"Uhh… eh… hi, honey… Long time no see...ing you, in that form."
Whoosh
In a blink, Lilith—who'd been ten meters away—now has Solo by the neck with one hand, lifting the level-1 orc until he's dangling in the air. His feet kick uselessly in the air as he chokes.
"Hi, honey, you didn't answer my call."
Her voice isn't one voice. It's several, layered, like every demon from a horror movie is speaking at once. Solo hasn't heard that tone since the last time he screwed up during an in-law visit. Decades ago.
"I—I'm sorry, babe! I couldn't charge my phone—there's, uh… no electricity here?" He wheezes.
Lilith narrows her eyes.
"I see. And how was your holiday?"
"G-Good?"
"Is that so?"
CRASH
Lilith hurls Solo into the bar, shattering half the liquor stock.
Whoosh.
In an instant she's on him again, snatching him by the neck and hoisting him up a second time.
"Now tell Me! Who is the slut that's keeping you here!? Is it a cat girl? Or a bunny girl?"
"N-No girl... I swear... please… can't breathe…"
Lilith flings him again. This time he crashes through tables and chairs.
"Cough… gasp…" Solo wheezes, finally pulling air into his abused lungs.
"Dont't you lie to me! You always ask me to wear those animal ears! You must have found a real one here!"
"Honey… honey… I promise you, there are no girls. Now calm down… We're not in Murica now… We don't want to cause a diplomatic incidents with our only ally, right?"
Solo tries to smart-talk Lilith—he knows that the only thing sharper than his wife's rage is her professionalism.
Lilith smiles sweetly.
"Oh, but we are in Murica. You are technically standing on the recently purchased land for the new Murica embassy. I signed the deal three hours ago. As the acting Prime Minister."
"Oh shit..." Solo mutters, looking down at the ground beneath him.
"NOW GET READY, MY LOVE." She grins. "YOU HAVE A LONG NIGHT AHEAD OF YOU."
A ball of demonic energy crackles to life in her palm.
---
On a Street Nearby
BOOOMMM
Hannya and the tavern owner looked at the explosion from afar. Behind them, curious townsfolk were held back by Secret Service agents and Dawn's guards, forming a strict 500-meter perimeter—standard procedure for Homewreck protocol.
Homewreck is a special emergency procedure devised by the Murican Secret Service.
Whenever a fight between the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff is imminent, they evacuate an area, lure the weaker party into it, and let the stronger spouse vent in a controlled environment. Property damage is then contained to a "somewhat acceptable" level.
"Thank you for your prompt cooperation, sir," Hannya said, handing a bag of gold to the tavern owner.
"Ah… sure…" He already had his luggage packed with him. "Uh… Miss Demon, may I ask… Is it true? That Orkie is actually a wanted criminal?"
"Yes, he is being wanted for his crime right now," Hannya answered while watching the land clearings for her new office being in progress.
---
Dawn Castle, East Wing
The East Wing has always hosted foreign dignitaries. This time, it housed the Prime Minister of Murica and his wife, the Chief of Staff.
Sunlight filtered through the window into the master bedroom, waking Lilith. She stretched, enjoying the warmth—a little habit she picked up from Solo.
She walked to the bathroom.
Click. Click.
Locked. Right—she had locked it last night.
She retrieved the key and opened it.
Inside, Solo was asleep in the bathtub—bruised, bandaged, and snoring.
She kicked him.
"Guh-huh??"
"Get out. I'm taking a bath."
Battered, bruised, and wobbling, Solo limped out, every bone in his body protesting.
---
Later, Solo examined his wounds in the mirror. Lilith stepped out of the bathroom, toweling her hair.
"Honey… you killed me three times last night."
"You deserved it," she replied while getting dressed.
Solo briefly wondered if he should attempt to pass a Domestic Violence Act again. The last time he tried after a fight, the entire demon court had laughed hysterically.
Banning domestic violence in a violent demon house? Comedy gold.
"I don't know if I should thank the goddess or not for this curse," he muttered.
"You should thank me for not killing you in my true form again," Lilith scowled. "Ugh. That reminds me of that slutty harpy."
"Oh, come on, honey, that was fifty years ago—"
"Shut up. For a long-lifespan demon like me, fifty years is basically last month!"
"…sorry."
Solo noticed Lilith wearing a bikini under her light summer dress.
