Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Serena POV - August 9, 2008 DxD.
Ravel had lied to me.
"I didn't." Ravel snorted beside me. I rolled my eyes.
"You omitted information; it's the same thing." I complained, and it was Ravel's turn to roll her eyes.
"It was on your schedule; I made sure to highlight it. I even left a reminder in your lab because I knew you wouldn't remember," Ravel said efficiently. I could only pout. "It's just a meeting, you'll survive," Ravel said, hitting me on the shoulder. I sighed wearily.
"Let's just... go." I finally said. The Youth Devil Gathering. It was more than just a party. I'd forgotten there was another event before this. The party where everyone gathered was the Youth Devil Gathering proper, and it would happen in a week. But before that—that is, today—this was a sort of opening ceremony.
It was primarily a gathering of the chosen young devils, along with the Satans and the old devils. It was more of a formality, but it wasn't something I could refuse to attend, especially since it was where Sirzechs would announce the Young Devils' tournament. So I had to prepare myself to meet with the others.
In Lucifaad.
I made a face of disgust. I had decided not to bring any members of my Peerage, other than Ravel, mainly because most of them would be bored—I was especially talking about Bella and Rebecca—and if they were bored, there was a very high probability that they would both decide to cause trouble in Lucifaad.
The only good thing about all this was that I didn't really need to dress up for this meeting beyond being presentable. And that meant wearing my usual fitted black dress. Ravel was wearing one of her violet dresses and clinging to my arm.
"Let's finish this." I sighed once more. "Shall we?" I asked Ravel as I created a portal to the outskirts of Lucifaad. Ravel simply nodded, and we both stepped through and saw the ancient capital of the underworld. Our wings sprouted from our backs, and we began our descent.
The city was truly enormous, and unfortunately, we weren't allowed to teleport around without permission. So we flew quickly before landing on one of the nearby streets. It wasn't exactly forbidden to fly in the city, but it would attract too much attention, and in fact, I was already attracting attention. Apparently, I was more famous than I expected, though that shouldn't surprise me.
I was used to everyone at Pentagram knowing me, but I mean, it was my city; elsewhere it was just disconcerting and annoying.
"Don't worry, I took care of everything," Ravel said as she dragged me to one side where a car was waiting for us with a devil in a suit beside it.
"Lady Prince, Lady Phenex." The driver said as he leaned over and then opened the car door.
"Come on, get in before they surround the car," Ravel said. I did as she said and got into the car, and Ravel quickly followed. The driver simply closed the door, sat in the driver's seat, and sped off. I sighed in amusement and looked at Ravel, who was settling into her seat.
"How long have we been traveling?" I asked with a hum.
"About... 15 minutes." Ravel hummed. I wrinkled my nose before shrugging.
"Not enough, but it'll have to do," I said simply. Ravel looked at me curiously before squealing when I grabbed her by the waist and placed her on my lap. Ravel looked at me blankly before sighing.
"Don't wrinkle my clothes," Ravel finally said. I chuckled before leaning in and kissing her, and she kissed me back eagerly. We continued kissing the whole way until the car stopped.
Finally, I stepped away from Ravel and saw her slightly swollen lips, and I smiled contentedly. Ravel snorted and punched me in the shoulder before getting out of the car. I chuckled and quickly followed her. Ravel simply nodded at the driver, who nodded in return without saying a word. I just raised an eyebrow at that; I was curious to know when she had hired him, but not curious enough to ask.
The two of us walked toward Lucifaad's largest building, right where the meeting was to take place. We entered the building and saw one of the employees approaching quickly.
"Welcome, Lady Prince, please follow me," said the employee, who seemed to have been waiting, as she bowed. I simply nodded, and we began to follow her. Or at least that was the case until I saw someone I recognized leaning against the wall in one of the hallways.
Esdeath.
She just glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and smiled broadly and sadistically.
"Lady Prince, what a coincidence to see you here," Esdeath said, straightening up. Then she looked at Ravel. "Phenex." Esdeath nodded, a sign of... respect? I suppose Ravel had made a good impression on her, and I'm sure that was a bad thing. Having Esdeath's attention isn't a good thing, I think.
