"Rushana! Come on, we have to go! We have to get to school, come right home, and hear how my brother is doing!"
"I understand coming right home, but I don't see how that's related to going to school early."
"Ugh, your calm retorts are on point as usual..."
Creuserey Belial, combing her gray hair, hurriedly called out to her Queen. With an exasperated sigh, Rushana smoothed out a wrinkle in Creuserey's uniform that she hadn't noticed. It was, in fact, still early to leave for Kuoh Academy. Creuserey took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.
"Whew... Still, I'm impressed, Rushana. I was so wound up I could barely sleep, and now I'm wide awake."
"...I'm anxious, too. But we have to act as normal. We're not supposed to know that Lord Dihauzer is making his move today."
"Right... We don't know my brother is starting the strike today. It's supposed to happen around noon. It would look suspicious if we skipped school..."
"Exactly. That's why Masaomi is also coming here after school."
As an extra precaution, a few of their peerage members had been stationed at the house for the past few days, under the guise of sorting out work before Christmas. They were there as emergency contacts, but it would be best if nothing happened. The meeting between the Maou and the Great King was scheduled for the afternoon, so the strike would likely have already begun by the time Creuserey and the others got home.
Everything was being staged as Dihauzer Belial's sole decision, with no one outside the Rating Game informed. The evidence from Lord Ajuka was being attributed to a "fictional Old Maou faction," which Dihauzer would then present to both the Old Devils and the current Maou. For those who knew the truth, it was an absurd charade—an arsonist playing the firefighter. The Emperor's side was "supposedly" informed about Kuoh Town by this Old Maou faction, but they couldn't risk contacting the Kuoh group directly while they were being watched.
"...Lord Dihauzer already spoke to the head of the Belial family about this, didn't he?"
"Yes. You know how the Belial family was aligned with the Bael faction, right? That's how I was able to get the manager position in Kuoh Town. But after this, that's probably not going to be possible... I've really caused so much trouble for everyone."
Creuserey remembered her departure for the human world. The entire Belial clan had come to see her off, cheering for her. She had been agonizing over the fear that she had betrayed all of them for her own feelings.
She didn't regret meeting Masaomi Yaegaki. Her love for him was real. She didn't think loving someone was wrong. But she had always carried the guilt of falling for a clergyman. In her head, she knew they were the ones who were socially in the wrong.
The reason she couldn't tell her family was the guilt of dragging them down... and the fear of being rejected by them, too. Seeing Masaomi denounced by his own comrades had made her hand tremble. If only she'd told them sooner, maybe things would have been different. Maybe it wouldn't have become such a massive incident, and she wouldn't have endangered her precious friends.
"It's not just your fault. I, too, failed you as your Queen. I told everyone in the Belial territory that I would support my childhood friend, and yet... it's pathetic."
"If you hadn't been here, Rushana, I would have been in a much worse state. But... hehe."
"Creuserey? What is it?"
"Oh, sorry. It's just... I was just realizing again how incredibly lucky I am."
'I'm just glad you're safe. Leave the rest to me.'
It was a short, handwritten note, sent via a familiar to avoid the Old Devils' notice. It was the Belial family's response after Dihauzer told them everything. When she read it, Creuserey's brave facade finally broke, and she cried until her voice was gone. For her sake, and for Dihauzer's, the entire Belial clan had resolved to fight the Old Devils.
They would likely be demoted from their current high-status positions. They might lose their wealth. The Old Devils were just that powerful. But Creuserey's worries on that front had been frozen for several seconds by a line in her mother's accompanying, confident handwriting: 'Budget cooking is a Belial specialty. I'll prepare a full wild-grass course for you next time.' (In fact, many of the Underworld's budget recipes originated with the Belial family.)
The Belials were, originally, poor nobles. They had a past so dire they had been on the verge of total collapse. That was precisely why the family and their people had always worked together to support the house and defend their territory. When Dihauzer, a Maou-class devil, was born into their family, their finances finally recovered. But the remnants of their past remained. The entire clan lived together in the same estate, alongside their people.
And that was why they could stand up. They chose the lives of their family over the prosperity they had finally obtained. And their people stood with them.
