Disclaimer: All characters depicted in this story are eighteen years of age or older. Any sexual content involves only consenting adults. This is a work of fiction.
Author's note: Damn monster chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you all think! Also, genuinely sorry about the silence. Wasn't a fun week at all and I had a bunch of shit to do out of nowhere. That being said, chap 69 will come tomorrow at night assuredly. Today is my birthday and I won't be checking anything that isn't myself lol. I need a me day and this should be it.
See you all tomorrow, love y'all and be safe!
A Marvelous Devil.
Chapter 68: A Demon's Mercy.
Dante Andromalius.
There was a strange silence in the room after a very eager Azazel left my territory in a flash of light. He would be returning in the following week to go over the numbers with Misla and grab the first batch of product to start amassing a significant pile to work on the plan.
But hey! I got a new maid for my troubles. And an interesting alliance that would give me an in into a bigger plan that would change this world forever.
The Governor of the Fallen Angels decided to leave Kalawarna as a ward of my family and a point of contact between our groups. No doubt for the reason of having her find information about us while she lived here, but I didn't mind that at all.
Azazel, the Satans, and Michael's plan for peace was… not something I expected. It surprised me a lot, because the bad blood between our races was a very real fucking thing. Mostly for the older ones, obviously, as not that many of the current devils had been alive during the Great War. But since the conflict continued, even if it was more of a cold war, every side had done some heinous shit to one another.
So, it was a very complicated problem. One which would receive a lot of backlash from every single faction.
I could only imagine how the church would deal with that. Because as insane as some devils were, the Satans could, and I would push them to, act a lot more firmly against dumbasses. The Angels wouldn't do that, from the little I had heard about them.
Human religion was messy at the best of times. Learning that they'd make peace with their fated enemies? Yeah… it was a bomb waiting to go off.
It will be hilarious when the humans rebel. I honestly expect the angels to cry bitter tears as they try to forgive them, only to end up with either the fallen or us devils stepping in, because allowing a rebellion of that size, that soon, would harm the alliance too much.
"Do you have something to say, Sera?" I asked the Satan. "Or did you wish to see Sona before leaving?"
She remained in her place, looking at me with an indecipherable expression that didn't hide her true feelings.
"I don't know what you are, Dante Andromalius," she finally said after a long moment. "What just happened is not the reaction someone like you should have."
I barked out a small laugh, shaking my head in acceptance.
"No. It wasn't," I nodded calmly before I stood up. "But I am on your side, and I want what you want."
Walking towards her, I frowned at the minute inching away she did before she stopped.
I patted her head with a small smile. "All that just means that we should get to know each other better in the future, no?"
She huffed at my answer before nodding, a bit of the mischievous light I liked about her returning to her eyes.
"And with that, I think you should come with me. I've got a mess in the dungeon that I should fix before long."
Ten minutes later.
"Ah… I forgot about that." My eyebrow twitched as we arrived at a destroyed training ground with Rias's peerage looking worried as they formed a circle in front of Tandy, Jean, and Rogue.
Akeno was almost foaming at the mouth as she glared at the smirking Kalawarna with pure hatred in her eyes. Sai and Sona watched with bated breath as Rias tried to talk some sense into the struggling Queen as she discharged straight holy lightning without a care, while Tandy looked confused and worried as she chained her friend in place.
Misla looked at the scene with narrowed eyes.
"That… Damn, I totally forgot she was here," Serafall scowled before she glared at me. "This is all your fault, Dante. You should be just a normal devil!"
"Right, right," I rolled my eyes at the victim-blaming.
"Akeno. Behave," I put power into my words, and she stopped struggling.
Kalawarna opened her mouth with an innocent expression. I raised my hand and glared at her.
"Don't think I don't know you needled her on purpose. Azazel said what he had in mind, and I approve of having an easy way to contact him through you. But while you live in this castle, you will respect my people as if they're me. Do you understand?"
She scowled minutely before nodding. "Fine, I'll stay away from Baraqiel's brat."
Akeno's struggles intensified as she screamed in anger, but I was already moving.