"Of course. Coincidence." I said dryly, looking at her bored. "That's why you were here, waiting, in the building where I was to meet with the devils, and where one of the employees was guiding me. Surely it's a coincidence." I said coldly before glancing sideways at the employee. Her eyes widened, and she looked at me in panic as she began to pale at the implications; she started trembling, almost to the point of fainting.
"Honestly, it was just a coincidence," Esdeath shrugged. "It's my job as the leader of Lucifaad's special police squad to be on duty at these kinds of events. I'm just... doing my job." Esdeath said, still smiling.
"Seeing the corridors? I'm sure it's an exciting job." I said dryly. Esdeath laughed before shrugging.
"Oh, it's so boring. But sometimes I find... things to entertain myself." Esdeath said, her smile growing wider and wider. I could feel her desire to fight growing stronger.
"Entertain? In a building full of old devils who have the longest pole in the supernatural world shoved up their asses? If you say so. I'm not one to judge tastes." I shrugged. To my surprise, Esdeath snorted amusedly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, we have a meeting to attend." I said simply before starting to walk away.
"T-this way!" the employee squealed, still trembling.
"Don't worry, we'll find our way on our own," I said coldly, glaring at her. The clerk shuddered and almost looked like she was about to cry. I honestly didn't know if she'd brought us here on purpose or not, but I didn't care to find out. Ravel and I walked right past Esdeath without stopping.
"It was a pleasure seeing you, Lady Prince. I hope we meet again in… a better place, where we can have some fun as we should." Esdeath said, and I could sense a murderous intent emanating from her. I stopped and looked at her over my shoulder. I unleashed all my powers and pressed them against Esdeath, freezing her in place. I could see every hair on her body stand on end at my presence.
"Believe me... I play rougher than you can handle. For your own good, I hope we don't end up in that place," I said coldly before regaining control of my powers and burying them as if they had never existed. I didn't stop to see Esdeath's expression; I simply continued walking with Ravel.
"You know that won't stop her, right? It'll only excite her more," Ravel said mentally. I snorted.
"Oh, I know. But if the excitement makes them come out in force and stop plotting in the shadows, it will be much easier for me. I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with any of the plans she, Honest, and the other old devils might be hatching." I said dryly.
"You won't get rid of them so easily; they're like cockroaches," Ravel mocked. I just sighed in dismay. We continued walking through the corridors. It was lucky we'd been close enough to follow the demonic power I could sense from the Satans practically anywhere in Lucifaad.
And in fact, it was even easier after hearing a huge explosion that led us directly to the right room. Once we reached the correct doors, I could see several employees moving quickly and hear the conversation inside the room.
I opened the doors without pausing, and they all fell apart as they turned to stare at me. I was a complete stranger to them; I'd never actually met any of them before, apart from Rias and Sona, but those brief encounters, where we barely even spoke, meant we could hardly be considered acquaintances.
And yet, I had already attracted attention. I was certain that my lineage as a descendant of Lucifer had already spread throughout the underworld, as had my victory over Vali, the creation of Pentagram City, and the Distracted Globe. All this while being a succubus. So, I would undoubtedly attract everyone's attention, especially theirs, since everyone here should be considered a 'rival'.
This meeting of young devils was about the heirs of the pillar clans. In theory, I wasn't an heir to anything; I was Lady Prince, head of the Prince family, a Baroness. Barely a title compared to the heirs of the Great King and Archdukes who were here.
So, I was actually in a rather special position. I was already a Lady, which meant I wasn't an heiress like them, but they were heirs to titles higher than mine. Technically, by holding a title, I had precedence over them, but even so, it would have been ridiculous to insult them.
Especially if the Satans had brought me here as Lucifer's heir, that would change things, which would be terribly annoying.
But even after that reflection… I didn't care about any of that at all.
"Greetings everyone, I hope I'm not too late." I said easily as we entered the room.
"Lady Prince!" Rias exclaimed in surprise. "It's good to see you again, and you're just in time!" Rias said with a smile. I just smiled back before looking at the others.
