After leaving the coffee shop, Lea and Diavolo still had a moment to spare before meeting with the others, so they decided to take a walk around the area. The weather was pleasant, the air crisp and clear, a gentle breeze tousling their hair.
"So, what do you think about the human world so far?" Lea cast a glance at the tall demon prince walking beside her.
"Well, it's nothing like the Devildom, of course." Diavolo smiled. "And that's what makes it so intriguing. It's a new place, a new experience. A completely different realm with a whole new set of rules, customs, and culture. But you know what? That's what I love about it. It's so interesting, and refreshing. So different from the life I've lived until now. There's a freedom and openness to it. And, to be honest, I'm loving every moment of it."
"I'm glad you're having a good time." Lea smiled. "Hey, that's one place I definitely have to show you..!" She grabbed Diavolo's arm in excitement, pointing at the tall glasshouses at the other side of the park. "The botanic garden is the best place in the entire city! Come on, let's go!"
"Well, if you insist." The demon prince smiled, allowing Lea to drag him along.
When they reached the glasshouses, Diavolo was taken aback by the beautiful and lush scenery. The plants and trees grew in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and the sweet aroma of flowers hung in the air.
"It's beautiful..." The demon prince gasped. "I haven't seen a sight like this in the Devildom."
"Right? The gardens are one of the best places to spend your time in. The atmosphere is just so calming and relaxing." Lea smiled, enjoying the look on Diavolo's face.
They spent a good while exploring the lush landscape, Lea occasionally telling the demon prince about the different types of plants and flowers. The butterfly house seemed to be his favorite place, Diavolo's eyes lighting up as he observed the colorful butterflies flying around.
"Lea, would you mind if we took a picture together?" The demon prince asked after a short moment of admiring the colorful creatures.
"Uhm, not at all." Lea gave him an uncertain look, but agreed nevertheless.
Diavolo smiled and brought up his D.D.D., extending his arm as he prepared to take the picture. Lea's eyes widened slightly when the demon prince leaned down to take a picture with her. He was so close, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, and his scent filled her senses. It was a unique scent, a rich, woodsy and spicy fragrance with a hint of sweetness, and it suited him perfectly. Lea could've sworn her heart was going to jump out of her chest at any moment, but she managed to keep up a straight face for the picture nevertheless.
"Say, Diavolo, why did you take a picture with me?" She asked when the demon prince finally pulled back.
"Huh? Why wouldn't I?" Diavolo raised his gaze from his phone and looked at her, a hint of confusion and amusement in his eyes. "Aren't friends supposed to take pictures together? You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh, uhm, no." Lea shook her head.
"Besides, I wanted to have a memento of our time here." The demon prince smiled. "I've never been to a place like this before, and I've enjoyed spending time with you."
Lea felt her cheeks flush, the demon prince's words leaving her momentarily speechless.
"Thank you, Lea." Diavolo flashed her a warm smile.
"What... for?" She looked up at him.
"For everything. For taking the time to show me around and share your world with me." The demon prince replied.
"You're welcome." Lea murmured, feeling a wave of warmth washing over her.
Once they left the botanic garden, Diavolo noticed a small crowd gathering in the outdoor garden.
"What's going on over there?" Diavolo nodded at the crowd.
"Ah~!" Lea's face lit up once she recognized what the buzz was about. "During the summer season they have a petting zoo set up in the outdoor area."
"Petting… zoo..?" Diavolo gave her a confused look.
"Yeah, they have all kinds of animals there and people can go spend time with them. I think there's no entrance fee-"
"Can we go?!" Diavolo exclaimed excitedly.
"Uh… Yes?" Lea nodded, and the demon prince quickly grabbed her by the hand, leading her towards the crowd.
As the pair drew closer to the area, the sound of excited children could be heard as well. They took a moment to take in the scene, observing the people who were sitting on the grass with their pets and the children who were petting the animals. Diavolo had a huge grin on his face as he scanned the area, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Lea couldn't help but chuckle at the demon prince's reaction— She could only imagine how strange and new this was for him, and he clearly was enjoying himself. Diavolo seemed to be so distracted by everything around him, that he didn't even realize that he was still holding Lea's hand. Lea, however, did realize this, and her heartbeat quickened— She could feel her face turning pink, her pulse racing, and she tried her hardest to focus on her surroundings instead of her erratic heartbeat. His hand was big and warm, and so comforting, and she could've sworn that time slowed down as he held her hand.
"S-so, where would you like to go first?" Lea asked, trying her best to stay focused. "There's a pen of kittens over there, if you want to check it out." She suggested.
"Yes! Let's go, Lea." Still holding her hand, Diavolo pulled her along, a gleeful expression on his face. When they arrived at the kennel, he finally let go of her hand. Diavolo was quick to take a seat and scoop a cat into his lap. The kitten was small and gray, its fur soft and fluffy. Diavolo's eyes were fixed on the tiny creature as he carefully stroked its back.
"Oh my... It's so cute..." Diavolo smiled, his eyes soft and gentle.
Lea watched him with a smile, her heart filling with warmth at the sight of the demon prince playing with the kitten. She couldn't believe that she was actually seeing him like this, sitting in the grass, surrounded by fluffy animals. It was such an unexpected, and yet somehow fitting scene, and it made her heart swell with happiness.
"You really seem to like animals a lot— I bet you had lots of pets when growing up." Lea smiled, her eyes wandering to the playful kittens frolicking in the corner of the pen.
