My Wives are Beautiful Demons

The soft light of the paper lanterns cast elongated shadows on the dark wooden walls, creating a serene but tension-filled atmosphere. The subtle scent of sandalwood incense mingled with the aroma of freshly brewed tea, filling the air with an almost illusory calm.

Vergil was sitting in a Japanese-style room, spacious and impeccably organized. The floor was covered with perfectly aligned tatami mats, and in the center was a low black wooden table, polished to the point of reflecting the room's flickering light. In front of him, on the table, rested two delicate porcelain cups, each filled with steaming, fragrant tea.

In front of him, sitting with impeccable posture, was Raphaeline.

Her dark blue and gold kimono hugged her body elegantly, the fabric shimmering subtly in the soft light of the lanterns. The pattern of golden waves embroidered on the silk contrasted with the depth of the blue, giving it an almost ethereal air.

Her long black hair was tied up in a bun, with a few strands falling softly over her shoulders. Her lavender eyes watched him serenely, as if they were analyzing every nuance of his expression.

Although internally she was burning with shame, she was maintaining the posture of a Demon Queen!

Vergil leaned forward slightly, picking up the cup without haste. His cold but curious gaze did not stray from the woman in front of him.

"So..." He broke the silence, his voice laden with a slight irony. "What do you mean... I don't know where Nyx is?"

He brought the cup to his lips, blowing out the steam slightly before taking a sip.

Raphaeline kept the same calm countenance, holding her own cup with delicacy. Her movements were graceful, as if each gesture was rehearsed to exude an almost irritating perfection.

"Just what I said." Her voice was soft, but carried an enigmatic tone.

A fountain of running water broke the monotony, while the light breeze made the leaves of a cherry tree sway gently, casting dancing shadows across the translucent paper doors.

Vergil tilted his head slightly, tapping one of his fingers against the surface of the table in a slow, rhythmic beat. His penetrating gaze dug even deeper into Raphaeline's eyes, searching for any trace of a lie or hesitation.

"You understand that's not the answer I want to hear, right?" Not even Vergil believed the conversation he was having with her, after all... she was more aggressive with him... but now... her calmness in delivering bad news made him wonder if she was... right in the head.

A small smile appeared on the woman's lips, but it wasn't one of nervousness. It was the expression of someone who was slightly amused by the situation, as if she were playing with a caged lion. "I know, and you understand that I don't give a damn what you want, right?"

Vergil blinked several times... it seemed that... he had done something for his mother-in-law...

"... Raphaeline... Did I do something?" Vergil asked, after all, it didn't seem like she didn't have any information, she just didn't want to talk...

"I don't know, did you?" she asked, looking straight into his eyes.

The tension in the room grew like a silent storm. The slight clink of porcelain cups echoed, mixing with the distant sound of running water. The breeze through the translucent paper doors seemed to have grown colder, or perhaps it was just Vergil's perception, who now felt a different pressure coming from Raphaeline.

She wasn't joking. Or rather, she was, but in a different way. It wasn't the usual sharp sarcasm or aggression disguised as acid humor. It was something new, something more subtle.

Vergil rested his cup on the table with a controlled movement, narrowing his eyes.

"If I had done something, you would have already shown it with your expression, after all, you can't help yourself when you're nervous." He said, leaning back slightly. "Which leads me to believe that you're having fun at my expense."

Raphaeline took another sip of her tea before letting out a long, exaggerated sigh.

"I should be surprised that you're so self-conscious, but..." She tilted her head to the side, her lavender eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. "I already know your ego very well."

Vergil raised an eyebrow. "So...?" He asked, waiting for her to explain herself.

"So, I could tell you what you want to know, but..." She rested the cup on the table gently, sliding a finger along the edge of the porcelain. "I'd rather see how far your patience goes."

Vergil was silent for a moment. The corner of his mouth lifted in an almost imperceptible smile. "Are you trying to annoy me?"

Raphaeline interlaced her fingers under her chin, leaning forward slightly.

"Let's just say I'm evaluating how much you really want this information."

Vergil let out a small laugh through his nose, running one hand through his hair.

"You know I could just get the answer out of you, right?"

"You could try." She replied, her smile taking on a dangerous tone. "But you know that if I drew my sword, we'd be one Demon King short."

