It was weird not waking up in the room I had fallen asleep in.
At first, I thought I had been kidnapped in the middle of the night. That absurd notion was quickly discarded, however, because no kidnapper would ever put a hostage in a room this magnificent. It was far beyond extravagant for someone like me—it looked like a suite fit for royalty. The floor was polished white marble, and the luxurious furniture was arranged in a way that felt both spacious and cozy. The walls and ceiling were carved from smooth, pitch-black stone lined with gleaming gold trim, and a pair of double doors opened out onto what looked like an expansive balcony.
I shifted my legs over the edge of the bed, expecting my feet to touch the floor as usual, but they simply dangled in midair. Confused, I looked down and froze.
Those were the legs of a five-year-old child.
I kicked them back and forth just to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. It was all too real. Panic immediately began to set in. Scrambling off the oversized mattress, I rushed toward a tall, full-length mirror standing in the corner of the room.
When I reached it, the reflection staring back at me nearly stopped my heart. I was looking at a boy no older than five, with vivid golden eyes, a delicate, feminine face, and long green hair that cascaded all the way down to his lower back.
A sudden spike of dread shot through me. I quickly yanked open the waistband of my pants to check. Once I confirmed that my little soldier was, in fact, still present, I let out a long, ragged sigh of relief and pressed a trembling hand to my chest to steady my racing pulse.
I walked back to the bed and sat down to make sense of the situation. This was definitely not a dream. But whose body was I inhabiting? Where was I?
Wait… who even am I?
I fell back against the mattress with my arms crossed, staring up at the ceiling as I tried to piece together my memories. I remembered staying awake for three straight days on a massive gaming binge—nothing out of the ordinary for a shut-in like me—before passing out in my desk chair. And then I had opened my eyes here.
Frustrated, I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. No matter how hard I racked my brain, it made no sense. I couldn't even recall my own original name—only vague fragments of my previous life.
Sitting around wasn't going to get me any answers, so I stood up and took a step toward the door. The moment my foot hit the floor, all strength vanished from my limbs.
I collapsed to my knees, clutching my head as an agonizing wave of information and memories forcefully crammed itself into my skull. The pain was unlike anything I had ever endured; it felt as though my brain were being fried from the inside out. I couldn't hold it in. A scream tore from my throat as I curled into a ball on the cold marble floor.
My vision dimmed. The last things I registered were the hurried shuffling of footsteps rushing into the room and muffled, frantic voices overlapping one another before everything faded to black.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was staring at the same dark ceiling.
I groaned and tried to sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, but a pair of gentle hands firmly guided me back down. Still too weak to resist, I let myself be settled against the pillows and turned my head toward the person attending to me.
She appeared to be a woman in her thirties or early forties, dressed in a crisp maid's uniform. Her long silver hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and her sharp, yellow eyes held a deeply caring and relieved expression as she checked my forehead.
"My lord, you must rest," she said, her voice laced with genuine concern. "You were found collapsed on the floor."
I gently pushed her hand aside and offered a faint, reassuring smile as I sat up. "I am fine, Leah. Could you please inform my father that I have recovered and that there is no need to worry?"
Leah studied my face closely, making sure I was truly lucid, before bowing her head with practiced grace. "Right away, young master."
With that, she swiftly exited the room to deliver the message to my father—Ajuka Beelzebub.
Yes, that Beelzebub from High School DxD.
The flood of agony from earlier had been the merging of two distinct consciousnesses: the memories of my mundane past life on Earth, and the five years of existence I had lived in this world.
Looking at the closed door, everything clicked into place. The woman who had just left was Leah, the head maid of House Astaroth, who had served as my personal caretaker since the day I was born. And my name in this world was Alexander Astaroth.
I leaned back against the headboard, taking my time to sort through the newly integrated memories. A few critical details immediately stood out.
First and foremost: canon had already been derailed. My mother was someone who was supposed to be dead according to the original story—Cleria Belial, the former ruler of Kuoh Town. Somehow, she was alive, well, and married to Ajuka.
Second, among the entire upcoming generation of young devils, my innate demonic power was astronomically high, effortlessly eclipsing the likes of Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri. Because of this, the Underworld held immense expectations for me, viewing my potential in the same light as a young Sirzechs Lucifer.
Reflecting on my past life, it was surreal to realize that the universe I now inhabited was originally a piece of fiction. In my previous existence, I had been an unremarkable shut-in who isolated himself from society until my untimely death. In this life, however, I was born into royalty. While I was naturally polite and well-mannered, my soul carried an innate sense of pride and an insatiable curiosity—traits that harmonized perfectly with the bloodlines flowing through my veins.
I had inherited both the Belial clan trait, *Worthless*, which nullified abilities, and the Astaroth clan trait, *Decay*. Though the Astaroth trait had never been clearly defined in the original lore, possessing both powers made my future as an ultimate-class devil brighter than almost anyone else's.
A quiet knock at the door broke my train of thought.
"Enter," I called out.
Leah stepped back inside, offering a polite bow. "You have been summoned by Lord Beelzebub, young master. I am here to help you bathe and dress. The bath is already prepared, if you will follow me."
"Thank you, Leah."
