With Mammon, Hanniah, and the angelic delegation in tow, we walked out, only to see the Sovereign and his entourage gathered beside the carriages. I was just about to board when Mammon ran ahead and asked, “What are y’all doing?”
Azazel replied, “We’re trying to persuade His Majesty to give us a tour of the Eighth Hell.”
Sariel’s eyes practically sparkled. “Your Majesty, I really want to go!”
Lucifer said firmly, “I told you. No.”
Mammon protested, “Dad, I only saw it once when it was just being built. I want to go again!”
“No.”
“Dad!”
“Black pearls.”
“You’re so stingy.”
“Call it what you like.”
I smiled at them. “Your Majesty, what treasure are you hiding in the Eighth Hell that you won’t let us see?”
Samael immediately chimed in, “Oh, he’s hiding a love gift for Her Majesty the Queen.”
Lucifer shot him a look.
Samael nudged Sariel with his elbow. “Hey, don’t you think Her Majesty Lilith is especially beautiful today, and His Majesty especially handsome?”
Lucifer muttered, “There’s really nothing there.”
I teased, “The more mysterious Your Majesty acts, the more curious we become. When will Sandshell be finished?”
“Most of it’s done, except the Hanging Gardens.”
“So the legendary garden of love.”
Lucifer let go of Lilith and stepped closer to me, lightly resting his hand on the carriage door. The glove shimmered faintly black under the silver stars, making his fingers look even longer and thinner.
I paused. “I was only joking, Your Majesty. Don’t take it seriously. Since it’s not done yet, I suppose we’re not lucky enough to see it. Another time, perhaps.”
Lucifer’s smile curved, devilishly charming. “Do you want to go?”
“If it doesn’t trouble Your Majesty.”
His fingers began to tap a light rhythm along the carriage frame, which made me a little nervous. He whispered, “If even the beautiful Archangel insists, how could I refuse?”
Cheers erupted behind us—though Mammon’s voice was noticeably absent.
Then Lucifer turned back, pulled open the carriage door to block us from view, and said in a voice only I could hear, “You weren’t wrong. That garden really was built for my beloved.”
His words left me uneasy. I exhaled long and slow, leaning in a bit. “Then I imagine Your Majesty’s beloved will be deeply moved.”
“Mhm.”
“And if I told Her Majesty Lilith where you spent last night, perhaps she’d be even more moved.” I smiled with narrowed eyes. My teeth were notoriously bright, and Metatron used to say my grin made people want to punch me.
Lucifer nodded, still smiling. “You’re welcome to tell her. She won’t mind.”
“So it’s Her Majesty Lilith who won’t mind. Looks like all that talk about the the Demon Lord’s loyalty and devotion was just a rumor.”
“What do you think?”
I took a deep breath, trying to let it slide. But in the end, I had to admit: he had more emotional intelligence than I did.
I stepped closer, slipped my hand under his cloak, then chopped hard and sharp on his waist. Lucifer’s body jolted.
“Even though I felt nothing at all last night, Your Majesty worked very hard.” I walked past him without a flicker of expression.
Maybe it was something about becoming singularly male after the fall, but Lucifer’s reaction was surprisingly intense. He quickly caught up and blocked my path. “You said you felt nothing. What do you mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“After all that, nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“If you didn’t feel it, it must’ve been a fluke. Demonkind’s power is far beyond that of the divine. There’s no reason I should be worse than before. Unless… you think Metatron’s better?”
“Your Majesty, calm down.”
“It must’ve been a technical issue, too rushed yesterday… No. We’ll try again tonight.”
I had been in a terrible mood, but his sudden flustered urgency almost made me laugh to the point of internal injury. “No need. Thanks.”
“No. I need to prove myself.”
“Really, no need.”
Lucifer rarely insisted on something, let alone this compulsively. And honestly, he wasn’t wrong. He had gotten even better. He’d always been an expert in this department to begin with anyway. But as petty revenge, I wasn’t about to let him know that for now.
By the time we arrived in Sandshell, I was so exhausted I felt numb. Mammon and Hanniah leapt down from the carriage, both looking heavy with unspoken thoughts. As I stepped down, I saw up ahead Lucifer offering his hand to help Lilith alight from their carriage.
The Eighth Hell—the Hair of the Demon Realm, the new world the Demon King gifted his beloved Queen, was an open secret among demonkind. Just glancing around, I thought I must be hallucinating. Mist-veiled hills surrounded Sandshell, and on the outskirts sat charming country-style homes: round roofs, white-and-yellow flowers climbing up the walls, and chimneys puffing not smoke, but crystal bubbles and pastel-blue heart-shaped petals. Every building was snowy white, cloaked in drifting vapor that blurred even the roads.
