Ever since the incident that happened at Crocodylia Gardens (news travels fast when Triticum is the one spreading it), Divitiae had gotten stronger.
The realization hit Triticum unexpectedly. He had goaded Divitiae into an argument as always, but he didn't expect the normally meek demon to escalate. Triticum reached for his trowel, in the mood for a little blunt force trauma, and Divitiae reached for his neck.
The moments between that and Instrumenta pulling him away—those moments without air—were *transcendent*.
Without a purpose or lineage, without the Humilis Academy to school him, Triticum had honed himself into a weapon. A killer who acted without a second thought. He had never gotten close to death at all until that moment, and he had come away addicted.
He even begged Divitiae to do it again, but the dragon rejected him, found this sudden change in behavior too off-putting to take seriously.
Prifma diagnoses Triticum's newfound predilection much quicker, and offers to take Divitiae's place. Triticum doubted it would feel the same. Prifma starts off with a kiss on the cheek and a smile, then slams Triticum into the wall and chokes him with nearly twice the force Divitiae applied, as expected of the man who felled a hyper-dimensional tree with one punch.
Triticum is so pleased he kisses Prifma back.
After that he went down the line. Instrumenta—Divitiae finally decided to give him a chance—Artem—Deliciae—a few trusted god-eaters who worked the fields alongside him.
He wanted to keep this away from Iustitia, but the request slips out of him, nestled in the usual pile of gibberish praise that came out of his mouth every time Iustitia rode his cock like an emperor on his favorite horse.
Iustitia raises an eyebrow, then makes a show of cracking all his knuckles.
"You do understand that, paradoxically, part of my demesne is vanquishing evil?"
"You demesne also includes discipline," Triticum says, already drooling at the thought of hands—Iustitia's hands!—on his neck.
"Very well," Iustitia says with a curt nod.
The next few moments are absolutely breath-taking.