I turned toward the direction of the new presence the moment I felt it. The difference between him and the others was immediate and overwhelming. His presence alone carried a density of power the others simply did not possess. It was not just larger in quantity. It was refined, condensed to such a degree that the magical energy around him felt heavy. In that instant I reached a simple conclusion.
If we fought, I would die.
There was no calculation to make, no strategy to test. The outcome was obvious the moment I sensed him.
"Rias," he began.
His voice was calm, carrying a quiet authority that naturally demanded attention. His gaze shifted briefly toward her before settling on me. As his eyes moved across the battlefield, his expression changed slightly. He glanced toward the sky where the storm clouds I had created still lingered, then toward the battlefield itself. The scorched ground. The empty stretch of land where trees once stood. The distant line of forest reduced to nothing but ash and blackened soil.
He was a tall man with crimson hair and calm blue eyes.
"Brother…" Rias managed.
The moment she spoke, I released the spell sustaining the storm. The dark clouds above us dispersed almost instantly, dissolving back into the clear sky as the magical structure collapsed. Rias breathed out in visible relief, her arms dropping to her sides as she inhaled deeply. Maintaining that barrier had clearly taken more out of her than she wanted to show.
"Would someone mind explaining why half the forest appears to be missing?" the man asked calmly, though his eyes had narrowed slightly.
"I caused it," I replied simply.
I was still holding the white-haired girl suspended above my head with the dark tendrils that bound her in place. His gaze lingered on her briefly before he slowly descended toward the ground in front of me.
"They were looking for a fight, so I gave them one," I continued casually. "Though I made sure to limit their injuries instead of simply killing them."
Internally, however, my thoughts were far less relaxed.
I was absolutely not going to fight this man. If the situation turned hostile, I would retreat into the Imaginary Numbers Space immediately. His power exceeded my own current state by a significant margin. If we actually fought, there was no doubt about the result.
I would lose.
"What?" Rias suddenly protested. "You were the one who started the fight by refusing to leave Gremory territory. He attacked first and we were forced to defend ourselves."
I shrugged slightly.
"I told you I was lost," I replied calmly. "And I asked to speak to Gremory."
My gaze shifted upward toward the girl still floating above me. Her expression had not changed since the moment I had restrained her. She remained completely impassive.
"Are you in pain?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
I had intentionally avoided being too rough when restraining her, but with her blank expression it was difficult to tell.
"No," she replied simply.
I accepted her answer without further question and looked back toward the tall man, almost as though I were using her condition as evidence. His gaze shifted briefly toward the girl still suspended above me.
"Would you mind releasing her first?" he asked calmly. There was no threat in his voice. After a brief pause he continued, his tone still measured. "While I would certainly like to hear both sides of the story, conversations tend to proceed more smoothly when no one is being restrained."
His blue eyes returned to me, studying me more carefully now.
"Especially when the individual doing the restraining has just demonstrated the ability to devastate several hundred meters of forest."
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
"I would have no leverage," I said plainly. "And you would kill me immediately. I need her for my own safety."
I glanced up at the girl again.
"She is probably fine with that. She looks like she is having fun."
I tilted my head toward her slightly.
"Are you okay with that?"
"Yeah," she replied.
I gestured lightly toward her.
"See?"
For a brief moment Sirzechs simply stared at the two of us. Then he exhaled quietly, the faintest hint of exasperated amusement crossing his expression.
"I do not think children should be so wary of others," he said.
The expression he wore at that moment was somewhat strange.
"You said you were looking for the head of the Gremory family, correct?" he continued. "Well, you are currently standing in front of one of the Four Satans."
He paused slightly before introducing himself.
"I am Sirzechs Lucifer."
His gaze settled directly on me.
"And you are?"
His name stirred something faint within my mind. Not Lucifer. Sirzechs. The name felt familiar. Almost as familiar as Rias. The exact memory remained just out of reach.
"I am Ars Goetia," I replied.
The moment I said it, every expression around me changed. Rias. The black-haired girl. The blond boy. Even Sirzechs himself showed clear surprise.