Sairaorg stared at me, his rigid body so intense it almost seemed threatening. Seekvaira's eyes shone with excitement as she looked at me. Zephydor Glasya-Labolas glared at me with disgust. And Diodora Astaroth just looked at me curiously, almost calculatingly. We all remained silent until Sairaorg stepped forward.
"My apologies for making you wait so long. Please come in." One of the employees interrupted immediately.
We all stopped once more. I could see a conflicted expression on Sairaorg's face as Seekvaira pouted. I just sighed in gratitude for not having to socialize.
Even so, we all obeyed. I kissed Ravel as I left her in the room with the other Peerage heirs, while we immediately entered the room where the Satans and devils were. We stood before them, me in one of the corners.
I ignored the devil who started talking and looked closely at the old devils before stopping at Honest, much to my surprise. He seemed to be sitting placidly in his seat while looking at us as if we were vermin—especially me and Sairaorg.
Wow, this is a surprise. I didn't expect that idiot to be here.
"You seven are devils with noble blood and undeniable skill. That's why I want you to compete against each other to increase your power," Sirzechs said finally, and I turned my attention back to him.
"If I may interrupt, Lord Lucifer," Honest said gently. "While I agree with you about the noble blood of… most of them, I must admit I am… concerned about one of them." Honest said with mock concern before looking at me intently.
"I myself have verified and confirmed that Serena Prince is a descendant of Lucifer," Ajuka interjected dully before narrowing his eyes and giving Honest a menacing look. "Or perhaps... are you doubting me?" Ajuka asked dangerously. All the old devils and heirs shuddered at that, except for Honest, who chuckled softly.
"Oh, not at all, Lord Beelzebub, your wisdom is unparalleled, beyond any doubt," Honest said immediately. "But... I find it hard to believe." Honest sighed ruefully. "After centuries without a descendant of Lucifer, and now two have appeared, it's truly astonishing."
"Especially when they're both the current wielder of the White Dragon, and... Serena Prince. That two such... exceptional people share the same blood is a little surprising to me," Honest said honestly. I snorted at that.
"Are you saying that Lucifer's blood isn't... exceptional?" I asked playfully. Honest's eye twitched slightly.
"Oh, I'm sure it is. After all, I'm absolutely certain that even a cockroach with Lucifer's blood would be capable of... some achievements." Honest scoffed, and I laughed.
"Hmm, what would that mean for the big, bad devils, that even a cockroach could step on them... so easily, as if they didn't matter?" I hummed softly. Honest glared at me.
"I'm sure-"
"Enough," Sirzechs said, unleashing his demonic power. I just smiled as I watched Honest tremble slightly. He clenched his fists and remained silent. "Serena Prince will participate. There's nothing to discuss. Her status as Lucifer's heir is valid, and even if it weren't, it's time to set a precedent. She's more than capable of being here, even without her bloodline," Sirzechs said finally.
"Of course, Lord Lucifer," Honest said through gritted teeth. I just snorted and shook my head, but said nothing.
With that, I continued the long discussion about the tournament. Apparently, a tournament of seven was easy to figure out. One of us would get a bye to the next round while the others competed. Now the tricky part was deciding who would get the automatic bye.
Sairaorg and I were the ones with the most experience in Rating Games, so our names were the first ones called up. Honest and his group obviously didn't want me to advance immediately, so it was discussed for a few minutes before Sairaorg readily gave me the pass, and that settled everything.
Once everything was settled, Sirzechs nodded in satisfaction.
"Now then, I apologize for keeping you this long. We all see our dreams and hopes in you young people. You are the treasure of the underworld," Sirzechs said with a genuine smile. "So, to conclude, may we hear about your respective goals for the future?" he asked curiously.
Just as expected, Sairaorg was the first to step forward and announce his dream of becoming a Maou. Then the others followed until it reached Sona announcing her dream of creating a school for Rating Games to teach the low-class and reincarnated devils.
And with that, all the old devils started laughing uproariously and shaking their heads in amusement. I just stared boredly at them all.
"Miss Sona Sitri. Low-class devils and reincarnated devils just do their jobs."
