Chapter 385: The Shocked Pandemonica
Lucifer swore that in that single, heart-stopping moment, the world had ground to a halt. Everything around her seemed to crystallize, encased in an invisible sheet of ice, and the words she needed simply wouldn't form.
Her greatest fear had been one of her employees finding her here. Now, that fear had materialized, and of all the demons in Hell, it had to be one of the four she dreaded seeing the most.
The list of demons she desperately wanted to avoid was short but potent: Judgement, the High Prosecutor—or rather, the current Grand Judge; Justice, her dear old friend and the former High Prosecutor; that insufferable chain-smoker; and finally, this one—Pandemonica, the Tired Demon.
Her reasons were simple. She feared Judgement's arrival because the demon was prone to attack first and ask questions later. It wasn't Ren's safety she worried about—he was invincible within the confines of his shop—but she held a great deal of admiration for her junior, and she feared the encounter might leave a permanent scar on Judgement's psyche.
As for Justice, she was the only one in all of Hell who could tease Lucifer without consequence. Her breezy, affable personality would likely mesh far too well with Ren's, a combination that would undoubtedly send Lucifer's blood pressure into the stratosphere.
The chain-smoker was a nightmare for obvious reasons, and Pandemonica… well, Pandemonica was a unique kind of problem.
Ren tilted his head, his voice cutting through her spiraling thoughts. "Hmm? Lucifer, it looks like your employee really did find you."
Pandemonica, despite her perpetually weary demeanor, spoke with a voice that was soft, yet carried an undercurrent of innate elegance. "Sir, who might you be? And… hmm? Cerberus?"
"It really is Pandemonica!" Cerberus yelped, a mix of shock and excitement in her voice.
Pandemonica gave a slight nod, her gaze returning to Ren. She could sense he was human, yet something was strange. Woven into his very being, she could clearly feel the distinct auras of both Lucifer and Cerberus.
Ren offered a placid smile. "Hello. I'm Ren, the owner of this establishment."
"Hmm…" Pandemonica's eyes narrowed slightly. "You have Lucifer's and Cerberus's scent on you…"
At her words, both Lucifer and Cerberus froze. A cold sweat immediately broke out across Cerberus's brow. She knew better than anyone that while Pandemonica appeared docile, her temper was anything but.
"Why don't we head inside first?" Ren suggested gently. "That way, you, Lucifer, and Cerberus can catch up with your colleague properly."
Pandemonica nodded, her manners impeccable. "Thank you very much."
The moment she stepped through the door, however, she stopped dead in her tracks. The interior was a world away from the unassuming exterior. It was exquisite, beautiful, and surprisingly spacious. A faint, fresh fragrance hung in the air, mingling with the cozy, tranquil atmosphere that seemed to be an intrinsic part of the shop.
Pandemonica's tired eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "My… what a wonderful place."
"Thank you for the compliment," Ren said with a smile.
"No, it's true," she murmured, a hint of longing in her voice. "If I had a work environment like this, I might actually feel motivated…"
Lucifer couldn't help but retort, exasperated, "Pandemonica, your archives are bigger than this entire shop! What more could you possibly want in a work environment?!"
Nakiri Mana and the others, listening from the side, felt their mouths twitch. Good heavens, just how large was this company if a single archive room was that massive?
Pandemonica, however, seemed to ignore the comment, her focus elsewhere. She raised a delicate eyebrow, her expression tinged with confusion. "Your shop?"
A fresh wave of panic washed over Lucifer. "Cerberus!" she snapped, her voice sharp. "To my room! Now! Pandemonica, you too! And no more questions!"
Everyone stared, taken aback by her sudden outburst. Pandemonica, still clutching her blanket, bag, and a stack of documents, simply nodded. "Oh… but these report files…"
"I know!"
Just then, Ren emerged, having changed into a fresh set of clothes. "What does everyone want for dinner tonight?" he asked calmly.
The sight of him instantly deflated Lucifer's imposing demeanor. She retracted her metaphorical claws and gave the question serious thought. "That teppanyaki we had earlier today looked absolutely delicious…"
Cerberus, predictable as ever, just shouted, "Meat!"
