26: The Feast of Eros (1)

SEVERE CONTENT WARNING: R*pe between the leads.

“Little Michael, long time no see.” Metatron walked over, slipped an arm around my waist, kissed my cheek, and gave Lucifer a polite nod. “Your Majesty, Lucifer.”

Lucifer nodded as well. “Welcome, Lord Metatron.” Though he said nothing else, his tone was distant. almost as if already interrogating why Metatron had come to the Demon Realm at all.

Metatron simply turned his gaze back to me. “Heaven without you has sunsets gone grey. Do you know why?”

“…Why?”

“Because it lacks red pigment.” He tugged my hair teasingly.

“…”

To be honest, I barely registered what he said. Sandwiched between him and Lucifer, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Though Lucifer was the ruler an entire realm, and was surely filled with disdain, he would never show it on his face. I stood with my back to him, didn’t hear him walk away, and still he remained silent.

I didn’t know how much Metatron had noticed. His emotions never showed.

He simply pulled me closer by the shoulder and said, “What are you doing mingling in demonkind festivities? Come outside with me.”

I still had so much to say to Lucifer. But if I didn’t go with Metatron, staying inside would be far more awkward. I hesitated, torn between the two, until Lucifer finally broke his silence.

“Lord Metatron, though your visit is unannounced, in deference to the Vice Regent, you are still welcome to join the festivities.”

Metatron opened his mouth, but Lucifer didn’t give him the chance to ease the tension.

“The Vice Regent has already taken part in the feast. If he walks away halfway through, that would be a violation of the Demon Realm’s rules.”

More than a matter of protocol, it would be seen as defying the Sovereign’s authority. Lucifer’s tone remained light, but Metatron quickly changed his tune: “Then I must thank Your Majesty for the invitation.”

The three of us returned to the hall of the feast together.

Like me, Metatron had never seen so many demons outside a battlefield. As we entered and passed the hulking devils and fallen angels, his first reaction was stunned silence.

I glanced at Lucifer, then leaned toward Metatron and whispered, “What are you doing here? Showing up uninvited. Are you trying to ruin everything I’ve worked for?”

Metatron rubbed his chin, a sly smile forming. The warmth in his eyes suddenly dipped several degrees. “Everything you’ve worked for… You mean your work with the Demon Sovereign’s body?”

I froze.

I had wanted to demand how he knew, but then quickly realized there was only one possibility: Hanniah.

Though we slept in separate rooms that night, he must have seen me meeting with Lucifer on the balcony.

Metatron probably wasn’t entirely sure. I couldn’t let him see my hand so soon.

“Didn’t expect even you to get jealous over something so petty?” I patted him lightly on the shoulder, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry—I haven’t done anything to betray you.”

Sure enough, Metatron wasn’t entirely certain if I had done anything with Lucifer. He relaxed a little, and his tone softened.

“If that’s the case, then I’m staying with you tonight. This Feast of Eros is a mess. You better not participate, or you’ll get eaten up by some creepy demon uncle.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let myself get caught in anything.”

“Little Michael.”

“Mm?”

I turned to look at him. Metatron took my hand and, without warning, kissed me on the lips.

I blinked, stunned. My instinct was to glance at Lucifer, but I forced myself to hold back for fear Metatron would notice.

My mind was already a tangled storm.

Soon after, Metatron turned to watch the “performance” onstage. “This Feast of Eros… once in a hundred years. What a spectacle.”

I seized the moment to quickly glance at Lucifer.

The starlight scattered across the hall, and there he stood, arms folded, expressionless. His long, beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and within them glimmered a faint, crimson glow.

I looked away at once but Metatron had already noticed.

He caught my hand, squeezed it, cupped my cheek, and pulled me into a long kiss.

“Don’t get distracted.”

With that command, I dared not glance anywhere else again. I didn’t want to return to Heaven only to argue endlessly afterward.

Then Azazel’s voice rang out:

“Next up—number 4948! Archangel Michael and his mysterious lover!”

The crowd turned toward me at once, eyes filled with surprise.