The further in you went, the taller the buildings became. The foundations were often two sturdy stone rooms, with a small courtyard between them, topped by a layer of wooden rooms like stacked blocks, and then a third tier of elegant rooftop rooms. The gap between the bottom pair of stone rooms made a shaded breezeway, with windows that faced each other across the opening.
Azazel pointed at the houses and turned to Lilith with a smile: “Let us thank our great architect, Her Majesty Lilith!” The crowd applauded. Lilith proudly bowed left and right. The buildings were beautiful. But the design felt familiar.
I shook my head. Not quite identical. Couldn’t call it plagiarism.
Hanniah, on the other hand, said outright, “Why does this place look like a blend of Parnor and Shima?”
Samael lit up. “Oh ho, the little prince of the divine isn’t pleased.”
Mammon shot back, “My mom only ever lived in Eden when she was in Heaven. She visited the Sanctum once, that’s it. Don’t give all the credit to the divine.”
Lilith added, “I’ve never been to Parnor. I passed through Shima once, but never entered. Does everything white have to be Shima to Lord Hanniah?”
Hanniah said, “But it really looks too much like it. There’s no way that’s a coincidence.”
I interjected, “That’s enough, son.”
Lucifer said calmly, “Lord Hanniah, my wife put a great deal of thought into this. Words shouldn’t be thrown around carelessly. Otherwise, even if you are the divine envoy, I won’t be so courteous.”
He smiled as he said it, but Hanniah fell silent, crushed by the weight of his presence.
I stepped in front of Hanniah. “It’s only a slight resemblance. Pure coincidence. He spoke without thinking and I apologize on his behalf.”
Lucifer narrowed his eyes slightly but kept smiling. “You’re too polite, Your Highness. It’s quite all right.”
Even if Hanniah was still unhappy, he held his tongue.
The group walked along the path until we reached a statue in the center of town, where we finally stopped.
It was a sculpture of a mermaid cradling a little devil. Made of silver, the mermaid had long curly hair, slightly tousled bangs, and a lightly raised fishtail. In her hand was a ladle-shaped conch shell, and her ear was adorned with a long sea snail. The little devil had short hair, drooping wings, and was curled up in her arms. They lay together on a reef, their eyes closed, hands bound by a strand of seaweed, expressions tranquil and peaceful.
Mammon said, “People say this is a depiction of me and my mom. Fine, I’ll admit the mermaid looks like her, but how does that little devil look anything like me?” Everyone nodded in agreement.
Hanniah said, “He doesn’t look like a devil. More like an angel.”
“Exactly! Even as a kid I had charisma, all right?”
“Yours isn’t charisma, it’s just being domineering. Charisma is what your father has,” Lilith said, eyes gleaming with admiration as she looked at Lucifer.
“Mom, you’re just seeing him through rose-colored glasses.” Mammon turned to me. “Lord Michael, do you think that little devil looks like me?”
I couldn’t answer right away.
That sculpture… at first glance, I’d completely misread it.
The sea snail on the mermaid’s ear looked like a feather pen, the large shell like a thick tome of Celestial History, the fishtail like a tightly wrapped blanket against the cold, and the reef like a snow-white little bed. The little devil in her arms didn’t look devilish at all: his innocent brows relaxed, his small hands clinging to her waist with trust… more like a little angel.
And that strand of seaweed binding their hands…
I clasped my hands behind my back, left hand gently gripping my right wrist.
“Lord Michael, are you daydreaming?”
I shook my head. “No… doesn’t look like you. Though I think that sea snail looks a bit like a pen.”
Lucifer glanced at me, then quickly looked away.
Mammon said, “Huh? Now that you mention it, kind of.”
Lucifer passed by me with the others. Mammon followed. I looked at Lucifer’s wrist, but his cloak obscured his entire arm. Just as I turned back, he suddenly raised his right hand and pointed off into the distance, speaking to Sariel.
The moonlight was clear, and the bracelet gleamed brilliantly against his black gloves.
I had just caught up when Sariel doubled back and whispered to Hanniah and the angels that he had something to discuss with me. He pulled me aside and slipped something into my hand. “A gift from His Majesty.”
I looked down. It was a small, pale-colored spiral—thin, long, and sharply tapered. A little sea shell.
“This was something His Majesty bought years ago from Snowmoon Forest.”
“But the price—”
“You should know that region connects to the Undersea City, very close to the mermaid world. Goods from there are cheap. Go on, accept it.”
“Then please thank His Majesty for me.”
“Demons usually write with black feather quills. His Majesty rarely carries pens. But the moment you mentioned that snail looking like a pen, he realized he had this.”
