The Riddle Of Magic

Chapter 43: Touch of the Void

By the time the Radio Demon had returned to the Hazbin Hotel, the entire building had gone to bed. He wandered through the corridors to his rooms through mundane means, mulling over what to do here now that his business elsewhere was concluded.

As he climbed the long staircase to his rooms, he mused on potentially adding an elevator, ruminating over how to manipulate the layout of the building in order to add the device, and what kind of spellcraft he would need to conjure it. It was a pleasant distraction from the memories of the day's events, which had dragged on longer than he had wished.

But there wasn't much else he could have done for it, as he had limited use of his spellcraft until he had resummoned his grimoire from the dark. And this was a rare circumstance in which not having his grimoire available was better than the alternative.

Alastor reached the floor to his room, glancing up the stairs toward the penthouse, tempted to find Charlie and finally relax with her.

Well, why not go to her now? his shadow whispered.

His feet turned, but the deer demon held himself back, knowing there was still more to do in order to make her lessons safe - to make them safe. All the activity in the city was bound to draw attention to the Hotel now. He certainly needed to go over things with his co-manager, but he should wait to see her, lest he find himself distracted again.

She's dreaming of you.

Alastor felt a tinge of tension in his belly at the thought, wondering what those dreams might be, but he forced himself to focus on his coming tasks. Despite wanting to revel in victory with his darling demon belle, it was better to wait until he was done with all this.

He would inevitably have to rest after regaining his grimoire anyway. The pleasantries would serve as a reward for a job well done, and that was that.

The spectre didn't bother the deer demon after the princess again as he strode into his flat, making his way up the winding stairs to the Radio Tower itself. He took his seat in the chair before his console, sitting as assuredly as a king upon his throne. Here in the seat of his power, he looked over the twinkling lights of the city at night.

"She'll be pleased with your work, certainly," his shadow observed, floating over to the window nearby, looking off in the direction of the other Overlord.

"I should expect she would be," Alastor replied. Hell's gentle princess would surely be delighted that he'd walked away without voiding the other Overlord. It hadn't been something he'd done for her sake specifically; it simply came to the other demon still being potentially of use. Prophecies aside, the other fellow's spellcraft might prove beneficial, and his genial nature could be lucrative in driving demons to the Hotel. It had already happened once, after a fashion - Daena had mentioned Laurence referring to the Hotel as being a safe space, and had sought them out after Rosie had confirmed that information.

But there would be no further warnings for the elephant demon if he stepped out of line again.

He didn't need the additional strength from his grimoire to cast the forgetting spell, and he didn't need it to tear the other magician apart either. If the Ink Overlord desired to see the strength of the Radio Demon, then that would be the last thing he ever saw.

Considering the matter settled for the time being, Alastor put the matter from his thoughts. He needed his grimoire back before anything else could move forward. Charlie would need it for her notes, and he would need it to have full access to his skills.

Although, considering they were going into the Umbral Sea, they might as well settle the matter of how his apprentice would travel through the dark. She wouldn't be able to rely on him to get her in and out of the Umbral Sea, she would need a guide of her own.