Metatron blinked. “Didn’t you say you weren’t participating?”

“Don’t worry. The person I drew has already promised they won’t come up.”

“Then why are you still going along with it?” Metatron looked incredulous. “If I hadn’t shown up, would you really have played this game?”

“No—I didn’t know the rules when I first entered.”

Metatron, uncharacteristically serious now, said: “Everyone’s playing. How could you not know the rules? Michael, you’re the Archangel Commander. This game ends with sexual acts with demons. Are you saying you’re fine with that?”

I lowered my voice.

“I’m sorry. It was a mistake on my part. But I’m sure nothing will happen. Trust me—if I go up there and refuse, they’ll just call me old-fashioned. But if I don’t go at all, it’ll send another message entirely. That would be publicly undermining Lucifer before the entire demon court, and would really mess up this whole diplomatic visit.”

Azazel called again, “—Archangel Michael?”

More and more demons were staring at us. I felt prickles down my back. I tried to release Metatron’s hand, but he quickly gripped mine tighter.

“No. You can’t go up there!”

“If I refuse to engage, they won’t be able to force me.” Seeing he still wouldn’t let go, I added, “This isn’t something we can be impulsive about. It concerns the fate of the divine race. You wouldn’t want to start a war, would you?”

Metatron finally let go.

Step by step, I climbed the stairs toward the high platform bathed in radiant silver light.

Azazel glanced toward Lucifer’s seat. “Now then, will the gentleman or lady who received token number 4948 please come up.”

Sariel walked up to Lucifer and said a few words. Lucifer didn’t reply. His gaze, slightly reddened, remained fixed on me.

Azazel announced again, “The one with the milk cup labeled 4948, please come to the stage.”

Still no reaction. Azazel seemed to catch on, and raised his voice: “If they don’t appear, we’ll proceed directly with the questions. Originally there were five, but with no partner, it becomes ten.”

Ten questions? That’s outrageous!

Still, no one moved.

I shrank back slightly. “If no one’s asking questions, then I’ll just leave.”

Azazel pointed somewhere into the crowd. “What’s the rush? Look, isn’t there a lady over there raising her hand?”

A female archdevil was lifted up by the man beside her, standing half a head taller than those around. “Archangel Michael, who do you think is the most attractive demon in all of Rhodheoga?”

I was silent for a moment before answering slowly, “…Her Majesty Lilith.”

The pentagram began to rotate slowly, glowing a bright crimson, then spun upright.

An upright pentagram is the symbol of the divine race. To the demons, it represents hypocrisy, words that conceal truth.

Azazel sneered. “Didn’t anyone tell you, Lord Michael? You’re not allowed to lie at the Feast of Eros. Please answer the lady’s question again.”

I glanced at Metatron, then clenched my jaw. “…It’s His Majesty Lucifer.”

The pentagram finally tipped over again.

The crowd erupted. The very first question had already caused such a stir that the whole place was in an uproar.

Metatron stood frozen, while Lucifer remained utterly motionless, his expression unchanged, not a hint of pleasure in sight.

Azazel: “His Majesty’s allure truly knows no bounds, enough to entrance even the righteous Archangel.”

Beelzebub chimed in: “Your Majesty, since Archangel Michael didn’t draw a match, perhaps you should go up and console him?”

Lucifer gave a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Thank you, Lord Michael, for the compliment. I’m honored.”

“You’re welcome.”

Next, someone seized the momentum: “So what exactly is the relationship between Lord Michael and His Majesty?”

I looked at Lucifer, thought for a long while, and finally said, “Enemies.”

The crowd instantly fell silent. After a long pause, hushed whispers began rippling through the room. Lucifer’s faint smile gradually faded.

Then another voice: “Then why do you think His Majesty is attractive? Have you two ever had… a romantic history?”

“I—”

Before I could finish, Lucifer clapped his hands once. “Who asked that question? Step forward.”

All heads turned toward him.

A male fallen angel stood up, clearly shaken. “Y-Your Majesty, I didn’t mean anything by it—I just said it offhandedly. I meant no disrespect.”

