Time had slipped through my fingers like sand, the minutes dissolving into the heavy, expectant atmosphere of the castle. As we finished our meal and began the meticulous process of dressing in our highest-grade maid uniforms, I noticed the sky outside the narrow stone windows had shifted. It had gotten a bit brighter, well, as bright as it ever got in a domain 24/7 surrounded by churning dark clouds and purple lightning. You could barely notice the change unless you were looking for it, but the air felt different. It was heavier, charged with a static tension that made the hair on my arms stand up.

  It was time.

  The meeting of the Demon Lords was finally here, hosted at the Black Obsidian Throne. While Lord Malphas was the host, the thought of the world's most powerful and volatile entities gathered in one single spot made my stomach do somersaults. What if they started to fight? One stray spell from a Demon Lord could probably level half the province.

  Then, a memory surfaced through my panic. I remembered what Valerius had said back on those green-black mountains to that armored hunter. He had mentioned that a Demon Lord is essentially banned from using their full power. There was a fundamental law, a seal placed upon them the moment they took their titles to prevent the literal unraveling of the world. It was a comforting thought, though "sealed" power for them probably still meant they could blink me out of existence.

  "Focus, Akari," Lyra hissed, snapping me out of my trance. She suddenly stabbed me in the ribs with her elbow, not hard enough to bruise, but enough to make me yelp. "Here comes the first one. When those gates open, you bow. Do not make eye contact. Just keep looking forward until they pass. And if they look at you, don't look away. It’s rude for a Demon Lord."

  Suddenly, the massive obsidian gates at the end of the courtyard groaned open.

  A crushing pressure immediately filled the air. It wasn't just a weight, it was an experience. I expected a scent of sulfur or death, but instead, the air was flooded with the overwhelming, intoxicating aroma of fresh red roses and expensive wine. Even the aura felt beautiful, a shimmering heat that made the stones of the courtyard seem to glow. It made the 15% mana boost from my arm strap work overtime just to keep me upright. All the guards and butlers that were sent to greet the arrival bowed in a perfect, synchronized wave.

  A carriage, that ornate, wooden vehicle pulled by beasts, passed by us. It was black as night, but the windows were draped shut with thick, crimson fabric. The carriage parked at a wide area near the fountain that I was pretty sure wasn't a parking space. The horses blew plumes of black smoke out of their nostrils, the heat shimmering off the cobblestones. Then, the door opened.

  A figure stepped out. At first, I couldn't even make out any features because of the terrifying intensity radiating from the form. It was heavy, like being underwater. I remained frozen, my head bowed low, my eyes glued to the cracks in the obsidian pavement. I was stunned by the sheer grace of the movement I could see from the corner of my eye.

  The figure didn't walk to the castle doors where Valerius stood. No, the figure seemed to be sending the guards brought along to stay with the carriage, and then, with a casual wave of a hand, ordered Lord Malphas' guards to show the way around as if owning the place. The figure began walking in our direction. Literally the opposite direction of the protocol.

  As the boots clicked closer on the stone, I realized with a jolt of surprise that the figure was a woman. Let me tell you, she was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And note, in my previous world I was connected to the internet. The way she walked would shame models, her hips swinging with a heavy, rhythmic, hypnotic movement that commanded the very air. Her chest rivaled Lyra’s, and she carried herself with a playful, effortless confidence that made her seem more like a goddess of beauty than a ruler of demons. I hadn't even considered that one of the Lords might be a woman, and the shock of it made my heart skip a beat.

  Instead of a traditional gown, she wore an outfit designed for both elegance and lethal movement. It was a striking ensemble of red, black, and gold. She wore a sleeveless, high-collared red tunic with a deep, keyhole opening that showcased her chest, edged with intricate gold embroidery. Below, she wore sleek, form-fitting black leggings tucked into crimson-and-gold greaves that protected her shins. A magnificent, heavy red cape flowed from her shoulders, held in place by two massive golden pauldrons shaped like roaring dragon heads. Her wrists were encased in golden bracers etched with lotus patterns, and her vibrant red hair was styled in two high, perfectly rounded buns.

  She stopped in front of us. Then said, "Mmm, my, my, so Malphas got two very beautiful maids, eh? I could sense you girls' beauty a mile away."

  I thought to myself, She can sense THAT? WHO IS SHE?

  "It seems like after Malphas declined my partnership, he got you two beauties just to make me jealous." She let out a smirk. Then she laughed, a sound so melodic it felt like it should be accompanied by flower petals falling from the sky. "Forget what I said, it was a joke! But really, you two are top class. How about working for me? My palace is much brighter than this gloomy old rock."

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  Even before I could react, she leaned in closer, her rose-scented aura wrapping around us like a warm blanket. Her red eyes sparkled with a teasing light as she whispered just loud enough for the nearby guards to hear. "You know, if you ever want to stand out more... if you really want to catch a Lord's eye... you should make your outfits just a bit more revealing. A little more skin, a little more lace in the right places? You’d have Malphas tripping over his own shadow in no time."

