The urban night air was thick with mingled scents—cooking oil, exhaust fumes, and the faint perfume of nocturnal flowers. In an instant, the space in front of the Black Dog Bar warped, as if it were a reflection in rippling water. And then, Kazuya and Mashu simply appeared there, a few meters from the door, like two ghosts.
Mashu blinked, still feeling a slight chill in her stomach from the teleportation.
"Senpai… if you could've done this before… we could've saved entire weeks in the singularities."
Kazuya let out a low, slightly ironic laugh.
"True… but, let's be honest, maybe the universe wasn't ready for that kind of shortcut back then."
"Or you weren't," she retorted, half-serious, half-teasing.
"Touché…" he replied, climbing the steps leading to the second floor.
The Black Dog Bar's building didn't draw much attention from the outside. On the ground floor, warmer lights and the muffled sound of pots and pans hinted at the restaurant. A savory aroma of good food wafted through the door, likely the work of Tobio Ikuse, known among supernatural beings as the Fallen Dog God, who occasionally cooked there. The second floor, however, was another world—dimmer lighting, discreet signs, and an air of exclusivity.
As they entered the bar, the ambiance was dominated by soft jazz, and the air carried the distinct scent of polished wood mixed with high-quality alcohol. The counter gleamed under indirect lighting, but the place was surprisingly empty for the hour. Only a bartender, a fallen angel with a neutral expression, looked up and nodded silently in acknowledgment.
"Reserved room in the back…"
Mashu walked a step behind Kazuya, observing the surroundings with curiosity.
"It's… cozier than I expected. I thought there'd be more… how should I put it… rowdy customers."
"Azazel likes to keep business separate from revelry…" Kazuya commented. "This floor is for serious conversations… or for people he doesn't want interrupted."
At the end of the hallway was a plain but well-maintained dark wooden door. Kazuya knocked lightly twice before turning the handle.
The private room was lit by a single yellowish chandelier, casting soft shadows on the wood-paneled walls. A low, wide table occupied the center, surrounded by black leather sofas. At the end nearest the window, a female figure sat, elbows resting on the table, hands clasped in front of her face.
Her navy-blue dress contrasted with her long, wavy, bluish-black hair that cascaded down to her waist. Her eyes, usually known for brimming with childish energy and sparkle, were… different. There was a subtle melancholy, as if she carried something she didn't want to reveal too much.
Kazuya closed the door behind him, and the muffled sounds of the bar vanished.
"Serafall Leviathan?" he asked, his tone direct but not hostile.
She raised her gaze slowly, as if returning from a distant thought. For a moment, she merely observed Kazuya, as if confirming something she already knew. Then, a faint smile appeared—not the exaggerated, theatrical one she was famous for.
"Yes, and you must be… Ryougi Kazuya, right?" she said, her voice soft but tinged with curiosity. "We finally meet…"
Kazuya stepped forward, extending his hand.
"Yes. And this is Mashu Kyrielight…" He glanced briefly at the girl beside him. "One of my wives… and my shield in more ways than one…"
Mashu, slightly caught off guard by the blunt introduction, blushed and gave a slight bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maou Leviathan…"
Serafall gave Mashu an unreadable look before letting out a low, almost ironic laugh. "Just call me Serafall. And… no need for too much formality. We're not politicians in front of cameras here…"
She stood, shaking Kazuya's hand firmly, then Mashu's.
"I'll admit… I thought a lot about how this meeting would start," Serafall said, sitting back down. "Honestly, I never imagined you'd accept my proposal for a meeting. I tried a few times during the week, but you never responded… Then earlier today, Azazel said you'd finally agreed…"
Kazuya pulled out a chair, sitting in a relaxed manner but with his eyes ever-watchful.
"After what happened with Sirzechs and Grayfia, I didn't have much reason to meet with demons. Honestly, the messages you sent requesting a meeting were received by one of my servants… But since Azazel mentioned there was something that might interest me, I agreed."
Mashu sat beside Kazuya, quietly observing the exchange.
Serafall rested her elbows on the table again, the chandelier's light highlighting the contrast between her elegant posture and the weight in her eyes.
"I'll be honest: I'm not used to taking orders… but lately, underworld politics have forced me to make choices I don't like. And… some of those choices involve you…"
Silence hung for a moment, broken only by the distant sound of jazz from the hallway.
Kazuya tilted his head slightly, studying her.
"And you don't seem too happy about it…"
She laughed, but there was no humor in it.
"Let's just say… I'd have preferred our first meeting to be under lighter circumstances. Maybe at a summer festival, with street food and fireworks."
"Maybe there's still time for that…" Kazuya remarked, his tone almost casual, which made Mashu glance at him in surprise at the softness.
Serafall blinked, and for the first time that night, her smile seemed more genuine.
"We could do that after our meeting… if you accept my proposal."
Then, leaning back on the sofa with a slight blush, she continued.
"Oh?"
Mashu leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"So… what exactly is your proposal, Serafall-sama?"
The Maou took a deep breath.
"After talking with the other Maous… and agreeing to Chaldea's rules, including never involving humans in our ambitions…" She paused, looking directly at Kazuya. "…I brought something that might make you reconsider your stance on the underworld…"
She picked up a box beside her and placed it on the table. The dull thud of the object landing echoed in the quiet room.
"Inside here… is all of Ajuka Beelzebub's research."
Kazuya merely raised an eyebrow.
"Hm… is that so?"
Serafall looked away for a moment, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"Yes… and…" She swallowed hard before continuing. "This is… my dowry…"
"Ryougi Kazuya… I want to marry you…"
The silence that followed was almost tangible. Even the distant jazz seemed to fade away.
Kazuya maintained a neutral expression for a second longer than necessary, then closed his eyes and let out a controlled sigh.
