The Sacrificial Bride (Diavolo x Fem!OC)

Chapter 14 - Midnight sun celebration

"Oh my god... I think I'm going to vomit..!"

"Ugh, Lea..!" Asmodeus rolled his eyes, busy doing last minute fixes on Lea's makeup. "You look too lovely tonight to say such repulsive things!"

The two of them were getting ready for the ball at the castle. Lea was standing in front of the vanity mirror, staring at her reflection with a frown.

"Isn't this dress a bit too much? Is it too late to change-"

"Stop it! How am I going to fix your makeup when you're sweating like this?!" Avatar of lust snapped in annoyance. Lea's constant fretting was getting on his nerves— He himself would be overjoyed to be the guest of honor in such an event as this, but Lea looked like she'd rather be anywhere but there! "The dress is fine— I helped you to choose it, after all~!"

"Meaning YOU chose it..!" Lea muttered under her breath, tugging the neckline upwards. Wearing an off-shoulder ball gown with such a heavy full-skirt made her nervous that the dress might slip downwards, but Asmodeus had assured that thanks to the corset top and lace-up on the back the dress would stay perfectly in place. "I mean, it is gorgeous, of course, but... are you sure it's not too... eye-catching?" The dress was mostly black with some burgundy undertones, lavishly decorated with golden embellishments. The dress was gorgeous, but also very flashy, and Lea felt like it would attract way too much attention.

"What kind of question is that?!" Asmodeus snapped. "Of course it is, it's supposed to be! And besides, I won't apologize for giving you some wow factor~!" He snickered. "But don't worry, I've thought of everything; The color palette is similar to Lord Diavolo's outfit, so you won't stand out while in his company." Asmodeus continued to work his magic on Lea's makeup, adding a touch of shimmer to her lips. As he did the finishing touches, he couldn't help but to smile in satisfaction. "There~! You are positively radiant~!" He chanted, gesturing Lea to step in front of the mirror.

"Really..?" Lea couldn't help but blush under his praise. Her anxiety was momentarily forgotten when she looked herself over in the mirror, amazed at the result. The dress, though initially intimidating, indeed suited her perfectly— The intricate design and the deep, rich colors brought out the best in her complexion, creating an elegant, almost regal, impression. "Thank you, Asmodeus," Lea gave him a little smile, genuinely grateful for his help. She knew that without his help, she would have been a bundle of nerves the entire night.

"Anything for you~" Asmodeus giggled. "Now, let's get going, we wouldn't want to keep the host waiting~"

The ball was held at the grand ballroom of the castle, which was already packed with guests by the time they arrived. The ballroom shimmered with opulence; Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a soft, golden glow over the elegant guests who moved gracefully across the marble floor. As Lea watched the dancers swirl across the floor, she couldn't help but feel like an imposter in this world of grandeur.

Asmodeus was the one who led the way through the crowd, and soon they found themselves at the other end of the room.

"Lord Diavolo, look who I have here with me~?" Asmodeus chanted, turning around to give Lea a wink.

"Ah, hello there!" Diavolo, who had been deepened into a conversation with Lucifer, greeted the two of them with a delighted expression. "Lea, you look absolutely wonderful! And Asmodeus, thank you for helping her prepare for the evening."

"My pleasure!~" Avatar of lust smiled, clearly pleased by the praise. "I love playing with this lovely little doll here..!"

Lea, instead, struggled to find words as she stared at Lord Diavolo. She didn't know what took her more by surprise, the pair of horns on his head or the four black wings on his back. This wasn't the first time she had seen him in his true form, though; The very first time she met him in the human world, during that horrid ritual, he had looked like this, as well. At the time, she had been scared out of her mind, but now, when they were not surrounded by chaos and the air was not filled with tension, Lea couldn't help but to admire the prince's appearance— There was something oddly attractive about the sight. If Lea wasn't blushing already, she sure was when her gaze dropped down from his face; In this form, his arms and most of his upper body was left bare, revealing a tanned, toned physique.