I slid off the bed and followed her out into the grand hallway of the Astaroth estate. As we walked, I couldn't help but admire the sheer grandeur of the castle. Devils truly spared no expense when it came to luxury. Maids and butlers moved through the corridors with quiet efficiency, maintaining the massive fortress with pristine precision.
When we reached the bath chambers, I momentarily stopped in my tracks. A team of maids was already lined up by the edge of a steaming, pool-sized marble tub, prepared to assist me. According to my memories, this level of pampering was a daily standard for high-ranking noble children, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different.
For the next half hour, I was treated like absolute royalty. Warm water, fragrant oils, and attentive hands washed away every trace of fatigue while my long hair was gently detangled and combed. It was an undeniably pleasant experience, but I couldn't linger forever. My father was waiting.
Hearing your only son scream in agony and lose consciousness would terrify any parent, especially among devils, given their notoriously low birth rates. I needed to handle the situation carefully. If I simply brushed it off with a hollow 'I'm fine,' an intellect like Ajuka would instantly suspect I was hiding something. The safest path was to share half the truth: an inexplicable mental overload.
Once I stepped out of the bath, the maids helped me into fresh attire. They dressed me in a tailored black silk robe adorned with intricate gold embroidery. It was lightweight, comfortable, and allowed complete freedom of movement.
"Excuse me, Leah," I said, turning toward her as she slipped on the Undergarments of her uniform up along her legs.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Could you arrange to have a few more robes made in this exact style?" I asked, gesturing to the silk fabric. "The formal suits in my wardrobe are far too stiff."
"It will be done, young master," she replied with a slight bow.
After taking one last look in the mirror to steady my nerves, I took a deep breath. Part of me was anxious about facing two powerful high-class devils without letting my inner turmoil show, but an even larger part of me was thrilled by the reality of this new life.
I left the dressing quarters and made my way toward the family reception room.
The heavy double doors swung open, revealing Ajuka and Cleria waiting inside.
"Alex, my darling!" Cleria gasped the moment she saw me. She crossed the room in an instant, dropping to her knees to wrap me in a warm, fiercely protective embrace. "Are you feeling better? Does your head still ache?"
"I'm much better now, Mother," I replied, returning the hug with genuine affection before stepping back with a reassuring smile. "I'm not entirely sure what happened. A sudden, terrible headache just overwhelmed me out of nowhere."
Up close, my mother was breathtaking. She had long, straight brown hair, gentle silver eyes, and an elegant figure. According to canon, Cleria Belial was supposed to have been executed in Kuoh by the corrupt secret king faction alongside her human lover. How her destiny had shifted to crossing paths with Ajuka—and ultimately giving birth to me—remained a mystery I had yet to unravel.
"Alexander."
A calm, resonant voice cut through my thoughts. I immediately turned toward my father and bowed with respectful formality. "Father."
Ajuka Beelzebub was seated comfortably in an ornate crimson armchair, a faint, composed smile resting on his lips. Even though he kept his aura entirely suppressed, standing before one of the Four Great Satans sent a subtle chill down my spine. A primal instinct warned me of the immense power slumbering within him, but I forced my composure to remain steady.
Ajuka gestured toward the empty seat beside him. "Sit with me."
I nodded and took the seat. As soon as I settled in, he reached over and placed the tip of his index finger against my forehead. A vibrant lime-green light flickered at his fingertip, and a wave of cool, calculating energy flowed smoothly into my body. It was demonic power—refined, precise, and surprisingly soothing.
After a few moments, he withdrew his hand. The warm smile remained on his face, though a trace of paternal concern lingered in his sharp eyes.
"Physically, you are in perfect health," Ajuka observed evenly. "However, your mind appears to be in a temporary state of disarray, as if processing a sudden influx of stimuli."
My heart skipped a beat, but I maintained a neutral expression. I hadn't expected him to analyze my mental state so accurately.
"I am just glad to see you on your feet," he continued, leaning back. "You gave your mother and me quite a scare. I will have a physician examine you thoroughly tomorrow just to ensure there are no lingering anomalies. That aside, there is something important we need to discuss."
"Yes, Father? What is it?" I asked, deliberately letting my posture relax.
"In one week, the other Satans will be visiting our estate for an official council meeting," Ajuka explained, a subtle, knowing glint appearing in his eyes. "Sirzechs and Serafall will be bringing their younger sisters along—Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri. During the conference, I would like you to host them, show them around the grounds, and introduce yourself. It would be wise for you to begin building connections with your peers."
Rias and Sona, huh?
In my previous life, I hadn't disliked them, but I hadn't been an obsessive fan either. Still, an official gathering of the Four Great Satans was a major political event; whatever they discussed behind closed doors would shape the future of the entire Underworld.
"I understand," I replied smoothly. "They will be arriving in a week, then?"
"That is correct, sweetie," Cleria chimed in warmly, resting a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You'll have plenty of time to rest and prepare."
A week is more than enough time, I thought. It gives me the breathing room I need to fully master my magic, understand my traits, and plan my next steps.
Ajuka stood up from his chair, giving my shoulder a firm, approving pat as he walked past. Cleria leaned down to plant a soft kiss on my forehead before following him out of the room.
The heavy doors clicked shut behind them, leaving me alone in the quiet grandeur of the study with my thoughts, ready to carve out my own place in this world.