As Charlie and Yuta descended the stairs, they found Lilith waiting at the bottom, her face a mask of regret and concern. The weight of her earlier words hung in the air, and she seemed almost reluctant to meet Charlie's gaze. "C-Charlie, I… I'm sorry for what I said—" she began, her voice trembling slightly, but Charlie raised a hand, gently cutting her off.
"Mom, it's okay" Charlie replied, her tone steady, but there was an underlying resolve that hadn't been there before. "You once dreamed of a different life with Dad… I want to dream too. I want to believe in something, just like you did. And that's why I'm going to do this. I'm going to give everything I have to rehabilitate sinners… and I know I can, especially with him by my side" She gestured to Yuta, who offered a shy wave, his usual quiet demeanor intact.
Lilith's eyes flickered with something between recognition and sorrow. She saw more than just her daughter's determination—she saw a reflection of a time when Lucifer himself had stood before God, full of conviction and hope, only to be cast down. That memory weighed heavily on her, but as she looked at Charlie, there was also a swell of pride. Perhaps… just perhaps, this could end differently.
Lilith nodded silently, her mind racing with thoughts of what could go wrong. But she couldn't bring herself to crush her daughter's dream, not when it was so clearly the thing giving her life meaning.
Charlie, noticing her mother's internal struggle, spoke with a newfound seriousness that even surprised Yuta. "But first things first. I understand that Yuta is… special, and I promise we won't do anything reckless. We'll be careful, and we'll figure this out."
"Alright, Charlie… that's… fine," Lilith replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't shake the fear that history might repeat itself, that Charlie's dreams might backfire in the worst possible way.
Charlie, sensing the tension, tried to shift the focus. "You didn't just come here to scold us, did you? There's something else you need to tell us, right?" she asked, pulling Yuta closer to her, almost protectively.
Lilith sighed deeply, her expression growing more serious as she nodded. "Yuta… your presence here in Hell is… an anomaly. I've been trying to piece together what happened on that day in Shinjuku, the place you died… but something strange occurred starting in early November. Something interfered with the natural course of life. Every soul lost during that time, up until the day of your death… it's as if they were… reformed, replaced somehow. It's confusing and unsettling."
Yuta's brow furrowed in concern, the gravity of Lilith's words sinking in. "What do you mean… reformed?"
Lilith shook her head, frustration evident in her voice. "I can't trace your soul as easily as I thought. It's as if there's a deeper, darker mystery at play. So many lives were lost during that time, and now, knowing that you were a Cursed Sorcerer, it all feels like a horrible coincidence. Something catastrophic happened while you were alive, Yuta… something that cost thousands of lives."
She paused, her stress palpable as she tried to keep her thoughts in order. "This isn't just about memory loss from your fall into Hell. This is something much bigger. I have to warn you again—do not unleash your powers. Whatever happened, it's serious trouble, and it's something that even Heaven hasn't fully even disclosed to us-"
Lilith's voice trailed off as her mind seemed to catch on something, her expression growing distant and troubled. "Mom? Hey, Mom?" Charlie called softly, stepping closer and gently poking her arm.
Lilith blinked, snapping back to the present. "R-right, sorry… Charlie, just… don't leave Yuta alone, alright?" Her tone was firm, her concern for both of them evident in her eyes.
Charlie nodded slowly, sensing the shift in her mother's demeanor. "Okay… I won't."
Lilith glanced at Yuta one last time before turning away, her mind clearly still racing. "I… I have to go. I need to figure this out quickly," she said, her voice tinged with urgency as she opened a portal.
Without another word, she stepped through, the portal closing behind her before she even had a chance to say and Yuta stood in a tense silence, the weight of Lilith's words pressing down on them like a heavy shroud. The atmosphere between them felt fragile, as if one wrong move could shatter everything. Charlie's brow furrowed as she processed what her mother had said. "She seemed… really stressed about something. And… a lot of people died at that time? But… there haven't been that many new sinners recently" she murmured, more to herself than to Yuta.
