Baator Hell Promotion

"Ms. Maiare?" Hopper searched for the name. It sounded like Lati's grandmother was a famous noblewoman, but the succubus had never heard of her. Perhaps it was because she was an exiled noble, famous only in a specific field, and not well-known to the general public.

"Hmph, 'Miasma' Maiare," the woman Professor Biguan called Naomi uttered a disdainful response, but did not refute him further. "Alright then, I'll go get her some medicine and have the nurses take turns guarding outside the door. If there are any problems, they'll let me know."

Professor Biguan stepped aside to let Naomi pass. Hopper finally saw her true face. Without being modest, she believed she had seen most high-level succubi before, and perhaps even Vera couldn't match her in this regard. But when she met Naomi, she felt she had been overconfident.

Lady Naomi and her tiefling sorcerer wore similar white gauze gowns, distinguished only by a bright red heart medallion on their chests. She was undoubtedly a succubus, but she was a world apart from ordinary succubi. Generally speaking, succubi are innate warriors. Whether or not they are skilled at exploiting their beauty, they are always imbued with a fierce, bloodthirsty aura, as dangerous as the battlefield itself, and this danger only enhances their beauty.

But Naomi was completely different. A faint silver light emanated from her, her face a sad yet gentle expression, and her long flaxen hair was tied into a convenient braid at the back of her head. If it weren't for her gray wings and pure gold pupils, Hopper would have almost mistaken her for an ordinary healer. Even after he'd assumed she was a succubus, her aura still made Hopper mistake her for some celestial being rather than a demon.

"Ah, Ms. Naomi, this is Miss Hopper," Professor Bi Guan said, turning around and spotting the newcomer. "I asked her to come. She's Miss Lati's teammate, and they passed the combat course together. I didn't find any signs of infection in her, which is one of the reasons I insisted on a thorough investigation of Miss Lati's belongings rather than attributing them to the combat course."

"Ms. Hopper, this is Ms. Raheenaomi, the healer of Torchhold."

Hopper lifted her skirt and curtsied before Lady Naomi, her heart swirling with emotion. A Raha! Raha, also known as a Glowing Demon, was one of Grand Duke Bileel's treasures. Had it not been for Torchhold, Hopper might never have seen one. Unlike other succubi obsessed with battle and conspiracy, Glowing Demons were Grand Duke Bileel's mockery of Heaven. Their sole purpose was to provide healing to warriors returning from their glorious journeys in Grand Duke Bileel's palace. It was said that as long as one still had their head, a single night with a Glowing Demon could restore them to their former state.

However, the number of Yaomo is extremely small, and Grand Duke Birel only grants this honor to a very small number of concubines who are loyal to him but whom he does not want to favor anymore. No demon has ever reported seeing Raha outside Birel's palace.

It seems that all the Grand Dukes have indeed placed their own helpers in Ember Keep.

"Hello, Miss Hopper, I've always wanted to meet you, but there's never been a suitable opportunity." Ms. Naomi didn't show any arrogance because of her status. On the contrary, she seemed very interested in Hopper.

"It's my honor." Hopper wasn't foolish enough to ask why. She likely wanted to understand the reasons behind a rare, promoted succubus. She reached out her hands and shook Naomi's. The healer's hands were warm and soft. "Thank you so much for helping Lati. I'm worried about her situation now."

Yaomo shifted to allow Hopper closer to Lati. An empty, pungent bowl sat on the bedside table, and a candle was lit nearby, though it was invisible in Yaomo's light. Lati lay beneath two quilts, her eyes tightly closed. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and her delicate, silver-gray skin had lost its luster, like a burnt piece of charcoal.

"She's passed the chills and high fever phase. I gave her some willow bark infusion, and it's under control now," Ms. Naomi consoled. "Cambion has a strong vitality. I believe Miss Lati will be well again soon."

"As for her roommates, I've checked them all and found none to be infected. Just in case, they've all been moved to the dorm next door. Come to the herbal medicine room later and I'll give you a detailed checkup."

Ms. Naomi left with the two tiefling nurses. Professor Biguan followed without saying anything. The remaining tiefling nurse saluted Hopper and retreated to the door.

