"A King Piece?"
The term hung in the air, cold and unfamiliar.
Both Jay and Lavinia looked toward Azazel with identical expressions of confusion.
"From the rumors that I have heard, there is this rare Evil Piece called the King Piece," Azazel began, leaning back as he rested his elbows on the polished wooden desk of the Magister's office.
"They were created in the early days of the system's existence, during the experimental phase when the Underworld was desperate to replenish its numbers. The exact number produced is uncertain, but they were ultimately judged too dangerous due to the potential that they bring to the wielder."
He paused, the sunlight from the office window catching the gold of his eyes as he looked at the two of them.
"It is said that it can strengthen the wielder's demonic power by 10 to a 100 times."
Jay and Lavinia both frowned at the same time. The sheer scale of the numbers seemed absurd. Was it even possible to increase one's power tenfold or even a hundredfold?
"What... That's impossible," Jay said, his voice flat.
"Do you mean to suggest that someone like Sirzechs Lucifer, who is already a monster among monsters, could be strengthened with that much power? If he were boosted a hundredfold, he would be capable of erasing the world with a thought."
"I don't know about that," Azazel admitted, waving a hand dismissively as if to brush away the technicalities.
"But it might also be exaggerated, as in the end, it was all just a rumor. Take it with a grain of salt. In this world, the truth is often buried under layers of deception."
Jay fell into deep thought. He stared at the wood grain of the desk, his mind racing. If such a thing truly existed, it would be far too dangerous to let it spread. Let alone someone like Sirzechs abusing it, even a mere high-class devil could become a Satan-class in an instant.
There must be some sort of drawback. Everything has a price in this world.
After thinking for some time, Jay looked back at Azazel, his dark hazel eyes piercing.
"So you assume this kind of ability to boost demonic power is only able to be made using the Ars Goetia?"
"Not only that," Azazel explained, his expression turning academic, with his usual knowing smile.
"The whole Evil Piece system itself is probably inspired by the book... After all, the fundamental information regarding devil creation is only known by my Father, which is written in the Ars Goetia, and also King of Devils, the original Lucifer and the Mother of the Devils, Lilith."
Azazel gestured vaguely toward the horizon, as if pointing toward the dawn of time itself.
"It is even said that the whole 72 Pillars right now were created by Lucifer and Lilith using one of the chapters... no, more like one of the books in the Ars Goetia, which is called the Book of Lucifer. So, if there is any technique to reincarnate other races into Devils, it must be related to that Book and the Ars Goetia as a whole."
So that is why he insisted on focusing on the Evil Piece to find it... Jay thought. It was a logical trail, albeit one fraught with assumptions.
But then, he sent a narrow empty glance toward Azazel, his suspicion finally bubbling to the surface.
"But, why are you doing all of this, Azazel?" Jay asked, cutting through the fluff to the real question.
"Hm, what do you mean? Of course I'm doing this to help-"
Jay cut him off instantly.
"Don't even try to use that excuse," Jay said, his voice dropping into a dangerous low tone.
"You said it yourself that you want peace for the three factions, and our goals clearly don't align together. In fact, you should be the one stopping me from going there..."
Lavinia also looked at Azazel, her curiosity mirrored in her sapphire eyes. She had always wondered about the Governor General's true angle. He was a man who played ten games at once, and they were currently standing on his board.
"You know it yourself, Zayyn. I can't stop you," Azazel said, his smile slowly fading as he leaned forward.
The jovial persona cracked, revealing the ancient, tired being underneath.
"Not after I saw you kill Susanoo all by yourself, let alone now, after you killed one of the strongest Evil Dragons and even forced a Super Devil like Rizevim to retreat.
The Draconic Deus, DxD Slayer."
"You know that's not what I'm asking you," Jay said, the silence between them stretching long and thin.
"You want to use me as a common enemy for the three factions, aren't you? So that a peace treaty would be possible for the three parties."
A deafening silence engulfed the room.
The only sound was the distant rush of the Valeyra waterfalls outside. Azazel's smile didn't just fade, it vanished. His face turned stone-cold serious, the weight of his authority filling the small office until the air felt heavy.
"Would you believe me if I said no?" Azazel asked.
Jay didn't answer such rhetoric.
The truth was written in the stillness of the room.
"You know, Azazel, I actually didn't mind if you only used me for your goals, as I was using you for mine," Jay said, his voice surprisingly calm. There was no hatred or sense of betrayal in his eyes.
"We both aren't allies nor enemies. In fact, I'm glad that we use each other, so I didn't feel indebted to you."
Azazel sighed, looking at Jay with a mixture of respect and pity.
"Zayyn... If you don't mind answering, why do you want to kill all devils? I understand your situation, but is the whole devil race responsible for that? I don't think so."
Azazel stood and walked toward the window, gazing out at the village where children were playing, before turning back to Jay.
"And if you think they're the only ones who commit atrocities in this world, then all of us do. The vampires, the angels, the fallen, even the humans, as you saw for yourself in Kyoto. Why only the devils?" Azazel asked, his voice echoing against the wooden walls.
Silence engulfed the room once more.
Jay suddenly pressed a hand to his chest. His fingers clenched the fabric of his shirt, as if trying to hold something inside.
"Do you know the feeling of pain so agonizing, but you don't even know who... or what to blame?" Jay asked, his voice low and hollow, carrying a weight that seemed too heavy for his young body.
"I killed the ones who killed my family, the ones who caused all this suffering... and yet the pain didn't stop... Maybe it never will."
