"That's all that happened?" Megan asked in disbelief as I finished recounting my encounter with Albedo, "No wonder you were only gone for thirty minutes, kinda anti-climactic in my opinion."
I smirked, "I'll take anti-climatic over the alternative option any day. The only downside to everything is that I'm still at square one when it comes to learning about my demonic side."
"Well, not necessarily," Patty spoke up with a calculating look in her eyes as she looked off into space, "We learned that you seem to be a different kind of demon. Albedo, at the very least, is a more traditional succubus, one that presumably relies on the sexual energy of humans to sustain herself. And considering she regarded this activity as hunting, it's likely that it has some type of adverse effect on whoever she decides her prey is, possibly even draining them of their life force."
"Looks like we have a resident demonology expert," Megan teased, but it didn't break Patty out of her spell as she continued analyzing everything I had told her, "Guess those smut books are going to come in handy after all."
"What we need to figure out his just how rare Ramon's specific bloodline is, without tipping Albedo off." Patty continued, glancing over at me, "You wouldn't happen to know the name of your demonic ancestor, would you?"
"I don't even know what a demonic ancestor is," I admitted with a shrug.
"In most forms of media, demons have bloodlines that determine their powers and strength tied to a powerful ancestor," Patty explained, "An ancestor like one of the seven princes of hell or another famous demonic entity like Baal or Pazuzu."
"Yeah, I don't think I have anything like that…though when I was reborn, I remember somehow knowing that I was a primordial incubus." I explained, making Patty's brow furrow.
"Primordial…that means the beginning of time, the very first or the original." Patty stared at me with a complex look in her eyes. "If we take that at its literal meaning, that would mean you should be the first incubus. The ancestor of all other succubi and incubi, but you were somehow reborn as one after living as a human."
"Hate to say it, but I think we've reached the limit of what we can reasonably guess," Megan sighed, "We're all out of our depths."
"You're…right," Patty agreed somewhat reluctantly, "But luckily for us we now know someone who knows what they're talking about. The only problem is we need to figure out how Ramon is going to ask her questions without giving away that he's completely clueless about his own identity."
"Ouch," I grumbled with mock injury, making Megan reach over and pat me on the arm, "Don't worry, baby, we don't really mean it. But you'll need a concrete plan when it comes to dealing with her, and there's no way you'll be able to fool a woman's intuition."
"But she's a demon?" I pointed out only for Patty to grin, "Just because she's a demon doesn't mean she's not a woman."
I considered arguing for a second before I decided that it was ultimately pointless and to trust that the girls knew what they were talking about, "Alright then, what do the two of you have in mind?"
"Well, first of all, we need you to be desperate," Megan answered as she adjusted herself on the couch so her legs were stretched across my lap, "But not too desperate. Albedo has to think that you're after something and need her help."
"But I am after something and I do need her help," I clarified, "But she can't know that otherwise I lose all leverage."
"Exactly," Patty agreed, "You need her to feel like she has the upper hand, that you need her more than she needs you. But you also have to act like you're hiding it and you don't want her to know."
I frowned,"Again, I feel like we're just restating what's already happening."
"Somewhat, which is the only reason why this plan has any chance of working," Megan replied, "You're a direct man, babe. You don't know how to be subtle, and we love you for it, but this situation requires a more delicate touch. You can't just charm your way into getting what you want."
"Do you really have that little faith in me?" I asked with a raised brow.
"It's not that we don't have faith in you, it just that we shouldn't underestimate who you're going against," Patty advised, "For all we know, Albedo is hundreds or thousands of years old and can see through any lie or ruse we try to construct."
"So then maybe I should just confront her upright and prepare for whatever the fallout might be, seems like a safer bet," I advised, only for Megan and Patty to shake their heads at the same time.
"Too direct, and that doesn't give us any information at all. In the worst-case scenario, she kills you to use your blood in some weird demon ritual to increase her own power," Patty warned, only to get a skeptical look from me, "I didn't really get a blood ritual kind of vibe from her."
"Not yet, but you never know, and fighting her doesn't help our cause whatsoever," Megan said, "What you need to do is get her talking and somehow bring up Primordial Incubui in the conversation. Like you've heard rumors that the personal grimoire of one is lying around somewhere in this town and you need help finding it."
"But I'm not an expert on a Primordial Incubus. I've been one for less than a year."
"You don't need to be an expert; in fact, the more clueless you appear, the better this will all work out." Megan corrected, "Albedo needs to know that she knows more than you, which will get her comfortable and make her assume that she can use you to get what she wants."
"But in reality, all I'm after is what she knows in general." I replied while slowly nodding my head, "I think I'm starting to understand where you two are coming from."
My eyes narrowed. "Wait, have the two of you always been this good at subtle manipulation?
I watched as Patty and Megan shared a subtle glance that told me everything I needed to know, "Just how often do I fall for it?"
Patty covered her mouth to suppress a small laugh, but she failed miserably. "That bad, huh?"
"Just know we do it out of love and affection," Megan consoled me as she gave me an apologetic smile, "Besides, it's not like we've tricked you into doing anything that you wouldn't do willingly if one of us asked."
"Oh, I see," I replied as my hand snaked out to grab Megan's calf while my other hand sized Patty's wrist. "So the two of you are just being brats?"
Megan's breath hitched as she stared at my hand like it was a snake coiled around her leg, "Maybe just a little bit."
"Well then it seems like the two of you are overdue for a little correction session," I muttered as I stood up effortlessly lifting Patty and Megan into the air, making them let out twin cries of shock and exhilaration as I walked towards the bedroom.
---
--[Day 42 Report]--
Simlife
Revenue: +$732,942
Cost: -$381,377
Profit: $351,565
Modifiers: Fortune III [+15%], Satisfaction [0%]
Income: +560,477
Total: $177,185
DateLife
Energy Spent: 2
Energy Gained: 4
Tantric Reserves: 5/5
Lust: +0
Total: 60/100
---
Compared to the first two days, the rest of the workweek went without anything eventful, which I was eternally grateful for, seeing as Tiana and I were still being overrun in the kitchen every night, keeping up with the never-ending flood of orders that swept through the doors.
However, just because it was the weekend didn't mean my work was over; in fact, my day was probably about to be busier than ever. Though that didn't mean I was any less excited as I pulled up in front of Ashe's house and found the farmer girl waiting on for me on the porch with a broad grin across her face.
I barely managed to step out of my door and close the door before I was forced to catch Ashe out of the air as she threw herself on me, climbing my body like a pole and hoisting herself up to claim my lips possessively.
Only breaking away when she was damn near breathless, Ashe regarded me with a grin, "Morning, Tiger, you ready to get to work?"
"I sure am, though after that kiss I'm not sure if we're thinking about the same job," I replied with a similar grin.
"Oh, I just needed to get your blood pumping for a long day out in the field and remind you of the reward waiting on your tonight," Ashe then hopped down on the ground and promptly turned around, "Now come on, time to do a walk through of the farm."