COMPENSATION FOR BEING UNLOVABLE

　"Do whatever it takes in order for you to succeed."

　Zophis's mother ran a brush through the curls atop his head, not gently enough. Step on others to advance yourself, use them as pawns... It was hardly a sentiment he had any qualms with, but it was one he had heard repeated an innumerable number of times. His mother set the brush down on the bedside table and smiled down at her son. The woman's face resembled a Venetian mask, shadowed eyes locked in an unchanging expression, her curved red lips often appearing as if they had been drawn on.

　"You were born to become this world's king."

　She took Zophis's face in her hands and tilted it upwards, looking at him as if intently gazing upon her own reflection. Indeed, he undeniably took after his mother. His porcelain-white skin, his painted little mouth, the broad red stripes that ran down his cheeks, and of course, that beautiful blond hair of his... Zophis frowned and deliberately looked away from her, drawing attention to the ways in which he resembled his father instead. Demonstrations of maternal affection were rare and typically unwelcome. He found the polarity of his mother's behavior irksome and irritating— Usually distant and disinterested, the times when she took to doting upon Zophis felt smotheringly selfish.

　"You understand that, don't you, Zophis?" She prodded him after not receiving a verbal response.

　"Of course, Mother." Terse, but truthful.

　It would be impossible for him not to understand; The concept had been drilled into his head as soon as he had become old enough to comprehend it. Zophis was destined for greatness, unlike his poor parents who were born too late (or perhaps too early) to participate in the battle for the throne. He was fairly certain it was the only reason they had conceived a child at all– To vicariously seize power through him.

　Tough it would be wrong to say they hated him, it could be said that Zophis's parents did not "love" him either. At least, not the way a parent loves a child. Zophis was well aware of this fact. He felt more like their pupil, their pet, or a chess piece, but he cared little, seeing as he was more than well provided for. He wanted for nothing in the lavish family castle. Even when his mother forced stiff, extravagant outfits onto him, he could overlook it as long as his patience was rewarded with a slice of his favorite raspberry cake. There were more books in their library than a human could hope to read in its lifetime, so there was no need for his elusive father to go out of his way to entertain him.

　If Zophis wanted to play, there were always the servants.

　Countless demons of lesser strength and standing scurrying around the halls of his home, day and night. He hardly saw them as people. They were like ants, or the moving gears inside a clock. A constantly revolving door of these servants were the ones responsible for making certain Zophis's needs were well attended to. Laundering his clothes, preparing his meals, tidying the rooms, even bathing him when he was younger... There was always a monochrome-clad maid – or half a dozen – at his beck and call. The master and mistress of the house were by no means extraordinarily kind to their employees, but Zophis had made a hobby of testing and tormenting them.

　It was here that he first noticed his powers passively at play. When he approached, a disagreement would boil over into a screaming argument. Typically hardy serving girls would break down in tears over minor mishaps. It seemed as if the maids' emotions were amplified whenever he came near, leaving the entire staff rather frazzled and forgetful on the whole. Their sudden bouts of hysteria began interfering with his comfortable life— And so Zophis made the decision to bring the situation to the attention of the head of household.

　"Mind control." His father told him, paging through the book that laid open on his desk. "Hypnosis, or heart manipulation, some may call it."

　Zophis stood in the study, his father's draconic form dwarfing him despite the man being seated.

　"Neither I nor your mother have an ability like this. I'm not aware of any ancestors on either side of our family who were capable of such a thing either..."

　His father's tone of voice sounded somehow frustrated. Although, when he turned and lowered his long neck to meet his son's gaze, Zophis saw him grinning for the first time he was able to recall.

　"This is incredible news, Zophis." He beamed, rows of razor teeth all exposed. "With power like this, there's no way you could fail us! You'll absolutely become King. You've got something special."

　Special. Zophis couldn't help but mirror his father's enthusiasm with a saw-toothed smile of his own. Special. Remarkable. A cut above the rest. In developing a gift like this, it was as if fate itself had made the distinction– Dominion over others was Zophis's birthright.

