The gates to Kasu's realm creaked as Yume and Asmodeus stepped inside, a cold wind swirling around them. Shadows stretched in every direction within the palace.

When they entered Kasu's throne room, Yume's gaze found Kasu standing atop an elevated platform, his silver eyes shining like the moon in the night. The air between them was thick with tension; something unspoken hung in every moment they spent together.

Yume, always the loyal protector, stood by Asmodeus's side the demon lord of  lust, manupalition and forbidden knowledge. Kasu's posture stiffened the moment he saw them together. His piercing gaze locked onto Yume, his silver eyes burning with a mixture of confusion and rage. The bitterness of unspoken words was about to overflow.

Yume lowered his head slightly, but his voice remained steady. "Kasu," he began, his tone more resolute than ever. "I want to stay with Asmodeus."

The words hung heavy in the air, loaded with implication. Kasu's eyes flared, his horns emerging as they often did when emotions ran high. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, every muscle radiating fury.

"You cannot leave my side, Yume," Kasu growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You are my protector. You belong with me. Not with him."

Yume stood firm, his heart pounding in his chest, but he did not flinch under Kasu's stare. Instead, he met Kasu's intense gaze. "I know," Yume replied softly. "But I have an idea neither of you will like." He paused, then shifted his eyes toward Asmodeus, locking eyes with him. "Isn't your realm close to ours, Asmodeus?"

Asmodeus raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two. A faint smile curved his lips. "Yes, it is near your realm. Why?"

Yume's gaze flickered between Asmodeus and Kasu, the weight of his next words pressing down on him. He had chosen this path, but it would lead him down a road of no return.

"I was thinking maybe we could move our border to your realm," Yume said, his voice a little nervous but trying to keep steady.

The words sliced through the silence, heavy with unspoken meaning. Kasu's eyes narrowed dangerously. His anger, once boiling, now darkened into something far more sinister.

"Hmm," Kasu muttered, his gaze fixing on Asmodeus. "I don't like him," he said, venom dripping from his voice. "But his power... that could be useful. So I say yes to the idea. What do you say, Asmodeus?"

Asmodeus's smile never faded. He seemed to relish the chaos of the moment, like a spider savoring the stillness before it traps its prey. "An intriguing proposal," he said softly, his voice a seductive whisper. "I will consider it if it brings me closer to what I desire."

Kasu's lips twisted into a small, knowing smile, but it was cold. "As long as Yume and I can remain close," he said, his voice carrying a restrained demand. "I have no objection."

Yume's heart ached hearing those words. Kasu's demands his possessiveness were clear. But Yume could only stare back, the distance between them growing as his soul longed for something else, something more than the cold ruler who would never open his heart to him.

A weight settled in Yume's chest. He feared this might shatter the fragile threads of his bond with Kasu, yet he knew it was something he had to do even if it meant losing something he wasn't sure he could live without.

"You have made your choice, Yume," Kasu said coldly, though a faint, indistinct glimmer lingered in his eyes. "But remember, this does not change what you mean to me."

Yume nodded, even as the pain in his chest grew with every second. "I know," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "But maybe it's time to let go."

Asmodeus stepped forward, his presence a dark, unsettling contrast to the heavy atmosphere.
"It's alright, my beloved," he said, kissing Yume's cheek before turning to Kasu with a smirk. "But I agree to this... for now."

The tension among them was palpable, like the calm before a storm. Kasu stood there, his expression unreadable, but the anger simmered just beneath the surface. Yume could feel it sense Kasu's gaze lingering on him, despite having given his approval.

"Then it is decided," Kasu finally said, his voice hard and his eyes cold. "But remember, Yume, you belong to me you are my protector, even if you try to break free."

Yume said nothing, but inside, emotions raged between his loyalty to Kasu and his desire for the freedom he had longed for. He could no longer return to what had been—not anymore.

Two months later — A baby on the way
Note: Selene can accelerate the birth of her child, which is why only two months have passed!

Yume and Asmodeus lay naked in bed, wrapped in each other's arms, their lips meeting in soft kisses. It was a moment of calm, a moment where they could lose themselves in each other and escape everything that shaped their lives. But the peaceful atmosphere was suddenly broken when the door creaked open. Kasu stood in the doorway, his silver eyes glinting coldly.

"Oh, sorry, did I interrupt something?" Kasu said, his tone as chilly as his gaze as he looked at the two demons in the bed.

Asmodeus frowned, his eyes blazing with anger. "There's something called knocking," he growled, glaring at Kasu. His body was tense with irritation.

Kasu ignored Asmodeus's sharp tone, his focus entirely on Yume. "You could have locked the door if you didn't want to be disturbed," he said, his voice still calm but carrying an undercurrent of jealousy and menace. He didn't take his eyes off Yume, as if he had some right to be there, as if interrupting them like this was no big deal.

Yume, trying not to let the awkward situation affect him, sat up in bed and looked at Kasu. A pang of pain hit his heart a reminder of all the unspoken feelings that always hung between them. Kasu was his lord, the loyalty of his life, but also a constant source of pain for Yume.

"Kasu," Yume began, his voice low but firm, "what is it? What do you want?"

Kasu stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He walked up to the bed and stopped in front of Yume. There was seriousness in his eyes, a worry Yume wasn't used to seeing there. "I need you by my side in my part of the realm," he said quickly, not giving Yume a chance to interrupt. "Selene is about to give birth soon, and I want you here with us. I need you close in case my father decides to make a move."

Yume felt his heart pound harder, but he glanced at Asmodeus before answering. Asmodeus's face was hard, his eyes filled with displeasure and a jealousy he didn't even try to hide.

Yume knew Kasu never asked for help without good reason, and there was something in Kasu's voice that made Yume feel this was bigger than just a request for assistance.

Asmodeus remained silent, but Yume could feel the heavy tension between him and Kasu. The room was charged with their shared anger. "I have to go," Yume said at last, his voice calm but resolute.

Kasu knew he couldn't force Yume to stay longer than he wished, but he was determined to keep him close.

Asmodeus lay silently in the bed, his hands clenched, but he said nothing—just looked at Yume with a gaze that expressed both anger and desire.

"We'll see each other soon," Yume said to Asmodeus before rising from the bed. He dressed in a black lace shirt that caressed his skin and a pair of loose black pants that fluttered lightly as he moved. His heart felt heavy; it was as if he was leaving something behind—something he didn't want to leave but knew he must.

"Farewell, my beloved," Asmodeus said, his voice filled with a vulnerable longing, his eyes full of a passion impossible to ignore. "Come here before you go." His words were not just a command but a plea for closeness, a desperate need to hold on to Yume.

Yume did not hesitate but stepped forward. Asmodeus pulled him close with a grip that was both gentle and powerful at once. Their lips met in a kiss that was more than a farewell; it spoke of all the feelings they held back the passion and pain that had never truly had a chance to bloom in their relationship.

Asmodeus held him for a long time, as if unwilling to let go, stroking Yume's back. He finally released him, and Yume turned to leave but paused for a brief moment to meet Asmodeus's gaze once more. "I'll come back to your kindom soon," he whispered, even though part of him doubted it. It was a promise to both Asmodeus and himself, even if he wasn't sure he could keep it.

As Yume turned toward the door, his eyes caught Kasu's cold, almost hateful stare. Kasu stood motionless, his face filled with anger and frustration.

Asmodeus's smile was small but defiant. He looked at Kasu with a spark of understanding—perhaps even gloating. "See you soon darling," he said.