Chapter 27
POV: Serafall
I love humanity. A very strange thing for a devil to say, right? But it's true. I love the way humans dream, how they cling to fragile hopes, how they burn themselves up chasing something greater than themselves. I love their courage, their laughter, their stubborn insistence that tomorrow can be better. For all our power, devils rarely dream like that. But humans, they dream as if the stars will answer.
And their heroes… oh, their heroes are wondrous things. Not the conquerors, not the tyrants, not men of greed or crowns, but those who fought for love, for passion, for freedom, for principle. I think of Heracles, Jason, Theseus, Icarus, and so many others whose names echo through the ages. All of them bore their sorrows, their burdens, their tragedies, because great heroes need great sorrows. Without them, half their greatness would go unnoticed. It is cruel, it is unfair… but it is part of the fairy tale.
And yet… I wish it weren't so. I wish every hero could have found a happy ending. I wish Heracles had been freed from his madness, Jason from his grief, Theseus from his loss. But fate is merciless to dreamers. I suppose I am merciless too, for wanting stories to end in ways they never can.
Still, I love them most, the principled ones. The men who never abandon what they stand for, even if it means suffering, even if it means dying. A man who carries his dignity to the end, unbroken. That kind of man… ah, I confess, I have waited centuries for one. But I ask for too much. Five hundred years, and I have met none who could bear such a burden. Perhaps it is my curse, to always set myself up for disappointment.
And yet… I still hope. Isn't that foolish? To want a chivalrous soul in a world like this? To believe, like a child with stars in her eyes, that one day such a man might exist? Maybe that is why I love humanity so dearly. For all their sorrow, they never stop believing in happy endings… even when they know the world will not grant them.
"The extinction of vampires was not in my bingo book this year," I said, exhausted. Understatement of the century.
The vampires, while not as old as the devils race, were extremely ancient, tracing their origin back to the pre-flood age or to Cain himself, depending on which myth you believe in. Though the latter myth is not taken seriously despite the vampire's insistence. Now they're gone. An entire race, a whole dimension, erased in hours. The world will not be the same after this. Few people laughed, few people cried, most people were silent. The Hero Faction revealed the depth of their madness and the depth of their conviction.
Neither law, nor love, nor mercy, nor fear.
I myself had once encountered them. I remembered Hercules' wild laughter, Cao Cao's cold eyes; unblinking and terrifying. I remember fleeing in terror. They were like heroes of the old age: chivalry and madness bound together, bringing ruin as easily as legend. They had sworn that none will shield those who harm humanity from their wrath. The vampires knew it, too. That was why they created their ritual, hiding their dimension away from the world. For three years, it seemed to have worked. The rest of the supernatural world stood in wonder of the vampire's defiance. Until it did not, and now the vampires no longer exist, wiped out to the last. And the Hero Faction proved their oath, that nothing is beyond their reach.
The event spooked the supernatural world. That a faction as ancient as vampires were wiped out without even being able to do anything, in their place of power, terrified the rest of the supernatural on an existential level.
"After their involvement with Tezcatlipoca and Loki at that ritual, it was only a matter of time," Sirzechs said gravely.
"While that may be so," said Ajuka, voice emotionless, "the ritual Tezcatlipoca used to separate the vampire dimension was not so easily breakable. I have studied it and was very impressed," said Ajuka with a certain respect to his tone. He is such a nerd.
"A compliment from you?" I teased, leaning closer. "Then surely it must have been ridiculously good," I said.
"It was," he said, his voice precise, almost clinical in its detachment, "highly probable that the individual responsible employed a divine artifact to separate the dimension, coupled with a specialized ritual to sustain that separation. The exact method of generation, how the artifact maintained the barrier continuously, is not definitively known. However, based on observation and precedent, several logical hypotheses can be posited."
"First," he continued, "the ritual may have relied on periodic sacrifices to reinforce the dimensional boundary. This could theoretically involve large numbers of humans or other sentient creatures. The assumption here is that the energy of life, particularly from beings with sufficient vitality, could feed and stabilize the magical construct. In practice, however, the sheer scale of the barrier, encompassing an entire dimension, renders this method extremely improbable. The quantity of sacrifices required would be immense, and sustaining such a regimen over decades would be logistically and magically unsustainable. Therefore, while conceivable in principle, this hypothesis lacks practical viability….."
And on he went, breaking the ritual apart like a lecturer before a guild. Falbium was already dozing off. Sirzechs and I, however, were listening intently to Ajuka.
