"""Yes Big sister"""
The trio spoke in eerie unison, their voices soft yet filled with obedience, as they suddenly dropped to their knees and lowered their heads, pressing their foreheads to the floor with absolute reverence.
"Hmm..." A low, sultry hum echoed in the chamber, carrying a strange resonance that sent a strange pulse through the air. Leo wasn't sure why, but a chill crept up his spine, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand stiff. It wasn't just cold—there was something deeply wrong here.
Something twisted and ancient… watching him.
He felt it in the air—the shift. The temperature dropped, and a strange heaviness settled in his chest. It became harder to breathe. His instincts screamed at him to run. But he couldn't move.
Leo clenched his fists and forced his voice out, shaky but defiant. "I-I don't know who you are, but... I'm sorry for stealing—"
"No, no, no, dear~" Her voice came, honey-slick and dangerously sweet, like poisoned wine. It purred close to his ear, and he felt a soft, warm hand slide onto his shoulder. Her grip tightened, nails pressing gently into his flesh. Her lips were so close he could feel the heat of her breath as she whispered, "The reason my adorable little sisters dragged you here, darling, is because... we need you to steal something for us."
Leo flinched, his breath catching. "Steal?" His brow furrowed, and his body tensed up. There was nothing kind or noble in her tone. "Madam, with all due respect, I think you've got the wrong person. I'm just a street thief. I only target spoiled rich brats from high-class families. That's it. I'm not... I'm not some master criminal."
Her fingers—those slow, exploring fingers—began to glide across his shoulder and down his chest, as if assessing his worth with touch alone. His heart thudded hard against his ribs.
"Haha... spoiled brats... ahaha..." Her laugh tinkled like a chime, but there was something off about it—something wicked. A sound that would make a sane man question his own reality. She leaned in, her breath warm against his neck. "Then that makes things even easier for us, little guy... Our target is also spoiled little brats from High Class..."
There was a dangerous undertone in her voice, like a beast teasing its prey just before tearing it apart.
Leo swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I don't think I can do—"
"What's your name?" she interrupted, her voice sharp and commanding now.
"…"
"Answer her, human!" one of the trio suddenly barked with rage, their voice echoing violently in the room.
"There's no need to shout," the woman murmured with a sultry edge, glancing back at her sisters with narrowed eyes. "He's just a little scared kitten..." she added, almost affectionately. The trio lowered their heads again in silence.
"My name is Leo," he muttered, trying to sound firm. The moment he spoke, he felt her fingers glide up his neck, circling gently, almost playfully.
"Leo? Hmm... The lion. The king of beasts..." Her voice dipped lower, her lips grazing just behind his ear. "Strong name for a trembling little man. Still... I like it. Nice name, Mr. Leo~"
Leo didn't feel proud of the compliment. If anything, he felt like a trapped animal, prey caught in the grip of a predator far beyond his understanding. He was definitely not enjoying this twisted situation.
'Tsk... I can't believe I'm stuck in this mess…' Leo gritted his teeth. He'd escaped countless times before. He was slippery. Cunning. But this... this felt like a spiderweb spun by something monstrous.
Suddenly, he felt warmth—plush, thick warmth—settle onto his lap. He froze. 'Wait... is she... sitting on me?!' His mind raced, especially as he became painfully aware of the softness pressing down against him.
She was on him.
Her scent—sweet, floral, and strangely intoxicating—invaded his senses. Her legs locked around him with teasing pressure as her arms coiled around his neck. Through the sack still covering his face, he could feel her eyes piercing into him.
"You didn't ask for my name... Why?" she asked with a grin in her voice. Her grip around his neck grew tighter—dangerously tight.
Leo coughed lightly, lips twitching. "What's your name, Madam?"
"Oh... that's a secret~" she whispered with sultry playfulness.
"..." A vein throbbed on his forehead.
"But I can tell you what they call me," she continued, her voice growing darker, more ominous. She leaned close again, lips brushing his ear, and whispered,
"They call me... The Devil~"
"D-Devil?" he stammered.
"Indeed..." she nodded softly. "The Devil. If you've ever heard of gods, then surely, you've heard of devils... right?"
Leo was speechless. He didn't know what to say... This was not what he was hoping for.
"You don't believe in gods?" she asked slowly, a strange amusement in her voice.
He hesitated. Then said with an exasperated breath, "Why should I? Why would I believe in something that never existed? Can we just stop this religious lecture? I'm not interested. I don't know anything about the gods you're talking about!"
She went silent for a moment... too silent.
"Never existed?" she finally muttered. Her voice shifted, losing its warmth. A low, dangerous tone crept into her words. "You ignorant little mortal. Gods created beings like you, Mr. Leo. You breathe their gifts every second."
"Oh? Then tell me—who created them? And where are they now, huh? Sleeping somewhere? Playing dead while people suffer and die for no reason? Heck, I didn't even know any god's name, much less about their heroic achievement," Leo snapped, frustrated and desperate to break the eerie tension.
Why was she angry talking about gods?
Was she a religious one?
And what she meant by calling him Human?... was she not?
She laughed—a wild, unhinged sound that filled the room. "Aha... You humans. So arrogant. Always demanding answers for things your small minds cannot grasp."
"Big Sister," one of the trio interrupted with urgency. "We don't have much time. The Blood Grail Moon is nearing its end."