Yuta, however, was no longer listening. His eyes had lost their focus, a dark cloud descending over his thoughts. He took a step back, his mind racing as Lilith's words echoed in his head. Thousands of lives lost… something catastrophic… A cold dread began to seep into his bones as he considered the horrifying possibility that he had somehow been responsible—or worse, that he had directly caused it. His breaths grew shallow, his heart pounding as if it wanted to escape the prison of his chest. The whispers started then, soft at first, barely audible, but quickly growing louder—screams, cries of suffering, voices filled with agony. He shook his head, trying to push them away, but they only grew more insistent, more accusing.
Tears began to well up in his eyes, his vision blurring as the voices threatened to overwhelm him. Just as he was on the verge of breaking, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Yuta?" Charlie's voice cut through the storm in his mind, pulling him back to the present. He looked up at her, his breath hitching as he tried to regain control. Her eyes were filled with concern, her expression soft and caring, a stark contrast to the chaos inside his head. "A-are you okay?"
Charlie watched him carefully, her heart aching at the sight of his distress. She could see the fear in his eyes, the uncertainty, the self-doubt. Without hesitation, she stepped closer, her voice steady and soothing. "Yuta, listen to me," she began, her tone gentle but firm. "Don't believe for a second that you caused that… please, don't think that. Look at me." She reached out, lifting his chin so that their eyes met. "I know for sure that you weren't the one who caused such a thing. And even if… even if somehow you were connected to it, don't let that thought eat you. We don't know the full story yet. Let's just focus on the present, okay?"
Yuta stared at her, her words slowly sinking in. The voices in his head began to quiet, though they didn't disappear entirely. He wanted to believe her, to take comfort in her certainty, but the fear lingered, gnawing at the edges of his mind. Still, he trusted Charlie—more than anyone else in this strange, chaotic world. Slowly, he nodded, though his movements were stiff, as if he were still wrestling with his own thoughts.
Seeing his hesitation, Charlie didn't hesitate to pull him into a tight embrace. "You're not alone, Yuta. Whatever happened, I'll be there with you" she whispered, her arms wrapped securely around him. Yuta clung to her, trembling slightly as he buried his face in her shoulder. The fear was still there, lurking in the shadows, but Charlie's presence was like a warm light, holding the darkness at bay.
For now, as Charlie had said, he didn't need to think about it. He didn't need to confront the terror of what might be true. He could just be here, with her, in this fleeting moment of peace. And for that, he was profoundly grateful. But then, everything faded into a suffocating blackness.
"Please… no more… mercy… please." A woman's voice trembled, thick with fear and pain. She was naked in a pitch-dark room, her body trembling as she tried to back away, but there was no escape.
"Oh, poor thing… don't worry… this is all for our evolution." The man's voice was calm, eerily soothing, as if he were discussing something mundane. He stepped closer, his grip tightening painfully around her arms. "You've been blessed with such a unique ability. Tell me, don't you have any curiosity? Don't you want to know what happens when a spirit and a human hybrid is fully realized? The potential it could reach… doesn't it excite you?" His eyes gleamed with a twisted hunger.
"You're no human…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, paralyzed with terror.
"Oh… but what makes a human… human? I'm simply driven by curiosity about the heights we can reach. So just… relax…" His grip became more forceful, the air around them thick with impending horror.
"And let's keep going…"
Yuta awoke with a sharp gasp, his chest heaving as he tried to recompose himself. He was in his room… but his mind was reeling. He stared at his trembling hands, as if they held the answers to the nightmare he'd just endured. But that vision—no, that memory—felt different from the one of Rika on his first day in Hell. This wasn't just a memory, was it? The vividness, the terror... it felt foreign, yet disturbingly intimate. Was it his? Or was it something else entirely? Denial surged within him, but so did a haunting empathy for that poor woman...
"Yuta… Yutaaa…" Rika's voice floated down to him from above, her presence a ghostly comfort. She hovered near him, her concern palpable. "Are you… okaaaay?"