Hopper walked closer. After the demon's light faded, Lati looked pale and her lips were chapped in the candlelight. The demon picked up a towel from the copper basin on the ground and tried to wipe her sweat. Before he could get close to her face, his wrist was grabbed.

Lati's eyes widened, filled with surprise and confusion. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Hopper, then said nervously, "Hopper, I'm fine. Go protect Lil!"

Author's words: Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

Although the author is lazy, I will update it tomorrow.

Chapter 78: Violation of Discipline

Hopper also went to visit Lil. To prevent infection, she and her two other roommates lived in separate dorms. Lil seemed relatively calm. Although Hopper and Leti had always treated her like a human child, she was still a Cambion after all. Although her memory was damaged, she didn't really throw a tantrum like a child.

With Arcane Theory class this afternoon, there was no need to worry about Professor Millennium Gut attacking Lil. In fact, even if there were no classes in the afternoon, Hopper wouldn't worry about Millennium Gut attacking. Not to mention the tiefling nurses who took turns guarding the ward, the other Cambion students who occasionally passed by were a natural line of defense.

Furthermore, Hopper didn't believe the Torchhold's sun was truly a harmless source of light. No one had ever explained why the Torchhold had its own sun. However, since most classes and activities were scheduled during the day, the sun must have its own purpose. Based on Barto's routine operations, Hopper suspected that it at least included comprehensive surveillance.

However, Lati's reminder is still fresh in my mind.

"Hopper, I know my illness well. The symptoms of malaria come from my good grandmother. This is her punishment for me. But nightmares are definitely not hers. My grandmother doesn't understand dream magic. This is a technique that hags specialize in. I don't know how long she has been planning this. My grandmother's punishment on me will prevent me from leaving the house, and Ms. Naomi won't let me leave the room until I prove I'm well. You must be careful, she can't hold back any longer."

Hopper understood what Lati was worried about. They could certainly remind Lil to keep her awake. But Hopper alone couldn't convince the other Cambions to stay awake in such a short time, and the hag could easily control them through their dreams.

Good job, Professor, Hopper thought. You wrap a skin around every decision, like a snake slithering under a blanket.

However, not every venomous snake can go undetected.

There was a curfew in Torchhold, though it wasn't strictly enforced, because otherwise Nora wouldn't be able to hold a ball, let alone Vera sneaking out to meet up with her twenty boyfriends.

Hopper's plan went smoothly. Danya and Lacy had gotten used to her staying in the library and not going home recently, not to mention Vera, who had always been at odds with her. She didn't care whether Hopper was there or not.

To make her lie more convincing, she even went out of her way to greet Lacy after dinner, complaining that she had too much homework and needed to go to the library. Then, she waited until it was completely dark before sneaking out of the library.

It wasn't difficult to avoid the tiefling nurse next door to the dormitory; after all, she was only there to prevent Lati's condition from getting worse, not to monitor her.

When Hopper came in, Lil stared like a frightened rabbit and almost screamed. She quickly comforted Cambion and explained why she was there.

Surprisingly, the late night brought no danger. The darkness outside the window gradually darkened, until the first rays of sunlight filtered through the hazy glass, illuminating the room. Soon, noises began to rise from the other dormitories, and students occasionally passed by the window. When silence settled, Hopper quietly opened the door and slipped out.

She'd wanted to peek through the window of Lati's room as she passed it, but the corridor windows were heavily curtained, perhaps to prevent the prying eyes of curious students. In contrast, the nurses' quarters, where sunlight streamed unobstructed onto the white-clad tiefling sprawled on the table, were not even half-demons; they simply possessed a certain bloodline and could not sleep as restlessly as true demons.

Hopper had no classes in the morning, but she didn't plan to be idle. Just as she was hesitating whether to write a letter to Zetua to ask him for advice on the current situation or to look up the ecological knowledge of the hag, a tiefling stopped her.

Hopper was certain he had never seen this tiefling before. Tieflings were plentiful in Torchhold, often serving as servants or retainers to various professors, and were generally women of all skin colors. But the one who stopped her was a rare male, his skin the color of olive from years of sun exposure, his pupils the color of a pair of lifeless turquoise.

