The Forgotten Celestial (Hazbin hotel AU)

Chapter 12: A King's Suspicion

**Lucifer's POV**

The Hazbin Hotel. A peculiar place, an experiment built on misguided idealism. Charlie's little passion project. My daughter had a good heart-perhaps too good for her own sake. She wanted to save the damned, to offer them some absurd notion of redemption in Hell, of all places. The irony was amusing, though I humored her out of a father's duty. I might even admire her determination, if it weren't for the inevitable truth that Hell isn't a place for second chances.

And yet, that wasn't what caught my attention this time. It wasn't the hotel itself, nor the fact that I was summoned by Charlie. No, something far more intriguing had surfaced-**Y/N**.

I leaned back on the plush couch in the lobby, watching as Charlie flitted about, trying to keep her guests entertained. She was always trying to please everyone, always striving to prove her worth in this forsaken kingdom. But my focus was elsewhere, drifting to the girl who stood on the periphery.

**Y/N.**

There was something off about her, something that didn't sit right. I could sense it the moment I laid eyes on her. I'd seen countless souls pass through Hell, each one leaving behind an imprint of sin, malice, regret, or fear. But Y/N's aura-her presence-was different. It was almost too well-hidden.

And that, in itself, was suspicious.

At first glance, she seemed ordinary enough. Quiet, observant, careful not to draw too much attention to herself. But the more I watched, the more I noticed the subtle ways she avoided me, the way she distanced herself from the others. It wasn't just shyness or awkwardness. It was deliberate. As if she had something to hide.

I chuckled to myself, a low, amused sound. Did she really think she could fool me? After millennia of ruling Hell, of watching souls twist and writhe under the weight of their own sins, I had learned to recognize deception. And Y/N, no matter how skilled she thought she was, reeked of it.

When I called her name earlier, I saw the way she stiffened, the way her heartbeat quickened just a fraction. She was afraid. Not of Alastor, not of the other residents-but of **me**. And that fear? It only confirmed what I already suspected. She didn't belong here.

I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on my knees as I studied her from across the room. She had a certain strength about her, a presence that was more than just a mere mortal or demon. And that made me wonder... **where had she come from?**

Not from Hell, certainly. Her aura was too... pure, though she'd cloaked it well. Better than most. But not well enough to escape my notice.

Heaven, then? Was she a spy? An infiltrator? The very thought made me smile. If Heaven had sent someone down here, thinking they could slip past me unnoticed, they were sorely mistaken.

But what was her purpose? And more importantly, who was she working for?

Charlie, bless her naive soul, seemed to trust Y/N without question. But then, my daughter always saw the best in people, even when it wasn't there. She had brought this girl into her little sanctuary without a second thought, eager to offer a helping hand. That softness would be her undoing one day.

But not today. Today, I had a puzzle to solve.

As I watched Y/N move about, her interactions with the others seemed too calculated. She laughed at Alastor's jokes, smiled when Charlie introduced her, but there was a hesitance in her actions, a restraint. Like she was playing a role, carefully crafting an illusion.

Fascinating.

The idea that someone would attempt to deceive me in my own domain was... amusing. I almost wanted to let her continue, just to see how far she would go. How long would she keep up this charade before she slipped? And when she did, would she run? Or would she try to fight her way out?

Either way, it would be interesting to watch.

But there was also the possibility that she wasn't working alone. Someone had sent her here for a reason, and I intended to find out who. Perhaps Adam? Michael? The angels had always been meddlesome, but sending one of their own into Hell was a bold move, even for them.

Or maybe it wasn't Heaven at all. Maybe this was someone else's game.

I rose from the couch, moving toward the window where the dim, hellish light poured in. My reflection stared back at me, red eyes glowing faintly as I considered my next move. Y/N thought she could blend in, that she could hide whatever secret she was carrying. But she was wrong.

I would unravel her. Piece by piece, I would strip away her defenses until there was nothing left. And when the truth finally surfaced, I would decide what to do with her.

For now, I'd play along. Let her think she was safe, let her believe that her secret was still intact. It would make the eventual reveal all the sweeter.

After all, Hell is my kingdom. And in Hell, no one escapes the truth-not even someone as clever as Y/N.