500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

Chapter 617 A Tenuous Truce

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Finding Harissa proved reasonably straightforward, as her domain was well-known in Diabon Alley. She presided over a lavish establishment that catered to the darkest desires and fantasies of those who dared to enter. Approaching the entrance, we steeled ourselves for the challenge ahead.

We were greeted by an imposing demoness, extravagantly dressed and impressive in stature. "Welcome to Harissa's," she purred, eyeing us with a mix of curiosity and disdain. "I am Salinda, her most trusted and loyal servant. State your business."

I took a deep breath, hoping my words would have the desired effect. "We come up with a proposition that could greatly benefit your mistress and her domain. We wish to speak with Harissa directly."

Salinda regarded us skeptically but seemed to sense that we were serious. "Very well. Follow me, and do not dare to touch anything."

As we followed Salinda deeper into the establishment, I glanced at Virgo and Cestia, who looked as anxious as I was. We knew that we had to tread carefully, as the lives of the other Zodiacs and the very fate of the Underworld hung in the balance.

At last, we were ushered into a large, lavishly decorated room, where Harissa herself reclined on a massive, plush throne. Her appearance was striking – voluptuous, attractive, and utterly intimidating.

"So, you have a proposition for me, do you?" she drawled, looking us over with narrowed eyes. "I hope it's a good one, for your sake."

Cestia interrupted, her voice aggressive, "You should worry about your own sake if you dare to mess with us. We are more capable than you demons give us credit for."

I clenched my fist but held my tongue as I addressed Harissa. "I apologize for my friend's rudeness. We do mean you no harm. We only wish to present an idea, a truce between you and Erisa."

Harissa burst into wicked laughter, the sound chilling and genuine. "Erisa? That bottom-feeding succubus? And what could I possibly gain from allying myself with her?"

I allowed myself a brief moment of annoyance before answering, "Both of you are locked in a competition that neither of you can win. As it stands, the nature of your competition only weakens each of your establishments. But together, the two of you would be nearly unstoppable."

Harissa raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the idea. "Interesting. And what's in it for you?"

"Simply put, a favor," I replied, inwardly cringing at the thought of revealing my earlier deal with Erisa. "In order to save my friend, I made a deal with Erisa to settle your feud, and to fulfill my end of the bargain, I need to find a way for the two of you to work together."

Harissa considered this for a moment, her eyes thoughtful. "I must admit, your proposal does have some merit. And while I am normally not one to entertain truces, the thought of forming an alliance to dominate Diabon Alley is... enticing."

"Well, if this does work out, you two might be able to take control of a lot more than just the alley," I pointed out, trying to sweeten the pot. "Imagine the power and influence that could be achieved with both of your resources combined. You could expand your businesses far beyond the current boundaries."

She leaned back, but the following words that came out of her mouth suggested I had just been talking to myself. "What did you offer Erisa to make her, of all demons, to even entertain this idea?"

I hesitated momentarily, weighing the pros and cons of revealing the full extent of my deal with Erisa. Seeing no other option, I decided to come clean. "I offered her a night of passion in exchange for helping us save our friend from her grasp."

To my surprise, Harissa's eyes lit up with interest. "Well, that's certainly a hefty price to pay for a truce. From what I hear, Erisa can be quite... demanding when it comes to such matters." A wicked grin crossed her face. "But if you're willing to go that far, then perhaps this alliance is more beneficial than I initially thought."

Inwardly, I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that I wouldn't have to make a similar offer to Harissa. "So, do we have an agreement? We will arrange a meeting between you and Erisa to discuss the terms of your alliance."

Harissa shook her head, her eyes locked with mine. "No, you are clearly hiding something, and there is more to this than you are letting on," She said, walking over to place a finger between my breast. She slid her hand up but quickly ripped the amulet Bellazibub had given me off my neck.

I could have stopped her, but only four of us were in the room. I also thought letting her see who I was might help her trust me more. Unfortunately, Harissa's eyes lit up with excitement.

"A real male?! You can be serious, are you?!" She demanded, and I almost felt Virgo and Cestia roll their eyes behind me.

I steeled myself, realizing I couldn't hide my true identity any longer. "Yes, I am actually a male. My name is Galio, and I've come to the Underworld at the request of the Black King. I have been trying to make my way down to her, but, as you can see, I have been getting sidetracked," I explained, but I was sure that Harissa stopped listening after the confirmation that I was a male was said.

"Well, this changes things," Harissa said, and Cestia snorted from behind me.

"Yeah, like how far you are willing to spread your legs for him!" Cestia growled, but I ignored her.

Scorpio was my best friend, and this was his girl, even if they had just started to see each other. The last thing I wanted to do was screw him over intentionally, considering what happened with Cancer and her leaving him for me.

Harissa gave Cestia a cold glare but then turned her attention back to me. "If you truly are here on the orders of the Black King, then an alliance with me would also benefit you. The combined power of my resources and Erisa's would be a valuable asset to your cause."

I weighed my options carefully, knowing there was no easy answer here. But if forming an alliance with Harissa could help us in our mission to save the Underworld, then perhaps it was worth it.

"Alright, we have a deal," I agreed. "I'll arrange for Erisa and you to meet and discuss terms. Just remember, the goal of this alliance is mutual benefit. No more feuding, no more sabotage."

Harissa put up her hand to stop me. "I am not finished. Since you are a male, and you will need my help, I wish to also spend a night with you of passionate and dominating sex. Not only that, but I want to watch you both do it and possibly join if Erisa allows it."

"Sure, I can... wait, what?!" I stammered, caught off guard by her sudden demand. A look of shock crossed Virgo's face while Cestia crossed her arms, clearly furious.

"I believe the terms are clear," Harissa said, smirking. "It's the price you must pay if you want our alliance. What will it be, Galio?"

I swallowed hard, knowing this was not a deal I could refuse. I exchanged guilty glances with Virgo and Cestia, my emotions a mix of resignation and determination. "Very well. I accept your terms. We will have our... encounter after we have dealt with Erisa and after our alliance is secured."

Harissa flashed a triumphant smile and extended her hand. "Then we have a deal. I look forward to our meeting, Galio."

I hesitantly shook her hand, sealing our agreement. It felt like I had just signed away a piece of my soul, but I knew it was a necessary sacrifice to ensure the Underworld's and its denizens' safety.

With our alliance settled, we prepared to leave Harissa's establishment. Virgo looked at me, her face filled with concern. "Galio, are you sure about this? I know we need their help, but this feels... wrong."

I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair. "I know it's far from ideal, but we don't have a lot of options. This alliance could mean the difference between success and failure in our mission. We have to put our personal feelings aside for the greater good. There is also the fact that having more allies will help us find the other Zodiacs faster."

Cestia grumbled but nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of our mission. "Let's just get this over with and move on. The sooner we secure this alliance, the sooner we can focus on the true task at hand."

I put my hand up and shook my head. "No. The first thing that we are going to do is deal with you!" I said, looking Cestia directly in her eyes.

"Deal with me?!" Cestia squeaked, stepping back from me into Virgo, who had moved behind her.

"Yes, Kitten. You are the one that caused all this trouble, so I think it is time we talked about the elephant in the room between Galio and you," Virgo purred as Cestia tried to pull away from her.