I lifted the little shell to inspect it. “This is… a pen?”
“Yes, but it only writes on demon paper or seaweed parchment. Just keep it as a memento.”
I gripped the shell pen and nodded. “I will.”
“There are things I can’t say outright, but you must know by now. Whether or not you were the one who hurt him back then, so many years have passed, and both of you have built new lives. You must realize how slim the chances are.”
“Lord Sariel, I have no intention of doing anything. You’re reading too much into it.”
“Just be honest with me. Do you still like him?”
I kept smiling, saying nothing.
“Too awkward to answer?”
“There’s no point to that kind of questions.”
Sariel paused, then said, “All right. I won’t ask. But know this: His Majesty has liked you for far longer than we imagined. He brought Her Majesty Lilith here because she resembled you. That much you already know.”
“What started as comfort… eventually turned to genuine affection. He couldn’t help but fall for a woman like her.”
He paused again. “So you knew all along.”
“And now that he’s seen me again, the old feelings have stirred. He’s tempted. And in the moment, he forgets Lilith, who is now part of his life. But even if I were to be with him, it would only be a short-lived thrill. Passion alone can’t sustain a relationship. Over time, because of habits, obligations, pressure from nobles and citizens… he’ll return to Lilith. If I fall from grace because of this, I’ll be left with nothing.”
Sariel stood frozen for a long time this time before saying, “Your Highness… you’ve already said everything I wanted to say.”
“I think you underestimate me. However rational Lucifer can be, I can match him. Don’t worry, I won’t cause trouble for you all before I return to Heaven.”
Sariel chuckled. “Now I kind of admire you.”
Who doesn’t understand all this? But if I could fully control my emotions, Heaven wouldn’t be the way it is now.
Besides, if I can even just influence his emotions… that would benefit me, Heaven, and the divine race, the innocents. I must do everything I can. When I see Lucifer, I must remain calm. Calm…
I let out a breath, spinning the little sea snail between my fingers for a while.
It’s just…that sculpture of the mermaid and little demon made me yearn for a past that could never return.
We walked a few more rounds in Sandshell and exited through a back path. In the distance, golden brilliance shimmered midair, radiant against the pitch-black sky, glowing above white buildings wreathed in drifting mists. Like a descent of the Seven Heavens into the Demon Realm.
Mammon asked, “Dad, is that the Hanging Gardens?”
“Yes. It’s not finished yet. We’ll go another day.”
“Ahhh—Lucha—no, His Majesty Lucifer!”
“Ah, it’s really Lucha—I mean, His Majesty Lucifer!”
Those voices…
I turned and saw two little devils with steel pitchforks rushing over, buzzing around Lucifer like flies.
These two… are still not dead yet?
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty—ah, and Her Majesty Isar is here too!”
“Her Majesty Isar! Her Majesty Isar!”
The two little demons now fluttered around Lilith.
Abaddon frowned. “Isar? You’ve got the name wrong. She is Lilith.”
Kakashi said, “Shishika, did I remember wrong?”
Shishika replied, “Huh? Why do I also remember her name being Isar? Didn’t His Majesty Lucifer tell us she was Isar? Why is she Lilith now? Isn’t Lilith the queen’s name?”
“Wow, how can someone be so dumb they mix up the queen and His Majesty’s beloved’s names?”
“Yeah, yeah! Lilith and Isar sound totally different! How could he mess that up? We believe in Lucha—uh, His Majesty Lucifer!”
Everyone present, except the Three Musketeers, looked completely baffled.
Azazel barked, “Stand down!”
But Kakashi ignored him. “Your Majesty, you have to answer us first. Were we wrong?”
Lucifer: “Stand. Down.”
“Kakashi, His Majesty is so mean!”
“He really is! Five thousand four hundred and eighty-three years ago, he was right here hugging Her Majesty Isar and calling her ‘Baby’! Boohoo…”
Turns out the price of perfect memory is low intelligence. The two little devils clung together, roaring dramatically without tears, like someone had bullied them. Even Lucifer was speechless. I finally understood: having a low IQ sometimes had its perks. Slightly comforting, actually.
I walked over with a smile. “That was her name back then. Now, she’s called Lilith.”
Kakashi and Shishika immediately stopped crying and turned their eyes on me.
Kakashi: “But His Majesty Lucifer said Isar was the one he loved.”
I patiently explained, “When she was called Isar, she was His Majesty’s beloved. Later, when he married her, he renamed her Lilith. Got it now?”
Shishika blinked. “So… Isar isn’t the one he loves anymore?”
