12. ClosureLater, at night, Fr?nze and Heinz met again with Valentina in front of the castle. The bald man was quite worn out, while the redhead was in a rather good shape.

  "Your men have captured almost all the remaining thugs of the baroness and her allies. Your problem has almost been eradicated now. What will happen now?"

  The succubus expression was one of mere curiosity.

  "You probably know the government hierarchy here. This province here is just a baronate, which is part of a bigger march and so on. The marquess doesn't really care about who is in charge there, as long as it provides him what's necessary. It wouldn't shock me to know that these usurper managed to bribe him before disposing of the previous baron to get his... Authorization, so to speak. He also usually charge for the titles he can grant, often starting auctions, despite being able to do that for free. He'll appoint someone soon to repce the captured one."

  Heinz replied with an apathetic tone. Valentina nodded.

  "Let's hope for you that this one is more qualified... Still, where's your friend?"

  "He's at the hospital since he was injured. He's slowly getting better. We contacted a doctor as soon as possible. He's conscious now."

  Valentina didn't reply.

  "I know that your jobs would make it difficult, but... Are you interested in some training courses? They cost quite much, but it will help you with magic. I happened to see some fights here and magic is barely used. They are beginner friendly, even if practice isn't always followed by the teachers... The students outnumber them, after all."

  "As long as the price is reasonable, it may be not a bad idea."

  Heinz snapped his fingers.

  "We may not be able to attend with our current positions though."

  Fr?nze put her hand on her waist. The succubus let out an innocent smile.

  "That's not a big problem. The courses comprehend books that expin the subject taught and the theory behind it. So, whenever you have time, you can apply."

  "Then we'll think about it."

  As Heinz replied, Fr?nze just nodded.

  "Send your friends my regards. I hope he recovers fast and well."

  The demonic woman sprouted her wings, ready to fly away, but she then stopped, with an awkward smile on her face.

  "I almost forgot..."

  She took out her wallet, giving some money to the duo.

  "This is today's payment for you three."

  Then she left, flying away. She turned towards the duo, waving at them.

  "I hope to meet you again. Farewell."

  "Goodbye mistress."

  The couple waved back at her as she left.

  Valentina entered a wooden building, with a guard in front of the door.

  "Miss, you made it possible to kick out that monster of a woman out of the throne. Thank you. Why are you here though? Do you need to talk to the prisoners?"

  "True. They may have an information i need. Still, Where has the majority of the bunch been taken to?"

  "Probably they've been sent to neighbouring cities' prisons."

  The guard opened the door, entering the building and tilting his head towards the interior of the building. The succubus followed him. The guard accompanied the dy to the jail rooms where her targets were imprisoned, which were located two floors below. While they descended the stairs, the duo encountered another guard.

  "I'm accompanying this dy to meet with a prisoner. Can you cover for me at the entrance?"

  "Sure."

  The duo reached the right floor, walking towards the cells the usurper were located: Adalbert and René were chained to the wall of a room through a chain attached to their legs, while Patricia and the former baroness in another. All four of them were wearing rags, except for the baroness who was naked and also had her mouth stuffed with other rags taped into it.

  "Any of you are willing to talk?"

  The succubus' tone was sweet, yet it didn't hide at all her hostility towards them. The former baroness gred at the succubus, emitting a loud fart and wawing her hand near her behind, as if to diffuse it faster while also sniffing loudly, with her eyes widened.

  "What are you doing, you idiot!"

  Patricia's expression was one of disgust, turning her head in the opposite direction than where her cellmate was. The former baroness was giggling under the rags tha filled her mouth.

  *Tsk*

  Valentina was not amused. She pointed at the woman. Suddenly the former baroness' hair ignited, the woman muffled ughters changing into screams.

  "AGHGGHGHGGHGHGHHG!"

  With a snap of her finger, the succubus extinguished the fmes, leaving the former ruler's with bald patches mixed with patches of burnt hair. The other three prisoners were pleased by this show of cruelty towards her companion, smirking at her suffering. Patricia was openly mocking her.

  "You deserved it, you volcanic air emitter!"

  The other woman was flinging her arms around, almost hitting her cellmate in the process, furious.

  "YUGHG FUGFCVHKIGFHNHGH SLUGHRRHYTHH!"

  "Now... Is anyone willing to talk?"

  The succubus was still using a sweet tone behind which was a veiled threat.

