Temporary bride for the demon overlord-Chapter 35: Trouble

Alphonse watched as Ethan convulsed on the floor, his body arching and spasming from the sharp, precise bolts of pain lancing through his veins.

The once arrogant and smug man now looked pitiful, his face contorted in agony, sweat pooling around him. Alphonse allowed the darkness to pulse, relishing the fear that thickened the air.

When Ethan finally stopped screaming, reduced to whimpers, Alphonse crouched beside him, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You toyed with her," he hissed. "You treated her like she was disposable. Do you know what happens to those who make me angry?"

Ethan’s lips trembled, his hands scrabbling against the smooth floor. "Please... I didn’t know... I never meant to..."

Alphonse scoffed, the sound like a jagged edge scraping against stone. "You didn’t know? You didn’t know that betraying Karma would have consequences? You didn’t think beyond your pathetic schemes and your lust for power."

There was a shuffle at the doorway, and Alphonse’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. Marlutz stood there, expression grim, his long nose twitching in distaste. "Master, it seems Ryan has moved faster than expected. I’ve intercepted communications—he’s trying to set up a meeting with the council. Something about exposing your involvement in human affairs."

Alphonse’s jaw tightened. "He’s trying to force my hand. Typical of a coward." He glanced at Ethan, who was desperately trying to crawl away.

With a wave of his hand, the man was dragged back by invisible tendrils of darkness, his body skidding across the floor until he was once again at Alphonse’s feet.

"Lock him up," Alphonse ordered, his tone final. "I’ll decide what to do with him later."

Marlutz clicked his tongue, summoning a portal that shimmered with dark, oily light. Ethan barely had time to scream before he was pulled through, the portal snapping shut with a crackle of static.

Alphonse straightened, brushing imaginary dust from his coat. He could feel the edges of his control fraying, the ancient power in his veins screaming for release. "We can’t let Ryan gain the upper hand," he muttered.

Marlutz nodded, adjusting his collar with a practiced, almost foppish gesture. "Should I summon the others?"

"No," Alphonse replied. "They’ll only complicate things. Ryan’s testing me, seeing how much he can provoke before I snap. But he forgets one thing—I don’t snap. I decimate."

A flicker of respect lit Marlutz’s eyes. "Then what is your plan, Master?"

Alphonse’s eyes gleamed with ruthless determination. "If the Dragon King is here, then he’s not just after me. He’s after something that could upset the balance. I need to know what it is before Ryan gets his claws on it. And I need to make sure Karma is protected. No matter what." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Marlutz hesitated, his normally sly demeanor replaced with genuine concern. "Do you think she might be... the key?"

Alphonse froze. The thought was like ice slicing through his chest. "If she is... then Ryan won’t just stop at manipulating her life. He’ll try to destroy her. And I won’t let that happen."

He turned to Marlutz, his voice like iron. "Prepare for a trip to the Dragon Realm. If Ryan thinks he can outmaneuver me, he’s about to learn the true meaning of regret."

Marlutz gave a curt nod, disappearing through a new portal, leaving Alphonse alone with his thoughts. The room felt suffocating, heavy with the weight of his resolve. Alphonse knew that venturing to the Dragon Realm would be treacherous.

The dragons were notorious for their pride and ruthlessness, and their king was the worst of them all—calculating, brutal, and completely unforgiving.

The problem was that Karma might not survive the chaos if she was truly involved. Alphonse had kept her in the dark to protect her, but it seemed fate had other plans.

A loud, persistent ringing from his phone cut through his thoughts. Alphonse glanced at the screen—Karma. His expression softened for a fleeting moment before he answered.

"Alphonse?" Karma’s voice was shaky, as if she had just woken up from a nightmare. "Where are you?"

"I’m handling something," he said carefully, masking the worry that threatened to seep through. "Did something happen?"

There was a hesitant pause. "I thought I heard someone in the house... but when I checked, no one was there."

Alphonse clenched his jaw. "Lock the doors. I’ll be there soon."

As he drove, his mind raced through possible threats. Could it be Ryan’s henchmen? Or something else entirely?

