No

I don’t have the right to do this.

Cassandra clearly doesn’t want to talk about it and whatever she might reveal won’t change what I will be doing.

The issue is that Minerva is a Dark Lord. Her past doesn’t matter.

Yes, I resolved myself. “In...the absolute worst case scenario...I….I won’t let you get enslaved. You will be fine. All of you. I promise.”

Cassandra didn’t respond.

“Please. Trust me”, I added, hoping that I could get through to her.

For a few moments we just remained like this.

Eventually, Cassandra managed to compose herself.

“Are you alright?”, I asked carefully.

“Yeah, I manage”, she stated, not sounding particularly convincing.

“Come on. I won against impossible odds many times before. Why should this be different?”

“That’s how a fucking gambling junkie talks, Daddy. Thought you learned that lesson from Bea by now.”

“See, the difference is, I win my bets.”

Cassandra muttered under her breath. “Fucking imbecile.” The moment she said that, her body was rocked by an orgasm. It barely seemed to faze her though.

“You really got good at stomaching these orgasms”, I smiled.

“Fuck, I need them to get through this bullshit.” Cassandra took one more deep breath. “And I need that drink.”

“Fine”, I allowed and handed her the glass. “We will have to do something about your **** consumption once this is all over, though.”

“Oi, I killed men for less”, she threatened while once again chugging her drink, but I did see the glimpse of a smile there. “So, gonna talk with the rest of the girls about this, Daddy? They rip you to shreds, you know.”

I can imagine as much. “I will, in due time. I need to talk with someone else first.”

“Course you do.” Cassandra let out an exasperated sigh and walked out of the bedroom.

…

..

.

“Can’t say I like what I’m hearing, Handsome.”

Sylphid had her arms crossed in a rather stubborn pose, as she stared between the two of us. “And the girls won’t like it either.”

“I don’t plan to involve them”, I calmly responded. “This is between us three, nobody else.”

Sylphid merely continued to stare at me. It was a surprisingly indifferent look and not one that I ever expected her to show. I wonder if by now acceptance has sunken in.

“You will have to sacrifice a lot too.” I pushed. “You know it’s the only way”

“Yeah, about that...”

But Sylphid didn’t get any further. Before she could finish, the door to my bedroom was loudly pushed open.

I knew I should have locked it.

The first person to came barging in was Beatrice, she stamped very angrily towards us and said but one word. “No!”

“Foolish, Mari Beta, what is the meaning of this?”, Hebi-san followed closely and immediately hissed.

Fisti came third, dragging a very sleepy looking Aiju with her for emotional support.

And finally, Cassandra just leaned at the doorway, observing the spectacle from a far enough distance.

The reason for all of this was of course neither Sylphid nor myself, but the third person in the room.

Although person was not entirely accurate.

“I need a way to injure Minerva”, I told them calmly. “And this is the only way.”

“I don’t care!”, Beatrice screamed at me before she found a new target for her anger. You can’t take his soul! Femto!”

The devil smiled apologetically at her former master. “Sorry, about this Bea. But business is business.”

“You gave me a promise! You promised that you won’t take is soul!”, the ex-witch shouted.

“Ah, that…” Femto sighed. “Well, technically, that’s not exactly true, Bea. I promised I won’t do it without a contract. But if the good Sir here wants to make a contract and if the terms are acceptable I am legally obligated to oblige.”

“What are these terms?”, Hebi-san demanded sternly. “Tell me at once, Mari Beta!”

I had no intention of doing so. The less the girls know, the better.

“His soul, what else?, “Sylphid casually spilled, jerking her thumb towards Femto. “In exchange this sexy devil here will support him against Minerva, for an hour at least.”

“Daddy’s soul for an hour against a Dark Lord, eh?”, Cassandra whistled. “That’s awfully generous coming from a devil.”

Said Devil merely grinned. “Right? One hell of a bargain, if may say so myself, Full disclosure: Sylphid is leaving a couple minor details out. But even with a few more quid pro quo’s, I am offering an amazing deal here. Call the police and look me up in the nut house because I have gone craaaazey!”

“Then what are you offering?”, Beatrice demanded, her voice sharp and cold. “I want the exact contract. Now!”

Femto gave me a questioning look and I nodded. If it has come to this, they might as well know.

“Let me start by saying that we are still hashing out the details”, Femto began cautiously. “We are still very early in negotiations. You know how it is, macro economic changes, lawyers veto, some pension funds shareholders throwing a class action...”

“TELL ME!”

“Alright, alright. Wow, someone’s cranky today!” Femto chuckled. “Well, to put it in layman’s terms, it’s a contract with a non determined due date. Which means, Mari’s soul will be collected only once certain conditions are met! Told you I’ve gone crazy!

“Smells fishy.”, Fisti added with a glare. “What are these conditions?”

“Simple!”, Femto smiled. “From here on out, Mari will spend his days honing his body and soul. Only once he has reached the absolutely peak of his potential and is no longer able to grow stronger will I claim his soul. Quite a bargain, if I may say so myself.”

“Oh, and I guess she also takes my strength or something?”, Sylphid shrugged her shoulders. “That’s my part to pay in this.”

“Lady Sylphid!”, Fisti gasped. “Ya can’t be serious!”

As expected by now, almost all of the girls have turned white as a sheet.

“Letting his soul grow until it is ripe for the plucking, is it?”, Beatrice laughed hollowly. “The same you did to me. How many years will it take this time, I wonder? Five? Ten? Or maybe he is going to beat my own record.”

