The air in the grand hall grew heavy with the weight of old secrets. Alexander sat across from his grandparents, the silence only broken by the soft crackle of the fireplace.
"Old man," Alex said, his voice dropping into a serious register. "Something has been bugging me. If you wanted to tie us to the Gremorys for Grandma's sake, Rias was right there. Why Malty? Why choose the one girl who clearly didn't have the heart for this family?"
Darius and Valeria exchanged a knowing look. Darius leaned forward, his "Beast" aura replaced by the weary gravity of a patriarch.
"It goes back to the Civil War, Alex," Darius began. "Back when we saved Grayfia and Sylpha. You remember that the Pillar clans wanted to use them? They saw the Lucifuge bloodline as nothing but a 'breeding tool' to create high-potential puppets. We stopped them, but it created a political storm."
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: I knew the Underworld was corrupt, but breeding programs? Disgusting. No wonder Grayfia is so fiercely loyal to the Runcandels. We didn't just give her a job; we gave her back her dignity.]
The Deal with the New Satans
"Sirzechs and the New Satan Faction were rising," Darius continued. "We supported Serafall for the Leviathan seat because your father and her father were brothers-in-arms. But even with our backing, Serafall's position wasn't stable. To secure the safety of Grayfia and Sylpha—to ensure their 'Life and Death' belonged solely to the Runcandels—Zeckram Bael and I made a deal. We owed the New Satan Faction a massive political favor."
Grayfia and Sylpha stood trembling. They had known they were saved, but they never knew they were the reason for the Gremory contract.
"Thank you... Godfather, Godmother," they whispered in unison, bowing low.
"Nonsense," Valeria said, pulling them both into a brief, firm hug. "You are our daughters. And soon enough, my granddaughters-in-law. Don't you worry about that debt."
The Mental Audience:
Grayfia & Sylpha: (Redder than a Gremory's hair, hearts racing) Sona & Rias: (A mix of relief and intense jealousy) 'Granddaughter-in-law?! They already have the blessing?!'
The Favor is Paid
"So Zeoticus used that 'favor' to force a marriage contract," Alex realized, his eyes narrowing.
"Exactly," Darius growled. "And the moment we saw Malty in that hotel with that Issei brat, the favor was paid in full—with interest. Your Grandmother, Zeckram, and Lord Agares were ready to erase the Gremory territory from the map. We only stopped because we wanted you to see the truth for yourself."
Darius smirked, looking at Alex. "We knew you were surrounded by women who actually love you. Grayfia, Sylpha, Rias, Akeno, Sona, Tsubaki, even your cousin Seekvaira... we were just waiting for you to open your eyes and see the trash for what it was."
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Wait... everyone knew? Grandma, Grandpa, even Lord Agares? I've been living in a rom-com where I'm the only one who didn't know the plot! And they're all just watching me? This is so embarrassing!]
The Global Reaction:
Seekvaira Agares: (Squealing into a pillow) "Alex knows I love him! Lord Darius outed me!"Sona Sitri: (Adjusting her glasses, her hand shaking) "So the Runcandels approve of me... and they know about the date. This Saturday just became a high-stakes diplomatic mission."Venelana: (Smirking) "Oh, Zeoticus... you have no idea how lucky you are that Alexander is a kind soul. If it were up to Valeria, you'd be a pile of ash by now."
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: I'm blushing. I can feel it. A Dragon Monarch is blushing because his Grandpa teased him about his harem. Ciel, shut down my sweat glands before Grayfia notices I'm flustered.]
Ciel:[Master, your heart rate is currently 140 BPM. It seems 'Ruler's Authority' doesn't work against family teasing. How unfortunate.]
"Tomorrow," Darius stood up, his eyes flashing with a predatory light. "I call the Gremory estate. And Alex? Prepare for your date. If you're going to be a Runcandel, you'd better make sure Sona Sitri has the best night of her life. Don't embarrass me."