Chapter XXI. Dem-dol Kuromu 👩 🎤
In Makubari Dome
In the dressing room of Makubari Dome, popular dem-dol going by the name of Kuromu heard her fans at the auditorium chanting her name as she mentally prepared herself.
"Right... Let's do this, Kuromu." Said Kuromu to herself before she finally made her appearance on the stage and cheerfully greeted her fans.
"Hey guys! How are you doing?" Greeted Kuromu, "I'm so psyched to be here! Now let's have a blast! What do you guys say?!"
In Demon School Babyls, Misfit Class's Room
Clara was tossing newspaper articles about Isabelle, Acheron, Ryūko, and Iruma's rank promotion to the rank of Gimel (3) in the air while chanting "Extra! Extra!".
Asmodeus and Lavande were walking behind her as Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma were wondering what's up. Asmodeus pinned a larger version of the article to the blackboard before turning around to respond.
"Take a look!" Said Asmodeus, "It's a special issue commemorating your promotion, my lieges!"
"What?!" Exclaimed Iruma, "You're kidding!"
"Well, nobody took a photograph of us for nothing." Said Ryūko monotonously as always.
While Clara was distributing the article copies to their classmates, Lavande turned over to Ryūko.
"Milady, why not have one of these commemorations gifted to Lord Sullivan?" Asked Lavande.
If you're wondering why she doesn't use the alias "Chair-Demon", her chivalrous side of the elegant personality doesn't really use such modern terms or titles, so she calls Sullivan by his grand title.
"Thank you, Lavande." Said Ryūko, "But knowing him, I can be sure that he has a copy of those himself. No need to do such."
"Wow. You're legit famous here, Ryūko, Isa, and Iruma." Said Shax Lied, the blond male gamer student, "They gave you and that Acheron guy better coverage than the segment on Kuromu."
"Kuro-who?" Asked Iruma, leading to his classmate's shock.
"What?! Are you freaking kidding me right now?! See the article right under yours!" Said Lied pointing at the said article, ""The Dem-dol Kuromu Holds Her Big Day-To-Night Concert!" This is the very first concert at Makubari Dome."
"Dem-dol... yeah." Said Iruma, again confused.
"What, you don't know that one either?" Asked Lied.
"It cannot be helped!" Rationalized Asmodeus and Lavande, "Miss Ryūko and Master Iruma/Lady Ryūko and Sir Iruma have led very sheltered lives with the Chair-Demon/His Excellency, Lord Sullivan ever since they were young, so they couldn't possible know all the ways of the world! Use your head!"
'Oh... They think that's the reason we're clueless.' Thought Iruma.
"Yes, that in particular is why Iruma and I know not of so many things in the Netherworld." Said Ryūko after clearing her throat, "Thank you, Asmodeus and Lavande. Now, please do explain to us about the origin of this. I might add something later on."
"So, the origin of "dem-dol"... is "take evil"." Said Asmodeus as he wrote the said definition of dem-dol on the blackboard, next to the article, "It is a very important role in demon society."
"Us demons have a timeline of stress, in which leads to the temptation of committing violent or ruthless actions." Added Lavande, "This, in term, is what we call "Evil Cycle". In order to maintain that timeline of our temptations, there are varieties of entertainment forms in the Netherworld. I shall now pass the word over to Lady Ryūko."
"Thank you, Lavande. Basically, demons play sports or video games to instantly relieve that level of stress." Added Ryūko, "Dem-dols are one of those other forms of entertainment. By gathering many demons in stress into one venue and holding a performance, dem-dols can change those evil thoughts into excitement and relieve their stress. As such, dem-dols received a warm reception in the Netherworld."
Everyone else had their mouths agape that Ryūko was able to know something so popular about dem-dols.
"Is that fine, or should there be anything else to add?" Asked Ryūko to Asmodeus and Lavande.
The two shook their heads, telling her that everything was just perfect.
"Sis, how much of studying about the Netherworld did you do?" Whisper-asked Iruma in his sister's ear.
"Considering the fact that I study everyday after homework and other things, plus my academic ambition to achieve the best as a student, I was studying about forms of entertainment around the Netherworld." Replied Ryūko, "Plus, this could come in handy for you and me, regarding our survival in the future."
"That's great, you study everyday and staying true to your ambitions." Beamed Iruma, "Considering the fact that I almost know nothing about it..."
