Asmodeus used his magic to make Bubu or Subus to be exact, disappear.
I didn't ask why or where he transported her to.
I'm just feeling...
Empty.
After sometime of being silent, Asmodeus asked me if I have no plans on finding the pack and Khamsin, not that he mind of course as getting the transformation stone is of utmost importance to him.
I looked at him like he is some sort of a stupid demon and grumbled that I have no idea where they went as they all ran in opposite directions.
He chuckled as he told me that he'll help me for now as he is a bit bored and getting the transformation stone will be easy as he has an idea where to find it after roaming around with Bubu..er.. Subus earlier.
I sighed as I have no other choice and followed him.
We kept on walking until Asmodeus asked me if there's something bothering me as I'm too silent than usual. Of course he admitted that he observed every move that I made and seeing me right now shows that I'm thinking about something.
I shrugged and told him that he already knows that I can't tell him about everything because of a certain moron.
He laughed uncontrollably as he agreed that Rahab was definitely a moron and that's why he was destroyed in an instant.
Then he grinned at me then mentioned that Rahab's spell doesn't really affect them entirely. Their kind, to be exact.
So he stopped and looked at me, as if he is waiting for me to ask him something.
I took a deep breath before asking him the reason why I was the one taken despite having plenty of options back in my previous world.
Asmodeus frowned for a moment, as if he was thinking deeply before answering.
The story is like this:
I'm not the first one to be taken.
In fact, a lot were taken before. Not only in my previous world but in the other worlds as well.
Ah. So that's why there's a lot of unexplained disappearances in my previous world. It's because of that savage.
At this point, Asmodeus chuckled before telling me that it is not entirely the demon king's fault. It took a while for the demon king to discover a being like me.
He continued telling me the story as we tried to find our companions.
Correction. My companions, as he's not one of us.
Not all creatures and beings that were taken lived. The lucky few who survived, ended up being experimented by them.
The high council.
I was right.
Not all of them though came from the other worlds. They also experimented the beings and creatures belonging to this world too.
Wait.
I asked Asmodeus if they don't have problems with the demons in my previous universe as the demon king took someone belonging to their territory. He looked terrified for a moment before admitting that I was the last one that the demon king attempted to get before closing the portal.
He shuddered as he stammered that the demons that belonged in my previous universe are hundred levels higher than them as they are older and more dreadful than them.
Ah.. it must be that the netherworld in my previous universe is older than the netherworld here and with the unlimited supply of humans, the demons there seemed like gods to them.
So that's why I'm very valuable to the demon king.
I'm valuable, not because I'm special or anything but because I'm the only one who he managed to get.
And survived.
Not to mention that I'm exactly what the demon king is looking for. A human.
The previous humans that he managed to get didn't even survive in entering this world. They were destroyed immediately, including their souls.
Ah. So what Lion said to me before is entirely true. But in scientific explanation.
I'm THE survivor.
....
Huh.
Now I understand another reason why Rahab was destroyed immediately. He must've thought that since he can't have me then the demon king shouldn't have me either.
Moron.
Also, getting beings and creatures from other worlds took a toll on the demon king's... um... health.
Or whatever it is.
He had to use a huge amount of magic to be able to open a portal to the other worlds. So that's why it took so long for him to make a move until he got me.
After getting me, then everything is just a game to him.
In a funny kind of way, he needs a break from time to time.
Heh.
And maybe that's the time he made a contract with Lion when I managed to survive.
Everything fits.
So why does he need the magic stones?
I asked Asmodeus about that though I already have some sort of suspicion.
Asmodeus stopped walking then told me that my recent question is the last one he will answer for now as he can sense the presence of Orm.
Okay.
The demon king needs the magic stones to create them.
Huh?
I thought that he needed the magic stones in order for him to not use too much of his powers.
I was wrong.
Asmodeus told me that he's the recent one that the demon king made.
He continued to explain that the netherworld is in chaos right now and that the demon king, no matter how powerful he is, don't want to do everything by himself and is a bit lazy sometimes.
That's unexpected.
There's only two of them who are arch demons.
Suddenly, Asmodeus stopped talking and asked me why I know his real name when he hasn't told me yet.
I admitted that he has a counterpart in my previous world and also kind of figure it out since Rahab reported to him, then he must be in a higher position just below the demon king himself. And the way he's supposed to be famous for being great in... bed...
Ahem.
Also I told him that there should be seven of them but since he said that there's only two of them being created, the other five....
I didn't yet finish my sentence when Asmodeus guffawed.
He said that me being quick witted is definitely correct in Rahab's report but I'm not completely correct in my assumption.
But I'm almost there.
I asked him which among the magic stones was used to create him.
He told me that he already existed before I got the magic stones but not "complete". He considered himself a complete being when the demon king somehow merged him with a magic stone.
I see.
He's the "eldest" so far and the magic stone of control was used to complete him.
Hearing everything seems complicated but I just kept on listening and decided to think about it later.