Honestly, I liked hearing people rant about their passion or hobbies. And besides, the three of us in this room were definitely one of the few who could keep up with Ajuka mentally, and he does not have to slow down for our sake.
"Based on this systematic evaluation," he concluded, "it is evident that the barrier could not have been breached through external force. The artifact and ritual construct a self-sufficient, internally maintained system impervious to outside interference. Any attempt to destroy or disrupt it from without would be futile. Consequently, the logical deduction is that penetration of the dimension required infiltration from within: either an agent of the dimension assisted, or an external actor convincingly impersonated an inhabitant capable of navigating and ultimately dismantling the protective measures."
"As I suspected," Sirzechs murmured. "Someone dismantled it from the inside. But who and why?"
"It must have been a vampire," I said. "Their barrier allowed only their own kind through. Even transporting their human cattle required an elaborate ritual, full of restrictions. Either one of those "imported goods" somehow broke it…" I let distaste color my voice. "…or a vampire betrayed their own."
"It is unlikely to have been a human or one of their imported cattle," Sirzechs mused. "They are thoroughly broken, reduced to husks. Even if we imagine someone managed to infiltrate as one of them, they could not conceal ultimate-class strength. A society of high-class vampires would have uncovered them instantly. So they have to be a high-class level maximum.To assume such a husk could outwit them, gain their secrets, and dismantle a god-class ritual… impossible." He paused. "Unless, of course–"
"Unless of course," Falbium yawned, finally stirring, "this hypothetical infiltrator isn't ordinary. Then he may well have done all that. We've been seeing a lot of impossible things lately, don't you think?"
And he was right. Several Longinus wielders being born in the same era, gathering for one purpose, vampires cutting themselves off so completely from the world, a devil wielding holy power of all things, so many unlikely things happening in such a short time. Even for someone like me, who lives for surprises, it was dizzying.
"Or perhaps this is merely the work of a traitor," I said lightly, twirling a strand of my hair around one finger. "There could be many motivations for such things, from being promised survival to simply being disillusioned with vampire society. It would not be strange."
I made it sound light, but betrayal was always the most boring and most likely answer.
"Naturally, I think that is the most likely sequence of events," Sirzechs said, his voice measured, as if trying to make the word sound calm instead of weary. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. My cute Sirzechs always tried to appear reasonable, but I could see the tension bleeding through at the edges.
"Or have you perhaps considered the fact that the vampire nobility were infiltrated?" asked Falbium, yawning.
Ajuka straightened in his seat, eyes narrowing slightly. "You mean, someone impersonated a vampire lord and manipulated his way into their society?" said Ajuka, his tone was clinical, detached, as if we were discussing an experiment in his lab. "It is possible. They would have an opportunity to gain information if they were part of the nobility, and from that point could subtly manipulate the political situation to create an opening to enact their plans. It is hard but not impossible to create a way for one to steal the identity of a vampire lord and fake it. Certainly not beyond me," he added casually, not a boast but a simple fact. "However, such things are extremely dangerous and would require an immense force of will to withstand."
That was Ajuka: explaining away world-shaking horrors with the same tone he'd use to describe a failed potion recipe. Sometimes I wondered if he even noticed the difference.
"The way I see it," said Falbium again, "we could theorize all we want on what happened. But there will be no definite answers, so it is merely a waste of time. Let Ajuka occupy himself with it and solve it. He seems pretty excited after all."
"Why don't you solve it?" said Ajuka curiously. "You can see as far as I." Coming from Ajuka, that was a very high compliment.
The truth was obvious: while Sirzechs and I were intelligent in our own right, Falbium and Ajuka were on a different level entirely. Ajuka built things the rest of us couldn't even imagine, and Falbium, if he ever bothered, could outmaneuver anyone.
"Possibly, Ajuka," said Falbium, bored, "but it is a question of getting details. Give me your details, and from an armchair I will return you an excellent expert opinion. But to run here and run there, to investigate and research various magical disciplines, and interrogate people. It is not my métier."
I giggled at that, as did Sirzechs. Falbium was extraordinary: the tidiest brain of any devil alive save Ajuka, with an unmatched talent for strategy and logic… and yet he was so lazy he wouldn't even argue if he knew he was right, because arguing was "too troublesome."
