"........." Azazel was silent for a moment.

"I..." he stammered.

"I do." he said.

"I can think of one individual that could safely remove Balphagor's influence from her." he told her.

"...Anya." he then said further, looking at her.

"Aedan... and Cain... they both know all too well how I feel, and for us, words are pointless." he continued, in a strange non-sequitur. "...but Anya? Thank you." he said.

"Thank you for being my friend."

"....he's doing this because of Lilith." Azazel replied.

"So... knowing that Lilith really doesn't like him, and doesn't like people trying to get close to her level..." he went on, but trailed off, knowing she would know where he was going with this, and sighing.

"And Lilim would get eaten alive down there, figuratively speaking." he continued.

"Don't even think her mana is strong enough to deal with this, admittedly." he admitted.

"So... it's time I do something I never thought I would ever do in my entire existence." he told Anya.

"...speak with Lilith, personally."

"...no. I'm not sure." Azazel admitted.

"But I think this is the only option we have left." he told her.

"...and I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least TRY it." he muttered.

"As for anything I want or need you to do... just take care of yourself." he said.

"And... try and look out for Erica while I'm doing this." he went on.

"...if I don't come back, thanks for being in my life."

"..." Azazel was silent again, before sighing.

"Very well." he said.

"I'll go and see Lilim first." he told her.

"Highly unlikely she'll be able to do anything, or want to do anything, but I can always ask, I suppose." he admitted.

".......and I DO detest going to see Lilith..." he admitted further.

"So I have nothing to lose by seeing Lilim." he mumbled, taking his phone out and sending a text.

What are you doing right now? he asked her.

Azazel just sighed.

"...tell them I'm trying to help Erica." he told her.

"By any means necessary." he continued.

"..." he was then silent, before shaking his head.

"More specifically..." he then said further, stopping for a moment.

"Tell them I'm going on an arranged date." he went on.

"...they'll know what it means."

"I don't intend to." Azazel responded.

"...but I can't promise anything." he lamented.

- - -

Balphagor just sighed as he finished burning the rest of the webbing away, and shaking his head.

"Ugh." he groaned. "That was a pain and a half." he said.

"But whatever. The prize is still mine." he chuckled.

"...now... let's see about that guppy from earlier." he then told himself.

"The bigger fish was more trouble than she's worth, but a pure-aligned necromancer could be invaluable in my rise." he chuckled darkly.

"L-L-Lilith!" Balphagor stammered when he saw who was there.

...he had to admit, Lilith was as much of a prize as they came. There were none in Hell as desirable as SHE was, and she knew it. That was the problem.

"I... ah..." he stammered.

"I merely... merely wish to raise my rank." he told her.

"That's all." he said.

"N-nothing for YOU to concern yourself with."

"O-Overthrow you!?" Balphagor exclaimed.

"No! No, no, no! Perish the thought!" he told her, panic setting in.

'Damn it!' he thought.

'Did that spider bitch spread the word!?' he thought further.

"N-none can overtake you, Lilith..." he then told her.

"It... it would be foolish to think that." he went on.

However... the fact that he said that was a detriment for him... as he was known in higher circles to be foolish for power.

"..." Balphagor was silent for a moment, as he tried to resist her.

But it was futile.

When Lilith turned on her charm, she was nigh-irresistible. And powerful as he was, Balphagor did not have the ability to resist her.

As such, after a few seconds of looking into her eyes, she saw him relax.

"..............yes...." he said.

"A kiss of honesty...." he said further.

"Of course..." he went on, and Lilith knew she had him.

".........yes." Balphagor replied.

"The past 2 years." he told repeated.

"And it will be done within an hour." he said further.

She knew very well what she was doing. She was erasing all the work he'd put into gathering his army... he'd started merely 2 years ago, and this would put him back to square one...

...if she allowed him to continue to be himself.

"Anything for you, Lilith." he added, all sense of his original self gone.