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verona2314 · 2 months

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Judgment of the Damned (translation) PART V

LINK PART IV

Summary:

In the realm of Limbo, where souls deemed too good for Hell but not virtuous enough for Heaven reside, Victoria finds herself thrust into an unprecedented mission. When a notorious sinner, Sir Pentious, achieves redemption and ascends to Heaven, it sends shockwaves through all realms. Tasked with unraveling this mystery, Victoria, a minor judge of souls, is sent to the infamous Hazbin Hotel in Hell. For the first time, an emissary from Limbo steps foot into the fiery depths, tasked with observing and judging the denizens of Hell for their potential for redemption. As Victoria navigates this unfamiliar territory, she captures the unrequired attention of the enigmatic Radio Demon, Alastor. Amidst the chaos of demonic antics and the pursuit of understanding redemption, Victoria must confront her own beliefs and judgments. As she delves deeper into the secrets of the Hazbin Hotel, Victoria uncovers hidden truths about sinners, redemption, and the ultimate fate of souls caught between damnation and salvation. With each soul she encounters, Victoria's journey becomes not only a quest for answers but a personal voyage of self-discovery in the heart of darkness.

Chapter 5: A Fair Trade ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey, I just want to thank each and every one of you for your support...As always, thank you very much for reading this story. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I also want to inform you that I won't be uploading chapters this weekend as I want to have some chapters ready to upload during the week. Please, feel free to leave your comments and ask questions if you wish.

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Alastor

After his interesting conversation with Zestial, he immediately set out to resolve that small problem Carmilla was dealing with. After all, he had told the ancestral Overlord that he would take care of that matter in exchange for the information. It wouldn't take him long as he already had everything prepared and planned in advance. He appreciated efficiency and his time, so he would try to be as brief as possible.

He headed towards a building in very poor condition, where several sinners did not receive him kindly. Their first impulse was to attack until they realized his identity. They tried to flee in terror, but Alastor showed no mercy. As he took care of the "clean-up," his thoughts wandered to everything Zestial had told him. The mere possibility that those stories were true thrilled him immensely. Just imagining having in his possession a creature with the ability to modify or annul a contract caused him an indescribable sensation. It could be that backdoor he had been searching for. Who better than a judge to find weaknesses in a contract?

The screams of his victims didn't even faze him. He was so excited that he was undoubtedly going overboard, but he didn't care in the least. He needed to know more about the judge. He had to find out if she really had the abilities that Zestial had mentioned in his tale. The problem was that Victoria wasn't simply going to answer his questions, let alone reveal her cards. It was evident that the esteemed judge was cunning and wouldn't expose herself in that way. The only remaining option was to try to subtly extract the truth through seemingly innocent conversations. However, this wouldn't simplify things much either, as she seemed like a difficult person to manipulate. Furthermore, making the situation even more unfavorable for him, Victoria never trusted him.

The night had already fallen. Alastor walked over the bodies as he tried to solve this dilemma. He truly felt very eager for this challenge and was anxious to have another conversation with the judge and discover what sharp retorts she would give to his sarcastic remarks. Perhaps he could crack that mask of calmness again and see once more that expression of indignation on her face. It was gratifying to know that he had provoked that, that he, the great Alastor, had gotten on the nerves of a minor Judge. Clearly, he had used a low trick. Anyone would be annoyed if they were made to fall to the ground, so he couldn't boast much about that achievement either. Wasn't he perhaps thinking too much about her? Well... how could he not when she was his new source of amusement? A rival to respect and to keep him on his toes. It was just that. Besides, as long as no one else knew about the dear judge's existence, he would have plenty of entertainment time assured.

To his surprise, this last thought caused him a slight unease. The idea of other Overlords trying to befriend her in order to obtain information or use her abilities did not please him. Having competition would make this job much more difficult and would only succeed in making Victoria's walls rise even higher and stronger. No. He couldn't allow the news to spread, as that would completely go against his own interests. And on the other hand, Zestial would also be very pissed off if he found out that he had hidden something like that from him.

Alastor had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed he was already outside the hotel. He entered the building and came face to face with the remains of the chandelier. "I thought it had stayed firm this time," he thought to himself as he looked at the ceiling. “How could it have fallen if I made sure the chandelier could withstand twice its weight?.”

At that moment, Alastor heard some very lively laughter coming from the hotel's new bar. Of course, he wanted to know what was the origin of such a cheerful atmosphere, so he transported himself to the door of the lounge, coming across a completely unexpected scene.