My hand tightened around Kalawarna's throat as her eyes bulged in pain when her back impacted against the wall on the other side of the training ground, breaking it in the process.
I brought my face next to hers. "I gave you an order, Kalawarna. Do not test me, or you will learn why even your boss should fear me. You are free to live here because you're useful; do not think you're more important than my lover."
I finally let her go once her face purpled from lack of breath.
Only to roll my eyes as a citrusy smell reached my nostrils. There was something wrong with this woman. But then again, I already knew that from our first meeting.
Appearing next to the group once more, I motioned to Tandy to let Akeno go.
"She will learn how to behave in time, Akeno. I ask you to understand why her presence is important at this moment," I sighed.
"You don't understand, Dante," she scowled uglily. "Fallen Angels are the…"
"They are the same as you, or Tandy, or Jean, or even Rias. Every race has their own assholes, dear. I know of your hatred; I just hope you can ignore her for the time being," I shook my head.
"You will regret letting someone like us near you," she sneered before marching out of the training ground.
The sound of her teeth clenching could be heard even after she rounded the corner.
"Sorry about that, Dante," Rias sighed, looking at the parting back of her friend. "I'll have a talk with her."
That wouldn't do. Rias's brand of helping was coddling until it wasn't an immediate problem anymore.
"Not so fast," I sighed, "I need you right now."
"Tandy, can you go heal Kalawarna and show her the room she'll be staying in? Tell her that she's under house arrest until she thinks she can walk around the castle without being a bitch." I dragged my hand down my face. "Misla, can you grab Celestine and look for Akeno? That should work a lot better."
Tandy nodded, and I kissed her lips. "We'll talk later, yeah? I have some things to do. Wait for me with Jean and Rogue in our room at night. I think I'll be out for a bit."
She returned the kiss with so much force that a laugh escaped me before nodding and grabbing the mutants to look for the coughing Fallen.
"As for the rest of you, do what you want. Rias, follow us."
She didn't look convinced of my plans, but she trusted me enough to understand I had an idea from a different perspective. After biting her lip hard enough to bleed, she sighed and nodded.
The three of us left the room, leaving the gossiping devils as we marched towards the dungeons. Once it became obvious where we were going, Rias grew increasingly nervous and excited.
"Is it time?" she murmured.
"Yes, I wanted Serafall to be present for something else. I hope you're not against it?"
She shook her head minutely. "She knows about Gaspy already. I hope you can really help him."
Smiling gently, I led her towards the room the small dhampir had taken as his home since they came to train, before pushing the door open.
I pushed Rias gently into the room, and soon we followed.
"Hey, Gaspy. I brought some friends," Rias smiled gently, her voice soft.
"Go away!" a childish voice came from inside a… box?
It looked out of place, not something Ajuka would put inside the dungeons. Probably brought by Rias for the kid.
"Gasper was always a cutie," Serafall bit her knuckles to avoid squealing.
I wondered how Tandy would react to him, because Misteeta needed a break from the ravenous blond. Maybe they could be friends hiding away from my overeager Bishop.
"Come on, Gasper, we're here to help! And I wanted you to meet Dante after so long!" Rias's lips twitched in amusement. "Lady Serafall is also here."
Funnily enough, it was Serafall's name that made the boy inside the box squeak, and a wave of his power came out.
I covered the group with Cosmic Power while observing how it worked.
… Rias was truly a lucky devil. Her whole peerage was stacked, and it wasn't hard to see why Sona was a bit jealous of our friend, even if she loved her own peerage like family.
"Huh," Serafall looked at me.
I ignored her for a moment, walking towards Rias.
"Hello there," I smiled gently.
"You're not frozen?" the boy asked, surprised.
Surprised enough that he stopped panicking, at least.
"Of course not, kid," I chuckled. "There's a reason why Rias trusts me to help you. Can you come out of your box, please?"
"Nooo!" he whined amusedly, and I chuckled.
"Hm. What's the problem, then? You can see that you aren't harming us, so what is it?" I asked curiously.
"I'm shy," he responded quietly.
This time Serafall couldn't hide her squeal at how adorable he sounded. Even Rias bit her lip.
"But we're friends here," I laughed. "But I guess I can understand. Would this help?"
