My Wives are Beautiful Demons
Chapter 362 - 362: Sepphirothy meets Cabernet

Sepphiroth took a deep breath, his eyes as impassive as the void between the stars.

"Now yes. As it should be."

His voice was low but sharp—a sentence that echoed in the air with absolute authority.

She walked with steady steps among the fallen bodies, her cloak brushing the black floor, and the palace gates still open by the force of fear. But before she completely crossed the threshold, a shadow descended gently in front of her.

The presence was not hostile—on the contrary, it overflowed with reverence.

A woman knelt with rehearsed perfection. Her white hair was tied in long, meticulously made braids, and her dark uniform with silver details was immaculate. She kept her eyes down, but her posture said it all: she knew exactly who she was standing before.

"I'm sorry for the... inconvenience," said the woman, her voice calm but laden with restrained tension. 'There is no excuse for such insolence on Gremory soil.'

Sepphirothy paused.

His red eyes slowly descended to the bowed figure before him. For a moment, everything was silent — almost as if time itself was waiting for a response.

"Grayfia," she said finally, the name coming out as if recognizing a long-known chess piece. 'Cabernet's faithful shadow.'

Grayfia rose lightly, but kept her head slightly bowed—a gesture of respect, not submission.

"I am but one who serves. And at this moment, I have been tasked with accompanying you to my Queen."

Sepphirothy remained silent for a few moments, watching Grayfia with eyes that seemed to pierce through skin, soul, and intentions.

Then she nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"Then take me to her."

Grayfia did not respond with words — she simply turned with absolute grace, her footsteps echoing rhythmically on the stones of the corridor. Sepphirothy followed behind with the calmness of a storm choosing when to strike. The inner doors opened automatically before them, as if even the palace's mechanisms recognized the Empress's presence.

The path was silent. Red tapestries with ancient coats of arms, stained glass windows reflecting scenes of ancient pacts with dragons, demons, and forgotten gods. Gremory servants and soldiers who saw Sepphirothy pass by instinctively averted their eyes, as if staring into the abyss itself — and finding it staring back.

At the end of a long corridor lined with dark columns, there was an open stone arch, intertwined with magical vines that bloomed in shades of red. The air there changed. It was more... alive.

Upon crossing the arch, Sepphirothy found himself in a large garden hidden in the heart of the palace — a space protected by spells of silence and balance. The light seemed artificial, but soft, filtered by enchantments that replicated an eternal sunset.

In the center of the garden, kneeling among flower beds filled with black flowers and blue-flame violets, was Cabernet Gremory.

Her long hair flowed down her back like liquid silk, and she wore a simple scarlet linen dress that contrasted with her pale skin. She had her back to the entrance, delicately tending to a flower that flickered with vital energy, as if the plant itself breathed magic.

Feeling someone approach, Cabernet did not turn around immediately.

"Your aura is too striking, I don't know how those two didn't feel so much pressure," she said in a low voice, as if speaking to the roots around her. "But it's good to know you didn't kill them right away. If it were Sapphire, they would have turned to dust."

Sepphirothy did not respond immediately. She observed the scene, smelling the metallic scent of the living flowers and feeling the magical heat that entangled the space.

"You should start training your guards better," Sepphirothy replied, dry as a blade in the wind. "You're choosing your receptions very poorly."

Cabernet smiled—a slow, almost melancholic gesture, as if laughing at a joke no one else understood.

"They still think beauty is an invitation," she said, her eyes lost in the enchanted flowers. "They've forgotten that sometimes beauty is the last warning."

Sepphirothy crossed her arms, her expression serious. "You're more... rigid than the last time we spoke."

Cabernet raised an eyebrow, her tone light but no less sharp. "And you're as direct as ever. It's not rigidity. It's pragmatism — a luxury that time has taken from me too soon."

Sepphirothy let out a slight sigh, then got straight to the point. "The Orb. The Scarlet Empress. Where is it?"

Cabernet finally turned completely, looking her in the eyes with serene intensity.

"With my daughter, obviously." Cabernet chuckled softly. "And it's not just 'with' the Orb. They formed a pact. The Scarlet Empress chose her years ago."

Sepphirothy frowned. 'So it's safe?'

Cabernet bent down beside a plant with black leaves and crimson veins, running her fingers carefully between the petals that seemed to pulsate slightly with living magic.

"Safe?" she repeated, as if tasting the word in her mouth. 'It depends on what you consider 'safe,' Seph."

Sepphirothy raised an eyebrow, his gaze narrowing.

"Don't play games with me, Cabernet." Sepphirothy's voice cut through the air like a naked blade. "If I think you're stalling, I'll kill you right here and go get the damn Orb myself. You're not as irreplaceable as you think. Now talk. She's in danger."

Cabernet sighed, rising with the same silent grace of a shadow gliding across a wall. The smile that had once seemed like a shield now dissolved into pure exhaustion.

"In danger?" she repeated, as if testing the gravity of the word.

Sepphirothy took a step forward, his eyes burning like embers. "The Platinum Dragon Empress is awakening. And when that happens, you know exactly what will come next."

Cabernet clenched her teeth, her eyes averting for a brief second before facing Sepphirothy again. There was something between pain and acceptance there.

"Eliminate the Scarlet Empress. Before she awakens too."

"Exactly." Sepphirothy growled. "One rising, the other becoming a threat. A balance the world no longer wants. And if your daughter is unprepared... they will crush her along with the Orb."

Cabernet closed his eyes for a moment, a restrained gesture that hid the storm behind his noble posture. When he opened them, there was determination on his face.

"What the hell..." Cabernet said and continued, "She's in the Lower Sanctuary," Cabernet added. "The Orb has been resting with her for almost three years. Since the bond was sealed."

"And is it awake?" Sepphirothy asked.

"Not entirely. But... it has started to pulse differently in recent days. The presence of the other Empress is affecting it. As if calling... or threatening."

Sepphirothy nodded once, slowly.

"Then let's go to her. Now."