"Among them all, Kuromu is our greatest hope!" Said Lied as he showed Ryūko, Isabelle, and Iruma a video clip of Kuromu's performance on his device, "She is an incredible performer, her voice is as dreamy as yours, Ryūko and Isa, and, best of all, she's cute! Look! See that? She's amazing?"
"Cutie!" Said Goemon Garp, known for his wind katana ability, as he and Kamui Caim, the perverted owl of the Misfit Class, popped out.
"She's the cutest!" Exclaimed Camui.
"You too?!" Asked Iruma when those two came out.
"Well, now that you mention it, I am an admirer of her work." Said Ryūko.
"Me, too." Continued Isabelle.
"So you're a fan of Kuromu, too, Ryūko and Isa?!" Asked Lied in shock.
"She said we're admirers, Lied." Countered Isabelle.
"What? But aren't fans and admirers the same thing?" Argued Lied.
"Being a fan and an admirer are two different things!" Countered Ryūko, "Why don't you look up on a dictionary, then!"
Hearing this, most of the class exclaimed "OOOOHHHHHH!" and some even laughed at how cruel Ryūko to others can be sometimes.
"Anyway, her Day-To-Night concert is today! I'd kill to be there!" Said the blond student.
On the device, Kuromu was announcing her noon performance.
"The noon performance is just about to start at Makubari Dome!" Announced Kuromu, "And don't worry. It's going to be streamed live, as well. I'll be waiting!"
Jazz M. Andro, responsible for theft from students, added that Kuromu's tickets sell out instantly whenever they go on sale and are sold via lottery, plus getting to meet Kuromu in person.
"Sometimes there's a meet-and-grate with Kuromu after the concert!" Said Camui.
"A meet-and-greet?" Asked Iruma.
"No! It's written like this! Meet-and-grate!" Said Camui, "It's a dreamy event where we can grate away our stress just by holding Kuromu's hand! It's like fortune smiles upon us!"
"Yeah, totally! And she's famous for her cuticle exchanges!" Said Lied.
"Cute exchanges?" Asked Iruma.
"No, cuticle exchanges!" Said Lied.
Hearing all this, Ryūko felt as if she was surrounded by idiots and face-palmed from the thought.
'When I heard that my group and I are going into the Misfit Class, I was right about being surrounded by idiots.' Sighed the blue haired female.
Then, a winged speaker flew towards Ryūko and Iruma.
"Hello, Ryūko and Iruma Suzuki and Isabelle Abaddon from the Misfit Class. Ryūko, Iruma, and Isabelle. Please come to the broadcast room immediately." Said the broadcaster through the speaker, "I repeat, Ryūko and Iruma Suzuki and Isabelle Abaddon from the Misfit Class. Ryūko, Iruma, and Isabelle, please come to-"
"I wonder what's up." Said Iruma.
"As do I." Repeated Asmodeus.
"Well, let's not waste any time." Said Ryūko making an exit, "Iruma, Isa, come with me."
"Alright, on your tail, Sis!" Said Iruma following Ryūko.
"Right behind you." Added Isabelle as she followed soon after. "I have a feeling Acheron would be there, too."
"Me, too! Me, too!" Followed Clara.
"We shall accompany you, as well." Said Asmodeus and Lavande.
When they exited, the rest of the class decided to watch her live stream together and Jazz let them borrow some good speaker, but not without a price, obviously.
At Makubari Done, Stage Set
"I hope you're excited about the upcoming live stream of the Makubari Dome show." Said Kuromu during her announcement of the performance, "I hope you guys watch! Devi, devi!"
"And we're clear!" Said one of the staff members responsible for filming her announcement.
She received praise from the staff and thanked them for it. Her manager gave her a red jacket, that which she put on her shoulders.
"I've gotta say, you have guts, Kuromu. This is huge! Makubari Dome is one of the biggest, most top-shelf venues in the Netherworld." Said one of the staff members, "The concerts that have been in this holy land are basically legendary."
"You gonna be okay?" Asked another one for the staff, "Are you nervous?"
"I'm totally fine!" Reassured Kuromu, "My first dome concert! I'm gonna rock this thing!"
Her cute, enthusiastic behavior hit the two male staff members straight to their hearts before they fawn over her cuteness.