　This called for experimentation.

　"You. Come here, I need you for something."

　Zophis almost never bothered to memorize their names. He had singled out a serving girl at random. She hesitated for only a short second, glancing around to ensure she was the one being addressed.

　"Yes, young master?"

　"Do you have something that frightens you?"

　He hovered in a half circle around her, sizing her up. Assuredly older than him, but not by too much. A young lady, and rather pretty, too... A waste for her to live a life of servitude, but not a terrible one.

　"I... I'm sorry?"

　Zophis was already upon her by the time she spat out her befuddled response.

　"You needn't answer. Now, let me see..."

　From between the flared out fingers on his outstretched palm, his glowing violet gaze pierced through the maid's mind. She froze, still as a statue, as the young master parted the curtain of her consciousness and perused through her memories. How easy it was! Incredibly easy... A wave of twisted satisfaction washed over him as he viewed the serving girl's life through a kaleidoscope. Quite amusingly, the painful memories appeared the most vivid. The pleasant ones seemed to pale in comparison, somehow more easily forgotten... He found himself closer to her, staring into her eyes like observing a specimen under a microscope, their foreheads all but touching.

　Hers was a truly dull existence. Born into the peasantry, born without any innate spells to aid her, what choice was there other than for her to become a servant to demons of greater worth than she? Her few happy recollections seemed to have faded with time– Moving portraits of small, simple joys: Birthdays celebrated warmly in their little hovel, finally purchasing the dress she had so long admired in a shop window, falling asleep with her little sister while reading aloud to her... Important memories, surely, potentially useful to him in their own way, but what he was searching for was her fear. Her pain. Such things were buried deeper down, as was to be expected, but after a bit of digging, their brilliance was unmistakable.

　What a trite fear it was. How base. In Zophis's eyes, this girl was hardly as complicated as a common animal.

　Gathering his concentration, he drew the memory to the front of her mind, laying it out like translucent cloth over her perception. Zophis backed away and released his maid from the daze he had put her in, but the fun was only just beginning.

　The maid scrambled, clutched at the high neck of her uniform as she dropped to the floor as if suddenly weighed down by stones. She frantically kicked her legs and clawed at the air, choked sounds squeezed from her constricting throat. Drowning...! She was drowning!

　Of course, there was no water to fill her lungs; Zophis had merely used her mind to trick her body. By bringing forth her trauma of nearly drowning as a child, he had been able to make her reexperience the sensation in the present moment. As Zophis observed the maid's struggle with both amusement and repulsion, she now registered as something lower than an animal. How very unsightly it was. More insect than girl, yes, a cockroach helplessly flailing its disgusting little limbs, unable to comprehend the circumstances surrounding its suffering.

　The maid's movements slowed, then eventually stopped. Zophis had begun to lose interest at that point– The drama of her frenzy had proved more entertaining than watching it pathetically peter out. He approached the girl and crouched down to better assess the state she was in. Her arm was heavy, limp as he lifted it, and immediately dropped at an awkward angle once released. Like a ragdoll! A life-sized ragdoll... A mannequin. Zophis found himself grinning ear to ear as he manipulated the limbs of the unconscious girl. She was unconscious, wasn't she? Yes, he hadn't killed her, he could ascertain as much from how her ribcage still rose and fell with slow, shaky breathing. He pulled her head into his lap by fistfuls of long hair. Once again he peered into her eyes, now half-shut and wet with tears, blank and unseeing. With thumb and forefinger, he spread open the eyelids. Utterly unresponsive. He bit the side of his tongue to keep himself from cackling. This was a wonderful power. It hardly took a minute for him to reduce the poor girl to such a sorry state– Plus, it had produced a puppet as the end result!

　...Well, he couldn't be certain if she'd stay like this forever. It was quite possible she would wake up as one would from a typical fainting spell. The thrill had begun to wear off, bringing clarity with it. Zophis grimaced, knowing he'd be scolded for his behavior.

　I'll just leave her here like this, he thought. Perhaps she'll be back on her feet before Mother even finds her.