"Mmm... You're right. I've indulged a little too much," she said, her tone softening briefly before sharpening again. She looked down at Leo with a wicked smile. "Let's get to the point, shall we? Here's the deal, Mr. Leo. You steal what I ask... and I give you one billion."
"I would never—wait, what did you just say? O-One... Million?" Leo's voice cracked as his body jolted. He'd been prepared to shout a refusal, but his tongue stumbled over the number.
"Fu~Fu~ Not one million, silly... One billion, Leo~" she whispered teasingly, her voice silky and slow as her soft fingers lightly traced across his chest, her touch deliberate and almost affectionate. A playful smile curled on her lips as she watched for his reaction, her expression unreadable, equal parts seductive and dangerous.
Leo's heart skipped a beat—not because of her touch, but because of the sheer weight of that number.
One billion?
Hell. Yes.
Who the hell wouldn't want that kind of money?
That wasn't a reward—that was a dream come true. With that kind of cash, he could vanish off the grid, live like royalty, never have to steal another purse or scam another brat.
He could stop worrying about sleeping on rooftops or avoiding guards. Hell, he could buy an island!!
But then...
"What's the catch?" Leo asked with a raised brow and a suspicious edge to his voice. He was a thief, after all. And if there was one universal rule in his world, it was this: the higher the reward, the more hellish the risk.
She tilted her head as her fingertips drifted toward his forehead, gently parting strands of his red hair. Her touch was oddly tender—too gentle for someone so terrifying. Yet her voice retained that teasing lilt, seductive and sharp like a silk-covered dagger.
"The catch is…" she began slowly, drawing out the words with an air of dramatic sweetness. "The place you're going to steal from is... a little far away. And it might take time before you're actually able to take what we need. Can you be patient, Leo? Can you follow through? You will know what needs to be stolen there"
She leaned closer, her breath grazing his cheek. "I can't tell you more unless you agree. Otherwise..." she shrugged slightly, "...you'll just have to forget all about it. Pity."
Leo frowned. His mind raced. Could he afford to walk away from one billion?
No. That was too much to throw away. Too much to even hesitate. Even if it was a trap, he could always run. That's what he did best. If things got too hot, he'd slip away like always.
It wasn't like he had any intention of keeping his promise anyway.
Survival came first.
He could always run away even now... he just needs to accept and run away.
Easy!
"...Fine. I'll do it," he muttered at last, keeping his voice steady.
The woman didn't respond immediately. Instead, she reached for the sack covering his face and slowly lifted it—just enough to expose his lips and nose.
The air smelled heavy with her scent—floral and sweet, but with a hint of something dangerous, almost intoxicating. Before he could react, something soft, warm, and unexpected pressed against his lips.
His eyes widened behind the fabric.
She was kissing him?
Her lips were impossibly soft, her body warm against his, and then—her tongue invaded his mouth with no hesitation.
She kissed him deeply, hungrily.
"Hmmph!!" Leo groaned, cheeks exploding with color. His first kiss—stolen by a woman whose name he didn't even know, whose face he hadn't even seen.
A kiss that wasn't gentle.
It wasn't tender.
And then—his throat burned.
Something... hot entered his body. Not just passion or heat from the kiss. No, something unnatural... He felt it slide down, seeping into his chest like molten fire.
"HMMMPPP!!!"
He tried to pull away, tried to push her back, even attempted to bite—but she tightened her grip around his jaw, locking his head in place, her hands strong and unyielding. She deepened the kiss, her tongue exploring more aggressively, and Leo's whole body trembled beneath her.
Finally, after what felt like hours trapped in that kiss, she pulled back slowly. A thin string of saliva stretched between their parted lips before breaking.
"Oops... I might've given you more than necessary," she whispered, her voice dripping with innocence, as though she'd just spilled a drink instead of poured something unknown into his body.
Leo panted heavily, his face burning red, a mix of rage and confusion swirling inside him, "W-What the hell did you do to me?!" he barked, gritting his teeth.
But even as he spoke, he could feel it—something hot still spreading inside him... his blood boiling inside as if something mixed with his blood. His whole body felt... overwhelmed.
The woman just smiled sweetly, her eyes glinting with mischief and menace.
"Nothing much... just enough for you to survive what's coming..." she said, her tone almost gentle. Then she leaned in, her lips brushing his ear, and whispered something strange. Something breathy. Something cryptic.
".... S.... S....."
"H-Huh?" Leo blinked, trying to make sense of it.
Before he could ask again, he felt her hand reach into his pants pocket—slipping something inside.
And then—
Chkkk!
Leo froze.
A sudden warmth exploded in his chest.
His eyes slowly dropped downward, only for the sack to finally fall away from his face.
There, just beneath his gaze, a weird knife glimmered with blue energy—its blade embedded deeply in his chest. Blood slowly poured out, staining his shirt.
His lips parted in shock. No scream came.
His vision dimmed.
His body stopped listening.
And just like that... Leo collapsed.
The woman rose gracefully, as if nothing had happened, brushing off her skirt. She turned to the still-kneeling trio, her voice calm, controlled, and serious.
"Call the others. Fate has finally chosen a mortal again... for our freedom."
The trio nodded solemnly, each rising without question and vanishing into the shadows.
The woman looked back toward the chair—now empty. Her lips curled into a nostalgic, almost bittersweet grin.
"In the end, we always lean on the mortals..." she whispered.