Lucifer: “Who exactly were you disrespecting? Apologize to him.”

The fallen angel turned to me and bowed. “Lord Michael, I’m sorry.”

I smiled. “It’s all right.”

A female demon asked, “Your Highness, who was your first time with, and when did it happen?”

“It was when I was still a Power, with Lord Metatron.”

“Ah, Metatron? Isn’t he your current lover?”

“Yes.”

She froze. The crowd burst into commotion, and all eyes turned toward Metatron.

“Your Highness Michael,” a female fallen angel asked, “when was the last time you were intimate with Metatron, and where?”

“Before I came to the Demon Realm… on his living room couch.”

The crowd erupted in jeering laughter.

Lucifer’s expression remained cold as he gently tugged at his right glove, pulling it tighter up his wrist.

Azazel glanced at Lucifer, then turned back to me, drawing circles in the inverted pentagram formation with one hand. “I have three questions for Your Highness.”

“Go ahead.”

“First question: It’s said that once, for Metatron’s sake, you claimed you would use the Holy Sword to sever the necks of all demons, including our Majesty’s. Is that true?”

“I don’t recall ever saying such a thing.”

“That quote was spread across all of the Demon Realm, and yet you claim you don’t remember?” Azazel didn’t give me a chance to ease the tension, immediately firing off the second: “Second question: rumor has it your visit to the Demon Realm was arranged with Lord Metatron in order to exploit His Majesty Lucifer’s old feelings for you and gain access to demon-state secrets. Is that true?”

Lucifer abruptly looked up at me.

The entire hall fell silent.

This question touched on politics. I had the right to abstain. I was about to give a vague answer, but my eyes met Lucifer’s, and in a moment of panic, I blurted out: “That’s impossible.”

Azazel scoffed and turned to look at the pentagram.

Whispers began to stir in the crowd again.

“I didn’t lie.”

“The margin of error in the detection array is less than one in a billion. Are you saying Your Highness was unlucky enough to hit that one?”

“I swear I didn’t lie! I would never stoop to something so disgraceful!”

“Perhaps Your Highness would be more believable—if you hadn’t once stabbed His Majesty Lucifer. Now, one last question. If your answer doesn’t cause the pentagram to right itself, I’ll apologize to you on the spot.” The pentagram began to spin again. The small horns on Azazel’s ears swayed slightly as he leaned in.

“Archangel Michael, you and Metatron have been together for seven thousand years. We all know that no two people can maintain a passionate romance for that long. So tell me—have you ever truly loved him?”

Lucifer’s grip on his right glove tightened.

Metatron, too, lifted his head suddenly, visibly tense.

This question put me in an impossible bind.

If identity and status didn’t matter, this wouldn’t even be a choice. Lucifer had become nearly synonymous with my dreams.

But no matter what happened, no matter how much I loved him, even if he came to love me again… we would never have the chance to start over.

“Love is a complex thing,” I said quietly. “It’s hard to give a definitive answer. Besides, Metatron and I are both highly rational members of the divine race. So the love we share lacks the kind of passion you might expect. Still, after all these years, we’ve had a child, we have a household together. What I can say for certain is…” I drew in a breath and spoke honestly, from the heart, “We’ll continue to live in Heaven, and remain family—forever.”

It wasn’t a “yes” or “no,” so the pentagram couldn’t judge the truth of it. This wasn’t just a clever way to dodge Azazel’s trap, it was also something I wanted Lucifer to hear.

The relationship between us had been too ambiguous. Lingering affection may be beautiful, but it’s also the most inappropriate way to resolve things. With those words, I hoped he’d understand what I meant.

As the pentagram slowly tilted back into its inverted position, I forced a smile, struggling to maintain composure.

“Now that I’ve answered truthfully, the game is over, isn’t it?”

Though I smiled, I felt utterly drained.

“Wait. The questions aren’t finished yet.”