I created a mask and threw it into the hole on top of the box.
Then we spent a whole half hour coaxing the brat outside, much to my amused irritation.
He was lucky his power was interesting, because I wasn't used to being… as gentle as I was right then.
"Hello," he said nervously, stammering the word out as a tuft of blond hair peeked through the hole.
"Hello there," I smiled to hide my dark thoughts. I was getting close to just pulling him out.
It wouldn't do to scare him as soon as he gathered his nerves. "I'm Dante Andromalius, Rias's… friend."
"I heard you were something more," he mumbled, looking between us from behind his mask.
Rias blushed prettily as Serafall giggled.
"Can you really help with my problem, Dante?" he asked after a moment. "Will it hurt? I don't like pain."
"I promise I'll be gentle." My hand petted his head for a moment before I looked at Sera and Rias.
Serafall first snorted at my wording before nodding, and I used the same coating to guide them inside his soul.
Gasper lost consciousness in the outside world, and I masked my soul from the pair before they could notice the… irregularities of my form.
"Really, Dante?" Rias deadpanned, having seen the kid drop unconscious.
"I like you a lot, Rias, but I don't have that much patience," I sighed, "and I don't know what we would find inside the kid. And seeing that… well, good thing I knocked him out."
There was a pool of pure Darkness in the distance, reaching almost the 'ceiling' inside the plane. At the bottom of it, the form of a small, curled-up boy lay sleeping peacefully.
"What… what exactly is that?" Serafall asked, unusually serious. "Is that his Sacred Gear?"
"Nope," I chuckled in interest, "that's all him. You have a very, very curious servant, Rias."
I manipulated the plane to pull a mark in the kid's history.
His birth.
It was a warped thing, as he obviously didn't have the cognitive ability to realize what had happened or what he was doing, but it was a record, nonetheless.
A complete form of pure darkness that killed his own mother and a multitude of servants. The cause of his many difficulties while growing up.
"Beautiful," I whispered.
Serafall snorted in disbelief, even if she didn't look as perturbed as Rias. "That's one way to call it, I guess."
"That was horrible," Rias sniffed, wiping some 'tears' out of her eyes. "I never knew that happened like that."
"He doesn't know, obviously, and I suggest it stays that way," I shrugged.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Rias mulled over my words, and Serafall's eyes lit up in recognition.
"It reminds me of the story of your brother's birth," she told Rias. "You got a super vampire in your peerage, Rias-chan!"
She even made a victorious pose.
Serafall knew how to be embarrassing, but it managed to pull a laugh out of the worried redhead.
"I'll deal with the darkness later; I want to check the gear."
It didn't take long to find an immense eye floating inside the Darkness some distance away from the kid's soul.
"Curious," I mumbled as I shielded us from the effects of the Sacred Gear, looking at it with a critical eye before glancing at Serafall. "Who's this one? What's the origin of this power?"
The single eye dripped with poison and darkness at the same time. Similar to Gasper's own but warped by something that shouldn't be there.
Serafall made a disgusted expression as she looked at the thing. "That's Balor's eye. The leader of the Fomorians, Irish Pantheon. Lugh himself killed the scary fucker a very long time ago before you-know-who grabbed it."
I deadpanned at the idiot for calling Yahweh that before bursting out laughing.
I didn't expect Serafall to pull a reference like that. Tandy liked those movies.
"Okay, good news and bad news, everyone," I said after finally calming down.
"Can you help him?" Rias asked seriously.
"It will be hard," I sighed before my lips quirked and I finally nodded just after she turned sad. "But I can."
Rias's pout was cute.
"So… what's the bad news?" Serafall went into the important bit.
I looked at the eye that had been tracking us ever since we came into its line of sight.
"That…" I pointed at it, "was made from the corpse of Balor and supposed to be just a trinket pulling power out of the remains. But somehow it has the very consciousness of the same dead god. That's why Gasper can't control his power; he's fighting for dominance with the very thing that it originates from. I will have to seal the consciousness inside."