"I see…" he said, opening his eyes again with a calm gaze. "So that's what this is about. A political marriage…"
"Ehhhhh?!" Mashu burst out, nearly jumping from her seat. The shout echoed in the room, shattering the tension.
Serafall blinked a few times, perhaps not expecting such a theatrical reaction. Kazuya maintained his composure, as if he'd known this was coming…
It took a few seconds for everyone to take a deep breath and regain their composure. At that moment, the door opened quietly, and a waiter entered, carrying a tray with plates and drinks. Without a word, he served them and left, closing the door behind him.
Mashu picked up her fork but kept glancing between Serafall and Kazuya, as if trying to grasp the reality of the situation.
"So… this isn't a joke. You really want to marry Senpai?"
Serafall nodded, stirring her food slightly before responding.
"Of course it's not a joke…"
"And why do you think I'd agree?" Kazuya asked, cutting a piece of meat as if the question were part of a casual conversation.
"…I know you don't have many reasons to. And I don't have any trump card to force you into this kind of thing… The only thing I can offer is myself…" As she spoke, Serafall took a deep breath and, looking at the handsome man before her, continued, "…I know you have many wives and probably aren't interested in me… We've only just met… What I'm trying to say is that I hope you'll give me a chance to prove I can be a perfect wife for you. I'll fulfill my role without complaint…"
The silence that settled between them was almost palpable.
Serafall, though trying to maintain her composure, let slip in her gaze and the way she held her fork that she was determined to seize any chance she had.
Kazuya finished chewing a piece of meat calmly, set his fork down, and, with a slow gaze, let his eyes drift to the valley of her chest.
"Even if I wanted to take you to bed right now… you wouldn't complain?"
A flush immediately rose to Serafall's face. She gripped her napkin for a second before responding.
"As a wife… that would be my duty…" Her voice was quieter but firm enough to leave no doubt she was serious.
Mashu's eyes widened, and she sat up straighter.
"Senpai! That's not something you should say like that!" she scolded, her face partially red from secondhand embarrassment.
Kazuya merely raised a hand in a casual gesture, as if calming an impatient child.
"Relax, Mash. It was just a joke…"
Then, he shifted his gaze to the box on the table before looking back at Serafall. "As for the demons… I have no reason to remain hostile toward you. Sirzechs and Grayfia have already received the punishment they deserved, and you're no longer…"
He paused briefly, as if organizing his words, and raised three fingers to Serafall's eye level.
"But about the marriage… here's how it'll go: you'll have three dates with me. Three chances to convince me it's worth having a relationship with you…"
Her eyes sparkled for a moment, but Kazuya raised his index finger in warning.
"You'll have to wait a few months. Until then, we can be neutral allies. If you want, you can even announce publicly that we're 'engaged' or something like that. I don't care." He shrugged. "But… if after those three dates I'm not interested, you'll have to retract the announcement, saying it was my decision not to marry…"
Serafall stared at him in silence for a few seconds. Then, a faint smile curved the corners of her lips.
"Understood… Kazuya, can I call you that?"
"Knock yourself out…"
Mashu glanced at him sideways, still a bit suspicious but not interrupting.
Kazuya picked up the wine glass that had been served, raising it slightly toward her.
"For now… here's to being allies…"
The soft clink of glasses marked the start of an agreement that, though temporary, carried a weight none of the three seemed to underestimate.
.
.
.
.
.
The corridor of the Black Dog Bar was silent when Kazuya and Mashu left the private room. The soft jazz still seeped through the walls, mingling with the scent of refined alcohol and varnished wood.
The door behind them closed slowly, muffling the sound of Serafall's footsteps as she vanished into the magic circle that would take her back to the underworld after two hours of meeting.
They had taken a few steps down the corridor when a tall figure with black wings emerged from the shadows near the staircase. The fallen angel, with a calm expression and understated clothing, inclined his head in greeting.
"Kazuya-sama…" he said, his tone respectful but tinged with formality. "Azazel has requested you join him for a drink. He's… accompanied by Odin…"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow.
"Odin… the Norse mythology one?"
The fallen angel gave a faint smile, as if the reaction was expected.
"The very one. Azazel thought it would be interesting for you to meet in person."
"Alright, I'll take the invitation… Mash, can you head back to Chaldea?"
Mashu looked at Kazuya, slightly tense.
"Senpai… are you sure you want to go alone?"
He paused for a few seconds, considering, then sighed with a faint smile.
"Yes, Odin has a reputation for being… peculiar. And it's late. I want you to go back and let the others know I'll be there soon…"
Before she could protest, he stepped forward, grabbed her by the waist, and, without warning, pulled her close. The kiss was brief but firm, enough to make her eyes widen slightly in surprise.
When he pulled back, his voice was low, almost playful.
"It's not just my appearance that's changed… and gotten better. I also have enough power to protect myself now. So don't worry, Mash… I'm not the same boy who constantly needed you to fight for him…"
Mashu felt her face heat up, looking away but unable to hide the small smile forming.
"Senpai… just… be careful, please."
"Always…"
The Chaldea symbol on her clothing glowed brightly. A beam of magical light enveloped her body, surrounding her in a bluish aura. In seconds, the air around her warped, and with a soft flash, Mashu vanished, teleported back to the Innovate Clear dimension.
Kazuya lingered for a moment, staring at the spot where she'd disappeared, before turning to the fallen angel.
"So… let's see what kind of figure this Odin is…"
The angel nodded, leading him down the corridor toward a more secluded lounge, where, it was said, only Azazel's invited guests were allowed access.
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(A/N: Author's Note: Guys, don't worry about the whole marriage with Serafall thing. It's very unlikely that it will ever become a focus in the story — and honestly, it probably won't happen. Just let me cook ~
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