It was a rare occurrence for the wielder of the Holy Spear, the head of a Marquis household, to be summoned to the mansion of his guardian and mentor, Hector.
Marcus Leraje, the head of the former 72 Pillars, 14th-ranked Leraje Marquis household, considered it unusual.
Within the current Satan faction's government, Hector led a significant faction. Acting as a bridge between the current Demon King faction and the aristocratic faction and managing a large number of bureaucrats, he was exceptionally busy.
Even when entrusting Marcus with work, discussions usually took place in the conference rooms of the Underworld's Satan government. The number of times Marc had entered Hector's personal office could be counted on one hand.
It was precisely because Hector was Troy's strongest warrior, a Legion Commander, and even a politician, that he could establish such a major faction.
Upon arriving at Hector's mansion via a transfer magic circle, Marc was greeted by the servants and led to the office.
"Hector-sama. May I enter?"
"Come in."
In the office waited Hector himself, the greatest hero on the Trojan side during the Trojan War. His eyes held an unusual seriousness, causing Marc to straighten his posture unconsciously.
"Sit."
Urged by Hector's unusually solemn expression, Marc sat on a nearby sofa.
In the office, a conversation mixing formal courtesy with trivialities continued for over five minutes. After the momentum of the talk died down, Hector shifted the topic.
"Marcus, it's been a while since you became a new 'King,' hasn't it? In a year, you will have an audience with His Majesty the Demon King and other high-ranking devil dignitaries. Essentially, it's a formal greeting for your new appointment. Formalities are necessary, even if they seem exaggerated and foolish to you."
"Well, I'm already acquainted with the Demon Lords. But I understand that formalities are required."
The unveiling would include the blood relatives of the Four Great Satans and the heirs of the Great King and Great Duke households. In other words, the young devils were expected to shoulder the next generation of the Underworld.
Officially, it was merely a venue for introductions and statements of intent, but in reality, it was closer to a proxy war orchestrated by the Four Great Demon Lords and the Great King and Duke households. Regardless of the Four Great Satans' true intentions, most nobles likely viewed it that way.
"And by the time this debut begins a year from now, you must assemble a peerage that won't embarrass you if shown to others. A 'King' appearing at such an unveiling with only a handful of peerage members would be a tremendous disgrace."
"So, my peerage members will also be scrutinized by the Demon Lords?"
"Exactly. Furthermore, a Rating Game will be held to observe and showcase the abilities of the younger generation. For that reason as well, strengthening your peerage is necessary."
"Rating Game... I've seen them but never participated."
Though Marc had battlefield experience compared to devils his age, Rating Games were basically only for adult devils. While he had read tactical manuals and watched professional matches, he was inexperienced in actual participation.
"The Demon Lords likely already grasp your personal capabilities."
The Underworld had experienced two civil wars. The second was the conflict between the Old Satan faction and the Current Satan faction. The Old Satan faction reformed under the leadership of Bidleid Bashalun Beelzebub, who survived the first civil war wounded and went into hiding.
Due to schemes by the aristocratic faction, it became difficult for the current Satans to actively participate on the frontlines, leading to a stalemate.
However, Marcus, then a youth mobilized as part of a student draft centered on noble children, took matters into his own hands. Leading his fellow students, he launched a solo charge against the Old Satan faction army. By slaying the enemy commander-in-chief, he forced the confused Old Satan faction into a temporary retreat, ultimately leading to their collapse.
For this military exploit, Marc was recognized throughout the Underworld as a famous, promising young high-class devil, the latest hero.
"Of course, they know about that Holy Spear as well."
In this world, there exist abnormal abilities created by the God of the Bible, known as Sacred Gears. Their effects are diverse and varied.
Only humans, or those with human blood, can possess Sacred Gears. However, Marc, whose mother was human, was a devil who owned one. And that Sacred Gear was a Longinus, a special Sacred Gear said to possess the highest-tier power, meaning "God-Slaying Manifestation."
The Longinus Marcus possessed was the Holy Spear, the very one that pierced the Son of God and was bathed in His blood, the namesake of the God-Slaying tools.
Wielding this Holy Spear, he took to the frontlines, accumulated feats, and stood out early even among young devils.
"At the unveiling ceremony, they will likely judge your qualities as a King more than your personal power."
"Understood. I will devote even more effort to gathering my peerage."
Currently, Marcus's peerage consisted of one Queen, one Knight, and two Pawns. A total of four members. He could still gather up to eleven more members.
Even compared to high-class devils of his generation, his progress in peerage gathering was poor. 'I need to hurry and gather my peerage,' Marc thought.