I had thought this world wouldn't surprise me anymore. But something, someone out there, managed to pull the consciousness of a God from beyond the veil. I could smell the taint of death from the weakened thing in front of me, rolling out like a never-ending tide.
That wasn't something just anyone could do. We just needed to see the hollowed-out echo of the God glaring at me hatefully… madly to understand that.
I gathered Cosmic Power in my hands and wondered what he thought of my grin, if he could even think at this point.
Two weeks later.
Dante Andromalius.
It was amusing to see the difference in how I was invited this time compared to Sona's birthday dinner. Back then, everyone saw me as a curious devil with an extinct clan trait and nothing else. The late arrival of the invitation, inviting only me by name and ignoring my parents.
Now? Well, Lord Astaroth gave me an open invitation to take however many people I wanted into the party.
Rias, Sairaorg, and Sona received their own invitations not long after me. And even theirs weren't as open as mine. Basically just them and their Queens.
Not that I doubted their parents received invitations themselves. As much as the party was for Latia, the other point was for the Lords to mingle and for Astaroth to show off his family.
As for who I took? Well, Tandy linked her arm with mine while Jean and Rogue looked curiously at their… third Underworld castle they've seen? Second, if you counted only those that they entered.
They didn't look out of place, as their beauty matched and even surpassed that of devils themselves, and their dresses?
Rias took them on a girls' night out to the Gremory territory to get everything they needed. Her family was the biggest name in the clothing industry for some reason.
The funny part is that Tandy asked me to lend her Xavi's trinket to hide from Rias's parents and servants, something that made the redhead sigh in relief.
I lost count of all the letters Zeoticus sent Misla's way during this time. It was obvious at this point that the Lords in here didn't understand what it meant to be ignored.
Misla and my parents decided not to come; Misla because her husband would no doubt be present, and my parents still didn't feel comfortable around the other Lords.
The butler at the door looked disapprovingly at Jean and Rogue as soon as we got closer, stepping between us and the door as a small gathering soon formed around our group.
"Lord Andromalius, your invitation, please," he said with thin lips.
I gave it to him while my whole group stayed behind me.
"Lady Sitri, Lady Gremory, Mr. Bael, you three and your friends can step through." He sent an apologetic smile their way before sneering at my invitation.
"We'll wait here," Rias replied curtly, tapping her foot impatiently.
That made the butler sweat as he tried to find any single excuse he could use to deny Jean and Rogue's entrance.
"Lord Andromalius, bringing humans to a reception such as this could be considered a… faux pas."
Funnily enough, the crowd had attracted the attention of some other people, including Magdaran, who approached with a frown, followed by a girl around my age with blond hair with blue tips.
She looked a lot like how Rias used to describe the birthday girl.
"Do you really want to do this, boy?" I looked at the butler, putting a bit of magic into my eyes as I peered into him.
Who even was Diodora?
The butler's knees buckled as the weight of my soul pressed on his, and everyone noticed the instant he decided to ignore his orders for his own well-being as he returned the invitation with trembling hands and moved away.
It was funny. His will was stronger than the idiotic Lord in the council chamber. At least he didn't soil himself.
"Mag! Long time no see," I grinned at Sai's brother before smiling gently at Latia. "Miss Latia, a pleasure meeting you. I have heard only good things about you."
Sai grinned as he fist-bumped Magdaran while the devil girls hugged Latia and gave their congratulations.
"Lord Andromalius." She gave me a slow bow. "I didn't expect you here; thank you for coming."
"Nothing like that, Miss Latia," I waved her off with a small grin. "A friend of my girls is a friend of mine. Call me Dante."
"Your girls?" she whispered to herself, looking between Sona and Rias, who blushed prettily but didn't deny it.
They even puffed their chests out slightly, even if Rias couldn't entirely hide her nervousness about our plan.
An excited grin started growing on Latia's face.
"Then I'm Latia to you, Dante." Her eyes became mischievous as she all but dragged Sona and Rias away.
"Bold," Magdaran snorted. "You know the kind of hell you'll unleash, right?"
"It will be even better later, don't worry," I snorted.
He started guiding us through the door toward a table for the younger generation. It looked almost the same as Sona's own party.