"Uhh… I thought you came here to drag me home. What's with the outfit?"
"You're not the only one who gets to take a vacation."
SLAM
She left. Solo stared.
"…wait! I'M COMING WITH YOU!"
---
Dawn City, Sandy Beach
Lilith had fully commandeered Solo's private beach spot. She lounged beneath a parasol on a luxurious beach bed, sipping a chilled tropical drink provided by the Murican Secret Service.
Solo, meanwhile, sat on the sand with his old towel.
"…Honey, may I—"
"Don't talk."
"…"
He knew better than to challenge Lilith's silent treatment.
After several minutes—
"So what are you running from? The goddess?" Lilith asked casually.
"At first… I thought so," Solo exhaled deeply. "But I think… I was actually running from you guys."
"…Explain."
"For 130 years, we had prepared weapons—everything we could build—to kill as many Talvarians as possible. We even built a nuclear bomb. We had believed that by destroying the goddess's worshippers and ruling the planet, we could finally get our revenge.
"I promised that. To you. To all Muricans." He paused. "And… I failed."
"Why did you fail?"
"Are you listening? We can't kill people anymore! How were we supposed to win a war without killing? And if the other kingdoms learned that, they would wipe us out."
"That's true," Lilith nodded. "But wasn't it your job to lead us through that?"
"You just… don't understand how I felt."
Lilith sighed.
"Remember, Solo," Lilith said calmly, closing her eyes, "you may be the weakest demon, but I married you because you're the strongest existence I've ever known—in your own way. Now stop bothering me with your human pity party. I'm taking a nap."
Solo fell silent.
---
Dawn Castle, East Wing
That night, Solo sat alone on the balcony, watching the city lights fade into quiet. He hadn't spoken with Lilith since the beach.
"May I join you?" said a familiar voice.
It was King Luxtor—now simply Luxius's retired father.
"Ah, your majesty—"
"No 'majesty.' That's Luxius now. I'm just an old man enjoying retirement." He sat beside Solo and discreetly produced two chilled cans of beer from under his robe. "Your wife banned you from alcohol, so I smuggled these in."
"Bless you."
They clinked cans.
"Aaaahh… wonderful," Luxtor sighed. "Soon your ships will bring more of this, and even commoners can enjoy it."
"When we finish upgrading your port, yeah," Solo nodded. "Container ships will bring cheap beer in bulk."
"Ha! I never thought I'd see the day Ravendawn became prosperous." He took a slow sip. "Hell, I didn't even think that I could return to this castle."
Luxtor gazed wistfully at the castle, then gestured at Solo's chair.
"You know… the chair you're sitting on—I used to sit there whenever something troubled my mind."
"…"
"So tell me. What troubles the mind of a demon leader? Is it how to defeat the goddess?"
Solo froze. "How—how did you—? We kept that secret from outsiders."
"Ohohoho. I'm old. Humans don't live long, but as we grow older, we grow sensitive to… changes."
Luxtor tapped his chest. "Your people changed everything about their lives: culture, instinct, identity. That kind of devotion only comes from two things. Love… or hate. And demons aren't exactly known for love, heh. Well, I'd be pissed off too if I were caged for thousands of years."
Solo was stunned by the old man's insight.
"And you don't mind helping us?" Solo asked quietly. "Even though—when we get the chance—we'll kill your goddess?"
"I stopped praying to her a long time ago."
Luxtor snorted. "She never answered anyway. Hell, the only one who ever answered me was your foreign minister."
Another sip.
"You Muricans take things from us, yes. But at least with you, we can say yes or no. And what we get in return is clear. Fair. The goddess takes, takes, takes. Can we even refuse? And what do we get? A vague promise of heaven? Pah."
He spat over the balcony.
"So go for it. Kill her. You have my blessing. Hahaha!"
Solo huffed. "Thanks… but I don't know. Everything I believed in… feels like a lie now."
"Belief cuts both ways."
Luxtor stared toward the distant hills.
"A long time ago, my family believed every kingdom respected us—the bastion of humanity standing against demons. But when they thought they were strong enough to fight the demons, when Vandoria stole our land… they all turned their eyes away."
He sighed.
"I also believed surrendering Dawn would protect it—protect the city and its people that my wife loved. I thought, what's the worst that can happen? They're humans like us. Boy, was I wrong. Some humans are demons in different skin."
