?


    "Because... I know you more than anyone else in this world," Ares replied casually, his gaze still fixed outside the window as he leaned back on his seat.


    !!


    ine''s expression shifted to a mixture of surprise, confusion, and a hint of unease.


    "What... do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.


    Ares turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting ine''s as he continued with an air of detachment.


    "...I know you are a psychotic woman who takes pleasure in being defeated by someone stronger than you," Ares continued his words cutting through the air. "You prioritize your goals above all else, showing little concern for anyone in your path."


    "....."


    ine''s hands clenched around the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as Ares''s words struck a nerve.


    Ares continued speaking, dredging up memories she thought were buried deep within her.


    "You have already taken the lives of your two sisters, driven by their pursuit of the man who caught your attention. And when that man failed to meet your expectations, you discarded him as well. Yet, in the twisted world of the Hartnell family, such acts are dismissed as inconsequential, swept under the rug without remorse."


    Ares''s words hung heavy in the car, the weight of truth and knowledge pressing upon ine''s shoulders. He continued, unabated by the tension in the air.


    "Furthermore, you are the avatar of a constetion just as deranged and detached as yourself, caring only for amusement and entertainment. However, the fact that she engages with you regrly is rather peculiar. Then again, what can we expect? After all, she is just a loner with no allies or friends," Ares concluded.


    Screech!!!—


    At that moment, the screech of brakes filled the air as ine abruptly brought the car to a stop, the tires skidding on the asphalt.


    "W-What the hell are you?" ine stammered, her voice trembling with a mixture of shock and anger. "How... the fuck do you know all of this?" Her eyes widened with disbelief as she struggled toprehend the depth of Ares'' knowledge.


    Ares leaned back in his seat, unfazed by her reaction. "Don''t worry about me. I don''t really care about your peculiarities or your past actions. After all, I am not a saint myself," he replied nonchntly. "As for how I know so much about you, let''s just say I have my own ways. Besides, I''ve always had a fascination with women who are stronger than me as well, so I can''t really judge."


    "...."


    ine was left speechless, her mind racing to process his audacity. "...You do realize that I could easily kill you right here, considering you possess such knowledge about me, even my connection to my constetion?" she warned, her gaze piercing into Ares.


    Ares''s grin only widened in response. "Well, you''re wee to try," he retorted confidently.


    ine''s mind buzzed with intrigue and caution. ''Where does his unwavering confidencee from? Could he have an ace up his sleeve?'' she pondered.


    ''Seeing a demoness and a chosen one''s loyalty towards him, I wouldn''t be surprised if he possesses a hidden trump card,'' she concluded, her eyes never leaving Ares.


    [He''s certainly an intriguing individual, but... why does he have to insult me for being a loner? It''s not like I don''t have friends; I simply enjoy my solitude, thank you very much!] ine''s constetion chimed in, voicing her thoughts.


    "You''re an intriguing constetion as well. Your tone and demeanor are far from what I would expect," Aresmented, his eyes glinting with curiosity.


    !?


    [...You can see my messages?] The message appeared again.


    Ares nodded. "Yes, I can see them clearly," he replied.


    !!


    ine''s eyes widened in surprise. "Hold on a moment! That''s not the important part. How can you read our privatenguage? It was specifically created so that only we could understand each other without any repercussions," she questioned, a mix of confusion and astonishment evident in her voice.


    Ares paused for a moment, a mysterious smile ying on his lips. "Ah, that''s what you were conversing in. I was curious about thenguage,"he remarked casually.


    [You still haven''t answered how you know ournguage.] The message appeared once again.


    Ares chuckled softly. "And why would I reveal that? Revealing my methods would take away the mystique, wouldn''t it?" he replied cryptically, his grin widening.


    "....."


    "Pfttt, hahaha!" ine burst intoughter, her amusement mixed with a touch of madness. "He read me like an open book. And here I thought I knew everything about him, including his other identity as a Marz that everyone is searching for."


    [...Well, I suppose I now have one more person to confide in?] Her constetion''s message appeared, carrying a hint of amusementand curiosity.


    ine''sughter gradually subsided, and her expression turned serious. She leaned forward, fixing her gaze on Ares. "So, let''s cut to the chase, Ares. Did you really kill the Demon Lord?" she asked, her tone devoid of amusement.