"I'm eager to work with you for the rest of today." Bowed Kuromu, "Please excuse me."
There they go again. Infatuated by her cuteness, the staff members tremble, all the while making incoherent noises.
Back in the dressing room, the dem-dol could finally catch a small break. She removed her purple gradient wig from her head, fluffed her light blue hair and put on her glasses.
"There we go." She said.
Turns out, Kuromu was actually... Keroli Crocell, Isabelle, Ryūko and Iruma's classmate! Maybe her schedule is the reason for her placement in the Misfit Class. Ryūko and Isabelle already knew her double life as a student and a dem-dol, so no wonder she made friends with them.
"I got to loose during the morning show. I'm definitely most comfortable when I look like this. I mean, it's the same at school, too. Also..." Keroli freaked out for a second at the sight if her exposed navel, "My tummy! It's exposed!"
She then covered her upper body with a blanket, embarrassed from the sight.
"I don't know if I'll ever get used to this! "I'll be waiting!" My finger pose, it's looking into trife!" Said Keroli, "I've never been so embarrassed! Maybe I should spend more time looking into better poses. On the bright side, I do still have the noon and night shows coming up. Actually, a more calculated pose is just what I needed."
She stood up, removed the blanket and cleared her throat before posing.
Keroli Crocell/Kuromu: "I'm Kuromu, your devi-faved dem-dol! My impish beam! I'll shoot you right through the heart! I'll take the bad feelings... and make 'em fly away!"
She blushed at her reflection, still with her exposed navel as she panicked: "My bare skin, so exposed! My brain's gonna melt! This is way too calculated! Why do I keep saying "devi"?!"
She then rolled on the floor from embarrassment, "I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't! But I have to give it my all. My job is to be a dem-dol. After all, I'm so... so unbelievably cute and unreal!"
She pulled out a notebook from her bag and flipped through it to her desired page. The page had a somewhat old-looking paper with the words "Let's work harder" and a drawn frowny demon face on it. Keroli remembered when her siblings were always praised compare to her.
Keroli's Backstory
Keroli never stood a chance against her siblings at home. They always got a "good job", but because her magic was normal and she was quite awkward, she only received "Let's work harder". She wanted to get back at them. And that was the time when she realized that... Sounds disappear every time she walked around her hometown, because other demons would stop walking and stare at her in awe whenever she passed by.
There wasn't anything she needed to say. Everyone would prioritize her. Even when she messed up, even if she was weak... Nobody made fun of her. In fact, everyone was nice to her. Keroli had the ability to counter malice. She realized then... that being cute can defeat violence. For that reason, she chose to become a dem-dol, where only being cute matters, so she can get back at her family.
Keroli then flipped over to another page of her notebook. On that lied a folded article of the current school newspaper. 'Even thought it's embarrassing, I'm still doing everything I've got out there.'
She picked up and unfolded the article as she trembled from irritation, "And yet... After all my hard work... Why the heck are you standing out more than me, Iruma! I-ru-ma! I'm fine with his sister, Ryūko, and his housemate, Isabelle, because they found me out and told me the truth behind all of that sincerely and promised to keep my double life secret, but still! My concert ad, my new song announcement... You keep stealing the front-page headlines from me! The school paper has to put the students first... I know it's responsible journalism but still... There's never been anyone who got the front page over my cuteness. Not ever! But if everyone knew I was a student at Babylus, I know I'd take the front page! Because I'm... the one... and only..."
All the while she was talking to herself, she unconsciously created pointy ice pillars behind her. Her manager, Mal, just so happened to see that.
"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Scolded Mal, making Keroli gasp and the pillars disappeared instantly, "I thought I told you not to use your ice powers. They'll figure out who you are!"
"You're right, Mal! I'm so sorry!" Apologied Keroli.
"Really. Your noon show is about to start. Now go and get ready!" Said Mal.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Verbally saluted Keroli as balled her fists, 'Get a grip, Keroli. Today's concert is really important.'
After preparation, Keroli went up to the stage with firm, determined steps as she thought: 'I've been keeping myself at the lowest rank at school so I wouldn't stand out. But after I graduate, I'm going to expand my horizons and rise straight to Chet rank (8 - ח). Then, I'll exceed my mother's rank of Zayin (7 - ז). That's the goal I'm striving for. Who cares about Iruma? I've gotta be strong! I can't let him get to me! And I can't miss Ryūko and Isabelle's violin-keyboard composition for my song, they're as good as me! Hey, guys! How're you doing?! Yes, I'm going to stand on top of the dem-dol world! Okay, now it's time to blow the roof off!"
