Ex-V: Hey there, It's been a bit, hasn't it? It took me a week longer to post this than I thought, but I hope you don't mind TOO much!

nahum4u2: Roger that, Here's the next chapter for you :D Hope you won't have to throw your mouse at the computer screen :)

: Oh my, I can't thank you enough for taking the time to say that :") It means the world to me, honestly, it really does! I'm so glad to hear that, and I really hope you won't have to die, because here's the next chapter for you! I also hope you that you find it satisfactory!

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GitOut: Thank you so much, I also liked the home setting! That's where a lot of this story takes place, as of now!

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Thank you all so much! I really hope you like the new chapter, please try to do that for me !

He tilted his chair back, coolly, irritated. "Do you love me, Emilia? Are you In love with me?"

She couldn't answer, glowing crimson and mortified, heart fluttering in her chest, choking on her breath; he stared at her, impatiently, leaning his chair back on two legs, balancing it coolly.

How could he know? How could he possibly have found out?

She panted, covering her face with both hands; steaming red, and staring out at him through her fingers. How could he have... ?

"T-That's... I..." She started, shaking faintly, eyes wide. "I..."

Suddenly, Emilia trailed off, stunned; Mortified, and furious, realization coursed through her, understanding dawned on her.

Maou was asking if she loved him?

Why would he do that?

Even if he wanted her to love him, even if he loved her... Even if he was hoping that she fell for him, how could he just .. Up and ask her?

How could he risk it, how could he just... Ask her?

There's no way he could, he couldn't risk it, they were supposed to hate each other, she was the hero and he was the King of demons...

He couldn't possibly just ask her, not unless... Unless...

Unless he already knew the answer.

She felt her eyes clouding over, reaching this conclusion in her mind.

He already knows the answer.

Of course. Of course, no wonder he just up and asked... No wonder, No Wonder she had been... feeling... So... overwhelmed by him, so overcome by her feelings for him...

He must have manipulated her, he must have brainwashed her, hypnotized her to fall In love with him...

"How... How dare you?" the Hero whispered, at last, still feeling somewhat faint. She took her hands off her face, and stared down at her palms.

Pure, unadulterated outrage and fury pumped, hot, in her veins, and even Maou seemed to notice, sitting up straight again.

"What was that-?"

"I... I said..." Emilia hung her head, trembling, over the table. Maou blinked, at a loss for words; seeing her wipe tears from her eyes. "I said... how dare you."

How did he know? How did he know, that she was falling for him?

He must have hypnotized her... That was the only real possibility, When they were In Ente Isla, after he rescued her... When she was vulnerable...

Suddenly full of apprehension, suddenly feeling very much like the situation had spiraled out of his depth, Maou leaned back In his chair again. "What...? What, Emilia-?"

She cut him off, standing abruptly up, furiously. Her chair clattered backwards to the floor, And he jumped a bit, startled; the Hero screamed at him, flushed red, with tears in her eyes, and started throwing dishes and utensils at him.

"How dare you! How DARE you-!" Emi screeched, wildly, as Maou struggled not to fall over, out of his chair, completely blown away. Silverware and glassware whipped past him, as he strained to dodge the endless streams of kitchen supplies the Hero was hurling at him.

"I KNEW something wasn't right, I KNEW there was no was I could love you-" She shrieked, hissing, with tears leaking from her eyes, streaking her cheeks. Maou felt something catch in his chest, in his heart.

His world was suddenly upside down.

A deathly, terrifying fear settled over him, instantly, as her words rattled through his mind. The King of Hell staggered backwards, swatting a thick metal pot out of the air in front of his face, as Emilia approached him, dangerously, screeching desperately.

"How dare you... How dare you! How dare you act like this isn't your fault, like this isn't your doing-!"

Maou grit his teeth, head spinning, and teleported right up close to her; as Emi moved to reach for the kitchen knives and cleavers, still hurling everything in her immediate vicinity at him, red faced and with tears pouring down her cheeks.

She sputtered and cried, twisting furiously around in place, protesting furiously, as Maou restrained her, holding her tightly against the kitchen wall.

"What's going on-?!" He hissed, pressing his forehead to hers, and glaring, wide eyed, into her face; still warped with fury and despair.

She choked on her words, strangled, tearing up again; crimson red. She swallowed, and looked away, angrily. "...dare you..." She muttered, whispering, choked up. "evil..."

