"Give me ten minutes to make myself presentable," Jessica said, heading for the door with new determination. "I'll meet you at the administrative building."

She paused at the door and looked back at Satou. "And for the record, if she tries anything inappropriate, I'm not going to be diplomatic about it. Demon lord or not, you're mine—ours," she corrected, glancing at Lyra. "And I don't share with predators."

She left before either of them could respond to that fierce declaration.

Lyra watched her go with clear approval. "She's got spine. Good. We'll need it." She turned to Satou with a more serious expression. "How do you feel? After last night with Jessica, I mean. No regrets? No concerns?"

"No regrets," Satou said immediately. "It felt right. Natural. She's important to me, and being with her like that... it only made that feeling stronger."

"Good," Lyra said. She stood and crossed to him, her hand cupping his cheek gently. "I meant what I said to Jessica. I'm happy for you both. For all three of us. What we're building together is unconventional, but it's ours, and it works."

She kissed him softly. "Now let's go face a predatory demon lord and show her that you're not available for collection. We'll protect what's ours."

"Together," Satou agreed.

"Always," Lyra confirmed. "Now, you need to change too. Not your normal practical clothing—something that makes you look like a demon lord. You need to project power and status."

"I don't have anything like that," Satou pointed out.

"Yes, you do. I had it made last week in anticipation of exactly this kind of situation." Lyra pulled out a bundle she'd been carrying—dark fabric that looked expensive and well-crafted. "Put this on. It's designed to complement your draconic features rather than hide them. Make you look powerful and slightly dangerous, which is exactly the image we want."

Satou unfolded the clothing—a long coat made of material that seemed to shift color depending on the angle, echoing his iridescent scales. The cut was elegant but practical, allowing for movement while looking formal. There were subtle patterns worked into the fabric that looked like scales or dragon wings, depending on how the light hit them.

"When did you have time to commission this?" Satou asked.

"I'm an administrator," Lyra replied. "I plan for contingencies. One of the rescued women used to be a seamstress before her village was destroyed. I gave her a project, she gave us this. Now put it on. We have maybe fifteen minutes before keeping Seraphine waiting becomes an insult rather than appropriate protocol."

Satou changed quickly, and Lyra helped him adjust the coat properly. When he looked at himself in the small mirror he kept for basic grooming, he barely recognized his reflection.

The coat emphasized his transformed appearance—the iridescent scales, the glowing eyes,. But more than that, it made him look like someone who belonged in demon lord circles. Someone powerful and important, not just a goblin who'd gotten lucky.

"Perfect," Lyra said with satisfaction. "Now you look the part. Come on, we need to set up the receiving chamber."

"The receiving chamber?" Satou repeated. "We don't have a receiving chamber."

"We do now. I converted one of the meeting rooms this morning after Seraphine arrived. Basic furniture repositioning, but it'll serve. The important part is projecting confidence and control. This is your territory. She's the visitor. That gives you certain advantages, and we're going to use all of them."

—--

They made their way to the administrative building, where Lyra had indeed transformed one of the meeting rooms. The normal scattered furniture had been reorganized into something more formal—a large chair at one end that served as a throne of sorts, with two smaller but still elegant chairs flanking it. The windows had been opened to allow light in, and someone had even added some decorative elements that must have been stored away.

Jessica arrived moments later, and Satou was impressed to see she'd also transformed herself in record time. Gone was the wrinkled blue dress. She now wore her healing robes, but they'd been cleaned and pressed, and she'd added a sash that marked her as the settlement's chief healer. Her hair was pulled back in a professional braid, and her whole demeanor had shifted from the soft, vulnerable woman from this morning to a competent medical authority.

Though Satou could still see the love marks on her neck, partially visible above her collar. A subtle reminder of their intimacy that made something possessive stir in his chest.

"I figured if we're presenting ourselves as his partners, we should look like we have our own power and authority," Jessica explained. "Not just arm candy for the demon lord."

"Exactly right," Lyra approved. "We're not subservient. We're equals who've chosen to stand with him. That's the message we want to send."

Cassius materialized from the shadows, his vampire features composed but his posture tense. "Lord Satou. The fourth-seat grows impatient. She's suggesting that if you're not ready to receive her soon, perhaps she should simply tour the settlement herself to 'get a feel for the place.'"

"That's a threat," Lyra said immediately. "She's saying she'll wander around unsupervised, talking to our people, potentially corrupting them or gathering intelligence. We need to receive her now."

"Bring her here," Satou said, settling into the throne-like chair. It felt presumptuous, but Lyra was right—he needed to project authority. "Lyra, Jessica, please sit."

Both women took their flanking positions. Lyra's posture was perfect administrative poise. Jessica looked more tense, but her expression was determined—the fierce protectiveness from earlier still evident.

"Remember," Lyra said quietly. "Be polite but firm. Don't accept any gifts without examining them for magical compulsions. Don't make any agreements without exact terms. And whatever you do, don't look into her eyes for too long—corrupted angels have abilities that work through sustained eye contact."

"Wonderful," Satou muttered.

Cassius vanished to collect Seraphine, and they had perhaps two minutes of tense waiting.

Then the doors opened.

Seraphine the Corrupted entered, and the entire atmosphere of the room changed.

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