Grayfia's POV
The Gremory estate bathed in gentle underworld light—false sun hung low, shadows long and crisp. The house was peaceful. Productive. Deceived.
I walked the halls with measured grace, silent as a whisper of cold wind, every step calculated.
Two missions remained.
Two final acts of service.
And then… my leash would become a collar for someone else.
Mission Nine: Reinforce Sirzechs's Strategic Defenses
They called it "modernization."
A security overhaul of Gremory estate's core magical defenses. On paper, it was my contribution to his legacy—a token of loyalty to the Crimson Satan, the noble Sirzechs.
In reality, it was the final component of a long, slow reshaping of his personal magic space. I upgraded the defensive barriers, optimized the mana recycling layers, and added high-density enchantment spirals.
All of it was… flawless.
On the surface.
But buried beneath the new patterns, hidden like a heartbeat behind armor, was a small vulnerability. Not a flaw—an entry point. A place where power could be inverted. Redirected.
And he wouldn't notice.
Because he trusted me.
Mission Ten: Expand Gremory's Public Image
I had no hatred for diplomacy—but I understood its purpose. Power was always perception.
So I drafted and executed a strategy that would increase Sirzechs's prestige among devils and humans alike: funding joint academies, public outreach to human-devil hybrid communities, and appearances on neutral media channels.
It passed easily. The council fawned. Sirzechs looked "noble" and "benevolent."
Just as I intended.
A king glowing with unshakable virtue would inspire blind loyalty. Which made betrayal all the more devastating when it came.
That night, in my chambers, the system responded instantly.
[Reincarnator: Grayfia Lucifuge – 10/10 Missions Completed]
Reward Pool Available.
But I didn't get to choose.
I never did.
Gasper's POV
I leaned against the windowsill of a private Gremory guest room, watching the training fields empty beneath the evening sky.
As Grayfia's tenth mission completed, two reward screens unfurled in front of me—shimmering, identical.
[System Host Reward Selection – Mission 10]
Reward for Reincarnator (Grayfia):
— Demonic Power Boost
— Skill Token (Utility: Teleportation/Stealth)
— Magic Density Core
— [Milestone Reward]: Enslavement Potion
Reward for Host (Gasper):
— Demonic Power Boost
— Skill Token (Illusion or Buff)
— Mana Circuit Expansion
— [Milestone Reward]: Enslavement Potion
As expected. One reward for me. One for her. But I decided for both.
I gave her the same reward I chose for myself.
Enslavement Potion.
Not because I trusted her. Not because she earned it.
Because I needed the option.
If she betrays me… I'll have the leash ready.
A long game. But I played to win.
Sirzechs's POV
The estate was finally quiet.
Most of the advisors had returned to their chambers, and I remained alone in my study—scrolls lined across the desk, reports half-read, ink drying beneath my fingertips.
The Gremory household was at its strongest point in decades. Order was thriving. Conflict subdued.
And much of that… was thanks to her.
A soft knock.
"Enter."
Grayfia moved through the door with her usual quiet elegance, a silver tray in her hands. A decanter. Two glasses.
"You've been working without pause again, Sirzechs-sama," she said, tone impassive but familiar.
"I suppose I have."
She poured the drink gently. Her movements were so precise it almost seemed choreographed. She handed me the cup, and I accepted without thought.
For all her formal coolness, Grayfia had become essential. She was reliable, tireless, brilliant. Always watching. Always ready.
And yet…
Still only a tool.
That's what she had always been.
A servant of the Lucifuge bloodline, passed to me by circumstance, hardened by duty.
And now, after years together, she was perhaps the most effective weapon in my political arsenal.
Not a wife.
Not a lover.
A shield. A sword. A system.
I took a sip.
She stood silently nearby, pretending to busy herself with the room's furnishings. Always composed.
I let the warmth of the drink settle into my chest. It was subtly spiced. Perfect.
"I've been thinking of pushing for deeper integration with the old Phoenix territories," I said. "New alliance pacts. Maybe even opening the portal trade channels again."
"I'll draft a diplomatic packet," she replied with grace.
We spoke for some time — light topics, the estate, Rias's recent progress, even the training incident with Akeno's lightning mishap. I laughed. She didn't.
It was normal.
Almost too normal.
I finished the drink in a final slow gulp.
Set the cup down.
And then—
Something shifted.
A weight sank into my limbs.
My knees buckled. I reached for the edge of the desk, but my fingers felt heavy. Numb.
"Wh… what?"
The strength drained from my body like water through broken glass.
My vision blurred.
A pulse throbbed at the back of my skull, not painful — just… strange. Hollow.
My legs gave out completely, and I crumpled to the floor, gasping once before the darkness took me.
Grayfia's POV (Brief Return)
I stood still, watching as Sirzechs collapsed to his knees, the glass toppling from the desk and rolling to the floor.
He stared up at me—uncomprehending—as the last of his consciousness slipped away.
I didn't blink.
Didn't move.
Then, as the silence settled in the room like a second skin, I let the faintest, quietest sound slip from my lips.
A chuckle.
Low.
Delicate.
Cruel.
End of Chapter 6