Omniscient POV
Lucifaad, Underworld
Lucifaad—the former capital of the underworld—was as gloomy as ever.
The towering black walls and the grand, luxurious mansion of the Lucifer Clan stood proudly at the heart of the city, a symbol of prestige and power.
Inside, the usually rigid servants, guards, and attendants were unusually relaxed. Their master, Rizevim Livan Lucifer, had just left the territory for some business.
Whenever the lord of the house was around, no one dared to loosen up, but the moment he stepped out, the air turned lighter.
In the courtyard, a few servants whispered while pretending to polish armor.
"Do you think promotions are coming this year? I've been stuck in the same position for decades."
"Tch, forget promotions. I just want my bonus. My wife keeps nagging about getting a bigger house."
"You're lucky you have a wife. I can't even find anyone willing to marry into a family like mine."
A younger servant leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Hey, did you hear? Lord Lucifer apparently ordered the Sabnock Clan to be attacked. Some of our men were sent out for it just a few days ago."
"Really? That's great. But those Sabnocks aren't weak, you know. Haven't you heard about the purge a few years ago against the spies? Still, if Lord Lucifer says so, they'll be crushed eventually."
The group chuckled quietly, gossiping freely in a way they would never dare in Rizevim's presence.
After all, the man was unpredictable—sometimes playful, sometimes terrifying.
But their idle chatter was cut short.
A sudden BOOM rattled the mansion walls. The ground trembled. Then another explosion, louder than the first, shook the air.
"Wh-what the hell?!" a guard shouted, drawing his magic circle.
Screams erupted as servants scrambled for cover. The guards rushed outside the mansion gates, forming ranks. In the distance, a dark cloud of smoke rose, and with it—an army appeared.
Hundreds of devils marched toward the Lucifer estate. From low-class foot soldiers to high-class elites, the invading force was vast.
And at the center, leading them, stood an Ultimate-class Devil.
The guards froze. One of them squinted, his face paling.
"Wait… isn't that…?!"
Another guard gasped. "That's one of ours! He was one of the commanders Lord Lucifer sent to attack the Sabnock Clan!"
Murmurs of disbelief spread like wildfire.
"Why is he here? Has he lost his mind?" "Does he wish to die betraying Lord Lucifer like this?"
"This doesn't make sense!"
Before anyone could shout for parley, the invading force raised their arms. The air filled with demonic energy—no words, no explanation, just open hostility.
"Defend the mansion!" a guard captain roared.
The two sides clashed violently. The estate turned into a battlefield, the sound of steel and magic echoing through the once-peaceful halls.
Flames consumed parts of the mansion, walls crumbled, and screams of both servant and soldier filled the night.
Hours later, the battle ended. The intruders were either slain or captured. But victory came at a cost—the mansion was partially destroyed, bodies littered the ground, and many loyal servants lay dead.
It was at that moment Rizevim returned. His eyes widened at the sight of smoke rising from his home. His cheerful mood vanished instantly.
He stormed into the ruins, his voice like thunder. "WHO DARES BARE THEIR FANGS AT ME?!"
His gaze swept over the exhausted guards. "Who had the guts to attack me?! Answer before I tear you apart myself!"
A bloodied captain stepped forward, kneeling. "My lord… it wasn't outsiders. It was our own followers. Even many of those you sent to attack the Sabnock Clan… they turned their blades on us."
Rizevim's eyes narrowed. "My own men…? Why would they dare?"
"Don't tell me they were hypnotized."
It was the only reason he could come up with. Rizevim held complete control over the lives of his followers, and the thought of betraying him would never even cross their minds.
The captain shook his head quickly. "No, my lord. They showed no signs of mind control. They fought us of their own will."
For once, Rizevim fell silent. His grin twisted into something colder, sharper. Inside, his thoughts churned.
'Impossible. All of them? Attacking me? If it's not hypnosis, then what? Some kind of trick I can't see through? Hah… maybe these fools just aren't competent enough to recognize it.
There's no other explanation. After all… why would the followers of the Old Devil Faction dare to betray their leader?'
He raised his voice again. "What were those traitors doing before this?"
The captain bowed his head. "They had been tasked with assaulting the Sabnock Clan, my lord."
At that, Rizevim tilted his head, a crooked smile creeping back onto his face.
"Sabnock, huh…? Remind me—what was the name of that brat leading them?"
"Kouske, my lord," the captain answered.
Rizevim chuckled darkly, the sound echoing across the ruined hall. "Kouske Sabnock… huh? Interesting. Looks like I'll have to meet this brat personally."
*
*
*
Sabnock Mansion, Underworld
The Sabnock mansion was calm that evening, though the air carried the faint hum of activity from the bustling territory outside. Kouske sat in the reception hall, sipping tea leisurely, when a servant came in and bowed.
"My lord, Lord Agares has arrived."
Kouske raised a brow but smiled. "So suddenly, huh? Well, let him in."
A moment later, the dignified figure of Lord Agares stepped into the hall. His posture, as always, carried noble grace, though his sharp eyes softened slightly when they met Kouske's.
"Kouske-kun," Agares greeted warmly, extending his hand. "It's been a while."
Kouske shook it firmly. "Too long, Lord Agares. I didn't expect a visit."