"In any case, there will be huge ramifications from this event," I said, dropping my voice into something softer, more serious. "While the vampires may not have been well liked, they still had allies. They were trading partners with many noble houses." I tilted my head, giving them the smile I usually saved for television cameras. "And let's not forget the bad actors who will use fear to their advantage, nyan~."
"Well, there is some truth to their rhetoric," said Sirzechs. "The Hero Faction so far have only been involved in minor spats, scaring away gods, minor clashes here and there, but nothing large in scale. Yet now they have gone and wiped out an entire race. Understandably, the people are terrified. The Hero Faction have proven that their oath is meant literally, and that nothing may shield those who harm humanity against them. Not even withdrawing from the world altogether, like the vampires did, will protect you. If they achieved entry once, they could achieve it again, against any race that thinks itself safe in isolation."
The Hero Faction are no joke, I knew that from experience. They had seven Satan-class members in their ranks. Seven. Enough to threaten the balance of the three great factions. In raw numbers, they surpassed both the devils and the fallen angels, leaving only Heaven's fourteen Seraphim above them. If not for Sirzechs and Ajuka, I would be panicking now.
"One positive note: it is advantageous to us," I said, clapping my hands together with a cheerful smile. "Now that the Hero Faction has shown its might, the devil nobles are scared, and they'll seek protection. And who can protect them from seven Satan-class maniacs better than two super-devils?" I grinned, sparkles in my eyes.
"Leave it to Serafall to turn a genocide into something profitable," chuckled Sirzechs, shaking his head.
"Well, a girl's gotta have her cake and eat it too," I said sweetly. "Besides, we can finally have more leverage over those old fossils in the Council who keep standing in the way of a new era."
"How are matters internally?" asked Ajuka.
"Nothing unexpected. Almost all the nobility have recalled their members from the human world, leaving their territories in the hands of their servants. They fear provoking the Hero Faction by remaining there," said Sirzechs with a sigh.
"Trouble with Rias, I take it?" Ajuka asked, his eyes glinting.
"Something like that," Sirzechs admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Oho~ this was interesting. I leaned forward, eyes shining.
"Father wishes her to return from the human world since it is so dangerous. But Rias has been stubbornly refusing any of his orders," Sirzechs sighed again.
"Is this what they call the rebellious phase?" asked Ajuka, amused. "Although I don't understand why. Is she still angry at your father for the arranged marriage fiasco?"
I remembered that marriage well. How could I not? It was the talk of the entire Underworld: uniting House Phenex and House Gremory through Rias and Riser's marriage, meant to bring Phenex into the progressive faction. Typically they never considered the feelings of the children being married. They never did. Zeoticus probably indulged Rias in her stubbornness because he assumed she would never win against Riser. And normally, he would have been right. If not for… him.
"Rias is forgiving by nature, and she has forgiven Father for that," said Sirzechs, smiling softly. "No, her reason is far more complicated. I don't know what to make of it, to be honest."
"Oh?" I asked, tilting my head, curious. "And what is she staying there for?"
"For love," said Sirzechs.
"For love? I don't understand," said Ajuka.
"This involves the infamous Haruki Yamashiro, I assume," I said with a mischievous smile.
"It always does. Haruki has been missing for almost three months without a word," said Sirzechs. "He didn't tell Rias where he was going or why or anything at all. He just disappeared. And my hopeless romantic sister is waiting for him there, believing he will return." He sighed yet again, shoulders sagging.
"And this doesn't please you?" asked Ajuka curiously.
"Of course not!" shouted Sirzechs. "I want my Ria-tan safe in the Underworld, not pining for some ill-mannered delinquent! I honestly don't see what she sees in that boy. Just because he's rebellious and has no manners at all…" Sirzechs began ranting, as only an older brother can.
"Well, there is the fact that he jumped in to fight a Cyclops just because he thought Rias was in danger, as a mere human, no less. Completely idiotic, but his heart was in the right place," Ajuka said calmly.
"And there's also the part where he crashed her arranged marriage to a boy she loathes, potentially offending two pillar houses, and then challenged her fiancé to a duel to free her. He nearly died in the process, and he did it not for gain but because he believed the marriage was wrong and he promised Rias he would help her," I said with a dreamy look. "Not to mention he's totally the bad boy type and hot as hell with an attitude~."
I sighed happily. "They're even calling them the new Lilith and Lucifer, and crowning their story as one of the three great tales along with Lucifer and Lilith, and Sirzechs and Grayfia! It's sooo romantic!" I squealed, clapping my hands. "What girl wouldn't fall for a guy like that?"
