Roy looked at Lilith, sensing she wasn't teasing Dorothy but had a genuine idea.
"Lilith, just spit it out. What's your plan?"
"Well," Lilith began, "Dorothy's told me a lot about that guy. His luck is insane—he always manages to turn danger into fortune at the last second. I think luck is the key to beating him!"
Lilith's reasoning made sense. Roy felt the Dark Archmage had something akin to a protagonist's aura—a trait common in absurd, comedic characters. It didn't make them invincible, but it flipped the odds in their favor at critical moments.
"So, what are you suggesting?" Roy asked.
"I happen to know an ancient spell that can balance two people's luck," Lilith replied.
Dorothy immediately caught on to Lilith's plan. "You want to bind me to that ugly freak? No way! Absolutely not! I'd rather jump off the Alps than do that!"
Her reaction was so intense it surprised Roy.
"What kind of spell is this? Why's Dorothy freaking out?"
Lilith shrugged and explained. "Long ago, a witch called the Love Sorceress was obsessed with a man. She wanted to be with him forever but feared he'd leave her. So, she created a spell called the Soul Chain. It binds two people, splitting their life force and fate evenly, and lets them sense each other's thoughts.
"The catch? Everyone who's used this spell ends up as mortal enemies—including the Love Sorceress herself."
It sounded a bit like a "Seven-Day Lock of Unbreakable Bonds."
Roy understood why Dorothy was so resistant. She despised the Dark Archmage and would hate using such an intimate spell.
"Lilith, can the spell be undone?" Roy asked.
"When the Love Sorceress created it, she didn't plan for it to be undone—she thought true lovers should never part. But after too many tragedies, someone figured out how to break it."
Roy turned to Dorothy. "If it can be undone, what's there to worry about?"
Dorothy clenched her teeth, silent. Binding herself to the Dark Archmage felt like a massive insult. She even gave Roy a pitiful look, hoping to sway him.
"Mr. Black, can't we try something else?" she pleaded.
Honestly, seeing a mature woman like Dorothy make that face was kind of charming. Roy felt himself waver but looked to Lilith.
"Lilith, any other options?"
Lilith threw up her hands. "This is all I've got for now. Maybe ask Lady Elizabeth? She might have something."
Roy wasn't keen on relying on Elizabeth. Lately, she'd been busy, only appearing as a projection in class. Normal people couldn't tell, but Roy could. When he asked Eiluresa about it, she dodged the question, making him feel like his trusted confidante was starting to slip.
"Forget it," Roy said. "I'll set up a wedding venue in Acton. It'll take about three days. Ms. Dorothy, use that time to think it over or come up with another plan. We only get one shot at this. If we fail, we might never catch that guy."
Dorothy's expression grew serious. She knew this was a rare opportunity, but the emotional hurdle was hard to overcome.
After a long pause, she sighed. "Fine, I'll think about it."
With business done, Roy prepared to leave, but Lilith grabbed him.
"Little Master, leaving already?" Her sultry gaze and suggestive tone hinted at something more. Known as the Desire Witch, Lilith's needs were… intense. She hadn't seen Roy in nearly a month while searching for Dorothy, and now that he was free, she couldn't hold back.
Roy glanced at Lilith, then at Dorothy, his expression turning awkward. "This isn't the best time, is it? The villa's a mess, and Ms. Dorothy's right here."
Lilith clung to his arm, swaying it. "It's fine! The second floor's clean—Dorothy hasn't been up there. And she won't mind, right, Dorothy?"
Dorothy rolled her eyes. She wanted to say she minded, but Lilith's threatening look shut her up. "Sure, sure, I don't mind," she muttered.
Lilith eagerly pushed Roy upstairs. "See? I told you she's cool with it! Let's go!"
Dorothy flopped onto the couch in a huff, only to have a broken spring poke her through the fabric. Furious, she considered blasting the couch with magic, but with her current luck, it'd probably backfire.
From the second floor, Lilith's operatic voice rang out.
Dorothy glared at the ceiling, grinding her teeth. "Damn it! They didn't even close the door before starting!"
The villa's soundproofing was decent, so the only explanation was that Lilith and Roy hadn't bothered shutting the door. Lilith was clearly doing it on purpose. Dorothy was itching to storm upstairs and throw something at them, but with her rotten luck, she just sat there, fuming, her resentment practically visible.
"That jerk Lilith! She's doing this on purpose!" Dorothy muttered.
Upstairs, Roy could tell Lilith was unusually hyped, a state she only reached when talking about her ex, Gosmael.
"Lilith, you got a grudge against Dorothy or something?" he asked.
It didn't seem likely. If Lilith hated her, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to free Dorothy from her seal. Without Lilith, Dorothy might still be trapped.
Breathing heavily, Lilith replied, "No way! Dorothy and I are good friends. We get along great!"