But this time I was chaperoning my Light and mutants as my place was with the stuffy Lords. And I had a game to play before Rias could start her move.
"Enjoy and take care of these two," I swatted Rogue's and Jean's hair. "Don't let any idiot do something they will regret, yeah?"
Tandy smiled cutely and nodded while the pair huffed.
It would have meant more if I couldn't see the gentleness in their eyes. Who said that reverse psychology didn't work? There was a damn reason why it was popular, literally with every race.
"We'll stay with our friends, Dante," Jean said after a moment of controlling herself. "I doubt anyone will dare to go against us."
"Then you still don't know devils, Jean," Magdaran chuckled before looking at me. "I'll also keep an eye on them; my name carries enough weight to keep the worst away."
"You have my thanks, Mag," I nodded in thanks. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be busy irritating some people. I'll try not to shatter your dad's teeth."
With that said, I walked over to the most grandiose table in the room, seeing Ajuka between an old devil and someone around Ajuka's age who sat next to a beautiful, blue-haired woman.
"Lord Beelzebub, Lord Astaroth, and…?" I looked at the two unknowns next to Ajuka.
"Dante," Ajuka nodded back. "That's Lucien Astaroth, my older brother, and his wife, Elara Astaroth, née Agares."
"A pleasure," I gave the man a firm handshake and kissed Elara's knuckles. "You have a beautiful daughter."
"Careful, Dante, she's my niece." Ajuka deadpanned, and I tilted my head confusedly before getting it.
"Ufufu," came the very husky giggle out of Elara. "Don't mind my brother-in-law, Lord Andromalius; I'm sure Latia would be thrilled to hear that coming from someone like you."
There was a very resigned glare coming out of Ajuka's brother.
"Do not tempt fate, Elara," Lucien grunted, "you only need to see those two to know he's dangerous."
I had to admit. I was a bit embarrassed that they were seeing me this way. Especially when my track record didn't help me much. When did I become such a horny fucker?
Ah, yes. Mortality.
I smiled politely and retreated to look for an empty seat. I didn't know if they had a specific layout, but I wouldn't deny the group that was chuckling and calling me over while pulling a chair for me.
"Myrcella, Cressida, a pleasure seeing you again. My mother sends her regards." I kissed their cheeks before nodding at their husbands. "Lord Sitri, Lord Vapula."
"Hush, dear, you'll make me blush," Myrcella almost cackled with even more amusement than Serafall usually did. She was fun. "I wanted to introduce you to a dear friend of mine, Venelana Gremory."
A brown-haired woman, who was approaching just as I sat down, smiled at me from behind Myrcella.
I chuckled amusedly while sighing at Sona's mom before standing up once more and kissing her knuckles as well.
"Lady Venelana," I nodded with a straight face. "A pleasure. Where's Lord Gremory? I fear I didn't have the chance to talk with him during the council meeting."
"I'd say," she said with a fake giggle.
Before she could answer my question, Myrcella just chuckled, "Zeoticus is doing boring Lord things. Just ignore him, come here, Vene, sit with us!"
Venelana didn't even react, probably already used to the hurricane Sona's mom was.
"How have you been, Valerius, feeling the pressure yet?" I smirked at the older devil whose glare was between thankful and cursing my whole lineage.
"Haven't heard the news?" Cassius chuckled amusedly, "The first family to have an alliance with the Andromalius has been making a lot of waves. A lot of whispers, too."
At that, Valerius scowled in disgust.
"Do I want to know?" I asked hesitantly, wondering what kind of bullshit some people have been getting out. I had barely finished reading all the insane theories about how I healed the reporter.
"Some have been wondering what Misla's job in your castle is, Lord Andromalius," Venelana sent an apologetic smile the Vapulas' way.
Cressida just shook her head and chuckled while Valerius scowled even harder.
"That must burn the dumbass like nothing else," I burst out laughing, "and here I was wondering why she didn't mention it during our meetings; she must find it hilarious."
"That's my brother, Lord Andromalius," Venelana said dryly, her eyes glinting with barely hidden amusement.
"Then let us be thankful that you only took the good parts of your parents, my lady," I drawled.
