Lirien's words hung in the air like a blade that refused to fall. Elyria sat still for several seconds, her trembling fingers clutching the edge of her robe.
"He... met my father? And also Asmodeus? How the hell did that happen?" she repeated, her voice weak.
Lirien nodded slowly. "The ring around his finger confirmed it. Rin indeed saw your father and as for Asmodeus... It's also true."
Elyria's lips parted in disbelief.
"That's... impossible. Asmodeus was sealed in the abyss long before Rin was born."
Lirien leaned back on the couch, pipe forgotten beside her.
"You think anything's impossible for someone like Asmodeus? The bastard's always been obsessed with power... and with you. You should've known he wouldn't stay buried forever."
Elyria swallowed hard. "I thought I sealed him well enough..." Her eyes clouded with memory. "He wasn't always like that, Lirien. When I first met him, he was charming, graceful... beautiful, even. But underneath, he was pure madness."