"Ars Goetia?" Sirzechs repeated quietly.
The name itself carried meaning. The Ars Goetia was the text that detailed and listed the seventy-two demon god pillars within the Lesser Key of Solomon. Even if they knew nothing about Goetia as I existed now, the name itself would be familiar to anyone knowledgeable about demonology.
"So that explains it," Sirzechs said slowly as he studied me more closely. "Your mana carries traces of multiple pillar lineages."
"The traces of the pillars?" I repeated calmly. "Sirzechs Lucifer."
The tendrils restraining the white-haired girl dissolved, allowing her to drift gently down to the ground beside the others. Not because he had asked, but because she had ceased to be a useful variable.
"I am not 'a' Gremory," I continued. "Nor am I 'a' Bael."
My golden eyes met his directly.
"I am the Incineration Ritual itself."
"I am the aggregate of the seventy-two demon pillars Solomon designed to oversee this world," I said. Even as I spoke the words, I was aware of the irony behind them. Of the original Goetia's seventy-two pillars, the lifespan I possessed now amounted to little more than the fraction of one. A single fragment of what had once been a complete system. But that was not something I intended to clarify.
"I see," Sirzechs said thoughtfully, his eyes lingering on me as if examining some strange artifact rather than a person. "So this body is a recent manifestation?" I simply nodded. I had no intention of correcting him. The original Goetia from my world obviously did not exist here, and explaining the full truth would only complicate matters unnecessarily.
"Well," Sirzechs said after a moment, clasping his hands together lightly, "let's all head back to the manor, shall we? Kiba is injured, and I have quite a few things I'd like to discuss with Goetia here." As he spoke, a complex crimson magic circle formed beneath his feet. The sigils expanded outward in perfect symmetry until they encompassed everyone present, intricate runic structures rotating slowly within one another like the gears of some arcane machine. The world flashed white, and for a brief instant the forest vanished.
When my vision returned, we were standing inside a mansion. Polished marble flooring stretched beneath us, reflecting the light of elaborate chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. Tall windows framed with crimson curtains lined the walls and the air carried the faint scent of polished wood.
"Kiba, come on. Let's get you some help." Rias immediately moved toward the blond swordsman, concern replacing the earlier tension in her expression. She gestured toward one of the nearby maids who had appeared at the entrance of the hall. "Take him to the infirmary." "Yes, Lady Rias." The maid bowed before quickly moving to assist Kiba.
"Forced teleportation…" I murmured quietly to myself. Their voices continued behind me, but my attention remained fixed on Sirzechs. If anything, his presence felt even more dangerous now than it had in the forest. Without the chaos of battle to distract me, the density of his magical energy pressed against the surrounding space like gravity itself. I was fortunate he appeared to be reasonable.
My focus sharpened as someone stopped in front of me. Looking up, I saw Rias. She stood a few steps away, her blue eyes studying my face carefully. "You really caused all that destruction just because you were 'lost'?" she asked. Her tone was calmer now, but the skepticism behind it was obvious.
"It was more because you were picking a fight," I replied casually. "But I intentionally used a spell weak enough for you to survive if you were competent enough." A smirk slowly formed on my lips.
Her eyes narrowed, but before she could respond I continued. "You're impressive though. That barrier you used was interesting. If you focused on offense a bit more you'd be a well-rounded mage." I glanced past her toward the other two girls. "I can't say the same for the angel and the phantasmal though."
Both of their gazes snapped toward me immediately. The black-haired girl's expression darkened noticeably while the other simply stared with her golden eyes, her expression unreadable.
"You talk too much," the white-haired girl said flatly.
"Aye, let's not start another fight, hmm?" Sirzechs said with an amused smile as he stepped forward. "The current head of the Gremory family and his wife are away at the moment, so I'll be handling matters here in their stead. Both as a Satan… and as a Gremory." With that he began walking down the hallway, gesturing for me to follow.
"I want to join." Rias' voice stopped us both.