"What are you saying, Emilia?!" Maou snapped, forcing her to look him In the eyes, blown away and terrified. Her words still echoed around in his mind... I knew there was no way I could love you..."What are you even accusing me of-?!"

Emi sobbed, twisting around in his arms, trapped, tightly against the wall.

She couldn't even summon the strength to shove him away.

"Emilia-!" He begged, eyes wide; she sniffled, wincing.

After a moment, the hero lowered her eyes, and spoke coldly. "You can let me go, now."

"Emi, come on-"

"Let me go!"

Maou was silent, overwhelmed.

He could feel his mind desperately struggling to piece everything together, to determine how he had managed to so offend the Hero.

"What did I do...?" He managed, at last, weakly; Dazed, the King of Hell stepped away from the wall, freeing her. She blinked, fresh tears dribbling down her cheeks.

Something in the tone of his voice disturbed her, though, it was as if he genuinely didn't know...

Emilia hardened her nerve, glaring down at her toes. "Don't... Dont act like you don't know. You're just making it worse-"

Maou couldn't speak, overcome by frustration and confusion. He just watched her, and the Hero looked up, meeting his eyes, desperately, miserable, when he failed to speak.

"Don't pretend you didn't manipulate me, Maou..." She said, voice hollow and very weak. "Don't pretend you didn't hypnotize me. I know you did..."

He blinked.

Silence.

Maou blinked again, staring incredulously at the Hero.

His heart throbbed, painfully, in his chest. His mind slowly began to stitch and sow the puzzle together... I knew I couldn't love you...

"Emilia... What-?" He tried, lightheaded, to speak.

She just sniffled, wiping her tears with a trembling hand, frustrated. "Stop it! Stop, just...Admit it, Maou, just admit it! Did you really think I wouldn't notice-?"

His voice was hoarse, and he found he barely had the strength to speak anymore. His pulse pounded along, hammering the insides of his temples. "Emilia... I didn't..."

She wailed, covering her ears with both hands, scarlet red. "Stop it! You hypnotized me, you monster! That's why..." She trailed off, limply shuddering, and the King of Demons grabbed her hand, suddenly, yanking her sharply over to him.

Emi froze up, trembling; the hero glared up into his face, defiant but shaking.

"What? Go ahead..." He managed, utterly shaken. Emi recoiled, furious, but he yanked her towards him again. Numbly, the king of demons felt very much like he was beginning to understand...

And he felt very much like he wanted to kill Rika.

"Go ahead, tell me... I hypnotized you, right?"

Emi paused, hiccuping. She wiped a few stray strands of violet hair out of her eyes, and tugged her braid, nervously angry. "Y-Yes... Yes! Obviously, you thought I wouldn't notice!"

"Notice what, Emilia?" He pressed her, relentless. His eyes darkened, clouding over as she sniffled, pulling back. His heart rate accelerated yet further, as he yanked on her wrist.

"That... That I was thinking about you all the time, that I was...!" She squealed, furious and miserable, trying desperately to tug her wrist free from his iron grip, whining throatily. "That I was...!"

"What, Emilia! Say it!" The Demon King hissed at her, pushing her backwards into the wall again.

"You hypnotized me, so that I would fall in love with you!" She shrieked, forcefully ripping his hand off her wrist and shoving him backwards. "And you're... You were trying to get me in bed, or something, now that I love you, and... !"

He was dead silent. Silent, as a few moments passed.

He stood there, silently, absorbing this.

Maou watched her, with wide eyes.

She choked, sobbing and sniffling, turning slightly in place. She sounded very congested. "You're... You were playing with my heart all along..."

The Demon King shut shut his eyes, overcome.

The implications of this settled, slowly, over him.

It was crushing. The weight of this moment was crushing.

"I want... I want you to go away. You need to move out." Emi whispered, eyes downcast, furiously red. He watched her, and nodded slowly, watching fresh tears well up in her sparkling eyes. "I want you to move out."

Maou took a deep breath, still utterly shaken. "Why?"

"Why! Why-?!" She screeched, quietly, shoving him again. It was worse than she thought, even now, she couldn't help loving him, wanting to be with him, wanting him to kiss her... "Why? So that I can break your spell, and, hopefully, stop being In love with the King of Demons!"

He was silent, for a moment, and then nodded lightly. "I didn't hypnotize you, Emilia."

Emi blinked, in the middle of wiping her eyes with trembling, balled up fists.

