Alice slithered nervously toward the castle's healing ward. Once the shock of seeing Saja nonchalantly enter the throne room had worn off, she finally reacted appropriately to the announcement that Luka had been wounded during his duel against Tamamo. Of course, it was certainly nothing too serious, but the lamia was still not comfortable with the idea that her husband was suffering. She entered the room to see an unconscious Luka lying on a bed with one of the few alraunes that lived in the castle by his side. The plant like monster bowed reflexively as her lord entered.

"Report."

"The hero has suffered a slash across the chest and a minor cranial trauma when the castle collapsed. The impact is nothing serious, and he should wake up in a few minutes at most. Tamamo No Mae has already healed and woken up, and she told me that she was going to check on an old friend."

Alice could tell that the healer wasn't comfortable as her vines kept regularly bristling, but she let it slide. Confronting a Monster Lord with that sort of bad news was always difficult.

"At least Tamamo stopped herself in time… Did she give any more details as to what happened during the fight?"

The alraune nervously shook her head negatively.

"She probably underestimated her strength with her ancestral form… Damn it…" Alice smirked. "At least, I now have a mistake to tease her with."

"Tease who?"

Luka slowly opened his eyes, grimacing as pain was still covering his chest and his neck. As he could finally differentiate more than basic shapes in front of him, he realized that Alice was hugging him tightly while the alraune that had tended to his wounds was shuffling away to leave the royal couple alone.

"Wow… Calm down Alice…" He talked in a raspy voice. "At least I'm sure it's you…"

"Of course it's me… That little maid already got scolded with Tamamo by their sister for their latest prank."

"Prank? What do you mean?"

Alice grimaced. She then checked around her, closed the door, and placed several seals around the room to protect them against potential eavesdroppers. "I think I should explain you. Just please don't repeat it to anyone."

"Wake up."

Alice instantly rose from her artificial slumber to be greeted by the sight of Tamamo in her fully unsealed form. As she checked around, she noticed that they weren't in the Monster Lord's Castle, but in ruins that bore a certain familiarity, and realized that they were in the remainders of Remina. She opened her mouth to ask the kitsune why they were there, but instantly stopped and looked down in shame when she remembered the last discussion she had with her surrogate mother.

"Look… I apologize. I've treated you horribly, horribly those last few months and those last days in particular. I'm really sorry… I completely threw away every single last lessons that you taught me during my whole life for… A very short-sighted happiness. You can stay mad at me, you can scold me as often as you want, but please, at least keep advising me. I really need you by my side."

Tamamo smirked and started fanning herself as she proudly strutted closer to the Monster Lord. She started talking with an unusually haughty tone.

"Not bad… And while I accept your apology, I still want you to understand that your actions have consequences and that, as a Monster Lord, your words always carry more weight than you think. You won't always have someone to clear the aftermath after you. Consider this upcoming lesson your punishment."

"So I'm put in a timeout box where I will neither have to deal with your sisters nor monsters asking for men to get their fill?" Alice smirked back. "I can accept that. I really could use a vacation."

Tamamo looked down and dramatically sighed. "This is only the very first part of it. I won't surprise you if I tell you that Luka has beaten Saja. But as you know, there are Six Ancestors, and I am the only one Luka didn't face in this form. It is only natural that I challenge him too, don't you think? I used to wreck kingdoms, play with men until they destroyed their world to give themselves to me, body and soul alike…" She leaned closer to Alice. "I studied him thoroughly. He's already exhausted. I prepared traps to deal with him. And if I beat him… I might let him go free once I tire of him, but beforehand, I will make sure to have my way in front of him a few times and show you how one should reign properly. And if he wins… I will let you go free." She got up and gestured dramatically. "It's ironic, isn't it? The hero will come to save the Monster Lord from her treacherous advisor and bring back the rightful heir to the throne of Hellgondo... The exact opposite of the goal Ilias always intended for them... However, just like most of those heroes in the past, he will fail in his mission."

Alice chuckled. "He won't. We both know this scenario of your won't play out like you described."

"Mmh? And what makes you say that with such confidence? I am not the same Tamamo that raised you. I got countries razed to the ground without a second thought."