Sitting at the bar were Angeldust, Husk, and the judge, engaged in a lively conversation. Victoria laughed and responded to her interlocutors' comments in a charming and carefree manner, acting completely different from what he had seen.

"So you won't believe what the guy replied," Alastor heard Victoria say. "He said that anyone would be grateful to meet his 'little friend'."

"And what did you say?" Angeldust asked, quite interested.

"Well, what anyone would say in that situation," replied Victoria. "That with those tight pants, it was clear that what he had down there was a rather small 'little friend' and that he had proven to not be very smart, so I doubted he could use it in any way to compensate for that detail. So I politely declined his offer."

"Judge!" Angel responded, feigning shock while Husk chuckled quietly. "I never imagined you could be so sharp."

-Well," Victoria continued, shrugging her shoulders, "maybe I went a bit too far. The idea was to deflate his ego, not tear him to pieces."

"I didn't know Limbo could receive such unpleasant people," added Husk, pouring some drinks. From a distance, Alastor could notice that Victoria's smile faltered for a second, which struck him as slightly suspicious.

"Well, you know what they say," the judge replied, "there's all sorts in the Lord's vineyard."

"Judge," said Angel, "I must admit I never thought you could be so amusing. I thought you'd be a boring and strict woman. No offense."

"I can understand why," Victoria replied casually. "It's the image associated with this position. However, it would be difficult to reach people if you can't socialize and build bonds. How could I do my job of gathering information about sinners if I acted like an insufferable woman? I can be firm with my convictions and ideals and uphold the rules while being friendly at the same time. Although when I am strict, I can be quite fearsome. Or so I've been told, at least."

"You're not what I expected from someone who spends their entire existence judging the actions of humans as good or bad," Husk responded.

"There are many shades of gray," Victoria pointed out, looking at her glass. "I've learned that sometimes context does matter and other times it doesn't. That people with the same circumstances make completely different decisions, but life is full of tough choices. Hence, these ideas of 'double effect' or 'unrenounceable fear' emerge."

"I think angels wouldn't like you," murmured Angel.

"Great! That's great news," the judge responded in a celebratory tone. The trio laughed again.

Alastor listened to this conversation from afar, completely puzzled. It was hard to believe that this person was the same Victoria he had spoken to just a few hours ago. She retained her dignified aura and elegant movements, but her face displayed a variety of positive expressions while her amber eyes sparkled with wit. It seemed effortless for her to connect with people. Even Husk seemed to be in a good mood. This implied that Victoria had great social skills and empathy. How could a being from Limbo possess such qualities?

He narrowed his eyes. There was definitely something very suspicious about her. His first impulse was to try to start a conversation with the judge to get answers. He was about to take the first step towards the group when he noticed a slight detail that made him pause. She wasn't carrying the briefcase. His eyes widened. He had to take advantage of the fact that the dear judge was distracted, and without wasting any time, he teleported to her room.

Yes, it wasn't very gentlemanly to intrude without permission into a lady's room, but because of how suspicious the woman seemed, he could make an exception. He turned on the room's light and looked around. Immediately, he spotted the briefcase on the table. It was open, and around it were closed documents. "So that's what you were hiding in there," Alastor thought to himself as he approached the table. Each of the files had a label on the front with a name written on it. "These must be the documents with information about the inhabitants of Hell," he mused to himself as he saw some very interesting names. He reached out to take one of the files when suddenly, golden chains surrounded the folder while he felt the tips of his fingers burning slightly, causing a deep ache.

"Fuck!" he muttered, withdrawing his hand. How could he have underestimated the judge so much? It was obvious that she wouldn't leave something so important in plain sight without any protection. His carelessness irritated him. He needed to find a way to obtain those documents, but apparently, they were protected by some kind of enchantment he knew nothing about. He stepped back frustrated, temporarily giving up on the idea. He would come up with a plan eventually. Slowly, the burning sensation in his fingertips faded until there was no trace of pain. It reminded him of when a child gets a light slap on the hand for trying to take something they shouldn't. He let out a small laugh. He wasn't going to deny that he deserved it. He had decided to leave the room when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small notebook with a lilac cover on the bed. He tried to resist the temptation, but in the end, curiosity won. With great care and caution, he slowly reached out to take the notebook. This time, no chains appeared, nor did he feel any burns. He examined its exterior, but the only thing written on the cover was the judge's name in very elegant lettering. Alastor shrugged and decided to open the notebook slowly until he could see the first page. Nothing happened. That page was completely blank. Now confident, Alastor decided to turn the page to start reading the contents of the notebook. To his surprise, the blank page wrapped around his index fingers, trapping them, and the notebook slammed shut.

