The throne room of Nightfall Tower….
Raya sitting on his throne, his eyes glowing faintly red, swept across the ten figures kneeling before him in perfect formation.
The Arch-Demon Floor Guardians.
Each one radiated power that would make lesser beings tremble. Each one commanded their respective floor with absolute authority. And each one knelt in absolute submission to their lord.
"Rise," Raya commanded, his voice carrying effortlessly through the vast chamber.
As one, the ten Arch-Demons stood.
Raya's gaze moved across them, taking in each powerful being that served him.
Lira stood closest to his throne, her position as his primary attendant clear.
Beside her stood Lucifer, the fallen angel whose dark wings remained partially spread even at rest.
The twins, Claire and Clara, stood together, a vampire and werewolf, mirror images yet fundamentally different.
Solnivar's form flickered between fire and ice, male and female, never quite settling on either. Ura's diamond-green body reflected the blue flames like a living gemstone.
The other guardians of the sixth through first floors stood in orderly ranks, each a testament to the demon lord's power.
Around Raya, suspended in the air, floated multiple scrying orbs. Each displayed a different location: Sofia's chambers in the Viscount's mansion, Marcus's office where financial documents lay scattered, the Blue Phoenix Guild's main hall, and various streets throughout the city of Raul.
Raya had spent the past hour observing, watching the pieces of his plan move into position with satisfying precision.
"Lira," he said, his attention focusing on the succubus. "Report."
Lira stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Nothing much my lord, still the same as last time. Sofia exceeds all expectations. She requires no compulsion, no manipulation. Her ambition and resentment toward her family make her a perfect collaborator. She's already gathering intelligence and has begun sowing discord between her parents."
Raya nodded his head, still slightly mused, leaning back slightly, he said, "How... pragmatic of her."
"She's remarkably intelligent, my lord," Lira continued. "Her ability to mask her true thoughts while playing the role of the naive daughter is exceptional. Even her own family suspects nothing."
"When this is over, we'll honor the promise made to her. She's proven herself useful."
"As you command, my lord."
Before Raya could continue, Lucifer stepped forward, his expression one of barely contained admiration.
"My lord," the fallen angel said, his voice carrying reverence, "your brilliance is truly unmatched. By using the sister as an insider, you've created a weapon that cannot be traced back to us. When the family falls, the humans will believe it was internal collapse, political intrigue, personal failings, natural consequences of their own corruption."
Raya blinked once, momentarily caught off guard.
He had simply thought Sofia would be useful for gathering information. The idea that it created perfect cover for demonic involvement hadn't actually occurred to him until Lucifer spelled it out.
But the fallen angel continued, his enthusiasm building. "They'll investigate, search for enemies, look for external threats. But they'll find nothing because the threat came from within their own household. It's absolutely ingenious, my lord. A strategy worthy of the ancient demon lords of legend."
The other Arch-Demons murmured in agreement, several nodding with impressed expressions.
Raya felt the system suppress a flicker of embarrassment. 'I just wanted someone who could spy on Zach,' he thought. 'But... sure, let's go with Lucifer's interpretation.'
"Precisely, Lucifer," Raya said aloud, keeping his voice carrying a hint of authoritative tone. "You understand my methods well."
Lucifer practically glowed with pride at the acknowledgment, bowing deeply. "Thank you, my lord. It is an honor to serve under such strategic brilliance."
Claire raised her hand slightly, seeking permission to speak, Raya then nodded.
"My lord, the charm on Sofia is maintained but largely unnecessary. As Lira said, her cooperation is genuine. Should I continue monitoring her, or would you prefer I focus entirely on the mother?"
"Continue monitoring," Raya decided. "Even willing collaborators can have moments of doubt. I want no surprises."
"Understood, my lord."
Raya gestured toward the scrying orbs, and they rearranged themselves to display different scenes more prominently.
One showed a slightly middle aged man hunched over financial ledgers in his private study, looking increasingly anxious.
Another displayed Sofia mother sitting alone in her chambers, staring at a crumpled letter with an expression of devastated betrayal.
"The plan proceeds in multiple layers," Raya said, addressing all the Arch-Demons. "Each pressure point is designed to create maximum chaos while appearing completely natural. I want you all to understand your roles clearly."