"Y-yeah… I just… bad dream, I guess…" Yuta responded, his voice shaky as he rubbed the back of his head, trying to dispel the lingering dread. "H-how long was I out?"
Rika hummed thoughtfully, her large hand touching her chin. "Some time…"
"That's… helpful, thank you, Rika" Yuta said with a forced smile, though the absurdity of her answer tugged a genuine chuckle from him. Rika, oblivious to his discomfort, wagged her dark tail in delight.
Yuta sighed and looked at the clock on his nightstand. 6:04 PM. "Two hours, huh…" he murmured to himself. His thoughts drifted back to the vision—dream, memory, whatever it was. It didn't sit right with him, like a piece of a puzzle that didn't quite fit, yet demanded attention.
"Were you… watching me the whole time I was out?" Yuta asked, glancing at Rika, who nodded eagerly.
"Of course! I was worried… you passed out so quickly. And Charlie asked me to watch over you—which offends me! I'm always watching over you!" Rika pouted slightly, though her irritation wasn't serious.
"Wait… you actually listened to her?" Yuta asked, a bit surprised.
"Yes! She's your friend, so she's my friend too!" Rika declared proudly. Yuta couldn't help but smile more warmly at her response.
"A friend… yeah, she is… she's pretty amazing, don't you think?" Yuta mused, his voice softening as he spoke.
"She's too happy for me… but Yuta cares for her, so I care for her now." Rika wrapped her arms around Yuta in a gentle embrace, her massive form surprisingly tender. Yuta chuckled, patting her head, and Rika purred like a contented cat.
"I'm glad…" Yuta whispered, feeling a sense of comfort in Rika's affection. But that comfort was fleeting; his mind couldn't shake the darkness of that vision. "We should go… see what Charlie's up to" he said, slipping on his shoes before heading to the door. Rika followed behind him, vanishing as he stepped into the hallway.
As Yuta walked through the hotel, he couldn't help but notice how chaotic everything seemed. It was no surprise—Charlie hadn't done much to the place since her father had handed it over to her. There was so much work to be done if this hotel was ever to become a sanctuary for those in need.
He descended the stairs to the main lobby, finding Charlie surrounded by a mess of papers and boards. She was deeply engrossed in her work, but when she heard his footsteps, she turned quickly, her face lighting up with concern.
"Y-Yuta! How are you feeling? You passed out so quickly…" Charlie's voice was filled with worry as she rushed to him, checking his forehead for any sign of fever.
"I-I'm fine, Charlie… I guess I was just really surprised by what your mom told us…" Yuta replied, trying to muster a reassuring smile, but his voice betrayed him. The worry in Charlie's eyes told him she didn't buy his act.
"I saw that look on your face… you… you don't really think you had anything to do with those deaths, right?" Her voice was soft, almost pleading. Yuta's smile faded, the weight of her words sinking in.
He began to spiral into his thoughts again. Could he have been responsible? He was a Cursed Sorcerer before… and so many had died. The idea gnawed at him, relentless and unforgiving. He was lost in that dark contemplation when Charlie suddenly thrust a piece of paper into his face, snapping him back to the present.
Yuta grabbed and stared at the paper, covered in colorful drawings—rainbows, a depiction of him and Charlie standing in front of the hotel, and the words "Morningstar Hotel… Your Path to Redemption" scrawled at the top. He looked up at Charlie, who was practically bouncing on her toes, her face a mix of excitement and anxiety.
"S-so… what do you think? We should have some kind of advertisement for the hotel, right? So I took the liberty to… make some drafts. I… really want to know what you think." Her voice was bright, hopeful.
Yuta looked back at the drawing, his heart swelling with an unexpected warmth. It was such a simple gesture, but it meant so much more to him. Charlie had seen his struggle and wanted to lift him out of it, even if just for a moment. He held the paper to his chest, his smile soft and genuine, a stark contrast to the turmoil he felt moments ago.