  "What's for me?"

  Adalbert was trying to keep some sort of respectability and authority.

  "Nothing. But i can tell you what's for you if no one will answer me."

  The succubus gred at Adalbert. Her expression was serious.

  "I'll talk, just ask me!"

  René, intimidated, decided to cooperate.

  "Good, I only have a question. Who gave you those faulty sve colrs?"

  "FAULTY?! I'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY FOR THEM!"

  Adalbert was shocked. showing his teeth. Valentina merely gnced at him, before turning again towards the cellmate.

  "So..."

  "It was a guy... Brown hair, quite short, a demon... I never asked his name though,"

  René was trembling as he was talking.

  "It's enough, don't worry. I already know who he is."

  The man rexed. Valentina also rexed.

  "So i won't kick you while you're down. Also, if i remember correctly, you don't have much left to live. Am i right, mr. Guard?"

  A sadistic glee briefly appeared on the woman's face.

  "You're right. Former baroness Domizia Gef?ngnis will be executed for murder, treason and for being a member of a criminal organization."

  Domizia threw another tantrum, managing to hit her cellmate twice with her arms.

  "IGGL KIGGLL YOGGU!"

  Patricia retaliated, and the two women started to fight which was ignored by the other people present with the exception of René, who became excited.

  "You hit me twice you idiot!"

  "FUGGCHJK YOGGGUG TOGGGOOG!"

  "CATFIGHT! CATFIGHT! STRIP EACH OTHER NAKED!"

  "For the other three only the st two charges are valid, but they'll be probably executed too... Still, the Marquess or someone higher may change the verdict, but it's an unlikely possibility."

  "Not that it really interests me, i just wanted to make them know how much they were screwed."

  The succubus shrugged, before leaving the prisoners to their own cell, escorted by the guard until they reached the entrance of the building. the two female prisoners were viciously fighting, shredding their rags. Adalbert turned toward the wall, starting to think while René continued with his excmations.

  The next day.

  Vionte entered the pnt shop together with Agamennone.

  "We're back, mr. Dettori. We've solved your problem."

  The shopkeeper smiled at the girl as she and her companion approached the counter.

  "Welcome back, Vionte. I still haven't received the shipment, i hope i'll receive it soon. Care to tell me what was the problem?"

  "Sure thing. It was a vandalism problem we accidentally managed to solve."

  Dettori was confused.

  "What do you mean by 'accidentally managed to solve'."

  The girl shrugged.

  "It means that we would have rather avoided any involvement once we managed to find out what the problem was but, instead, the problem found us first and we had to took care of it. And it was a very murderous problem. Agamennone here was attacked and only managed to survive thanks to yours truly."

  The boy was annoyed. He turned slightly towards his housemate.

  "So, Vionte... i'm sure you are trying to get a raise from me given your unfortunate meeting. What do you want then?"

  The girl smirked.

  "I was thinking about adding a 50% discount for a year."

  The anthropomorphic goat shook his head.

  "25%."

  "40%."

  "1/3."

  "Fine, i'll settle for one third. I'm sure i couldn't have pushed you more, mr. Dettori."

  The girl smiled at the shopkeeper, theatrically bowing in front of him, an action Agamennone found embarassing. She noticed his reactions, smirking in response.

  "So... I brought here my companion, hoping that he had the courage to give you an apology. I was disappointed though."

  Agamennone became stiff hearing such words. The shopkeeper, instead, smiled.

  "Don't worry, i've already forgotten about it."

  "I do not though."

  Vionte replied in a very cold manner, cold enough to give Agamennone shivers. Dettori ughed. The half-succubus waved at the shopkeeper, before turning around.

  "Good bye, have a nice day."

  "Good bye, dear client."

  The half-succubus then left the shop, with Agamennone following around. As they were walking towards their home, Agamennone was visibly uncomfortable. Vionte noticed it, her expression warm as she turned towards him.

  "Did i scare you too much? I'm sorry..."

  "Like i'm scared by you. It's not that..."

  Agamennone was frustrated.

  "What's your problem then?"

  "I was thinking about yesterday. I don't want people attacking me because they don't see me as a threat."

  "So... Would you like to train more then? You didn't seem to like it though."

  The demon lord rolled his eyes, while the half-succubus was scratching her chin, her expression still warm.

  "I still don't like it."