  My face went nuclear. Beside me, I could practically feel the heat radiating off Lyra's skin as her face turned a shade of red that matched the Demon Lord's cape. We were standing in the middle of a courtyard full of elite guards and high-ranking butlers, and a Demon Lord was casually suggesting we turn into pin-up girls. The awkwardness was so thick you could have sliced it, and I could hear a few muffled coughs from the guards who were clearly trying not to laugh.

  "I... uh... My Lady..." I stammered, my voice going up three octaves.

  She let out a delighted, musical laugh and stood back, waving a hand dismissively. "Oh, stop! It was just a joke, you two are adorable when you blush. I much prefer lively faces to the stony ones Malphas keeps around here. But still, the offer stands. Anyway, what may be your names? And please stop the formal stuff. Women should act normal around women. Only men should bow to us."

  Then, shaking, I stood up and it seems Lyra did the same, though she was still avoiding eye contact with everyone. Lyra cleared her throat, trying to regain her professional mask despite her crimson ears. "I'm Lyra. Head maid of the Obsidian Throne."

  Then I said with a shake in my voice, "My names, Akari. And just a, uh, normal maid."

  The Demon Lord let out a little laugh, reaching out to playfully tap the tip of my nose. "Don't be so formal and don't worry, I won't kill you. In fact, if I kill you then there will be even more men than women and that's a no-no. We have to keep the world pretty, don't we? My name is Demon Lord Cordelia, the Demon Lord of the Kingdom of Hearts."

  She turned, her curves swinging with her cape in a way that felt both powerful and impossibly feminine. Then as she walked, she called back over her shoulder, "It's good to meet you two beauties. Malphas really was lucky. See you two later, those other Demon Lords might not be as friendly as me. Good luck!"

  She walked away with a playful, teasing mood, leaving us standing in her wake, my heart still racing from the sheer presence of a woman who felt like she was the protagonist of her own story, even in the middle of a world-ending crisis. I looked at Lyra, who was still fanning her face with her hand.

  "Well," Lyra whispered, "I think I like her, but if she says one more thing like that in front of Valerius, I’m going to die of shame."

  A few moments later, the massive obsidian gates groaned once more, and a familiar aura swept through the courtyard. It felt different this time, not the chilling projection we had seen in that alleyway, but the real, physical weight of him. The presence of the female Demon Lord, Cordelia, still lingered in the air like a floral perfume, but it was now being cut by a sudden, intense heat. The temperature shifted rapidly, becoming strangely warm, like a desert breeze that was just barely bearable against my skin.

  I knew immediately it was Demon Lord Kaelen.

  That scumbag, I thought, my grip tightening on my apron. He was the ruler of the very territory where we had gone to investigate the Black Rider. Everything had happened right under his nose, and he hadn’t lifted a single finger to do anything about it. He had just handed the dirty work to Malphas, and now here he was, arriving at our home to collect all the info we had gathered at the risk of our lives. I could already picture him acting high and mighty in the meeting room.

  His arrival was just as loud as his personality. He came in a chariot that looked like it was forged from bronzed sunlight, pulled by a single, heavily armored horse. It was the most "buff" horse I had ever seen, its muscles rippling under plates of gold-tinted steel. If that horse kicks you, you’ll probably fly straight to the sun, I thought, staring at the beast’s glowing eyes.

  The chariot pulled up right next to Cordelia’s parked carriage, almost as if he were following her lead. Again, I had the passing thought that this absolutely was not a parking space, but I wasn't about to complain. It wasn't as if we had spent hours scrubbing the actual designated arrival area just for them to ignore it.

  Kaelen stepped out, looking every bit the ruler of a golden domain. He was dressed in his usual gold-trimmed leather and deep crimson silks that screamed of a conqueror’s wealth. His hair caught what little light the castle provided, shimmering as if it had its own internal flame, and a confident, almost predatory grin stretched across his face. He didn't even look at the guards, he simply walked through the doors with the stride of a man who expected the world to move for him.

  A long time passed after that. We waited by the gates, the silence of the courtyard returning, save for the occasional snort of the armored horse. Lyra finally let out a long, shaky breath, her shoulders dropping an inch.

  "It seems only two showed up for this meeting," she said softly.

  I could tell she was relieved. The terror that had gripped her earlier, the fear of seeing the man who had traumatized her past, slowly ebbed away. But even as she relaxed, a new kind of tension took hold of me.

  "Is that normal?" I whispered. "Only two?"

  "Like I said, they're egotistical," Lyra muttered, though her eyes remained fixed on the castle doors. "But don't let the small number fool you, Akari. Even one of them has the power to start and end a global war on a whim. With Cordelia, Kaelen, and Master Malphas in one room, who knows what will happen."

  I looked up at the towering spires of the Black Obsidian Throne. Somewhere in there, the three most dangerous people I had ever encountered were sitting down to discuss a ghost from my world. I just hoped the castle would still be standing when they were finished.