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[POV - Sirzechs Lucifer]
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
The clock in the Devil Council meeting room marked each second like raindrops on a window — slow, persistent, hypnotic. Each tick seemed to echo in the void where Lord Astaroth's voice should have been, each tock hammered into my consciousness like a cruel reminder of what happens when you underestimate celestial power.
Sniffle.
Lady Astaroth wept quietly in the corner of the room, tears falling like broken pearls on the marble floor. Five days. Five damn days since her husband simply... disappeared. Like smoke. As if he had never existed.
— Damn it — I muttered through gritted teeth, running my hand through my red hair. I knew exactly what had happened. I knew that arrogant idiot had decided to hire the Heroes to attack Yuuki Rito — a being with angelic wings identical to Michael's. And now... now he was paying the price for messing with the Celestial Faction.
Thud-thud-thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor, announcing the arrival of the other Satans. I adjusted my tie and composed the mask of serene leader that everyone expected to see. Inside? Inside I was scared shitless. Heaven had grown too strong, and we didn't even know it.
Creak.
The door opened slowly, revealing Ajuka Beelzebub with his usual serious expression, followed by Serafall who, as usual, was trying to disguise her worry with forced smiles, and Falbium who seemed to have aged about ten years in a week.
— Sirzechs — Ajuka nodded, sitting in the chair beside me. — Any news about Astaroth?
I shook my head negatively. What news could there be? The guy had messed with someone who clearly belonged to the Celestial Faction — and a faction that had apparently recovered all its pre-war strength.
Ring-ring.
The Council bell rang three times — signal for an emergency meeting. As if we needed more drama in our lives.
Step-step-step.
The nobles began gathering in the room like vultures around carrion. Whispers and murmurs filled the air like the buzzing of irritated bees. Everyone had a theory, everyone was afraid, nobody knew the real danger we faced.
[The Council's Arrival]
SLAM!
The double doors opened with theatrical thunder, and Zekram Bael entered as if he owned the world. Which, considering the current situation, he probably did. The old man had more political power than any of us Satans, and he knew it.
— Gentlemen — his voice cut through the silence like a sharp knife. — And ladies — he added, making a sarcastic bow to Lady Astaroth, who only cried louder.
I grabbed a wine glass from the table. I was going to need alcohol for this conversation about imminent war.
— Zekram-sama — I greeted respectfully, though I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. — Thank you for calling this meeting.
— I'll dispense with formalities, Lucifer — he growled, striking his cane on the floor. Tap! — We have a problem that could lead to the total destruction of the Underworld.
Murmur-murmur.
The other nobles whispered among themselves like schoolchildren when the principal arrives angry.
— Lord Astaroth — Zekram continued, his voice echoing through the room like distant thunder — disappeared five days ago. Without a trace. Without explanation. As if he had been... erased by angelic power.
I swallowed hard. His choice of words was disturbingly accurate.
— We know that — I murmured. — The question is: what are we going to do about it?
The old man's eyes narrowed, studying me as if he could read my soul.
— The question, my dear Satan — he said slowly, savoring each word — is WHO Lord Astaroth was trying to assassinate before he disappeared.
Shit.
Here came the part I feared most.
— According to our investigations — Zekram paused dramatically — he had hired certain... mercenaries... to eliminate a specific target on Earth. A target we discovered possesses angelic wings identical to those of Archangel Michael.
Lady Astaroth stopped crying for a second, raising her head as if she had heard wrong.
— Angelic wings? — she repeated with a broken voice. — What kind of angel was my husband trying to kill?
— We don't know — Zekram replied coldly. — But we know this individual demonstrated enough power to erase from existence not only Lord Astaroth, but also...
He paused, letting the suspense hang in the air like toxic smoke.
— But also? — Ajuka pressed.
— Twelve elite Heroes from the Hero Faction — Zekram completed. — Including two High-Level Sacred Gear bearers.
Gasp!
The collective sound of everyone holding their breath was almost comical. Almost.
— Impossible — Serafall spoke for the first time, her voice high with nervousness. — What angel would have the power to do that alone? Michael wouldn't do such a thing... That would be declared war!
— Exactly — I confirmed, because someone had to speak the truth. — And that's what worries me. If the Celestial Faction has an angel with this level of power operating on Earth...