    Ares chuckled softly. "Why don''t you inquire about it from your own constetion?" he replied with a sly smile.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    !?


    ine furrowed her brow, confusion evident on her face. "What do you mean by that?" she questioned.


    [Oh, he might be referring to the wings we saw earlier. They were the Demon Lord Pazuzu''s wings, a testament to Ares being his killer.] The message from her constetion appeared, shedding light on the situation.


    "....."


    ine''s face remained impassive as she absorbed the information. After a moment, she spoke with a monotone voice, "Why are you only revealing this now?"


    [You never asked?] Her constetion''s response appeared, causing ine to grit her teeth in frustration.


    ''This bitch!'' ine''s temple throbbed with annoyance upon reading the message.


    [What difference would it make anyway? You told me you were already interested in him and were charmed by his face.] The message appeared once again, further fueling ine''s exasperation.


    "...I appreciate the praise, I guess?" Ares''s response to the message caught her off guard.


    Exhaling slowly, ineposed herself before speaking. "Yes, she''s telling the truth. At first, it was your strength that caught my attention, followed by your captivating appearance.


    But what truly solidified my feelings was witnessing your care and love for the women in your life, Mika and Helena. It was then that I realized I may have finally found the man I''ve been searching for, someone I can spend the rest of my life with," she confessed, her gaze unwavering as it locked onto Ares.


    "...A confession, huh?" Ares muttered, his tone filled with a mix of surprise and curiosity.


    ''Well, she may be mistaken about Helena, but there''s no harm in letting her believe what she wants,'' Ares thought to himself, a faint smile ying on his lips.


    "Yes, I believe it does count as a confession," ine replied with certainty.


    "I desire to be one of the women you hold dear, Ares. However, I understand that trust cannot be earned overnight. I am willing to put in the time and effort to earn your trust. What do I need to do?" she asked, her voice steady and resolute.


    Ares regarded her with a mixture of amusement and caution. "I appreciate your straightforwardness," he acknowledged. "However, trust is not something that can be earned easily, especially considering our short time together. You discarded a man in the past because he didn''t meet your expectations, and that gives me a reason to be cautious," he exined.


    ine nodded understandingly. "I understand. Given my history, it''s only natural that you would have reservations about trusting me," ine acknowledged.


    She leaned forward, a determined expression on her face. "So, what must I do to earn your trust? How can I prove that I am worthy of being one of the women you care for?" she inquired.


    Ares paused, his gaze meeting ine''s with a hint of contemtion. A faint smile yed on his lips as he considered her question."For now, let''s focus on dealing with my brother. Perhaps, in the process, trust may naturally develop between us," he suggested, his eyes gleaming with a mix of intrigue and anticipation.


    Screech!!!—


    Their conversation was briefly interrupted as Meira''s car screeched to a halt beside them, causing both ine and Ares to turn their attention toward it.


    "...Is everything alright, Master?" Meira asked, concern etched on her face.


    Irethiel, too, observed the scene with curiosity as she looked between Ares and ine''s faces. "...You''re at it again, aren''t you?" Irethiel spoke telepathically.


    A mischievous smile yed on Ares''s lips as he responded telepathically, "Hmm, what do you mean?"


    Irethiel rolled her eyes, turning her head away from him. "...I can''t even be bothered," she replied.


    With a reassuring smile, Ares addressed the worried Meira, "Don''t worry, everything''s fine."


    ine''s grin widened, her excitement evident. "Exactly, nothing to fret about. Let''s focus on dealing with your dimwitted brother first."


    Vrooom—


    ine stepped on the elerator, propelling the car forward with a surge of power, leaving behind a cloud of dust as they sped away.


    ***


    ''Well, I think things are progressing well,'' Ares pondered inwardly as they sped towards the capital with ine''s newfound determination.


    Time was not on his side, and he couldn''t afford to feign ignorance about ine''s feelings any longer. He needed to address the situation head-on, for he would require her assistance in dealing with the demon lords.


    Dying further would have only increased the risk of ine falling into the clutches of the demon lords, posing a greater threat to his ns.


    Therefore, he decided to confront her at the earliest opportunity, ensuring that she would have no chance to align herself with the demon lords. Instead, he aimed to harness her potential as a valuable ally in his own endeavors.


    To be continued...