{Present, Devils Meeting Assembly of Lucifaad}
—Serafall Levaithan—
Serafall stood frozen, staring at the clear display of the Valefar's first skill, Bind—the ability to restrain beings against their will.
It was a skill she was intimately familiar with. She had seen it with her own eyes five hundred years ago, perhaps even earlier. She owed so much to that ability, to its original wielder… and now, there was another.
It was as if Faiser existed to make her feel guilty, to remind her of her failures and mistakes every time she saw him. And yet, as much as it hurt, he was still a hopeful symbol— a symbol of two fallen houses surviving.
"Release him!" one of the lower devils, a supporter of Eival Phenex, shouted upon seeing his lord frozen in place.
'It's Bind…' she bit her lip, sitting as tightly as she could. 'That ridiculous ability.'
Bind was terrifying. It could restrain anyone—anything—as long as the user's demonic power held out. And if the user was of the same class as the target, they could guarantee a hold.
Classifications didn't matter: Middle-High class, peak High-Class—as long as the user stood at the first step of that tier, they could bind the opponent.
"Faiser," Sirzechs finally stood and spoke in a serious tone. "Let him go. It could be considered an act of violence."
The audience was too stunned to speak. Except for the Phenex loyalists, silence consumed the hall.
And rightfully so.
'To be in tune with two bloodline abilities is rare. Even among us, only a handful can wield both powers of their heritage. And for him to possess both Valefar and Barbatos…' She didn't know whether to feel relieved or anxious. 'This could be a blessing for the next generation of devils.'
"Oh?" Faiser relaxed at last. "Then I apologize. I didn't know better."
Eival Phenex was released immediately, collapsing into a huffing, shaken mess.
"Y-You—"
"Boy…" Zekram stared at Faiser in shock, a shock he tried and failed to mask. "Since when have you had that ability?"
Everyone leaned in, eager to hear the answer. They all knew that Faiser had never displayed the Valefar ability in the past, not even centuries ago. In fact, he'd rarely appeared in combat at all, even during the era when children were drafted into war.
"H-He tried to suffocate me, Lord Bael!" Phenex tried to turn the tide in his favor, but the Bael elder was too focused on Faiser to give him the time of day.
"I don't recall anything from my captivity," Faiser replied honestly. "But when the man tried to control me, something inside me snapped. My rage triggered the ability subconsciously. Since then, I've been able to use it."
It wasn't a lie. He had been able to use the ability since the moment he woke up.
Seizing the moment, Falbium spoke. "Then doesn't this make him eligible for the Lordship title over both the Barbatos and Valefar pillars?"
Ajuka added, "With both his bloodline abilities awakened, his future children may inherit either, or even both. That alone ensures the survival of both Valefar and Barbatos lines, preventing either from fading into history."
The Satans might not have been as old as Zekram, or even some of the other Lords, but they had played this political game for centuries. They weren't blind to the fact that Zekram had pushed the Valefar issue to benefit Bael.
No matter how he acted, Zekram always prioritized the Bael pillar. If Faiser couldn't inherit Valefar, only those tied to the Barbatos lands would suffer—leaving Bael untouched.
"That is unacceptable!" Lord Phenex nearly hissed. "How can a boy become the Lord of one pillar—let alone two?"
"He raises a fair point," Agares finally stepped in. "Even if we ignore that he's to inherit two pillars, he is still just a boy. How can he bear the responsibilities of a single Pillar, let alone both?"
Serafall wanted to intervene, but as a Satan, she couldn't take sides. Thankfully, Faiser wasn't a child—not in mind, nor in presence.
"My memory might be a little hazy and I do not know what happened in the five hundred years that I had been missing, Lord Agares," Faiser said with a steady tone, "but I remember everything else. I still speak the same way, uphold the same etiquette, and retain all my knowledge of devil society. I only lack the history of the last five hundred years, which I'm currently trying to learn. I know as much—no, more—than the current heirs and heiresses in terms of etiquette, war and politics. And that is what I will stand on."
Quite a few Lords felt mildly insulted by that remark, as it implied their children were inferior. Even Serafall and Sirzechs found themselves a little uneasy—after all, their sisters were among those heirs.
But… if he still thought and acted as he once did—no matter how lazy or hedonistic he might have been—he was capable. He was intelligent. He could lead. He could rebuild.
