"It hasn't even been a day," I muttered, staring down at Lucas.
He knelt stiffly on the cold floor, back straight like a scolded child, eyes glued to the floorboards as if they might open up and swallow him. His hands were balled into fists on his thighs, trembling just enough to betray the adrenaline still pumping through him.
"They cheated," he mumbled, voice low and stubborn.
I resisted the urge to groan. "Lucas, I expected Hendrian to do something dumb, but not you."
"Hey, I'm also here, you know," Hendrian called from behind me, arms crossed. He leaned against the wall like he was being punished too, even though he hadn't moved a muscle since I arrived.
A few EU Marines stood off to the side, watching the scene with somber expressions. The poker table was still set up—cards mid-hand, chips spilled across the surface. One chair had been knocked over.
Funny enough, none of them were laughing. Usually, someone would've cracked a joke by now.
I sighed and glanced to my side. The Saintess stood quietly, arms folded, observing the chaos with a tired, diplomatic neutrality.
"So... what happened?" I asked.
"They were playing poker," she explained. Her voice was cool and composed, like she'd already recited the facts a dozen times. "Apparently, some of the Marines cheated."
"That's it?" I said, incredulous. "And Lucas pulled a weapon over that?"
"I wasn't thinking..." Lucas muttered, still staring at the ground.
"No shit," I snapped, rubbing my temples. "So who exactly did you threaten?"
No one answered.
I looked at the Saintess again. "I'm not going to hurt anyone. I just want him to apologize properly."
She nodded and tilted her chin toward two Marines standing near the wall—tall, nervous-looking men with short-cropped hair and strained smiles.
Without another word, I grabbed Lucas by the collar and yanked him to his feet. He squeaked in protest but didn't resist as I dragged him like a sack of flour toward the accused.
"I'm sorry I pulled a weapon on you two," he said stiffly, head bowed. "My emotions got the better of me."
"It's alright," one of the Marines replied quickly. "We shouldn't have cheated in the first place. That was on us."
With the tension broken, the room exhaled in relief. I clapped Lucas on the back, maybe a little harder than necessary, and turned toward the bar.
"Well then, with all that over and done with," I said, stretching my arms behind my head, "let's drink."
"You drink?" one of the Marines asked, visibly surprised.
"Yes. Human liquor is much stronger than demon drinks. It's a fun challenge," I replied, ordering something strong and familiar.
[Later That Night]
Several drinks in, I found myself seated outside under the stars with the Saintess. The courtyard was quiet save for the sound of distant waves and the occasional clink of glass from the officers still socializing indoors. My drink was half-empty, and the moonlight shimmered across the glass like a silver ripple.
"Hey, Ren," she said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Is polyamory a thing demons do often?"
"Hmm?" I blinked, then leaned back in my chair. "If you mean women having multiple partners, yes. It's not uncommon. Demonic society doesn't really enforce monogamy unless a clan insists on it."
"... I see."
I gave her a sideways glance. "Weird question."
She shrugged, looking up at the stars. "I was just curious."
"Sure you were. Let me guess—those four Marines from earlier confessed to you?"
"Haha, no. I don't think I'll ever be into men."
"…What?"
That caught me off guard. 'That's news to me!'
"Oh, sorry," she said with an embarrassed laugh. "Some humans are just... like that."
"I know. Some demons are, too. Like me." I swirled my glass lazily. "I have two girlfriends at the moment."
"... Oh. You're polyamorous."
"Mhm." A wistful smile tugged at my lips. "And I already miss them both quite a bit."
"I'm sure they're beautiful."
"You don't even know. They're drop-dead gorgeous. Hot—uh, sorry." I coughed. "Getting carried away."
She laughed softly. "It's fine."
"So," I said, raising an eyebrow. "You've got a crush on a couple of girls?"
She shook her head. "No. Just one."
"Does she already have a partner?"
"No. I think she likes me too. At least, I hope so."
"Then what's the polyamory question about?"
"I don't know... I guess I'm just nervous. This isn't something I've ever really acted on."
"Worried things are going too fast?"
She gave a slow nod.
I smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. "Don't overthink it, Jean. Just go with the flow. That's the best advice I can give."
Her lips curled into a small, unsure smile. "Thanks."
I ruffled her hair. "Old friends. Always overcomplicating things."
Teleporting back to my bed in the barracks, I dropped onto it face-first with a sigh.
"Wonder who she fell for… Wait. Did I just call her by name?"
My eyes opened. I stared at the ceiling.
"Damn it."
Too late now. That's tomorrow's problem.
[The Next Day]
The day that followed was mostly uneventful, routine logistics, tactical briefs, and a few drills. Hendrian and Timmy had disappeared to mingle with the Marines again, no doubt trying to redeem their reputation. Meanwhile, I stayed behind, finishing strategy adjustments with Marasuki.
We sat in the operations room, a mess of open folders and floating maps between us.
Marasuki crossed her arms. "We need to finalize who's where."
"I'm taking Gibraltar," I said. "Makes sense, given my mobility and familiarity with mountainous terrain. Plus, it's the chokepoint for our northern supply lines."
She nodded. "Then I'll take Palerma. The island fort suits me. Minimal interference, and I can swim."