Femto did not reply.

Letting out a roar, Beatrice lunged at her former familiar. I barely managed to catch her in time. “I KILL YOU! YOU MONSTER! LET ME GO! I SAID LET ME GOOOOO!!!!!!”

Femto just stared at Beatrice with a smile on her lips.

“Beatrice, fall asleep!”

The moment I spoke these word the struggling witch let out one last shrill shriek before slowly stopping her resistance and ultimately falling asleep in my arms.

“I don’t want to do this to you”, I warned the rest of my girls as I slowly put Beatrice down on my bed. “But I will, if you **** me to.”

Bea’s fate seemed to have reigned the rest of the girls in, but only barely. Their eyes certainly spoke a clear language. Nobody was happy with this.

“Look, Daddy. I don’t give a single fuck if you want to nobly sacrifice yourself.” Cassandra finally spoke up. “But you do realize what this means for all us that have safety orders on, right? We die right with you.”

“Cass, Cass, Cass!”, Femto sighed. “Never play the stock market because you are selling me short! Did you really think I didn’t do my due diligence? Made some calls, cashed in some favors, ba pa di ba da bo and what do you know? Turns out taking someone’s soul is in my favorite zone, the greyzone. Suicide rule will not be triggered! Your Daddy even made me renounce all claims to your soul as a freebie.”

“Really now?”, Cassandra asked skeptically.

“I will have Maria fact check that later”, I promised. “Don’t worry, I’m not just taking her word for it. No matter what happens, you will be fine.”

“Uh, rude? The whole soul taking stint isn’t really dying, anyways, you know?” Femto explained with a slight(and definitely fake) pout.“More like your soul joins up with me? And hey! Who knows? Maybe you, Sir, are a lucky devil and end up getting turned into a, well, Devil! Happens more often then you think.”

“That’s a nasty fate!”, Fisti complained loudly. “Lady Sylphid. Ya can’t be alright with losing all yer strength, are ya? That’s horrible! Oh, and Mari has it pretty bad too, I guess.”

“We have to Fisti. I’m a Lucky Loser, I have…”

“Do not even attempt this, Mari Beta!”, Hebi-san walked over and poked me against the chest. “The rude human has informed us. You could simply make your escape! Why are you refusing to do so, you fool?”

I really should have ordered Cassandra to shut her mouth. “Maybe”, I begrudgingly allowed. “But that would mean abandoning Valkyrie.”

“How foolish”, Hebi-san continued. On the surface she appeared relatively calm, but beneath she was no less agitated then Beatrice. “You have no obligation towards that Valkyrie. Going to such lengths is the height of foolishness. We order you to cease this nonsense at once.”

“Hebi-san”, I smiled. “If I wasn't for Valkyrie, almost all of the people in this room would not be here now.”

“Can't deny that”, agreed Sylphid. “If it wasn't for Valk, Operation Handsome Princess would have ended in failure. We would all be Ojou-sama's slaves by now.”

“L-Lady Sylphid...”

“Fuck me, I take Ojou over that fucking cunt”, Cassandra grumbled.

“Still...”, Sylphid crossed her arms. “I agree with the rest of the girls. This is a pretty crap deal as far as I am concerned, Handsome.”

“I concur with the humans”, Hebi-san nodded. “It appears everyone is in agreement here. Foolish Mari Beta, how dare you do this without our permission! You will rescind at once!”

“Lady Sylphid is absolutely right!”, Fisti added. “And Sana would think so too. And Aiju!”, she poked the catgirl. “Say something!”. But all she got out of the sleepy catgirl was a yawn.

“Well…” Sylphid with an all too familiar grin scratched the back of her head. “Let me be clear, I just don’t like the part where Handsome has to give up his soul. Valk is my friend. So, if anybody should do this...”

Fisti stared at Sylphid in shock.

“That is out of the question”, I firmly stated. “I’m not sacrificing anyone. This is my burden to bear.”

Sylphid blatantly ignored that. “Say, FemFem, could I exchange my soul for Handsome’s?”

“Uuuhh!” Femto immediately sported her usual, greedy grin. “Tempting, tempting! You are basically at the peak of your strength already, so I would have to take your soul immediately.”

“No”, I said very vehemently. “Sylphid you will…”

Before I could finish the sentence Sylphid has ducked behind me and clasped a hand over my mouth.

"Mppppffff!!!"

“Sorry, Handsome. I’m afraid my term as your slaves was a rather short one.”

How could I have been so careless! Sylphid definitely learned her lesson from earlier and made sure I couldn’t utter even a single word. At the same time she kept me pressed against her body with her second hand.

“Finally somebody with sense”, Hebi-san casually nodded. “Very well, human. You may sacrifice yourself.”

“Are ya crazy, ya looney snakegirl!” Fisti shrieked. “Lady Sylphid, ya can’t be serious!”

Sylphid was very serious. “I’m feeling pretty lucky. How about it, Femto? You get my soul, you leave Handsome out of the contract. I imagine I’m worth way more anyway.”

“Oh yeah definitely”, Femto cheerfully stated. “I'm more then happy to take this deal.”

No! I screamed into Sylphid’s hand! This can’t be happening! I need to free myself! But no matter how much I struggle, Sylphid’s grip was ironclad.

“Mari! Stop them!”, Fisti shouted panicked.