"What's this?" he exclaimed, studying the way the paper had wrapped around his fingers. At first, he was confused; every time he tried to free his fingers, they became more trapped. Finally, he remembered what this was. He had fallen prey to a Chinese finger trap. A really sturdy one that wouldn't break even when he pulled with all his might. For several minutes, he tried to free himself from this trap. He tried in various ways, even with his demonic powers, but the finger trap wouldn't budge. It wasn't hard to deduce that it must also have some enchantment from Limbo. One of very poor taste in his opinion. It was as if they were mocking him. Completely frustrated, he decided to leave the room, hiding his little predicament with the sleeves of his coat. It would be absolutely humiliating if anyone saw him like this. No. Under no circumstances would he allow such a thing. He had had enough for today. He chose to retreat to his room and deal with the damn trap on his own; after all, he was a powerful Overlord.

Victoria

That morning she woke up with a slightly dry mouth. She wasn't sure if it was because of how much she had talked the night before, or from the alcohol she had drunk, or both. Anyway, she felt very happy to have had such a pleasant moment with Angel and Husk. After the chandelier incident, she knew she had to break that awkwardness with the residents immediately before it got worse. So, after getting up, she followed Angel and Husk to the hotel bar where things just fell into place wonderfully.

Unfortunately, her good mood was slightly overshadowed by remembering the reason she was in that place in the first place. Her biggest problem was that she had no idea how to enter the social circles of Hell without resorting to the Overlords or other more important figures. She also didn't want to ask for help from Lucifer because if introduced by him, she would attract too much attention by being associated with the king of Hell. No. She had to find another way, but for now, nothing came to mind. Perhaps she was too focused on that and needed to take some time to relax and clear her mind and maybe, acclimate to the environment. With that in mind, she made the decision to give herself the morning off.

She left her room and after a few minutes of wandering, she found, to her delight, a room with several armchairs and some shelves with books. It was a kind of reading room. She browsed through the books and most of them were dense classics. She could understand that for many, this type of reading could be torturous. There were works by authors like Ivan Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, William Faulkner, etc. To her surprise, she found a book by Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. That would be her choice for the day. She sat in the armchair closest to the window and immersed herself in the story. She was so focused on her reading and wiping away the tears that Victor Hugo's words caused her that she didn't notice that someone had entered the room, closing the door.

"Good morning, dear judge!" Alastor greeted with a very lively and noisy voice. Victoria startled in her seat, emitting a small squeak. "It wasn't my intention to scare you, but I can't deny that was very amusing. It definitely must be repeated."

"Alastor," Victoria responded in a monotone voice, regaining her composure. "Good morning to you too," she added, returning her attention to the book, but the radio demon continued to stare at her. She tried to ignore him, but as time passed, she grew more uncomfortable. She sighed resignedly. "Yes? Do you need something?"

"Indeed, dear judge! But I didn't want to interrupt your... interesting reading. I see we share a taste for Victor Hugo, however, I believe you would categorize his books as tragedy and I... hmm never mind."

"You were going to say comedy, weren't you?" Victoria responded, narrowing her eyes and raising her eyebrows.

"Guilty," Alastor smiled.

"I think I'm the one who should decide that, right?" she replied jokingly. At that moment, Victoria noticed Alastor was hiding his hands. "What are you hiding?"

"What do you mean, dear judge?" Alastor feigned ignorance. Victoria gave him a stern look. Alastor pinned his ears back and looked to the side. "I don't have a weapon or anything of the sort. Relax, dear. In fact, Judge, I wanted... um... to ask for your help with a small matter, but I would greatly appreciate it if it stayed between us."

"My help?" Victoria looked at him incredulously and with complete distrust. This whole situation was too strange and suspicious. Her mental alarms were screaming at her not to meddle further in the matter. He was surely trying to manipulate her to get something from her. Had he discovered something else? Was he already aware of her abilities as a judge of Limbo?

"Indeed," Alastor responded with an expression of annoyance.

Victoria could tell that Alastor seemed uncomfortable. He wouldn't look her in the eye, and his expression seemed tense. "Alright. I'll help you."

"It's crucial, dear judge, that you don't tell anyone about this," the radio demon emphasized.