"You're right; he is fun," Venelana chuckled, looking at Myrcella, who just grinned victoriously. "I'm not surprised Rias fell for you."
"Hm, so eager to reach that topic, my lady?" I looked at her curiously.
"She's an adult already," she waved me off. "I can't say it doesn't sting how she has walled us off, but I do understand the folly of youth. It's not like we're completely free of blame."
Did she want me to pity her or something?
I hummed noncommittally before shrugging, "You won't have to wait much longer if you truly wish to fix the cracks."
Her eyes widened, looking toward the youngsters' table. "You don't say."
"In fact, the first part starts here," I didn't bother to look behind me as I murmured.
Venelana did look, and her eyes gained a curious glint as she very casually began to converse with Myrcella.
"It is sad to interrupt such a lovely meeting," a smooth, overly polite voice cut through Myrcella's laughter.
Oh damn. I didn't expect her to pull a Sona.
The man even looked nervous out of nowhere as soon as Myrcella's eyes went judging and analytical.
She would totally curdle milk with a glance like that.
I looked at the man and his cronies curiously, knowing that I had seen them during the council meeting, but honestly, not remembering their names.
It was as if lightning struck me once I remembered, and I clapped my hands as I smiled brightly.
Asmoday, Beleth, and Paimon.
"Aren't you the ones my vassal had to kick out like unruly children because you don't know the meaning of the word respect?" I raised my eyebrow.
It was as if I had silenced the ballroom with no aid of magic.
"We do not fault your worker's aggressive way of diplomacy, Lord Andromalius," Paimon replied plainly, but everyone could see his anger. "It's not like we expected any better when we approached your territory after hearing you put someone like them in charge. Young'uns simply don't know how things work."
"But that's not the reason we're here today," Beleth chuckled. "We asked Lord Astaroth's permission on behalf of the Rating Game Commission. As sponsors of the circuit, we wanted to deliver your registration forms now personally, as everyone knows you disappear a lot from the Underworld and getting a hold of you is quite difficult."
The last one stepped forward with two different parchments.
One was simple, almost hilariously so when compared to the second one which was almost a sheet of gold, with a crimson ink that smelled like the blood of a demonic creature. It looked recently written.
There was a hint of something else in the ink, but I couldn't recognize it through smell alone.
It was strong, though. Probably around Ultimate-class while it was alive.
"We understand that you have been really busy with making sure your family's new territory prospers, but we thought someone should let you know about this sooner rather than later. It is often done as soon as a young devil becomes a High-Class devil and obtains his evil pieces. Still, considering everything else you've been doing, the Commission wondered if you were even told about the proceedings. This way you can understand properly what the two options entail."
I looked around the room, chuckling inwardly at how almost every devil present was looking in our direction. Some were openly curious, others barely hiding the obvious tells.
Ajuka was groaning at the main table, sending a dark look at Lord Astaroth.
Someone didn't like that I didn't pay much attention to him, it seemed.
But this was their plan from the start. Focusing on Paimon's soul, I dug deep until a conversation with the Bael came to the surface as they planned to goad me into accepting the most notable, less safe option.
I was only an arrogant devil, after all.
It was a shame for Bael that he didn't entirely control these idiots' greed.
But it worked all the same. I intended to cause a show to give Rias her chance, but this was perfect.
"This doesn't seem like the place for such a conversation," I sighed, sending an apologetic smile in Latia's direction, "but if Lord Astaroth already agreed, who am I to say anything. Enlighten me."
Lucien and Elara didn't look happy, glaring at their Lord hard enough that I expected he would burn or something.
It was an asshole move to pull this shit on her birthday, but Latia just smiled politely and returned to grilling Rias and Sona, along with another girl their age with green hair.
Rias was getting nervous.
"This one is for the junior circuit," Asmoday smiled as he gave me the simpler parchment. "It's the one most of the heirs of the 72 pillars join when they become High-Class devils. The traditional route for newly reincarnated peerages and other members of our families. It comes with certain… protections that restrict matchmaking as per the Satans' instructions. This is the safe pick."
He said 'safe' almost mockingly, letting the insult hang in the air.