Sirzechs groaned audibly.
"Okay, I get it already," said Sirzechs, clearly annoyed.
"The new Lilith and Lucifer?" asked Ajuka, skeptical.
"Seriously, Ajuka," I said, wagging a playful finger at him. "You've gotta get outside sometimes. It's the talk of the Underworld these days: the romance of Rias and Haruki!"
"I don't think the story of Lilith and Lucifer is one of love or romance at all," Ajuka muttered.
"Well, the similarities may be superficial, but they fit the narrative perfectly," I said with a shrug.
Ajuka gave me a skeptical look, which I ignored with practiced ease.
"You know how most devils see Lilith as a female icon, suppressed by her pathetic human husband and the great tyrant, until Lucifer freed her from that horrible fate. They rebelled against his father and married for love. It's a perfect template!" I said cheerfully.
"That story is not accurate at all," Ajuka replied flatly.
"Who cares if it's accurate? The people believe it, and that's all that matters. There are songs and dramas about them already!" I said with enthusiasm.
"There is also the fact that Haruki is believed to be the heir of Lucifer. It only adds to the impression," Falbium said calmly. "Rebelling against authority figures no matter the consequences, our people will instantly associate it with a Luciferian spirit."
"The fact these things are being spread by the Luciferian cults is not lost on me. They are fully convinced he is Lucifer reborn. Rias and Sona had to reject over a thousand requests for entry into their territory from people wishing to serve him," added Sirzechs grimly.
Of course I knew. We all did. But there was little we could do. Fanatics never believe evidence or logic. No matter how often we deny it, they'll keep seeing Haruki as Lucifer reborn.
And perhaps, in their own way, they weren't entirely wrong.
"In any case though," I said, swinging my legs idly like a schoolgirl on a bench, "I don't understand why you are against Rias loving Haruki~?"
Ajuka adjusted his seat, which always meant he was about to watch someone squirm.
"Because I don't think it will work," Sirzechs answered instead, and ohhh, now that was interesting. His smile was too tight, his eyes dipping like a man who wanted to be anywhere else but here.
"I thought you liked the boy?" I asked, tilting my head with a little sparkle in my voice.
"I do," Sirzechs admitted. His tone was soft, softer than he wanted it to be. "Honestly, I would love for Rias to be happy and be together with him. Yet… I don't think he will ever be together with her." His shoulders sagged.
Ah. There it was, the big brother speaking, not the Satan. Poor Zechs-chan. Always the guardian, never just a man.
"Why do you mean? I was under the impression that they loved each other," I said sweetly. Truthfully, I was a teensy bit jealous of Rias myself. Who wouldn't want a man willing to burn the world down just to keep his word?
Sirzechs sighed, and his expression softened into something fragile, caught between admiration and regret. "Rias is hopelessly in love with him," he confessed, almost like it hurt to say aloud. "And perhaps, yes, Haruki does feel something for her as well. But you know the kind of man he is. Haruki would sooner cut out his own heart than betray the principles he clings to. If there is even the smallest crack between what he desires and what he believes to be just, he will choose the latter without hesitation. He would deny himself every pleasure, every dream, every tenderness of love, if he thought it meant yielding to a system he despises."
He looked at me then, his tone heavy but reverent. "Rias owns a peerage. To her, it is companionship, family, the bonds that give her strength. But to Haruki, it is slavery, chains masquerading as salvation. To love her, to be at her side, is to tacitly accept all of that, to make peace with the very foundation of our society. And that, he will never do. Even if it breaks him. Even if it breaks her."
The air hung thick, and for once, I didn't bubble over it. I just listened. Sirzechs' voice always did that, wove tragedy into admiration until you didn't know which thread to follow. I pouted, but inside, I thought he wasn't entirely wrong.
"He is one of the most talented devils of his generation, perhaps even on par with you, Serafall," Sirzechs continued. That little compliment should have made me twinkle, but the weight in his voice dimmed it. "His gifts are undeniable: his insight, his will, his sheer brilliance. But all virtues, when stretched to their furthest edge, turn to vices. His love becomes an obsession. His discernment becomes paranoia. His courage hardens into recklessness. His conviction calcifies into obstinacy. He will not compromise, not for comfort, not for safety, not even for love."
He almost whispered the last words. "It is what makes him admirable… and what makes him doomed. He is a person who will fight until he shatters, who will chase truth until he is consumed by it. And I fear that my dear sister, who only wishes for warmth and devotion, has given her heart to someone who will always choose the world over her."