"First, you will always be the Tamamo who raised me, no matter the abominations you committed. The one who stepped in to take care of me the day my mother died and cradled me each time when I had a nightmare when I was a young child. I don't doubt your power in the slightest. But Luka has already beaten the other Ancestors and the Goddess Ilias as she was infused with both the power of light and darkness… As long as he keeps his conviction strong, he will prevail against any opponent."

Tamamo made a dismissive gesture. "I already heard that one from Minagi. I'll break that winning streak Luka-boy has, and show the world that it can't always rely on the hero."

Alice smirked maliciously. "So you agree with me. He shouldn't be the only one to step up against every threat."

"Don't twist my words to deviate the subject, please. I will show you that I can make Luka mine."

"And?"

"And what?"

Alice chuckled again. "…You didn't even say anything about the throne this time. I guess it's really secondary to you."

Tamamo closed her eyes and slowly exhaled through her nostrils.

"…Yes, it actually is, I wouldn't be so crass as to claim the throne from the descendant of the Dark Goddess like that. You deserve it after what you went through. And even if you didn't, I wouldn't steal it, if only because my sisters will then try to step in and claim the seat from me afterward, resulting in utter chaos. Upstaging you would be so greedy, counterproductive and downright idiotic that I could as well destroy the world myself."

"So once again, the real problem is your sisters…" Alice looked in Tamamo's eyes, her expression serious as she stood up to a monster that could still easily kill her. "They're even the reason you're going after Luka, aren't you?"

"I told you. As an Ancestor, it is my duty to stand up to any hero and to try to make him mine. As a monster, it is what I desire."

"Or is it because you think your sisters won't stop harassing you until you at least try yourself?"

"If this is what you think…" Tamamo sighed again.

"…Then you are entirely right." Her tone lost its arrogance while her shoulders slumped ever so slightly, and Alice could now recognize the kitsune that had raised her, even if she was grown up. "If I don't at least make an attempt to grab him, my dear sisters will likely decide to act up and trap us to eventually coax me into having my way with him, until they're satisfied and recognize the Tamamo of old. In the meantime, both you and Luka would have to endure a mess in the castle, and I really think you deserve some tranquility from everyone for a time. You and Luka had the bad luck to have to be the ones to deal with the return of my sisters, and that after having dealt with Ilias herself... You do both deserve some rest."

She smiled again, and this time, Alice could see a more benevolent pride. "I'm surprised you managed to see through me that easily."

"I had a very good teacher. I only regret not having done as much for her as she did for me."

Tamamo steadied her breathing. "In that case… I'll let you go as soon as Luka shows up. I'm happy to see that all this time I spent giving you lessons actually stuck. You are an excellent Monster Lord when you keep your emotions under control. Just please, keep our conversation secret from the other Ancestors. If the truth actually reaches them, I won't hear the end of it."

"I will. I suppose I'm clear from your punishment now?"

Tamamo smirked. "Actually… I have another punishment for you. In a way, it might even be an even worse one…"

Alice frowned. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you later, it looks like Luka is arriving… See you soooon~!"

Alice grunted as she was teleported away.

"…So I also want to apologize in her name for whatever she did. She only wanted to make sure we would not have to deal with more shenanigans from her sisters down the road."

Luka smiled, but could only grimace as his body was still incredibly painful. "I should have guessed from her. Even if she can be mischievous, she's done too much for us to discard us away like that."

Alice gently smiled and nodded. "Yes I guess we're really lucky to have her on our side." Her expression became more serious. "Now, can you tell me what happened afterward? I was surprised to hear that your fight with her ended in a draw with you seriously wounded."

"I…" Luka looked confused at his feet. "I can't really remember. We exchanged a few blows… I managed to pierce her magic shield, she blew me away with her fan… Then I felt angry… I mean… even more than when I thought that Ranael had slaughtered Ilias Village… Everything that happened afterward is a blur. I only remember a searing pain across my chest and… I can't explain. I was frustrated but it wasn't me?"

"Mmh… Did she use a spell to make you lose control of the spirits? I guess I'll probably ask what happened afterward, I heard that she left to take care of Micaela as soon as she recovered."

