Chapter 504: An Excited Modeus and an Easily Coaxed Lucifer
Although the sudden addition of another person had left Courage and Decora feeling a bit withdrawn, they were slowly getting used to the new dynamic. ultimately, they only needed to manage their own progress bars, not anyone else's.
Not long after finishing their meal, Nakiri Mana and her group departed, taking a very reluctant Kasugano Sora with them. Ren let out a soft sigh, his gaze falling upon Nami and Aoandon, who had remained behind.
There was no helping it. With Modeus's unexpected arrival, the entire day's plan had been thrown into disarray. The original idea—having Cerberus and Lanterby help Nami and Aoandon get familiar with the city—was now unnecessary.
Cerberus had eagerly bounded off to play with Nakiri Mana's group anyway, leaving Ren to turn to the Queen of Hell. "So, Lucifer," he began, "what are you planning to do?"
Lucifer mulled it over for a moment before shaking her head, a slight pout on her lips. "I can't think of anywhere to go besides shopping."
Ren nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "That works. It's the perfect opportunity to buy some daily necessities for Nami and the others. Plus, it's a great way for them to get familiar with the area quickly. A very good idea."
Nami's head bobbed up and down in agreement. She adored shopping, and the thought of exploring these vibrant streets filled her with anticipation. But before her mind could even begin to list the things she wanted to buy, Modeus's voice cut through the air, vibrating with pure excitement.
"So! Is it the legendary date?!"
"Date?!"
Nami's face instantly turned a shade of crimson so deep it could rival a ripe tomato. A sudden date… The thought alone sent her heart into a frantic rhythm.
Lucifer's mouth twitched in exasperation. "Modeus, where on earth did you learn these things? You're seeing a living man for the very first time…"
Both Nami and Aoandon stared at Modeus, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. Good heavens, that was a bit too absurd, wasn't it? For Ren to be the first living, breathing man she'd ever laid eyes on?
Modeus, however, stated it as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. "I've never left Hell. In Hell, Pandemonica and the others are all female. The only ones you could call male are the skeletons… and they're all just fodder and slaves…"
Nami's own mouth twitched. If demons didn't age, such a wildly imbalanced male-to-female ratio would surely lead to some massive societal problems. Yet, Modeus and the others seemed to think nothing of it; after all, they had existed that way for countless eons and were completely accustomed to it.
Ren considered this for a moment, then looked at Modeus. "Speaking of which, there's something I'm actually quite curious about."
"Ren! Ask away!" Modeus chirped, her eyes sparkling. "You can ask anything! Any question at all!"
Her sheer intensity made Ren pause. He offered a placating smile. "There's no need to be so wound up. It's just a small thing."
"Sweet talk between lovers?! I'm so excited!"
Ren sighed. In her own way, Modeus was even more baffling than a natural airhead. Both she and Mashiro possessed a certain innate darkness, but their brands of naivety were from two completely different worlds.
His gaze shifted to the book clutched in Modeus's hands. "I heard Lucifer mention you before," he said, his tone laced with genuine curiosity. "You seem to always be reading this book… 'Spider Season'? What a strange name. What's it about?"
Suddenly, Modeus's excitement was replaced by a wave of nervousness. "Ren… Ren! Do you really want to know?"
He nodded. Even Lucifer leaned in, her expression puzzled. "Frankly, I'm also very curious what kind of book that is. I often see you reading it in secret."
With a solemnity befitting a sacred ritual, Modeus presented the book to Ren with both hands. He accepted it, his fingers brushing against hers. He flipped through the pages for a moment, his eyes scanning the text, and then a warm, gentle smile spread across his face.
Under Modeus's utterly shocked gaze, he reached out and patted her head. "Modeus, you're truly adorably innocent."
Her face instantly erupted in a crimson blush, and she began to stammer, "It… it… it's the legendary head pat! But is this what it feels like…? It doesn't feel bad at all… Ren!" Her eyes shone with a newfound adoration.
"I want more head pats!"
Ren just smiled and shook his head. Lucifer, however, was still completely lost. "What kind of book is it, anyway?" she demanded.
"You can think of it as a literary novel," Ren explained calmly. "It uses objects to allude to people. What do spiders do?"
Nami's brow furrowed in thought. "Spiders… if they're not poisonous, they just spin webs… Wait a minute… using objects to allude to people… spinning webs…" Her eyes widened in realization. "This couldn't be a book that treats spiders as humans and describes their interactions, could it?!"
Ren smiled and nodded. Lucifer let out a long-suffering sigh. "Then, Modeus, why do you read it so secretly, and only a little bit each day?"
"That… I feel like this kind of book is… not suitable for discussing with others…" Modeus mumbled, looking at the floor. "Isn't this a very strange kind of book?"
Pandemonica, who had been silent until now, considered this for a moment. "No matter how you look at it, this book isn't a strange novel, alright?" she stated flatly. "Aren't you a demon? And a succubus, at that…"
Modeus tilted her head, giving Pandemonica a thoroughly puzzled look before her attention snapped right back to Ren. Just as he was about to speak, she leaned forward, her expression alight with pure expectation. "Is there more? Are there any more questions you want to ask?! I can tell you anything!"
Her voice grew more intense, more possessive. "Ask freely! You are the man I'm interested in! Any question is fine! All questions are reasonable!"
"Should…"
"Mhm, mhm! Don't worry!" she interrupted, her cheeks flushed. "I'm yours! Ask anything!"
Lucifer sighed, pressing her fingers to her temple. "Modeus, I know you're excited, but you should exercise some caution! You don't even know what love is!"
Nami and Aoandon were both blushing but watched Modeus with rapt attention, a shared thought passing between them: 'As expected of a demon…'
Pandemonica thought for a moment before addressing her queen. "Boss, you should be happy."
Lucifer shot her a bewildered look. "Hmm? Why should I be happy? That I'd be happy to have more people sharing my man? Is my head full of chocolate?!"
Pandemonica tilted her head, her expression unchanging. "Boss, Modeus has always been someone in Hell who didn't have much work to do. But don't you think her behavior just now was already very fitting for her race?"
Lucifer paused, considering the logic. "Indeed," she conceded, a flicker of pride in her eyes. "From a boss's perspective, it's a good thing for one's employees to become more outstanding… But… that doesn't change the fact that there are more people sharing my man!"
"Let's go," Ren said, his voice a calm anchor in the storm of demonic emotions. "We need to buy some daily necessities for Modeus and Nami. If we're quick, we can still go see Courage and the others afterward."
Modeus nodded repeatedly, practically vibrating with excitement at the simple prospect of following him.
Lucifer sighed, a dramatic pout forming on her lips. "My date… Hmm?"
Just as she was about to launch into another complaint, she felt Ren's arm gently wrap around her waist. He leaned in close, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Do you want to watch the shop tonight?"
Her breath hitched. "Alone?"
A low, knowing hum was his only answer.
Lucifer's entire demeanor shifted in an instant. The pout vanished, replaced by a smug, satisfied smirk. She straightened her posture, a queen once more in command of her world.
"Hmph~ Let's go!"
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