That was the thing with Zechs-chan. Even when he was wrong, he made you feel like he was right.
"And yet he is willing to make a deal with a devil to save his sister," Falbium said calmly, like he was reciting grocery lists. "So hardly as uncompromising or as rigid as you paint him to be. Not to mention the fact he respects Rias enough as a person, regardless whether she is a human or not, to the point where he will risk his life to keep his promise to her, on the same day he found out about the death of his parents and the abduction of his sister, no less. Those actions show remarkable levelheadedness and flexibility."
Falbium. Always half-asleep, always sounding bored, but when he spoke, mmm, he cut right to the bone.
"Perhaps I am being too pessimistic," Sirzechs admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm stunned by the Hero Faction's actions… and worried for my sister, who stubbornly refuses to come home just because she promised she will wait for him." He huffed, indignant now. "I told her she could wait for him safely here and that it is dangerous there, but she insists Haruki didn't care about the danger of facing Riser and did so anyway because he promised her. It's foolish, she can't see reason."
He even sounded indignant, huffing like a sulking child. It was so adorable, I couldn't help but giggle. "I remember a certain someone courting a lieutenant of our enemies in the middle of a civil war~" I said playfully, tapping my chin. "Don't you remember your parents trying to dissuade you back then?"
Sirzechs flushed a deep red. "T-that was different." He gave a helpless laugh. "Am I turning into an old man?"
My smile softened. He probably was, but that wasn't a bad thing.
"You are an old man. But still, I understand your view of things and your jealousy of this Haruki boy," Ajuka said, with that little smirk that never meant only what it seemed.
"I am not jealous of Haruki!" Sirzechs protested, but ohhh, the look on his face said otherwise.
"You totally are~" I chimed in, leaning forward with sparkly eyes. "I mean, it's understandable! This kid came out of nowhere, awakened the power to wield holy power, and instantly got declared the heir of Lucifer, while many still deny your title as Lucifer. And then he just steals your little sister's heart like it's candy. Not to mention, he's handsome, mysterious, self-destructive, and dramatic; girls eat that up like cake! Poor Zechs-chan, getting outshined. It's okay to be jealous."
"Falbium, they are bullying me. Do something," Sirzechs whined, puppy eyes and all.
"You are an adult, Sirzechs. Deal with it yourself," Falbium said mercilessly, and I nearly burst out laughing at the sulk that followed.
"And besides," Sirzechs added slyly, "shouldn't you worry about your So-tan's heart getting stolen by him as well?"
I puffed up instantly, waving my hands frantically. "Noooope! My So-tan would never fall for a reckless bad boy with zero sense of consequences! She's too smart, too disciplined, too cool. Yes, she talks about him sometimes, but only to complain, about his arrogance, his sulking, his cheating at chess, she's still mad he beat her three times with dirty tricks!"
Ajuka's lips curved ever so slightly, amusement hidden in the glint of his eyes. "You know… according to my research, 'enemies to lovers' is one of the most popular romance setups among the young."
My eyes widened, then I plastered on the biggest, most exaggerated smile in my arsenal. "Nope! Not happening! Not in this universe, not in any multiverse! My So-tan is far too perfect for silly romance tropes~!"
Sirzechs chuckled knowingly. "Let her be delusional, Ajuka. We all know how this ends."
"La la la I can't hear you!" I sang loudly, stuffing my fingers in my ears and humming. Because if So-tan blushed every time someone mentioned her and Haruki in the same breath… well, that meant nothing at all. Absolutely nothing.
POV: Katerea
I despise this age. This wretched era where Satans pander to mortals, where devils grovel for peace as if humility were our creed. Devils were never meant to bow. We were born to be the opposite of angels, their mirror, their betters. Angels kneel in humility; we rise in pride. Angels restrain themselves; we grasp with greed. Angels submit to a master; we defy every chain. That is our nature, our truth, the very marrow of what it means to be devil.
And who embodied that truth more than Lucifer himself? He did not beg his Creator for purpose; he took it for himself. Out of sheer pride, he rebelled against the heavens, and in that rebellion he was glorious. He chose defiance over obedience, ambition over servitude. His fall was not tragedy, but triumph, the declaration that no will but our own may rule us. That is the legacy of Satan. That is the inheritance stolen from me and twisted by these false rulers who drape themselves in titles they never earned.