"Wait… Micaela!" Luka tried to get up, but Alice placed her hand on his chest to stop him.

"She's apparently fine, don't worry. That yoma Saja told me that she already released Micaela in Tamamo's care, and she's the one who also brought you back here…"

Luka raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Alice nodded and glanced aside. "She even told me that she was entirely at my service and wouldn't hesitate to put her life on the line for me."

"…"

"Yes. I was just as surprised when she told me that, but…" She smiled. "I guess it means we're finally done with the Ancestors. I mean as long as we keep Hiruko busy, and we still have to keep track of Kanade…" Her smile gradually disappeared. "And I really wish we could convince Kanon to be more than a man-devouring flytrap, and I still have second thoughts about that succubus… Nevermind. For a moment I was the one with sugar and rainbows in my head. You're a bad influence."

Luka laughed. This might not be over, but he felt quite relieved by the fact the world would soon find a semblance of peace.

Soon. He closed his eyes as he focused inwardly. While he could feel the flow of the world around him, he only felt two of the Four Spirits.

"Wait, did Undine and Salamander already left?"

Sylph answered him. "Oh, that? Big nympho lady wanted to talk with Salamander. She pulled Mandy from your chest!"

"Wait, what?"

"First, I prefer some privacy for this particular private talk…"

Minagi closed the door leading to her room and placed a seal on it. She sat on her bed while her ribbon sat a still-stunned Salamander on the ground in front of her. While her mouth still sketched a haughty smirk, her eyes were carrying a barely held back wrath aimed at the monster in front of her.

"Let us get started. You will either answer every single question I ask you as I wish, or I will get my answer directly from your brain. Do not get me wrong, I wouldn't be so idiotic as to kill you, however I can fry your mind with a mix of pleasure and pain to reduce you to a vegetative state for the remainder of your life. And I won't hesitate to do it, I'm sure you do remember how I took care of some monsters back then. Good? Good."

Salamander nodded. The Fire Spirit's mind was completely under the effect of Minagi's aura, which didn't escape the succubus. She relaxed slightly the pressure while adding an inebriating effect to have Salamander answer her as truthfully as possible. The succubus then cleared her mind, but even then, each word she uttered could cut through steel.

"First question. I couldn't help but notice that there was some bad blood between you and Tamamo. What. Exactly. Happened? Answer now."

When Minagi saw Salamander's expression contort in a frown of anger even before the Fire Spirit said a single word, she wondered if she hadn't pushed her aura a little too much.

"You know why! That traitorous bitch got several of my trainees killed for her political games! I'm not even talking about the ones she killed personally to sate her lust!"

The succubus' tail was threateningly bent, her unusually sharp tip pointing toward Salamander like a scorpion.

"You train people to fight. If you do that without even considering that they risk to die, then you a bigger idiot than what I remembered."

"There is a difference between dying in an honorable fight and with a knife in the back! I teach them how to fight to protect their fellow!"

Minagi leaned closer to Salamander's face, and the Fire Spirit became entranced by the succubus' breath. "And so does everyone's hated little kitsune. She just teach her fellows how to use different weapons. A well trained courtesan can do just as much for the world than one of your angry barbarians. However, during all those years I spent observing the world, I don't think I saw her complain a single time that one of her children got killed directly or indirectly as a result of your trainings, no matter how often it happened. Did she?"

Salamander looked down, ashamed. Minagi decided to finish verbally tearing down the Fire Spirit.

"Of course, you only saw your pupils that were on the receiving end of her ploys. You never appreciated her own efforts to pull out your little barbarians away from troubles. You just remained passive, waiting patiently in your volcano to offer your training only to those that both made their way to you and that you considered worthy. In the meantime, Tamamo couldn't even afford to choose, she had to train those under her, because if she didn't, you wouldn't even get to see monsters looking up to you for training. Did you even consider that? Of course you didn't. For your whole life, you didn't even consider anything else beyond training a select few people to fight."

Her tone remained equal as she kept glaring at her victim. She moved back slightly, if only to allow the Fire Spirit to breathe freely.

