Chapter 511: Is It Wrong That I Have Weak Self-Control?
The atmosphere around the dining table had grown suffocatingly dense. Modeus had latched onto Ren's left arm, her flushed face pressed against his shoulder in a vice-like grip, while Lucifer mirrored the gesture on his right, her slender fingers digging possessively into his sleeve. Across from them, Nami and Aoandon sat in cautious silence, keeping a safe distance from the newcomer taking up the rest of the booth.
Lucifer narrowed her crimson eyes, her voice dropping to a dangerous, authoritative register. "So. Justice. What exactly do you think you're doing here?"
Leaning back in her chair with an effortlessly cool grin, Justice shrugged. "Didn't I already tell you, Lucy? I just came up to chat because I was curious. But one thing led to another, and now I'm genuinely attracted."
Lucifer's eye twitched in sheer exasperation. "How did you even find your way out of the underworld?!"
"Pandemonica tipped me off," Justice replied, casually resting her arms behind her head. "I swung by the café, but the place was totally empty. It's a shame about the coffee, but meeting this handsome guy here more than makes up for it."
Lucifer let out a long, weary exhale, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Right. So... you've seen him. Now you can pack up and head back down, correct?"
"Actually, I've changed my mind." Justice leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she flashed a brilliant smile. "Young man, your name is Ren, right? Tell me, what exactly is your relationship with Lucifer and the rest of this chaotic bunch?"
Instantly puffing up her chest, Lucifer tightened her hold on Ren's arm, her tone dripping with absolute territorial pride. "He is my man! Got a problem with that? Keep your opinions to yourself!"
"He's mine too!" Modeus chimed in, her breathing already growing heavy as she glared at the former High Prosecutor.
Not missing a beat, Pandemonica calmly adjusted her glasses and raised a single finger. "For the record, I am currently conducting field research on the concept of romance with Ren., the CEO wishes to secure an heir. That is all."
Lucifer's face flushed a brilliant shade of red. "Pandemonica! Shut your mouth!"
"Hm? Oh. My apologies."
Justice blinked, her gaze shifting from Ren to Lucifer, and then to the rest of the girls. A moment of silence passed before she threw her head back and burst into genuine, ringing laughter. "Hahaha! Oh, this is just too good. Hey, Ren, how about giving me a chance?"
Ren blinked. "A chance for what?"
"A chance to make what I said earlier come true."
Lucifer's eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. "What exactly did you say to him? What chance? What did you two do while my back was turned?!"
"Nothing crazy," Justice said with a playful smirk. "I just told Ren that if I were his girlfriend, I could probably drive the rest of you away. It sounds like a really fun challenge."
"Absolutely not!" Lucifer and Modeus snapped in perfect unison.
Justice tilted her head, her grin never wavering. "Relax, don't be so tense. Do I look like the kind of woman who's easy to win over?"
Lucifer let out a quiet sigh of relief, her tense shoulders dropping a fraction. That much was true. Justice might have been incredibly friendly, enthusiastic, and the life of every party in Hell, but she was still the former High Prosecutor. Winning her heart wasn't something a mortal could accomplish over a single cup of coffee.
Taking advantage of the brief lull, Ren finally tried to interject. "Can I, the actual person involved in this conversation, get a word in?"
Justice turned her attention back to him, her smile softening. "Ren, was it? You're awfully quiet. Oh, wait, where are my manners? Let me properly introduce myself. I'm Justice. I'm currently part of Hell's idle workforce, and I happen to be pretty strong."
Ren nodded slowly. "You are..."
Before he could even finish the sentence, Justice whipped her head toward the Queen of Hell. "Lucifer, you saw that, right? He just flirted with me. Ren, you've officially won me over. We're a thing now."
Lucifer froze, her brain short-circuiting as she processed the sheer absurdity of the claim. A full ten seconds passed before she slammed her hands down on the table, rattling the silverware. "Justice! How in the world did Ren just win you over?!"
"He spoke to me."
"He literally just said two words!"
Justice placed a hand over her heart, looking entirely unrepentant. "Can I help it if my self-control is just that fragile?"
Lucifer stared at her in utter disbelief. It suddenly dawned on her that Justice was just making up excuses to stick around and watch the drama unfold. It was impossible to tell if the tomboyish demon was actually interested in Ren, or if she just wanted front-row seats to the chaos.