　As his luck would have it, the maid did not regain consciousness before being discovered by her coworkers. Seeing their friend seemingly half-dead lying in the middle the marble floor, the stupid girls couldn't stop themselves from screaming. The shrill sound that signaled Zophis's defeat naturally caught the attention of the castle's mistress.

　"I don't mind if you amuse yourself with the maids, Zophis..." His mother gently reprimanded him. "But I'd really rather you not turn them into vegetables, dear. Who else is going to look after you?"

　Zophis glared past her with his dark eyes narrowed. One of the other dozens of indistinguishable servants the place is crawling with, perhaps? You could easily replace her with some other girl plucked from the rabble. Maybe you'd like to give looking after me a try yourself? Or is that out of the question...?

　As was common practice, Zophis had been scolded, but not punished. Just as when he demanded the maids reprepare his meals an unreasonable number of times, just as when he knocked over their mop buckets and chided them for it or when he shattered tableware on the floor for the sole purpose of having them pick up the pieces– There's no need to go out of your way to cause trouble for them, Zophis, so his mother had said; She discouraged him, but took no real stand against his misbehavior. Even testing his newly awakened powers on the maids had scarcely earned him a slap on the wrist. His mother and father must have cared as little for their staff as he did– Or perhaps it was simply that they didn't care about what Zophis did outside of taking the throne.

　Zophis soon realized that any demon worth expending his effort on would not be so easily manipulated. His parents proved completely unaffected. Disappointed but not dissuaded, Zophis holed himself up in the library and took to performing further research, as was his tendency. He learned that even the average demon would be practically impossible to completely control like a puppet. And if a capable opponent had their guard raised, he might not even be able to deceive them as he had with his maids. The only foothold he had was the slim chance of his foes bearing a psychological wound, but how could he prod at such a thing if he couldn't get close enough to find it in the first place? Zophis grew increasingly vexed. Aside from the entertainment it could provide him, the ability that he had been led to believe was such a significant boon seemed as if it had lost any practical application.

　That is, until Zophis came to realize the fragility of the human mind.

　Amongst the labyrinthine rows of bookshelves, he found a tome detailing the inner workings of the human brain– Dusty and frayed as it was, it must have been ancient, but, so was the relationship between his species and the humans. The intricate organ was readily misled, so unreliable its ability to distinguish dreams from reality could be. Though it could contain a vast quantity of knowledge, it was horribly prone to being muddled by emotion in a way the brain of a demon was not. Though Zophis may not have been capable of controlling other demons, his prospects with their human partners were shaping up to be a very different story...

　Although he was quite aware of the date on which it would begin, Zophis was still taken aback by the coming of the battle to become king. He had been made to prepare for it since his birth— Now that it was at last upon him, he could hardly believe it.

　Zophis awoke in the shade of a dense forest. Before his eyes, spring scenery took vague form from swathes of blurry color. The birdsong above sounded alien, and the fresh mountain air tasted just as foreign. Zophis closed his eyes once more, wondering if this was perhaps a dream. Or perhaps, the past fourteen years had been a dream, the early morning tranquility of these woods his first true taste of reality.

　The half-waking fantasy was easily dispelled by the sizable spellbook Zophis held close to his chest.

　He hazarded a look down at the tome, quietly embarrassed that he had been hugging it in his sleep as if it were a pillow. Fog of drowsiness dispersing, Zophis suddenly became acutely aware that he had been sleeping outdoors. On the ground. With a growl of revulsion, he hastily levitated upright a few too many inches above the forest floor. Still clinging to his book with one arm, he used the other to brush away the loose pine needles that clung to his robes. He twisted to and fro to inspect the bright white garment for grass stains— And found none, to his great relief.

　Zophis clicked his tongue and pinched the bridge of his nose. Couldn't they have started me off somewhere a bit more accommodating? He took the spellbook in both hands again, at last taking note of the hue of its cover. Magenta. A sort of reddish purple— Two colors he would have preferred to this in-between shade, although the fusion of his favorites suited him well enough. Zophis flipped the book over, then once again returned to its front side. Tracing a pointed nail along the black engravings on the cover, he failed to pinpoint what exactly he was feeling— Some sort of oddly hollow anticipation? The outcome of this battle had long since been determined.