Silence.
The silence that followed was so dense you could cut it with a knife. Lady Astaroth looked at me as if I had signed everyone's death sentence.
— You... — she began, her voice trembling — you think Heaven is preparing an invasion?
— Worse — I replied, taking a generous sip of wine. — I think they're already here. And my idiot of your husband gave them the perfect pretext for a justified war.
Ajuka shot me a look that clearly said "explain this shit now."
— You don't understand — I continued, standing up from my chair. — We're not talking about the same Heaven we fought in the Great War. They've grown stronger. Much stronger.
— What do you mean? — asked Falbium, finally joining the conversation.
— Brave Saints — I said simply. — Exorcists with angelic powers. Super Angels. They've rebuilt their ranks beyond pre-war numbers. And now they have an agent on Earth powerful enough to erase thirteen supernatural beings without leaving a trace.
Thud.
Zekram struck his cane on the floor again, harder this time.
— And there's more — he announced grimly. — We've received reports that the Gremory daughter has also developed... interest... in this same individual.
All eyes turned to me like spotlights. Shit.
— Rias? — I asked, feigning surprise. — What does she have to do with this?
— Your sister fell in love with the angel — Zekram declared brutally. — The same angel who probably killed Astaroth. This puts us in an impossible political position.
Lady Astaroth exploded:
— THAT BRAT FELL IN LOVE WITH MY HUSBAND'S MURDERER?!
— Calm down — I tried to calm her, but she was beside herself.
— DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! — she screamed, pointing an accusing finger. — YOUR FAMILY IS FRATERNIZING WITH THE ENEMY WHILE MY HUSBAND IS DEAD!
— Lady Astaroth — I began calmly — Rias didn't know...
— OF COURSE SHE KNEW! — she interrupted. — You Gremorys always knew more than you let on!
Thud.
Zekram struck his cane a third time, more violently.
— SILENCE! — he roared, and everyone shut up immediately. — Personal accusations won't save us from a celestial war!
He began pacing back and forth, like a caged predator.
— What worries me — he continued — is not just this angel's individual strength. It's what his presence represents.
— What do you mean? — asked Ajuka, leaning forward.
— If they placed such a powerful agent on Earth — Zekram stopped in front of the central table — it's because they're preparing something big. Something that requires this level of protection.
Chill.
A cold ran up my spine. This... this wasn't good.
— A large-scale invasion — I murmured, the pieces fitting together in my head.
— Exactly — Zekram agreed. — And now, thanks to Astaroth's stupidity, they have perfect justification. They can claim legitimate self-defense against demonic aggression.
The weight of the implications fell on the room like hail. If the Celestial Faction decided we were a threat...
— We need to consider the possibility — Ajuka said slowly — that we're on the brink of a Second Great War. And this time, they're stronger than us.
— It's not a possibility — I murmured quietly. — With the Brave Saints, angelic exorcists, and Super Angels... they probably outnumber and overpower us.
— So what do we do? — asked Serafall, panic finally showing in her voice.
Zekram looked at each of us, the weight of decision visible in his centuries-old eyes.
— First option — he said — we try diplomacy. We send emissaries to explain that Astaroth acted on his own.
— And if they don't accept? — Lady Astaroth asked, her voice now more controlled but loaded with despair.
— Second option — Zekram replied grimly — we prepare for a war we probably can't win.
— And the third option? — I asked, though I already knew the answer.
— There is no third option — he replied. — Unless...
Everyone waited.
— Unless we can convince this mysterious angel that we're not his enemies. And that Astaroth's attack was... an isolated mistake.
Ironic.
The irony of the situation hit me like a punch. We had to beg forgiveness from someone Rias loved. Someone who could probably wipe us off the map if he wanted to.
— Well — I said slowly — then we better hope my sister has good taste in angelic men.
Because if Yuuki Rito was hostile, the Underworld had reached its end.
And we didn't have enough power to stop it.
Gulp.
I drank the rest of the wine in one go. We were going to need a miracle.
Or a merciful angel.
Which, considering our luck, was probably the same thing.
(A/N: He didn't kill the heroes from the Hero Faction. He only killed Lord Astaroth.)