Roy wasn't convinced. The two bickered and mocked each other every time they met. Maybe that was just how they bonded.
"So what's your deal?" he pressed.
Lilith rolled her eyes, clearly hit by a critical blow. "I… I want Dorothy to join us. Don't you like her?"
She was a total knockout—who wouldn't like her?
Lilith could feel Roy's reaction and gasped, understanding his stance instantly. She leaned in and whispered, "Little Master, I can help you get her."
Roy went into overdrive.
Downstairs, Dorothy heard an even louder, more dramatic aria from Lilith, nearly grinding her teeth to dust. "That jerk! Lilith, just you wait—I'll steal your man!"
Dorothy was so mad her chest seemed to swell a few sizes. She endured two full hours of "battle sounds" before the noise finally stopped.
Roy came downstairs, looking refreshed, and greeted Dorothy. She ignored him, still pissed. He left awkwardly.
Ten minutes later, Lilith sauntered down in a sexy nightgown, her face flushed from a satisfying "fight."
Dorothy's teeth were practically creaking with rage.
Lilith, in full tea-spilling mode, kept poking. "Oh, my bad! Were we too loud? Hope we didn't disturb you."
That was it. Dorothy leapt off the couch and lunged at Lilith. "I'll kill you!"
But Lilith easily sidestepped, leaving Dorothy to crash onto the floor, barely avoiding a face-plant. Lilith caught her at the last second.
"Alright, Dorothy, I asked Roy for you. He's very interested. You can relax now, right?" Lilith said with a grin.
Dorothy's face tightened, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of something else. "Hmph! Who asked you to check?"
Lilith helped her up, her expression turning serious. "Joking aside, Dorothy, I'm asking you for real: will you join us?"
Dorothy caught the deeper meaning. This wasn't just about joining Roy's "family."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You might not know, but while you were sealed, the universe changed big time. God's gone missing, Heaven's pulling back from Earth, and Hell's lords are scheming. You know what that means, don't you?"
Dorothy's face shifted. As a witch who'd lived since ancient times, she understood. "The end of the world is coming?"
Lilith nodded. "Yeah, and it's not far off. Roy's already faced the War Knight and the Death Knight."
Dorothy gasped. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were legendary, and even as the Death Witch, she knew she was no match for the Death Knight. "Roy faced them and survived?"
Lilith nodded proudly, as if she'd beaten them herself. "He defeated the War Knight and crossed paths with the Death Knight."
Dorothy fell silent, stunned by Roy's feats. "So that's why you're betting on him?"
"No, no. I placed my bet on him long before that, when he'd already beaten Hell's lords multiple times. But the real reason? He's loyal. He doesn't abandon the people close to him. You know what that means."
Both Lilith and Dorothy had lived through countless betrayals. Lilith was betrayed by her own daughter, and Dorothy had similar experiences. Their friendship had only grown solid through years of working together.
So, when Lilith regained her body, her first move was to find Dorothy and bring her into the fold.
"Besides me, another big player's betting on Roy. Wanna know who?" Lilith asked.
Dorothy hesitated, then nodded.
"If you want to know, there's no backing out. Think carefully," Lilith said with a sly smile.
Dorothy frowned, weighing her options. She trusted Lilith, but this was about her future. She had to be cautious.
After a long pause, she tested the waters. "Can't you give me a hint? Like, is this big shot from above or below?" She gestured to indicate Heaven or Hell.
Lilith pointed at the ground, the meaning clear.
Dorothy wavered. "Hell? Lilith, can we trust Hell?"
"Don't worry. Roy's the core. This big shot's just a supporter. She wants to break free from her current situation, so she's betting on him."
Lilith's use of "she" was a dead giveaway. In Hell, only two women could be called big shots: the King of Lust or the King of Sloth.
Dorothy thought hard, then decided to trust Lilith. "Alright, I'll believe you this time. Don't lead me into a ditch."
Lilith rolled her eyes. "When have I ever screwed you over?"
"Want me to list them? Like the first year after the King of Wrath was banished to Hell…" Dorothy started counting on her fingers.
Lilith cut her off. "Stop! Enough! I'm summoning her now, so be on your best behavior!"
Lilith placed a hand on her abdomen. Dorothy was about to ask why a Hell bigwig was on Earth when a ring of fire appeared.
A stunning, tall woman stepped out. She glanced at the surroundings, slightly puzzled, then smiled approvingly at Dorothy.
"Well done, Lilith," she said.
"Everything as you commanded, Lady Belial!" Lilith replied.
Belial, the King of Sloth!
Though Dorothy had suspected as much, seeing Belial in person still unnerved her. Belial was a legend in Hell when Dorothy was just a small-time witch.
"Dorothy, has Lilith explained the situation?" Belial asked.
Dorothy knelt. "Yes, Lady Belial."
"Good. You've made the right choice."
Still a knockout.