　Zophis had thankfully woken up not too terribly far from the forest's edge. Emerging from the trees, he squinted at the increased intensity of the sunlight. Above him was a bright azure sky, and spread out before him were rolling hills and valleys carpeted in emerald green— Dotted in the distance with what was no doubt some sort of human settlement. A promising a place as any to start the search for his human partner. He lingered a moment longer, still taking in the unfamiliar landscape, how the further it got from him the more the verdant mountain range faded into a hazy blue. A shadow cast by a cloud fell over Zophis, and a strong breeze blew through both him and the leaves of the wood.

　He had to move quickly, but carefully. The sooner he found his bookkeeper, the better, but it was imperative that he draw as little attention to himself as possible before then. Without a human to read his spells, he was as helpless as a hatchling, an easy target. The mere thought was both disconcerting and infuriating. Imagine how humiliating it would be to be defeated before even finding your partner! Zophis ground his teeth and tried willing away the uncharacteristic anxiety. He turned his thoughts instead to what kind of person he was to pair up with. Hopefully someone whose intelligence was at least on par with his own— Some sort of scholar, or strategist, or...

　Upon his arrival to the little town, he had a good feeling, though he couldn't place why— The place was average in appearance in every way, even comparable to the town closest to his family’s estate in the demon world. Could the human fit to aid him really be found somewhere so unexceptional? Uncertainty crept up on him once again. He swallowed it back, reasoning that even if the worst case scenario were to occur and he was saddled with an imbecile, he could simply wipe their mind and use them as a battery...

　Zophis wove in and out of alleyways in order to avoid detection, evaluating each person that passed in his peripheral vision. It was admittedly inefficient, and it wasn't long before Zophis decided the potential risk of a bird's-eye view would be well worth it. He ascended slowly to the weathered rooftops, concealing himself in the shadow of a tall chimney.

　Here and there, the streets were crowded with people, though their distribution was more scant in places. Watching the townsfolk go about their busy day, he was once again reminded of ants. They might as well be, if the book didn't respond to them.

　He continued scanning each passing group of humans. Having no luck, Zophis chose a different building to serve as his new vantage point. These things could take time, yes, these things take time... It would be too easy if he had been placed just outside of where his human half resided, too simple. And yet...

　Voices behind and below him caught his attention.

　"Looking good." A male voice, malicious and mocking.

　Zophis turned to look down at the scene. A man and a young woman on a street less populated than the others he had been observing. Zophis's exceptional eyesight allowed him to see that the girl was dressed plainly, in a ragged knit cardigan and a dress that fell a bit above her ankles. She held a large book under her arm, much like he did. She ignored the man's jeering compliment and picked up her pace.

　"Hey, where are you going?" The man called after her, but she did not stop.

　He pursued and firmly grabbed the girl by the back of her sweater.

　"I said hey." His patience had immediately run thin. "You just keep walking when someone gives you a compliment? Rude bitch."

　"I have somewhere to be..." The girl spoke up. The line felt well-rehearsed.

　“Oh? Where are you stealing from this time? Give me a break. Who do you think you are?"

　She silently tried to tug forward, free from his hold, but the strange man gripped her arm as if to punish her.

　“I think you owe me an apology.”

　“I really have to go!” She punctuated the final syllable by wrenching her arm away.

　Clumsily, but with purpose and all the strength she could muster, she jabbed her elbow into the stranger’s abdomen. Zophis couldn’t believe what he was seeing— Not the events playing out before him, but the fact that his spellbook had begun to emit a soft light. It couldn’t be...! His eyes darted back and forth between the book and the girl, turning red and yellow due to his excitement and bewilderment.

