop his heart from beating in a second and then get it started again so fast it felt like it would jump right out of his chest! Not some fool who believed in the foolish concept of loving one stranger who would merely break her heart. Besides, what would a naïve girl like her know of love? Despite the heartbroken way she acted at the mention of that hanyou Yuuri told them about she looked far too innocent to meet a man's needs. It's probably the reason why that half breed couldn't love her.

He sighed, fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Shinou, the girl can give Yuuri a run for his money when it came to giving him migraines…

"This way, Lord von Voltaire."

Hrysto ushered him up a flight of stairs from the brothel's back door and into a very private alcove that had a balcony with a clear view of the festivities being held on the open floor downstairs. It also had a round table with a pair of comfortable chairs; wine and fruits already served there and partially hidden from the crowd around them by a pair of dark red velvet curtains that one can close while enjoying other… illicit activities as the scantily covered serving girls seem to be inviting.

There were several other special alcoves like the ones they were in and, he noted, several of them were already 'enjoying' themselves. Such pathetic low lives, the creatures who feel the need to frequent such an establishment.

"I will need to leave you here for I cannot be seen in such a place," Hrysto told him, his face hidden behind his hat now. "I am married and I don't want to cast my family's name to shame."

"I understand," Gwendal nodded to him. "Where do they usually sit?"

"See that pile of cushions on the dais? Those are specifically arranged for whenever they're in town. That's where they get themselves entertained by the owners. When they tire of the entertainment, they pick one and take them to a room upstairs to get some more… private entertainment." The bald man said in obvious distaste. "If you need anything else from me please send me a message. I will be more than happy to assist you."

"Thank you." Gwendal answered and watched the man leave as though Sousho were chasing him with a pickaxe.

He then turned and sat on one of the chairs that would afford him the best view of the floor and, unknowingly, the entertainment as well. Which will be coming from, it seemed, from behind the curtained alcove facing the cushioned dais. Calmly picking up a cup of wine, Gwendal sniffed, finding the aroma pleasing, he took a sip and waited.

The waiting ended at the sound of what seemed like a dozen shrieking girls and uproarious male laughter coming into the room below and the Mazoku lord watched, hidden slightly behind a curtain. He instantly narrowed his eyes at the three noble Mazoku being pulled along by the group of scantily covered women and identified them immediately.

Sir Willaperht Meier Lotharing, Sir Gautier Archimbald Halifrid and Sir Reynaud Adelrich.

All members of the Mazoku nobility of lesser rank. If he remembered correctly the latter two graduated together at the military academy while the former was a year ahead of them. There were a few… explicit rumors about them romping around with servant girls but since he had never had to deal with their messes Gwendal generally ignored it. Their family branches are controlled and more related to the von Roshvalls than any other higher ranking noble family.

Gwendal watched with ill concealed disgust as the three Mazoku allowed the women to fawn all over them, eyeing them all as nothing but pieces of meat or tools to slake their lusts on. He had nothing against humans but he was of the opinion that women should be treated with respect no matter what their station in life. Watching these three fondle and say crude words to these women was dishonorable and unbecoming of a nobleman.

He scowled even further when they started getting rough, Gautier, in particular, grabbing one of the girls' hair when she spilled some wine on him and roughly ordered her to lick it off him much to his companions' amusement. The others seemed to want to follow suit so the owner (who Gwendal assumed was the overly dressed, portly human watching on with a fake smile on his face) came forward and bowed to them.

"Good sirs, it is too kind of you to come to my humble establishment again!" he greeted.

The scowl on Gwendal's face darkened, displeased. He was going to have a talk with von Roshvall about this and force her to take action. They were the shame of the Mazoku!

"Millie, old man!" Reynaud shouted raucously as he banged the table in front of him with a fist, making the food and the women around him jump. He was obviously drunk already as were his companions. "Just the man we wanted to see! It's getting boring here, isn't it?"

"A-ah, yes, milord! Well then forgive me! We will do our best to liven it up by providing you with new entertainment!"

Willaperht sat forward in interest. "You have a new girl?"

Gwendal felt his brow twitch. Little upstart.

"Y-yes, we just acquired her this morning!" the owner was actually shaking. "Sh-she might interest you! Sh-she's a r-rare soukoku who has came to me looking for work. She said she hails from Suberera."

"Soukoku?"

"Impossible!"

"Are you sure?"

Gwendal's eyes widened. What the hell…?

The owner was nodding eagerly at them with an evil grin and a greedy glint on his face. "And she is very beautiful as well! My wife tested her but it is true! She has eyes as black as ebony and hair the color of a starless night!"

Obviously the three were intrigued; as was Gwendal at this point. For he only knew of one soukoku female and that female, for all he knew, would be deep within human territory now and not participating in this debauchery.

"Well what are you waiting for, idiot?!" Gautier snapped at the man, practically salivating where he was. "Bring her over!"

"Y-yes, milord!" the owner then nodded to the people around him and, just like that, the lights dimmed and the thrum of exotic music started.

(Insert Siren Song from Tsubasa Chronicles Reservoir…)

The lights were then focused on the curtained alcove and as the music started, the thin curtains revealed the silhouette of a woman behind it.