Agares chuckled. "Sometimes, sudden visits carry the most sincerity. I thought it was time I saw how my young friend was doing."
They sat across from each other as servants poured wine. For a while, their talk was light.
"I've been meaning to ask," Agares said after a sip. "Those businesses you acquired from me last season… are they flourishing as I hoped?"
Kouske leaned back, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Flourishing is putting it lightly. They're practically minting money. And with Akatsuki's exclusive goods being sold only in this territory, the demand hasn't slowed down one bit. It's brought a lot of traffic here."
Agares nodded slowly, impressed. "I can see it. The entire underworld whispers about Sabnock's growing influence. Who would have thought your territory would become the talk of the realm in such a short time? Even my advisors can't stop mentioning it."
Kouske chuckled. "That's good to hear. Though I'll admit, it's still just the beginning. There's much more I want to expand on."
But Agares's expression turned a little more serious. He set down his glass and leaned forward.
"Kouske-kun… before anything else, I must first express my condolences. I heard of the recent attack on your territory. A bold move by them. I came worried about your losses."
Kouske waved his hand dismissively. "No need to worry, Lord Agares. There were no casualties, no damage at all. Everyone's perfectly fine."
"…No casualties?" Agares repeated, eyes narrowing slightly. He studied Kouske for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"I see. That alone speaks volumes about the strength of the Sabnock Clan. To think… even after such a force was sent, your people stood unscathed. Truly remarkable."
Kouske's lips curled into a faint smirk. "We don't go down easily."
Agares leaned back, clearly reassessing him in his mind. For the last few years, Sabnock had been regaining its lost prestige, but now… it seemed the clan's power was on an entirely different level.
"If you need any kind of help regarding the recent attack, you can always come to me," said Lord Agares.
Kouske politely declined, explaining that they were already handling it and the interrogations of the prisoners were progressing well.
He couldn't help but think about how many times he had repeated those same words over the past few days.
Sirzechs and Serafall had also visited, asking similar questions.
But no matter how much they pressed, there wasn't much that could be done—the captured devils alone weren't enough to serve as concrete proof of the Old Satan Faction's involvement.
Sona, Seekvaira, and a few others had also visited days earlier, which had kept Kouske constantly occupied.
On top of that, he even had to schedule a meeting with Michael, as Heaven had reached out to Akatsuki about the incident with David and Freed.
Then Lord Agares's expression brightened as though he remembered something.
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot. I saw the footage of your battle against Satanael."
Kouske raised a brow. "Oh? That fight's already making rounds, huh?"
Kouske asks shamelessly even though he was the one who had posted the video.
"Making rounds? Hah, it's been the most talked about event in the last month," Agares said, genuinely astonished.
"To be honest, I was shocked. I knew you were talented… but I didn't think you had already reached such heights. To overwhelm Satanael in such a way… remarkable, Kouske-kun. Truly remarkable."
Kouske smiled faintly at the praise. "You flatter me. I just did what was necessary."
They continued talking—business matters, politics, and the usual noble gossip. But after a while, Lord Agares's tone shifted. He put down his glass and folded his hands together.
"…Kouske-kun. There is another reason for my visit today."
Kouske's eyes narrowed slightly. "I figured as much. So, let's hear it."
Agares drew in a breath. "I wish to propose an engagement… between you and my daughter, Seekvaira."
The words hung in the air for a moment. Kouske didn't flinch, didn't show much surprise. He had expected something like this sooner or later.
"I see," Kouske said calmly. "An engagement with Seek-chan, huh?"
Agares nodded firmly. "Yes. I believe it would be a union not just beneficial politically, but one that would strengthen both of our families. And more importantly… Seekvaira herself spoke favorably of you when I discussed it with her."
Kouske tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a small smile. "So, you did ask for her opinion."
"Of course," Lord Agares said at once. "I would never force such a matter on my own daughter. She is a smart child, after all, and I am proud of the person she has become.
I would never force her to marry someone she doesn't want to. And she agreed—no, more than that, she actually seemed pleased at the idea."
Kouske chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "That sounds like her. Honestly, if I was to accept any proposal, it would only be from someone I genuinely like. And I do like Seek-chan."
Lord Agares's stern face softened into a wide smile. "Then… you accept?"
"I do," Kouske replied without hesitation.
The two men exchanged a nod of understanding.
"Then it's settled," Lord Agares said, standing with renewed vigor. "We'll decide on a date to officially announce the engagement. I'll speak with Seekvaira at once. She'll be delighted when she hears the news."
Kouske stood as well, smiling faintly. "I'll look forward to it."
After sharing a few more words and sealing the matter, Lord Agares finally took his leave, his heart light with satisfaction.
The hall fell quiet once more, until Kouske suddenly felt a voice echo inside his head.
'Kouske-sama… can you hear me?'
It was Sakuya, speaking through telepathy.
'I hear you,' Kouske answered mentally.
'What is it?'
'You need to come to Kuoh immediately. Someone troublesome has come to see you.'
Kouske raised an eyebrow. 'Troublesome? Who?'
There was a pause before Sakuya's calm but serious voice replied.
'It's Valerica… the current White Dragon Empress. Lavinia-chan brought her.'
Kouske's expression darkened. "What does that battle maniac wants?"
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