"I love it, Charlie…" Yuta said, his voice filled with sincere gratitude. Charlie's eyes widened, tears gathering at the corners as she saw how much her simple act had touched him. "Although… can I… keep this one?" He held the paper close, as if it were a lifeline.
Charlie nodded, her own emotions threatening to overflow. "Yes… of course…"
Yuta smiled back, feeling that, for just a moment, the darkness was kept at bay.
Yuta's eyes wandered over the scattered papers and boards behind Charlie, each one covered with her passionate ideas and sketches. He couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I see you've been busy… You've done a lot," he remarked, his tone light but filled with admiration.
Charlie beamed at his words, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Yeah! I've been thinking of all sorts of different ways to approach sinners," she said, her excitement bubbling over as she eagerly picked up more papers and cards to show him. Yuta watched her with a warm smile, his heart swelling with affection for her unyielding optimism.
"I even drew some with rainbows and cute animals!" Charlie continued, her voice lifting as she spoke, the joy radiating from her in every small gesture. She bounced slightly on the balls of her feet, her excitement almost childlike. Yuta nodded along, his smile broadening as he took in her energy.
"Oh, and also—" She started again, ready to dive into another idea, but Yuta found himself not just listening to her words, but to the music of her voice, the way it lilted and flowed with passion. There was something mesmerizing about the way she spoke, how every thought seemed to burst from her with such life.
He was captivated, not just by what she was saying, but by her—her spirit, her determination, her relentless pursuit of something so noble in a place so dark. Each word, each idea she shared was a glimpse into her soul, and Yuta couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration and warmth. In a world that had stripped so much away from him, Charlie was a beacon of light, a reminder that there was still beauty and hope, even in Hell.
As she continued to speak, her hands waving animatedly, Yuta's focus shifted inward. He thought about how her presence had changed his experience in this place. What could have been endless despair was softened by her light, her belief in something better.
But more than anything, Yuta felt an overwhelming gratitude for her. She had reached out to him, included him in her dream, given him a place beside her in this quest for redemption. And as he listened to her now, not just hearing but truly absorbing every word, he knew that this was where he was meant to be. Right here, with Charlie, sharing in this dream that was somehow becoming his as well.
Charlie's voice trailed off, and she looked at him expectantly, a hopeful smile on her face. "What do you think? Does it sound good?"
Yuta blinked, coming back to the present, and nodded more earnestly. "It sounds perfect, Charlie. I think… I think you're on to something really special here."
Charlie's smile grew even brighter, if that was possible, and she gave a little cheer, her joy infectious. Yuta found himself laughing softly, feeling lighter than he had in these two days.
In that moment, Yuta realized that it wasn't just her ideas that were special—it was Charlie herself. She was the one who made everything seem possible, even in a place as unforgiving as Hell.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted the quiet, causing Charlie to tense up, her usually bright demeanor dimming slightly. Yuta noticed the change, his own sense of unease rising.
"Um… should I go open it?" Yuta asked, his voice barely above a whisper, sensing something off.
Charlie shook her head, her eyes fixed on the door with a mix of weariness and uncertainty. "No… I'll go. It's just… almost no one ever comes to visit. Actually, no one does." Her words were tinged with an unfamiliar heaviness as she slowly approached the door. There was something behind it—a presence that felt... wrong.
With a hesitant breath, Charlie grasped the doorknob, her heart pounding in her chest. She pulled the door open just enough to peek outside, and immediately, her eyes widened in shock. Without thinking, she slammed the door shut, her mind racing to make sense of what she had seen. She reopened it, hoping her eyes had deceived her, but the sight remained the same. She quickly shut it again, turning to face Yuta, who was watching her with growing concern.
"Um… who… is that?" Yuta asked, his confusion evident as he tried to piece together Charlie's reaction.
Charlie forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Remember the arms dealer I told you about? The Overlord?"
"Yeah…" Yuta replied cautiously.
"Well… she's standing behind that door," Charlie said, pointing to it as if it held back a tidal wave.
"Huh?" Yuta blinked twice, struggling to process the situation.