Azazel had never liked me, and tonight, he seemed especially determined to make things difficult. He took a step toward me, likely to block my exit, but froze when he saw Lucifer ascending the stage. He staggered back, nearly collapsing.

I looked up—and drew a sharp breath.

Lucifer’s eyes glowed a deep crimson. Even the whites had been overtaken by that blood-red hue. He reached out, lightly grasped my chin, and tilted it up with a faint, curling smile.

I had seen full demonic transformations before—archdevils, fallen angels, minotaurs, satyrs… countless times on the battlefield. Their eyes would blaze red, and though I knew I might end up bloodied, I never felt real fear.

But now, I was afraid.

What happens when the Sovereign of Demons himself fully descends into that state?

“Your Majesty, please… don’t be angry,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to coax him gently. “I can explain everything—every answer I gave tonight. Let me do it, quietly, one by one.”

“Is that so?”

Lucifer tilted his head slightly, then abruptly seized my wrist. I tried to pull away, but my arm wouldn’t budge.

—This isn’t possible. He’s strong, yes, but shouldn’t be physically stronger than me.

Panic surged. I struggled harder, but he held me effortlessly in place. With his free hand, he pointed toward the inverted pentagram. It began to rotate flat, hovered in the air, and then spun toward me like a wheel of fire. Before I could react, it struck me, binding me in place. My strength drained in an instant.

I stared at him, wide-eyed. “What… what are you doing?”

Lucifer said nothing. His face remained expressionless as he dragged me by the wrist up the stairs. My bones ground under the pressure. I stumbled, knees buckling against the sharp stone edge of a step. Pain shot up my leg. Before I could recover, he yanked me up again and hurled me onto the ceremonial seat.

The back of my head struck stone. White stars burst across my vision.

Through the dizziness, I saw Lucifer toss aside the numbered plaque—4948. Azazel caught it, but his gaze remained fixed on us.

“Your Majesty,” he said tentatively, “you could choose another—”

“Get lost,” Lucifer said, his voice cold and final.

Azazel paled, then escaped from the stage in panic.

Lucifer straightened his collar, casually wiped the corner of his mouth with a gloved finger, and then, without hesitation, ripped open the white silk across my chest like it was nothing.

Metatron’s face lost all blood. He lunged forward. “Michael!!” But he was immediately blocked by a ring of fallen angels and archdevils, completely surrounded.

I nearly rose to resist, but in the end, I simply clenched my jaw, shut my eyes, and pleaded softly:

“Lucifer, for the sake of what we once shared, please stop. If this continues, there’ll be no way to mend what’s been broken. I’m begging you.”

His features were still as exquisitely composed as ever, but those eyes, those blood-filled eyes, bore into me.

“If I take you right here, in front of him,” he said, his voice low and dark, “would you still be able to crawl back to Heaven and play happy family?”

And as he spoke, he reached for his belts.

“Lucifer, I’m begging you,” I said again, trapped beneath the spell, utterly powerless.

He began to spread my legs apart, slowly, deliberately, as though peeling away the last thread of dignity I had left.

Until at last, I couldn’t bend any farther.

I pushed against his chest with all my strength, but I couldn’t stop his body from pressing down.

The hard object rubbed against me a couple of times outside before suddenly thrusting inside!

“Michael—!!!” Metatron shouted from below the stage.

The demonic Feast of Eros and marital relationships didn’t have much connection. As long as it was with the consent of their loved ones, anyone could still come here to seek pleasure. In other words, as long as I was willing, this matter wouldn’t escalate.

But with Metatron making such a commotion, the demons subtly sensed the unusual atmosphere and quieted down to watch him.

I glanced at Metatron and sent him a look, quickly shaking my head.

Metatron, who had been trying to rush forward despite being blocked by countless demons, quickly understood my meaning. His hands trembled uncontrollably for a long time before finally slackened.

I closed my eyes tightly in pain and suddenly threw my head back, my hair disheveled on the chair back.

The extreme pain made me clench my legs, but they were pried open again by Lucifer. He lowered his waist and went deeper. This time it felt like my throat was about to be pierced, and I couldn’t help but moan, tightly gripping Lucifer’s hand.

