The sun rose high over the Lucifer Estate, casting warm golden rays over the lavish gardens and towering castle walls. The sound of steel clashing echoed through the training grounds, where young devils were already hard at work honing their skills.
In the middle of it all stood Vaelith Livan Lucifer, his white hair slightly tousled as he held a dark blade made of condensed Dark Light, the legacy of Lucifer himself. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as he parried an incoming strike.
"You're improving, my Lord," Grayfia Lucifuge stated, standing opposite him with a rapier of demonic energy, her silver hair swaying as she lunged forward.
Vaelith dodged effortlessly, smirking. "Oh? And here I thought you were holding back."
Grayfia didn't respond with words. Instead, she twisted her blade, attempting a feint before striking from the opposite direction.
Clang!
Vaelith blocked again, the impact sending a slight vibration through his arm. He chuckled, stepping back. "Alright, that one was good."
From the sidelines, Sirelia Gremory and Serafall Leviathan sat under the shade of a large tree, watching the sparring match with different expressions.
"Grayfia's really dedicated to him, huh?" Sirelia muttered, arms crossed. Her violet eyes flickered between the duel and Vaelith's relaxed expression.
Serafall giggled. "You're just jealous she gets to spend so much time with Vael-chan!"
Sirelia's face turned red. "I am NOT!"
"You sooo are~!" Serafall teased, nudging her playfully. "You wanna be the one training with him, don't you?"
Sirelia huffed, looking away. "It's not like I can compete with her right now anyway…"
Serafall tilted her head, blinking. "Huh? Since when do you give up so easily?"
Sirelia frowned, but before she could answer, a strong gust of wind swept across the field as Vaelith activated his Devil Mode, causing his aura to intensify. The dark energy around him pulsed like an ominous flame.
Serafall and Sirelia turned back toward the fight just in time to see Grayfia lose her balance for a split second—a rare sight.
Vaelith smirked. "What's wrong? Feeling the pressure?"
Grayfia narrowed her eyes but said nothing, steadying her breath before launching forward again.
—
After the Sparring Match
After an hour of intense training, Vaelith finally called for a break. The group retreated to the gardens, where Lilith, in all her radiant beauty, had prepared a luxurious tea set for them.
"You fought well, my dear," Lilith praised, brushing a hand through Vaelith's hair as he sat beside her.
Vaelith simply leaned into her touch, sighing. "Grayfia's getting stronger."
Grayfia, sitting nearby, lowered her cup slightly. "It is only natural that I improve, my Lord. My duty is to serve you to the best of my ability."
Vaelith looked at her and smirked. "And what if I told you to relax more?"
Grayfia blinked, momentarily confused. "Relax…?"
Serafall giggled. "Vael-chan, I think her brain short-circuited."
Sirelia rolled her eyes. "Of course, it did. She doesn't know how to do anything besides train and serve."
Grayfia frowned. "I—"
Vaelith raised a hand to stop them. "Grayfia, I just want you to remember that you're not just my knight. You're also my friend."
Grayfia lowered her gaze, clearly unused to such words. "...Understood."
Vaelith smirked, knowing that with time, she'd open up more.
—
Evening: A Small Promise
As the sun began to set, the group found themselves on one of the castle's balconies, enjoying the cool breeze.
Serafall stretched her arms. "That was fun~! We should have days like this more often!"
Sirelia nodded. "I agree."
Vaelith chuckled. "Then let's make it a habit."
Serafall and Sirelia smiled, while Grayfia simply nodded in silent agreement.