"Miss Hopper," Tiefling bowed deeply to her, revealing the scattered scales on the back of his neck. "The Acting Headmaster hopes to see you in his office within a quarter of an hour."

Professor Biguan's personal guard. His words made Hopper quickly think of the connection between his appearance and Professor Biguan, and perhaps he was Professor Longyi's illegitimate son.

"Thank you very much, son of the Dragonborn. You are loyal to your duty..."

"Zis, Miss, this is the acting principal's guard, Dragonblood Tiflin Zis."

"Zis" comes from the Dragon language, and its original meaning is actually an onomatopoeia for the sound of contempt or impatience made by a dragon, just like the "tsk" said by humanoid creatures. It seems that this tiefling is of low status. The succubus rolled his eyes, lowered his head and approached the tiefling, looking directly into his eyes, and said in a carefully practiced tone:

"I'll go right away, but I'm worried about being criticized. I wonder if you can give me some tips."

Show your sincerity and submission to those above you, and be humble and peaceful to those below you. Professor Yuti's words are still ringing in my ears.

The tiefling seemed to have never been treated like this before. He took a small step back, but didn't show any resentment towards Hopper's words. Hopper had guessed correctly. A low-ranking tiefling she had never seen before meant he probably hadn't had much experience with succubi. After all, succubi didn't rely solely on mental magic to control others.

"I know nothing," Tiefling insisted, not daring to look into the eyes of the succubus.

"It's okay, I'll know soon enough anyway." Hopper straightened up and said, "You really are being merciless, sir."

"I really don't know anything," the tiefling, only about chest height from Hopper, said hesitantly, his turquoise pupils darting left and right, afraid to look straight ahead. "But I presume it's because of a violation of school rules. The acting principal rarely calls students into his office, and this is the most common excuse."

Hopper's heart sank. Had her curfew violation been discovered so quickly?

"Thank you again," Hopper said, lifting his veil and smiling sweetly at Ziz, leaving him stunned. "What are we waiting for? We can't keep the principal waiting for too long. Would you be willing to show me the way?"

Professor Bi Guan's office was far away, and it might be that Ziz was walking very slowly with her. But no matter what, she finally knocked on Professor Bi Guan's door alone.

"Come in!" Professor Biguan's rumbling voice came from behind the door. The door opened automatically.

Hopper walked in, folded his wings tightly, tried to look humble and weak, and bowed to the acting principal.

"Mr. Principal, Devil Hopper is at your service."

Professor Bi Guan sat behind his desk, like a silent green mountain. When he spoke, the sound he heard was like the roar of rolling rocks.

"Someone attempted to break into Ms. Strict's treasure house last night. As far as I know, you were not in the dormitory yesterday. How do you explain this?"

Author's words: I wish all my readers a new year with new prospects, happiness and joy to your family!

Chapter 79 The Truth

The first thing Hopper felt was not worry or fear, but doubt.

Why would Professor Millennium Intestine have thought to break into Lady Harsh's treasure house yesterday, when everyone had already returned to the castle, instead of breaking in while they were out? This didn't align with the logic of a hag. She would rather believe that there were vegetarian hags who didn't eat children than that there was a hag in the multiverse who would act so recklessly.

Professor Biguan rapped her knuckles on the table to wake Hopper. The acting headmaster glared at her, obviously noticing her distraction.

"Yes, Mr. Principal," Hopper quickly answered. He had no problem lying or making excuses, so he might as well admit it. Professor Biguan wasn't a novice like Zis, someone who'd barely dealt with succubi. The fact he dared to ask the question meant he had a valid reason. But since he'd given himself the chance to explain, it meant he didn't have any serious evidence against him. "Because Lati was sick, and Lil was afraid, I went to keep her company."

Hopper's reasoning was reasonable, and Professor Bi Guan let out a puff of green mist from his nose, but he didn't insist on anything.

"You want me to believe this is all a coincidence?" The acting principal's tone remained unfriendly. After all, Hopper's reasoning was unsupported by any evidence. And as her friend, Lil's testimony was of limited validity. "You're the only ones in the entire Torchhold who've shown any interest in that door."

