The next day, Millie woke up early to prepare for the day. As she descended the stairs, she mentally went over the things she needed to do before she opened for the day. Having spent a good deal of time at the hotel the previous day, Millie didn't need to return so soon. During the tour of the hotel, she let Charlie know that she would come by every so often to discuss the plans for the library.
She wanted to do it once every two weeks. It would give her a chance to get a list together and come up with other ideas for the princess to look over. She figured two weeks would be enough time for her to plan and recharge her social battery after interacting with so many people. Millie liked Charlie and all, but her energetic personality could be quite draining.
' Alright, I'll need to make a list for the princess, then I have to look through my own shelves to see what needs to be re-stock and re-ordered. I know I'll have to reorder more from that one romance series. It's been selling like hotcakes! Oh, and more guides on negotiation skills. So many sinners have stopped by for that one. Which makes sense being in Hell and all.'
Millie was so deep in thought, that she didn't notice that she had a guest. Millie's steps echoed as she reached the bottom of the stairs, her footsteps faltering momentarily as her eyes came to rest on the imposing figure of the Radio Demon.
Alastor had been perusing the shelves in her shop, when he looked up and gave her his signature grin and held up a book that seemed to catch his attention.
He smiled widely as he greeted her.
"Ah, good morning, my dear! I hope you don't mind me doing a bit of browsing before you open up shop! I just couldn't miss out on some of these lovely titles!" He held up the book and gave it a little shake, his eyes glistening with glee.
Millie's mind swirled with disbelief. Alastor was here, in her shop. She couldn't help but be taken aback by the unexpected presence. She remembered that he did say something about coming by her shop to look around some time, but she didn't expect it to be so soon...and before opening hours.
Despite her annoyance and discomfort, Millie managed to plaster on a polite smile,
She tried to remain polite and composed, despite the tension she felt.
"My, my, you have quite the cozy little shop here! And what an impressive collection of books you have" He exclaims, taking a moment to examine some of the spines.
" I hope you don't mind that I let myself in! I just couldn't wait to get a look at the array of books you sell here." He smiled, the corner of his eyes creasing.
Millie wondered how he was even able to get in! Being an Overlord, she knew he had immense power, but she didn't think he would use those powers to break into her shop...until her eyes flicked to the front door, and noticed that it was unlocked. She knew she locked it last night.
The realization that Alastor had let himself in without waiting for her to open the shop unsettled her even more. But she tried to keep her composure and maintain a polite facade.
"Not at all, you're welcome to browse," Millie said, her smile forced. Normally, she'd be a stuttering, squeaking mess. But he had interrupted her morning routine and she was not happy about that.
As Alastor continued to browse through her shop, Millie couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had heard countless tales of the Radio Demon's mischievous and cruel ways. She really didn't want to end up as his next victim. She kept a mental list of the books Alastor seemed interested in, wondering what his true intentions were. If anything, she could add them to the hotel's library. Yet, she plastered a fake smile on her face and played along, keeping her guard up.
Her gaze shifted to the book Alastor held in his hand. It was a book about voodoo, its history and practices. She couldn't help but wonder why he was interested in such a topic. Did he have a genuine interest in the culture and practices related to it? Or was he simply looking for amusement? Whatever it was, she very much wanted to find out.
Even though she was scared of the Radio Demon, she was also a fan of his radio show. And like any fan, she didn't want to pass up an opportunity to learn more about him...not in a creepy way, just for business purposes.
" I-I see that you've found a book that caught your eye. I d-don't know much about it, but it seemed like an interesting subject to add to my shop," Millie approached him cautiously, ears turned slightly down and tail twitching out of nervousness.
Alastor's smile widened as he noticed Millie's curiosity...and a bit of fear. If she wasn't already so easy to read, her ears and tail would definitely give away how she felt. He had expected her to ask him about the book, and he was more than happy to answer.
"Ah, my dear, you have quite the observant eye! Well, I have always had a bit of a fascination for the esoteric and arcane, and voodoo certainly falls into that category. I find the rituals and practices associated with it to be quite intriguing, don't you think?"
"When I was alive, I learned a bit of voodoo. Though, it was only the basics, as it was difficult to delve too deeply due to certain circumstances. I, of course, managed to pick up a handful of spells here and there." Alastor continued on, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
Millie found herself somewhat fascinated by this new information. But now she knew that he knew some voodoo spells...and that was very concerning.
"That's definitely something you don't hear every day," Millie responded, her voice tinged with caution. " S-so what kind of s-spells did you learn when you were alive? T-that is, if you don't mind me asking. I g-get it if you don't w-w-want to talk about it. T-t-talking about your time a-a-alive can be a s-s-sensitive t-t-topic and..."
Her concern over offending him was cute, and it made him chuckle inwardly. As she blundered through her rambling question, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of sadistic glee at her fear. Alastor continued down the aisle, patting her between her ears as he walked past her.