　With her attacker sufficiently stunned, the girl took off running. Zophis couldn’t afford to stand there stunned himself, and gave chase. His thoughts raced as he flew over building after building, pursuing... the young lady who he had reason to believe was his partner. He ought to have been thanking his lucky stars, having found her almost immediately, but he once again began to have his doubts as they came to a small, dreary townhouse. Of course, the girl hurried down a flight of stairs at the base of the building and entered. Zophis slid up to a window on the side of the structure and peered down through the clouded glass. The young woman sat hunched over a rickety wooden table, her head resting on her folded arms. It would have been easy to mistake her for sleeping. He began mentally preparing himself for the worst as the spellbook had not lost its subtle shine; She had to be the one.

　A sigh through clenched teeth came out as a hiss. He needed to take a moment to compose himself. Even being dealt a hand like this was not the end of the world— Perhaps, a very slight disadvantage, but with his resourcefulness, what would it matter? Zophis was and had always been his own key to victory.

　He tried the door; Predictably, it was locked. Opting for diplomacy, he knocked on the solid wood slab. There was a chance she could be convinced, that she would be obedient... But if not, then...

　After waiting longer than he would have liked, the door opened just a crack.

　"Hello?"

　Her apprehension was evident even in the single word. The young woman looked down at Zophis through dark, dull eyes. Being able to take a closer look at her, he was made to realize how haggard she really looked.

　"May I have a word with you, Miss..."

　She blinked, trying to ascertain the situation.

　"K...Koko? I'm sorry, who are you? Do you need some help?"

　The door opened a bit wider. Despite her unexpected guest's unusual appearance, Koko had begun to let her guard down. Zophis must've seemed to her like a strange lost child.

　"Miss Koko." He acknowledged her. "Yes, I suppose I could use your assistance, actually."

　Koko stood in the threshold, gripping the molding of the door frame. This wasn't some kind of trap, was it? Would they stoop so low? No... She undid the chain lock and stepped aside, allowing Zophis to enter.

　The interior of her living space was in a dismal a state as its exterior. Cracks ran along the barren basement walls, in some places wide enough to reveal the inner layer of brick. It was a single room, sparsely furnished with little more than the bare necessities. There was a kitchenette on one side of the room, and a bed pushed against the wall opposite of it— Across from the foot of the bed, a bookcase, and a tiny closet that likely contained all of Koko's belongings. Zophis’s expectations for his partner had been shattered. Had it been too much to expect someone of finer breeding? His immediate impression wasn’t that this girl was some kind of secret genius, either.

　"Are you lost?" Koko asked, sounding genuinely concerned as she closed the door behind them. "I wish I had something to offer you, I have some tea leaves left, but they're not all that good..."

　"Please, you've done enough just by hearing me out." He paused. "I will admit that this place is... unfamiliar to me."

　"Did you get separated from your parents?"

　"In a way..."

　"In a way?" Koko returned to the chair at the table, sliding some books aside so that she could see her guest.

　"That is, I know where they are. But that is of no concern right now... Miss Koko, I am in need of a guide of sorts."

　"Huh?" She furrows her brow. He was on a trip by himself, then...? "I'm sorry but you've come to the wrong person. ...I'm not well-liked around these parts."

　"But if you accompany me, you won't be confined to this little town. We'll see all sorts of places..."

　Koko slid back in her chair, unease growing.

　"No, really, who are you? What exactly do you need from me?"

　"Oh, pardon me." He drew closer. "I am Zophis."

　He gestured with an arm sweeping to the side.

　"I am one of one hundred children from the demon world, come to your human realm to do battle."

　Koko watched in complete confusion while he explained.

　"Every thousand years, this battle takes place to decide the ruler of our world. But while we are here, us demons need a human partner in order to reach our full potential."

　Zophis drew nearer still to Koko, who had stood from her seat.

　"I have my heart set on becoming king, you see, and so I've already made extensive preparations beforehand." He offered his hand to her. "You are the last piece I need before the games can begin... Won't you join me? I'm sure you'll find it to be quite entertaining!"