"No, I didn't… Unfortunately." Diavolo's response was imbued with a profound mixture of fondness and sorrow. With tender care, he lifted another kitten onto his lap. His smile, though warm, carried a hint of bittersweetness as he delved into the memories of his youth. "I wanted a pet, of course. I lived a very sheltered life; As a child I didn't have any friends, so having an animal companion would've eased my loneliness… But my father didn't see it that way." The look in his eyes darkened for a fleeting moment, but soon that familiar warm smile returned onto his face. "I've always been a bit… sensitive, I guess?" He confessed, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.. "The future demon king should be strong and determined… Not some softie coddling a puppy."
Lea looked at the demon prince, her eyes wide in astonishment. "Wait, your father told you that?" She couldn't help the slight shock that had crept into her voice.
"Yes. He didn't want me to become too attached to anything." Diavolo replied, looking down at the small, fluffy creatures nestling in his lap.
"I see..." Lea bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "That's pretty… harsh."
In her mind, Lea had assumed that as a prince of Devildom Diavolo had nothing but a lavish childhood, living in opulent luxury and being pampered by servants. Yet, the revelation of his solitary childhood painted a starkly different picture; If only having a pet would've been considered as a ludicrous idea which would doom the future ruler to become an incompetent wuss, she could only imagine how much harder his upbringing must have been.
Diavolo merely smiled, giving a shrug. "It's okay, I don't mind anymore." He said, the expression on his face softening as he looked at the kittens. "But I guess that's why I like being around animals so much. They're so gentle and loving. No matter what happens, they'll always be there, by your side."
Lea gazed at the demon prince, her heart breaking a little as she listened to his story. She had no idea how lonely his childhood must have been, and seeing him like this, the way he spoke about the animals and their companionship, it touched her. Trying to cheer him up, she picked a cat and placed it in his lap.
"See, this one here has a lot of love to give." Lea smiled. "Why don't you pet him? I'm sure he'd love it."
"Oh, alright." Diavolo chuckled.
For a few minutes, the two of them sat in silence, stroking the cats and listening to their content purring. Lea couldn't help but to giggle at the sight of the kittens crawling all over the demon prince, one of the small and fluffy creatures perched on his shoulder.
"This one's a real charmer, isn't he?" Lea laughed, watching as the small kitten nuzzled against Diavolo's neck. "Alright, now it's me who wants to take a picture of you..!" She giggled, pulling out her phone and snapping a quick photo. "You look so adorable."
"Oh, stop." Diavolo blushed. "But yes, I have to admit, I am enjoying myself. And you look like you're having fun too." He added.
"You're right. This is fun." Lea smiled, gently scratching the little kitten's chin.
"Lea, thank you." Diavolo said softly, his golden eyes locking with hers. "I've had a wonderful time with you today."
"You're welcome." She responded. "I'm glad that you've enjoyed it." Despite the smile on her face, Lea felt a pang of sadness tugging at her heartstrings; Even though she was happy that Diavolo had a good time, it was clear to her that this was a glimpse into a life he was never allowed to live. The life of a normal young man, who gets to enjoy the freedom and the beauty of the world around him, instead of being cooped up in a castle, with strict and unwavering expectations thrust upon him.
Lea couldn't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for him, and her heart ached for him. Despite all that, however, Diavolo still carried himself with such a bright and warm demeanor, always keeping an optimistic outlook. She barely knew him yet, but Lea had come to admire him greatly, not only because of his kind and caring nature, but also his resilience and determination.
"Hey, Diavolo..." Lea looked up, meeting the demon prince's gaze. "You could come to visit me sometime, if you want. When I return home."
"Really?" The demon prince's eyes widened, a warm and grateful smile spreading across his lips.
"Yes, I mean, if you're not busy or anything, and if you would like to come visit, of course." Lea gave him a sheepish smile. "There's a lot of fun things to do, and-"
"I'd love to." Diavolo beamed. "I'd really, really love to. Thank you, Lea. I can't tell you how much this means to me."
"Well then, it's settled." She smiled back.
It felt like it was too soon when the time came for them to head back to the meeting spot. Lea and Diavolo reluctantly left the petting zoo, heading towards the rendezvous point where the rest of the group were waiting.
"You're late." Satan narrowed his eyes, eyeing the two of them suspiciously.
"Sorry, we got a bit carried away." Diavolo gave the group an apologetic look. "Lea was kind enough to show me around, and, well, you know how these things go."
"Yeah, sure." The Avatar of Wrath muttered, casting a glance at Lea.
"So, were you able to find out anything about the curse?" Lea asked, hoping to steer the conversation into a safer territory.
"Well… we…" Solomon seemed like he was about to say something, but fell silent before he could put his thoughts to words. The reason for this was no doubt a meaningful look Lucifer shot at him, as if to tell him not to speak out off-handedly.
"There were indeed some clues in the ritual site, but we must do more research before we'll be able to come up with a solid theory." Lucifer explained.
"Hm… I see." Lea sighed, but her disappointment was quickly forgotten when she glanced at Diavolo. "Oh, dang it..!" She grumbled, scanning him from head to toe. "Your suit is full of cat hair, I didn't realize... I'm sorry, we should've paid more attention..."
"Eh, is it?" The demon prince gave her a sheepish smile. "Well, no worries. I can have it cleaned." Diavolo grinned, reaching for his coat and dusting off the hair.
"F-f-full of what hair?!"
"Is Satan okay..?" Lea whispered to Lucifer. "He looks like he's about to have a seizure or something."