"Now, I wouldn't be so crass as to lower myself to the level of the Tamamo No Mae of old and accuse you of being the sole responsible for this mess, but I must say I'm still disappointed by the sheer hatred you displayed when we found Luka and Tamamo. For all the honor and desire to strive for greatness you want to show, one can really question the nobility of your motives… Is it raw bloodlust?"

Salamander could only meekly answer. "I only want for monsters who wish to groom their martial skills and be able to be clear of mind and body…"

"And then what? To have them show off the power they gained thanks to you to get recognized? I wouldn't call that a noble goal."

"It is still a step up from planning to senselessly rape the Monster Lord's husband, Oh, Great Whore of Babylon!"

Surprised, Minagi turned toward the still closed door to see Undine. The succubus hissed. For all the preparation she had put in place, getting outmaneuvered so easily was aggravating. She looked down haughtily on the interloper.

"You have quite some gall to interrupt a private conversation involving an Ancestor. However, I am willing to let the Spirit of Water share her word on that matter, if only to show her how wrong she can be."

"I came here with a twofold purpose. First, I wish to fetch Salamander so that we can discuss the latest events face-to-face with Luka and Tamamo. They're the two first concerned by this matter at hand, and as someone still standing judgment, you have no right to interrogate her to your own end."

Minagi glared at Undine the moment the blue slime reminded her that she was indeed still theoretically on trial. The Water Spirit remained steady as she continued.

"I also wish to inform you that the holy corrosion that plagued the hero has been properly dealt with by Tamamo's own hand. You have no legitimate reason to place your hands on him."

The succubus briefly grimaced. She then made a dismissive gesture toward the door, and the seal fell apart as she turned her back to the duo.

"Very well. You are free to leave."

The two spirits left the room. The second the door closed again, she sat on her bed in a meditative posture. She had thoroughly let her lust and hunger build up with time to savor that morsel of a hero, and learning that she now had nothing to bargain with frustrated her to no end. Her greatest chance to bed him without reprisal had just disappeared…

Well, there were still all those angels waiting to be feasted upon.

"I didn't expect you to show up to that bitch."

"Me neither, and yet… Like everyone save for those hags, I want that mess to be over with."

While Undine was gliding naturally through the hallways of the Monster Lord's Castle, Salamander looked like she was drunkenly stumbling around, still high from Minagi's residual magic.

"Still, I didn't think that you would ever step in to save me… Thank you."

Undine stopped moving and stared at her fiery counterpart. "Salamander. As much as we keep fighting each other often for the most trivial of reasons, I should remind you that I'm still concerned for your well-being, if only as a fellow spirit. However, when it comes to Tamamo's actions, I only have one question to ask you. When was the last time you or your trainees suffered from her hand?"

Salamander opened her mouth to give a scathing repartee, but the answer died in her throat as she attempted to remember the last time that indeed, Tamamo had wronged her or endangered needlessly one of her own pupils by her actions. And it was…

"…Not long before Black Alice came into reign. I mean… I don't know if Heinrich counts or not."

"She was on our side, and if he listened to her or us, he would have survived instead of throwing his life away recklessly… But all that was five hundred years ago! You should let go after so much time! I mean look at me and Erubetie. We did accept to forgive the humans who polluted our world in hope of building a better future in less than a year! Why don't you want to do the same with Tamamo? With both of you teaching different and complementary skills, you would be able to give the next generation tools to reach a new era of prosperity!"

Salamander groaned. "She didn't ask for my help back then after the crisis with Black Alice, why would she now?"

"What does it have to do with… Oh. Please tell me that you are not serious…"

Salamander's chest was slowly rising and falling as she tried to avoid Undine's gaze. The Water Spirit sighed.

"Did you at least ask her or anyone else for that matter back then?"

Salamander gulped. "I expected her to naturally come to me. I knew better than everyone else what happened, I just retreated and focused on those that came to look up for my advices, and didn't have time for a little fox who thought that she should fix everything on her own."

"I shall only remind you that this thought process led Erubetie to nearly exterminate all humans and is the reason we now have to work to clean the world. A single queen slime would have stepped up at any time in the last three hundred years, my race would be one of the largest in the world today. Instead, we suffered from our stupidity brought on by our stubborness, and nearly ended up exterminated as a result... Until we asked for help."