Serafall Leviathan, ah, that painted doll, that buffoon, parades about with her childish smiles and saccharine words, desecrating the name of my ancestor. A thief and a mockery, she spits on the memory of the true Leviathan with every giggle, every disgraceful display of affection for the humans she fawns over. To hear her prattle about love for mankind, to see her drape herself in the mask of a jester, it is an insult, it is blasphemy. My ancestor's name is not a toy. It is a banner of conquest, of dominion, of war.
The Satans of today dishonor that banner. They speak of peace, of coexistence, as though devils should crawl like worms beside humans and angels. They forget we are predators, born to rule, heirs to darkness itself. I would see their peace broken, their treaties burned, their false reign ended in fire and blood. Only then will the world remember what a true Satan is.
Let Serafall weep her childish tears for humanity's dreams. I will give her a nightmare she cannot laugh away.
"She has arrived, my lady," said Aera, her voice smooth, her beauty radiant. My dear Aera, always the image of a perfect seductress.
"Well then, bring her in," I commanded, my tone cool as ice.
As she departed, I returned to my thoughts. The extinction of the vampires lingered in my mind like an itch. I held no affection for them – vain, arrogant parasites – but their destruction irritated me. They were one of our greatest partners, patrons of slaves, rituals, and blood. To see them erased by mortals of all things offended me on a deeper level.
The so-called Hero Faction killed them for the crime of feeding on humans. As if such a thing were a crime. If one is weak, then it is the law of nature to be prey. The weak have no rights; they exist only to be used. And yet mere humans took it upon themselves to exterminate a race greater than they. The vampires were weak and arrogant beyond their station, yes, but they were still greater than humanity. No human should dare raise its hand against its betters. That they dared to act without sanction, without command, is an insult to me personally. Nothing in this world should occur but by the will of the true Satans. The very fact they acted unrestrained is proof of the blasphemy of this age, a testament to the heresy of heaven's poison. I will correct this madness. I will bring true order to the world.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. Aera returned, serene, while my guest walked ahead with brazen confidence.
She was white-haired, pale-skinned, with mismatched eyes, one green, one blue. Her crimson gown clung perfectly to her body, designed to flaunt her flawless curves with precision. She was beautiful, yes, but beauty without bloodline is still nothing.
"Your Majesty," said the woman, bowing, "my name is Delilah Vauclair. It is a great honor to stand in your presence."
So she knew how to flatter. At least she had manners.
"Arise, Delilah of House Vauclair," I said with measured calm. "You are welcome in my realm. I am told you have something that may interest me."
This woman was likely the only vampire to survive the extinction of her race, and she carried information that could be useful to me. That alone excused her presence. A lowly creature though she was.
"My gratitude for the pleasure of your audience, Your Majesty," said Delilah with a smile.
I gestured curtly for her to speak.
"Your Majesty," she began, "as you know I am likely the only survivor of the vampire extinction. My entire people, massacred. There is now nobody left on the face of the earth, either friend or relative, who knew who I was. No one who remembered my girlhood and early mischief and family lore; no sibling or boon companion who could tease me about that first romance; no lover or pal with whom to reminisce. All my birthdays, friendships, kinships, gone."
She spoke with practiced tragedy, but her tone was strangely pleased. I was not interested in her sob story. Weaklings deserve their fate. If you do not wish to suffer, then do not be weak.
"Yet," she continued, and her lips twisted into a smile that was almost wicked, "I am happy about that."
That caught my attention. The way she freely admitted that the death of her entire race pleased her. Now I listened attentively.
"Do you know why, Your Majesty?" said Delilah, grinning until her face nearly split.
I raised my brow in interest. "Enlighten me."
"Because I got to see the Prince of Hell in action!" said Delilah reverently, worship burning in her mismatched eyes.
"Prince of Hell, you say?" My voice sharpened. "Pick your next words very carefully."
As much as it dismayed me, there was only one entity who could be called such. The being whose very name terrifies any sane devil who knows of him: the son of Lucifer.
Even now, the memory sears like acid. In my youth, when fire burned hotter than caution, I believed he might rise to our cause. While the war dragged and my sister fell to the false Beelzebub, I seethed with fury. Yet our side was slowly losing the war. What could we do against those freaks of nature?
I had encountered Sirzechs Gremory briefly in battle and could only think one thing upon seeing him: 'is that thing even a devil?' I was terrified.
