The Devil is the Villainess

Chapter XII: The Two Eccentrics

In the quiet confines of Caelus's room, Medea found herself seated across from him, a wide table laden with ancient texts and arcane tomes nestled between them. The air was thick with anticipation as Caelus carefully arranged the books before casting a fleeting glance in Medea's direction.

Sensing the gravity of the moment, Medea adopted a defensive posture, her arms crossed in front of her. "Out with it then," she demanded, her tone laced with impatience. Caelus responded with a gesture of temporary surrender, removing his glasses and setting them aside to address her concern directly. His posture was relaxed, yet there was a certain earnestness in his gaze as he made his request known. "I require your assistance," he admitted openly.

The request hung in the air like a surreal proclamation. Medea, taken aback, blinked in disbelief. Was Caelus, the man who had previously rebuffed her offers, truly seeking her help now? It felt almost apocalyptic in its improbability.

"And why, after rejecting my previous proposition, should I extend my help to you now?" she quipped, her lips curving into a sly, teasing smile. Caelus exhaled deeply, a sign of his internal concession to the situation at hand. 

"This isn't about reciprocity or obligation," he began, his tone earnest. "I find myself in genuine need of your help. Furthermore, this is not a bargain but a plea. Given your apparent connections with the Imperial Family, I was hoping you might facilitate a dialogue with them on my behalf."

Medea's reaction was swift and coated with disdain. "And what makes you think I have any affinity for those mortals? Their actions nearly led to the demise of this vessel," she retorted, her voice dripping with scorn. Leaning back against the sofa, she closed her eyes, signaling a desire to distance herself from the discussion. "I'd rather not entangle myself with them again, if possible. The less I have to do with them and their drama, the better."

Caelus, puzzled by her stubbornness, couldn't help but comment, "Is it typical for devils to be this stubborn when they don't get their way? I can't make sense of you," he grimaced slightly. "Your motivations elude me completely."

At this, Medea's eyes snapped open, and she shot back, "And I find your human complexities equally baffling."

In a moment of introspection, Medea found herself wrestling with a conundrum that was entirely foreign to her. Throughout her existence as Lycoris, she had reveled in the art of manipulation, using every opportunity to exploit human frailty for her amusement and gain. 

Rejecting aid from humans was unthinkable then, as each offer was a doorway to further her own ends. Yet, here she was, entangled in a web of emotions she had previously observed from a detached distance. The mere fact that she was brooding over a human's dismissal of her offer was a deviation from her usual modus operandi. It was an oddity that gnawed at her, defying the logic she had always adhered to. 

Why does it bother me so much that he turned down my proposal? she pondered, the question echoing in the silence of her mind. The realization that she was displaying what could only be described as petulance was both baffling and slightly amusing. It was an admission of her vulnerability, a side of her she wasn't familiar with or particularly fond of confronting.

With a sigh that carried the weight of her concession, Medea's features softened from their previously stubborn set. "Fine then, I'll assist you," she relented, her voice no longer edged with the frustration that had momentarily clouded her judgment. 

Medea's tone softened, betraying a hint of genuine interest as she spoke, "For you, I'll make an exception, given the curiosity you've sparked in me. I'll leverage my arrangement with Prince Frederick, ensuring you're part of the equation."