Demon God

"I'm sorry, but...my daughter or even I can't tell you that," Aerith said.

However, she was not done as she continued to speak as she raised one of her fingers in her right hand.

"However, I can definitely sell it to you in one condition," she said.

And what Desire thought about this was... it was reasonable. He was quickly able to understand what Aerith meant by the word 'sell.'

After all, it's not like this pair of mother and daughter was his subordinate or something like that.

To make sure that he would get what he wants, he would also need to give something in return to the other party.

Something this simple was something Desire knew, and he also knew that it was called negotiations.

'Hmm...maybe the way I handled it earlier was wrong...' Desire thought as he realized how rude he was earlier.

Well, calling what he did to Aeri rude was an understatement. It would be beyond rude and just...completely unacceptable.

It was just straight-up wrong. It would be a different matter if Desire was an overlord, but...currently, he was just relying on the Lion Clan's influence and power.

If Desire didn't have the Lion Clan's influence and power, Desire would be in deep shit right now.

Aerith Ixthmonia would never let her daughter be handled like some tool even if Aeri was not complaining or something like that.

That was why...it was wrong and Desire acknowledges that. Desire could have been in danger right about now if he didn't have the influence of the Lion Clan. However, Desire was...

'Hmm...but then again, I don't give a fuck.'

...a hypocrite. He was no saint. He does not have the slightest intention to correct his wrongdoing.

If Desire got the Lion Clan's influence and power, then he would use it to the fullest.

It was very simple logic, though it was very hypocritical as well.

After all, Desire would have done things the other way if he didn't have the Lion Clan's influence and power.

Of course, Desire knows very well that he was being a hypocrite, but...he just didn't give a fuck about it.

Yes, the other party were monsters, and monsters are what Desire loves the most, but...Desire didn't train a year and so for nothing.

However, Desire acknowledges that there were better ways to get what he wanted, other than being forceful and all that threatening shit that he did.

That was why...Desire decided to do it the better and easier way as he spoke and retracted his blackened right arm.

"So? What is that one condition?" Desire said as he looked at Aerith with his red eyes.

And as soon as he said those words, a smile...broke out of Aerith's lips.

The way that she smiled was truly heavenly, but that was not all as even Desire was charmed by her beauty.

Of course, Desire didn't show any of that as he just had the same look on his face.

It was then that Aerith finally spoke again with the same smile on her face.

"I want the Lion Clan's help."

And that was what she said.

When Desire heard what she said, he...thought that he misheard it or something like that, but...Aerith's words echoed in and out of his mind, making sure that he didn't hear wrong.

"Huh? Are you nuts?" Desire said as he looked at Aerith with shock on his face.

After all, asking for the Lion Clan's help directly and not Desire's help...that was basically asking Desire to order the Lion Clan for Aerith's sake.

Of course, something like that would be possible due to his position, but...Desire knew that there would be certain limits to his authority.

It's not like he is the clan master of the Lion Clan.

That was why Desire thought that Aerith was nuts for asking something like that when she knew...that Desire was 'just' the young lord of the Lion Clan.

"Hm! Hm!" Aerith said with that same smile as she nodded her head, "I'm nuts. I know that, and I accept that."

"And that is the one and only condition that I have, so don't try to change it to something else."

Desire then asked, "What kind of help are you asking? I might consider it if it's not that much trouble."

"Ara? Is the young lord of the famous Lion Clan hesitating over something like this?"

"Aiyaaa, I never thought that the young lord of such a clan would be a coward," Aerith continued with that same smile, but she was not the only one to say that as her daughter, Aeri, also said something.

"Eh? He's a coward?" she said with the same expression as her mother.

They...truly looked similar and they were both beautiful, but Desire couldn't understand what they were doing.

'What's the purpose of doing something like this? Do they want me to get riled up or something?'

Fools. Desire thought as...a smile also crept up to his lips, the same kind of smile that Aerith and Aeri had on their faces.

It was the first time that Desire smiled for something else other than Jarina and the future ever since he grew up.

Of course, Desire's smile was not friendly at all as he spoke, "It's fine to be a coward, you know?"

"Anyway, don't you think it would be such a shame if someone tried to take advantage of someone else using cheap tricks?"

"Tsk!" A hint of annoyance resounded out when someone clicked her tongue, and Desire saw it happen, too.

But...Desire wasn't sure if it truly did happen. Why? It was because both Aerith and Aeri still had the same smile on their faces.

They didn't look like they were annoyed at all, but...it seems that Desire didn't have the time to think about this anymore as Aerith continued to speak.

"It would truly be such a shame if someone did get tricked by cheap tricks."

Aerith then sighed, "Let's stop this, shall we? I thought you would be like any other young master, but it seems like you know how to handle these things."

"It was my chance, too...you didn't have any attendants at all," she said.

Of course, when Desire heard this, the smile that was on his face...disappeared as a grin replaced it.

Well...grin and smile are technically the same, but...it was too obvious that Desire was grinning.

"Haha, why did you even try to use such cheap tricks? Trying to use something like that against me, the young lord of the Lion Clan...it only looks like you are underestimating the Lion Clan, no?"

"Of course not. I just wanted to shoot my chance," Aerith said, but she was not done as she continued.

"Anyway, the help that I want is...protection. I want protection from the Lion Clan."

"Protection? Are you being hunted by someone?" Desire asked with a curious look on his face.

Well, Desire could see a few reasons why Aerith and Aeri were being hunted by someone.

They were just...beautiful. And sometimes, being beautiful just brings danger to oneself.

However, the one who answered Desire's question was not Aerith but instead, Aeri.

"Dark elves," Aeri said and went completely silent after saying those words.

It was because her mother was caressing her head with her gentle hands.

Aerith then turned her head to look at Desire and spoke, "That's right. We are being chased by dark elves."

"It is not really private information so I guess I can explain it to you."

"Elves and dark elves have always been in war. And the elves...have lost."

"I..." Aerith stopped as she breathed in and closed her eyes.

It was only after she breathed out that she opened her eyes again and spoke.

"I...am the queen of the elves, and I and my daughter are the only ones who are left of the royal family of the elves."

Aerith then bowed a little bit of her head towards Desire, "Please...take us under the Lion Clan's wing and while it is extremely shameless for me to say, please...protect us and the other elves who have managed to survive the war."

After saying those words, Aeri then followed suit and spoke the same words, "Please, protect us and the other elves who have managed to survive the war."

Faced with this sudden change of attitude from the two elves, Desire was...to say the least, astonished.

He didn't know what to do in this situation since he didn't know about the war between the dark elves and the elves.

However, he knew for sure that if he took this pair of mother and daughter's offer, the dark elves would not look at the Lion Clan kindly.

They would definitely start to see the Lion Clan as enemies and war might just start between them.

And that was also why Desire...was hesitating.

'There's that situation with that traitor...'

The problem with Lamiya, the traitor of the Suckus, is still going on, and if the dark elves were to add to that...the Lion Clan might not just be able to take it.

And with no information about Lamiya and the dark elves, Desire didn't know what he should do as he was basically blinded in this situation.

'Hmm...this is hard,' Desire thought as his face turned into a frown.