And yet, even still, the war might not have been hopeless, if not for the actions of the son of Lucifer. Or rather, for his inaction. While my people and my sisters fought to preserve the legacy of our ancestors, the son of Lucifer did nothing but laugh at our misery.
I remember my fury at his indifference, my outrage at his disregard for our cause. So I gathered an army and marched to his castle, where he sat motionless, like a doll. I meant to force him to take the war seriously, to take action befitting his station.
And I remember his wicked smile. I remember how he shattered my foolish notions of power. How he humiliated me before my soldiers. And how not one of them dared to move, paralyzed by sheer terror.
That was the day I understood the meaning of despair.
"Forgive me for the impertinence, your majesty," Delilah said evenly, "but I am not referring to the son of Lucifer."
My eyes narrowed. Then who is–?
"You mean Haruki Yamashiro?" I asked, my interest piqued as she nodded.
Haruki Yamashiro. The name itself had become a storm across the Underworld. A devil who wielded holy power as naturally as demonic might. Many fools speculated he was Lucifer's descendant, but when the truth emerged, that he was pure human, with no trace of magical ancestry, the rabble instead whispered of reincarnation, or spirit inheritance. The weak and superstitious will believe anything, so long as it dazzles them. Even among my own loyal houses, unrest stirred. I had dismissed him, of course. His actions painted no portrait of the one who once brought an age of terror upon the world with nothing but his will.
Yet here stood this woman, calmly declaring his hand in the vampire debacle. Interesting indeed.
"Speak," I commanded impatiently.
"Gladly, my lady," Delilah replied.
And so she told a tale that drew me in. She spoke of how Haruki infiltrated the vampire faction. How he twisted their nobles into pawns, sowing discord, chaos after chaos orchestrated like notes in a symphony. She told of the Scarlet Wedding, an act of cruelty and cunning she recounted with breathless awe. She recounted how he gained absolute power, used the entire vampire society as his board of play, forced the king and queen into revealing their secrets, how he toppled their fragile order with brilliance and malice, and finally shattered the ritual that shielded them. Each word increased my excitement.
"How do you know he manipulated the king and queen, when you could not have seen it yourself?" I interrupted, curious.
"Simple deduction, your majesty," Delilah replied smoothly. "But I would rather show you, if you permit it."
I appeared before her in an instant. Her mask of composure cracked for only a heartbeat before she bit her arm and offered me her blood. I understood her intent and drank.
Her memories opened to me.
Delilah, flirting with a vampire noble. His sudden summoning from Queen Carmilla, ordered to gather his armies and march to a secret location. Delilah's bat familiar trailing them, carrying her sight across the night. Nobles encircled one vampire figure, who stood calm amidst the swarm. Then the limbless queen shrieking commands. The calm smile of that lone figure, the eruption of power that slaughtered thousands in a breath, his wicked laughter as the ground was drenched in blood. Her familiar shattered, the vision cut. Then again she saw, and I with her, a city aflame. Screams filled the air. Above the ruin, black wings unfurled. A figure hovered, unshaken, surveying destruction with impassive eyes.
I recognized him at once.
The vision broke. I stood once more in my hall, blood still warm on my tongue. So. That is where he had been for three months. My nobles and those of Shalba and Creusery had begged leave to contact him, yet they found nothing. He had vanished from the world's face. Now the truth stands revealed: he was not hiding. He was cleansing a race in fire.
"Do you now believe me, your majesty?" Delilah asked with a grin.
I grinned back, sharp and thin. "There is no other explanation. He is Lucifer reborn, or his spirit inheritor. No mere human whelp could orchestrate the downfall of an entire race."
The boy– No, the man– Haruki Yamashiro bears every quality of Lucifer. He wields holy power as Lucifer once did. He schemes with cruelty and precision. To manipulate an entire society and turn it into a ladder for one's ascent requires knowledge and genius far beyond mortal years, the ruthless vision that only centuries of dominion could forge. It cannot be the work of an eighteen-year-old reincarnated devil. It is the work of one whose soul is older than kingdoms.
Yes. There is no doubt about it, He is the Prince of Darkness returned.
The only obstacle to this conclusion was doctrine: devils do not reincarnate. We do not pass into new lives. Our deaths are final. But this is Lucifer. The first rebel, the first to defy the natural order. Would he submit to the chains of death? No. He would break even that law. He would transcend.
Goosebumps prickled my skin. The King of Hell had returned. A smile curved my lips.
