“Uh, can we get in, please?” Jake pleaded.
“Care to explain why Satan has a bulk on his head?” Livia crossed her arms around her chest, protruding her chests and standing proudly.
“Oh, there we go… look at th—waaakkhh!!” Satan fell down on the ground with Livia’s pounding head-slamming kick. He lay flat on the stone pavement. Her feet dug into his back, cracking the ground below.
She’s a powerful enemy to the perverts, huh? Jake sweated, trying to say something to not to provoke her.
“And? What about you?” she asked, staring at him. It was like staring at a ferocious animal, ready to hunt down any prey it finds. Jake sweated even more.
“L-Look, it’s just… uh. *Sigh* I’m sorry for causing any trouble.” He scratched his head, looking down. Suddenly he felt arms going around, embracing him firmly. She hugged him, her face easing up. His eyes widened, feeling guilty all over.
“H-Hey, you both… what about… me?” Satan forced out the words, somehow, raising a finger. “Now, come—“
“Shut up! All you would try to do is to look up my skirt!” Livia rattled him with her men-killing feet. And while hugging Jake!
“Boohoo…! No fair you both!” Satan cried while grabbing Livia’s foot by the ankle. She screamed, kicking him with the other leg. Back thrashed against the wall, he fell down with his eyes dazed off.
“Well, he’s asleep now. For a while at least…” Jake spoke, scratching his head.
“B-But, I think it was a bit harsh of me on him. P-Please bring him inside after a few minutes, okay?” she said pleadingly.
“You know, you can be pretty devilish sometimes despite your nature… huh?!” Jake paused while looking at Livia’s men-killing gaze, then tried slipping past her. He suddenly felt a jolt on his jacket’s hand.
“Before going,” she said with a grin Jake was unfamiliar with. He shivered. “I want to go for a little stroll out in the market, please.” She requested.
“Ugh, fine. We’re going in a few hours…” Jake sighed while walking inside. Livia smiled behind his back. Thank you… she smiled even more.
Back there near the wall, “H-Hey, what about me?! Wha…?!!” Satan smashed his face on the ground, lifting dust in the air. Suddenly there was a sound of someone coming towards him, footsteps thudding every second, crushing the sand and brittle stones under his feet. Lifting his head up, he saw a hand advance towards him.
“How long do you intend to lie like that? Isn’t the dirt bothering?” It was Jake. Satan looked at him in wonder.
“Heh,” he said in a low voice, “It’s been a while since you helped me, the Demon Lord, huh?”
“Hm? Did you say something?” Jake said as he lifted him up from the dusty ground. Satan rubbed his knees.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go.” Satan said as he moved his feet, walking past Jake.
“Oi, I’ve got something to say… I’m going to the market-square.” Jake began.
“OH? Then take me with you…! It’s been like forever since I went to the market…” Satan looked up, unconsciously parting his mouth and dreaming about something.
“Whoa, you’re drooling badly! Drooling!!” Jake sweated.
“Huh?! Oh, right. When are going—“
“By the way, it was Livia’s idea. I’m just tagging along.”
“*Gasp!* O-Oh, I see. Maybe I’ll pass, another time mayb—“
“Ho?” Jake grabbed Satan’s whole head with his palm, “When did I ever say that you’re free to choose however, eh? You’re coming with us! I can’t take the pain of shopping alone, so I need some company right~?” Jake menaced, saying every word with a killer tone that Satan could not ever refuse.
“O-Okay…” Satan gloomed. Damn it! I wanted to see… those beautiful… Underskirts!!! But thanks to Livia, my whole fantasy just got ruined!
“Fantasy? Do you even know what the reality is?! My wallet will go flat! And what’s more? Livia’s shopping list just doesn’t end up… EVER! She’ll just buy things until I get robbed of every penny I have left! Even though I’m on the verge of becoming broke anytime now. That’s the thing I hate more than her cooking! So, don’t ever go dreaming about your crappy fantasies, especially before me…” Jake’s eyes turned dilated, black fluid filled in from the corners, his aura rising to a whole different level.
“Understood!!! Please calm down… I’ll accompany you, damn it!” Satan tried soothing him, but only whiffed off the dust on his shoulders. “And stop with that power-up. You’ll only waste your mana.” He patted Jake on his back.
Both started walking towards the mansion, their feet in sync. Winds took away the dead and dried leaves off the feeble branches of the trees under which both walked. Their footsteps thud on the ground, sand drifting aside on the pavement. Just when they were about to get inside the mansion, Livia stepped out, dressed from the top, ready to go guns blazing with Jake’s almost-empty wallet.