He could revive a Pillar.
"And they are right, Lord Zekram." His voice rang clear with confidence. "As the only devil alive who bears the bloodline abilities of both Barbatos and Valefar, I am the only one worthy of being Lord."
"That—"
Lord Phenex wasn't allowed to finish.
"I may not be much older mentally," Faiser continued, unshaken, "but this body holds the experience. And as a devil, that means a lot. So, the choice is yours Lord Zekram, Lord Bael, the Satans, and the Pillar representatives. Will you allow two ancient, noble, and revivable Pillars—who once stood against the Old Satan Faction—to fade into history? Or will you let me inherit their legacy and restore them to their rightful place?"
Many devils, on both sides, were left stunned. Speechless. Even helpless.
"That is his right… his birthright," Sirzechs said firmly, voice calm but authoritative. "It is the right of his bloodline."
"I stand with Faiser," Serafall added, rising from her seat to the surprise of many. "As dictated by the old laws, if there is no living member of a Pillar, but a distant descendant bearing the bloodline ability exists then they have the right to inherit."
"And after the Great War, several ancient devils did the same," Falbium added. "Therefore, Faiser holds every right to inherit the Barbatos and Valefar Pillars."
"And that is not up for negotiation, Lord Zekram," Sirzechs said at last with an unwavering voice. Even with all of Zekram's overwhelming authority, the old man was powerless before the ancient laws.
Slowly but steadily, not wanting to anger the Satans or oppose the law, even the lesser devil houses agreed which granted Faiser a clear majority over the rights to the Pillars and their treasures.
The old devil was clearly displeased with how things had unraveled, but he was helpless. There was little he could do. Any move he made now would risk turning the Satans against him.
He glanced at Lord Bael, who, though equally unhappy, was just as powerless. Then at Agares, who lowered his gaze. Zekram didn't even bother looking at Phenex.
At last, he spoke.
"Considering that Faiser Barbatos possesses the bloodline abilities of both Barbatos and Valefar, and that there are no living relatives from the Valefar side… he is hereby granted the title of Valefar heir, in addition to his existing claim as Barbatos heir. Accordingly, the lands under both the Valefar and Barbatos Pillars, along with any ancient treasures that were temporarily granted to other Pillars, are to be returned to Faiser. In cases where the treasures were used or lost, compensation of equal monetary value is to be paid to him."
Faiser allowed himself a small smile, one he quickly hid the moment he realized. Serafall and Ajuka noticed, but said nothing.
"But… Lord Zekram," the Lord of Sitri finally spoke. "How can we immediately transfer the lands to him? Those lands are an integral part of our operations and trade. Transferring those immediately would disrupt everything. To maintain our way of life, we'll need time to devise proper strategies to make up for this loss."
This time, not wanting Zekram to defend his case, Faiser stepped in.
"I have a solution," he stated. "A way that ensures no one suffers a loss."
* * *
All eyes turned to me—even those who had nothing to do with my lands. I had made a bold claim, and it wasn't going to be easy to deliver on it. But taking back my lands immediately would hurt them and that would make it difficult for me to build a relationship with them later.
"What do you suggest, Faiser?" Zeoticus asked. "A lot of us have built our businesses and wealth on the lands you're about to inherit."
"It's not very complicated, Lord Gremory," I assured him. "As I said earlier, I'm confident in my ability to hold my land and titles. However, I still haven't fully adjusted to this… new devil society. Everything feels foreign."
"What are you suggesting?" Lord Phenex asked, his impatience obvious.
"What I'm suggesting is this." I looked at all of them, "You keep control of the main money-making lands for now, until I get settled. That should only take a few years."
I noticed the glint in Phenex's eye. His lips twitched upward.
I wasn't about to let that smile stay.
"And in return for letting you keep the lands," I continued, "I'll take fifty percent of the profits generated from them."
"That…" Lord Bael frowned. "That will be difficult. Fifty percent puts us at a major disadvantage, especially considering labor costs and operational risk."
Too bad.
"Lord Bael," I said coolly, "you're the biggest profiteer from my lands. My entire mines are under your pillar. Every single resource you extract legally belongs to me. I'm not even asking for detailed reports. I don't care if you underreport or lie. But the fact remains, those resources are mine. By law. I'm giving you the opportunity to build a fortune without losing it."
