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In my heart, the Hellhounds’ clan head was always the more reliable Overlord out of everyone present here; if there was anything I wanted to know, asking him was the better choice. With that in mind, I softly asked, “About those weird looks you guys are giving me…”

“Hahaha… what are you talking about?”

Before that Cerberus could even answer my question, the Overlord Cat butted in, all the while winking at me in a fashion that somehow made his already punchable cat face even more punchable. Assuming I could punch him, of course.

‘What do you mean what am I talking about? What else could I be talking about?!’

“Ahem. From now on, you have to make sure to provide her a good life.”

The Hellhounds’ clan head finally spoke up, but his words just seemed so foreign to me… what the potato did he mean when he said I had to provide her a good life? Wasn’t it just a simple pact about being my mount? It wasn’t like we just got engaged, let alone married. So why did I have to provide for her…

‘Shi– did I just fall into another trap?’

“Judging by that look on your face, I think you’ve guessed the reason as well.” The Overlord Cat gleefully reminded me. “What you just signed was an engagement pact, don’t cha know~~”

“…”

‘I… I… I just wanted a mount… why the potato did you guys do this to me?!’

“Hahahaha…I can’t take it anymore… I’m dying over here… hahahaha…” Having been silent for a good long while now, Ferti’nier finally couldn’t contain herself from laughing uncontrollably in my head. I could even picture her shapely body jiggling right now as she laughed…

‘You knew about this. You definitely knew about this, didn’t you?!’

“What… that’s just common knowledge.” Ferti’nier giggled as she said that. “ Under normal circumstances, it is forbidden to ride on the backs of the warriors of the Purgatory Warhorse, unless they have the approval of that horse. However, it is only the males of this clan that can become another’s mount. Females are normally barred from this role.”

‘I know she’s a female. That shadowy Nightmare Steed and that corporeal Nightmare Steed also mentioned something about this arrangement violating their ancestral rules, but didn’t Mo Ning still go through with the signing anyway?’

“And that’s where the problem starts.” Ferti’nier knowingly cleared her throat at that point, most likely to frustrate me even further. Upon confirming that I was in fact at my limits, she then proceeded to solve this mystery for me. “Female Purgatory Warhorses can only be mounts for their partners, and when I say partner, I mean the kind you can ride in the day and in the night.”

‘The kind you can ride at night… fishcakes… I’ll admit, I’m about to blow my top right now… that answer was just… I knew I was being played!’

‘Riding in the day is one thing, but I’ll pass on riding her at night… fishcakes… my interests aren’t that unusual yet… No… I need to break off this pact right away…’

“Oh, you can if you want to. But once you do, my dear little brother, you will have to face the undying wrath of the Purgatory Warhorses.” Having said that, her tone changed from her usual mischievous teasing to a darker, more ominous tone. “After all, who likes to be played like that, am I right?”

‘So what you’re saying is that no one likes to be played. So they decided to gang up on me instead? Why must living be so difficult?’

“Nyaa~ Looks like Mo Ning has finally found herself a partner. What a joyous day this is.”

The Overlord Cat’s happy meowing brought me to reality. At this point, there really was nothing left to say. I had suddenly gained a fiancee…rest in pieces me…

“I’ve long heard rumors that the most talented of the young horses actually neighs for the same side… to think it was true.” The Overlord Cerberus clicked his tongue at that point then continued, “I guess anything is possible in this wide world.”

‘That’s right, anything is possible in this wide world, so why are you looking at me when you say that? I’m a normal person, thank you very much. I have no interest in horses!’

“Even though this goes against our ancestral rules, if Mo Ning likes it that way, it can’t be helped.” The shadowy Nightmare Steed tossed her a fatherly look at that point then swept his eyes over to me. He then quietly whispered in the ears of the corporeal Nightmare Steed. “They look quite fitting together.”

‘Fitting, my foot! How do I look fitting with a horse?! Don’t think I can’t hear you just because you’re whispering!’

The corporeal Nightmare Steed unmistakably harrumphed at that point. While he didn’t express his stance on this subject, it was most likely approval for our relationship… hold on, what relationship?

“If both parties are females, they should get on well with each other.”

The shadowy Nightmare Steed seemed to be comforting that corporeal Nightmare Steed, but he still seemed displeased. “All that talk about neighing for the same side… I still think it goes against our ancestors’ wishes…”

‘So when you say it goes against your ancestral rules, it’s not about females not being able to become a mount for another, it’s that you see me in that light?!’

The shadowy Nightmare Steed continued comforting him, “our children have their own lives, just let nature take its course.”

The corporeal Nightmare Steed said no more, neither objecting or approving, clearly his anger was stuck fast in his chest right now.

Now that my battle with Mo Ning was over, it also meant that this entire war was at its end as well, although its end was a lot more different that I had originally envisioned.