"…is that your biggest regret?"
"No." Luxtor shook his head. "My biggest regret is that after failing the people who trusted me… I hesitated. I was too scared of failing again."
He glanced meaningfully at Solo.
"Sound familiar?"
"…you crafty old man."
"We're leaders, Solo. No one understands what we carry. So crack a beer, swear, cry, whatever demons do. Stay in Dawn. Clear your mind. Then go back and be the best demon leader your people could ever hope for."
"…I'll try." Solo smiled faintly. "Are you always this wise?"
"No," Luxtor chuckled. "It was my wife. Whenever I sat here, she'd sit right where I am now. Saying the words I needed to hear… or staying silent when I needed to think. But she never let me face my problem alone."
Solo smiled warmly.
"And you know what?" Luxtor grinned. "Whenever I'm done with the thinking, we always end up fucking! Right here! On this balcony."
"EWW! OLD MAN!"
"No, I'm serious! We like to do it in that chair you sit on or on the railings!" Luxtor demonstrated with his hip thrusts. "Like this!"
"STOP IT! OH NO, IT'S STARTING TO FORM IN MY MIND!"
"I may be an old man now, but if my wife were still alive, I know I could still ride her like a stud! HAHAHAHA!"
Solo covered his face. Luxtor spanked imaginary buttocks vigorously.
The two laughed like idiots—unaware of the figure perched quietly on the roof above them.
Lilith watched with a tiny smile.
"…stupid husband. If you asked me to talk, we could be fucking right now. Oh well. Your loss."
She quietly flew away, letting the two men enjoy their bro-moment.
For several nights, Solo and Luxtor continued to hang out on the balcony. Drinking, joking, swearing, and sneaking booze from the castle storage.
---
Dawn, A Hill Nearby the Castle
A week passed.
Then one morning, the maids found King Luxtor had passed away peacefully in his sleep, a gentle smile on his face.
A private funeral led by Archmage Gregor was held on a quiet hill overlooking the castle, beside the grave of Luxtor's beloved wife.
Luxius stood between the two gravestones.
"Goodbye, Father. Everything will be alright now. You and Mother can rest and watch over us."
A few steps behind him, Solo, Lilith, and Hannya stood respectfully as Murican representatives—and friends.
"Are you sad?" Lilith asked gently.
"Not really…" Solo answered. "I'm jealous. That dirty old man got everything a man could wish for."
"…I suppose so."
Hannya interrupted bluntly, "Is it the son? Were you two planning to have a son like former King Luxtor?"
Solo and Lilith turned bright red.
"A‑Anyway!" Solo coughed loudly. "Please arrange transport to Bashington tomorrow. I have work to do."
"Yes, sir!" Hannya replied.
Lilith smiled gently, seeing her husband return to the man she had fallen in love with.
On their last night in Dawn Castle, Solo invited Lilith to the balcony for wine under the moonlight.
In honor of the dirty old man… they spent the night enthusiastically recreating his balcony tradition until dawn.
---
Bashington DC, Cabinet Meeting Room
The meeting table was already full with Solo's Cabinet members and their staffs. After more than a month of vacation, the captain was finally back to sail the ship.
"Huh, Belphy?" Mo' said, "It's rare to see you joining a meeting."
"I tried to bail as usual, but this time Lilith's threats were so fucking real."
A short moment later, Solo and Lilith entered the meeting room.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning, sir."
Solo took his seat. A staffer poured his coffee with practiced precision.
"Thank you."
He set the cup down.
"Alright. As you all know, we had major developments in our war against the goddess, especially after discovering the true nature of the goddess virus. Oh, and congratulations to Director Lich for winning the No‑bail Award in Physiology and Medicine for his latest discovery."
Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Ohohoho, thank you, thank you."
The skeleton beamed proudly, his medal hanging from his neck.
"Sorry for being late, Lich. My vacation took longer than expected. Now, our discovery changed everything. Our initial plan of using peace to buy time, then erasing goddess‑worshipping nations one by one with force… was no longer viable."
He rose to his feet.
His voice turned firm.
"That's why from this moment, I—Alex Solomon, Prime Minister of the United Demon Kingdoms of Murica—decided on a new path. We will continue our campaign for revenge and the downfall of the goddess Celes…"
A pause.
A breath.
A grin.
"—By building world peace."
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