Good. Hellmaster understood every word of it, it seemed. It truly was a huge inconvenience. So soon after their arrival here, someone from their own world--and one of the very few people who could actually recognize both of them, particularly Lord Hellmaster's human form.

This changed everything. There was no hope of passing as innocent--it was fortunate that so many people here seemed to share the trait of darkness, though perhaps not so purely. Xelloss still might be able to pass off his own nature as being merely troublesome or mischievous, should Zelgadis decide to try and explain what Xelloss was.

In retrospect, perhaps he could have pretended to be reformed by his human shape, as that annoying Princess had always wished for, and demonstrated his vulnerability to Zelgadis. It might have won the ex-chimera over... but that was too doubtful to be worth the annoyance. Showing his weakness? It was inevitable Zelgadis discover it, but the later the better. And Xelloss wasn't sure he had the stomach to imitate Amelia's brightness.

"I'll do my best! Though he does seem to be avoiding me. I hope he isn't embarrassed about that change, I don't think any less of him because of it!"