The day started bustling, with everyone moving swiftly towards the opening of the celestial gates of the pavilion, where the coronation ceremony would take place.
It wasn't just the palace servants who were running full steam ahead; the other two factions were also beginning to stir.
Ethan commanded the demonic servants, while the clones emerged and hid in the shadows, as Dante and his girls were already gearing up for the confrontation.
Dante was calm, unlike what happened in Kryoris, where he tried to avoid killing to evade severe punishments from the rulers. Now, however, that problem didn't exist. Even if he ended up killing some innocents, he wouldn't mind if it resulted in Ethan's death.
"How are you?" Velryna asked as she sat on Dante's lap, embracing him, yearning to feel his scent, warmth, and presence as a whole.
"Me? I'm calm," Dante replied, but Velryna, holding his pale hands, sensed that it wasn't entirely true.
"Are you going to lie to me?" she asked. Dante stared at her. He couldn't do that, despite trying. "I'm worried," he admitted, and she smiled. "Look, he's being honest now," she joked as she hugged him tighter, truly demonstrating: 'I'm here for you.'
"Tell me more," she whispered, closing her eyes.
"About Sara and Nagasawa," Dante began, expressing his concern that they might get hurt. Velryna drew back and looked into his eyes with an intensity Dante had never felt before.
"Are you serious?" she questioned. Dante didn't immediately understand, so she explained. "Dante, what do you think happened in ten years? Do you really think that, after a decade, these two women haven't become strong?" She stood up.
"I know your mind isn't working well, but, Dante, stop believing you can carry everything alone," she said seriously, looking deeply into his eyes.
"The strongest vampire in the Eastern Empire, the woman who killed mercilessly with just a few strokes, the prey of the Emerald Viper, the Goddess of Poison, the Left Arm of Empress Lyrianna... You've been stagnant for ten years, Dante, not your women," she continued.
"Nagasawa is currently the strongest person in the Empire after Lyrianna Vortex, and Sara Vortex, also known as the Goddess of the Azure Sea, the Deep Queen of the Ocean, and several other titles given to her by the people, not just from my Empire, but from the supernatural world. These women, compared to you ten years ago, are two hundred, five hundred times stronger."
"Sara and Nagasawa are amazing," she concluded, and Dante's somber gaze settled on her. Now, he felt a little better.
"Your fear doesn't make sense, it's just a reflection of your past self. Stop living like a fossil, you're a man, my man. And unfortunately, theirs too," she added bitterly, wanting him only for herself.
"Now stop being stupid! You're the strongest guy of them all, accept that your women should be equal to you and stop with this stupid worry! You giant idiot!" she shouted, making Dante laugh.
"Hahaha," he chuckled, appearing in front of Velryna. "You're so beautiful when you're trying to encourage me," he said, picking her up like a princess. "Tsk, really? Only when I'm trying to encourage you?" she questioned with a pout.
"So cute... Makes me want to devour you," Dante said, his eyes beginning to absorb the entire sight of Velryna's helpless body.
"Oh, really? Then why don't you do it now?" she said, but then, "Of course not, you need to get ready! Let me go, you seductive bastard!" She quickly shouted as she pushed him away.
"Ow ow!" Dante complained, feeling the princess's small blows on his arms. "Cut it out, I got it!" he said, then he tossed her onto the couch.
"But at least I want this," he said as he approached and sealed his lips to hers, which promptly welcomed his advance, after all.
'The best feeling in the world,' she thought as she pulled him closer by the collar to deepen the kiss.
*Smoosh*
The wet sound echoed in the room, however, it was quickly dispersed with the presence of a woman...
"Humph, I know you're the master, but this is bothering me," Vex said as she flew around the scene. Velryna immediately blushed and pushed Dante back; she... didn't like being watched in this kind of scene.
"And again, this naughty succubus interrupting my business, shall I punish you?" Dante said, looking at Vex, who smiled freely. "Yes, punish me plenty, master!" she said quickly with an eager look.
Velryna saw that and murmured very quietly, "Who wants to be punished is me."
"If you're here, it means something happened. Come on, give me the report," Dante said seriously, and Vex complied.
"Basically, everyone has been marked. There are about ninety people, a considerable number, but apparently they are normal people. Lady Voralith said their bodies are linked to Ethan's, which means they might be people cursed by Greed," she commented. Dante, however, already expected something like this and nodded, aware of the dangers of facing one of the seven deadly sins.
"Fortunately, we have humility on our side. If the battle starts, many people will die, but we're almost certain of the destruction of this evil," Dante commented.
"Aaralyn, what do you have to say?" From Vex's shadows, Aaralyn emerged. "All of the Emperor's Troops are being controlled by Ethan. The strength."
"What does that mean?" Dante questioned, and she explained: "The shadow troops that were on our side have been taken by Ethan, as well as the Emperor's power, which began to deteriorate since yesterday. It seems Ethan managed to gain support from the nobles to make up for the need for support. He already knows we're coming after him," Aaralyn said, and Dante didn't seem surprised.
"How many people do we have?" Dante asked Aaralyn, who began to count. "Besides Vex, Velryna, me, and you, we have Sara Vortex, Nagasawa Scarlet, Aldria Luminus, and the knight named Mercedes, as well as Simon."
"Our numbers are low, and Mercedes will stay with Nafiri," said Dante, but Aaralyn disagreed: "Quantity isn't quality. We have much more strength if we count on the Awakening and the Coming of Voralith to the Mortal reality," she said, and Dante nodded, yet...
"It's all right, we'll strike at the right time," said Aaralyn, and Dante nodded. "What about Nafiri?"
"Oh, that woman is quite effective. Mercedes brought this," she said, tossing a storage ring to Dante, who widened his eyes upon peeking at its contents.
"How did she get these weapons? This is quality worthy of the Dwarves!" Dante said quickly, and Aaralyn shrugged. "Who knows, that woman is too greedy. She must already be seeing the master as a huge pot of gold," she said, and Dante looked at Aaralyn, both of them agreeing.
Indeed, Nafiri was simply greedier than the sin of Greed itself!