　The story was outlandish, but Koko was inclined to believe in its veracity. This boy certainly did not look human, with his pale skin and pointed teeth, and without visible legs he floated inches above the ground.

　"...That sounds... violent." She gave her answer. "I can't get involved in something so dangerous, especially not now. You'll have to find someone different to help you..."

　So that's how it would be.

　Zophis swiftly repositioned himself atop the table to gain a vantage point. Several books were scattered onto the floor in the process: encyclopedias, literature, dictionaries... At the very least she seemed rather well-read for someone of her meager means. One textbook caught Zophis's eye— “Psychology”, its cover read. Ohh? So she had been doing the same sort of research he had. He couldn't help but chuckle, elegant but ugly and cruel. Koko stumbled back, knocking over her chair with a loud thud. She knew for certain she was in danger like no other she had been confronted with before.

　"I had hoped it wouldn't have to come to this." Zophis told a half-truth, a half-lie. "But I wasn't really giving you a choice in the matter. I was only being polite."

　Hateful, stinging tears welled up in Koko's eyes. Her back pressed against the wall, Zophis mused that she surely knew she had been cornered, knew her place as his prey, as inferior, as a tool to aid in his ascent to the throne...

　"There can be no other, Miss Koko. You must join this battle at my side. This is the destiny you share with me...!"

　What could she do? She thought to flee for the door, but Zophis would not allow her to escape him, not now. The demon's irises flashed upon the activation of his ability, his arm folded behind his back as opposed to his typical gesture of an outstretched palm. Koko met his gaze with a defiant glare. Zophis hit a wall as he tried to invade the girl's mind. Ah...? Despite not even understanding what was happening to her, she was resisting him with such determination... A jagged grin parted his lips. How very amusing! She had more mental fortitude than he had anticipated...

　But she was still only human, no match for his magic. Pushing past Koko’s defenses, her memories played out before Zophis like a flickering reel of film. The zoetrope of suffering spun round in front of his eyes— All manner of abuse had been heaped upon this girl from even her earliest days. A parasite in even her parents’ eyes, beaten for eating too much, scolded for working too little, and ignored otherwise. Her neighbors were no kinder, making her a scapegoat while her peers used her as a punching bag. Her body repeatedly, lovelessly sullied, made to feel lower than filth, only for people to turn a blind eye. The one girl she called a friend unknowingly rubbed salt in her wounds again and again. Poor, pitiful Koko! Even after enduring countless hardships, her kind heart persevered, and she held onto hope for a better tomorrow. But in the shadow of that shining hope hid scars layered upon scars, which Koko did her best to conceal, did her best to keep from overtaking her, from turning her cold and bitter. No matter how boundless her kindness may have seemed, no matter how she tried to prove people wrong with work and studies and good deeds, the world did nothing but spit in the face of her efforts, make a mockery of her optimism.

　Such injustice is enough to wear down even the strongest of hearts. All Zophis needed to do was to open up those hidden wounds, allowing the fresh blood to flow freely... And Koko would be a partner perfectly suited to him.

　He came close to her as he began his work. Having her thoughts rifled through must’ve come as a shock to her fragile human brain, as she had grown weak. Supporting herself against the wall, Zophis loomed over her, keeping his eyes locked in her line of sight. It wouldn’t do to have his partner be a mindless puppet— She would only drag him down if she couldn’t act at all on her own. Putting all her inhibitions aside, causing the seed of her resentment to flourish... This would be enough to ensure her loyalty, her utility to him.

　Koko slumped to the floor, disturbing a small cloud of dust. Her expression was blank and her limbs slack as her head swam, struggling in vain to stay afloat while Zophis held her under. She would be taking a long rest, sunk into the depths while a second, crueler self rose to take her rightful place at Zophis’s side...

　Such a violation was no worse than any she had been subjected to in the past, in fact, was this not preferable...? Was he not doing her a great kindness?