"I have an amazing brother, a kind family and territory, a lover and friends and peerage who care about me. And I have my precious childhood friend, who worried so much about me that she became my peerage just to help me. See? I'm blessed, right?"
"Creuserey..."
"That's why I can keep going. I can keep smiling. I will stand up, again and again, and I will repay the kindness everyone has shown me, many times over."
She had caused so much trouble. She couldn't stop now. She might be exiled from the Underworld. She might never see her family again. Her future was a blank. But she would not stop walking. She knew that to abandon her path now would be the real betrayal to everyone who had supported her.
Besides, a small friend had taught her that there was a path that opened only to those who refused to give up hope.
"And I have this amulet from Masaomi, too. It makes me feel strong."
"...I'll let it slide for today, but isn't that necklace against school rules? They make exceptions, since we have so many transfer students, but you can't get permission today. You should hide it, or the student council will confiscate your precious gift."
"Aah!? You're right! I've been so happy I've been wearing it since last night!"
"I wonder when my King will ever learn to be calm..."
Rushana sighed as she watched her King panic over the necklace. At the same time, she smiled, realizing they had fallen back into their usual, goofy dynamic. 'Can't be helped,' she thought, opening a living room drawer. She took out a small drawstring bag and a cord and brought them to Creuserey.
"Here. If you put it in this, it'll look more like an amulet. They'll probably overlook it then."
"Wow, thank you! You're the best, Rushana... Still, I'll hide it under my uniform, just in case."
"If I recall, Kanata helped make it, so it really does have a protective effect, right?"
"Mhm, it should. That's why Masaomi gave it to me as an early Christmas present."
Creuserey held her gray hair out of the way while Rushana, standing behind her, adjusted the cord. The necklace was an important means of self-defense, so Creuserey needed to keep it on her.
She held the amulet bag in her hand, feeling a faint warmth from it. It felt like courage from her friends, and it made her heart feel full. She clutched it gently to her chest, then tucked it under her vest.
"Alright, let's get going, Rushana. We have to be bright and cheerful!"
"Fufu, right. ...You know, just this once, maybe we can have a slightly extravagant dinner tonight."
"Huh? Really!? What are you making?"
"Well now, that's a secret."
"Ehh?"
The gray-haired girl puffed her cheeks, her maroon skirt swirling. The golden-haired girl's eyes softened, and she hid her smile behind her hand. Suppressing their excitement, the two girls set off for Kuoh Academy.
***
"What is with the Belial family? I heard they were ready to punch out the Bael family the second they heard the story... What are they thinking?"
Bividen Abaddon—the man who, in the original story, did attack the Bael family—shrugged, exasperated. Roygun Belphegor, sweating, didn't refute his point, which said it all. Dihauzer had decided to oppose the Old Devils, and the Belial family would be affected. Therefore, Dihauzer had decided to go home and explain the situation a few days before the strike.
His new "Twin Pillars" had seen him off, noting he seemed unusually stiff. Logically, the Emperor's unilateral action could bring great harm to his family. They wouldn't have been surprised if his family had denounced him. Dihauzer wouldn't stop, but for Bividen and Roygun, who had tied their fates to his, it was one more thing to worry about.
That worry was blown away by Dihauzer's next communication.
"Lord Abaddon, Lord Belphegor... my apologies. I... have a favor to ask."
"An apology? Does this mean your talk with the Belial family head failed?"
"No... it's just... it succeeded too well. They're... more than willing."
The Emperor's rare, halting reply made his two new allies exchange a silent look. 'Ah,' they thought in unison, 'this is going to be a pain.' How could an option that was supposed to be a simple "success" or "failure" suddenly create a third, insane alternative?
"The entire Belial family and their people are offering their full support. I need your help... to coordinate tasks for them and to hide their movements from the Old Devils."
"...How did this happen?"
"Hey, hiding an entire territory's movements is a bit much. Can't you just tell them to sit tight?"
"...I'm afraid... if I tell them to be quiet, they really might just go punch out the Bael family."
"What is wrong with your clan!? Don't you devils have any common sense!?"
Bividen Abaddon—the man who, in the original story, chose self-preservation over the Underworld—lectured the Emperor on the virtues of aristocratic common sense. The Emperor just laughed, his voice bright. He was apologizing, but he also sounded... happy. Roygun, watching this, just sighed. 'Whatever,' she thought, resigning herself to it.