Marc had a dream. To compose his peerage entirely of beauties. However, gathering women solely for their beauty would make them mere concubines. He wanted to create a harem composed of women with outstanding abilities, capable of supporting and assisting him, who were also beauties.
"Next year's gonna be busy for you. You've got your engagement too. Nobles marrying each other is a hassle, so hang in there."
"Even as the head of the family, I only inherited the clan's name. I'm a nominal noble with no relatives or longstanding retainers, so I'm rather unburdened."
As a reward for his military exploits and because he was a distant relative sharing the bloodline, Marcus was chosen to succeed the extinct Leraje name.
Of the once-existing prestigious pure-blood high-class devil families called the 72 Pillars, more than half are now extinct.
There were several examples where noble houses with extinct names were revived by order of the Satans. The current government issued notices to protect any discovered descendants surviving through mixed blood with other races, sometimes having them succeed the house.
However, it was rare for someone like Marc to be given the name of a former 72 Pillars house before reaching adulthood.
"Nah, nah. It means the Demon Lords expect you to rebuild and revitalize these prestigious houses."
"Even if it adds prestige, receiving a proper former 72 Pillars family name seems to come with a lot of added burdens."
Marc made a bitter face, wishing they wouldn't have excessive expectations. While he learned aristocratic decorum under Hector, he lacked confidence in his ability to revive the house as a prestigious noble, not being a born scion of a powerful family.
"I know some among the nobility are dissatisfied, right? I've even earned unnecessary resentment."
As Marc said, a faction centered on the Bael family—part of the aristocratic faction, former 72 Pillars, and some pure-blood supremacists—erupted in outrage over Marc succeeding a prestigious house.
"The Leraje Marquis household is a glorious, prestigious lineage of the 72 Pillars! To bestow its name upon a mixed-blood brat is outrageous! Since when did our honorable 72 Pillars houses degenerate into cheap toys to be given to lowly creatures?!"
"He's getting arrogant just because he happens to have a Sacred Gear and caught Lord Hector's eye!"
Thus, they denounced Marcus, vilified the Satans who made the decision, and lamented the times.
"You can't possibly have everyone as an ally. Consider yourself lucky if about half are on your side."
"...Is that how it is?"
"Knowing clearly who your enemies are makes things easier, you know!!"
Seeing Hector chuckle nonchalantly, Marcus inwardly sighed, thinking he could never match this man. The weight and depth of his humanity were on a different level.
"And so, Marc, do your best to strengthen relationships with your allies. Also... how have things been with that fiancée of yours, Lady Latia?"
Latia, Lady Latia Astaroth, was from a branch family of Astaroth and the niece of the current Satan Ajuka Beelzebub. Her mother was from the Agares Great Duke household. Latia was slightly younger than Marc.
"She's wonderful. We've even made plans to meet again soon."
"I told you to practice with someone you like so you're not useless on your first night with your wife... Seems things are going well, that's good."
His serious expression vanished, replaced by a casual, slightly lecherous attitude.
As Hector said, Marc's relationships with women were vividly colorful. He had relations not only with potential peerage members but also with maids in his mansion.
And he had been advancing his 'studies' in that area, avoiding noble ladies or peerage members from other houses that could lead to troublesome complications.
"I intend to consult well with those around me to avoid calling upon anyone who would trouble Hector-sama."
"Is that so? Do your best~. Oh, and the person you're marrying isn't just Astaroth, you know?"
"...Huh?"
"Talk about potential concubines has already come up, see! Well, it probably won't happen immediately, but you'd better assume taking concubines is a certainty."
"Nobles are... truly troublesome. The battlefield, where I just have to swing my spear, is much simpler."
Of course, Marcus himself was knowledgeable in tactics and strategy, so he didn't truly think the battlefield was that simple. But he still felt like making such a quip.
He felt like complaining, but Marc had no thoughts of abandoning his current circumstances.
With each step, Marc needed to accumulate experience, enhance his abilities, and cultivate his surrounding forces. If the Marquis' household name could be utilized for that, he intended to use it.
"Alright then, that's all for now."
Marc nodded and stood up to leave the room.
"Then, Hector-sama, I'll take my leave."
"...Let me say one last thing."
Hesitating for a moment as if deciding whether to say it, Hector continued.
"The Demon King's intention in granting you a proper noble house name is to add prestige to you. But, speaking from my personal opinion... the prestige might not be added to you, but rather to the house name itself."
Hector's expression and gaze were strong and reliable, fitting for a famed general inspiring his soldiers.