　Kneeling before her, he cupped her cheeks in his hands. Her vacant eyes were half-lidded, glazed over... The irises had changed from a reflective black to a light purple, resembling beads of frosted glass. Zophis noted the dark circles beneath them... Noted the frayed patches on her clothing, her dishevelled, mousy hair... He observed her in detail, bringing their faces so close that the pores of her skin came into clear focus. Gently, he traced a fingertip over her chapped bottom lip, pulled it down to reveal her teeth and gum line.

　"Koko." Zophis called out to her.

　Blinking slowly, she regained some modicum of awareness, no longer a lifeless doll though her senses were still shrouded in fog. It was a complicated procedure Zophis had performed on her, straining the mind as surgery did the body. But all had gone according to plan— Koko would fully emerge as her new self as soon as she recovered.

　"You've suffered so much, haven't you? You poor girl." The statement contained no real sympathy.

　He tilted her face upwards by the chin.

　"How unfair it is. You've been very strong up until now, yes, but..." Eyes narrowed, he smirked deviously. "I can offer you true strength, Koko. If you'll only read this..."

　Removing his hand, he slid the red-violet spellbook into Koko's lap. Sluggishly, she took it in both hands before carefully opening to the middle of the pages. Zophis grew restlessly excited, running his tongue over his teeth.

　"Well?" He couldn't suppress his eagerness. "Can you tell what it says?"

　Koko nodded her heavy head, still staring at the strange characters inscribed on the pages.

　"Yeah."

　"Excellent." Zophis's face was warped by an enormously broad, sharp smile.

　He rose above her and her gaze followed.

　"With even just that one spell, you've attained power the likes of which you've never dreamed." He extended his hand to her. "Come with me."

　Koko took his offer and was helped to her feet, unsteady, a newborn calf. In her free hand she held their book flush to her body.

　"You can finally take your revenge. Pay them back for all they've done to you. You're free."

　She smiled, half-aware, and squeezed her savior's hand. Zophis let out a strange little laugh. Despite his calm speech, he grew more feverish by the second. How exhilarating it was, to make such a righteous human buckle and fold beneath her dark desires! He had never felt so electrified.

　"Let's have a demonstration first, shall we?" He had led her back outside. "So you know what we're really capable of."

　Zophis let go of Koko's hand and swung around back of her, hovering over her shoulders. His cold fingernails lightly scraped the nape of her neck, where her spine protruded.

　"Go on." He whispered in her ear, serpentine. "Read the spell."

　"Radomu!"

　From Zophis's palm came an explosive blast of otherworldly pink light, a blistering gust of air rushing back over the pair. As Koko's home was engulfed, she stood mesmerized by the dancing inferno, by this display of her own new strength.

　The midday sky would soon be stained sunset orange.

　Fatigue overtakes Zophis. He could feel his blood pulsating through his skull and the aching joints in his fingers. Closing his weary eyes, he rests his head on folded hands. He sighs deeply and presses the knuckles into his eye sockets in an attempt to ease the strain he felt in them. All he succeeds in doing is making himself see colors. Koko had been lounging languidly atop the bed the entire evening, still in her usual attire. She aimlessly turned the pages of Zophis’s spellbook, somehow engrossed despite it being largely incomprehensible to her.

　The pair had been changing locations quite frequently for a while now. From abandoned mansion to abandoned mansion, hotel to hotel, with Koko in tow Zophis was constantly on the move. Avoiding an invisible enemy as he carried out each step in his scheme for victory, there was hardly a moment to rest.

　Zophis’s frustrated sigh catches Koko's attention and she sits upright.

　“Zophis?”

　No response.

　“What’s wrong?”

　This time, he answers, but only with a shake of his still lowered head. Koko crosses the room and leans over her partner, placing her manicured hands softly on his shoulders.

　“You’ve been at this all night... You must be exhausted.”

　“My eyes are sore, that’s all.” Zophis lifts his head and reaches for the pen laying on the desk. “Our next course of action is crucial to my success, that’s why...”

　“Then isn’t that even more of a reason to take a break? Even you’re bound to make mistakes if you’re so tired.”

　Zophis’s eyebrow twitches. He rises from the chair and looks over the plans and diagrams laid out before him. Meanwhile, Koko returns to the bed, this time sitting on the edge of it, one leg crossed over the other.

