The tension from the war had faded.
Not gone—
Just… resting.
Morning turned to afternoon.
Afternoon melted into evening.
And for once—
No one was fighting.
In the courtyard of the mansion on Isola Krein, the air felt… human.
Warm.
Alive.
Isis stood near the gate.
Her white aura flickered faintly around her.
She looked back at everyone.
"…I'll head to the south continent for a while."
Christine tilted her head.
"…Now?"
Isis smiled softly.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Entropy doesn't stop just because we're at peace."
Nyk exhaled smoke.
"…Just don't go dying on us."
Isis chuckled lightly.
"…You first."
She turned to Rayon.
"…I'll be back before anything major happens."
Rayon nodded.
"…I know."
She looked at Nexus.
"…Take care of them."
Nexus smiled gently.
"…Always."
Isis turned—
And vanished.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then—
Christine clapped her hands.
"…Alright."
"…We're cooking."
The kitchen was chaos.
Controlled chaos.
Christine stood at the center—
Commanding it like a battlefield.
Nexus worked beside her.
Smooth.
Graceful.
Despite everything—
She looked… peaceful.
And then—
Luminous stood there…
Holding a knife.
Staring at vegetables like they offended her existence.
"…So I just… cut it?"
Christine didn't even look up.
"…Yes."
Luminous sliced.
Perfectly.
Too perfectly.
The vegetable disintegrated into glowing particles.
Nexus blinked.
"…Maybe… less power?"
Luminous frowned slightly.
"…Right."
Outside—
Rayon sat watching through the open window.
Smiling faintly.
"…She's trying."
Rayon sat beside Azelar and Nyk.
Lucifer crawled across the grass—
Laughing.
Beside him—
A small black cat stretched lazily.
Beelzebub
Lucifer reached out.
Grabbed its tail.
The cat flicked its ear.
Did nothing.
"…Da!"
Lucifer giggled.
Azelar held him up.
"…Careful now, little one."
Lucifer looked at him.
Then grabbed his beard.
"…He's definitely yours."
Azelar muttered.
Rayon laughed.
"…Don't blame me."
Nyk flicked his cigarette.
"…Nah, that's all you bro."
The sun dipped.
The sky darkened.
Stars filled the heavens.
A bonfire crackled at the center of the courtyard.
Everyone gathered.
Christine sat on a smooth stone—
Calm.
Relaxed.
Nyk sat below her—
Leaning back.
Lighting another cigarette.
Christine's legs rested loosely around his neck.
Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"…You comfortable?" she asked.
"…Very."
Nyk smirked.
Across from them—
Rayon leaned back.
Nexus curled against him.
Her head resting on his shoulder.
In Luminous' arms—
Esdeath slept peacefully.
Still.
Silent.
And in Azelar's hands—
Lucifer played with the firelight like it was a toy.
For a moment—
Everything felt… normal.
Azelar took a slow sip of tea.
Eyes reflecting the fire.
"…You all should understand something."
Silence fell.
Everyone listened.
"…The Upper Realms…"
A pause.
"…Is not like this world."
Nyk exhaled smoke.
"…Obviously."
Azelar ignored him.
"…It's a different tier of existence entirely."
"…The laws there… are alive."
"…Concepts… walk."
Luminous nodded slightly.
"…He's right."
Azelar continued.
"…In that place…"
"…Monarch-level beings are the minimum."
Christine frowned slightly.
"…Even children?"
Azelar nodded.
"…Even newborns."
Nyk blinked.
"…That's insane."
Azelar's voice lowered.
"…And above them…"
A pause.
"…Are the ones you truly need to understand."
The fire crackled louder.
"…Constellations."
Silence.
"…For now let's talk about Seven of them."
Rayon's gaze lifted slightly.
Luminous didn't move—
But her eyes sharpened.
Azelar continued.
"…When I went there in my prime…"
"…I fought many."
"…And I only won a few."
Nyk leaned forward slightly.
"…So how strong are they really?"
Azelar looked at him.
Calm.
Honest.
"…They are a different breed."
A pause.
"…If I fought one now…"
"…It would be… annoying."
Lucifer tilted his head.
"…Would you lose, god father?"
Azelar looked at him.
Smiled faintly.
"…I wouldn't lose."
A pause.
"…But I'd die winning."
Silence.
The fire popped.
Rayon spoke.
Calm.
Certain.
"…The Constellations…"
"…Are beings born after us."
Everyone looked at him.
"…Third in creation."
"…After me…"
"…And Luminous."
Luminous closed her eyes briefly.
Rayon continued.
"…They exist on a level that rivals mine."
"…Not above."
"…But enough to matter."
Nyk whistled low.
"…So those things watching us…"
Rayon nodded slightly.
"…Yeah."
"…They're probably them."
Silence returned.
But it wasn't peaceful anymore.
Then—
Something changed.
Subtle.
At first.
The fire flickered—
Wrong.
The shadows stretched—
Too far.
Luminous frowned slightly.
"…Rayon…"
Rayon already felt it.
Lucifer—
Went still.
In Azelar's hands—
He stopped moving.
His eyes…
Lost focus.
"…Da…"
But it didn't sound like him.
Across from him—
Esdeath's eyes snapped open.
Her black star pupils—
Spinning.
Fast.
Too fast.
Reality—
Glitched.
The fire froze mid-motion.
The wind stopped.
The sound cut.
Everyone felt it.
Azelar's grip tightened slightly.
"…What is this…"
Lucifer's lips moved.
"…—"
No sound came out.
Esdeath whispered something—
But the words didn't exist.
The ground flickered.
The sky distorted.
For a split second—
Everything…
Wasn't there.
Then—
It snapped back.
The fire resumed.
The wind returned.
Sound came rushing in.
Lucifer blinked.
"…Da?"
Esdeath yawned softly.
And went back to sleep.
Silence.
Heavy.
Nyk lowered his cigarette slowly.
"…Yo…"
"…What the hell was that?"
Christine stood slightly.
Eyes narrowed.
Luminous looked at Esdeath.
Then at Lucifer.
Azelar's expression changed.
Serious.
Rayon didn't move.
But his eyes—
Were darker than usual.
"…So…"
He muttered quietly.
"…It's starting already."