"And the other one?" I asked curiously.
"As the Lord who managed to wake two people out of the sleeping sickness and revived an extinct house, some in the Commission felt the Junior Circuit would be an insult to your prestige. Therefore, it was unanimously authorized that you could pick whichever you wanted."
He pushed the golden parchment into my hands.
What a curious curse on the fresh ink. Devils in the Underworld didn't particularly use blood magic. And more importantly, it wasn't part of Lord Bael's plan.
Paimon's red eyes flashed victoriously before he hid it.
There was a slight compulsion in the blood. Something that was supposed to make me feel more confident than usual. As soon as my hands touched the ink, the curse entered my body and the ink lost its property.
A perfect crime, probably.
"This is the open circuit," Paimon chuckled dismissively. "There are no restrictions there. A completely randomized matchmaking. You could draw any of your peers, a mid-tier Lord, or you could draw the Emperor himself. This is what devils aspire to enter when they gain some experience."
Admittedly, I didn't get why it was such a big deal, but the birthday table started gasping in surprise. The vast majority of them looked jealous.
Myrcella had the same smile as always, but it had turned a bit frosty while Sona's dad looked serious. Venelana only watched with a small smile.
The blood finished 'affecting' me, and I nodded curiously, visibly ignoring the simpler parchment.
"Of course, there's no shame in going on the safe route, Lord Andromalius. Building confidence is a big part of participating in the Junior Circuit. We would completely understand if you chose the safer path, even if the Underworld would be disappointed in your choice."
An offended expression appeared on my face at their words, and Venelana sighed knowingly.
"I despise coddling," I grunted, pulling a pen and signing the golden parchment.
They snatched it away before I could 'change' my mind, and the ballroom turned into a cacophony of noise. Some praised me for my courage, others laughed at my innocence.
"A bold choice, Lord Andromalius." Paimon bowed slightly, his smirk now entirely genuine, but he wasn't done. "You make your ancestors proud."
"Of course I do," I puffed up my chest. "I trust in my strength and the strength of my bishop."
"Oho?" he chuckled knowingly. "Is that so?"
The parchment disappeared from his hand as his grin widened.
"What would you think of a little bet, then?"
Heh. So, that's why they wanted me to be overconfident.
Later.
"You do know that they tricked you, right?" Rudiger Rosenkreutz murmured worriedly. "You played into their hands, Dante."
"How's the brat, Rudiger?" I sighed, feeling bored out of my mind. "No complications?"
The reincarnated devil sighed, but a bright smile couldn't help but grow. "Excited. Now that he is not dying, he has the opportunity to finally meet his idol one day."
"The exorcist, right?" I racked my brain. "Saw the poster hanging in his room. Do you need any help with that?"
"I can't be in even more debt with you than I am," he deadpanned. "I still don't know how I'll pay you back for helping Konrad. Worse, I couldn't even stop you before you signed that damn parchment. What on earth were you thinking?"
"Really?" I deadpanned back. "Do you think of me so little after what I did? That such idiots could manipulate me? I signed because that helps my plans. I would suggest not accepting when they start asking for favors of who will be fighting; wouldn't want the kid to see his dad lose on live television."
"You're a hundred years too young to be thinking about beating me," he said goadingly as I smirked in response.
Then he turned serious. "You need some help training? You bet the license to sell your damn food, Dante. If you lose, you would be working for them and receive mere scraps."
I waved him off. "If you want to see what I'm capable of, visit my castle some time. I don't mind wiping the floor with an old fart."
Rudiger snorted, not offended in the slightest.
He was a genuinely good person, and surprisingly fun to be around. Strong, too. It was easy to see why Serafall wanted him on our side. He would have sold his soul for someone to fix his kid. Almost did, in truth.
"Now, I think I gave them enough time to calm down," I patted his shoulder. "I still need to have a small talk with the bird."
His eyes followed me as I returned to the ballroom, only to slide off me as I activated my clan trait at the strongest I possibly could without my artifact.
"Quite an interesting development, no?" I smiled, putting my hands on Lord Phenex. "Who knew birthday parties could get this exciting."