Before either of them could speak further, a calm yet imposing female voice drifted through the door. "I come with no harm… I only wish to talk."
Charlie stiffened at the sound, her heart skipping a beat. She glanced at Yuta, who was now on high alert. Just as she reached for the doorknob again, Yuta's hand shot out, gripping her arm firmly.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt and protective instinct.
Charlie hesitated, her mind swirling with uncertainty. "I don't know… but the only thing we can do is trust…" Her voice was soft, almost as if she was trying to convince herself as much as Yuta. With a deep breath, she turned the knob and slowly opened the door once more, revealing the towering figure of Carmilla Carmine, her presence filling the space with an overwhelming sense of power and dread.
Carmilla loomed over Charlie and Yuta, her gaze sharp and imposing, yet strangely calm, devoid of any immediate threat. The air around her seemed to pulse with power, a reminder of her status as one of Hell's most formidable Overlords. Yuta, initially tense, found himself unexpectedly calming under her gaze, curiosity replacing his fear.
"May I come in?" Carmilla asked, her voice smooth and composed, as if she were discussing the weather.
Charlie, still unsettled, merely nodded and stepped aside, allowing the tall demoness to enter. The door clicked shut behind her, echoing through the small space. Carmilla's eyes swept the room, taking in the disarray with a brief flicker of disdain before settling on Yuta.
"Yuta Okkotsu?" she inquired, her tone polite but carrying an undertone of authority as she approached him.
Yuta nodded cautiously, unsure of what to expect. Carmilla circled him slowly, her presence almost suffocating in its intensity, as she hummed to herself in thought.
"First things first… a thank you is in order," she began, her words causing Yuta to blink in confusion.
"You saved my daughters from certain death… I thank you for that" Carmilla continued, her voice holding an unexpected sincerity that took both Yuta and Charlie by surprise.
"Um… you're welcome?" Yuta responded, unsure of how to react to such gratitude from someone so intimidating.
"Clara and Odette are my dear daughters. They are everything I have in this forsaken place… my only family," Carmilla explained, her voice softening as she spoke of her children. "So imagine my surprise when I learned that some random sinner had saved them from a foe not to be taken lightly… and even won."
She stopped directly behind Yuta, her gaze now a burning force at his back. "But… although you saved my daughters…" Her voice dropped to a dangerous whisper as her hand suddenly shot out, grabbing Yuta by the throat and slamming him against the wall with a force that made the room tremble. Charlie gasped, her body instinctively moving to intervene, but Yuta raised a hand, signaling her to stop.
"You've put us in a very precarious position," Carmilla continued, her grip unyielding. "Thanks to you, the other Overlords are now circling like vultures, looking for any excuse to strike, to seize more power… more territory. You've made my family more vulnerable than ever before."
Her grip tightened for a moment, and Yuta felt the room close in around him. "I should kill you right here and now, end this problem before it grows any further… but my daughters…"
Carmilla's grip suddenly loosened, and she released Yuta, who gasped for breath as he crumpled slightly against the wall. She stepped back, her expression unreadable.
"They wanted you to be safe," she admitted, her voice now devoid of its earlier menace. "They asked me to protect you, to help you out of this mess you've created."
Yuta, still catching his breath, looked up at her with a mix of confusion and relief. The terrifying woman before him had shown him mercy, not out of fear or obligation, but because of the love she had for her daughters.
Carmilla released her grip on Yuta, her hand slowly sliding away from his throat as she stepped back, her imposing figure casting a long shadow across the room. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, never left Yuta's face as she considered her next move. The air between them was tense, thick with unspoken implications.
"Yuta" Carmilla began, her voice a low, controlled murmur, "I need your help to calm the storm you've unwittingly set off." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "The other Overlords are on edge, and they believe I've made a move for power because of what happened. They need to see that you're not involved in our power plays, that you're just… an external factor."
