To be honest, Rhodes' proposal carried some risk. The success of this "nation" relied heavily on the mercy of Sirzechs and the others. But it was the old saying: High stakes, high rewards.
Rhodes had nothing to lose. For Katerea, it was a choice between certain death and a plan with a fighting chance. If it worked, everyone was happy. If it failed, she died with her dignity intact.
Katerea arrived at the same conclusion. "But... is it true that they will only tolerate one nation?"
"I'm guessing."
"..."
"But if I were the Demon King on the other side, I wouldn't tolerate three separate Old Satan states next door all claiming to be 'legitimate.' Like I said, public support for Sirzechs and Ajuka is huge. Asmodeus is average. Only Serafall is vulnerable."
Based on Rhodes' knowledge, Sirzechs was the strongest and most charismatic. Ajuka was the genius behind the Evil Pieces. Asmodeus was the military strategist. Serafall didn't have a unique "gimmick" like the others, and while strong, she was eccentric. Many nobles were dissatisfied with her, but there simply wasn't another female devil strong enough to replace her.
"So, you catch my drift?" Rhodes asked, looking her in the eye.
"I..." She was speechless.
"Unless you have some deep emotional attachment to the other two?"
"I don't." Katerea denied it instantly. Her alliance with Shalba and Creereere was purely a marriage of convenience.
"Then what are you waiting for? Teammates are meant to be sold out."
Katerea looked at him, stunned. What kind of life had this man led to be able to say something so shameless so casually?
"Then... what specifically do I do?" Katerea asked "with difficulty." She didn't want to betray her allies, but attacking the summit was clearly a suicide mission. "Reluctantly," she had to hear the rest of the plan.
"If I suddenly withdraw now, they'll suspect me. Without me, the whole plan falls apart."
"I have two ideas," Rhodes said. "One: swap places with Shalba, who is responsible for mobilization in the Underworld. If you aren't at the battlefield, Sirzechs and the others won't target you. Two: follow the plan, but the moment the battle starts, you pull a 'heel turn' and attack Creereere's army."
Katerea pondered the two options. "Which do you recommend?"
"Personally, the second one. You can earn a massive amount of favor points right in front of the Three Great Powers' leaders. Your success rate for the nation-building plan would jump to nearly 100%."
"Remember, when you strike your colleagues, it has to be fast, accurate, and ruthless! Whether you can kill them or not doesn't matter as much as making it look like you're giving it your all. Oh, and don't use Ophis's power. Get injured a bit; it makes the favorability climb faster."
Katerea was shocked. You can even play it like that? She wondered how a human like Rhodes had so many wicked ideas. It was incredibly devious!
But having stepped onto this "pirate ship," there was no jumping off. To secure the throne of Leviathan, she had to strike down her former allies. Sorry, Shalba, Creereere. I want my throne more than I want to conquer the world, and I definitely don't want to die.
Seeing the quest halfway finished, Rhodes packed away his blackboard. Katerea was flustered, but she had no way back. To soothe her nerves and the lingering tension, she began chatting with Rhodes, even pouring them both a drink.
She really was interested in him. After living for so long, she had never met someone as entertaining as Rhodes. She usually dealt with three types of people: her enemy Serafall, her submissive underlings, or her arrogant peers Shalba and Creereere. Someone like Rhodes—strong, interesting, and incredibly knowledgeable—brought a rare sense of freshness to her life.
Rhodes didn't refuse. He had planned to fight his way out if he couldn't flip her, but now that he had succeeded, and since he found Katerea quite interesting himself, he didn't mind getting to know her "more deeply."
With the help of alcohol, the conversation flowed easily. Katerea spoke of her past, of the war between the Old and New Satans, and her bitterness toward the "thieves" who stole the government.
As they talked, perhaps the alcohol was too strong or the air was too hot, but Katerea's deep-V seemed to dip even lower, and her gaze toward Rhodes became... suggestive.
Katerea: ( · V · )
While Rhodes was checking his system map, wondering if he should teleport back, he felt a presence close in. The next thing he knew, Katerea was sitting on his lap.
"?"
"..."
Katerea looked down into Rhodes' eyes, her own filled with predatory aggression.
"?" Rhodes was a bit dazed, but he quickly realized what she was after. "Katerea, what are you doing? This is an office. Calm down."
Rhodes' expression was perfectly serious, but his voice soon became muffled as it was pressed against a certain... softness.
"How am I supposed to be calm now?" Katerea whispered. "You've disrupted my plans, interfered with my life, and..."
Halfway through, Katerea felt a strange sensation. Two hands had found their way around her waist, and she felt a distinct change in Rhodes' posture. A seductive smile bloomed on her face.
"It seems you're the one who needs to calm down, isn't it?"
"My hands just suddenly lost control. This is absolutely not my own will!"
"..."
Katerea blinked. This man was still being stubborn even at a time like this? She pressed down harder, causing Rhodes to almost gasp, "I can't breathe."
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (216 Chapters – Ongoing)
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