Chapter 68: Devil Dinner
Third Person PoV
In the inner hall of the Lucifer clan, dinner was going on. To the normal person that is, but to anyone even remotely knowing of the people's identity, this is the strongest war council.
In the top Cain was sitting, in his right side Grayfia and on his left Vanessa and Melissa.
Starting from his right, sat Zeaira, Rayla, Nyx, Medusa and Ereshkigal. While on his left was Lilith, Scathach, Morgan, Brynhildr and Echidna.
Everyone was eating silently, their hands moving with grace. And then the silence was broken by Lilith.
"So you fucked Morgan?"
Cain took a deep breath and ignored his mom. Morgan was choking on her food, and attempting to drink water.
Ereshkigal was glaring at the Fae, trying to curse her with her look again.
Zeaira and Rayla were looking amused seeing that. Nyx was gently patting the blonde goddess on the back.
Scathach was not impressed, her appetite was falling, having one on one talks with the succubus queen had made her a little bit self conscious.
Medusa was trying to stop the blush spreading at her face, while Echidna was completely out of the loop.
"Fae child! Drink water."
The self proclaimed mom of the lucifer clan said.
Making the choking of Morgan harder, and Lilith didn't care and said
"The black madonna, a fae child! Pfft-"
Morgan was very much interested in finding a hole to hide. Seeing this Ereshkigal said, reading Morgan's thoughts
"The only hole you will get is the one Cain made bigger for you!"
This time most of the people were unable to hold their laughter, only Cain and Grayfia were calm.
Scathach was now looking scared at the gaze of Lilith, telling her true thoughts on Cain were backfiring on her.
She was horrified that maybe one day such sexual jokes will be made on her too.
Morgan was pouting and looking at Cain for help. The so called scary devil king melted under that and coughed
"Ahem! Leave her alone, she already is under a lot of pressure coming to eat here."
"Fine!" Zeaira said
"So what is the next plan?"
Scathach asked, trying to divert the matter. As old and experienced she was, she isn't really good with her feelings.
"Next? Well Ajuka should be able to perfect all the details of the peerage system, so I would need to tell that Lilith is alive. Then create a system of promotion, we can't take souls now can we?"
"Why, though, it's a good way to get stronger." Rayla questioned.
"Not anymore, we need to up our reputation, in the supernatural and normal world. Using the evil pieces we will reincarnate all kinds of races, if we do not have a good reputation, it will be significantly harder to do so.
So from now on we will do contracts but not take the soul, something important is what we will take as compensation, something that has a lot of emotional attachment to the contacter, it will serve as a suitable power source, we can put a system that every reincarnated devil needs a certain amount of contracts to be promoted."
After that Ereshkigal also said
"Also with the amount of souls we get normally, in the long term will be better for increasing the overall state of Hell."
"What do you mean" Medusa asked
"Well in simple terms, earth is at a lower level of existence than every other pantheon's dimension. So we get a little weaker when we go there. As it can't handle that much energy, hence when two strong people fight, the space there breaks and dimensional gap opens.
But much more energy is required to do the same in a supernatural plane. Now due to the world tree, the recycled energy from the souls, plus the extra energy released by the living beings is used to increase the strength of the plane.
Thus the higher the plane is the stronger we become."
Cain explained in simple terms, only because of the discussion he had with Ajuka, some words were such that he didn't even know they existed. Ajuka had to dumb it down for him to understand this and he is now making it even simpler.
"But we don't have any reason to fight right now, so there won't be much energy."
Lilith said, but Ajuka had already proposed something for this
"That's why Ajuka planned the Rating Games. Peerage of different devils will participate in a friendly match, with some stakes. It can be anything from marriage contracts to money matters. This will generate the energy and keep the devil's urge of destruction and violence content."
"And maintaining the power balance, so there will be no more chance of a civil war erupting again. Pretty smart." Scathach gave her input
"Ajuka is like that, he is even working on the rating games as we talk." And Cain added more.