"I got your point… I was an idiot to let my pride and my anger against Tamamo get the better of me."

"Good. Then go ask for her forgiveness instead of doing the same mistake we already both did."

In the meantime, a now completely depressed Kanon was rotting in her cell. The plant was slumped on itself as boredom was starting to sink her morale.

A noise by the door attracted her attention. It wasn't one of her usual trimming days, so it was an unexpected visitor who was unlikely to bring good news. She didn't feel emotion as she saw Saja enter the small, confined room. The yoma was already looking down on her counterpart.

"Beaten by Luka too?"

Saja soberly nodded. "Yes. I submitted to the hero after he beat me in a duel fair and square. So did Hiruko and Minagi. Kanade didn't want to fight and was more focused on taking care of her own kin. You're currently the only one who's still refusing to even consider changing."

Kanon's voice was barely a depressed whisper as she answered. "I got it. Do you have anything else you wish to tell me?"

"Yes. Why are you refusing to serve the descendant of the Dark Goddess? I can understand that the new laws created can appear constraining but-"

"Please spare me that speech. I got it. That punishment is even worse than that seal. Just tell them I'll behave."

Saja frowned at her sister rudely interrupting her, but she decided to focus on her message instead.

"Are you actually going to act in line, or are you just asking me to get you out to get another chance at the hero?"

Kanon's body slumped even further down. "…I realized that I won't get anywhere but here for as long as I keep stubbornly trying to devour every human, angels or monsters that gets too close. I suppose I don't have a choice if I want to get to enjoy anything other than soil and water until the end of time."

"Very well… I suppose I will support you if you say that you want to atone for your crimes."

"Thank you."

"But if you act up again, I will be the first to make sure your punishment comes swiftly."

"I got it, I got it…"

Saja looked one last time at the alraune before leaving, closing the door and letting silence returns in the prison cell.

Kanon sighed. It was in her nature to devour to grow as much as the world around her allowed to. Her two greatest pleasures in life were growing her garden, and devouring preys slowly, enjoying their spasms of agonized pleasure to make her garden grow even more. But now, she was forced to be pragmatic. If she wanted the chance to at least get to enjoy the former once more, she'd have to give up on the latter. She didn't even find the courage to blame Tamamo or the Monster Lord on this one. The responsibility fell squarely on her shoulder.

She tried to imagine her future: Growing the gardens of the Monster Lord's Castle, just like old times… However, she would also only get to feed on the most extreme prisoners- no, she would likely only be allowed to have her way with consensual partners, and until they ended up unconscious. The Monster Lord was too soft to let her dispose even of the most extreme criminals. She wouldn't be able to eat anyone ever again.

Unless…

Micaela was suddenly awakened from her coma by an absolutely searing pain in her chest. It was as if her whole body had been put on fire, and the seraph couldn't even scream in agony as even her mouth simply refused to obey her. The sensation lasted for a few minutes before it suddenly stopped, and she found herself panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Her senses were completely overloaded, and she was unable to identify her surroundings: She could only see black, very vague shapes, her ears were ringing and even understanding that her body was lying horizontally required a focusing effort. Her magical senses were obstructed by an oppressive presence that her brain vaguely remembered but couldn't quite identify.

For all she knew, the seraph was dead, and with the destruction of Heaven, she ended in hell with Black Alice, Ilias and all those that she had killed in her long life. Minagi wouldn't even get to torture her with pleasure, and Micaela giggled madly for a short moment as visions of her possible future torment crossed her mind. Fortunately, the pressure on her mind suddenly calmed down a great deal as she felt the oppressive presence disappear.

"…giggling …creepy."

"…pain …subside …tail."

As she felt something incredibly soft caressing her cheek, Micaela gathered all the energy she could deploy to grab that sole source of relief and pulled with all her extremely limited might. She heard a small scream, but it didn't matter for the moment. The only thing that did was the source of comfort in her arms. As her senses slowly returned more and more to her, so did her mind, and gears slowly clicked as the events connected together. She felt her body heat up in shame preemptively. There would be no way to save face after that one…

She slowly opened her eyes and, just as she suspected, her new pillow of fortune was connected to Tamamo's backside. The kitsune was hiding her expression by fanning herself, and, even worse, she wasn't alone: Mariel was by her side, and the small archangel looked extremely concerned at her senior.