At this point, we get to hear her song, Little Imp.
Little Imp (Short Ver.) - Kuromu
Akuma taru mono yudan wa kinmotsu!
Aru hi totsuzen heart o ubawareru
Zukkyun
Ā kawaī ano ko wa koakuma
Kamisaki sawatte miru
Sururi to escape shite ageru
Hanashitai? Sawaritai?
Sonna ni yūnara asonde ageru
Suki? Dō kashira
Minuite mite yo
Watashi no tame nara tamashī datte sasageru desho
Koakuma
Koakuma
Kimi nante
Furimawashite ageru
Koakuma
Kuromu really gave it her all and finished her performance successfully, hence her fans cheering.
"Thank you! You're the best!" Said Kuromu before she noticed something, or a certain trio.
She spotted Isabelle, Ryūko, Iruma and their four demons friends cheering in the crowd. The really rare thing is that Ryūko was whistling and actively cheering like the admirer she is.
"Way to go, Kuromu!" Whistled Ryūko in an active behaviorism.
If her other classmates were here, she would be embarrassed, so she doesn't react like this when the rest if her class are around.
"Devi, devi, number one!" Cheered Isabelle and Acheron. "Go, go, Kuromu!"
'Ryūko! Iruma! Isa! Why the heck are you here?!'Asked Kuromu inwardly.
A few hours earlier, Isabelle, Ryūko, Iruma and the others were summoned by the Broadcasting Battler President, Baraki Bathin.
"Awesome, I'm glad all seven of you ended up coming together." Said Bathin before he handed seven tickets to them, "Here, I've got something for you."
Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma were surprised when they looked at the tickets.
"Wait... These are concert tickets for Kuromu, that super popular dem-dol..." Asked Iruma.
"My family is friends with one of the sponsors, so we managed to finagle some extra tickets."
"But... why would you lass these over to us?" Asked Ryūko, raising a brow.
"The thing is, after I told that we won the Grand Prize at the Battler Party, they said we could help with the concert itself, which is pretty much the best prize ever! I'm so honored!" Said Bathin before he shed tears of overflowing joy and his friend passed him a handkerchief, "The point is, the leftover tickets might've gone to waste. No one would've been shocked if your Battler had won the Grand Prize, so this is our way to making it up to you. 'Kay?"
"If that is so, we gladly accept your amends." Bowed Ryūko, "Thank you very much."
And so, Isabelle, Acheron, Ryūko, Iruma, Clara, Asmodeus and Lavande went to Makubari Dome and enjoyed the concert.
"So devi, devi cute, Kuromu!" Cheered Clara with light sticks in her hands.
"Dem-dols are rather enjoyable." Said Asmodeus and Lavande.
"Uh-huh/You know it/Agreeable/Yeah." Nodded Isabelle, Acheron, Ryūko, and Iruma in unison.
"Yeah. I'm not done cheering yet!" Exclaimed Clara. "I think I'll go on forever."
"Okay, let's go thank Baraki and then head back." Said Iruma.
But when they were about to take their leave, two staff members walked up to the group.
"Um, excuse but are you Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma?" Asked one of them.
"You are not mistaken. That is us." Said Ryūko.
One of the staff members presented Ryūko and Iruma with two backstage tickets to meet up with Kuromu, the other popped open a confetti ball to congratulate them.
"Just me, my sister, and Isabelle?!" Asked Iruma.
Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma then went to the dressing room, where Kuromu was not happy with this development. Well, at least in Iruma's presence, she's not happy with it.
"So that's what happened, and how we ended up at the concert." Said Iruma.
"Never have we thought that we would receive tickets to meet you backstage live and in person, as well." Added Ryūko.
"I guess you three must be very lucky." Said Kuromu. On the outside, she tried to be polite, but within that idol's mask... 'But... But why Iruma, of all people besides his sister and housemate?!'
"Yeah, it was a big surprise, though I'm not sure how my older twin sister here, Ryūko, feels about it." Said Iruma scratching the back of his head, "We've never been patted down five times in a row before."