The human realm was increasingly unstable—too many players and too few rules. And now, with Karma at the center, Alphonse would not hesitate to turn the world to ash to keep her safe.

Alphonse arrived at the mansion, his senses immediately on high alert. Shadows stretched unnaturally, and a faint scent of sulfur lingered in the air. He stepped inside, his footsteps eerily silent, and found Karma waiting for him in the living room, her eyes wide and alert.

He pulled her into his arms without a word, relief coursing through him. Karma clutched at his shirt, her pulse racing. "I thought someone was here," she whispered. "It felt... wrong."

Alphonse stroked her hair, his mind already calculating. "It’s fine now. You’re safe."

Karma pulled back, searching his face. "What’s going on? You’re different tonight... more intense."

He hesitated, then cupped her face gently. "Just some old problems resurfacing. But I’ll handle them. You don’t need to worry."

She looked at him with a mixture of frustration and anger. "You always say that. But you forget that I want to help too."

A faint smile curved his lips. "Stubborn woman."

Before he could say more, a loud crash sounded from the backyard, and Alphonse’s eyes darkened. "Stay here," he ordered. He moved to the window, peering out into the darkness.

Through the shadows, he saw a massive shape prowling near the garden—black cloak billowing like thousand threads in the wind.

A growl rumbled in Alphonse’s chest. "So, you came to me first, huh?"

If he was expecting Ryan, his hopes were shattered. Whoever this was, it wasn’t someone he knew.

He took an involuntary step back quickly casting protective spell around the house as he goes

Alphonse steadied his breathing, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the shape in the garden. The figure moved closer, revealing a tall, imposing silhouette, cloaked in a shroud of darkness that seemed to absorb the moonlight. A flicker of crimson eyes glinted from beneath the hood, and Alphonse’s instincts screamed danger.

He glanced back at Karma, who was still standing near the living room doorway, her worry palpable. "Stay inside," he commanded firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

Karma opened her mouth to protest, but Alphonse was already moving, his footsteps soundless as he slipped through the back door. The night air was crisp, laced with the metallic scent of impending violence. As he approached the figure, Alphonse noticed intricate runes glowing faintly on the intruder’s wrists.

The stranger cocked his head, a low, mocking chuckle escaping his lips. "The great Alphonse, reduced to babysitting. How far you’ve fallen."

Alphonse’s jaw clenched. "Identify yourself before I rip that smug smile from your face."

The figure bowed dramatically, sweeping back his hood to reveal striking, angular features framed by long, dark hair. "I go by many names," he purred. "But you may call me Varys. I come with a message."

"Not interested," Alphonse growled, summoning dark tendrils that writhed around his hands.

Varys raised a hand, and a sudden pulse of energy rippled through the air, snuffing out Alphonse’s shadows momentarily. "Temper, temper. You wouldn’t want to make a scene with the lady watching, would you?"

Alphonse’s eyes narrowed. "If you think invoking Karma’s presence will make me spare you, you’re mistaken."

Varys smirked, unfazed. "Quite the contrary. I’m here to offer a warning. Your interference with the Dragon King’s affairs has not gone unnoticed. He’s preparing to make his move. And he’s not fond of... distractions."

Alphonse didn’t relax his stance. "Why are you telling me this? Who sent you?"

Varys chuckled, the sound echoing unnaturally. "Let’s just say I dislike the current power dynamic. Ryan’s been making deals he shouldn’t be making. And if the Dragon King gains leverage, it’s bad news for all of us."

Before Alphonse could respond, Varys took a step back, his body dissolving into a swirl of shadows that melted into the garden. Alphonse’s fists unclenched, but his mind raced. If Varys was telling the truth, then the situation was more complex than he’d anticipated.

He turned back to the house, finding Karma waiting at the threshold, her eyes wide and anxious. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her inside. "We need to be more cautious from now on," he said quietly.

Karma looked up at him, concern etched into her features. "Who was that?"

Alphonse didn’t meet her gaze. "Trouble. But nothing I can’t handle."

As he closed the door behind them, he couldn’t shake the sense that the game had just changed, and Varys’s warning was only the beginning.