  "So... Do you think you'll be able to commit to... It?"

  The young man thought for a moment, raising his head towards the sky.

  'Am i able to commit to my statement?'

  He the turned towards his companion.

  "I don't think so..."

  The girl sighed.

  "This is something you only can help with, unless you want to continue to be forced with your training, which, given your previous behaviour, is not something you like. I can't be of any help here."

  A small frown appeared on the girl's face, before disappearing with a small smile.

  "Take your time, think about it and only when you're sure of your intentions make your choice."

  Agamennone blinked.

  "That's obvious..."

  The girl threw a side gnce at him

  "It may be, but i just wanted to emphasize the temporal factor, to avoid making you hurry about taking a decision."

  The boy nodded, without replying.

  The couple entered in their own house, Vionte in front and Agamennone behind.

  "Mama, Papa, we're home."

  As the two of them entered the kitchen, they realized they had a guest. At the table, in fact, there were Valentina, dressed in a elegant sleepwear, and Ferdinando, dressed as usual, drinking a cup of coffee. Agamennone's face was full of annoyance, while Vionte's expression was neutral. Valentina nudged Ferdinando with her elbow, before replying to them

  "Hi dear daughter, hi Agamennone, How has your voyage been?"

  The succubus was smiling.

  "Meh..."

  "The pnt i was waiting for hasn't arrived yet. We still managed to talk about what happened though."

  At this point, Ferdinando got up from the table. Agamennone crossed his arms spontaneously.

  "I'm here to ask you, Vionte, to accept my apology for having told you to hypnotize our majesty."

  The demon lord was angered, gritting his teeth.

  'He doesn't even care that i'm the one he should apologize to!'

  While the indigo-haired girl crossed her arms too.

  "To me... It doesn't seem a sincere apology. I don't think i'll accept it."

  Ferdinando swiftly sat down on his chair.

  "Well, i tried."

  However, he shivered as he was gred by the red-headed succubus.

  "As i thought, you won't be able to gain my daughter's trust again so easily... That means that..."

  The woman started smiling.

  "... That you owe me one now... "

  The anthropomorphic bull made a worried expression.

  "I hoped not to hear these words never again..."

  "Too te for that..."

  The youngsters looked into each other's eyes. Agamennone was really watching the girl's forehead. Then they looked at the older woman, who replied in a suggestive manner.

  "You don't know, but a long time ago, we both were in the army and i was his superior..."

  Agamennone's eye instinctively twitched at the sound of 'long time ago'. Meanwhile the regent was taken aback by the statement.

  "THEY DON- I mean... There's no reason to bring such old stories back..."

  The regent instinctively put his arms on the table, before swiftly retreating them, trying to put up a poker face. As he turned his head, he found the two young people looking at him maliciously, smiling with a sadistic glee, making him uncomfortable.

  "As his superior, it was my job to make him behave, and let's say that he wasn't like he's now. So i ended up punishing him many times. So i kinda mantained some sort of influence on him... Because he knows what happens when he desobeys me... But today it will be my daughter to give you a fitting punishment."

  "Phew..."

  Vionte smirked.

  "I already chosen a fitting punishment mama... I'd like for him to make a public speech about... Well... Something i'll come up with."

  Ferdinando kept his poker face.

  'Devious fiend.'

  "A public speech? Do you want to ruin my reputation?"

  "You not only wanted me to hypnotize my dear... Agamennone, you also put salt on a wound that's still open... Be gd i've tried to contain myself... Hahaha... Hahahaha... HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

  The indigo-haired girl started ughing maniacally. Valentina sighed, shacking her head slightly, Ferdinando, instead, was weirded out by the reaction. Agamennone, finally, smirked.

  "Your daughter is a vile creature, let me tell you that... Still... Better than your punishments... I hope..."

  The regent had a frown in his face. The succubus smiled.

  "Don't worry, Violetta here is quite the prudish one in the family, she's not going to give you any interest-... I mean embarassing task, i'm sure."

  Ferdinando snorted while Agamennone was grinning in the background.

  'I can't wait to see him being embarassed in public.'

  The anthropomorphic bull turned towards the boy.

  "Still, the apology was mostly a pretext. I came here mainly for two reasons. First: i find your progress... satisfactory, at the moment, your majesty... However, i'm expecting something out of you. Don't disappoint me."