"Easy there, Iruma. You might wanna rethink on what you said." Warned Isabelle calmly with Ryūko continuing, "We can't be mistaken for being arrogant. That would be a rude reception."
"Wow, you don't say." Said Kuromu, pinching her hand in an attempt to calm herself down inside as much as possible, 'This is the worst. Did Iruma just brag about being popular? Do the upperclassmen like him, too? Why is Ryūko and Isa even warning him like that?'
Isabelle, Iruma, and Kuromu laughed, but the dem-dol's laugh was rather forced. Being the cold person on the outset she is, Ryūko did not join their laughter and noticed streaks of ice freezing Iruma's glass of juice. Isabelle and Iruma noticed this, too.
'Ice?' Isabelle thought inwardly.
'So it's true, at our school... Aside from them... He really is...' Thought Kuromu as the room received a raging blizzard, '... more popular than me?'
Iruma was covered in a thin coating of ice, Ryūko was alarmed and draped her dark purple cape over his shoulders.
"S-So cold...!" Stammered Iruma with cold.
"Brother, take my cape for a little until you recover." Advised Ryūko.
Kuromu gasped and awkwardly said: "Oh, er, whoopsie... The climate control's broken in here."
"I-Is that so?" Stuttered Iruma.
Despite not having her warm cape, the goth student doesn't seem to be shivering and inch, nor feel the cold. Maybe her jacket was helping her with that, or she was able to tolerate that temperature. As for Isabelle, she can handle extreme heat or cold, but Kuromu's cryokinetic abilities caught her off guard and made her shiver.
'That was close.' Thought Kuromu, 'There'd be total chaos if he found out I was actually their classmate this whole time.'
Once things have settled down, Iruma gave Ryūko her cape back and decided to continue their conversation.
"Pardon me, Kuromu." Addressed Isabelle, "Aside from working as a dem-dol, you are also a student, right?"
Clearly to Kuromu, Ryūko and Isabelle were only pretending to not know about this as they were trying to blend into the script of a normal conversation.
"Uh, yeah..." Replied Kuromu.
"As great admirers of yours, we are very impressed." Said Ryūko sincerely, "Regarding how difficult it is to work as one. What do you think?"
"It's amazing, with a hard job." Smiled Iruma.
"Uh, yes, that's right! Obviously! I'm super popular! I have a morning TV show shoot, then after recording or even in between my classes, I have dance lessons, piano lessons and voice training." Said Kuromu as she showed them her pink organizer, "After school, I have magazine interviews. Then, there are rehearsals and meetings for my concerts... Plus, there's homework, memorizing my new songs, fan letters, practicing my autographs, skin care..."
"All of that?" Asked Iruma, taking her pink organizer and looking at the many things Kuromu has to plan in one day, "Wow! I'm super impressed!"
"As expected of you, Kuromu!" Praised Ryūko, "Planning all these necessities in a whole day and still possibly being able to focus on your academics! Absolutely incredible!"
"I know, right? It's what us pros do..." Smiled Kuromu.
"Sis and Isa have even made a violin-keyboard composition for your song, Kuromu." Added Iruma, "Would you like to check it out?"
"That? I don't know whether I have the time, but if I can, I'll check it out." Said Kuromu.
"And you go to school, too..." Noticed Iruma.
Kuromu snatched her organizer away from Iruma and said: "There's nothing important in here! Crap! And I was so brag-a-docious! My class schedule is written here. Why would I do that? Doesn't look like he figured... it... out?!"
Kuromu saw her glasses sitting on the dressing counter behind the trio. She panicked, reached out for her glasses and... bumped her face into the mirror.
"Is there something wrong, Kuromu?" Asked Isabelle.
"Isa, Ryūko, and Iruma, what would say to some tea?" Asked Kuromu.
"Huh? You know my name? But how?" Asked Iruma.
"Asdfjajdfaik! Iruberto von Malkundooff tea! Also known as Iruma tea! You want some?" Panic-asked Kuromu awkwardly.
Isabelle and Ryūko felt a little awkward with this affair and sweat-dropped from the feeling.
'That was a really smooth hiding, but I doubt Iruma would not be able to find you out, Crocell.' Thought Ryūko, sitting back at her seat.
"Iruma... er, well...uh... Hey, how about I make the tea? Does that sound good?" Asked Iruma.