She glanced up at him, clearly pained, disdainfully. "Maou, just stop-"

"I've never hypnotized you-" Maou continued on, and his voice was growing stronger again, growing sharper. "I probably should have, but I never did. I'm not sure it would even work, If I tried, and I didn't mesmerize you, or influence you by any magic power, whatsoever, even once.."

Emilia trembled, slowly meeting his eyes. Something, something in the tone of his voice was frightening her, truly frightening her, because she could... She could almost tell that he wasn't lying.

But... That's...

That would be impossible... That would mean...

She really did just love him?

She really did fall for the Demon King, for Maou?

Somehow, the idea that she fell for him, for Maou, felt so right...

If he wasn't lying, she...?

"I've never hypnotized you to love me. It would have saved me a lot of time and effort, if I did, but I didn't." the King of Hell laughed, bitterly, turning away from her. She was briefly silent, speechless, furiously red and still overwhelmed. "Go ahead, check."

Emi twitched, breathlessly. Some kind of truly unbelievable terror was beginning to grip her heart. Why... Why would he..

"...huh?" She managed, voice hoarse and cracking. Flushed, she trembled, thoughts swimming.

"You can detect lies, can't you?" He answered, smoothly; internally agonized. "You have holy magic, that can identify lies."

Emilia squeaked something, helplessly. It was true.

She did have holy magic, that could detect lies.

But, suddenly, she was very afraid to find out the truth.

"Check, go ahead. Don't take my word for it." Maou muttered, laughing weakly. Utterly emotionally Exhausted, thoughts racing, he held his temple, facing away from her.

Emilia Froze, unable to move an inch.

Her wide eyes blinked, and she almost shivered, suddenly quite cold.

The beginnings of doubt had begun to Infiltrate her mind, and she could feel a dark, deep cloud of horror settle over her... Even just at the idea that he could be telling the truth.

The hero was utterly unable to raise her hands, to cast the Truth finding magic.

"M...Maou...?" She breathed, weakly, terrified, nibbling her lower lip. Anxiety screamed up in her mind, oh god... Oh god...

He refused to turn back towards her.

"Go ahead, Emi. Check." His voice was dry, and nearly cracked.

Emi squirmed, disbelief surging up through her breast.

If he was telling the truth...

Had she just confessed her love to him?

Had she just admitted to being in love with Maou?

Positively mortified, she didn't raise her hand, didn't cast the Truth seeking magic.

"What's wrong, Emilia... " Maou pressed, half grinning and half grimacing. He stared down at his right hand. "You wouldn't accuse me of something like emotional manipulation, and then refuse to find out the truth..."

Emilia squeaked something, wriggling in place, utterly horrified now. Somehow, she could just tell by his words, his mannerisms, that he was telling the truth. Terrified, she felt very much like she already knew what the Truth- Seeking magic would reveal, but managed to keep a straight face...

"T-That's... of course..." She stammered, flushed red, clawing at her own shirt. The hero raised one hand, quivering, and set it on Maou's shoulder blade.

"Veritas." She whispered, eyes wide, unleashing the truth-seeking magic.

It floated around them, a white, brisk mist... A mist that would swiftly become scarlet, if someone lied In it's presence.

"I've never hypnotized you." Maou said, Calmly, resolute.

Emi tensed, shuddering, but didn't let his shoulder go... She chewed her fingernails, blinking, and looked out at the White misty fog.

Maou turned, slowly, to face her.

He stared at her, through the thin white mist.

She just watched the mist, eyes wide. Oh god, oh...God...

It didn't change to red.

Maou was not lying.

Silence.

Emi just stood, perfectly still, stalk still. The white mist floated around them, slowly dissipating.

Furious, Unbelievable heat swelled up inside her face.

Steam poured, unbridled, from her ears.

Maou stared at her, speechless, through the white mist.

She met his eyes, bright red, at last.

She opened her mouth, weakly, to speak.

"Oh..."

The hero trailed off again, lamely. She screwed her mouth shut, furiously crimson.

Maou stared at her, grinning, for a moment. He tilted his head.

"So... So, maybe I love you..." She whispered, overcome. "A little bit..." .

He just watched her, silently, grinning. Speechless, he watcher her squeak, wringing her hands, desperately.

"Maybe... Maybe I love you. A little bit." She repeated, weakly, furiously red. Winded, she breathed, wringing her fingers.

Ex-V: Did you like it? I hope so!

Please, let me know what you think, and I'll be eternally grateful!

I'll see you in the next chapter, within the next week or so!