"We had this dress secretly made for you to surprise you on your twenty-fourth birthday coming up soon."
Eve stood before the small, floor-length mirror and admired how decent and beautiful the dress was. It wasn't as expensive or flashy as Kira's blue gown, but it was the prettiest dress she had ever worn—and it felt like the only one she might ever get to wear in her life.
The dress was long-sleeved and fell a little above the knee, paired with matching flat purple shoes. Tiny gemstones were sprinkled across the fabric, and she loved how Kira had styled her long, dark brown waist-length hair into a lovely updo, with a few stray strands falling across her face. The matching nude lipstick and light makeup enhanced her natural beauty so much that it nearly brought her to tears.
Though the dress wasn't exactly Devil God Celebration-worthy, it should be enough to turn a few heads her way tonight—
And preferably, his.
The one she was risking being thrown out onto the streets by the Head Nun for, if they were ever caught.
She would love it so much if her first appearance before him was powerful enough to draw his attention. And if she dared to be ambitious about it—he would find her irresistible and fall madly in love with her at first sight, just like she had for him, even without knowing how he really looked.
"Since I was the one who contributed the most to this dress," Kira said with a soft smile, "I think I have the right to give it to you a few days before we originally planned to surprise you."
Eve didn't like that Kira was really serious about separating herself from her other triplets. They had been inseparable since birth, and she would hate it if they stopped talking to one another just because of a few hurtful words exchanged on the day of the Devil God's ceremony.
"And it fits you perfectly. You've always been the most endowed among all twenty-six of us here, Evie. Though we don't say it to your face, we've always been secretly fascinated and proud of you."
Touched by her sudden choice of words, Eve turned around to look at her sister—slightly taller than her. The pain hiding behind her glossy eyes... Eve saw it clearly, no matter how hard Kira tried to mask it.
She pulled Kira into a warm hug, and for a moment, it made Kira burst into heavy tears—tears that brought a shimmer to Eve's eyes as well.
"It's okay," Eve whispered, "I'm proud to have all twenty-six of you as my siblings and family. I love you all to the moon and back."
She held Kira's small gloved hands in hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. For a moment, she wondered how long they had all secretly admired her—when all this time, she'd thought she was invisible to them.
"And I would never trade you all for anything."
That made Kira sniff, then smile, and they both nodded at each other in support.
"Demonlord Raha's carriage will be arriving down at the end of Lem's Street."
"Lem's Street?" Eve's eyes widened slightly in alarm at the distance—and at the horror of having to walk that far in the night.
"I'm so sorry," Kira said quickly, "but he wasn't willing to come any closer. He's always considered this district of Hell—mostly populated with humans—beneath him. We're forever poor and insignificant in the eyes of most demons. I tried my best to plead with him…"
Eve nodded in understanding. A little exercise before a party didn't sound so bad if they walked the walk together.
"Also, Kira," Eve added gently, "you need to apologize to both Maya and Gwen once we get back. Gwen really didn't do anything that terrible for you to say something like that to her. And you should know that Maya didn't mean to sound ungrateful, either…"
She paused. If she wanted to start being the elder sister figure she was meant to be—it had to start now.
She needed to know everything. Especially about their secret rendezvous with demonlords—not just average demons, but lords.
"…How did it even get so bad that the three of you started messing around with demonlords, Kira?"
Kira stared down in shame as another tear slipped down her cheek.
"I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to lash out at them like that, but…" Her voice cracked, "We've always been looked down upon by demons and witches for being human. It only makes it worse that we're orphans—being raised by nuns who support the angels."
She sniffled.
"I hated it so much… when our neighbors and others would talk shit about me, Maya, Gwen—even you—for being unwanted and abandoned since birth. I wanted to prove them wrong. I wanted to show them we could be valued enough to be recognized. That we could get invited to a place like the Red Castle."
Her voice trembled with emotion.
"We nobodies… getting exclusive invitations to party with nobles, royals, and honored guests—while the ones who mocked us have to celebrate in the streets or from their tiny homes. I just… I wanted to show them. Shut them up for once.
And I guess I went too far… didn't I?"
She cried harder, breaking down completely in front of Eve—who also had tears of her own rolling down her cheeks.
Eve pulled her sister back into her arms, heart aching at the heartbreak in her cries. She hated this life just as much as they did.
She hugged her tightly as they both wept—and Eve deeply wished their lives were better.
That they had been born—if not into royalty—at least into a home with love and enough wealth to keep them comfortable.
Where they didn't have to eat dry bread and cold soup every day.
Where they didn't have to sleep hungry just to conserve food.
Where they could get what they wanted without blood, tears, or painful sacrifices.
A life that wouldn't end so soon.
One that wouldn't leave her family behind.
If anything… she truly hoped tonight would be worth all the risks and sacrifices.
A turning point in these cruel chapters of their lives.
As she held her sister close and comforted her, Eve imagined—
What if she really did captivate the Demon King tonight?
What if, with just one move, he chose her as his—
And made her Queen of Hell?
If that happened…
Hers, Kira's, Maya's, and Gwen's lives would never be the same again.