All except the sadistic queen, the knight, and the innocent nun answered immediately. With one voice.
"""NO!"""
The succubus pouted, they were no fun...
Sairaorg returned to the Underworld small grin on his face, wanting to speak to his father about possible avenues for business expansion. It may not seem like much, but in accordance to the inherent greed of devils...every little bit counts.
But first, he had to make a stop first, as always if he had the chance to do so.
It was this fact that sobered his good mood quite a bit, serious time, hmm...?
The moment that the heir of the Bael clan re-entered the Underworld, he made sure to transport himself to the countryside of Bael territory.
A small home was his destination.
The young devil quickly entered it, taking off the 'bapple' costume on his head so that he may properly gaze upon his loved one.
As Sairaorg reached it's confines, going inside a bedroom where a woman lay in sleep, but in actuality; comatose.
It was his mother; Misla Bael.
The high-class devil quietly took the seat that was next to her, occupying it in order to gaze upon her form without disturbing her. She seemed so peaceful...
"Okaa-sama, I came by to check up on you, are you well?" Sairaorg asked gently, combing her hair out of her face.
The young devil paused for a moment, simply gazing on her still form. Motionless.
"...I want you to know that...like you advised, I've grown strong in different ways. Even now, I seek out challenges to test my power, to become the strongest."
Purple eyes continued to gently regard the woman that they were so transfixed upon, focused on nothing else.
"Also...that my desire to seek out new challenges has been rewarded recently. You see...I've met a man, he's incredibly strong, especially if the rumors are to be believed. Some say that he defeated a legendary phoenix at the ball that Lucifer-sama has hosted! If that's true, then I wish that I didn't leave the party early, maybe we could have fought then and there? It would have been quite the sight to see..." Sairaorg rambled, eyes fixated upon the woman that he owed everything to.
"...I think that you'd like him, he has good eyes...you always were good at judging people through their eyes..." the young devil trailed off, a content smile on his face.
Then his smile fizzled out, suddenly more gaunt and grim-faced.
"...I didn't expect you to be here." Sairaorg stated with little emotion, tilting his head to the side to regard the man who just entered the room.
An elder-looking man that bared striking resemblance to Sairaorg stood at the entrance of the room, looking grave.
"Sairaorg...I was informed that you returned. I wish to speak with you." the man demanded, no quarter given whatsoever.
The younger devil slowly got up from his chair, turning to face his father.
"Of course, what is it, otou-sama?"
Lord Bael, the head of the Bael clan, stared at his son for a moment before continuing. "Sairaorg, you have attended ball that Sirzechs-sama has hosted, correct?"
The younger devil nodded.
"Then I assume you know of the rumors regarding one of his...'special' guests?"
"You mean Uzumaki Naruto, correct?" Sairaorg guessed, it wasn't hard.
Lord Bael nodded firmly. "Yes, I've received reports from contacts who are working in the media, they are going to begin speculating on it on live television soon. But I've already received the myriad details of it already. My only question for you is this...does he really want to reform devil culture?"
The Bael heir blinked, confused. "...If he had, then I wasn't there when he did it. I apologize otou-sama."
Lord Bael said nothing, only grunting in annoyance. "I see...then a question to amend the last one. Is he strong? In mind and body?"
With that, Sairaorg straightened his back. "I can say definitively that he is strong in both aspects."
The older devil's frown became more prominent. "...I see...very well, thank you for your time."
Lord Bael turned around and left the room, barely acknowledging his own wife in a comatose state.
Sairaorg gave his mother a slightly bitter smile, filled with self-effacing humor.
"...Seems we still have a long way to go, huh...? Okaa-sama..."
Lord Bael was storming out of the small countryside home, anger palpable as he seriously began to consider Sairaorg's words.
A young man who wanted to change devil culture...
That was dangerous.
Rumors come from some basis of fact, usually blown out of proportions to help bring out the sensationalism of the news.
But these are first-hand sources, the information hasn't shifted through enough hands to be overblown, which meant that...
More than likely, this boy's achievement of defeating a phoenix was fact.
Such power...yet this was the first time that this boy was seen or heard about? That should be impossible...
The head of the Bael clan hated a lack of knowledge, he needed to know everything about his possible enemies. He had the most to lose after all.
He was the head of the Bael clan, the most highly respected devil clan in the Underworld.
The Great King.
Truth be told...they held more influence than even the Yondai Maou, the Bael clan greatly benefited from the current system. Pure and simple.
They were like powerful feudal lords, with the Maou as the king. The feudal lords held the real power...an aristocracy more than a absolute monarchy.
Yet someone, from out of nowhere, with the power to destroy a phoenix, was challenging the culture that allowed for his clan's superiority. For their power.
No, not just his clan, the 72 pillars as well.
This was an affront that had to be answered.
But for now, he would keep his ears to the ground, sound out public opinion, not only of the common people, but of the other heads.
This threat needed to be answered, one way or another. The changing of the status-quo is an unacceptable proposition that must be crushed before it could gain traction.
Somewhat paranoid? Perhaps. But he didn't stay as influential as he had by being dismissive of possible threats to his power.
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