"Andromalius?!" he hissed, looking around in panic as no one even turned to look our way. Not even his wife next to us.
His shoulders lit in fire as he tried to stand up, but my hands didn't even get warm as I pressed him into the chair.
"Calm down. Even if I could kill you without anyone noticing, that's not why I am here. Serafall would get pouty at me if I went around destroying her supporters," I patted his back once more.
He tried to struggle, but I didn't budge until he stopped moving.
"What do you want?" he said quietly.
Hm. He wasn't that scared.
"I thought a lot about what to do with you or your family, you know?" I sat next to him, his wife 'somehow' deciding to bother Venelana and Myrcella. "I wondered for a long time, but I decided to leave it all to you. You will surprise me as you atone for what you did to my father."
"I didn't order anything," he struggled once more.
"No, your son did. And not even Riser," I snorted. "That second son of yours didn't like how my friendship with Rias would affect how they see your name. Quite a conniving little shit, eh?"
"Don't get that worried," I chuckled amusedly as his already pale face paled even farther. "As I said, I planned to let you decide his punishment. Surprise me. But I'm not here for that right now."
"Rias?" he gritted his teeth.
"Indeed," I nodded, and we both looked at the nervous redhead. She knew her time was getting close. "You know that she will break free of your son, but I decided to be… merciful."
I stepped up, putting my hands on his shoulders once more.
"What are you talking about?" he grunted as I clenched my fingers and lifted him.
We passed through some tables as I approached the grinning, visibly excited idiots from before.
"If Rias just challenged your son for whatever reason or just flat out denied the marriage contract, she would taint her reputation. And if she did so for a devilish reason that had her come out on top, your family's name would be dragged through the dirt. And we can't have that, right? I'm not that evil."
My nail lengthened as I coated it with cosmic power, and I dragged it gently across Paimon's throat.
He winced but otherwise didn't notice how close the embrace of death was as he hurriedly cleaned himself with a napkin, looking around in confusion.
"So, I had a great idea. Rias has been trained by me, you know? Your son has no chance of defeating her. Rias loves me, and we will soon make sure everyone here understands that." I did the same with Asmoday and Beleth. "Your son isn't the kind of idiot to go after me. He's a slacker, and he knows that he can't match me from the recording of my High-Class exam. I will approach Rias; he will not do anything, and Rias will pull the strength card. She won't marry someone who holds her back."
"That would ruin our reputation," he said absentmindedly, looking in disbelief at the thin lines of blood around the three Lords who were none the wiser.
"Yes, that's why their rating game will happen after I destroy whoever these idiots manage to convince. No one would fault Riser for losing against someone trained by a monster like me, right?" I chuckled, throwing a napkin at Paimon's face from the right side, to which he responded with a punch to a Lord I didn't recognize.
I spent a minute watching the show. No one could say devils' parties were boring. A circle formed around the two fighting lords as they jeered and laughed.
"A perfect plan. Rias is free to be with whom she wants; she doesn't ruin her reputation, Sirzechs doesn't have to intervene, I get what I want, and your family isn't dragged through the mud because who could blame the brat? We all win," I grinned, giving him my hand. "What do you think?"
He looked at the scene in shock, then at me, then at Sirzechs (who arrived late), along with Serafall and Ajuka, the three acting oblivious, as if they, too, were under my clan trait.
Their souls were filled with disbelief and amusement and even more complicated feelings as they watched me from the corner of their eyes, but I didn't even have to clue them in on my plan for them to know what they should do.
"And will you keep your word?" He didn't even look defeated.
Hm… I liked him despite everything. He had spine, and I knew that if it came to war, he would probably die with dignity. I could respect that.
Also, he was intelligent enough to understand he was on the losing side.
"Lord Phenex," I chuckled. "My word is my bond."
I patted his cheek condescendingly. "Now, it's time to give Rias her opportunity, I think. Any more waiting and she'll get cold feet. Remember to send me my surprise; I'll leave it up to you. You can wait until my own rating game to decide what to do about that."
I walked away from them and dropped the clan trait as four pairs of eyes were locked on the back of my head.
I waved at them without looking, plastering a smile on my face as I met Rias's eyes.
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