I cross my arms and sigh, leaning lifelessly against the bed, being told you're loved is one thing and believing it are two different things. I mean, how does that explain like... I don't know, a lot of it! Aren't people in love supposed to go on dates? Aren't they supposed to be nice to the other person?!

I bury my face into the sheets, groaning as my thoughts swirl around in a chaotic mess, completely at a loss. Humans are notorious liars, but I at least thought some of it would be true!

"To be fair, most lovers do go on dates and are nice to the other person." What? Doesn't that just prove the Heroine doesn't like me?!

"A special case. A very... Idiotic special case." A special case that forces someone to be stuck in a room with absolutely no way to leave?!

"Those are surprisingly common, actually, but no. Including that she becomes a slightly less abnormal case." ... Pardon? What? Are humans that insane that they lock up their lovers frequently?!

"More frequent than I would like, but that's not what I meant. I meant that she doesn't actually think she's 'locking you up' because, for all intents and purposes, she would not be locked in here." That... Of course she wouldn't be locked in here, she's not a demon in the middle of the very center of humanity's palace!

"You wanted to see what she felt when she believed you to be a human, right? That basically applies here." I let out an exhasperated sigh at those words before rolling my eyes. Ah, yes, me and my human skin, with my human ears, and my human tail. I wiggle my tail half-heartedly as an example to the statue as I begin to stare it down with an annoyed expression.

"That's not what I mean, idiot, I mean she has completely disconnected you from the word demon in her head, like... 'Oh, demons, bad, cruel.' but 'Ilvia, cute, fuckable, and dumb.'" What... You definitely added on that last one!

"... Fair, 'Ilvia, cute, fuckable, and perceptive... But also dumb.'" Are you sure these aren't just your thoughts?!

"Oh, no, that last one was my thoughts." My mouth hangs agape as she shamelessly says that, a chill crawling up my spine at the thought. You and the Heroine are absolute sex fiends, that's why you summoned her!

"First of all, you are literally a sex fiend, that is in your racial description right here. Second of all, you are literally by design meant to entice people, you can't fault me. Third of all, no, that's not why I helped summon her. I helped summon her because she gets results, and results she did get." I feel like I just heard something really important. What do you mean, you 'helped' to summon her?

"It's complicated." What the hell do you mean 'It's complicated'? You can't just say something like that and then leave it!

"It's complicated, and I will leave it at that." I grumble at her words, returning to burying my face back into the bedsheets instead. Yeah, well, I won't let you do anything to me if you don't tell me!

"Okay, it's not like I could have really... Well, I could have done something I guess, but I'm not insanely interested, let's be honest. It is cute that you're okay with me doing something to you, though, did you maybe develop a fetish thanks to the Heroine?" My cheeks burn in response to her teasing words, prompting me to speak up.

"That's not what I said and you know it, you rotten pretend goddess!" The moment I shout, I hear a knock on the door, sinking any embarrassment I might have had into immediate horror as the voice behind it speaks up.

"Lady Ilvia, you called for us?" What? No?! No I didn't! Panic immediately sets into my heart as the doorknob begins to turn, prompting me to all but throw myself into the bed, using the sheets to hide myself.

"Worth the energy I spent on hitting it..." The traitor goddess's voice rings through my ears, overwhelming the creak of the door as it opens. You're the worst! The absolute most terrible human ever!

"Technically I'm not human anymore, but your point is noted. Think of it as a wake up call from me." I'm not even asleep, you asshole! Backstabber! Trash!

"Lady Ilvia? Um, I'm glad you're enjoying the covers we paid extra care for?" Why is that sounding like a question?! I peek my head out slightly, spotting several butlers and maids crowding at the door, many trying to look over the other for a spot to see while another maid stands front and center, none of them daring to step a single toe past her.

I shudder uncomfortably as their stares dig into my skin, prompting a light push from the maid in front before the door closes behind her, slamming in the faces of all the ones in the front, a chorus of pained wails now coming from them as she approaches.

"Apologies for their impudence, Lady Ilvia, they can all be a little incorrigible sometimes, especially when... Well, rumors get around." Rumors? What? There are only rumors that I'm a demon?!

Her mannerism is completely neat as she approaches the bedside, her brunette hair gracefully covering one side of her face as her long elven ears bob gently with each step, the one golden eye I can see staring me down intensely.

I sigh, pulling down the blanket slightly more, cautiously aware of her gaze which never once leaves me.

"Yes, I'm a demon. Wow, amazing." I say with a slightly snide tone, my heart aching in frustration at the current situation. You're really the worst, goddess! Absolutely the worst!