He pointed to the orb showing to the middle aged man. "Layer one: Financial collapse. Lira, you've compromised the Viscount's financial advisor. Continue your work. Make him embezzle larger amounts, but ensure the evidence also implicates the Viscount himself. I want both of them implicated when the audit comes."
"Already in progress, my lord," Lira confirmed. "He believes he's stealing with the Viscount's secret approval. When the truth emerges, it will appear that the Viscount was orchestrating the embezzlement and he was merely a pawn. The Viscount will be unable to prove his innocence."
"Excellent." Raya's attention shifted to another orb, this one showing Alfred in his human disguise. "Layer two: Marital destruction. Alfred, you've positioned yourself as the private investigator hired by the Viscount's wife?"
A smooth, cultured voice echoed from the shadows near the throne. Alfred stepped forward, his butler's attire immaculate, his silver-white hair perfectly combed.
"Indeed, my lord. Lady Veronica hired me three days ago to investigate her husband's alleged infidelity. I have been providing her with carefully fabricated evidence, photographs, witness testimonies, Inn records. All completely false, but utterly convincing."
"And the mistress?"
"One of my maids, my lord. She plays the role excellently. We've staged several public 'encounters' that Lady Veronica's informants have reported back to her. The Viscount's denials only make him appear more guilty in his wife's eyes."
Raya nodded approvingly. "The goal is to completely shatter their marriage. A divided household cannot present a unified front against external threats. When the other pressures mount, they'll be too busy fighting each other to mount an effective defense."
"The lady is already broken, my lord," Alfred said with professional detachment. "She barely speaks to her husband. The household servants have noticed the tension. It's only a matter of time before the fracture becomes permanent."
"Good. Continue your work." Raya turned his attention to Sofia's orb, where the young woman was carefully picking the lock to her brother's study. "Layer three: Evidence gathering and exposure. Sofia is collecting proof of Zach's crimes. Once we have everything we need, anonymous letters will be sent to multiple parties simultaneously, the guild leader, victims' families, city guard, rival noble families."
Clara spoke up, her werewolf nature giving her voice a slightly growling quality. "My lord, my sister and I have prepared the distribution network. When you give the command, the information will spread throughout the city within hours. We've bribed several story tellers, recruited street refugees to spread rumors, and identified key gossip points in taverns and marketplaces."
"The outer district will hear about it first," Claire added. "The common people. By the time the information reaches the inner district nobles, public opinion will already be turning against the Viscount's family. They'll be forced to respond to accusations that have already gained significant traction."
Raya allowed himself a small smile. "Layer four: Political undermining. Anonymous letters to rival noble families and to the Western King himself, suggesting the Viscount is embezzling funds meant for regional defense. Given the current concern about the Demon Lord's birth, any suggestion of financial impropriety in a border city will be taken very seriously."
Alfred spoke, "My lord, we've also arranged for 'concerned citizens' to petition the King directly. When combined with the rival nobles' complaints and the financial irregularities, it will force royal intervention. The King will have no choice but to send investigators, especially given that the Viscount is his brother."
"Actually," Lucifer interjected thoughtfully, "the family connection makes it even better. The King will want to handle this quickly and decisively to avoid any suggestion that he tolerates corruption among his own relatives. He'll be harsher with the Viscount than he would with an unrelated noble, precisely because he needs to prove his impartiality."
Raya hadn't thought of that particular angle, but once again, Lucifer's interpretation made perfect sense. "Indeed. The King's desire to maintain his own reputation will work in our favor."
"As always, my lord, your foresight is remarkable," Lucifer said, bowing again. "You consider not just the immediate targets, but how external powers will respond to the situation. Truly masterful."
'I'm just making this up as I go,' Raya thought, but the system kept his expression neutral. 'But if they think I'm a genius, that works too.'
"Layer five," Raya continued, "guild corruption and internal collapse. Lira, you've also been working on destabilizing the Blue Phoenix Guild directly?"
"Yes, my lord. Several high-ranking adventurers have been bribed to leave the guild, citing 'ethical concerns.' Others have been threatened, subtle warnings that their families might suffer accidents if they remain associated with Zach. The guild's reputation is suffering, and their financial situation is becoming desperate."
"The guild leader, she's the key," Raya said, zooming in one of the scrying orbs to show a woman with flowing hair practicing with blue flames in a private training room. "She has a reputation for righteousness. When she learns the full extent of Zach's crimes, what will she do?"