Yuta, still rubbing his throat, winced as he tried to process her request. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion and unease. "An external factor?" he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Carmilla nodded, her expression softening slightly as she attempted to ease his bewilderment. "Yes. I want you to attend the next Overlord reunion with me. Your presence will help me convince the others that I had nothing to do with the massacre, that you're not my pawn. If they believe that, we can avoid a war that will only lead to more chaos and bloodshed."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with the gravity of the situation. Yuta's confusion only deepened "A War?" He says as his brow furrows as he struggled to understand the complex dynamics at play. Sensing his hesitation, Carmilla sighed and began to pace, her movements graceful yet deliberate, like a predator circling its prey.
"You see, Hell's hierarchy is always in flux," she continued, her voice laced with a quiet urgency. "Sinners are rising in power faster than ever before, and that's putting the Overlords on high alert. Everyone's watching their back, waiting for someone to make a move that could tip the balance. The massacre you caused—it's put me under a spotlight. They think I'm the one making that move."
Her gaze drifted to the window, her eyes narrowing as if she could see the other Overlords lurking just beyond the horizon, waiting for the slightest misstep. "In times like these, any sign of aggression, any show of strength, can be seen as a declaration of war. If they believe I've already made a move, they'll strike first. We're on the brink of an all-out conflict that no one truly wants, but everyone is prepared for. We're walking on thin ice, and your actions have just cracked it. Because you messed with an important pawn of a dangerous Overlord"
Yuta felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him, the sheer enormity of it almost suffocating. His heart raced, the stress of it all reflected in the tense lines of his posture. He glanced at Charlie, who had been standing off to the side, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. Her eyes met his, wide with worry, and he could see the silent plea within them.
With a heavy sigh, Yuta nodded. "Alright… I'll go with you."
Carmilla exhaled softly, a flicker of relief crossing her usually stoic features. "Good. I'm glad you're not as idiotic as most sinners who end up here." Her tone was almost approving, though still tinged with the cold detachment of a strategist making a calculated move.
As they prepared to leave, Carmilla's gaze shifted sharply to Charlie, who had been silently observing the entire exchange. The Overlord's eyes were piercing, and Charlie instinctively tensed under the scrutiny. "Charlotte" Carmilla's voice was stern, carrying the weight of authority, "you need to do better at protecting him. You can't just stand by and let him solve all your problems. If you care about him, then start acting like it."
Charlie flinched slightly, her heart skipping a beat as Carmilla's words struck a chord deep within her. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat, tangled in the web of her own insecurities. Carmilla didn't wait for a reply; her attention had already shifted back to Yuta, as if Charlie's response—or lack thereof—was of no consequence to her.
The Overlord motioned for Yuta to follow, and he did so without hesitation, his steps heavy with the weight of his reluctant acceptance. As they walked out, the door closing softly behind them, Charlie remained frozen in place, Carmilla's words echoing in her mind like a haunting refrain.
She watched Yuta's retreating figure, her chest tightening with a mix of guilt and fear. Every memory of him stepping in to save her, to shield her from danger, replayed in her mind with painful clarity. It should have been her protecting him, standing by his side as an equal, but instead, she had let him bear the burden alone.
The fear she had been trying so hard to suppress now bubbled to the surface, threatening to overwhelm her. What if one day, Yuta couldn't handle the danger? What if he was overwhelmed, and she was too late to save him? The thought twisted like a knife in her heart, her worst nightmare brought to the forefront of her mind.
Her thoughts spiraled into a dark abyss of doubt and self-loathing, the weight of her perceived failures pressing down on her like a suffocating shroud. But before she could sink any deeper into that despair, Yuta's voice cut through the haze, calling her name with gentle concern.
"Charlie?"
She blinked, snapping back to reality, her eyes refocusing on the present. Yuta was waiting for her, his expression soft and understanding, as if he could sense the turmoil she was going through. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog of her thoughts, and hurried after him, pushing the gnawing anxiety aside for now. But the fear lingered, a shadow that would not easily be dispelled.
As they walked away, Charlie silently vowed to herself that she would find a way to protect Yuta, to stand by his side as an equal—not as someone who needed saving, but as someone who could save him in return.