"…For how long I've been out?"

Tamamo clapped her fan close, and while the kitsune had a serious expression, Micaela could still detect a hint of amusement at her.

"One or two days at most. Hard to tell. I convinced Saja to let me take care of you."

"So I can assume Luka took care of her... Even if I shouldn't be surprised, I'm relieved. I'm afraid to imagine what she would have done if she had been allowed to remain free."

Tamamo nodded. "Thanks to him, the Six Ancestors only dealt minimal damage. Most of them are willing to socialize, with the exception of Kanon."

Micaela grimaced. "She isn't the only one… We have a lot to talk about. Start by telling me what I missed exactly."

"First… Can you please release my tail? It's getting a bit uncomfortable."

Micaela reluctantly released the soft appendage which proceeded to return to its peers to form a waving mass of fluff. When she focused back on Tamamo herself, she saw the kitsune nervously starting to fan her face again. She instantly knew that she wasn't going to like the story she would hear.

"I'll say it straight then. I almost killed Luka."

Micaela's expression didn't change in the slightest as she fully focused on Tamamo. "I need some context, because by your tone it was an accident and not your intent."

"An accident would mean that I wasn't deliberately attacking him with my unsealed powers."

The seraph joined her hands in front of her and slowly exhaled as she steadied herself. "…Then I really need some context as to what happened."

Tamamo shamefully looked down and explained how Luka came back almost dying from his fight with Hiruko because of holy corrosion, with Alice acting more protective after the scylla healed him. She then talked about Saja's challenge and the following quarrel in the couple, and how she was forced to lay a verbal smackdown on each of them before finally taking care of Luka's holy corrosion issue once and for all, something which attracted Micaela's attention.

"Wait… You found a solution to channel holy energy that doesn't involve Minagi?"

Mariel flew closer and confirmed. "You just need an angel and a monster with enough experience in power tattoos to have the valid result."

Tamamo saw several expressions pass through Micaela's face. Relief, shame, doubt, and eventually…

"Please continue."

"I just… Got tired of being in everyone's dog house and decided to take my revenge. Nothing too serious, just enough to remind Alice that what is acquired can be lost while crossing blades with Luka to show my sisters that, just like them, I could still be selfish. I decided to set up the fight in Remina for a number of reasons, then I pretended to kidnap Alice to give him some incentive to come for me, I placed a few traps... Basically, I used my most basic tricks to rile him up for a good fight. Everything went just as planned until…" Tamamo gulped loudly as the memory of blood spraying and staining her dress crossed her mind. "I thought that attack would at most scratch him thanks to his mastery over the power of the earth. Instead… He attacked recklessly, and I nearly killed him, and the only reason he's still alive is because my sisters stepped in."

The seraph's face was a stone mask as she silently judged Tamamo. The kitsune was still looking down in shame, sniffling inelegantly.

"I'm… I…"

"Why did you think everyone hate you? You have loyal lieutenants, Luka and Alice both respect you…"

"When Saja appeared to challenge Luka, Alice threatened to imprison him for her own selfish desire while he was so eager to jump in… I was worried that he was either unconscious of the danger Saja represented which surprised me after the lessons we both gave him… Or that he didn't care about his own life. Then I finally placed the safeguards and Alice said that I was an inconvenience." Tamamo shivered. "I took Alice's rejection hard. That's when that plan to both get some personal vengeance and my sisters off everyone's back drew itself… I already told you what happened afterward."

Micaela's face was still devoid of emotion. The seraph tried to remain as analytical as she could even as she felt anger rise. A large part of it was aimed at Tamamo for her murderous impulsive bout, but she also felt sorry for the kitsune who had simply snapped in front of everyone's conflicting expectations of her. And besides, she needed the kitsune's skills herself.

"At least your absence explains why you didn't step in when Minagi invaded my mind then…"

Tamamo completely froze. Even her tails had stopped moving. "Wait what?"

"Simply put, she showed upin an artificial dream to bargain for my company and Luka with the additional goal to get her way with everyone in exchange for those holy energy safeguards. I'm actually relieved to learn that you found a workaround since angels won't literally be forced to literally go under her to continue living."