"Yes, yes. I got it," she replied a bit annoyed. "So, what is it?" At that moment, Alastor sighed and revealed his hands. Victoria tried to contain her laughter, but the corners of her lips trembled. What she was witnessing was hilarious. She tried to take a deep breath, but small chuckles tried to escape her lips. Alastor looked at her with his ears even more pinned back, averting his gaze with a look of absolute irritation. She couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing. "Can you tell me why you have a Chinese finger trap?" she asked amidst laughter. "Wait... is it from my notebook? Did you sneak into my room?"

"I apologize for that invasion of your privacy," muttered the radio demon under his breath.

Victoria kept laughing. "Oh, Mr. Accused, it seems you're ready to be brought to court. Ready to testify?"

Alastor chuckled lightly at her last remark. "Yes, my esteemed judge. What am I accused of?" the demon played along.

"Attempted theft! And the evidence is very clear," said Victoria, pointing to Alastor's fingers trapped in the finger trap.

"False! I plead. It was never an attempted theft. Perhaps trespassing... but not theft, judge."

At that moment, they both looked at each other while laughing lightly. Feeling more composed now, Victoria shook her head slightly, setting the book aside.

"Goodness, Alastor. I hope you didn't try to touch the documents I had on my table. I can't believe you entered my room. Is your curiosity that great? Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?"

"Should I feel offended that you're equating me to a cat?" the demon responded.

"On the contrary. They're pleasant creatures."

"Have you seen cats in Limbo?" Alastor asked, clearly confused.

"It doesn't matter. That's irrelevant. The point is... I'm very tempted to leave you like this. It would be much easier to deal with you in that state."

"Believe me, my dear judge, I don't need to have my hands free to make your day difficult. Why does your notebook have this cursed thing? I tried to free myself from it all night."

"Well, that notebook was a gift from Seilmon."

"Who?"

Victoria looked at him for a moment. Was this a trick from the radio demon to gather information? She sighed. There was really no harm in Alastor knowing a little about Limbo, and she highly doubted he would subject himself to such humiliation just to uncover her secrets. "Seilmon is the president of the five supreme judges. You could say he's my boss. He's a wise, calm being, but a bit playful. His sense of humor is somewhat childish. That finger trap is completely his style."

Alastor snorted indignantly. "Can you remove it?"

"I could... in exchange for a favor." Victoria wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

"Oh, I see you have claws, my esteemed judge," Alastor said, looking at her maliciously.

"Don't worry, it's nothing too serious. You shouldn't get defensive," Victoria said with a slight smile.

"You couldn't be more wrong. I'm not defensive, I'm very intrigued. Tell me, my dear judge, what can I do for you?"

"I need to enter some social circles of Hell without attracting too much attention. I didn't want to turn to anyone in authority because of the problems that could imply. It's not a good idea to owe favors to individuals like yourselves. But look at what a magnificent opportunity presented itself now that you're in this little predicament, isn't it?"

Alastor emitted a deep, grave laugh. He watched her for a few minutes, possibly trying to read her intentions, but she was being completely honest. Alastor approached her, and she immediately stood up from her seat. The last time he had gotten this close, she had ended up on the floor.

"Oh, don't be afraid, dear judge," Alastor said, leaning down to be at eye level with her. He looked into her eyes for a moment and then straightened up, raising his hands to expose them. "It seems like a fair deal. I'm at your mercy."

Victoria rolled her eyes in annoyance before proceeding to free Alastor from the finger trap. "Can I touch your hands?" she asked to avoid being invasive. The radio demon nodded. Victoria took Alastor's hands and first tried to release him from the trap by bringing his hands closer together to slide his fingers further into the tube. As she suspected, it didn't work. She knew Alastor was clever enough and must know the trick to get out of this type of artifact. She pondered for a moment. This was Seilmon's doing... she had to try to think like him.

"Well?" Alastor inquired. "Are you just going to hold my hands?"

"I'm thinking," she replied calmly. At that moment, a possible solution came to her mind. She concentrated for a moment and whispered, "Free yourself." The trap didn't release. It seemed she would have to give the command with the complete formula. After all, Seilmon was old-fashioned. Again, she focused and with a firm yet calm voice, she said, "With my authority as a judge, I mandate you to free yourself." Barely had she finished speaking when the finger trap released, freeing Alastor. Victoria smiled satisfactorily, but her tranquility wouldn't last long upon seeing her interlocutor's expression. The radio demon was looking at her with a wide smile and eyes full of enthusiasm.

"I SEE NOW! That's a judge's mandate! Tell me, my dear judge Victoria, then… are the rumors about your other abilities true?" LINK PART VI

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