***
A few hours earlier.
Dihauzer had taken a half-day of vacation to visit the Belial territory. He always went home early before the year-end games, so his visit wouldn't seem suspicious.
But this time, he was going to tell them about the strike. A fog of guilt settled over him. He wouldn't stop, but the anxiety was there. His actions wouldn't affect him alone. He had joined the Rating Game in the first place to save his struggling family. He'd thought his Maou-class power was a sign, a way to make them happy.
And now... he was about to endanger them for his own sake. Because he wasn't strong enough to protect everything. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.
He arrived and told his father, the head of the family, the cover story: the Old Maou faction, the corruption, Creuserey's purge. He bowed his head, apologizing... and his father just beamed.
What followed was the sight of a son desperately tackling his own father, who had jumped up declaring, "Right, I'm going to have a talk with the Bael family." The commotion brought his mother running in. She saw the two wrestling, panicked, and called for help. The entire clan, who all lived in the main house, assembled. The Emperor wanted to cry.
He had no choice but to tell his parents and a few key relatives the (cover) story. When he finished... they allstood up, shouting, "Alright, let's go to Bael's!" The Emperor had to use his full power to subdue them. He would later say it was one of the top five most exhausting moments of his entire life.
"Dihauzer, this is too dangerous. You don't have to be the one to stand against them..."
"Mother, I'm sorry. But this is... something I want to do. I know it's dangerous. But I—"
"...You've always been like this. Always putting yourself second, for someone else's sake."
"Califa, Dihauzer is..."
His mother, her eyes downcast, was cut off by his father. She had been against him joining the Rating Game, not wanting to see her son hurt. But she had supported him. This, however, was different.
"...I've been nothing but a disappointment to you, Mother."
"Yes, you have. My problem child. Always finding new ways to get into trouble."
"..."
"But this is different from the game. This time... we can fight with you."
Dihauzer's head snapped up. His mother was looking at him, her face a mess of love, exasperation, and tears.
"You've never once bent your will. I know you'll just charge ahead. In the Rating Game, all we could do was accept what you gave us."
"That's not true! I only made it this far because of your support!"
"But you always fought alone. We were proud... and it was painful. But you saved the Belial family."
Califa Belial stepped forward and cupped her son's face.
"So this time, you will involve us. Let us fight, too. We won't let you carry this alone. Give us a chance to repay what you've given us. As a mother of the Belial house... let me protect my son, Dihauzer, and my daughter, Creuserey."
"Ah... she's right. We're a family. If we're all safe, that's enough. We're used to mountain life, used to being poor. We can start from scratch. I've been a pathetic father, just relying on you. Let me have some dignity, just this once."
"Mother... Father..."
He'd always thought he had a responsibility as the strong one. That he had to move forward, for his family, for the game. He'd been willing to throw everything away for them. But... would that really make them happy? Was he really helping them by trying to go it alone?
A phrase echoed in his mind. It wasn't meant for him, but it struck him now.
'I can't... do it alone. That's right... that's obvious.'
"...'Of course I can't do it alone,' huh."
"Dihauzer?"
"No... just realizing how immature I still am. I was just taught that I shouldn't carry everything myself..."
A smile escaped him. He'd been so afraid of burdening them, he'd even considered getting himself disowned, just to keep them safe. He knew his enemy wasn't one he could beat alone. He'd decided to change. To walk his path, with them.
The fog in his mind cleared. He looked his family in the eye.
"...Father, Mother. Everyone. I have a favor to ask. For Creuserey... and for me... please, lend me the strength of the Belial family!"
It wasn't an apology. It was a selfish request. He bowed his head.
"You were always a smart boy," his father said. "Always so considerate. The only thing you ever asked of us... was to let you join the game."
"...Father."
"If a father can't even grant his son's only selfish request, what good is he? We will fight with you, Dihauzer! Let's show them the stubborn, weed-like strength of House Belial!"
The room erupted in cheers. (His mother, ever the pragmatist, whispered, "No reckless moves. If it comes down to it, use your father as a shield.")
And so, the Belial family, guided by a (reluctant) Bividen, mobilized every connection they had. Their people, too, offered full support. Roygun, (resigned to her fate), used her experience to secretly organize grassroots support—a "player's demo"—for the strike.