Ren sighed, gently prying his arms free from Lucifer and Modeus. "Jokes aside, why did you really choose to stay? And please, drop the 'fragile self-control' act. Give me the actual reason."
Justice's playful demeanor shifted, a glint of genuine appraisal flashing across her features. "As expected of the guy who managed to catch all these girls' attention. You've got sharp eyes. You're right, at first, I just came up here because I was bored and wanted some entertainment..."
She paused, her tone dropping into something far more sincere. "But that was before. I wouldn't stick around just to be a spectator. Now, I'm personally interested in you. Seeing how completely captivated these girls are by you only doubles that interest. So, congratulations—you really have achieved the impossible feat of winning me over."
Ren studied her face for a long moment before shaking his head. "No... everything you just said might be true, but you're still leaving out the most important part, aren't you?"
Justice blinked, visibly stunned. Even Lucifer looked bewildered, having completely bought into Justice's explanation—it was exactly the sort of impulsive, thrill-seeking logic the former prosecutor lived by.
Seeing Justice raise a curious eyebrow, Ren offered a faint, knowing smile. "Lucifer, Cerberus, Pandemonica, Modeus... and now you. With so many high-ranking figures suddenly vanishing from the underworld, even the most laid-back demon in existence would realize that something is terribly wrong down there."
A beat of absolute silence fell over the table. Then, Justice let out a slow, appreciative exhale.
"You really are a dangerously clever man," Justice murmured, her smile returning, though this time it was laced with deep respect. "A guy with a mind like that could easily deceive any woman he wanted. But regardless of the underworld's management issues, my personal interest in you remains the deciding factor."
"A demon who acts completely unlike a demon," Ren noted dryly.
Justice merely smiled, offering no rebuttal.
Lucifer groaned, burying her face in her hands. "So you're really staying?! Seriously?! What's next? Are you going to call Judgement up here too?!"
Justice paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Don't stress over it, Lucy. If she shows up, Ren can just win Judgement over too, right? Just like he did with me. He's an amazing guy, after all."
"I knew it..." Lucifer muttered, her eye twitching again. "You just want to cause as much trouble as physically possible!"
"Hey, I am the literal embodiment of Justice," she replied with a wink. "But it's a fact that I've taken a liking to Ren. This whole situation is a pretty unexpected, but welcome, development."
Lucifer let out a defeated sigh. There was no getting rid of her now. The stubborn demon had made up her mind to stay, but at the very least, she was clearly friendly toward Ren. Justice was also remarkably obedient when it came to the rules of the human world, so Lucifer didn't have to worry about her accidentally murdering anyone in the streets.
"I am so entirely fed up with this," Lucifer grumbled helplessly. "Now I have to go buy necessities for Justice, too... Forget it. We'll just continue our shopping trip and add her to the list."
"Oh? I'm looking forward to that," Justice said, before snapping her fingers as if suddenly remembering something. "Ah, right! Before I forget, there are two human women looking for you, Ren. Someone named Hiratsuka Shizuka and another named Sengoku Chihiro."
Ren frowned. "What do they want with me?"
"No idea," Justice shrugged. "But they looked incredibly aggressive and formidable. Real heavy hitters."
She leaned in, a sly smirk playing on her lips. "But that's not the important part. The two of them are currently heading in opposite directions, which means they won't arrive here until around noon..."
Lucifer's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you getting at?"
"Well, since we have some time to kill, you'll have to let me take Ren off your hands for a bit, right?"
"Absolutely impossible!" Lucifer barked, her possessive instincts flaring back to life. "I see your game! You just want to get him alone! If I let you take him, it completely defeats the purpose of keeping an eye on him!"
Justice laughed, holding her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, you win. I'll catch up with you girls later."
"Fine. Meet us at the barbecue restaurant across from the department store," Lucifer ordered.
"Barbecue? Now you're speaking my language. Well, Ren, I'll be taking off for now. See you later, everyone~"
With a casual wave, Justice pushed herself up from the table and strolled out of the restaurant, her effortless swagger turning a few heads as she left.
Watching her disappear through the doors, Lucifer slumped against Ren's shoulder, her regal composure completely shattered. "Why... why does she have to join the fun too...?"
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