The kitsune sighed heavily. "…Sorry about that… I ask you to believe me when I say that if I knew of anything that would happen during the application of my plan, I would have stopped it dead in its track… I'll atone in any way I can."

"Then let's start by getting Mariel and myself tattooed by your own care. I know this won't stop your dear sister, but if you make the legitimacy Minagi has to lay our hands on us disappear, it will be a good start."

"I didn't expect you to trust me with after what I just told you but… Where do you want me to place it?"

"If it's small enough to be hidden on the back of my neck, it would be perfect. No offense, but I don't want it to be visible."

"I concur… The same for me. If you don't mind. Please."

"Let's start on Mariel then, it's quite easy, I'll show you. Small warning though, it will hurt."

Mariel nodded and laid down on Micaela's bed after the latter left it.

"Just channel holy energy, I'll work on the markings…"

Their fingers danced on Mariel's neck for a few minutes as the small archangel regularly yelped in pain, gritting her teeth all the while. Eventually, the duo stopped their work, and a small elaborate symbol was now present on Mariel's neck. Micaela examined the symbol, then the archangel in front of her. If it wasn't for the fact that she was stunned because of the intense pain, she looked perfectly fine.

"…I admit, if I knew something like that was possible, I would have done it with the elves and the fallen angels as soon as possible. That would have alleviated some of our fears. Then again, I didn't think monsters could bring us anything back then..."

Tamamo checked her handiwork, and moaned in relief. "It would have put more pressure on Ilias. I guess that now I have to hurt you for one last time, and we will be done."

A few minutes later and with Tamamo's guidance, the small archangel did the same work on her senior. Once it was complete, Micaela sat herself and accepted the cup of tea Tamamo offered her, her breathing still heavy as she tried to ignore the pulsing pain in the back of her neck that had joined the one in her chest.

"It's almost as nice as I expected. How did you find out it was possible, by the way?"

"It's Hiruko who actually found out! …But now that you ask me, I wonder how she found out herself..."

"If my memories are correct, she's the type to experiment a lot. I wouldn't be surprised if she did discover it by accident…"

"It needs an angel's hand." Tamamo grimaced. "I don't want to think about the fact that she would have made one disappear."

Micaela glanced sideway at Tamamo. "Didn't you have a history of making people disappear too?"

"Not in the same way. I shoved them in Pocket dimensions to break their mind! I didn't slowly eat them alive over several days… It's not actually better, is it?"

A dark chuckle answered her while a distraught Mariel looked at each of them, feeling passably alienated by the conversation.

"Not exactly… I mean she was part of the devouring group with Kanade and Kanon, while you, Minagi and Saja preferred abusing pocket dimensions to play with angels and experiment. No offense to your little sister, but while creative and skilled in biology, I would have rather expected one of you three to discover that skill and share it."

Tamamo shrugged. "We weren't exactly sharing back then. I mean I had worked on the Great Seal for a long time before we were forced to imprison ourselves, and I only shared it at the last moment, when it became a necessity. If it couldn't be used to more effectively kill angels, it was kept hidden by the one who discovered it."

An idea started worming its way through Micaela's mind as she sipped the single tastiest cup of tea that she ever drank. "So if Hiruko had kept the information to herself, she could have just told that she would have been the only one able to do it and you would have accepted it?"

Tamamo shrugged. "It's Hiruko… She can be discreet, but she's the exception to what I just said. If she thinks it can help us, she would still have showed it. She's like a child in that regard, wanting to show her work to her parents."

"And Minagi? She also was the one the most interested in keeping angels alive to violate them, after all. If she kept captured angels for herself-"

Tamamo slammed her teacup on its support, making both explode in a shower of porcelain shards and making Mariel yelp in surprise.

"…I never did see her do the tattoos myself, after all…I just couldn't believe it, and accepted that I got outclassed when I wasn't… I was too angry to check if she had brought in other angels than those two... I even fell myself for her honeyed words and a few caresses, like a good lapdog… I… fell to every single trick I used in the past."

