Seven Devils and a Rose

"That's all the information we've gathered," Victor said, his voice deep yet soft to the ear. "It's understood that there seems to be an abnormality going on with the Aurora barrier, not only in Acaedien, but that of the Forbidden Forest, Wulin, Yamato, Lyria, and many other smaller kingdoms as well."

Ethan said, "I've been in contact with Aslan. He's putting his best people to the task in researching the phenomenon."

Folding his arms across his chest, Aaron said, "I hope this isn't a sign of shit happening again, as it did two thousand years ago."

Geoffrey glanced at his younger brother, his face grim. Of course, they all knew that Aaron was referring to the apocalypse that had nearly destroyed their world.

Noah said, "At this point, though without much evidence, I can confidently say that it's very unlikely. This feels more like someone naughty is experimenting with the barrier."

Felix folded his arms across his chest and asked, "What are you implying, Noah?"

"That someone powerful is tampering with the barrier?" Caleb cocked his head to one side.

"Why would anyone do that?" Aaron stated. "The barrier has been stabilizing our world for two thousand years now. Without it, we're all in deep shit. Why would anyone risk another world disaster by tinkering with the barrier?"

Geoffrey said, "There are all sorts of powerful beings out there, and not all of them have the Aurora Realm's best interests at heart."

"That is true," Victor said from the screen. "Speaking of which, congratulations on succeeding with the Bandits Suppression Campaign."

Ethan said, "According to the report, Prince Philip was involved again. What the fuck is wrong with that bastard? He seems to be stirring shit up ever so often."

Felix shrugged his broad shoulders. "He's probably still pissed off with us for what we did."

Caleb sighed. "That was two thousand years ago. It's not like she wanted to stay with him, for God's sake."

"He's a narcissistic bastard," Noah said. "Who'd want to stay with a narcissistic bastard?"

Geoffrey said, looking at Felix, "It can't be helped with what's already been done. Personally, I'd like to think he's pissed with you, who destroyed his entire city a few months back, Felix."

Felix shrugged his shoulders again. "Hey, he fucked with us first. What a petty man, going as low as to steal…" The lord had a dark expression on his face. "I just gave him a warning. And besides, it was a crap, impoverished city. His people were starving and dying, and Philip didn't give a fuck. I ordered my men to evacuate the residents before I unleased my rampage. Furthermore, we were kind enough to offer them our kingdom as home."

Geoffrey said, "Which they happily accepted and increased the population of our nation. Did I tell you that it added quite a bit of a workload onto my staff?"

Victor said, "It's great that Felix's untamed rage and his inability to think about the long-term consequences of his rash actions actually helped those poor citizens of McFarland, but I still think it's unreasonable to destroy a whole city just because of a necklace."

"It was her necklace," Felix said. "It's all that we have left of her. It was a part of her, and when she was gone, with Philip taking her body with him, I… Yuki was important to us, and I just can't…"

The moment that name was said aloud, all seven lords tensed and a dark atmosphere descended upon the room.

Felix said, "Sorry. I just kind of…"

Everyone understood when it came to this woman named Yuki Hoshi—dubbed Beautiful Snow or known simply as Snow because of her strangely alluring beauty of dark hair, pale complexion, and blood-red lips—all seven lords would be affected. Felix was the most sensitive because he had always been the closest to her. After all, they were like yin and yang, with Felix retaining so much dark qi and Yuki so much pure qi.

"Yuki, eh?" Geoffrey said. "I've not spoken her name for so long." He sounded nostalgic. "And yet I still think of her constantly."

Aaron said, "And you still sound like a lovesick pup, even though it has been two thousand years and you're one of the masters of a kingdom."

Geoffrey chuckled. "It can't be helped. Yuki was… just Yuki. It can't be denied that she was special, not only to us, but to everyone who survived the apocalypse. Thanks to her and all of the Great Ones, our realm was saved from an imminent end."

All seven lords agreed with that.

Fact was they all had loved Yuki Hoshi of the Kingdom Yamato once, not simply as someone who was dear to them, but as a woman they were willing to give their hearts, souls, and lives to. But of course, Yuki's own heart was taken by that narcissistic Prince Philip McFarland of the McFarland Kingdom. Before any of them could confess their love for her, she was announced engaged to the bastard. Then again, none of the seven lords had been confident in the fact that she'd ever return their love, due to numerous reasons. Aside from the fact that the seven lords had never gotten along until two thousand years ago, their physical appearances back then were anything but something to be admired. Well, they were demon lords, after all, and the mere sight of their tanned, bulky bodies, two prominent horns protruding from their foreheads, sharp fangs, and demonic tails sticking out of their backsides was enough to send most running in the opposite direction. Comparing them to what appeared to be the handsome, charming Prince Philip McFarland had been like comparing a pile of dirt with a polished diamond.

Despite having their hearts broken, the seven lords continued to treat Yuki with love and care. Of course, after her marriage to Philip, she had always come running back to them when she couldn't bear the man's overwhelming, arrogant behavior, and it'd be either Felix or Caleb who'd volunteer to beat the crap out of the prince to keep him in line.

When Yuki had sacrificed herself for the greater good, Philip had blamed the seven lords for using her as a pawn to gain world dominance, which was bullshit. Without the seven demon lords' dark qi, along with King Aslan McTavish of the Forbidden Forest and Prince Maximus Kavanagh of Lyria, combined with the pure qi from the nine Great Ones, Yuki being one of them, who had volunteered to sacrifice themselves, Aurora Realm would have disappeared into nothing but dust and gas, floating in the cosmos. But of course, Philip had refused to believe that their world was ending, despite the fact that the realm was breaking, collapsing, and exploding, killing hundreds and thousands of creatures right before their eyes. Now, what remained of the Aurora Realm was only one-fourth of its original size.