***
The day before the strike, Bividen and Roygun found themselves sharing a drink. "That... was long," they sighed in unison.
"Getting Lord Phoenix on our side was huge. Securing a supplier of 'Phoenix Tears' and cutting off their funds gives us a major advantage."
"You really pushed the Belial family's connections on that one."
"Ruval Phoenix is a Top 10 player. And his younger brother will be joining soon. They've had their own struggles with the hierarchy."
"Hmph. They're new money, always looking for an angle. Give them evidence, profit, and a guarantee of success, and they'll stay out of it. ...Couldn't get them to join us, though."
Bividen and Roygun had been stunned by the Belial family's ferocity. They were known as the "oddballs" of the aristocracy—poor, but stubbornly surviving by banding together. They had a good relationship with the Phoenix family, another "new money" house.
The Phoenix family wouldn't side with the Emperor. But they would remain neutral and temporarily halt the supply of Phoenix Tears, citing a "need to investigate the corruption."
"But Ruval Phoenix himself... he's been given free rein."
"Yes. The house is neutral, but he, the player, wants to respect his son's feelings... This is why this 'playing family' nonsense is so soft. It creates useless openings."
"That 'opening' is what's helping us, Bividen. Just be grateful."
"...Hmph."
Bividen's jab at the "family-playing" Emperor was met with a sincere smile. Roygun, realizing this was just Bividen's way of blowing off steam, silently signaled to Dihauzer that she'd 'handle it.' He nodded his thanks.
They'd been told the goal was a draw. Crushing the Old Devils now would be too dangerous. The real goal (Creuserey) had to be hidden. The public goal was a performance: to get the public and the Maou interested in reform.
Dihauzer was already working with Ajuka, but it had to look like the strike was their first contact. This would make the Old Devils underestimate Dihauzer, thinking he was just a "fool" being used by the Maou.
'The simple ones will see your strike as an emotional outburst,' Ajuka had said. 'But Bael... he will look deeper. He will see it as an appeal to me. He will try to interfere with us... not knowing we are already working together. While their eyes are on us, we will secure Creuserey's safety. By the time they realize, she will be untouchable.'
Dihauzer had changed. He had to change, for his sake and the Underworld's. Today, the current would shift.
***
"...Both of you. It seems our chat is over."
Dihauzer sensed the signal from his peerage. He closed his eyes, then rose. Roygun and Bividen stood instantly. They had been waiting in Agreas. The signal meant the broadcast had begun.
"Dihauzer. My peerage confirms the broadcast is live. We've blocked their puppets, so there should be no interference."
"...I've used my contacts to secure the park in front of the Agreas government building. A large crowd of players gathering there should make for a good visual."
"Ah, thank you. ...Well, then. Shall we go? To our new stage."
Dihauzer, his indigo cape swirling, smiled. He was calm, his aura clear and strong. His two rivals, now accustomed to him, followed.
"Hm... speaking of the Maou..."
"What about them?"
"Our main target is Lord Beelzebub, but... if Lady Leviathan happens to be there, I just remembered something I wanted to ask."
"Kkh... You seem relaxed. What could you possibly need to ask Lady Leviathan?"
"Oh, just a small favor. For an acquaintance."
He looked at his two puzzled colleagues and gave a... somewhat dry, strained smile.
"...Hey, you two. Do you think Lady Leviathan would know... how an adult male can become a magical girl?"
"... ... ... ... "
The entire group froze.
"...Dihauzer... you?"
"No! Cough... It's, uh... for an acquaintance. He said I have a lot of connections, and he'd be grateful if I could just... ask..."
Bividen Abaddon—the man who once viewed everyone as a pawn—looked away, his expression pained. For the first time, he seemed genuinely worried about the Emperor. "...Dihauzer. Take it from me, but... you need to choose your friends more carefully."
"Dihauzer, you're a devil, but you're just too nice. You need the courage to say no."
"But... I'm the one who caused him trouble... And he's completely sincere, no malice at all. He'd be so sad if I refused..."
"That's even worse. What kind of devil is he?"
'He's human,' Dihauzer thought.
Moments before throwing the entire Underworld into chaos, the three top players felt, perhaps, just a little bit closer.