After Courage and the others chimed in with their requests, Ren nodded and turned his attention to their new guest. Pandemonica blinked, a little slow to process the shift. "So, this is a restaurant…"
"It is. What would you like to eat?"
She considered it for a moment. "Anything is fine… but if it's possible… could I have a cup of coffee?"
Hearing this, Lucifer and Cerberus both went rigid, shaking their heads frantically in the background. Ren, however, simply nodded. "Of course. Do you take sugar or milk? What kind of coffee would you like?"
Pandemonica thought with surprising seriousness. "A mocha… with milk, but no sugar."
A flicker of pleasant surprise crossed Ren's face, followed by a warm smile. "I didn't expect to meet someone with the same taste as me."
Pandemonica looked genuinely stunned for a second. "Eh? Mr. Ren, you enjoy it that way as well? How… lovely."
"Well then," Ren said, his tone light, "you two go discuss your work. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
Pandemonica nodded and offered another polite thank you before Lucifer grabbed her by the arm and practically dragged her away. Nakiri Mana and the others decided it was their cue to retreat as well, heading back to their rooms to put away their luggage before congregating in Courage's room. Thankfully, the layout was just as they remembered it; otherwise, the day's surprises might have been too much.
"Ahh, it's so good to be home!" Courage declared, immediately flopping onto her bed and sprawling out like a contented starfish.
Decora chuckled. "You really do treat this place like your own home, don't you?"
"Of course! I've even been slowly decorating it. What do you think? Not bad, right?"
Nakiri Mana and Lanterby looked around the exceptionally stylish room and nodded in unison. As expected of someone on the cutting edge of fashion, Courage's taste was impeccable.
"Mine is just okay," Courage said with a wave of her hand. "Wait until Sora finishes her homework tonight, then you have to go see her room. Lanterby, I guarantee you'll exclaim that it's a room straight out of heaven!"
"Eh?!" came the synchronized gasp from her three guests.
---
Meanwhile, in Lucifer's room, the atmosphere was far less lively.
Lucifer stood with her teeth gritted, glaring at Pandemonica. "How did you find me?!" she demanded.
"Uh… I felt your magic this morning," Pandemonica answered softly.
"What?! But I'm certain I closed the portal properly… Cerberus," she said, her voice dropping dangerously, "is there something you'd like to say?"
Seeing Cerberus go completely still, her posture as stiff as a board, Lucifer knew something was wrong. The three-headed demon immediately covered her head with her hands, curling into a miserable ball on the floor.
'Lucifer…'she whimpered, her voice barely a whisper.'If I said I might have accidentally opened the door this morning… would you be angry?'
"What?! You opened it?!"
Lucifer felt her blood pressure spike. For a moment, she saw red, but then she looked at the cowering form on the floor. She was, after all, her pet. With a deep breath, she forced the anger down.
She cleared her throat. "Don't worry, it's nothing. Lift your head."
Cerberus peeked up, a wave of relief washing over her face. "Lucifer is still the best! Ugh… second best!"
"Second best isn't called 'the best'," Lucifer said, exasperated.
"But Master is the best!"
"I knew you were going to say that…"
Pandemonica, who seemed more alert now—perhaps due to the promise of coffee, the long nap she'd had, or simply the sobering effect of the shop's atmosphere—watched the exchange with a curious tilt of her head. "Boss… what is this about a 'Master' that Cerberus mentioned? And this shop, and what you said about a door…"
Lucifer let out a long, weary sigh. "Pandemonica… first, you have to promise me that what you are about to hear will never, under any circumstances, leave this room."
"Yes…"
Lucifer took another breath, steeling herself. "Cerberus's Master is Ren… and she's bound to him by a life contract."
She paused, then added the second blow. "Ren is also my Master…"
She let that sink in for a beat before delivering the final, devastating truth.
"Or rather… my lover."
"What?!"
For the first time, a genuine gasp of shock escaped Pandemonica's lips. Her expression remained placid, almost as if she were joking, but her wide eyes betrayed her utter disbelief. This wasn't just gossip; this was news that could shake the very foundations of Hell.
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