Even such humility was to no avail, and I no longer wanted to beg him.

As if angered by my stubbornness, his eyes turned even redder, and he began to thrust rapidly. Although I didn’t resist or lash out, the atmosphere among the demons remained eerie.

They could see that I was unwilling, and they could also see that Metatron’s emotions were not right.

Long red hair scattered in the air, swaying rapidly and rhythmically with my body. The remaining gems on me fell to the ground one by one, like falling teardrops.

I looked at Metatron one last time, frowned and shook my head, and spoke one word in the heavenly language: “Go.” Then, I turned back, hugged Lucifer’s neck, gritted my teeth, and said ambiguously with restraint: “Your Majesty, you… you are too rough, can you be gentler?”

Although I didn’t say it loudly, the nearby demons heard it—

“I was scared to death. I thought His Majesty was raping the Vice Regent just now.”

“Yeah, yeah, I almost forgot. The divine race is very pretentious. No matter how excited they are and how much they enjoy it, they always pretend to be unwilling.”

“Well done, Your Majesty! F*** him hard! F*** him until he cries!”

Metatron had already left.

But that wasn’t enough. Lucifer suddenly pulled out of my body, held me on his lap, and comfortably leaned back on the chair back, raising one eyebrow: “Sit on it yourself and move so I can watch.”

Every pair of eyes was fixed straight here.

The silver light was so bright that it made my eyes ache. I hung my head, almost bursting into tears. But in the end, I still endured and, amidst the whistles, sat down on Lucifer’s fully awakened part…

The leading archdevil excitedly reddened his eyes: “I didn’t expect the Vice Regent Michael can play like this! Everyone, give him a round of applause!!”

The demons below the stage cheered and applauded enthusiastically.

This had truly exceeded my imagination. And Lucifer still didn’t let me go, raising his chin at me: “Move however you feel comfortable, no need to be polite with me.”

Looking at the face so close, I whispered: “Lucifer… you have completely changed. You never… used to do such things…”

Lucifer smiled slightly: “Haven’t we used this position hundreds of times? Still shy?”

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, starting to move on him…

At this moment, all the demonic language sounded extremely harsh and grating. I moved a few times and finally couldn’t continue, stopping to tremble all over.

The smile on Lucifer’s face faded, and he thrust upward with force. When the hardness pierced my body again, I groaned in pain. Then he continued with high-frequency thrusts. Every time he filled me, I couldn’t help but moan softly.

The speed of the body’s rhythm became faster and faster, and every nerve seemed about to snap.

Gems splintered, and silver sand swirled.

Sapphires, cat’s eye stones, pearls, malachite… The magnificent divine jewelry shattered like broken waves that filled the sky.

The sound of tearing fabric echoed through the grand hall, mingling with waves of heckling from the demons below. This night would likely remain the most humiliating moment of my life.

I had no idea how much time had passed. My eyes throbbed from the piercing light.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I fought to keep any trace of it from showing. My head hung low as I spoke:

“Lucifer, are you satisfied now?”

The crimson in Lucifer’s eyes had gradually faded, but he said nothing.

I couldn’t afford to cry. Not now.

“Everything’s ruined.”

My eyes burned, and I was close to losing control.

“Our memories. Our child. Us… everything is gone.” I closed my eyes. Blood welled from the lip I’d bitten through. “I wanted to hold on, but…… I’m sorry.”

“Stop talking about us,” Lucifer said, each word cold and deliberate. “We ended a long time ago.”

I sniffled. My vision had blurred into a hopeless smear.

“…I know.”

Tears spilled down, falling straight onto his clothes and soaking into the fabric.

Lucifer suddenly seized my face.

“Why are you crying? You were willing to play the whore in front of the entire Demon Realm for Heaven’s sake. What’s there to feel sorry for now?”

“Because I love you.”

I choked back the last of my tears, my voice low. “How does that make you feel?”

Lucifer’s body trembled ever so slightly. His hands suddenly loosened their grip.