"I figured." I sighed. "You're probably stronger than me anyway."
She looked up. "That still bothering you?"
"You wiped the floor with me during sparring. I got depressed for a day."
"You're top twenty."
"Not top ten," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Still better than most of the U.S. Army."
"Fair."
We continued working until movement outside the room caught my eye.
My heart stopped.
Fifteen years.
It had been fifteen years since I last saw her. Older, yes—but unmistakably familiar. My breath caught in my throat.
"Luna Bell," I muttered.
She looked up sharply. "Who are you?"
"Haah… not now," I murmured and turned away.
"Hey!" she barked. "What's your problem?"
"Luna, let's talk after the mission briefing," I said, brushing past her.
"Tsk. I told them it was a bad idea to involve demons."
"General Luna," Zelda's voice rang out from nearby. "Watch your tone."
"She started it! Just glared at me for no reason!"
I stopped in my tracks. "You know what? Let's talk now."
Before anyone could react, I grabbed her by the collar and teleported.
[Somewhere Far Away]
We landed in a dry canyon. The air here was sharp and dry, far removed from the coastal base. Luna stumbled backward, fire crackling to life in her palm.
She hurled a flame at me and lit my sleeve on fire.
I patted it out casually and sat on a rock. "Let's have a civil discussion."
"Civil? You just kidnapped me!"
"I needed privacy," I said. "My identity is... complicated."
She narrowed her eyes. "How do you know my surname?"
"We demons keep better records than you think."
She scowled. "How much do you know?"
"Answer me first. Why did you leave the Bell family?"
"I didn't leave," she snapped. "I was abandoned. Just like my sister."
I stared at her. "Why?"
"What does it matter?"
"Because your sister is still alive. I knew her."
"You mean the one your kind killed?"
"Mhm. That one."
Her jaw tightened.
"She used to talk about her older sister," I continued. "Said she'd been abandoned fifteen years ago."
She looked away. "Tch. Is that what she believed?"
"She was ignored most of her life. She didn't have many other options."
Luna hesitated. "How do I even know you're telling the truth?"
"Jean is one of Ren's best friends. Ask me something only a close friend would know."
"…What is she to you?"
I raised an eyebrow. "That's not important."
A blush crept up her face. "I've only known her for a few months."
"You're the spark," I said flatly.
"What?!"
"Oh my gods. You're the spark."
"What the fuck?"
"Ren's known Jean for years. She never so much as glanced at anyone. But you… she's mentioned you."
Her eyes widened.
My phone buzzed.
Sara: "Where did you go?"
Me: "Sorry. Everything's fine. Luna and I are catching up."
Luna was also answering a call.
'Guess I should tell them Luna's not part of that family anymore.'
I ended the call and looked at her. "So... you were abandoned for being gay?"
She stiffened, then looked away. "Yeah."
I nodded. "Ren's into girls, too. Maybe your mom secretly is and just hates herself."
That got a laugh from Luna. A real one. "Wouldn't surprise me."
"Heh."
She smiled. "We should tell Jean. After the briefing."
I teleported us back.
[Back at Base]
"Oh, you two are back?" General Zelda asked coolly, masking her concern behind stoic professionalism.
"Yes, General," I said. "I met Luna a year ago. Just wanted to clear the air."
Zelda's eyes moved to Luna, who nodded faintly, still dazed.
A nearby officer muttered, "What?!"
Zelda raised her hand. "Let's begin the briefing."
The war room was tight and bustling with tension. Human and demon leaders filled every corner. Murmurs faded as General Zelda stepped forward.
"We'll begin the assignment briefing. Commander Ren Diamonas will lead this with me. Her authority is equal to mine."
Some visible tension from the U.S. side. No one challenged it.
I tapped the holo-map. "We'll be stationed at four primary defense forts—now joint demon-human operations."
Zelda lit up Gibraltar. "Fort 4."
"I'll lead there," I said. "Expect fast response, mountain patrols, tight supply lines. You'll report to me."
Zelda pointed to Palerma.
"Marasuki," I said. "You've got Fort 3. Coordinate naval defenses and logistics. You'll report to Zelda directly."
She gave a nod. "Understood."
"Fort 2," Zelda continued. "Ismaila."
"Julia, Selena, and Sara will handle that one," I said. "They'll coordinate with the Saintess's team."
"We'll keep the peace," the Saintess added calmly.
Selena gave a lazy salute. "We've got it."
"Fort 1, Mocha & Dhubab," I finished. "Hendrian, Lucas, Tim, you're working with General Zelda herself."
Hendrian blinked. "Damn. High expectations."
Zelda smirked. "Don't disappoint."
Lucas nodded. "We'll make it work."
Zelda tapped a panel. "Each fort gets two liaisons. Human and demon. No lone heroics."
I folded my arms. "Command structure is non-negotiable. Demon or human—you answer to your superior."
Shifting. No one dared speak.
"Any objections?" Zelda asked.
Silence.
"Good," I said. "We're not here to start a war. We're here to stop one."
"Dismissed," Zelda said.
Officers began to break off into smaller teams.
Zelda leaned over. "That went smoother than I expected."
"For now," I murmured. "Let's give it two days."
She chuckled. "Let's hope they surprise us."