Chapter 91: Friends

  It was a fantastic day for Alia. For the first time in ages, she was catching up with her friends, and time was flying by beautifully.

  "Did Helena really let herself go that much after the wedding? When I get home, I’m throwing a party specifically just to see it for myself!"

  The surrounding devilesses from the 32nd Dimension erupted in laughter, which pleased her immensely. It felt like the old days.

  'It’s so good to feel like myself again!'

  One of them, a girl with raven-black hair, looked at her with a sympathetic smile.

  "It’s good to see that all the chaos at home hasn't gotten to you that much."

  A good number of the women gathered there nodded in agreement, their eyes softening with concern. While Alia was touched, she didn't want to dwell on matters regarding the Vow—at least not today.

  "Oh, you know. Just an unexpected life upheaval and the threat of assassination within the next few weeks. At least I haven't put on weight like Helena."

  Another roar of laughter followed. Clearly satisfied with herself, Alia decided to set the tone for the rest of the evening.

  "This dimension seems so holier-than-thou, but have you seen the quality of the alcohol they make here?"

  With a snap of her fingers, several bottles materialized from the cellar below, appearing right before the devilesses. Smiling mischievously, she began to rub her hands together.

  "They call it Kornbranntwein. Sweet as can be."

  Her guests eagerly began testing the specialty. Before long, tongues loosened, and the atmosphere grew more informal.

  "Alia, do you have any idea how hard it was to reach this godforsaken place?"

  "Exactly! And what’s with all the weird pressure and the... vegetation?!"

  "And only one city? Seriously?"

  The deviless, savoring a goblet of the summoned spirit, had no desire to listen to their griping. Without hesitation, she waved them off.

  "Hush, now! Enough complaining and expectations. This place isn't even a natural planet, and you’re all acting like spoiled debutantes! Tonight is about pure fun and emotion—especially emotion!"

  Several of her friends, already tipsy from the high-proof spirits, squealed with delight, raising their glasses. The prospect of a girls' night out, far away from home? It was irresistible.

  Less than half an hour later, suggestions were already flying to head out and paint the town red.

  The idea was met with roaring enthusiasm, and soon, a dozen devilesses from the 32nd Hell were caught in a whirlwind of getting ready. Almost all of them rose from the table at once, only adding to the chaos.

  Alia, her head already buzzing slightly, felt a hand settle on her shoulder.

  It was the raven-haired girl from earlier, one of her best friends. Her eyes were filled with genuine worry.

  "How are you really holding up through all this?"

  For a split second, a flash of sadness flickered in the Observer's violet eyes. The alcohol made it harder to maintain her perfect mask, but she quickly regained her composure.

  "What choice do I have but to accept it? The Head of the Family died during my generation, and the Vows are part of our law. At most, I can curse my own bad luck."

  She stood up and shook her head before adding one more thing.

  "Besides, I appreciate that my brother hasn't actually killed me yet."

  With a wink, she joined her friends who were chaotically shoving their way toward the door. The raven-haired girl watched her go, a grimace of deep pain crossing her face.

  The evening turned out to be an exceptional success for the devilesses. Even though Dimension 60 was deeply pious—where devotion to the King of Names and Symbols dominated the culture—it still had its own nightlife district.

  The local spirits were a hit among the women, and Alia truly let go, simply living in the moment. Perhaps for the first time since the turmoil back home began.

  They visited all the major hotspots in the district, which only fueled their desire to keep the party going. Finally, they found themselves standing before the most iconic building in the area: the city casino, bathed in the glow of red crystals.

  Looking at the massive sign inviting them in, the Observer felt a nagging sensation that there was something she should remember. However, the feeling was quickly drowned out by the enthusiastic shouts of her friends.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "Woo-hoo! Tonight we play!"

  "Fortune is ours!"

  They surged inside as a group. The decor was absolutely fantastic, and the devil waiters serving free drinks worked tirelessly to ensure no one sobered up.

  Alia, whose world was spinning more than it should have been, was pulled from place to place by her group. Only fragments of the surrounding conversations reached her.

  "Tsk, did you see that adept from the 64th Dimension bragging? Says no one can throw like him..."

  "And those devils?! How can anyone be that disgustingly rich?"

  "Dad, maybe you shouldn't bet Mom’s entire salary..."

  In her state, she didn't even notice when they reached the Devil’s Roulette table. Carried away by the group’s energy, she went all in, doubling her stakes. She’d show this pathetic dimension how a real player gambles!

  She picked the number that seemed the least likely and watched as the machine began to spin.

  To the accompaniment of her friends' laughter, she kept picking new numbers, not even bothering to check the previous results. The fun continued for a while, until certain phrases began to reach her—phrases that, for some reason, were quite sobering.

  "30,000 Devil Dollars!"

  "Alia, maybe we should really..."

  "70,000 Devil Dollars!"

  A headache and a sickening realization began to seep into her consciousness, and with them, the full picture finally came into focus. Her friends weren't laughing anymore.

