二十五 | 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋

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adulation (n.)
adoration. worship.
admiration. devotion.
reverence. favor.

「 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑽𝑬 」𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 

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「 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑾𝑬𝑵𝑻𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑽𝑬 」
𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 

꧁꧂

    "Lord Ferid," Ayal announced upon stepping into Ferid's office, standing to attention stiffly with his hands laced tightly behind his back. "It seems you have a visitor this morning."

    "Hm?" He glanced up.

    Currently, Ferid was sitting at his desk with (Y/N) ever beside him, her chain held lazily in his hand whilst in his other hand a document was held up so he could read it. Now, his attention was on Ayal as he lay the document flat on the surface, tilting his head in intrigue at who could be visiting since in the first place, there were not many that did. Propping his head up, his elbow resting on the arm of his chair, his eyes curved in amusement.

"Well, Ayal?" He hummed. "Who is it?

"Lord Crowley, sir."

At that, Ferid's entire expression seemed to stay frozen on his face.

Ayal didn't look too pleased either at the mention of the Thirteenth Progenitor's visit, his eyes sliding to the side while his brows furrowed in distaste. (Y/N) glanced between the two with just her eyes, keeping completely still so as not to draw any of their attention—negative attention, that is, considering how the aura of the room immediately seemed to be stifled in darkness.

"Well," Ferid finally uttered, snapping out of whatever trance he had been in as he folded his hands together in front of his body, the chain he was still holding clinking with the action. "What a... surprise. Let him in, Ayal. It would be best we don't keep him waiting too long, I suppose."

"Very well, Lord Ferid," Ayal gave a curt bow before exiting the room.

When the doors closed behind Ayal, Ferid's pleasant expression sharpened into something akin to annoyance—it was a strange factor considering the smile that still lay plastered on his lips. It was as if he were retaining another mask over the one he used daily, and it was starting to seep through no matter what he did to try and correct the fractures. (Y/N) looked away from him down to the floor, causing the chain to rattle once more and draw his attention. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing as the gears turned in his head.

"Are you pleased by Crowley's visit?" He then questioned, his voice piercing through the quiet.

"Why would you think that, master?" She mumbled softly, looking up to meet his eyes since she didn't want him to grab her chin and force her to look up. "I'm not sure why you're asking."

"Not the answer I was looking for," he uttered sharply. "Do try again, pet."

"...no, master, I'm not."

"Very good."

Almost as soon as that last word slipped from Ferid's tongue, the doors opened to reveal Crowley and his two aides behind him. They strode inside with Ayal in tow who introduced them, and, after giving a quick bow, left upon the lazy wave of Ferid's hand. (Y/N) watched this play out before turning her gaze to their guests, jolting somewhat when finding that Crowley's eyes were already pinned on her. An easygoing smile formed on his lips when her stare finally connected with his, giving a casual wave afterwards.

"Crowley," Ferid started, his smile tightening. "What's made you visit me so suddenly?"

"I've come to actually visit (Y/N)," Crowley corrected as he casually leaned to the side, a hand on his waist. "I want a rematch."

"Excuse me?"

"In chess," he continued, glancing at (Y/N) again. "I think it's only fair."

"You've come... to play chess?" Ferid scoffed, his irritation somewhat fading into twisted amusement at the sight of his subordinate's almost desperation to play a simple game with his pet. "I suppose it is because you lost, no? Very well. Though your abrupt visit isn't desired, I'm curious to see how my pet will react to this situation."

"Excellent," Crowley's grin broadened.

(Y/N) only frowned.

A rematch?

That's it?

What is getting at?

After Ayal brought in two extra chairs, a table, and a chess set, (Y/N) and Crowley sat down to begin their game while Ferid, Chess, and Horn observed. (Y/N)'s decisions weren't as swift as Crowley's, instead more methodical and drawn out—almost as if she were analyzing each piece on the board and making the mental calculations of every move she could make and its outcome. It was a strange side of her that Ferid had to admit that he hadn't seen before, and how she so easily revealed it to Crowley began to dampen his amusement into that irritation once again.

It was bizarre, this irritation.

What on earth could ever prompt Ferid to feel this aggrieved at a simple chess match?

No.

He knew the reason.

He could see it in the way (Y/N)'s eyes seemed to glimmer with newfound interest, how her once tense muscles would relax, how her lips would almost seem to start to curve upwards into a smile. Every subtle action she made either consciously or unconsciously he noticed, and it these specific actions around Crowley, no less, that made his displeasure flare up into a simmering pool of resentment that he couldn't seem to stop.

He wasn't sure he did want this to stop, as it reminded him exactly what (Y/N)'s place was.

A place by his side.

Finally, the game ended.

(Y/N) won.

Crowley's defeat at a human's hand, even if it was through a simple game of chess, was confounding to Ferid, even if this wasn't his first time hearing about it. As he analyzed the structure that (Y/N) had used to win, the way she had set up her pawns so perfectly and in a crushing defeat, he found his eyes than drawn to her face. It was a face that seemed to be filled with a quiet determination to win at all costs, and it was only then did Ferid realize how special of a pet he had caught for himself.

His smirk returned.

How special indeed...

━━━━━━━━ ꧁ ♥ ꧂ ━━━━━━━━

「 𝑻𝑶 𝑩𝑬 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑼𝑬𝑫 」

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