26 Live Peacefully

Luca was stunned. He didn't know which one was more horrible than the other.

However, after a few revolutions of thoughts in his head, he figured Noah's way was more acceptable. The more he watched this witch, the more he could see Noah as a hellhound instead of a witch.

Maybe that was why he was different from other witches of Asmodeus. He wasn't designed to be a witch in the first place.

"I understand now." The hunter only sighed. "You should go on ahead, Noah. I have to call in the situation. There's no way I would leave her here just like this. I'll just see you soon."

"Oh, I will really see you soon then." Noah only hummed. If Luca was going undercover in SCC, then he would be part of their elite squad… which was designed to support Sleepydog.

In the end, the witch and the hunter would be bound together for good as long as Bomberman wasn't destroyed.

…

Footsteps came from the door, and Rosanna looked up to see the door open. Noah walked in and stopped for a second as he saw Mephisto watching the TV with Rosanna. The girl then ran to him and greeted him with a smile and a loose hug.

Noah only smiled at her and handed her a doughnut box and a bag of takeaway he bought along the way. She received them and cheered as she took it to the kitchen.

"How naughty. You just came to Boston, and you're already playing with a hunter." Mephisto laughed out as Noah walked towards him and sat down on the single couch adjacent to the long one where the demon was.

"Why? Are you jealous?" Noah chuckled before leaning his seat. "After eating, I need to have a word with you. There are things I couldn't figure out."

"I know what questions you have, and unlike before, I can answer them." Mephisto nodded before looking at the TV which was still showing an advertisement. "You seemed to buy a lot for two people."

Noah only giggled as he closed his eyes and ignored Mephisto.

Soon enough, the demon realized that Rosanna was giving a piece of doughnut to each hellhound before serving the takeaway on plastic plates and steel cutlery. She placed the food on the center table before leaving for the pitcher of cool water.

She knew some things as her mother had taught her well. Preparing store-bought lunch was one of them. Since she was used to eating wherever she was, she didn't think of making use of the dining table and asking Noah to eat there with her. Besides, her movie was almost starting.

Lunch was served, and Mephisto was only watching them and the movie. The child didn't eat messily, but she was commenting a lot on the movie.

Noah only answered what he felt like doing so as he didn't really pay attention to it. Most of the time, it was Mephisto who would answer and trick the child into believing outrageous things.

…

Noah was doing the dishes while Rosanna slept in her room, with Mediis and three more keeping a close eye on her. The demon was only drying the plates Noah finished washing.

"You're curious about something?" Mephisto didn't forget that they were bound to speak with each other. "Try to organize your thoughts first so you would understand my answers."

"Belphegor could hear what I hear and see what I see, right?" Noah glanced at the demon with an apron. "If things were as easy as finding out about the rising, then how come they wanted me to think that they didn't know about it?"

"You overestimate the demon princes, sweet child." Mephisto laughed out. He then hummed as he thought of an answer. "You see, you are Belphegor's eyes and ears. If he didn't know something, he wanted you to do the legwork for him. Since you found out that there will be a rising… then he knew about it now as well…"

However, the gleeful words turned serious as he approached the end. "Another rising… tch…"

Noah caught all of Mephisto's spiteful murmurs. "So, what's a rising? I heard it was inviting a demon prince to walk the earth? If they had to be invited, then how could Belphegor and Mammon be out here?"

Silence came from Mephisto before the demon suddenly twitched and smiled. "As… as for that question, it's because… wait…

"Heaven and Hell had a truce not to engage in another all-out war after the demons lost. Demons were technically not allowed to interact with humans." He cleared his throat. "However, we found a loophole in their by-laws and established a pact. As long as the humans invited us into their reality, we could be walking the earth just the same.

"That was why a human had to summon a demon if they wanted to make contact. A demon could not tap into other humans' realities just because they pleased. It would be a breach in the pact." He watched Noah pause and listen. "That was why I should not show myself to other humans. Same with Belphegor and Mammon.

"Sealing a contract with a demon will turn a human into a witch. This very differentiation creates exemptions to the by-laws of Heaven. Each witch could see a demon whether they gave the demon permission to affect their realities or not.

"The rising… is a more powerful version. A wide-scale organization that had an impact on the world would qualify to make decisions for civilians. If they summoned a demon prince with their collective consciousness and the eyes of the public on them, it would be the same as giving the demon prince permission to tap into everyone's realities.

"Thus, it would let him do as he pleased."

Noah was stunned. He didn't know such a thing existed, and he was being gravitated towards it. Then again, if Satan was given permission to affect the world, wouldn't that be akin to letting the world burn?

He then turned to the plates and hummed as he organized his thoughts again. Since he got an important piece, he would factor it in his deductions. The thought of Rosanna made him ask again, "Where would Rosanna fit in this rising?"

Mephisto shivered, and Noah was observant enough to catch this strange action. The demon didn't answer readily before he cleared his throat again. "To usher the demon prince into the human world, the blood tainted by magic should be given as a sacrifice. In short, a child of a witch must be presented to be devoured and to house the demon prince.

"As long as the child was born from a witch mother, they would be viable to be sacrificed. It didn't matter who the witch served."

Noah's hand trembled a little, but he kept it steady to not drop the fork he was washing. Silence shrouded both men before Mephisto chuckled. "We didn't know why Satan wanted her, but we thought of getting rid of Rosanna. However, Rosetta couldn't bring herself to do it.

"In the end, Belphegor decided to wipe out the witches of Satan regardless of their reasons; and it had won votes from three other demon princes."

Strange. "Why would they vote against another prince? Shouldn't they be happy?"

"Like how Leviathan put it… Satan will have all the fun if he succeeded in pulling off a stunt. Apparently, that was the sole reason why the other demon princes voted against whatever it was." Mephisto shrugged his shoulders.

These were things that shouldn't come out of his mouth, but he was talking to Noah—the very witch that Belphegor wanted to play with. He was also the reason why Belphegor even raised this suggestion. Noah would have to deal with the witches because of his revenge, and now, he had to stop a rising because it became his obligation to do so.

Most witches of Belphegor never got this far, but Noah only snorted at the notion. It seemed that Belphegor really was testing the limit of his patience.

"When the rising happens, won't the angels attack?"

"That's the thing about it. They won't." Mephisto laughed out. "The humans brought this upon themselves. That was why Heaven would be in the same boat as us in stopping the rising. When Satan walks the earth, the angels will have to cry and watch from a distance.

"However, they did organize a group to try and resist Satan, the Order of Michael. All of them were being trained for this… this rising that almost happened fifteen years ago." Mephisto then glared at the spoon he was drying, his eyes melting his reflection.

"Satan grew arrogant. Since he didn't care if Asmodeus and Michael didn't agree that his coven was enough for a rising, he did it anyway." His eyes then closed as he sighed. "Let's just say the world was washed by shock and confusion by then. An entire night was forgotten by the whole world as Asmodeus and Satan duked it out.

"Of course, the King won and dragged him down. After that, Heaven created an order to hunt down witches, making it hard for us demons to enjoy our once freedom." Mephisto hissed before shaking his head and chuckling. "So much for a history lesson, isn't it?"

Noah stared at him for a few seconds and then shook his head. "Not really. At least I now know how important this is for Rosanna and for everyone else. I can't guarantee victory, but I will exhaust every resource I've got to help out.

"I, too, just want to live peacefully after all."