"It's not just us," Hopper couldn't help but retort, "We've reported our suspicions to you before..."

"You want me to believe," the Dragonborn waved his green arm, interrupting Hopper's words, "that a professor who has served in Emberhold for nearly a hundred years suddenly broke into the headmaster's treasury on a whim? What's his motive?"

Hopper was stuck, the question equally unanswerable for her, so she could only say, "We have no motive either, Headmaster. We're almost graduating, why should we risk being kicked out by exploring the private storage room of a demanding lady?"

"Isn't it because you are about to leave that you are afraid of losing this opportunity?" Professor Bi Guan snorted, but this reason could not even completely convince himself.

"Anyway, I'm here to warn you, Miss Hopper. You've done well in your studies, and Ms. Stern has high hopes for your future. I'll also be further strengthening the security in the near future. To prevent this from happening again, until we catch that daring thief, I suggest you stay in your dorm and don't do anything you'll regret."

"Am I under house arrest?"

"I prefer to call it 'protective confinement.'" The Dragonborn Headmistress stepped forward, her giant green dragon head close to her. Hopper could even see her own reflection in his pupils. "You can still attend morning classes and other courses every day, but I hope you won't wander around in the middle of the night again until we find out the specific reason. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Acting Principal," Hopper agreed obediently, but Hopper knew that he would not obey this order.

The Dragonborn hummed, opening the door and signaling her to leave.

Well done, Professor Millennium Intestine, you have successfully isolated Lil. What are you going to do next?

"Ms. Hopper, I am taking you back on the orders of the acting principal." Zis stopped the succubus outside the office and looked up at her veil with a firm look.

Hopper stared at the light brown tiefling and had a new idea. She removed her veil, her glacial blue-green eyes meeting the tiefling's, her cold expression melting. The tiefling swallowed.

"Mr. Zis, the acting principal doesn't want me to go out at night for my safety." The succubus took half a step forward. The mixed smell of blood and herbs on her body made the young tiefling's nose itchy.

"Then you should listen to him," he said a little stiffly, turning his head to the side.

"Of course, how could I go against the wishes of my superiors?" Hopper affirmed. "It's just that this news came so suddenly that I didn't have time to tell my friends."

"Could you do me a small favor? I promise this won't violate any school rules or orders." The succubus leaned closer, half-smiling. The tiefling couldn't help but notice her slender collarbone and the pair of black pearl earrings that made her skin look even paler. "I'd like to invite my good friend, Miss Lil, to have a tea party with me tonight. Could you tell her the news?"

"I...I think so," the tiefling said with difficulty. His light brown skin became darker and darker, and Hopper could feel the heat coming out of his face.

The demon chuckled and put on her veil again. Ziz took a deep breath, turned around and led her.

"Of course, you're welcome to join us, Mr. Zis." Tiefling didn't look back, but Hopper noticed that he was walking with his hands and feet unsteadily.

When Hopper returned to the dorm, the three remaining succubi turned to look at her.

"Miss Veil is back," Vera said sarcastically. "I just heard about poor Lati's misfortune yesterday, and now you're grounded again. It seems the goddess of misfortune has been taking good care of you lately."

"Who knows," Hopper shot back. "May the beautiful Lady Vera never have to be looked after like this."

"Whatever you say, poor Hopper," the silver-haired demon opened the door, turned around and said with a smile, "Now I'm going to enjoy my free time, good day."

Danya didn't say anything, just nodded to Hopper and left. After a while, Lei Xi, who was rummaging for something, also straightened up and threw the book she had been looking for onto Hopper's bed.

"I've already told you that you shouldn't have hung out with them. I bet you regret it now."

She just walked away, seemingly not caring whether Hopper responded or not, leaving Hopper confused in the dorm.

Hopper slowly walked back to his bedside and flipped over the open book. It must be quite old; Lacy's movements had nearly torn it apart. Hopper managed to make out the title on the black cover: The Ancient of Avernus.