I had gained a Nightmare Steed Horn so I had no reason to stay behind either. This outcome wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was passable.

‘Still… wherever I go, Mo Ning goes as well… should I let her have a taste of her own medicine then.’

It was at that moment that Mo Na, with Cinderel hugged snugly in her arms, came flying out of the Devil King Idol and flew right into my arms. With one arm still wrapped around Cinderel, she hugged my neck and wrapped her legs around my waist.

“Mama’s the best!” Her eyes practically screamed with adulation as she pecked at my cheeks , covering them entirely in her saliva.

“Woof woof woof!~~” Cinderel took the opportunity to climb onto my shoulders and lick me as well. From the looks of things, these two were clearly excited at this new turn of events.

Yet just as I was basking in the love of these two little scamps, an extremely displeasing voice cut in from behind me.

“Devil, I will never approve of your inappropriate relationship with Mo Ning!”

Without even turning around, I could already tell that it was Warwraith who said that. The same Six-star elder who had suffered multiple times at my hands. The fact that he would come over to cause trouble was well within my expectations.

After placing the two little scamps back on the ground, I unhappily narrowed my eyes at Warwraith, then spat back, “why don’t you tell me what kind of relationship you hope the both of us will have then?”

“None at all!” Seeing me so defiant merely angered him further. At this point, his nostrils were practically flaring up with the heavy breathes of anger he was taking. “Don’t think that just because you’ve signed that pact you can do as you please. Let me tell you straight up, I won’t allow you to touch my daughter, and don’t even think about trying to ride her, or else…”

“Godfather.” Before he could finish threatening me, Mo Ning abruptly stopped him. “This is my decision.”

“But she’s a female. There’s no future in being with her.”

‘Hold up. Exactly which of those two eyes of yours told you that I was a female?! You’d better watch that horse tongue of yours, otherwise I’ll sue you for libel.’

“It’s alright. I can accept it.” She firmly stated, clearly of the mind that gender wasn’t going to be an issue for her.

“I can’t accept it!” His voice nearly tore up at that point. Having voiced his disapproval, he then turned his barbed tongue to me. “You’d better not have any inappropriate thoughts about my daughter, otherwise I’ll never let you off the hook.”

‘Hmph, you dare to threaten me? Just you wait, I’m going to sleep with your daughter tonight… No, no no… I was wrong, sorry. My tastes aren’t that eclectic yet. I like girls, maybe even Devil girls… but Mo Ning is one hundred percent a horse…I just can’t…’

‘And that’s why I completely agree with you, old horse. If you wish to object to this engagement on the basis of being her godfather, then I’ll oblige in letting you take the blame for it.’

“Since you’re so against this arrangement, I guess it can’t be helped then. I’m willing to…”

“Dearest!” Just as I was about to agree with Warwraith’s objection, Mo Ning unexpectedly barged in with what had to be the most sinister sounding dearest I had ever heard that bored right into my soul.

‘I swear she’s trying to scare me to death with those words of hers. What do you mean dearest…I swear even my goosebumps have goosebumps at this point.’

“I say…I don’t think our relationship has progressed to such a stage yet…so how about we skip on the names for now?”

“Since we are engaged, we are clearly now of one mind and one body.” Mo Ning smiled at me then -don’t ask me how I could tell that a horse was smiling at me, but I just could. In fact, her smile was so sweet I swore she was trying to kill me right now. “Is my dearest trying to renege on his words?”

‘Sister… is it alright if I call you sister… exactly what do you see in me? I’ll change, I swear.’

The pressure from her was just too great for me to bear at this point. I had no choice then but to turn my puppy dog eyes towards Warwraith, in hopes that he would help share this burden with me. Yet my pleading didn’t move him in the slightest. Instead, his animosity seemed to have even grown further.

“You blasted thing! Not only did you steal my daughter, you’re even making fun of me now!”

‘Exactly how was I making fun of you? I was trying to ask for your help, so how about lending a hand for once… you useless horse of an ally…’

“Godfather, please don’t use such harsh words on my dearest.” Mo Ning shielded me right away from his gaze. “Dearest had no intention whatsoever of mocking you.”

“You two haven’t even gotten married yet!” He was practically hopping with fury right now, but there was nothing he could do against Mo Ning, except to pretend that this whole mess never existed in the first place. However, he still made sure to throw out one last statement of defiance.

“Either way, I object to the two of you being together!”

‘And that’s why you don’t mess with a delusional father who has a daughter complex. Exactly how do you think this relationship is even possible?! Please. Just wake up and smell the Purgatory sulphur! I was clearly trying to ask for your help and you actually thought I was mocking you… how bad are your eyes even?!’

Shameless Self-promotion

If you liked my work translating Devil’s Evolution Catalog, feel free to check out Song of Adolescence. Also, every comment is appreciated even though I might not reply. I do read them.