GBP Chapter 854: The Most Dangerous Thing in Baltimore
Chapter 854: The Most Dangerous Thing in Baltimore
Asmodeus discovered one important truth within the next hour.
Eight hands did not make paperwork less hateful.
They only allowed him to suffer faster.
Reports moved beneath his many quills as if dragged by invisible strings. One hand signed food relief orders. Another corrected a foolish request from the harbour guild asking whether the purified creatures counted as livestock, summons, monsters, or divine tools. A third rejected a merchant’s attempt to raise emergency grain prices by 300%.
"These god damn idiots!"
The fourth hand snapped a quill in half.
"Trash."
He tossed the broken quill aside and continued reading with a tired frown.
The city had weathered another storm, yet the aftermath sprawled across every report like a second monster. Damaged drains. Broken homes. Missing children found asleep inside repaired storehouses after following the little creatures. Priests fainting after overusing purification magic. Two fishermen trying to bottle the rainbow sludge and sell it as a skin treatment.
’I want to admit the last two had a great idea...’
Asmodeus pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Is the reason demons and humans invaded other territories in ancient times to avoid this violent and agonising paperwork?"
Despite his complaints, his quills did not stop.
The faint glow outside the citadel window started to fade as the night greeted Baltimore.
Crystal blue veins spread through the lower harbour like warm blood beneath the stone. They looked beautiful from a distance, almost holy, yet Asmodeus could not enjoy this new beauty as his work was endless.
’So this is the work Alice, Yumiko and Serena deal with in my stead....’
He finished signing the emergency wage order and reached for the next report, only to pause when a strange line caught his eye.
Several purified creatures showed distress near the eastern drainage tunnel and failed to purify the source completely.
’Well, they’re just little babies...’
Asmodeus leaned back.
The eight arms behind him grew still.
"So the source is still active."
He expected it, yet seeing the words darkened his expression.
The eastern tunnel was the most corrupt area, likely due to Himari and her birth, but he couldn’t just let his people suffer without checking it out.
The black water had spread too far to be a simple monster’s poison. Something had used Baltimore’s drainage system as a womb. Asmodeus didn’t believe everything happened because of Himari and that someone else must’ve played a part in the rapid spread of the disgusting corruption.
He sighed while climbing from his desk.
The purified creatures could cleanse what remained on the surface, yet if the corruption continued to flow beneath the city, they were only wiping blood from a wound that still had a blade inside it.
His fingers tapped the desk.
"Where are you hiding?"
A soft knock came from the door.
"Enter."
"Eh?"
Asmodeus froze at the shockingly alluring sight.
This was not just any maid.
A familiar red-skinned oni stood near the entrance, dressed in the citadel’s neat black and white uniform. Pure white hair bounced across her shoulders, framing the large horn rising from the centre of her forehead.
Her makeup was subtle yet purposely bewitching.
A soft shine touched her cheeks, deep blue shadow lined her eyes, and her plump lips glistened beneath the lamplight.
"Gretel?!"
The woman who had helped raise, teach and support his wives while they cared for his children now stood before him in a maid outfit. Not only that, but Gretel was also one of the women who had grown romantically close to him over time, even if neither of them had fully crossed the final line.
Yet from the faint blush on her cheeks, the careful gloss on her lips and the way she avoided looking directly at him for too long...
’Is she here on purpose?’
Gretel bowed with perfect grace.
"Your Majesty, I came to deliver a report from the lower harbour."
Asmodeus stared at her.
For once, his many demon arms stopped writing at the same time.
"Gretel."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Why are you dressed like that?"
Her ears flushed a deeper shade of red.
"I am helping the citadel staff."
"With makeup?"
"It would be improper to appear before the emperor looking tired and untidy."
"That is suspiciously reasonable."
Gretel’s lips curved into a small smile.
"Then I am glad Your Majesty finds me reasonable.
Gretel’s smile remained polite, yet the small curve of her glossy lips made Asmodeus doubt every word.
He looked over the maid’s uniform again.
The black fabric hugged her red skin a little too seductively, revealing the shape of her plump buttocks. Her white hair fell over one shoulder, soft and bright beneath the lamplight, while the horn rising from her forehead gave the whole outfit a strange, sinful charm.
Asmodeus set the report down.