Ok, too low an IQ might be a problem after all… I didn’t bother elaborating.
“Mhm. Now he loves Lilith.”
The Three Musketeers looked at me in… a very peculiar way. Lilith leaned gently on Lucifer’s arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Lucifer brushed her bangs aside, though his own eyes were now hidden behind his own fringe.
Kakashi: “Then what’s your name?”
“Michael.”
Shishika: “Michael!”
Kakashi: “Michael? Aaaaaah—don’t kill me!”
Shishika: “I hate angels!”
They spun in circles a few times, then froze and glanced at each other.
Kakashi: “But… he’s very pretty.”
Shishika nodded vigorously. “His smile is the classic angelic smile. Although… his wings and colors are kind of ugly.”
Kakashi: “His Majesty Lucifer’s still more beautiful.”
Shishika: “Yes, no one compares to His Majesty Lucifer.”
…What’s that supposed to mean? The classic angelic smile?
Hanniah looked at me, utterly speechless.
Lucifer said, “Let’s go.”
Kakashi and Shishika were still clowning around when Mammon suddenly appeared at my side, and whispered, “Isar.”
I froze, didn’t respond.
“Mmm, Michael still sounds better.” Then he walked away too.
The excursion ended just like that. By the time we returned to the Hall of Baisiel, it was already midnight. I drew open the curtain and stepped onto the balcony. Through the window of the floor below, I could see the largest desk facing the window. It was wide enough for four or five people to sit cross-legged on. Aside from the Demon Sovereign’s golden seal, a bell for summoning maids, a black feather quill, and an inkwell, it was buried under a mountain of paperwork.
I flew down, hovered in midair, and glanced in. The moment I did, I darted back upward. Halfway up, I heard a window open—but no one spoke.
Instinctively, I turned my head. Lucifer was leaning against the windowsill with both hands, watching me.
Bracing myself, I circled back down and hovered again in front of the window. “Your Majesty, still working this late?”
“Mhm. Aren’t you busy too?”
“I just saw the stack of papers and got curious.”
“Come in. Sit for a bit.”
“Alright.” I flew forward slightly, and he stepped aside.
Just as I landed on the sill, he held out his hand in mock formality. “Beautiful angel, may I have your hand?”
I slapped his hand playfully, then gripped it tightly and hopped in. He gestured to the door and instantly, the crystal door slid shut.
He returned to the desk and pulled out an empty cup. “Something to drink? Coffee?”
“Milk. Helps me sleep.”
He smiled, then handed me the milk cup from the table. I took a sip and sat in the chair beside him. He sat down as well, lifted his pen, and wrote a few lines, then suddenly paused.
I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“We can’t leave the Borderlands unguarded. Tomorrow’s the Day of the Fall. All of demonkind has a holiday.”
“Same procedure as previous years?”
Lucifer nodded and resumed his thinking.
“I don’t have the best reputation with you, but I wouldn’t stoop to anything despicable.”
“This isn’t about you.”
“God wouldn’t do something like that either.”
“I know Him better than you.”
“All right then. How about this: rotating guards, 120 per full unit, 30 per subunit. Each division swaps out every two hours. More Fallen Angels on shift. Add in rewards and it’ll be fine.”
Lucifer considered it, then smiled. “Perfect.” He wrote down a few lines, handwriting still as elegant as ever.
I continued drinking the milk. Halfway through, he finished writing and tugged my chair, dragging me and the chair both noisily closer to him.
I twitched at the screech. “That’s an awful sound.”
Lucifer pulled out the next stack of papers and skimmed a few lines, then suddenly turned to me and said, “I wanted to ask you. Are you free the day after tomorrow?”
I thought for a moment. “Sure. Where?”
“How about the Second Hell?”
“The Second Hell?”
“Yes. You’ve always wanted to visit Snowmoon Forest. We could go there.”
I shivered. “It’s freezing there. Can’t we go somewhere else? I’m not going.”
“Why not?”
“’Don’t want to’ is just ‘don’t want to’.”
He chuckled softly. “You long for that place, but if you follow me there, you’re afraid you won’t be able to leave me. Is that it?”
I shot to my feet. “Nonsense!”
“You can’t escape anymore.”
“If that’s what you want to believe, then fine. I’m leaving.”
Lucifer gently wrapped his arms around my waist. “Why the rush? Don’t forget I said that I’d prove it to you tonight.”
Alarmed, I shoved him and flew to the window, leaving without looking back. But I still heard his voice clearly behind me:
“The day after tomorrow, nine o’clock. See you at the Snowmoon Forest.”
Author: Tav Tav
Translating
The Right Wing of God, the one seated at the right hand of the Most High.
