Second Lead Syndrome (188 - 294 ) | ✓

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K'xug pinched the fluffy object in his face with two fingers, pulling it away harshly. The fox continued hissing, still using its tail to slap him. In return, K'xug calmly dodged the tail, giving the fox a deadpan.

"Don't you disrespect my master," the fox hissed in a shrill voice, a hint of arrogance in her voice. "Only I can call my master a grumpy old man!"

K'xug dropped the fox and she landed gracefully on the grass. The sunlight bored down on her reddish-brown fur and her demonic eyes glinted in irritation.

The demons and Raz stared at the fox, bewildered.

Valoel sighed, reaching out to grab the fox by its neck gently, coughing to clear his throat.

"Enough, you little demon," he tapped on her head, making her shake her head with a snort. "Don't you remember what your lords did to the angels?"

"Hmph, I never liked them and I am not compelled to obey them any longer! I don't like angels or demons!"

The fox leapt out of the old man's grip, resting on his shoulder as she nuzzled her face into Valoel's cheek.

"I only like you, grumpy old man!"

Raz and K'xug looked on in confusion. The demons leading the way had already stopped a while ago to enjoy the spectacle.

"Why are you just standing there and looking?" Valoel frowned at the demons. "You need to lead the way, you little brats."

The demons stiffened, nodding in obedience before they started walking again.

K'xug and Raz walked on as well, looking at one another.

"Compelled to obey? I heard that right, didn't I, K'xug?"

"You did."

"What does she mean by that?"

"No idea."

"You young brats know nothing about demons either, tsk!" Valoel interrupted their conversation, standing in the middle, sighing as he shook his head. "Why has everyone become so ignorant and obsessed with vengeance?"

K'xug and Raz naturally moved to make some space for the grumpy old man.

Valoel stroked his white beard, gazing up at the sky as the fox hopped down from his shoulder, walking beside him.

"Master...uh...Valoel, what about demons should we know?" Raz questioned. "Not sure if they are any different from us at this point."

"Angels have excessive pride, and they would naturally assume their actions and words are right, regardless of what others might say," Valoel explained, looking at Raz. "Just like angels, demons have their own mannerisms too. They were born to admire the strong and disregard the weak, and with that, they are compelled to obey the strong, especially the demon lords."

Valoel looked at K'xug after these words.

"There are exceptions, of course, either they are of mixed blood like you," Valoel continued on. "...or they might simply grow out of those traits associated with their kind."

The fox beside Valoel mewled.

He glanced down, bending his body and picking up the fox into his arms.

"This little mischievous demon I have with me, she was ostracised and bullied by her own kind for not having the compulsion to obey her demon lords due to her special constitution from her hidden bloodline," Valoel patted her on the head, making her nuzzle into his wrinkly hand. "She transformed into a fox and ran away, so I picked her and decided to raise her as my own granddaughter."