[1.28] The Bigger Picture (Part 2)

“Uwah!” Angelica flopped back in surprise when the unknown voice addressed her. She immediately cancelled her running Order and began waddling backward with panic, her eyes darting all around, trying to find whoever had spoken to her.

“Hmm… can you not see me? How interesting.” The slightly aggressive, yet somehow calm, voice almost sounded amused by her antics. “I’d thought you were just being rude this whole time or attempting to be respectfully avoidant. Your situation continues to confound me. Allow me to assist. Activate your Scrying Eye.”

While Gelic didn’t particularly care for the idea of taking unsolicited advice from strangers in general, it did sound like the most logical choice. Activate Scrying Eye. Immediately, a figure appeared before her, floating a few feet up in the air. It was a man dressed in a well-tailored butler suit. Except they weren’t human at all. The shape was the same, but their entire body was covered in smooth charcoal grey scales with jagged hands, and a serrated tail curled around one leg. His face initially looked a bit friendly and disarming, surprisingly soft, but his staggering silver eyes were glaring at her as if they could see her very soul.

Angelica couldn’t deny what he was, finally seeing another besides herself after all this time.

[Demon | Alias: Diamen | Demon Rank: Daemon]

[Lucidity absurdly increased]

[Lucidity has improved from Impaired to Obscured]

[Scrying Eye Lv.4]

[Lucidity increased]

[Lucidity has improved from Obscured to Blurred]

[Gnostic Attunement Increased]

Gelic’s head reeled from what felt like a barrage of information entering her head all at once, as if her eyes were opening for the first time, her mind finally understanding. She turned off Scrying Eye in hopes that would help. It didn’t, but the overflow quickly settled. When she looked back to the same spot, the Demon was still there, floating patiently while standing at attention. Yet now she could see him without the aid of the skill. Just to confirm, she activated it once more, and this time got a bit of additional information.

[Demon | Alias: Diamen | Demon Rank: Daemon | Status: Bound]

Diamen the Daemon Demon. It sounded like a joke. Daemon had to be a decently high rank, though, right? She’d heard of Hellion and Gremlin, but that was assuredly above them. And just who had Bound such a creature? She was able to tell he was strong by just a glance, incomparable to herself. It was probably whoever lived in that mansion. They must be powerful themselves to bind someone like him. And Angelica kept referring to her fellow as a “him” though she had no way of knowing for sure. But by his dress, build, and sound of his voice, she felt fairly certain.

Something else was suddenly visible, as well. It was as if there was a shaded shroud entirely encapsulating both the manor and grounds behind the humanoid man. Whatever the dark mist was, it definitely didn’t make Gelic feel invited.

“I was starting to worry a little bit about you, Imp, when you didn’t brazenly wander through our territory yesterday,” Diamen continued. “But I see you’ve finally levelled up a bit, so I suppose your master finally put you to proper work, for once.”

“I, erm, I’m sorry if I’ve been intruding.” She glanced once more at the dark haze and found that it protruded out into the street directly in front of the mansion, so she’d definitely been passing right through it. That explained the weird feeling she’d been getting. Gelic pointed over to the shroud and resumed using her more babyish, ignorant voice, because she really was completely oblivious. “Didn’t know what that was. I’ve just been—”

“Save your excuses, I don’t particularly care,” the Daemon cut her off. “But my master does. After hearing my reports, he has taken an interest in you, and requested that when you next came by, I invite you in, should you have the time.”

“Erm, well that’s… I should be…” Gelic tried to stammer an excuse to quickly escape the situation, but didn’t manage to spit out anything worthwhile.

“You do have the time… don’t you?” By his creeping smile and narrowed eyes, it was clear that he wasn’t giving her an actual choice.

“Y-yes.”

“Very good, then follow me.” Diamen turned around, and the gates to the grounds opened on their own.