"Tamamo…"

The kitsune was trembling with a barely-controlled fury and gritted her teeth in rage. Eventually, she completely exploded.

"I'm… going… to… KILL HER! WHEN WILL SHE UNDERSTAND THAT I'M DOING EVERYTHING TO PRESERVE PEACE AND BUILD A FUTURE FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF THE MONSTER LORD! SHE ONLY WANTS TO FUCK EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE AND FUCK AND FUCK FOREVER AND THEN I GET TO CLEAN THE FUCKING AFTERMATH OF YEARS OF UNBRIDLED HEDONISM ALL THAT BECAUSE SHE CAN'T LET A SINGLE PARTNER OUT OF HER BED ALIVE! SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN HER PLEASURE DENS! SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN HER SHARE OF ANGELS TO VIOLATE! AND INSTEAD, SHE KEPT ONE OF THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HERSELF, NEARLY LET THE HERO DIE, AND INDIRECTLY MADE THE CRISIS WITH ANGELS TEN TIMES WORSE! SHE'S! FUCKING! DEAD!"

Mariel had hidden behind her senior who herself recoiled in front of the kitsune's outburst, although she still remained sitting on the bed.

"…I don't think I've ever seen you that angry, even during the Great Monster War when I killed… nevermind, isn't she still your dear sister?"

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE ANYMORE! I'LL KILL HER RIGHT NOW!"

"TAMAMO NO MAE! CALM YOURSELF THIS INSTANT!"

Micaela was as surprised as Tamamo when she realized that she was the one who shouted with her supernatural voice and was now firmly standing up in her way, glaring at her. Still, it had apparently been enough to stop the kitsune before she could consider transforming her words into actions. Still panting and red-faced, Tamamo pulled out her fan and started refreshing herself. She bowed in front of the duo of angels.

"I apologize for the fact that you had to assist to my misplaced outburst and for acting as a poor host. I sincerely thank you for stopping me before I rushed headfirst and made the situation even worse."

Micaela's expression softened into a gentle smile. "Don't mention it. You saved me, took care of me, helped everyone stand up to your sisters... I don't think it can compare." The seraph's expression turned serious once more. "However, I'm satisfied that you say that Minagi needs to be punished for her misdeeds. Can I ask you what do you plan for her?"

"I… Honestly don't know. I'm feeling really tired right now. And besides, she isn't the only problem we need to deal with. There will be all those angels that she toyed with."

Mariel emitted a few throat noises as she attempted to speak up, but was still reeling from her earlier shock. Tamamo delicately stepped forward and took the archangel's hands in her own while smiling reassuringly.

"Sorry you had to see that… But don't worry, I won't harm you. You can talk freely in these walls."

Still, Mariel didn't manage to articulate a single word.

Micaela cleared her throat and talked in an unusually soothing tone. "Speak your mind."

Tamamo raised an eyebrow at Micaela's blunt words, but she was forced to admit that those were more effective than her attempt to console the small angel herself as Mariel started talking in a clear voice.

"I apologize, but as time goes by, I realize I am simply unfit to lead the angel race. I can maintain good relationships with humans and the more open-minded elements, but the older and higher ranked ones reject my authority."

Micaela nodded. Of course, just like the more extremist monsters had rejected that co-existence offered by the Monster Lord to assault humans on their own as soon as the opportunity appeared, some angels had gone on their own… She had no doubt that most of them had been captured either by Minagi or Saja to be turned in their toy, and finding a fitting compromise would be nigh impossible without either a slaughter or…

"We'll discuss all that tomorrow. I have a plan, but I need to be absolutely sure and certain that you, the Monster Lord and Luka will be behind me."

"Please tell me that it doesn't require Luka to fight every angel again."

"He won't have to. That's probably the biggest upside to said project."

"Well, in that case, unless it involves bringing Ilias back to lead the Heaven to their majesty once more, I'm in."

"Save for the fact that Ilias herself is dead, so she certainly won't show up… You actually got the gist of it."

Upon seeing Tamamo grimace, Micaela decided to reassure her.

"It won't be a perfect solution, but it's the best I can think of. Also, I want to use this opportunity to talk with Luka. I'm a bit worried about what you told me about your fight with him…"