  They stood there, absolutely paralyzed with fear, watching the Devil’s Roulette spin with stakes that had ballooned to astronomical proportions. Like a tidal wave, the memory of that earlier premonition hit Alia.

  Pale and sobering up rapidly, she remembered the greatest source of trouble in her entire life: her luck. Or lack thereof. Snippets of conversation from the crowd hit her again.

  "Red, 23!"

  "Come on... we’ll cover the costs!"

  "...I really shouldn't..."

  Watching the small roulette ball hop over the slowing numbers, Alia—the unluckiest deviless of the 32nd Dimension—visualized her impending doom in increasingly dark detail.

  'Forget the Vows—my brother will kill me himself if I lose this much money!'

  She looked around desperately, but none of her friends could help her. If she, a High Princess, couldn't dream of such a sum, what hope did they have?

  "Okay, I’m in, but..."

  "FASTER, FASTER!"

  "Less commentary, more playing!"

  The irritating voices of the other players didn't reach her anymore. All that mattered was that matte roulette ball. A ball that, like destiny itself, was heading straight for the number she had chosen.

  'Is there really no one to save me?!'

  Alia wanted to scream as her bad luck proved once again that it could make even the most miserable fate worse. The ball stopped exactly halfway into her chosen number.

  'No...'

  But before the wheel came to a complete stop and the deviless could collapse to her knees, something else happened. The wind blowing through the open windows gusted for a moment, and the nearly stationary ball suddenly hopped, landing in a different slot!

  A few devils—whose view was blocked by her group of friends—gasped for air, and the space around them cleared. Alia, staring at the parting crowd, still couldn't believe she had somehow survived.

  Exhausted from the sheer stress, she felt like breaking down, but she had to see. She had to see the person who had saved her.

  As her senses returned, she realized she felt a familiar aura. Someone who, in her eyes, had previously been of no importance whatsoever.

  Now, however, everything had changed. Her heart, which had been racing in terror, was now flooded with a massive wave of emotion. Gratitude toward her unknown savior, whose handsome yet awkward face came into view as the crowd finally vanished.

  "Dammit, I knew it would end like this."

  Surrounded by a group of shocked, filthy-rich Sarmatians, stood the man she had seen masked at the poet Deviliar’s party. Someone she hadn't paid any attention to in the arena, who had now proven to be the only person unluckier than her.

  That person was, of course, none other than Justinian, whom the Noble Brothers had dragged out for some late-night relaxation before the competition. Alia didn't notice how his companions were looking at him in utter horror, or how the casino staff were practically salivating at the diamond-encrusted belts of Rudnicki standing nearby.

  Rescued from a horrific fate, she felt a warmth envelop her frozen, terrified body. From her pounding heart, it spread to her stomach, moved to her limbs, and finally washed over her back.

  She didn't know what to call this feeling, but she knew it was powerful.

  The warmth didn't stop for a second, eventually transforming into a magic that no one in the casino felt but her. It manifested in the air above her head, causing her expression to shift from disbelief to... immense relief!

  It was a sign: an image of a grey, tear-shaped crystal, radiating immense power and symbolizing the fulfillment of ancient treaties.

  The Third Vow of the Observer Alia was complete!

  At the same time, in the Observers' residence, Dolovarius was busy planning the coming days. According to the mission entrusted to them, he had to ensure that her "Damned Highness" Alia achieved the Third Vow.

  He feared thinking about the consequences that might befall his own bright prospects should they fail. Even though the difficulty of the situation was acknowledged in the 32nd Dimension—even by the new Head of the Family—he didn't think that would serve as a valid excuse.

  'If his sister has to be assasinated because of me, I’ll be dead long before Alia is...'

  With that thought, Dolovarius couldn't help but curse the ancient compromise meant to secure the bloodline of the new Head of the Family. Clenching his fists, he explored various ideas that might trigger a surge of intense emotion in the girl.

  And then, it happened.

  One of the scrolls given to him by the Head of the Family began to vibrate violently, signaling the unexpected. The devil reached for it, startled, only to see that alongside the two Vows imposed by the clan, Alia’s personal Third Vow had appeared.

  "This..."

  His face, initially a mask of pure disbelief, quickly morphed into a reflection of unstoppable euphoria! Dolovarius wanted to burst into loud laughter, but he was stopped by the echo of absolute power manifesting within the residence.

  The devil immediately dropped to his knees, bowing before a dark rift in space.

  "Magnificent work, Dolovarius!"

  "I live to serve, Head of the Family."

  The figure beyond the rift ignored the comment, though the good mood was palpable in their voice.

  "With the problem of the Vow resolved, my sister will be able to survive the coming years. As for the content itself..."

  The voice hesitated for a moment, and Dolovarius felt a bead of sweat involuntarily break out on his temple. The content of the Third Vow was, to put it mildly, rather peculiar.

  The devil was preparing an explanation, but the voice wouldn't allow it.

  "The content is the absolute icing on the cake. It’s a wonderful safeguard for the future!"

  And so, the day of the second competition arrived.