The initial act was all hands and arms gracefully playing behind curtains and the girl inside seemed to be kneeling down; teasing her audience with the mysteries she held. And then on the second pass of the drums after that first pause in the beat she stood up with mesmerizing grace and the curtains were pulled away before she walked closer to the hungry eyed men, holding up a large, delicate veil covering the lower half of her face and nose; each step graceful and slow and timing itself to every beat of music played over the now silent room, her hips swaying seductively with every beat.

Though her face was partially covered Gwendal could see she truly was a soukoku what with her ebony hair loose and falling all over her back and chest like ripples of inky silk and mysterious onyx eyes that shone like black pebbles under a running stream. Every move she made promised paradise.

Usually Gwendal found such exotic human displays scandalous and disgusting since most humans lacked the grace to make such a dance beautiful but this woman made it look like art. She made it look like she was moving beauty…

He wondered if he had time to commission a moment with her…

When the music paused again and was preparing to hasten its crescendo, she moved her hands slowly in and over themselves and then made the bells attached to her wrists sing with a snap of them and allowed the veil to fall from her face and revealed it to frame her almost naked body in the dark green and black, tasseled and sequined costume and that was where Gwendal actually stood up from his seat, stunned; his heart stuttering violently inside his chest when he recognized who the beautiful woman was.

"Fuck…!"

It was Kagome.

And she was spinning around the floor, the veil flowing around her and framing her delicate face and body, putting all that beautiful skin and curves on display for these louts salivating over her; want so clear and evident in their eyes it was hard to look away. But then was he any different from them…?

He watched as she moved her hips gently from side the side, the slow beat of the music emphasizing that the theme of her dance was seduction and Gwendal almost fell on his knees when she peeked under her sooty jet black lashes to run an absent, yet alluring glance at her audience, unknowingly brushing her gaze over him. Her hands subtly traced the outline of her body as though it needed any more attention. Gwendal wondered what it would feel like to touch that smooth, soft skin… To have those partially opened lips moving under his mouth…

Shinou-heika!

This was wrong!, he mentally shouted at himself as he panted. She was the Maou's sister! What was happening to him?!

Still breathing hard he watched her seduce her audience until the very end of the dance when she knelt humbly to the ground making her look all the more desirable after that erotic display and respectfully bared her nape to the greedy and fascinated eyes of Reynaud and his peers telling them in no uncertain terms that she was theirs for the taking.

Soon the rowdy trio invited her over to join them on the cushions and she was then plying them with more wine. Gwendal gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached and narrowed his eyes at her.

"My beauty…" Reynaud eyed her like she was prime piece of meat. "Your loveliness knows no bounds…"

"I am flattered, milord, to be thought about in such a way by such a wealthy, honorable Mazoku such as you…" she responded, her voice low and seductive.

Gwendal twitched. What was she telling them? He was too far from them to hear!

Gautier laughed out loud. "My lady you have no idea! What with our goods all properly stashed and delivered we are going to be wealthier than before!"

"Oh?" she leaned over to the now blushing Mazoku, exposing more of her cleavage that what was proper. "You are merchants! What do you trade?"

Reynaud let out an amused laugh at her seeming ignorance. "Oh, the usual."

Her ebony eyes glistened. "You mean like jewels and silks?"

"Oho! The lady knows what she wants!" Willaperht called and seized her by her slim waist, tugging her so close Gwendal had his nails digging into the wooden balcony as he watched. "I think I have the most beautiful Maseki stone for your lovely little neck, my dear. Would you like me to show you? It's just up in my rooms…"

Gwendal gritted his teeth harder when Kagome dared use the tips of her delicate fingers to trace a coy circle over Willaperht's chest and looked deeply into his eyes in anticipation. "Truly…? Will you show me, milord…?"

"Err—"

"Don't be stupid, Will!" Gautier growled. "We'll need those stones together and have them delivered to Ichri by this week!"

"Oh but, milord!" Kagome pouted, making the male Mazoku swallow hard at the delicate piece of pouting flesh she was exposing. "I only wish to look… It is, after all, every girl's dream to bear witness to so much Maseki. I promise I won't take anything. Your company is more than enough for me…"

Reynaud cleared his throat after gawking at the woman before speaking. "Well, if it's just to look…"

Gautier swallowed hard. "It's fine then."

Willaperht glared at them both before pulling up a giggling Kagome by the waist and tugged her against him. "Me first."

That stupid idiot! What does she think she was doing?! Gwendal was shaking in rage and desire as he watched her get taken away by that imbecile Willaperht. Did she give Yozak and Hube the slip and decided she wanted to escape the Mazoku by working here? Like this?! And he actually credited her with common sense!

Alright then, she wanted to play the whore? Then he'll let her play the part, Gwendal thought as he straightened; his eyes so cold it would have frozen storms at that moment. But he would not let her walk away from this without a lesson. He had made that mistake with Yuuri and allowed Conrart to spoil him. He would not make the same mistake with her…

And with those thoughts he pulled the hood over his dark head lower and, with a swish of his charcoal gray cloak, he left to follow the impudent girl and her soon to be very dead lover.