"Mmmhmmm, it's too early," Emi pouted childishly as Maou looked back with exasperated annoyance, his face quickly changing to that of a quiet smile as he finished changing his clothes.

Emi soon woke up after groggily turning her head to see Maou, dressed and decent, leave their room to give her privacy. Emi gave another yawn before looking around the room.

Hit with sudden panic, she looks under the sheets to find…

Nothing.

She had her clothes on, there wasn't any foul smell, just the usual things she would feel waking up. Emi was relieved that nothing like that happened again, yet some part of her was a little disappointed. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned to her closet and dawned her clothes for the day.

-o-

Emi stepped into their kitchen only to be greeted by the smell of nicely grilled salmon and the aroma of freshly steamed rice. She opens her tired eyes to see Maou finishing their breakfasts with a simple crack of two eggs, one for each bowl of rice, followed by a generous dousing of soy sauce and a bit of wasabi. Emi could feel the drool drip from her mouth as she watched Maou put everything on the table for them.

"Oh, Emi. Didn't see you there…" Maou gave a nervous smile but lost the nervousness as he saw Emi's drooling face. For Maou, it was comforting to see her rather human and simply gestured her to come and sit, a genuine smile that Emi couldn't help but notice.

"Maou… thank you… for last night." Maou froze as Emi gave him a heartfelt hug.

"A-well, I should be saying the same to you, for helping me out as well." Emi smiled into his shoulder as they embraced one another for a moment longer before looking back at one another.

"S-so, where…"

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking… then…" Emi could feel the strength she finally needed as she let the last couple of sounds out.

"Yes. We are… well…" Emi tried to hold back some level of violence and Maou contemplated what he was hearing. In all honesty, Maou wanted it to be true. I felt and knew they could live with another for life. Yet, a part of him was still residually against the idea. Still, he knew that sometimes, a leap of faith was all it took.

Maou pushed himself forward to give her a light peck on the lips. Emi blushed with a quiet surprise rage before calming and returning the kiss.

"There, is that better?" Emi gave a small smile as Maou did the same.

"Yes. Yes, it was but I don't think the demon lord could heat cold food with his hands." Emi teased as she pointed to the food. Maou gave a "ha" as they both took their seats.

"Let's eat!"

-o-

Emi carelessly walked the streets of Tokyo as she made her way to the Devil's Castle. Something was nagging her, scratch that, she had a bad feeling.

Emi got a simple message that she needed to come to the Devil's Castle quickly. Note another was spoken after that. It was only natural she had a bad feeling if Suzano wasn't responding back.

Maou couldn't come since he had to go to work. However, she was confident that he would come as quickly as he could if something were to happen. Despite them not wanting to conserve their magic, they both knew conservation flew out the window when Alas Ramus was involved, sometimes literally.

Her arrival to Devil's castle was marked by eerie quietness. Her suppressed warrior instincts stood up. Following her instincts, she instead approaches the doors of the lower rooms below Ashiya and Urushihara's apartment.

She could feel every movement of air as she stood in front of one of the rooms. She knew one was occupied by Alas Ramus' Aunt?

Frankly, Emi didn't know what to consider their relationship to Acieth Alla. 'Sibling' would've been the apt word if Alas Ramus was simply the fragment of Yesod but that also flew out the window when it fused with Alas Ramus.

Annoyances with the thing called life aside, Emi knew that her father and Acieth were out today. Likely finding whatever all-you-can-eat place that hasn't banned Acieth, there weren't a lot of those anymore.

Tap.

Moving on instinct, Emi kicked herself away from the door. A throwing knife missing the right side of her head. She landed back on her feet to find a man carrying several throwing knives and another 2 men with swords and basic armour.

Equipment that were hallmarks of those that came from Ente Isla.

"THERE SHE IS! GE-"

The man didn't speak another word as said sword wielder was launched aside by a hammer.

"RUN!" Emi moved without a second thought as she dashed to the stairs leading up to the apartment.

"ST-" Another man was launched from the second floor hall and into the fence.

"GO! MAOU'S ON HIS WAY!" Lucifer conjured whatever magic he could form as two gunshots were stopped by his barrier.

"EMILIA IN HERE!"

For the second time, Emi rushes without stopping. Lucifer keeps the barrier up as Emi makes it into the studio room.

"MAMA!" Alas Ramus rushes into her arms as the fallen angel enters the room and closes the door behind them. Emi could hear the barrier formed as Alciel did his chants.

"What about Bell?!"

"She'll be fine. More help will be on the way. We just need to-"

A swing of the door signalled their compromise as one of the two swordsmen rushed in.

"KI-" Emi, with her daughter by her side, forms her sword and stops the blow with her sword in her right and knocks the man out with a punch with her left.

They did not have a moment's reprieve as another voice called out.

"She's in there!"

"Alciel!"

Without a second word, Alciel formed a new barrier just as another fanatic came around the corner. The man knocks himself against the barrier and launches out the window onto the ground.

Emi looks back to see the unconscious body of her daughter behind the care of Lucifer as he shields her sleeping form. Emi gives a smile and silently thanks the fallen angel who gives her a determined nod of acknowledgement.