"For their masters, high-class devils are selected solely for their talent. Wouldn't the construction of a training center cause the old families, who value tradition and pride, to lose their class? No matter how much people say the devil world has entered a period of change, change can be both good and bad. Something like this is just training for low-class devils." Honest said with a smile that seemed innocent, but he could only describe it as disgusting. "There's really nothing of interest to them..."
"Actually." I interjected, stepping forward from the line we were in. I could see Honest's eye twitch. I just smiled as Honest glared at me. "I think it's a good idea," I said, looking at Honest with a smug smile. "And in fact, I, Serena Eilen Prince, descendant of Lucifer, Baroness, founder and owner of Pentagram City, fully support Sona Sitri's wish and will provide her with a place in my city so she can create the school, and she will be provided with everything she needs."
"I've created a city for succubi and low-class devils, and it fills me with joy to see them progress. I do not doubt that a Rating Game school in Pentagram City will be more than welcome by everyone, and the Prince family will support it, both financially and with any other assistance it may need." I smiled broadly as I stared intently at Honest. He looked like he was about to explode.
"We're all aware of your city's founding, Miss Prince, but I'm sure you could dedicate your… resources to a better option," Honest said, narrowing his eyes. I chuckled.
"I appreciate your concern, but you really have nothing to worry about. Distracted Globe has been really profitable; I've suddenly found myself with a large amount of absurd profits as part of the earnings."
"My vaults are so overflowing with money I don't know what to do with it." I sighed wearily, almost laughing at the devils' incredulous stares. "And I've always believed the best way to spend my money is to improve the lives of my city's citizens." I smiled brightly; now everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. "Especially now that I've had another influx of new devils moving into my city. It's my duty to take care of every one of them." I said with a wide grin.
Honest's eye twitched slightly, but I just kept smiling. After all, most of the people who moved to my city were from Lucifaad, just like the large number of devils who came when I founded the city. As my city grew larger, Lucifaad's population dwindled. Honest seemed to open his mouth when Sirzechs chuckled softly.
"It truly warms my heart to hear such a distinctive young devil think that way," Sirzechs said with a huge smile.
"I suppose everyone agrees, right? What each devil does in their own territory can't be discussed by other devils! If Sera-chan wants to help my Sona-chan, that's none of your business, is it?" Serafall said, sounding excited, but with a hint of anger in her voice that sounded more like a warning to the devils. Honest could only glare at me. I chuckled.
"So, everyone else has spoken, and you? What's your goal for the future, Serena Prince?" Sirzechs asked, looking at me with a smile. I hummed softly.
"I suppose it can be summed up in two things." I shrugged. "Both equally important. To live peacefully and happily with my chosen family, my wives and friends." I said with a small smile before smiling more broadly and raising my hand. "And to understand all the existing Mysteries."
"I love magic, I love the supernatural, I love everything occult, everything the world calls impossible, hidden, or incomprehensible—all mysteries. I will learn them all, every single one. Every magical system. Every phenomenon. Every law. Every exception. Everything thought impossible. I want to understand how they work to their fullest extent. And then? When I've learned everything, I'll create more, I'll keep creating, I'll keep exploring the limits, and then I'll kick beyond those limits." When I finished speaking, I had barely realized that I had lost control of my powers, and they were overflowing with force.
Most of my powers were in tune with my emotions with my desires, so they resonated strongly with my words. When I realized this, I regained my iron grip on them and forcefully suppressed them. Everyone stared at me in surprise.
"Excuse me for that," I said without any embarrassment. Sirzechs began to laugh slightly.
"That's really the answer I was hoping for, Serena," Sirzechs said playfully with a smile. Even Ajuka smiled when he looked at me. I just laughed. "Alright, with that said, let's continue," Sirzechs said playfully. I glanced at Sona, who was still staring at me in surprise. I winked at her before returning to my seat.
I'd have to remember to talk to her to plan everything, though I didn't expect that once it was over, she'd be the first to escape. I grimaced, and since I really didn't feel like confronting the others, I grabbed Ravel, and we left just as quickly.