"Don't go there! I'll do it myself!" Rushed the dem-dol.
Iruma: "Um, are you okay?"
Kuromu: "Just stay out!"
Iruma: "Stay out?"
Kuromu: "You heard me. Stay out!"
Iruma: "No, really, let me do it!"
Their argument led to a messy dressing room. Ryūko and Isabelle fanned away the dust from her face with her hand and helped Iruma and Kuromu up.
"Ahem. Pardon us, we should be taking our leave." Said Ryūko after clearing her throat.
"Oh, sure." Approved Kuromu, 'He didn't figure it out! That was way too close...'
Ryūko opened the door and Iruma followed before he told Kuromu: "Okay, well, see you back at school."
"Okay. See you." Said Kuromu.
However, she caught the part where Iruma told her 'see you at school' and after Ryūko closed the door, Kuromu slammed it open, grabbed Iruma's hair tuft, Ryūko's cape and Isabelle's arm, and dragged them back into the dressing room.
"Not so fast, bub!" She said.
She froze Iruma in a block of ice and Ryūko and Isabelle were mad.
"Keroli! Why did you do that?!" Scolded Isabelle to Keroli, who removed her wig.
Keroli couldn't believe that Iruma found out her real identity.
"I can't believe it... All that hard work and he figured me out just like that! If people found out, they'll freak, and my reputation will be shot!" Said Keroli to herself, "Which means I can't let him get away..."
She eventually defrosted Iruma, who had Ryūko cape on him again, and she asked: "So, um... Besides from your sister and your housemate, how did you figure it out? The fact that I'm your classmate, Keroli Crocell?"
"Um... your hands." Said Iruma pointing at Keroli's fists.
"My hands?" Asked Keroli.
"Honestly, I thought it was a little bit strange that someone as shy and introverted as you was placed in the Misfit Class with us. You'd always roll your hands into fists and tuck your thumbs in." Explained Iruma, "I thought that was unique. And today, you held your hand the same way onstage, so I thought maybe... Besides, there was planner, and the ice... And your glasses, that kinda clinched it."
"That is... actually a... really smart observation." Said Ryūko taking her cape back.
Keroli slumped to the floor, thinking that she dug her own grave.
'How can I be so careless...? But it's weird he noticed my hands. These are super detection-warding glasses. They're a specialty item that had the power to conceal me from any other demon...' Thought Keroli, 'Of course, even if I put them on, 51% of my charm still inevitably seeps through... Anyway, unless someone paid constant attention to me, they shouldn't be able to catch that... I get it! That means...'
While Iruma was deciding what to say, Keroli thought that he was a huge fan of hers (of course, different from Ryūko and Isabelle's perspective as an admirer), but in reality...
"I'm so jealous of you." Said Iruma, which confused the three girls in the room. Well, neither of them expected to hear that from him.
"You don't stand out one bit, which is completely amazing! It's like you're here but also not. You're like the wallflower of all wallflowers!" Said Iruma, "Sis and I always stand out without meaning to, but Sis has adapted quickly... So... I want to be like you, someone who can fade into the background and vanish!"
Ryūko was alarmed and interjected: "Iruma! Didn't I tell you to be careful of what you should say?!"
Iruma couldn't respond, because the room has now received another raging blizzard, but in the form of a tornado this time. Keroli was getting angrier by the minute.
"Without meaning to? Without meaning to? So you're standing out without trying? You're trouncing my desperate need to stand out and you don't even want the limelight you've been given?" Asked Keroli, getting angrier by every second, "No... No way... I cannot accept that!"
"Crocell! You're at your breaking point! Try to calm down!" Requested Ryūko.
She was right; Keroli was reaching her limit, judging by the amount of ice she created and her red face, twisted to wrath and envy.
"ARGH! If that's true, what in the world am I?!" Yelled Keroli, "This isn't real! It's not!"
"P-Please calm down!" Suggested Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma.
"I will never... admit defeat... not now or ever..." Keroli began to stagger and thankfully, Ryūko caught her into her arms as fast at lightning before she could reach the floor.
"Crocell! Crocell! Wake up!" Yelled Ryūko before Isabelle placed a hand over Keroli's forehead, saying, "Great! She burning up! This is all on us, even if we never said much, Ryūko."