　“I’m tired too, Zophis. Haven’t you done enough for one night?” She reaches her arms out as he glances back at her. “Come here...”

　The last words are spoken in such a pleading tone that Zophis finds it impossible to resist her invitation. And why not? Why not allow himself just one little moment of weakness in the privacy of this shared room? He floats over to her, appearing compelled as if by a magnetic field. Koko pulls him into a gentle embrace, and the two awkwardly reposition themselves atop the mattress. Zophis lies face-down, his head in Koko's lap. He clutches the ruffles of her skirt in his fingers and heaves another sigh, Koko's own fingers entangled in his golden tresses.

　"Koko..." Her name comes out as a groan.

　Koko replies with a satisfied hum that reverberates in Zophis's ear, pressed so close to her body. It feels good to be wanted, and the desperation for a respite reads loud and clear to Koko without Zophis having to ask.

　"Such a hard worker..." She speaks in a sweet whisper, lightly tracing small circles on his scalp. "And I bet you'll work just as hard once you're king."

　She brings herself closer to Zophis, placing a long kiss on top of his head. His curls tickle her cheeks as she takes in the soft, clean scent of his hair.

　"And we'll have more time for things like this..."

　"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Zophis teases.

　Pushing Koko backwards against the mattress, he wraps his arms tightly around her slender waist. Resting his head upon the softness of his partner's chest, his stress begins to dissipate, if even just a bit.

　"Well... I get the feeling I'm not the only one." Koko sounds quite pleased with herself.

　She holds Zophis as near as she can possibly get him, her hands placed over his shoulder blades. At another time, Zophis may have expressed his affections more aggressively, but he lacked the energy. He neither confirms nor denies her statement. Instead he presses his face into Koko's sternum, as if trying to phase through her body and put his head inside of her ribcage. Koko laughs a light, lilting laugh.

　"Do you think I'm selfish?" She asks.

　"You are rather spoiled."

　"And whose fault is that?" She strokes Zophis's back. "I just like you so much, I can't help it..."

　Zophis makes a half-hearted sound of acknowledgement.

　"Besides, you're spoiled too..." Her fingertips trace up and down his spine.

　He turns his head to the opposite side and exhales harshly. Perhaps it was true. Perhaps his true nature was that of a child. A child, spoiled rotten, who demanded everything, who refused any refusal, who believed he was entitled to anything he desired... Who believed that for him, no other outcome existed. Koko becoming such a clinging, fawning thing had been unforeseen, but it only seemed right, only seemed logical, thanks to Zophis's unmatched charm and intellect. That intellect of his that had always been celebrated...

　It was more than likely that this attitude of his was due to his aristocratic upbringing, but had his parents lavished upon him any true, direct affection? Any affection, any praise had been for what Zophis had the potential to become, for what they saw in him that would prove useful. Though he was afforded the finest clothing, delicious food, and a gorgeous place to call his home, it was difficult for Zophis to say he felt loved– Apathetic towards his parents, he would not describe his own feeling towards them as "love" either.

　With Koko, things felt different. The love she had for him was unmistakable, the way she draped herself over him at any opportunity and showered him with words of praise, the way she understood him without the need to exchange words. He hadn't forced her to act this way, hadn't even planted the seed of such a suggestion when he had altered her heart to obey both his command and her own buried darkness. Although she was under his control, her love in particular had taken root without his urging. Her wish for him to become king was free of self-interest.

　At only fourteen, Zophis was indeed a child, as loath as he was to consider himself one. But wasn't it alright to show his immaturity only to Koko? Koko, who seemed to be built up of love for him, who selflessly supported him... His precious partner, the receptive half of his soul he had been missing since his birth. It was his shameful secret, wanting to be comforted, doted upon...

　Of course, once one has exposed his weakness to an ally, he must keep her particularly close...

　Koko may have been nothing more than a piece on Zophis’s chessboard, yes, but she had proved to be an indispensable one.