  The lord stuck his tongue out. Ferdinando replied by pulling down his lower eyelid. The young woman ughed at the scene while the older woman just smirked at it.

  'They behave like in the novels i read.'

  'Childish... Men...'

  The regent composed himself.

  "I should not stoop at the same level of our feisty lord. But he's just that annoying... However i'm not finished. There's our second point: I've heard that a neighbouring baronate has disposed yet again of a ruler. I'm kinda worried about their political stability, so i'll put more soldiers on our border. I don't trust these kingdoms, even less the singur regions. They can use such instability as a pretext to do something to us. If things go south, i'll request your help, Valentina."

  The succubus smiled with fake innocence.

  "You shouldn't even ask such things, i'll defend our country to the death. You know that."

  The woman then looked at the youngsters.

  "What about you?"

  Vionte was the first to reply, blushing.

  "I'd rather avoid such eventuality, if possible. However... Your enemies are my enemies, mama. I'll protect you!"

  Valentina smirked.

  "Your mama will always protect you, even when i am in danger... What about you, your majesty?"

  "I'll abuse my humanity to pass off as a prisoner and get their pity and then live there. As i always say... The country is dead, long live the country..."

  The other three people looked at him with an annoyed expression.

  "You're shameless..."

  "We're doomed..."

  "I should teach you some discipline, my lord..."

  The red-haired woman licked her lips. Agamennone did not react.

  "Should have i lied?"

  Ferdinando snorted.

  "You should have possessed a better attitude..."

  Said that, the regent, having finished his coffee, stood up and left the room, before leaving the house.

  "It was a pleasure, until those two joined us... Good bye."

  The demonic women waved at him as he left, while Agamennone simply ignored him, receiving bad looks for it. The older woman then change topic

  "Do you want some hot cocoa?"

  "Yes mama!"

  "Yes."

  ---

  Some days ter

  Valentina, dressed in an elegant nightgown, was watching the tv, rexing herself on the couch as her husband, Odoacre, entered the living room with a letter in his hands.

  "There's a letter for you, it's Recipient is: 'Valentina, Pignacadente, owns a brothel.'"

  "Give it to me hubby subby dearest..."

  Odoacre threw the letter at her, annoyed by her words. The woman opened the envelope and extracted the letter from the inside. In the letter it was written:

  *Dear Mistress Valentina. How are you. I wanted to write you this letter to say that i'll be busy for some time, as i've been appointed as the new baron. I think the marquess was just zy and chose someone who could give some sort of continuity to the rule before the coup. Or maybe he just went with the 'Might make best ruler' attitude... Still, i'll make the best i can for my nd. Meanwhile Fr?nze has resigned from her position as the captain of the guards, as she felt she was inadequate for both the position and the job, she said she has no clear idea about her career path, and would like to work for you again, if possible. As for Oktavian, he was disappointed by his performance in our battle and decided to leave as well. He felt rusty and wanted to hone his skills again and would be willing to work for you. They'll both soon return to your city, since they still have a house they've rented, and they would have returned even just to end the contract. I wonder if you have managed to get the middleman. Still, have a nice day.

  Heinz.*

  The woman gasped.

  'I forgot about that... Well, i'm in no hurry to catch him... Still... Two of them are returning... I don't know if i can afford to employ them again at the moment...'

  The woman took the letter and extended her arm, giving it back to her husband, who put it on the table. Meanwhile Agamennone and Vionte swiftly descended the stairs. The boy managed to stumble, falling forward, because he was convinced there were more steps than the one existing.

  "OUCH!"

  "Are you okay?"

  The girl was worried. Valentina also stood up from the couch, approaching the young man at a steady pace.

  "I think... It's just a contusion, the surface is smooth."

  Odoacre ughed, just observing the scene unfolding.

  "It's already the second time you fall from the stairs, and in different ways... I wonder how do you manage to do it..."

  The boy was not amused.

  "By losing my equilibrium."

  "I'll take something to patch you up, Can you stand up by yourself?"

  The young woman run upstair to fetch the necessary equipment to help him, while the lord zily stood up. Valentina bent in front of him, extending an arm. He ignored the gesture, standing up by himself, before going towards a chair, sitting on it whle the succubus id again on the couch. Soon Vionte returned with bandages, some handkerchieves, and an alcoholic solution. She went to him, putting the things on the table as she start looking on her housemate for bruises. Agamennone was more interested, however, in the TV.