The two stared at each other for a few moments, like predators studying each other.

The tension, once subtle, was now charged, like an electric field about to burst into thunder. But then, suddenly, Raphaeline looked away, picking up her cup again and taking a sip as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway, don't worry so much, darling." She said, her voice returning to a more casual tone. "Nyx isn't missing... exactly." She gave a small smile, crossing her legs elegantly. "But... well, I'd love to negotiate that information."

Vergil crossed his arms, his patience wearing thin. "Judging by the way you're going about it, you seem to want something directly from me. So come on, tell me straight. Do you want Yamato? I must warn you that my sword can't be sold, it's a spirit blade."

Raphaeline tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into an enigmatic smile. "Hm? Ah, I gave up collecting swords after you just beat me in that stupid contest. I mean... I was used as a prize, so technically I'm yours."

Vergil frowned. Her tone was so casual that it bordered on indifference. That was strange.

He blinked a few times, studying Raphaeline's expression. There was no sarcasm there. Just a calmness that made him even more suspicious.

"So... what do you want?" he asked, genuinely confused.

Raphaeline looked away for a brief moment, biting her lower lip slightly. Then, with a long sigh, she faced him again.

"A date."

The last word came out lower than she had intended, and a slight pink tint tinged her cheeks.

Vergil blinked again. After everything he had expected to hear, that was definitely not on the list.

Vergil's expression remained neutral for a few seconds, as if his brain was slowly processing what he had just heard. Then he blinked, tilting his head slightly.

"Wait... what?"

Raphaeline, now completely flushed, lightly tapped her fingertips on the table, looking away as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"You heard me." She said, trying to sound firm, but the redness on her face betrayed her composure. "If you want to know where Nyx is, you'll have to go out with me. A date. Dinner, a walk, maybe a visit to a Japanese temple under a cherry tree... something romantic."

Vergil simply stared at the woman in front of him as if she had just asked him to burn Hell down and rebuild it with his own hands.

"Raphaeline..." He took a deep breath, rubbing his temple. "Are you really using the location of a Primordial Goddess as a bargaining chip to force me to go out with you?"

She slammed her hands down on the table, finally facing him with her eyes blazing. "Yes! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting? How many hints I've thrown around? How many provocative outfits I've worn just for you to ignore? I've even tried aphrodisiac perfume and YOU DON'T REACT!"

Vergil winked. "Wait, was that an aphrodisiac perfume?"

Raphaeline's eyes widened for a moment before she snorted, crossing her arms tightly. "Do you think I naturally smell of carnal desire? For heaven's sake, Vergil!"

He wiped his hand across his face, sighing. "I thought it was just your natural smell..."

"Are you kidding me?"

Silence reigned between them for a moment.

Raphaeline leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, looking at him with an almost defiant expression. "Come on, Vergil. One dinner. Just one. I'll put the information in the middle of the conversation. Easy. No pain. You pretend to enjoy yourself and that's it."

Vergil squeezed his eyes shut, feeling that he was being involved in a highly manipulative scheme.

"You're blackmailing me with Nyx's location."

"Yes."

"That's one of the most ridiculous things."

"Blame yourself for torturing me. And stop pretending you don't know what I'm talking about. You left me like this to punish me for almost selling my daughter for a sword! I've changed, okay? She's stayed with me, she's spent more time with me, I've been a good mother!!!"

Another silence.

Vergil sighed heavily, slumping his shoulders a little. "Right. Let's go on a date."

Raphaeline narrowed her eyes. "And a walk afterwards."

He rolled his eyes. "Okay. Dinner and a walk."

"And maybe a dance."

"Raphaeline..."

"What? I want to enjoy it, I'm not iron!" She crossed her arms, puffing out her cheeks in a slight pout. "Besides, you'll end up having fun, I promise."

Vergil sighed, finally leaning back and picking up his cup of tea, taking a long sip as if trying to ease the impending headache.

Raphaeline smiled triumphantly.

"So, where is Nyx?" he asked, without much hope.

She smiled even wider. "Oh, I'll tell you that only at the end of the meeting."

Vergil almost broke the cup in his hand.

'Shit! I've been caught in my own trap!!!' Vergil thought, beginning to regret making Raphaeline a good mother to his wife...

Good mother my ass!