He could find the rarest mineral in the Underworld tomorrow—I wouldn't care.
As long as I got my half and retained control, it didn't matter.
Money was great.
But control?
Control was power. And I had legal rights to control.
As long as they lived with the awareness that everything could be taken away in a single day, I didn't mind giving up fifty—
Never mind, there is another strategy.
"Maybe you're right," I said with a smile. "You take the bigger risk, so you should get a bigger share of the profit."
Everyone looked at me, cautious and curious.
"I'll take forty percent of the profits. The rest… is yours."
That made their eyes gleam.
"Even my treasures—I won't demand them all at once," I assured them. "You can return fifty percent within a year. The remaining can be paid over a period of ten years."
They exchanged glances, clearly doubtful.
"Alright," I offered, playing the lenient card. "Twenty years for full repayment, but the fifty percent within the first year stays the same."
I could see them silently calculating, running numbers through their minds. And surprisingly, they nodded.
Still, most of them were Archdukes and King-ranked devils. Even after this, they'd own more land than me. But I was still cutting a big piece out of their wealth.
"And just as a clause of trust between us—if the treasures aren't returned within the given time, or if the profits need to be reduced later to accommodate your finances—the difference can be adjusted… by transferring some of your lands under my name."
That made them freeze.
"Faiser." Zekram's voice was sharp. He didn't like it—and he had caught on. "Are you sure you can handle that kind of pressure?"
This wasn't about pressure. It was about standing up to the Bael Pillar.
Not many caught on.
"Of course, Lord Zekram," I said confidently. "And for the times I can't, the elders, like yourself, are there to guide me. Besides, since I can't manage everything just yet, your pillars will manage my lands and keep sixty percent of the profits for the next few years—until I'm ready."
Did that mean every Pillar would end up losing something? Of course not. But some would. Some definitely would.
The entire wealth of two devil Pillars wasn't something to laugh at. Losing even forty percent of the profits—after five hundred years of reaping all the benefits—meant many wouldn't be able to adjust quickly. They'd bleed money.
Most Pillars, whether major or minor, would feel the cut.
And then came the final nail in the coffin. The one that would work even on me, even in this body.
"The Bael, Agares, Phenex, Glasya-Labolas, Astaroth, Gremory, Sitri—and the countless other ancient and powerful houses gathered here—are surely capable of that… aren't they?"
Pride.
That damn thing affected even me.
"That…" Phenex looked irritated, but visibly moved. "Is plausible."
And the bait was taken.
"Will be difficult," Agares muttered, calculating aloud. "But possible."
Some Pillars would manage better—especially the ones who'd been making smarter financial decisions up to now. And for those who didn't, I'd give a little leeway later.
I didn't want enemies on all sides.
And I certainly didn't want to piss off the Satans by antagonizing all of their families.
Soon, one by one, every Pillar fell.
"I agree," Zeoticus nodded, followed by Sitri.
"I do too."
Glasya-Labolas, Astaroth, and many others followed suit.
Finally, it came down to Bael—and he, too, caved in, much to the visible displeasure on Zekram Bael's face.
"…I agree as well."
And with that, it was decided.
"Then, from this point forward, Faiser Barbatos shall be known as Faiser Valefar Barbatos, and will be eligible to take on the title of Lord once he acquires his Devil Pieces and reconstructs his mansion," Zekram Bael declared, trying to keep his face emotionless. "Until then, he shall retain the title of heir and will remain under the care of the Gremory Pillar, as has been the case so far."
Zeoticus nodded—and I couldn't have been more satisfied.
After all, I had made them all lose.
Lose a lot of money. And for some… they'd lose a fair portion of their lands, too.
[Quest (Completed): Let Your Rights Be Known!]
Objective (Cleared): Find a way to either recover all your land and wealth during the upcoming meeting, or secure an outcome that gives you great advantage while the others suffer… without even realizing it.]
[Rewards (Obtained): Parchment of Finding, Ring of Wealthy Luck]
[Parchment of Finding: Allows you to locate any living being, as long as you know either their name or a secret about them. One-time use only.]
[Ring of Wealthy Luck: Grants you random moments of making monetary profit. Catching on those moments is up to your perception.]
They were going to lose land.
I just didn't know which of them would lose it yet.
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{A/N: Got a pat reon named RedLamp01 with 30+ chapters.}