The maid's brow creases slightly at that, her ears curving slightly with the changing of her expression. "Pardon, Lady Ilvia?" She asks, faking confusion at what I mean.

"I know that's what you all came here to see, the big bad demon that's been locked up in the tower by the Heroine. Just get it over with." Her face contorts as I say that, pushing me to throw off the covers now as shame builds up in my heart.

"Are you happy? You got to see the great and terrible Demon General helpless in front of you. What are you gonna do​? Tell all your friends how awful I am up close?" I can't keep this indignation from rising up in my heart, being forced into the position of having to be watched like some sort of zoo animal pushing me to my absolute limits.

"Lady Ilvia." Her sharp voice snaps me back to reality almost instantly, pride wavering in the face of the realization that I'm far outnumbered and outgunned in the position I'm in, all it would take is one scream of help from her to... But do I really care about that?

"Just fucking look, then. Should I take off the rest of my clothes too so you can ogle the succubus? Should I? Would you like me to present myself in front of you like a dog? Crawl on my knees and beg for my daily meal?" I can't stop the words from hurtling past my lips though, my lips trembling with each and every one as my stomach rolls in knots.

My face is grabbed by the maid, pulling my gaze up to meet hers. "Goddess, Marill told me you were eccentric but this is something else..." Immediately I come crashing down from my thoughts as I hear her say that, swallowing dryly as she sighs.

"Are you listening now? She said saying her name would bring you back, but I didn't expect it to actually work." I nod quietly, completely dazed by everything that just happened.

"Yes, they were somewhat curious about you being a demon, as was I, but they're far more curious about the rumors of you being the Saintess, and with what we just overheard from the outside as we approached, please pardon them, they got in a bit of a tizzy over it." She takes a deep breath, having said that entire thing in one long stretch before pulling at my cheeks.

"Marill also said I can do this." Where's the permission of the person you're actually touching?! I squirm, shaking her off easily, scooting back on the bed sheets to get away from what appears to be a crazy maid. Well, not a crazy maid, a maid with permission from a crazy Heroine, what else is she going to do to me?!

I immediately cover myself with the blanket once again to prevent her gaze from wandering too much over my body. "... If you know her, you're going to do something to me, aren't you?" I ask, cautiously backing away even more.

That seems to finally break her mostly monotone facade, her brows raising as she looks at me with astonishment. "Exactly what kind of perception do you have of her?"

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely! ... But in the lewd way." I respond, slightly caught off-guard by the fact she's surprised by what I just said.

"I... Want to deny that, but it's true that everyone in power in the Royal Palace except the elders seem oddly... Promiscuous, but that's besides the point, what makes you think she would send someone to do that kind of thing to you?" I stare at her intently, wondering what she even means by that.

"... Because it's the Heroine we're talking about?" I state as a matter-of-fact, looking at her as if she were crazy to even ask that, because let's be honest, the Heroine wouldn't send anyone that wasn't like that.

She briefly rubs her palms into her face for a couple of moments before letting out a sigh. "I don't plan on doing any of that to you unless you were planning on taking advantage of me first, as is my duty." She shoots me a stern look when I try to interrupt her, silencing me immediately.

"As well, you don't seem to realize just how far your status has risen by being a part of the Harem, let alone with the massive swathe of rumors, some with no small amount of truth behind them believing you to be a saintess. If we handle you without propriety, we will be severely reprimanded." She punctuates her words by shooting a glance at the door.

"As the rest of them outside will be." Her voice is raised for that last sentence, causing the clamoring to be relieved almost immediately outside.

She lets out a long sigh finally, looking to me with an exhausted expression. "It does, however, fall on you to punish me however you see fit for the scene my subordinates have caused."

I roll my eyes at her suggestion, before realizing she seems... Not exhausted, but excited. Are you serious?

I collapse onto the bed as all tension leaves my body, groaning into the sheets with no small amount of frustration.

Why is everyone around me such weirdos? Am I really the only normal person?

+Sad news, Ilvia... You've been diagnosed with being weird, it's terminal.+

(Shut it, I'm by far the most normal person of anyone around you.)

+Oh? Is there someone normal around you?+

(... No, but that's besides the point.)

+While we're implying that everyone around me is weird because I'm weird, then what does that make you, mm?+

(... Shut it.)

+Weiiiirdooooo. My lovely little weird demon.+

Author's Note:

Sorry for the extremely long delay, ended up getting pretty sick and it made it really hard to think of much for writing... I wish I could just be able to write while I'm sick too :(