"Quickly!" Emi could only listen at the clattering of footsteps as a small group charged up the stairs.

The first person into their view stopped short of the barrier. Using his pommel, he began smashing against the magical wall that stood in his way. Emi could tell something seemed off as their weapon appeared to be doing quite some damage to the barrier.

"Alciel, on my mark! Drop it!" Alciel nodded in understanding, clearly used to being in such situations, and readied to drop the barrier. Lucifer adjusted his stance and got ready for a fight.

The fanatic raises his arm one more time to strike the barrier.

"NOW!"

The fanatic tumbles through the doorway when the barrier falls, striking empty air and caught unprepared. Emi, grabbing her sword halfway up the blade, used the handguard on her sword and hit the man square in the face with her crossguard, knocking him out in one blow in conjunction with his momentum.

Another fanatic charged in, this time with a mace. Emi watched as the man wound up for an attack, only to be suddenly stopped by the height of the doorway.

Seizing his panic and fear, Emi charged and hit the man with the bottom of her pommel. Once again knocking the man out.

"EMI!" Emi realised too late as she saw the hand gun raised at her from the top of the stairwell. Held by someone who, if she had to guess, was originally a caster on Ente Isla.

Time seemed to slow as she watched the face of a man with dedication, determined to see the act through. Thinking it was the end, Emi closed her eyes to welcome the eternal darkness that followed.

However, a bolt of energy seemingly zapped the caster away. Emi's eyes opened and followed the man's flying form as he suddenly disappeared.

Emi lands rather haphazardly but soon picks herself up.

"Sorry for being late." Emi gave a small growl in pain but looked up and could only smile in relief.

Maou was back, and in demon form no less.

"I don't think I can really complain right now." Emi admits before moving on instinct.

A single swipe of the blade deflected a dangerous throwing knife. Emi turned to see the glass hole in the long window behind her.

"MAOU!"

"ON IT!"

Emi looks back to see the Devil King disappear from the doorway. Acting quickly, Emi rushes to the damaged door of the apartment.

"Alciel! Stay here with Lucifer and protect Alas Ramus." Alciel returns a nod of agreement and leaves no room to complain, seeing as the situation required action.

Emi rushes outside and narrowly avoids another fanatical swing.

Deflecting the strike, she grabs the blade and swings the crossguard at the man's face. Knocking him out before unceremoniously falling down the stairs.

Loud explosions sound off behind her as Maou lands the finishing blow on the throwing knife man landing on the grass and groaning in pain.

"Maou! Emi!"

Crestia yells in panic without her hammer.

The sound of sirens began wailing every closer.

-o-

Having to explain the mess turned out to be easier than expected, especially since the attackers had guns on them.

The group sat around the living room of Limbo as Alas Ramus played with whatever toys were still present. Maou was currently defeated and laid on the couch, head up into the ceiling as the others waited on the news from Shiba.

Suzano was currently calmly drinking whatever tea Emi and Maou had on hand. Urushihara and Ashiya were playing a game of cards with the Fallen Angel somehow winning, and ignoring the accusation by the General of the East of cheating.

Emi, similar to Maou, was currently sitting on the couch in an awkward way with her legs on the couch's arm rest. A position that was nonsensically comfortable for her.

"Apologies for the wait." The others watched as Shiba entered the room. The demons were too tired to care, their nerves already friend by the earlier series of adrenaline rushes, but were on-guard at the sight of the woman.

"Sadly, the apartment will need some time to be repaired, so you will have to find alternative lodging for the next 2 weeks or so."

Nobody was really surprised by the news. Ashiya and Urushihara had already made arrangements to live with Suzano whose apartment was the least damaged of the bunch, outside of a door that was mysteriously fixed .

"Thank you Ms. Shiba."

"Oh no worries dear. It's not your fault such a tragedy occurred. I'll be sure to keep in touch when the repairs are done and you can move back in."

The Ente Islans nodded in understanding with the constantly smiling and graceful woman.

"Now, I'll be sure to take my leave. Have a wonderful day!"

The demons' spines shivered at the goodbye as the rest of them gave a bow of the head. The woman then disappears behind a wall. preceding the characteristic sounds of the doors opening and closing.

The group then looked at one another, daring each other to speak the first word.

"GUYS! WHAT-" Chiho stopped in front of the others as the door came flying off its hinges.

The silence blanked the whole group who looked surprised at the sudden burst.

The only one not to stare in shock was the child, who only screamed in joy at the surprise of the battering ram.

"Hi Chi-mi!"

A/N: Happy late New Year!

Apologies for the lateness of this chapter, I've recently gotten back into gaming and I've been more focused on writing my original story and world building so I haven't had much motivation to work on this story.

Luckily, if things go right, this story may be approaching its end. It'll be dependent on several factors; notably my motivation, but I'll try to end this story at least on a decent note.

Anyways, as always, feel free to criticize any where I need to improve. It gives me a good idea of where I need to work on as a writer.

Until then, see you guys on the next chapter.