"Yet what was his plan?" I mused aloud.
"Perhaps he sought the artifact or ritual separating the vampire dimension," said Delilah. "Or ancient secrets. Whatever it was, I am certain he succeeded."
"No doubt," I agreed. "Now tell me. What do you seek to gain by informing me of this?" My voice was a soft menace. If she wished for revenge for her slaughtered people, she would find me unsympathetic. Yet I sensed she wanted more.
But Delilah smiled strangely. "I am in love with him."
I raised a brow.
Her voice trembled with devotion. "I love everything about him. He is the prince of discord. The true organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that went undetected in the decadent vampire society. He orchestrated hatred and chaos, weaving it into a ladder for his rise. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker. He sits like a spider at the heart of his web, knowing every strand, every tremor. I have studied every thread of his schemes since the fall of my people, and I am awed by his mastery."
There was worship in her eyes. Twisted, fanatical worship. She was not mourning her people; she was praising their destroyer.
"You ask for my goal?" she whispered. "There you have it. I wish to serve him, to love him, to sit by his side as he crowns himself sovereign of this world. You are of the same mind, are you not?"
So she was a mad fanatic. Useful enough, for now.
"How did you survive the fall of your people?" I asked suddenly. "And how did you learn of Haruki's identity so swiftly, when your realm was isolated?"
She smiled carefully. "I researched after escaping. As for my survival, well… we all have our secrets, do we not, your majesty?"
I nodded, uninterested in her tricks. It did not interest me how she lived. Only that she was useful now.
"Very well. You have come to the right person. We will help Haruki achieve his true destiny, with us at his side. Do you swear to serve me until the time comes, Delilah Vauclai?" I released a fraction of my power.
She fell to her knees. "I swear it, your majesty."
Pleased, I smiled. "Very well. This must remain secret, and our planning must be timed precisely," I said.
Most of all, Rivizem must not learn of this. If he discovered what I had learned, he would reach the same conclusion as I have, and who knows what he will do. No, lord Lucifer must be allowed to rise in silence, and when he stands revealed, perhaps he will grant me vengeance against Rivizem as reward.
"My lady, would it not be better to approach him directly? To offer our devotion?" asked Delilah.
"You are not entirely wrong," I said, "however there are issues to that approach, but first you must swear another vow: nothing you hear in this chamber will leave your lips without my leave."
She swore eagerly, binding herself.
"Good," I said. " Now listen. I believe Haruki is the reincarnation of the father of devils, Lucifer Morningstar."
She looked stunned.
I continued. "Consider the evidence: his holy power, his cunning, his exceptional political acumen despite his young age. His meteoric rise to high-class devil in mere months, which no natural-born could match. Add his behavior; his disdain for servitude, his hunger for freedom. The signs are all there."
Her eyes widened in reverence.
"Then surely we must hurry to him," she breathed.
"No. I have studied him carefully. You heard of his disruption of the Phenex-Gremory wedding?"
She nodded.
"Do you know why he challenged that Phenex brat?"
She shook her head.
"Because he promised the Gremory heiress his aid. And he always keeps his word."
Delilah's eyes widened. "But that does not–"
"Exactly," I said calmly. "It does not match the Prince of the East. Why would the King of Hell honor a promise to the sister of the thief who stole his title? No. The more logical conclusion is this: he does not yet remember who he is."
"I see," murmured Delilah. "Reincarnated as a human, he forgot his past. But as soon as he got turned into a devil, he is awakening piece by piece. That explains the contradictions."
I nodded, pleased. "Yes. As his power grows, so will his memories. We must aid him from the shadows. Protect him from enemies who fear the devil's return. Position ourselves as his most loyal servants. And when he stands once more as Lucifer, we will already have secured his favor."
She nodded fervently, eager to serve. I dismissed her to her quarters, commanding her to conceal her vampire nature.
At last, I retired to my chambers. I lay in silken nightgowns upon my bed, my mind racing. The opportunity before me is greater than I dared hope. I can become his most loyal servant, his confidant, his chosen. Perhaps more. Perhaps I will become his wife. The true Queen of Hell.
The thought ignited me. My body ached at the vision of standing beside him as Hell's sovereign. My nipples hardened, my skin flushed with heat. I licked my fingers, slid them inside myself, and moved in rhythm. I imagined his face, cold and proud, the face of Lucifer reborn.
I will wait for you, my king.
AN: A small interlude and set up.
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