Ryūko carried Keroli over to a couch nearby and placed her fainted form on it.
"W-What should we do now?" Asked Iruma.
A dark and serious aura came from Ryūko as she addressed her brother, "Isa and I shall receive assistance. Watch over Kuromu here until we return."
And with that, the two demon girls scrammed out of the dressing room to find some help.
'Hang in there, Kuromu. Help is on the way.' Thought Isabelle.
~Interval~
In the auditorium of Makubari Dome, Clara placed a bunch of light sticks in Asmodeus's and Acheron's hands. Lavande had to use the ladies' room for a while.
"What is all this?" Asked Asmodeus.
"You try it, too!" Said Clara before she cheered and did various poses while waving the light sticks around, "Devi, devi, she's so cute! Kuromu!"
"That's not happening!" Objected Asmodeus.
"Oh, come on, Azz. I'm sure if the seven of us do it together, Isabelle, Ryūko, Lavande, and Iruma will like it!" Said Acheron as he agreed on Clara's way of cheering for Kuromu. "Devi, devi, she's the best! Kuromu!"
One mention of his childhood friend's name was enough for Asmodeus to chime into this dance. And then, ten minutes later, Asmodeus mastered all the moves.
"Now Ryūko-kins, Issy-kins, Iruma-kins and Lave-Lave will be happy." Said Clara.
"I hope you're ri-"
"Sir Asmodeus?" Asmodeus froze when he saw Lavande at the side, back from the ladies' room, her tail going up and down and her ears twitching from curiosity before she went to find something she might have forgotten.
Asmodeus dropped to the floor on his knees and had the desire to jump into a deep hole and stay there for the rest of his life. "I... I humiliated myself in front of Miss Felin... my beloved... Argh, this is your fault, Valac!" Said Asmodeus.
"Eh? But I think Lave-Lave liked what we were doing." Said Clara.
"Surely not! If she did like it, surely for an entirely different reason!" Objected Asmodeus, "Ahhhh! She must be thinking, that I am a demon not worthy of her love and that I am such a fool..."
He then curled into a ball and repeatedly mumbled: "Please don't have the wrong impression of me, Miss Félin... Please don't have the wrong impression of me, Miss Félin... I hidden my heart from yours for too long... I hidden my heart from yours for too long... I can't be myself without you... I can't be myself without you..."
"Are you having a crisis, Azz-Azz?" Asked Clara.
"Whose fault is it?! Using Miss Félin's name to manipulate me, in doing these ridiculous activities with you..." Cried Asmodeus.
"Aww, cheer up, Azz." Said Acheron. "I'm certain Lavande like-"
"I don't need your sympathy!" Retorted the fire demon.
Meanwhile, Lavande found her bobby pin and looked over the video clip of Asmodeus's enthusiastic performance that which, she secretly recorded on her purple hellphone. In curiosity, and knowing the unusual behavior, the feline knight swooshed her tail back and forth as her ears twitched a little bit.
"Huh... This is... quite unlikely of Sir Asmodeus to be participating in." Said Lavande to herself, "I cannot be certain, if this is something I should be happy of or not. Perhaps I will decide based of my enjoyment."
After watching the clip, Lavande's hellphone was flooding with notifications from Asmodeus and when he saw her again, he clung on her waist and begged her to give him a second chance of proving his worthiness as a companion of hers. His childhood friend actually had feelings for him; ever since Isabelle, Ryūko, and Iruma came into the school, the two gradually became a lot closer. They haven't confessed their feelings yet, so they are considered good companions or friends.
Lavande really didn't like to see Asmodeus being incredibly sad, even finding it hard to deal with. She gently stroked his hair and comforted him as much as she could.
"Sir Asmodeus... there is no need to sorrow over that matter." Said Lavande in a mother-like tone, "Rather than to despair, I would be much happier to see you smile day by day. That is the real Sir Asmodeus Alice I know of; a loyal and trustworthy demon who remains dignified and would do whatever it takes to find his goal a step away from him, awaiting him to reach it."
Asmodeus looked up to see Lavande's bright violet eyes showing clear honesty and a hint of affection. Hearing what she said, he enveloped Lavande into an affectionate hug, making her blush slightly and hug back.
She really wouldn't have the fire demon in another way. Neither would he have the Netherworld's first female knight in a different way. Their hearts have became slightly closer than before after this.