Lavinia clenched her fists at her side, her knuckles turning white. Even after seven months of living in this peace they had built together, she realized she still hadn't reached the deepest part of him.
Azazel, hearing the raw void in Jay's voice, could only frown.
A rare, hollow smile flickered across Jay's face, a chilling expression that didn't reach his eyes.
"Does that justify my selfish, twisted goal, Azazel?"
Azazel fell into deep thought. He searched his mind for a counter-argument, a moral high ground, but he found nothing. He didn't know the answer.
"You don't have to answer. I already know it doesn't."
The room remained silent for a long moment. It was Jay who finally broke the tension, his eyes snapping back to the practical reality of their situation.
"Anyway... That is not important now, so... Where is this King Piece located?"
Azazel coughed into his hand, shaking off the somber mood like a dog shaking off water. He adjusted his coat and looked back at Jay with a flicker of his usual intrigue.
"Well, I don't know where exactly, but I know someone who might know about it..."
***
The black Rolls Royce Phantom glided with eerie silence along the winding rural roads of the English countryside.
Outside, the rolling hills were a patchwork of deep greens, veiled in the soft light of the spring sun. Inside the cabin, the smell of expensive leather and polished wood was a stark contrast to the rustic scenery.
Jay and Lavinia sat in the spacious rear passenger seats, while Griselda Quarta handled the steering wheel with a practiced, effortless grace. She navigated the narrow lanes with the absolute ease of someone who was born to command such machinery.
'Being an exorcist must pay quite well,' Jay thought, his gaze drifting from the pristine dashboard to the back of Griselda's head.
Lavinia leaned forward slightly, a warm smile on her face.
"Ah, again, thank you so much for bothering to accompany us and coming all this way from the Vatican, Griselda-san."
"It's nothing, Lavinia," Griselda replied, her voice calm and steady as she kept her eyes on the road.
"Both of you are heroes who have saved countless of our people and rescued those innocent children. This is the least I can do to help, especially since I know the man we are going to see quite personally."
Griselda was not dressed in her usual nun's habit today.
To avoid drawing unnecessary attention in the quiet village, she wore a simple, elegant black dress. A light veil was draped over her head, partially obscuring her blonde hair, giving her the appearance of a modest woman rather than a high-ranking warrior of the Church.
"I've heard what you two are doing in Romania from Gabriel-sama," Griselda continued, a hint of softness entering her tone.
"Valeyra, huh... it must be such a beautiful place. I might consider going there myself after I retire from my duties."
"You should definitely visit, Griselda-san," Lavinia said brightly. "Maybe you could even teach the children there. They would love someone like you."
"That sounds wonderful," Griselda murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips.
After another ten minutes of driving, the landscape opened up into a series of wide meadows dotted with wildflowers.
They arrived at a small, picturesque village where the stone houses looked centuries old. Near a local chapel, a community service event seemed to have just concluded, with a few stragglers lingering near the entrance.
Griselda parked the car near the edge of the road, and the three of them stepped out into the crisp, damp air.
"So, this man used to be an exorcist but stopped because of something?" Lavinia asked, her voice hushed as they began to walk toward the chapel grounds.
"Yes," Griselda said, her expression turning somber.
"The reason why he stopped is actually directly related to the things you want to talk about with him. So, make sure not to push him too hard, or he will simply refuse to talk at all."
As they approached the chapel, a middle-aged man with light brown hair and a kind, weathered face emerged from the side entrance.
He wore standard priest's clothing, though he moved with the steady, disciplined gait of a trained combatant. He spotted them and his face lit up with a genuine smile.
"Long time no see, Griselda," the man called out. "How is Irina?"
"She is doing fine, better than ever, I should say," Griselda answered, reaching him and shaking his hand warmly.
"It is only a matter of time until she is stronger than you are."
"That's good to hear," the man laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "She was always a headstrong girl hahaha."
His gaze then shifted to Jay and Lavinia.
He maintained his polite smile, but his eyes, trained by years in the supernatural world immediately began to assess them.
"Ah, yes. So these are the young people you told me wanted to meet me," he said.
Griselda stepped aside to facilitate the introduction.
"This is Mr. Zayyn and Mrs. Lavinia."
The man gave a respectful nod and a slight bow.
"And this man is Touji Shidou." Griselda continued.
"Nice to meet you everyone. I'm Touji Shidou," he said, his voice steady.
"But why do young people like the two of you want to meet a humble priest like me? Though I don't mind if you are seeking guidance. If Griselda personally brought you here, it must be something important."
As he spoke, Touji's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
He could clearly see the immense, chilling aura emanating from Lavinia, even though she was suppressing her power, she felt like a vast glacier to his senses.
However, when he looked at Jay, he saw nothing. To his eyes, the young man standing in the grey sweatshirt was a complete void, as ordinary as any human walking the street.
Jay didn't waste time. He looked Touji directly in the eyes and stepped forward.
"Then I will be straight to the point," Jay said, his voice cutting through the peaceful atmosphere of the meadow.
"Can we talk about what happened to Masaomi Yaegaki and Cleria Belial... and also, the existence of the King Piece?"
The change in Touji's expression was instantaneous. His eyes widened, the warmth in his face vanishing as if struck by a physical blow. His breath hitched, and his posture stiffened into a defensive stance he hadn't used in years.
A heavy silence fell over the four of them, broken only by the distant chirping of birds in the English meadows.