But I realized that the magic stone of control seems to fit him as the Asmodeus I knew from the fantasy books I've read about in my previous world is supposed to control others through desire, addiction and mental coercion.
If he's the "eldest" but used the third magic stone that I've got, then who's the second one?
I should cross out the magic stone of Dimension as it was destroyed by Rahab already.
So that leaves me the first magic stone that I've got.
The magic stone of Absorption.
Beelzebub?
The demon of gluttony?
There's no other from the seven sins that seemed to fit.
I interrupted Asmodeus and asked him if Beelzebub is the second arch demon.
Seeing the amused look on his face...
I'm right.
He commented that he now understood why Rahab was so intrigued by me and surprisingly, the demon king himself.
How surprising.
.....
Orm had transformed into his ultimate form and was thrashing around, as if he's suffering from a nightmare.
Asmodeus whispered that the energy of this land is somehow strange, even for him.
I blurted out that it must be because of the cultists.
He suddenly looked serious before grumbling that the netherworld definitely needs more like him to put things in their rightful place.
Ah. So there are demons that are not under their control.
Then he told me that we must hurry in getting the group together or the demon king will send a reminder to both of us.
Yeahh.. after Rahab's fiasco, the demon king is a bit mistrustful to them.
Of course, demons are not to be trusted.
So without further ado, I ran towards Orm without a plan, much to Asmodeus' horror as he was tasked to keep an eye on me.
He kept yelling at me to return but I just ignored him and concentrated on Orm.
I called out his name and tried to reassure him that I'm here and I never left his side.
Well, technically.
He gave a cry and immediately moved towards me, coiling my entire body with his tail before I reminded him that he's in his ultimate form and that he might squash me to death.
Instantly, he transformed back into his regular form and embraced me tightly while coiling his tail around us.
Wait.
Won't he feel threatened if he sees Asmodeus?
I glanced around and saw no one.
Hmmm..
He must be hiding around.
It took several moments before Orm finally calmed down. But he still didn't let go of me though and insisted that we remain this way for awhile.
Since I didn't see Asmodeus, I agreed and continued to comfort him. He told me that he was suffering from several nightmares earlier.
Oh... He must've remembered all the things he suffered before...
Seeing tears flowing from his eyes interrupted my thoughts as I tried to ask him what kind of nightmare it was to made him cry like this.
In a tiny voice, he told me that he saw me being taken away by a shadow and that he never saw me again after that.
Oh.
His nightmare seems like a bad omen to me the way things are.
If this is the way he acted just from a nightmare, how much more if he knows everything about the demon king's shenanigans.
I don't want to give him false reassurances the way things are but at the same time, I want to comfort him in a way that will lessen his anxiety.
If I told him that I'm safe because I'm with him, that will backfire if there might be an incident that I get kidnapped or die. I already have a long list of experiences about that. That's just reality.
So instead, I asked him if there's something he wants to do with me as soon as we get back to the territory.
Smart decision as he started to lightened up and began talking about all his plans for us.
But he didn't get to finish talking as Asmodeus placed him under a spell. But he isn't thrashing around anymore.
Who's going to carry him then?
Since it is quite obvious that he's very heavy, I glanced around and grinned at Asmodeus, who doesn't looked pleased at having to carry Orm.
He refused to carry Orm until in a moment of desperation, I asked him if he wants to taste my blood.
Well... I have nothing to lose anyway as I'm going to end up with the demon king all along.
With obvious delight in his eyes, he moved near me and licked my neck before taking a bite on it.
I can tell that he loves the taste of my blood as he held me tightly while continuing to suck my neck in obvious hunger.
It didn't take long for him to get satiated and I can see that his appearance somehow improved.
He smiled with obvious satisfaction and commented that if this is the way my blood tastes, how much more if he gets to taste my soul.
Now my soul is definitely off-limits.
Seeing my reaction made him laughed as he admitted that it is quite tempting but he doesn't want to get destroyed by the demon king like Rahab.
Then he whispered into my ear that instead of my soul, he wants to taste my body instead.
NOW THAT'S OFF-LIMITS TOO!
I pushed his face away from my ear before he told me that it was a pity that he didn't copulate with me back then as he was still at the netherworld at that time.
I don't want to know who copulated with me.
Then with a grin, he told me that he knows that Subus used a spell on me to return me back to the way things are before the copulation.
With a menacing grin, he asked me if I want to know who copulated with me during that time and if I wanted revenge.
No.
Shaking my head, I told him that I already buried the matter already and wanted to focus on the present.
He laughed maniacally before saying that it was definitely a shame that he didn't copulate with me at the time. I would not regret it, based on his reputation.
I raised my eyebrow at him before reminding him that he failed with Myra.
That shut him up.
Orm was placed inside a floating bubble in which it followed Asmodeus everywhere.
Asmodeus kept annoying me by talking all about.. extremely.. heated topics..
Some of it though was interesting but I don't want to encourage it.
In fact, whenever he tried to touch me, I just show him the Buddhist staff and threatened him that I would whack him back to the netherworld.
He behaved.. for awhile.