Chapter 2
Asa stumbled along behind the Dark Lord, her head hanging low as she followed him into the manor. Her expression was twisted into a small frown of annoyance, though it was hard to say whether it was directed at her situation or the grating voice in her head.
"This is a great opportunity!" Yoru's voice rang out, impatient and insistent. "Let me take control, Asa! If you’d just.."
"I can’t!"
Asa snapped internally, trying not to let her irritation show on her face. She had no idea why it wasn’t working. Usually, Yoru could take over whenever she wanted, except-
"You have to relax, girl, you hear me? I won’t be able to take over your body if you’re scared."
The memory flashed in her mind, Yoru’s authoritative tone grating on her nerves. Asa’s fingers clenchedat her sides. That couldn’t be it, right?
Sure, she had been scared at first she had just been summoned into some strange room by a man with no nose and a terrifying aura. But that didn’t explain why she still felt stuck in control now.
"I know, alright?" she hissed under her breath. "I don’t know why it’s not working. You think I want to be the one dealing with this?"
Yoru scoffed but said nothing. Asa exhaled sharply through her nose and glanced up at the man leading her through the dimly lit halls. The manor was old, that much was obvious. She had read that a lot of architecture in Europe looked like this antique, gothic, eerie. But this place felt wrong. It wasn’t just old it was abandoned, the air thick with something Asa couldn’t quite name. She shivered.
"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice quiet but firm. As soon as the words left her mouth, she winced at how thick her accent sounded.
The man ,well that’s what she assumes he is, since she hadn’t exactly been given an introduction, glanced at her over his shoulder but didn’t stop walking.
"This is my father’s home," he said simply, his voice low, almost thoughtful.
Asa didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure why he was telling her that, or why he had brought her here at all. But she didn’t like it.
They entered a large room that looked like a sitting area, though it was clear it hadn’t been used in years. The furniture was untouched by dust, but there was something lifeless about the space. Voldemort strode toward a black leather chair and sat down, crossing his legs. He gestured toward the seat across from him.
Asa hesitated before finally sitting down. She had no idea what to expect from this man, but something told her standing awkwardly in the doorway wouldn’t make things any better.
"So, Miss… War Devil? May I call you that?" he asked, though his tone made it clear he didn’t particularly care about her answer.
Asa nodded stiffly, not trusting herself to speak.
Voldemort’s lips curled in something that wasn’t quite a smile.
"I’ll introduce myself first. I am Lord Voldemort, and I am very interested in making a deal with you. That is all you need to know for now."
Another nod. Asa was perfectly fine with not knowing more. She wanted nothing to do with whatever deal he was proposing. But Voldemort’s eyes lingered on her, his gaze narrowing ever so slightly.
Something wasn’t right.
His expression darkened further. "You are the War Devil, aren’t you?"
Asa swallowed hard. Her forehead was damp with sweat, and she could tell he was studying every nervous twitch, every anxious movement. Yoru should have been the one answering him. Yoru would’ve been cocky, arrogant—exactly what he was expecting. Instead, he had her.
Voldemort leaned forward, his gaze sharpening, his presence pressing against her mind like an icy tendril. Asa’s thoughts screeched to a halt. Something was invading, searching, reading
Then, suddenly, Voldemort stiffened. His expression shifted, his jaw tightening, and when his gaze returned to Asa, it was no longer questioning. It was expectant.
"Bring me the War Devil," he ordered.
Asa flinched. She cast a desperate glance around the room, as if searching for some kind of escape. What does he expect me to do? Summon Yoru like a genie? She gritted her teeth and pushed herself to her feet.
"I can’t right now!" she snapped, frustration bubbling over. First Yoru, now this guy? It wasn’t like she was keeping the War Devil from him on purpose!
"Of course you can. You just don’t want to," Yoru taunted from the corner where she lounged, her tone laced with irritation. By now, she had figured out that it wasn’t Asa’s fear keeping her from taking over. That hadn’t stopped her from blaming Asa for it anyway.
Voldemort’s gaze flicked between Asa and the seemingly empty corner she had glanced at. His fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair, slow and deliberate. He knows something’s off.
"Asa," Yoru finally sighed, her voice taking on a tone of reluctant patience.
"If you won’t let me take over, then listen carefully. Just repeat after me."
Asa hesitated. She didn’t trust Yoru, but at this moment, she had no choice. She squared her shoulders, inhaled deeply, and nodded. "Fine. What do I say?"
Yoru gave her the words, ancient and heavy on her tongue. As she spoke, a contract with a horseman was way more complex compared to the acreage devil contract, the space in the room shifted. Voldemort’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he listened. And then, as if a veil had been lifted, he saw what Asa had seen all along
Yoru.
The War Devil lounged in the corner of Asa’s mind, her form now visible not just to Asa, but to Voldemort as well. They’re now connected through the deal, A slow, amused smirk spread across her face as she met the Dark Lord’s gaze.
"So this is you," Voldemort murmured, there was an edge in his tone as he’s eying yoru.
Yoru chuckled, stretching like a cat. "Took you long enough."
The atmosphere grew thick with something unspoken. Asa could feel Voldemort’s mind pressing against hers, his curiosity evident. He was studying Yoru, weighing his options. And Yoru? She was studying him right back, eyes gleaming with something Asa couldn’t quite place.
"You summoned me for a deal,did you not" Yoru finally said, her voice slow, deliberate. "So let’s talk terms, Lord Voldemort."
And just like that, a deal was in motion.