Roy brought the near-collapsing Iris to a secluded property in Madison's suburbs.
Soon after, Elizabeth and Eluresa arrived through a ring of fire.
"Roy, what's so urgent that you needed to see me?" Elizabeth asked, yawning as if she'd just woken up.
Glancing at the time, Roy confirmed it was already 10 p.m. Had this woman really just woken up? Didn't she have morning classes?
Well, to be fair, there were no acting classes this morning.
"Professor Elizabeth, can you save her?" Roy asked, gesturing to Iris.
Elizabeth looked down, her sleepy demeanor vanishing instantly. "Uriel?! You actually captured Uriel?! Roy, you're full of surprises!"
Her excitement was palpable, but she'd clearly misunderstood.
"Wait, Professor Elizabeth, I didn't capture Uriel. I brought her here for you to heal!" Roy clarified.
Elizabeth gave him a look like he was insane. "What? Did I hear that right? You want a demon lord to save an archangel?"
It did sound absurd, like a fox wishing a chicken well.
Roy knew it was a long shot, but he had no other options. "Professor Elizabeth, I'm serious. I need your help to save her."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed. She conjured a lavish sofa, plopped down, and fixed Roy with a peculiar stare.
"Roy, don't forget—you're my man, not Uriel's!" she said pointedly.
Was she… jealous?
Roy was caught off guard. Elizabeth was usually laid-back, unbothered by his relationships with others. Except when it came to Asmodeus, where she got territorial.
It made sense, though. Jennifer, Nidi, even Lilith—they were all "juniors" in Elizabeth's eyes, beneath her notice. But Uriel was on her level, and that clearly stirred something in her.
"Uh, Professor Elizabeth, Uriel and I are just friends. She's helped me a lot, so I want to save her," Roy explained.
Elizabeth crossed her legs, her eyes dripping with skepticism. "Oh? Is that so?"
Roy knew she could detect lies—she wielded the power of deception itself. "Professor, that's the truth!"
But Elizabeth flashed a sly, knowing smile. "I'm sensing some less-than-pure intentions here."
Impure intentions? What was she talking about?
Roy looked at her, confused, not following her train of thought.
At that moment, Eluresa whispered something to Elizabeth, whose eyes lit up. "Interesting! That's a great idea, Eluresa. You're a clever little thing!"
Elizabeth licked her lips, her smile turning wicked. "Roy, I can heal Uriel's human form, but there's a catch—you have to defile her first."
Defile Uriel? What did that even mean?
Eluresa leaned in and whispered an explanation to Roy. His expression shifted dramatically.
Elizabeth wanted him to… with the Angel of Wisdom?
Well, it wouldn't be the first time. He'd already been with Michael's human form. While Michael's true essence remained pure, the experience had undeniably changed her.
"Daddy, I'm just trying to help. This is probably the only way Elizabeth will agree!" Eluresa added innocently, her simplistic worldview oblivious to the vast divide between angels and demons.
Roy didn't blame her, managing only a wry smile. "Professor Elizabeth, I think Uriel would rather return to Heaven than let me defile her."
Elizabeth's grin didn't waver, exuding confidence. She tapped her foot against Roy's chest. "Why don't you ask Uriel? Maybe she'll surprise you."
There was no way Uriel would agree to this!
Before Roy could argue, Elizabeth used her magic to wake Iris.
"Where am I? Mr. Black?" Iris said, her eyes landing on Roy first before noticing Elizabeth lounging on the sofa nearby.
Eluresa, a minor succubus next to a demon lord, was as unnoticeable as Mercury beside the sun.
"Belial!" Iris exclaimed, her divine vision instantly piercing through Elizabeth's human guise.
Iris had learned from Raphael that Roy bore Belial's mark, so she'd suspected the demon lord was active in the mortal world. But Belial, the Lord of Sloth, was less aggressive than the Lords of Wrath or Greed, so Iris hadn't pursued her.
She never imagined meeting the Lord of Sloth under these circumstances.
"That's right, it's me!" Elizabeth laughed, her face brimming with smug satisfaction. "Bet you didn't expect this, Uriel. Roy delivered you right to me!"
Iris's expression flickered briefly before she regained her composure. "Belial, you can't deceive me. I know Mr. Black isn't that kind of man!"
Elizabeth's smugness faltered, perhaps because her attempt to manipulate Iris had failed. "Oh, you trust Roy that much? Did you know he's my vassal?"
Iris nodded calmly. "Of course I know he's your vassal. But I still trust him."
Her unwavering faith in Roy sparked a twinge of jealousy in Elizabeth. A demon lord feeling this way was bizarre, but she couldn't help it.
Her mood soured. "Fine, then talk to your precious Roy. Let him tell you what's coming next."
Iris turned to Roy. Her body was in a state akin to high-level paralysis, able to move only her neck slightly.
Roy hesitated but finally spoke. "Uh, Ms. Iris, I asked Professor Elizabeth to save you, but she set a condition that's… hard to accept. I need to know if you're okay with it."
Iris's expression softened. "Mr. Black, just tell me."
The words were tough to say. Roy respected Iris deeply, and this felt anything but respectful. "She… she wants me to defile you."
Iris's face darkened, not out of anger at Roy, but at Elizabeth's outrageous condition.
Seeing her reaction, Elizabeth let out a theatrical, three-part queenly laugh and sauntered over. "Well? Still trust Roy now?"
Roy shot her a glare. The demon lord was clearly trying to stir trouble.
Iris closed her eyes, refusing to meet Elizabeth's triumphant gaze.
After a long pause, she suddenly asked Roy, "Mr. Black, when Michael was in her human form, did you defile her?"
As expected of the Angel of Wisdom, she'd pieced together the truth from today's events and Michael's odd behavior in the mortal world.
Roy stayed silent. Michael hadn't asked him to keep it secret, but he still didn't want to confirm it.
His silence was answer enough. Iris sighed deeply and opened her eyes. "I understand, Mr. Black. Do it."
Elizabeth gaped at her. "Did I hear that right? Uriel, are you serious?"
Iris fixed her with a cold stare. "Isn't this exactly what you wanted? Since I took over Iris's body, I've been pushing it to its limits. For nearly a year, she's had no rest. I can't let her die because of me—I'd never forgive myself."
This Iris was Uriel's human vessel, a nun in white.
Since Uriel descended into her body at the start of the year, the Angel of Wisdom had been working it relentlessly. By September, Iris's body was on the verge of collapse.
If Iris's body failed, Uriel would simply return to Heaven, but the guilt would haunt her forever.
At that moment, the real Iris spoke up. "Lady Uriel, don't agree to this! If I die, I'll go to Heaven—that's all I've ever wanted!"
Her faith was unshakable, unafraid of death. Every Christian's goal was to reach Heaven, and for Iris, it would just be a step early.
But Uriel sighed. "Iris, Heaven isn't as wonderful as you think. You deserve a full life so you can enter Heaven without regrets."
Surprisingly, Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "She's right. Heaven's boring as hell. Even if God offered me His throne, I wouldn't want to live there."
Her blasphemous words made Uriel's eyes blaze with anger, but she was powerless to act.
With no other choice, Uriel ignored Elizabeth and looked at Roy. "Mr. Black, do it. Before I change my mind."
Attached is an image of Eluresa, the white-haired succubus. (Originally wanted to use Morrigan from Demon Warrior, but it didn't pass.)
-1100