Alastor's grin widened, relishing in the opportunity to boast about his knowledge of voodoo. Tugging on the lapels of his coat, he grinned with pride, "Ah, my dear, there's no need to be anxious," he continued to scan the shelves for anything else that caught his eye.
"I'm quite happy to discuss my time alive. As for spells, I dabbled in a few, such as hexes and curses. Nothing too powerful, of course… though I did learn quite a few interesting tricks." He came to the end of the aisle and glanced around.
Alastor's eyes widened in surprise and fascination as he spotted a large tome amongst the collection. It was a voodoo tome to be exact. He had heard whispers of these during his time on Earth.
Tales of their power and their ominous origins were steeped in mystery. The idea that Millie possessed such a book made him wonder just how she was able to acquire it.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Alastor muttered to himself, a grin spreading across his face. "May I take a closer look at this tome, my dear?"
During her rambling, Millie had started to fidget with her tail. It was a nervous habit that she could not seem to break. Her attention was suddenly jolted back to reality as Alastor's voice cut through her thoughts. She blinked, her gaze shifting to the tome he held.
"I-oh, of c-course," Millie replied, her stutter evident as her nervousness returned. "You can take a closer look if you'd like. Just be careful, please."
"Oh, don't you worry, my dear!" Alastor said, his voice dripping with enthusiasm as he began turning the pages. "I shall treat it with the utmost care and respect."
As he continued to thumb through the tome, he realized that a good bit of it was in creole mixed with english. His creole was a little rusty...this could be a problem.
" Well, little mouse, it seems that I've found quite a few gems at your establishment. I must say, I wasn't really expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised!" Alastor walked past Millie again and this time he tweaked her cute little nose.
" There is one more thing that I'd like to purchase. I'll have a Creole to English translation book if you have it." hand waved his hand in the air, gesturing to her shop. " Which I'm sure you have."
She couldn't believe what had just happened. Alastor had touched her nose, leaving a tingly sensation in its wake. Her blush deepened, spreading to the tips of her ears, and her heart raced.
' Did Alastor tweak my nose?! What is happening first a head pat and now this!?'
She felt both mortified and strangely flattered by the gesture, unsure of how to react. Could one truly die of embarrassment in the afterlife? It certainly felt like a possibility at that moment.
Alastor, on the other hand, was having an enjoyable time. He grinned, his gaze fixated on her. He could practically feel her brain short-circuit, and it was a sight he thoroughly enjoyed.
As he closed the distance between them, he reached out a hand, gently stroking one of her twitching ears with the tips of his fingers.
Millie's ears flattened against her head, the touch sending a jolt of electricity through her. The combination of the tickling sensation on her ear and the proximity of Alastor's presence was almost too much to bear. Her tail twitched nervously as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Alastor's grin widened even further as Millie's ear flattened against her head, clearly overwhelmed by his touch. He found amusement in her reaction and decided to continue his teasing. He moved his hand from her ear to gently tuck a strand of her hair behind her other ear.
"Ah, my dear, it seems like you were lost in thought," Alastor said, his voice dripping with teasing undertones. "I was having a hard time getting your attention."
Millie blinked a few times, trying to keep her heart rate under control while simultaneously trying to form a coherent word. Her cheeks deepened in color and she averted her gaze from his as she mentally told herself to not be such a wimp.
She had to remember, he was the RADIO Demon. It was in his nature to act this way, it wasn't just her. As he continued to speak, he mentioned how he was having a hard time getting her attention.
"I'm so-so sorry about that! I guess I got a bit distracted. I-is there something I can help you with?"
Alastor chuckled softly as he noticed Millie's flustered demeanor, her cheeks flushed and her voice quivering as she spoke. Her nervousness only served to fuel his amusement. He told her again what he required and watched as she scurried off to find what he needed.
He waited at the counter, drumming his fingers lightly on the surface. He had to admit, he enjoyed their little interactions.
Millie came back and placed the book on the counter. She reached behind the counter for a bag. Her hands trembled slightly as she struggled to bag his items.
"Thank you, my dear," he said, placing the payment on the counter. "I must say, it was a pleasure doing business with you. Your collection is truly breathtaking."
Alastor took the bag with his items and headed for the door." I'll definitely have to visit your shop again! Your service has been quite... memorable."
And with that he was gone.
She let out a relieved sigh as she watched Alastor walk out the door. Millie pressed her back against the counter and slid down to the floor as her legs gave out. She took a deep breath, trying to collect herself and calm her racing heart.
She knew she'd have to see him, since he worked at the hotel. Maybe the next time she saw him, she'd be able to keep her composure... or maybe not.
Millie let her head fall into her hands. She was sooo tired and just wanted to curl up under her favorite blanket and take a nap.
She lifted her head at the sound of the front door opening. Her heart sank as she realized that yet another customer had entered the bookstore.
She mentally prepared herself to deal with another interaction, but her exhaustion and lingering embarrassment from Alastor's visit made her want to groan in despair.
Um, is this place open?"
"Yes, yes, we're open," she called out, getting up off the floor. She forced a polite smile onto her face.
"How can I help you today?"