As a Marquisate, the Fortress City was enormous, spanning nearly 1,000 square kilometers and home to almost over a million demons.
It was one of the largest territories under Duke Belial’s rule and had been granted to Bella in recognition of her worthiness. This often sparked jealousy among her siblings. Yet, despite their envy and relentless scheming, their inferior strength made their efforts futile against Bella’s might.
In the marketplace of Fortress City…
Demons of various species gathered for their own purposes, filling the bustling streets. However, there was an unusual tension in the air, as if something was about to happen.
“Oh Lord!”
“Look at the sky brothers!” A tall, double-headed demon shouted, pointing upwards.
“What is it?” His companions, curious, followed his gaze.
“Oh my…” They rubbed their eyes in disbelief, their mouths falling open as they struggled to comprehend what they were seeing.
A nearby merchant and other onlookers, intrigued by the commotion, also turned their heads to see what had captured their attention.
“Is… is that a mountain?” someone muttered as a massive mountain floated upside down above them.
“Yes, it is…” another replied, astonished.
“But who could be behind such a terrifying feat?”
“Are we under attack? Is this the work of those abominable humans?”
Some demons began to panic, while others seethed with rage.
With the looming threat of war with the humans, their fears, though premature, weren’t entirely unfounded.
“Hey, look! There are people up there!”
“Yeah! But there’s only a few!”
Though the figures were visible, it was impossible to tell whether they were human or demon.
At that moment, a succubus with light red skin walked down the street, accompanied by several subservient attendants. She appeared slightly younger than Bella, her baby-faced features contrasting with the fierce expression on her face as she glanced up at the floating mountain.
“Follow me! Let’s see who dares to trespass so boldly in my sister’s territory.”
Unfurling her crimson wings, she launched into the sky using air propulsion, cutting through the air with swift precision.
Her attendants followed like a swarm of bats, using their own wings and flying abilities. Those without wings were swiftly carried by others, rising together towards the floating mountain.
“Huh!”
“Sister?”
As Bianca arrived before the floating mountain, she recognized her sister’s familiar face.
“And who’s that beside her?” she muttered in confusion. It was the first time she’d seen Bella so close to a man.
Bianca had been away when Aengus had first arrived in the demon lands, so this scene caught her by surprise. Bella was holding the man’s arm, as if stopping him from doing something.
Still puzzled, Bianca Bellfrost landed gracefully on the edge of the floating landmass and hurried to her sister’s side.
“Sister Bella, it’s you! I thought someone was waging war on your territory!” she exclaimed, hugging Bella tightly, snuggling like a kitten.
Bella returned the embrace with a warm smile.
Bella and Bianca were close, unlike their other siblings. Bella had received some motherly lover from Bianca’s mother. Bella sees Bianca as her own little sister as result.
“Haha… You’re still a worrywart, Bibi. Who would dare to barge into my territory?” Bella teased with a grin.
“True, Sister,” Bianca smiled, turning her gaze toward the vast army below. Her eyes then shifted to the man standing beside Bella.
“So, is this the brother-in-law you mentioned in your letter?” Bianca asked, scrutinizing Aengus from head to toe.
Aengus barked, “Who’s your brother-in-law?”
Bella chuckled. “Yes, he’s the one I’ve chosen as my partner. Don’t mind his denial—he’s just a bit shy. Soon, he’ll be the new lord of this territory. You can call him brother-in-law from now on,” she added mischievously.
“Darling, this is my half-sister Bianca,” Bella introduced.
In reply he just nodded.
“Hmp…Shy? He doesn’t look shy at all,” Bianca thought to herself. “There’s more to this than meets the eye,” she mused, chuckling inside.
Aengus, clearly uninterested in arguing, turned away, choosing to ignore their banter.
Bianca, smiling, stepped closer to him and playfully held his arm.
“Brother-in-law, are you really that powerful? How did you manage to subdue my big sister? Come on, tell me!” she asked, full of enthusiasm.
Aengus scowled, pulling his arm away. “I told you, I’m not your brother-in-law. So stop calling me that,” he said, his irritation evident.
“Brother-in-law, Brother-in-law…” Bianca teased with a sing-song voice.
“So what if I call you Brother-in-law? You’re my brother-in-law after all,” she added, clearly enjoying the way Aengus bristled at the title. It was fun for her to poke at him.
“Alright, enough of that,” Bella intervened with a smile, sensing things could escalate.
“So, Bibi, how did it go managing the territory while I was away? Did you handle everything well? And what about the proposal to Father regarding making my Aengus the new lord?” Bella’s tone turned more serious as she inquired.
At the mention of work, Bianca’s mood shifted, and she became more focused. Aengus, visibly relieved, also began paying closer attention to the conversation.
With a sigh, Bianca responded, “It was tougher than I thought, Sister. Those old councilmen were such a pain, but I managed to get through it somehow.” She ended with a small smile of satisfaction.
“And Father? What did he say?” Bella pressed.
Bianca shrugged. “Father said he wants to talk to both of you first. Maybe he’s planning on giving his blessing… or who knows?” She added a playful smirk to her words.
Bella raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, Bianca’s expression turned serious.
“Sister, I just received some troubling news,” Bianca began, her voice lowering.
Bella, sensing something important, narrowed her eyes. “Go on.”
“Marquis Reynard lodged a complaint in the court against you, accusing you and—” she shot a glance at Aengus, “—brother-in-law, of raiding his territory and capturing one of his villages. Is it true?”
Both Bella and Aengus furrowed their brows.
“Of course not!” Bella scoffed, her voice filled with disdain. “Either the Marquis misunderstood or he’s deliberately looking for trouble. Perhaps he has a death wish.”
Bianca let out a small sigh of relief. “Good to hear it’s a misunderstanding. It shouldn’t cause too many issues then.”
Bella nodded before turning to Aengus. “Aengus, let’s land. Over there, that flat ground by the market should be fine,” she said, pointing toward an empty space.
“Okay,” Aengus agreed, gesturing downward to bring the floating mountain to a stop.
“Wait, brother-in-law is the one lifting this mountain?” Bianca said, astonished.
Bella grinned, clearly proud. “Yes, he’s strong. Very strong.”
Bianca’s eyes widened with genuine admiration. “And here I thought you just had another crazy ability, but this…” She looked at Aengus with newfound respect. “I’m impressed.”