All three sat inside the dimly lit van, the hum of the engine a low, constant backdrop to the tension that hung in the air. Yuta stared out the window, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Two days. Just two days in Hell, and he was already entangled in a mess that could bring the wrath of Hell's most powerful beings down upon him. Lilith had warned him—no, she had explicitly instructed him—not to draw attention, not to use his powers recklessly. And yet, here he was, with every Overlord's eyes on him, thanks to the chaos he'd inadvertently stirred.
The weight of it all pressed down on him, his shoulders heavy with the burden of his actions. The Overlords—Hell's top sinners, the ruling class—now saw him as a potential threat, an anomaly that had upset the delicate balance of power. Yuta's thoughts flickered back to his fight with Bale, the words that had been spat at him still echoing in his mind. It wasn't normal, Bale had said, to see someone with such raw power arrive in Hell.
Yuta clenched his fists, his mind racing with questions. How strong had he been when he was alive? What did it mean to be a cursed sorcerer? The title felt like a shadowy enigma, a part of himself he didn't fully understand. What was a cursed sorcerer really supposed to do? He needed answers—answers Lilith might hold. The next time she visited, he would ask her. He had to.
His gaze shifted to Charlie, sitting across from him. She looked stressed too, her fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on her thigh as she lost herself in thought. Guilt twisted in Yuta's gut. He hadn't meant to drag her into this mess. All he'd wanted to do was save two girls he didn't even know, but in doing so, he'd put her in the crosshairs of Hell's most dangerous entities.
Yuta leaned closer to Charlie, lowering his voice to a whisper, so the others in the van couldn't hear. "C-Charlie, this is my problem… you shouldn't have to deal with this. I can handle it on my own."
Charlie looked at him, her expression softening with a mix of concern and determination. She shook her head gently. "No, Yuta… Mom told me to keep an eye on you. Whatever you are, it's serious enough to make her worry. So I'll stay by your side." Her voice was a quiet murmur, filled with a warmth that eased some of the tension coiled in Yuta's chest. "Besides… you're important to my dream now."
Her words, so simple yet so sincere, brought a fleeting sense of relief to Yuta's troubled mind. He was still unsure, still drowning in uncertainty, but knowing that Charlie was there, by his side, made the burden feel a little lighter.
Carmilla, seated across from them, observed the exchange in silence. Though she couldn't hear their whispered conversation, she studied their expressions, the subtle shifts in their demeanor. Something about Yuta intrigued her—a puzzle she was keen to solve.
"Are you truly new here?" Carmilla's voice cut through the quiet, her question directed at Yuta, pulling both him and Charlie out of their hushed exchange.
Yuta's heart skipped a beat as he turned to face her. There was no malice in her tone, only a genuine curiosity that made him hesitate before answering. "I… I arrived here three days ago… in the middle of Extermination Day…" His voice was hesitant, the words tumbling out in a mix of shyness and anxiety.
Carmilla's eyes widened slightly, a rare crack in her composed exterior. "On Extermination Day?… and you survived?"
"Charlie saved me," Yuta quickly interjected, the words rushing out faster than he intended. "She gave me safety."
Carmilla fell silent, her gaze flickering between Yuta and Charlie. She was piecing something together, her mind working swiftly to connect the dots. It wasn't just that Yuta had survived Extermination Day—something that should have been impossible for a sinner. No, it was the fact that Charlie had saved him, sheltered him, but even then Exorcists dont care for that, they can ignore the hellborn and go for the sinner still.
"And how come you were in that party from two days ago?" Carmilla asks with a rather more serious tone
"Charlie was giving me a tour in hell to see everything and we just happened to get there…" Yuta says making Carmilla slowly look at Charlie
"Tour huh? Such… interesting places to do for a tour… nonetheless, thanks to that my daughters are alive" Carmilla says calmly
"And what about your past? What were you back when you were alive?" Carmilla's voice was calm, but the weight of the question hung heavy in the air, pressing down on Yuta.