"Gretel."
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Come here."
Her eyes narrowed with amusement.
"Is that an imperial order?"
"It might be."
"Then I suppose this humble maid must obey."
She crossed the room with unhurried steps, her tray held neatly in both hands. The movement made the skirt sway around her thighs, and Asmodeus found himself staring like a hungry beast.
Of course, with such an obvious glance, Gretel noticed.
She stopped beside the desk and lowered the tray with a soft click.
"The lower harbour report, Your Majesty."
"You came all this way to give me that?"
"I was nearby."
Asmodeus gave her a flat look.
Gretel only smiled.
He rose from the chair. The shadow arms behind him continued writing for a few seconds before one of them drew a crooked line across the page.
Asmodeus glanced at it.
"Tsk, how useless..."
Gretel’s eyes narrowed into neat curves as she slipped ever closer, taking his hand for a moment and gently squeezing.
"Oh dear, Your Majesty... even your extra hands are distracted."
"Whose fault is that?"
"Perhaps Your Majesty is too easily tempted."
He stepped around the desk and stopped in front of her, glancing down at the beautiful mother, her shapely curves and large breasts barely contained by the tight maid outfit, which was clearly a size too small.
She only lifted her chin slightly, her deep blue eyeshadow making her gaze seem cooler than usual despite the warmth in her cheeks.
"I saved a city tonight," Asmodeus said.
"You did."
"I completed Paul’s paperwork."
"Some of it."
"I am still surrounded by reports, injuries, monsters, drains and rainbow slime."
"That is also true."
"So why do I feel like you are the most dangerous thing to completing this work right now?"
Gretel’s lips parted with a soft laugh.
"Because Your Majesty has good instincts."
His hand settled on her waist.
She glanced down, then back up at him.
"Is this part of the report?"
"It might just help me focus, but maybe... it won’t."
"Your Majesty has strange habits."
"You already knew that."
"I know many things about you."
Her voice lowered slightly on the last words.
Asmodeus’s fingers slid along her waist, following the firm curve beneath the uniform before resting against her hip. Gretel’s breathing changed, but she kept her composure, looking at him like a woman who had decided to let him play because she enjoyed watching him lose patience.
He squeezed her ass through the fabric.
Gretel’s lashes lowered.
"Your Majesty."
Her voice sounded caught in her throat as she leaned against his chest.
"What’s wrong? Is it too much?"
"N-No, not at all..."
Gretel’s answer slipped from her lips as she gasped for breath.
Asmodeus’s grip tightened, moving slower as he kneaded the supple flesh of her buttocks, Gretel blushed as she placed a hand against his chest as though to steady herself. Her palm rested over his coat, warm even through the layers.
"You are bold tonight," he said.
"Mm.... says the man with his hands on my ass..."
Gretel’s gaze softened for a moment as the playful air between them thinned, leaving something more explicit and vicious.
She touched his hand where it rested on her hip.
"It’s been many years since you gave me a life I never expected to have, you saved my daughter... gave me a reason to hold on..."
"I know."
"And you still look surprised when I come to see you like this."
His thumb moved against her hip, slowly prying her plump cheeks apart, as her scent flooded the room like a reed diffuser.
"Because you are doing it on purpose."
"Of course I am... how else would I be able to compete with those beautiful women who swarm you each day?"
Asmodeus stared at her.
Gretel smiled back.
"You are terrible."
"I learned from the best."
He leaned closer, close enough that her natural body odour flowed into his nose, warm and faintly sweet beneath the sharper scent of her oni blood. Gretel faced him head-on as her fingers gripped his coat, and for a moment, the reports on the desk felt very far away.
Asmodeus’s fingers sank deeper, dragging a quiet moan from her throat.
"Gretel."
"Mm?"
"You came dressed like this, wearing that scent, talking sweetly while standing close enough for me to ruin you on this desk."
Her lashes fluttered.
"And yet Your Majesty is still talking."
His gaze dropped to her glossy lips.
"Careful, unless you want to crawl out of here."
"No." Gretel pressed closer, her chest brushing his coat as her hand slid lower, stopping just above his belt. "I spent years watching those women take what they wanted from you. Tonight, I wanted you to look at me the same way."
"I am."
"Then stop being gentle... and fuck me."