Come Back Soon, Your Majesty.

Chapter 5: Unsettled.

If you were to ask the Thirteen Crowns how it was like discussing the order and affairs of the Netherworld were like, they'd all have the exact same answer;

Boring.

". . -but we must really discuss the border between the Netherworld and the human realm, over three demons just this month had attempted to-"

So, so, so very boring.

Internally, Lied groaned. He slouched in his seat, head facing to the ceiling and crossed his legs.

He knew that for a Thirteen Crown, his current manners were rude and impolite. He's been nagged hundreds- no, dozens of times for it.

But hey! He had his reasons, and he wasn't the only one bored out of his mind either.

There was Agares, who was literally sleeping. And Gaap, who pestered Agares into waking up only to be yelled at.

And Sabnock was listening at first, but soon turned restless the longer he sat. From Lied's point of view, Sabnock definitely looked out of thought.

There was also Jazz and Allocer, who were playing cards under the table and terribly hiding the fact they were.

Kerori and lovely, angelic Elizabetta were chatting. Lied couldn't make out what exactly they were talking about, but he heard the word 'evidol', and 'fashion' so he had a pretty good idea on what the topic was.

Camui was bothering the girls, but that was nothing new. He often tried to intrude in their conversation, but due to the distance of his seat, was ignored. So instead, he was now just grumbling and complaining to himself about the seating placements.

Purson looked like he was about to sleep, often opening his eyes in shock whenever it seemed his head was about to fall.

As for Clarin, she was playing with what seemed to be some sort of toy under the table while humming a lullaby, much to Purson's sleeping troubles.

And as for Azz-azz. .

He seemed almost too into the meeting.

He was quiet. He watched the informant with observant, sharp eyes that caused the informant to sometimes stutter as they reported, shuddering under his watchful gaze.

Azz-azz was so serious these days, seriously, what a guy.

Lied felt bad watching the informant under such pressure.

"Yo, Azz-azz, you tryna' pierce that guy with your eyes or something?" Lied asked with a chuckle, did he even realize how scared the informant had gotten?

Asmodues was quiet at the statement. He seemed. . unusually serious. Not that it was anything new, but he did seem more stern- or rather, colder than usual.

"Of course not. Who has such an ability?" said Asmodues, unbothered to even face the blonde demon as he talked.

"I'm simply listening unlike you lot."

"That's mean, Asmodues-kun. You know we don't have as good as an attention span as you do." said Andro with a laugh, glancing occasionally at the deck in his hands.

"Honestly, it's amazing you even have the patience." whispered Kerori, turning over her hand. Currently, the girls were painting eachothers nails.

"Well, he has been like that since our school days." spoke Allocer, placing down a card that caused Andro to scoff.

"Some things don't change." Lied sighed heavily, stretching in his seat.

"If only that was true." spoke Asmodues, clenching his fists unknowingly.

At the sudden tenseness, everyone stopped what they'd been doing and instead, turned to look at the somewhat distressed pink-haired demon.

"Azu-azu?" muttered Clara, looking at Asmodues with a frown.

Everyone knew what the Asmodeus head was referencing to. Who the Asmodues head was referring to.

"Hey, Asmodues-kun. You doing alright there?" asked Andro, now more focused on his friend rather than the game.

Whenever anyone mentioned him, the air always went tense like this. And for Asmodues of all people to suddenly reference him. .

It was basically a cry of help.

Through the thick air, even the informant had stopped speaking. The checkboard they'd held shook in his nervous, tight grip.

Asmodeus sighed, combing his hair with his fingers. "Has the commotion regarding the magical beasts died down?"

The informant flinched at the question, flipping through the papers frantically.

"N-no, not yet. High-ranking demons are struggling to. .".

"How about the money problem? The budget regarding the destruction of their buildings? The property donated by the Thirteen Crowns?"

"N-no, sir. ."

Asmodues sighed heavily, tightening his fists as he huffed angrily. "How has it not yet been settled? Out of the kindness of our hearts, we were willing to donate money for their three-hundred-thousand building for whatever reason they needed it for."

"And now, it's destroyed. All that money, gone. Simply because incompetent high-ranking demons were unable to defend their land? Are you kidding?" a mocking smile crept up to the Asmodues's head lips, laughter that would have sounded arrogant for anybody.

The room was silent. The only thing heard that could be heard was the mocking laughter of the pink-haired Misfit. It wasn't a laughter of joy nor sarcasm, but what they do know was that it was unsettling enough to cause any demon goosebumps.