Sirzechs turned slightly, surprise flickering across his expression. "I would like to be present," Rias continued firmly. "I was the one who found him, and he injured members of my peerage. I deserve to know what will be discussed." She stood confidently, meeting her brother's gaze without hesitation. I glanced toward Sirzechs and the expression on his face resembled something close to pride.
"You wouldn't mind that, would you, Goetia?" he asked with a smile.
"I have no issue," I replied.
With that settled, we continued deeper into the mansion until we entered what appeared to be a private office. The room was spacious but orderly, lined with tall bookshelves filled with ancient tomes. A large desk sat near the far wall, illuminated by soft lamplight. Sirzechs paused briefly upon entering. "I haven't been here in a while," he murmured before sitting behind the desk. Rias and I took the chairs opposite him.
The moment we sat down, I felt it. A bounded field expanded around the room, sealing the space and isolating it from outside interference.
Sirzechs' expression shifted, the amusement disappearing. "Your words, unfortunately, are true," he said slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This also means you are now the most politically volatile person in the Underworld."
Rias blinked in surprise and glanced toward me. "What are you talking about?" I asked.
"The current political situation among the pillar families is… complicated," Sirzechs said carefully. "If what you said is true, then you are directly tied to the origin of the seventy-two pillars." His gaze sharpened. "Do you understand what that means politically?"
I shook my head slightly.
"The devil nobility derives its legitimacy from descent from those pillars," he explained. "If someone appeared claiming to be the system that governs them, many houses would view you as a symbol of authority over their bloodlines."
Rias' eyes widened slightly.
"Some families would attempt to claim you," Sirzechs continued calmly. "Others would try to eliminate you before that could happen."
"You mean they'd try to use him?" Rias asked.
"Correct. But certain factions might also treat him as something like a prince of the pillars."
I nodded slowly in understanding. So the pillars all served the Underworld, but they did not necessarily agree with one another. The political structure here was fragmented, and I had appeared at precisely the wrong moment.
"What are you leading to?" I asked. "You clearly have a proposition."
Sirzechs smiled faintly. "You're perceptive." He folded his hands on the desk. "As I mentioned earlier, I am one of the Four Satans. My authority in the Underworld carries considerable weight." His gaze settled on me. "So I would like to place you under my family's protection."
Rias blinked. "You mean—"
"Formally adopt him into the Lucifer household," Sirzechs finished calmly. "It would allow me to protect you properly and give you a position within devil society while we determine the truth of your situation."
I understood immediately. He was actually trying to help me, though there were clearly advantages for him as well. If only three other individuals could rival his authority in the entire Underworld, this was a powerful offer. Unfortunately, my current strength made the decision less optional than it appeared. If I still possessed the original Goetia's power, I would have refused without hesitation. But the gap between myself and Sirzechs was immeasurable.
"Are you serious?" Rias suddenly shot up from her chair, anger flashing across her face. "This is the same person who tried to kill me and my peerage! He literally put a hole through Kiba!"
Sirzechs' calm gaze shifted toward her. "Rias," he said gently. "He did not kill you." The seriousness in his voice caused her to pause.
"Do you not see it?" he continued calmly. "His demonic power exceeds everyone in this territory aside from myself. If he truly wished to kill you, he could have done so. And despite the clash, he did not inflict any permanent damage."
Rias stared at him for several seconds before turning toward me. "I want an apology. I want you to apologize to Kiba."
I met her gaze calmly. "I don't regret my actions. Why would I apologize?" I tilted my head slightly. "They all placed their lives on the line for you. If I were to apologize, it would dismiss their resolve. I will not do that."
Her blue eyes burned with frustration. "Then I want compensation," she said suddenly.
I raised an eyebrow. So she chose the political route.
"Like what?"
"I want a favor," she said. "One favor from you."
I nodded immediately. "That seems fair. As long as I am able to evaluate the favor's value and determine whether it exceeds the damage I caused, I agree." She seemed satisfied with that.
"With that settled," Sirzechs said, "let's return to our original topic." He looked at me. "Do you accept, Goetia?"
Rias glanced between the two of us.
"Yes," I said as I stood from my chair. "I accept your proposal."
Sirzechs smiled.
"Good."