The demon toddler stared at the decorated book gifted by Elizabeth.
"In one timeline, this was a book Zero had encountered as I had shown him the past. In this, well, let's just say that experience had passed by. Yes, the entity had already made his mark on the girl before she could utter a sentence."
The little demon girl held the book out to her father, who was much too preoccupied with dusting the manor house to be able to. She stared at him with a fussed pout, shoving the hardback corner of the book into his waist. The demon butler made a soft grunt of annoyance, turning to his daughter; both crimson eyes meeting each others. "I'm a little busy, my dear, later?" The demon girl was not even slightly moved by his words, coated in layers of tired lies. He'd said that phrase so many times to the child, she would no longer indulge him in his falsehood. He'd said that about playing dolls with her, he'd said the same to playing shop with her, to playing surgery with her, and even refusing to play dress up! She, yet again, rammed the book into his side; as he attempted to resume dusting. "Oof-!" The butler groaned, glancing at her sharply. She wasn't swayed by his strict expression. In fact, the girl was obliviously aware that if she pushed him hard enough; he wouldn't be able to say no.
The demon butler swiftly grabbed the book from his daughter's hands, scowling as he flicked through the pages. The girl grew just as intolerant, quite slightly scared he'd rip a page out with the ferocity as he turned to the next. That was until his gaze fell upon one. The Cat Kingdom. The demon's love for cats was strictly religious, a whole kingdom of cats sounded like a reasonable sacrifice alone to give up working for his bratty masters. He also wanted to educate his daughter on the beauty of the feline creatures, so such a story was a silver lining. The young girl met his gaze; she knew for a fact she was winning him over. The demon butler shook his head with a sigh, snapping the book shut," No, no I'm afraid not, raven. I still have to work. Do not distract me." The girl knew there was only one way she could win her father over. She watched as the demon elegantly set the book down onto the armchair, picking up a duster, and lazily dusting the fireplace's mantle piece. The girl knew her father brought this upon himself, even if brattiness wouldn't be tolerated, it would win him over.
Her eyes glazed, letting out little sniffles and whimpers. The father, having immediate reflexes to this sort of thing, turned his attention to her. Soon enough, those soft whimpers turned into aggressive and distressed sobs. The father was unsure whether it would classify as a tantrum or not, the line for that and a meltdown was quite faded. "I know what you're doing," He grew weary, warning the child. She ignored him completely, sitting on the floor and screaming with sobs. If he didn't do something soon, his master would complain about the noise. He kissed his teeth. "Alright, alright, I'll read you one story. But that's it." The girl immediately stopped crying, staring at him with glazed eyes and a sniff. He sighed, picking her up and sitting on the armchair; setting the girl in his lap, before picking up the book and flicking to the appropriate page.
The first page contained a drawing of a formal ginger cat, dressed in a lavish, white suit; fit with a little bow tie and top hat. It was simply a statue of a cat, in the window of a humble home. The home was a small cottage, and the cat statue stared out at the desolate town. A butterfly danced in front of the window, reflecting in his charcoal pebbled eyes. The demon read aloud the first line, a speech from the narrator. "If you find yourself troubled by something mysterious or a problem you can't solve, there's somewhere you can go, a place where..."
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