A sweat drop rolled down Jake’s forehead. My… my wallet… is done for!
Satan looked at him with caring eyes. Jake peeked through the corner of his own eyes. Wait, am I that pathetic right now?! Satan smirked. What is it?!! Aaahh… Just kill me, now! Jake’s mind was filled with a million thoughts, unable to process the whole situation.
“H-Hey, take it easy a little bit…” Satan whispered in Jake’s ear.
“What’s the matter?” Livia questioned out of the blue. Both twitched.
“Nah… I was just worried about my wallet being b—“
“Aaahh! It’s nothing! Let’s go already…!
The sound of people chatting echoed in Jake’s ear, making him a little nauseous. There wasn’t a slightest change in the weather, perfectly sunny. He wore his usual dark grey jacket on with the nape behind his back. He somehow threw his gazes around, looking at the busy crowd—elves, dwarfs, knights, travellers, beast-kin strollers, nobles and adventurers. Satan walked beside him in his suit, the tie perfectly gripping his neck and hands in his pocket. He wore a plain white shirt beneath the sleeveless tuxedo buttoned on. And wore some casual black pants as usual.
Livia went strode in the front, tapping on the ground with her hard sandals, walking straight without a care in the world. But her eyes checked every nook and cranny of every store she went by. Hands behind her back, she gleefully walked round those two, pointing at different items on the shops. Her eyes caught something she didn’t notice earlier. Something gleaming and shiny. She ran over to the spot, then waved the both of them through the middle of the crowd.
“Hey Hurry! They have got something that piqued my interest! Here! Here!” she pointed towards a particular shop, a dwarf standing near it, brushing off the dust off the shelves. The jewel stand was the thing she pointed to. Jake gulped. Wait… is she planning to buy the whole rack? Jake gulped.
Telepathy! – SAT, CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT HER HANDS…? Satan glanced at Jake, then nodded slightly. His breath was caught in the middle as he looked at Livia carrying more than twenty bags. His eyes almost bulged out, widened.
“Oh my…” Satan almost said to himself, his fingers stroking his chin. “Hey, Livia. Let’s call it a day shall we?” Satan said as he retired himself to a nearby bench.
“But I still have my list halfway left…” She trailed off.
St…still halfway?! Gimme a break!
“Finally done!” Jake sighed heavily, and wasted on a park bench. Satan stood before him, hands on his waist.
“So? How much is left?” he asked, not knowing the fact that Jake’s pouch already empty, shopping from the last district. Jake clenched his fist.
“Damn that wench!!! And thanks to her, I’m broke again!” he spat, raising his fists in the air, shouting to anyone nearby. Pedestrians passing by stared at him. Crap, I shouted too much…
The sun was setting, about to touch the horizon, edging among the treeline. Both looked up in the sky, clouds drifting high, winds separating them.
“Anyway, where is she now?” Jake looked around, seeing everyone but Livia. “Something’s not right…!” he fumbled his pockets, trying to reach for his pouch. His face grew tenser with each pocket he checked. Uh-oh… it’s gone!
“Oh, I remember… she said she was going to buy croquettes for snacks. I think she took it.” Satan blurted out.
“She did what?!”
“Yep. She’s not at the shop around the corner, near the gate.” Satan spoke, unknowingly telling Jake the exact location of Livia, even though she warned him not to tell Jake. Otherwise, he would just get the flat kick of her heels.
Thanks Satan…
“Would you mind waiting for a bit? I have something to do.” Jake turned to the exit gate, powered up from the inside, dug his feet on the ground and launched himself forwards with incredible speed. Electricity crackled around the small craters Jake made while running. In an instant, he turned around the gate and happened to see Livia buying popsicles and sweet rosemaries.
Jake suddenly stopped in middle, hurdling the air towards his front, crackling with electricity.
“Oh my, Jake? What are you…” she trailed off, seeing his exhausted face. “Sorry, I spent a little too much this time~!” she said, doing a funny pose.
“H-How much—“
“None left.” She smiled at him. Jake’s mouth fell open, seeing his empty pouch as she opened and showed it to him. It was completely flatted out.
“Pfft!” the salesman, who happened to be a dwarf, looked into another direction and covered his mouth, laughing.
Huh?! You too?!!!
“Damn it!”
Jake shouted with such intensity such that it sent the dragon-birds flying, the jewel bats tagging along as the sun set under their heads.
