“… What was that? Someone just screamed…” Satan looked more annoyed about the female scream he just heard instead of looking concerned that it is something terrible.
“Ooh, I HAVE to post about this! ‘Just heard terrible scream! @ the Demon Lord’s Castle.’ And… done!” Levi quickly types on his phone before posting his message online. He is really calm in this situation… I thought since he was a gamer and probably played a good amount of horror games, he would be a bit more concerned.
“I must be so hungry that I’m hearing things now.” Beel was frowning as he rubbed at his stomach, that was growling. Luke had a frown on his face when he noticed how unconcerned the others were at the moment. “Uh, if you’re hearing things, then ALL of us are hearing things!”
“Wait a minute. I feel like I’ve heard a scream like that somewhere before…” Asmodeus had a finger on his chin as he tried to remember where he heard this scream from. But I was questioning why this scream sounded familiar to him…
“How could you… HOW COULD YOU…?! Asmodeus… this is all your fault! All of it, YOUR FAULT…!” After a minute of looking, I finally found where the voice was coming from. A portrait… If I was by myself, I would have fainted from shock.
“Is that portrait talking?” Solomon didn’t look that shocked at the talking portrait like I was, which wasn’t fair at all. He is human like me, but he is way calmer than me.
“Bingo! Yes, you’re exactly right!” Number Two spoke up with a cheerful voice and I have to assume this is a normal thing that is in this castle. Lucifer looked calm as always as he looked at the portrait of a beautiful woman. “That’s a portrait of Helene. She was a witch.”
“Helene…? Hmm, Helene… why does that name sound familiar…?… Ah yes! Yes, of course! Helene! I remember now!” Asmodeus brightened up as he remembered where he heard that name from. I don’t know why, but I had a really horrible feeling in my stomach.
“So what’s goin’ on here, anyway?” Mammon seemed to be curious about the history between Asmodeus and this portrait, but I really didn’t want to know the answer. This will not end well…
“Ooh! I can answer that question! Helene was once known far and wide as a witch of unparalleled beauty! Countless humans, angels, and demons alike fell under her spell. But then Asmodeus here came along and seduced her, leading her to betray her lover.” Number Two told us this happily, but I only could let out a deep sigh once I realized why I had such a bad feeling.
“Yes, I had a feeling that’s where this story was headed.” Simeon had a frown on his face once he heard the history between Asmodeus and Helene. I just had a feeling this would get even worse…
“War erupted because of her betrayal, a great war that destroyed an entire country. And it derided Helene as a horrible, wicked woman who had sold her soul to a demon. What she had to endure was awful…!” Number two wipe at his eyes as he told Helene history.
“So you’re saying all this happened because Asmodeus fooled around with some woman long ago?” Satan looked tired once he realized this while Levi was typing something on their phone with a smile on their face. “One of Asmodeus’s ex-girlfriends just showed up! OMG! And… sent!”
“Leviathan, you know you sound like a teenage girl, right?” Luke shook his head as he told Levi this and I couldn’t help but agree with that. The way Levi writes stuff on their phone sounds just like a teenage girl…
“Ahaha! Now wait a minute, everyone. We’re talking about something that happened hundreds of years ago! But regardless… Helene, I never expected to run into you here, of all places. I mean, what are the chances?! Wow, it’s been sooo looong! So, whacha up to these days, hm?” Asmodeus seems to be… trying to flirt with the woman whose life he fucked up…
“Wow, it’s almost like he’s still trying to flirt…” Solomon's expression looked tired as he noticed this, but Diavolo didn’t seem to notice the current situation as they continued to smile happily. “Well, isn’t that nice, running into an old friend again like this?”
“It doesn’t seem like she considers herself an old friend.” Lucifer's voice sounded tired as he rubbed at his forehead.
“… After what happened, I incurred the wrath of the nephew of my former lover, who was a sorcerer. He sealed me inside this painting.” Helene's voice sounded like she was suppressing her anger as she told Asmodeus this, ignoring his attempts at flirting with her.
“The nephew of your ex? Are you talking about Demetrios?! I don’t believe it! The first time I saw him, he was just a little munchkin. You’re telling me he grew up to be a sorcerer capable of doing something like that?! Well, that is impressive! You know, Demetrios’s father was a grade-A hunk, so I imagine his son must’ve turned into quite the man himself… Why didn’t you tell me this happened to you? I would’ve come straight over to help. Ugh, Helene, you’re so stubborn, you know that?” Asmodeus was chatting with Helene like they were close friends, but I couldn’t help but notice the dark aura coming from the portrait.
“… Silence!” Helene shouted at Asmodeus, but he just ignored it with a flirty smile on his face. “Ahaha! Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve heard you say that! Ah, the memories… ❤️,”
“Asmodeus… you haven’t changed one bit! You’re still the same awful womanizer of a demon you’ve always been. Not a day has passed that I haven’t thought of how much I hate you, how much I RESENT you! NOT ONE SINGLE DAY!” I didn’t like the sound of Helene's voice and tried to put some distance between Asmodeus and me. This is something I don’t want to be a part of…
“Mmhm, thank you. I missed you too, you know?” Asmodeus was just ignoring everything Helene was telling him with a smile on his face. Mammon couldn’t help but shake their head once they noticed this as well. “Maaan, she’s not gettin’ through to him AT ALL!”
“I may be imprisoned inside this portrait, but I haven’t lost all my power. Oh, no… In fact, I still have enough power to capture you, as you’re about to see…!” As Helene said this, her portrait began moving in place. Number Two quickly backed away with a smile on their face. “Oh dear! Everyone be careful now, mmkay? Because it just so happens that Helene’s portrait is known to drag those who look at it inside the painting itself!”
“D’AAAAAAH, I’M BEIN’ DRAGGED IN! WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHIN’ EARLIER?!” A strong pull lifted Mammon off his feet and he was being dragged toward Helene's portrait. He quickly grabbed onto Levi, who was still on their phone.
“Aaaah! Mammon grabbed onto me, and now he’s pulling ME into the painting too! OMG!… Sent!” Levi actually wrote something on his phone before it also lifted him off his feet and toward the portrait.
“Whaddya expect?! You were the closest thing for me to grab! Now c’mon, Levi! Dig in! We’re losin’ ground here!” Mammon was holding tightly onto Levi, who finally put their phone away in their pocket.
“You know I sit inside all day every day! I’m not strong enough for this!” Levi was having a hard time trying not to get sucked into the portrait, but he was doing an awful job as he kept getting closer and closer to the portrait with Mammon.
“… Ugh. I’m so hungry that I’m too weak to keep from being pulled in…” it also lifted Beel off his feet as he was dragged toward the portrait as well. He really did nothing to stop himself from getting close to the portrait.
“Hey, Solomon? Why are you holding onto my arm?” Asmodeus looked at Solomon and at his arm that was currently being held tightly by Solomon. “Because when it comes down to it, this is all your fault. So if I’m going in, so are you.”
“Well then, in that case, I’m pulling in Yuki along with us!” I didn’t have any chance to dodge Asmodeus' attempt to grab me and I could also feel myself being dragged toward Helene's portrait. I was trying my best to get Asmodeus to let go of me, but he was holding on way too tight and way too close!
In the end, no match for Helene’s power, I am drawn inside of the painting. The last thing I heard before everything went black was Satan's voice calling out.
‘Asmodeus… I hope you break out with pimples all over your stupidly attractive face!!!!!’ I couldn’t help but scream that in my head as I finally lost consciousness.
