>>5625580Earning Prince Rufos trust IS key, if you’re to have any success in your MAIN objective in this place. You are simply not accustomed to working under the direct supervision of an enemy, and you even if you and the male human will never be FRIENDS, you can at least be amicable enough that he leave you alone to do what you must with Princess Ekaterine. At least, you hope so. Regardless, promoting him up the line of succession should keep him busy and, as the humans say, ‘out of your hair’.
You plan your approach carefully. A direct approach appeals most to you, or at least the arrangement of a meeting through Rufos… But you cannot fail here, or create a situation where the Secondborn prince PERCEIVES you as failing. He must see you as a useful tool in his machinations if you’re to avoid exposure or confrontation, and gain access to Ekaterine in the waking world. HA! Imagine: you, the humans’ tool, as if it were not truly the reverse.
And speaking of tools, that’s where Irinnile comes in.
“So… You forgive me?” Irinnile ben Yosef asks, when you return.
It is late in the day, after dinner has been brought to both of your quarters, when you finally deign to visit the possessed knight again. Partly, this was to avoid undue scrutiny or raising any alarm bells from Rufos, who is wary of the creature within the Green Knight. Partly, it’s because you share some of his misgivings. At present, though, the demon’s dream-delving capability is your best bet to prime Paladin King Archos for the ‘real’ meeting ahead.
Ugh. It is what it is, you suppose.
It is a testament to Rufos’ limited extension of trust that, though you can heard guard patrols outside the room, none check in on you. As night falls, you take up your meditative position upon the floor once more. Irinnile—rather, YSOEF—plops into your lap, leaning back against you.
“…You are not going to transform into your female shape?” you ask, after a long enough period of time has passed that this does indeed seem to be the case.
“Soooome~one doesn’t wanna’ give me any more mana than he absolutely NEEDS ta’!” Irinnile reminds you.
You still can’t help but feel the succubus is trying to manipulate you—after all, ‘he’ shapeshifted into a ‘she’ last time, and the demon surely has more mana now than before your kiss. Bah! You squeeze your eyes shut again, focusing on the mission rather than the impudent imp—
“SUCCUBUS, thank you VERY much! I ain’t no shitty l’il IMP, baby.”