  "Where is that moving piece of bündnerfleisch going to talk? I'm waiting for him to be embarassed in public."

  He was slightly excited by that prospect.

  "Calm down, it's starting soon, don't worry. However... have you two put an arm to come down so swiftly and timely?"

  The succubus teased the boy. Vionte was still inspecting the body of her companion, refusing however to even undress him slightly, feeling uncomfortable.

  'I'd rather not want to viote his spaces...'

  As she stopped thinking to herself, she managed to hear her mother's words.

  "Ah? Eh? Y-yes... Agamennone didn't want to lose it, so i put on an arm."

  As the young woman sat on another chair, on the TV started a live of the regent, Ferdinando, in front of the castle, walked solemnly towards a microphone over a stand. With a solemn tone, he started his speech.

  "Ehm Ehm... It is written that if a brick weighs the same of 1 kg plus e^brick over (brick^2 - sqrt(brick) + ln(brick)), how much does a brick weighs? The only reasonable answer is: I have absolute no intention to ever calcute that mess of an equation when i can use a scale to weigh a single brick. In my line of work, knowing the weight of a brick is a complete useless information and waste of time and effort, added to the one i already wasted in the st days when i've been forcefully taught that speeding things up usually slows things down..."

  The audience was very confused by the speech. Ferdinando was as confused as they were, but he could feel some hostility coming out of what he was saying. Even at Valentina's home, Vionte's parents were quite perplexed.

  "You... Wrote a bunch of nonsense, dear daughter..."

  "I agree."

  Vionte smiled awkwardly.

  "I thought it would be more impactful if he read a bunch on words with no meaning when put together..."

  Odoacre shook his head.

  "It's impactful indeed... to our braincells... I feel more and more stupid the more i listen..."

  "... Once upon a time a palm tree was burnt by someone using a bottle of palm oil. The consequent fire was rapidly put down using a dder, an adder, and a der... I mean, a deer. And an eer... an eel... Has someone of you ever cooked a piece of silver without butter? Utterly atrocious, isn't it? And remember, making enemies out of strangers is a sure way to complicate your life. The only worst thing is to make enemies out of friends. This is why i've always been a supporter for mass murder and genocide, unless if it's friday, when is utterly forbidden to pursue such noble endeavors because my neighbour say so. Do you happen to have a copper coin? I need it to steal a copper coin... Pomegranate! Throws a pomegranate towards the audience..."

  The speech continued, the audience rapidly dispersing.

  "What the hell is he saying."

  "I think he lost a bet or something with the brothel's mistress, i heard they go a long way..."

  "I hope he can still rule us decently and hasn't gone nuts..."

  "This is something he would have pulled off when he was younger... I thought he gave up on comedy."

  Even the TV live was interrupted.

  "Stop the live, he's not interesting... Le him save a bit of his face."

  "Copy."

  As the signal was interrupted, the succubus sighed.

  "You've gone too far, daughter."

  Vionte caressed her head, smiling awkwardly.

  "I too told him that he exaggerated, but Agamennone was categorical about keeping his own ideas."

  The young man was proud of his idea.

  "Nothing tanks someone's reputation as effectively as endorsing genocide and mass murder."

  Odoacre did a facepalm.

  "Be mindful about what you say, boy. You like to joke with fire, and someday fire will engulf you. And not involve my daughter in it. You seem to be a corrupting presence in her life."

  "Sure..."

  Agamennone was btantly sarcastic.

  "You know well that our daughter has a bit of my wild side too, don't lie to yourself, hubby."

  Vionte smiled awkwardly. That sparked something in her mother.

  "About awkwardness... I have forgot about the middleman that sold the faulty colrs... I have no hurry to catch him, but aren't you interested in his identity? I have enough info on him."

  "The culprit is a man then..."

  "Correct, my lord, even if it was btant from the use of masculine pronouns. Still... I've determined that the identity of the middleman is one of the garbage collectors that pick up trash at the brothel."

  The other people were perplexed. The men raised their eyebrows.

  "A garbage collector..."

  "Really?"

  While Vionte just blinked. Meanwhile Ferdinando, left alone while ending his speech, stepped down, dejected and embarassed, his face looking downwards.

  'They surpassed my expectations... He, especially, only do that on pointless endeavors...'

  He then slowly left the pce, slowly shaking his head.

  HyperbolicTangent