Hopper hadn't taken aristocracy or heraldry course. Professor Uti's class gave an overview of the nobility, but never a deep dive. Judging from the first few pages, this book should be a detailed description of the oldest noble families in the Avernus layer, the oldest even dating back to the time of Zariel the Grand Duke.

What was Lacy hinting at? Hopper flipped through the fragile pages, searching for inspiration in the dim ink. Until he saw a name.

Maariah.

Lati's grandmother? Hopper read on. Compared to other nobles, Lady Maiaree wasn't described in much detail. She was described as tall and powerful, with wings so large they could obscure the sun.

Hopper couldn't help but smile. It seemed that Lati's height came from her ancient grandmother. But if Lady Maiare was so ancient, why did Lati come to Torch Keep to study only now?

The following records answered her question. The book doesn't mention much about Maiare's battles. From the records, it seems Lady Maiare actively pursued demons stronger than herself, such as the Grand Dukes, perhaps hoping to escape her status as an exiled noble by becoming their consort. It's said that three or four Grand Dukes rejected her advances, leaving her disheartened for a long time. This may have contributed to her delayed childbearing.

Hopper's smile widened. No wonder Lati didn't want to talk about her family background. A grandmother who was strong and powerful but had a troubled love life. Hopper couldn't even imagine how the other succubi would laugh at her.

Wait! Hopper shuddered. The exiled nobleman with a troubled love life, Lati's sudden illness, the autobiography of the stern lady I'd shared a few days ago, the inexplicably invaded treasure house, and the tiefling nurse sleeping on the table—these scattered fragments pieced together a truth Hopper had never imagined.

It’s not Professor Millennium Intestine who wants to enter that treasure house.

It was Lati who wanted to go in and steal the belt of the Strict Lady!

Chapter 80 Nurse

A legendary belt that nearly seduced the notorious philandering Levistus, a noblewoman obsessed with becoming a Grand Duchess, and a Grand Duke whose throne was vacant.

This is truly a case of a hero meeting a sword, and a red dragon digging into the vault, Hopper thought helplessly.

After ascending the throne, Grand Duke Bayer showed himself to be a complete warmongerer. Although there were many rumors about his obsession with the former Grand Duke, before he chose a Grand Duchess, he was indeed one of the most noble bachelors in Avernus, and even in the entire Hell of Battor.

It was only natural that Mrs. McAleer would target him, and Hopper even suspected that she might have tried other methods and failed.

So, that's why Lati took the risk of breaking into the vault. Was it a coincidence that I ran into Lati outside the Harsh Lady's storeroom, or had she already been planning this? Was that man her?

Hopper climbed out of bed, pondering a series of questions. Cambion didn't have the ability to transform, so could she disguise herself as a man? She had already handed over all her magical items, and even the rapier she had that day was just a practice sword.

Of course, it's possible she might have some specially treated magical item that could ward off Torchhold's magic. Hopper, however, wasn't entirely convinced. After all, even a succubus from a prominent family like Vela hadn't made such advance preparations. Even the most ancient exiled nobles were banished to the First Prison, so it seemed unlikely they had the wherewithal to do so.

However, these are all Hopper's speculations, just like their speculations about Professor Millennium Intestine, which are reasonable but without any evidence.

But her speculation is not unverifiable, and it can be verified without her even having to do anything.

Little did Lati know that Professor Biguan had already noticed the attempt to break into the treasure room. Tonight, she would probably, almost certainly, try again.

Hopper ran towards the dormitory door, but his steps became slower and slower.

A small voice within her, a demonic part of Baator, a voice that feared rules, said, "Why should I inform Lati? What good would it do? If she's caught, she'll just be driven out, and that'll clear me of suspicion. She planned and executed this whole thing herself, and Lady Maiare can't possibly blame me."

Beneath this voice, there was an even fainter one, sounding like the little devil, Harp: "A favor that comes right to my door. It only requires a small risk on my part. Isn't Zetua's story enough to convince you? Upfront investment will bring such lucrative returns. When you were a little devil, you followed the rules to gain benefits. Are you going to become a prisoner of the rules now?"

The succubus's fingers rested on the handle, and after a moment she pushed the door open with force.