His anxiety spiked, the tension tightening like a noose around his thoughts. Carmilla wasn't the type to let things go easily; he could tell. But how could he explain? No one, not even Charlie or Lilith, knew the full truth. Hell, even he didn't know much—just fragments, flashes of what he once was. And yet, under Carmilla's gaze, it felt like she could peer straight into his soul, strip away every layer until only the raw truth remained.
"I... I don't really remember much," Yuta finally managed, his voice unsteady. "When I arrived here, it was like everything just... vanished. Except my name. That's all I know, really." He could feel the tension in the words, the slight tremor of uncertainty as he tried to mask the truth without outright lying.
Carmilla's eyes narrowed, a silent, scrutinizing gesture that sent a chill down his spine. She seemed to weigh his words, her expression unreadable, but her gaze piercing. There was something in her silence that made Yuta feel as if she knew more than she let on. She was calm, but that calmness only masked something deeper—something that unsettled him. It was as if she could sense the darkness within him, the undercurrent of something sinister that even he wasn't fully aware of.
"Unusual for a sinner to not remember anything... but still," she said, her voice carrying a subtle edge as she leaned back, still watching him closely. "It's even more unusual for a new soul to arrive here and immediately kill an old, powerful sinner."
Yuta's breath caught in his throat. "The Bull guy?" he asked, barely above a whisper, the name tasting like ash in his mouth.
"Bale… he wasn't just a nobody," Carmilla continued, her tone growing more serious. "He was the right hand of one of the most dangerous overlords in Hell—Barbatos."
The name struck Yuta like a blow, and he couldn't hide his surprise. "Barbatos?" he repeated, the name foreign yet carrying an undeniable weight.
"Barbatos is not just dangerous; he's cunning, manipulative, and hungry for power. When he first arrived in Hell, he was nothing. But through sheer ruthlessness, he clawed his way to the top. His first move? Outwitting a member of the Ars Goetia—a royal hellborn. He didn't need to fight; he simply made a deal, a deal that stripped the hellborn of all his power and services. Then Barbatos tormented his soul, breaking him completely, draining every last drop of his will and power."
As Carmilla spoke, Yuta felt a growing sense of dread. The more she revealed about Barbatos, the more he realized how deep into Hell's machinations he had stumbled. "The power Barbatos gained from that soul was immense," she continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "And he didn't stop there. He played the Pride Ring like a game, making deals with thousands of souls, contracts that were doomed to fail from the start, ensuring he would claim their souls in the end. He's the reason all of us Overlords are on edge, walking a tightrope over the abyss. He's sown fear and doubt, but he's also created a sense of false security—security that none of us truly believe in."
Yuta's mind was reeling. "Then why don't all of you... I don't know, end him together?" The question slipped out, naive.
Carmilla's gaze hardened. "We could," she admitted, her tone sharp, "but the cost would be catastrophic. A war among the Overlords would tear the Pride Ring apart, destroy everything we've built. It would be the end of any order we've managed to establish. And that's what Barbatos wants—a return to chaos, where he thrives."
Yuta's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. He had walked into Hell, unknowingly igniting a powder keg that could explode at any moment. Anxiety gnawed at him, twisting his stomach into knots. What have I done? he thought, the weight of his actions crushing down on him.
"Okkotsu." Carmilla's voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. "Focus. This isn't your problem… just do as I say to get you out of trouble and be the end of it, understood?" Her tone brooked no argument, a command rather than a request.
Yuta nodded slowly, the doubt still clinging to him like a shadow. "Understood," he murmured, though his mind was anything but settled.
As the van rumbled on, Yuta couldn't shake the feeling that he was in way over his head. What had he gotten himself into by just trying to save people?
End of Chapter
Writer: Well... here we go, off to meet the Overlords of this time around, aaand a quick reminder that this is several years before the beginning of Hazbin Hotel so it will take a bit before we get to know the rest of the cast, first we focus with Charlie and Yuta!