"And I have decided that mom will be the one to check the validity of the devils for getting the evil pieces. With her empathy it will be easy. Hence just after the evil pieces are announced, I will also tell the underworld about her."
"Makes sense." Medusa said, adding herselr into the conversation.
"Internal Affairs aside, what are your plans regarding the other pantheons and factions?"
Morgan questioned finally back to her cold queen persona.
"Nothing too grand. Though I would try to have a talk with Azazel. And maybe try to contact the Shinto guys. Serafall is failing in that. All methods of contact by her are being denied. Looks like they are also going through some trouble."
"Mmmh." Nyx said she was also interested in the Shinto pantheon due to Amaterasu.
Nyx was commonly known as the strongest female on the planet in the past, now that title is held by the Shinto goddess of sun.
And being polar opposite, Nyx was naturally interested.
"What about your peerage? Any plans on who you are targeting, when will I get new children?"
The eccentric mother of monsters said finally having almost finished her plate of food.
"Well I am thinking of finding a yokai, I am also interested in getting a knight. A Japanese samurai or the like may be good. I will be able to hit two birds with a stone like that."
"Also now that I remember Fia. Call Ingvild back."
"Yes, My Lord."
The ever stoic maid replied, making a mental note to do what her lord asked the first thing tomorrow.
Brynhildr was really silent during the dinner, her mind was in a mess. Due to some of the things she heard, especially the part where it was revealed that, Cain had slept with Morgan too.
Though she did make a mental reminder to ask about the contents of the dinner by one of the maids, aside from Grayfia.
After that dinner was a simple affair. Nobody had anything big to announce.
Though everyone did see, Cain followed by both Rayla and Zeaira, the two wives having a very scary glint in their eyes.
…
Next morning Cain was sitting in his study, accompanied by Grayfia. In Front of him sat the Satan Leviathan and the Leviathan descendant.
Serafall was glaring at Cain, who was ignoring it. But Grayfia was in return glaring even harder at Serafall.
All the while Ingvild was sitting quietly, watching the so-called adults and devil kings act like children throwing tantrums.
"So Cain, may I ask why did you cut off Ingvild-chan's vacation and call her here?"
Cain looked at her for a few minutes. The silence was thick enough to cut with a knife.
'She is not using the prefixes, she is serious I guess.' Cain mentally remarked.
"So Grayfia, why is Sera here? I only told you to bring Ingvild."
"She insisted on coming along, My Lord. Though if you wish I can throw her out right now!"
The maid said in an icy tone. Serafall was about to respond in kind, when Cain said
"No need for that Grayfia." His eyes moved to Serafall.
"Now, Sera. It's completely Ingvild's decision from now on, so I would prefer If you wait and then comment on anything."
The bubbly woman wanted to retort but the glare from the strongest devil ever, made her choke on her own words.
"So Ingvild, have you toured Hell?"
"Yes, Lucifer-Sama, it was a pleasant experience."
'Sama? Looks like she took interest in Japanese culture.'
"So I again want to invite you to my peerage, as a bishop."
Seeing that Ingvild was about to give her response fast, Cain raised his hand to stop her.
"First listen to my reason, first of all my mother, Lilith is alive. I know it's shocking but she is just like you, she was in a coma for centuries, thus she is also a bit out of the loop, not as much as you but still out.
She missed all of my growth, not to mention my relationship with my brother. And seeing as you are also in a similar state, I wanted to have you two stay close and help each other.
As much as I want to, I can't understand or feep what it means to be sleeping for such a long time and wake up to find everyone you knew is dead or changed with time.
That is my reason for asking you to cut your journey short and come here. You can continue your tour along with my mom, after her existence is revealed to the common populace and the devil pillars."
By now Serafall had calmed down, and was watching Ingvild while contemplating something in her mind.
"But why does she need to be in your peerage? Can't she just stay with you?"
"No, after Lilith's existence is revealed. She will go on to tour Hell, I know she will take Ingvild with her, it is inevitable that her real lineage will be figured out. Then she would be targeted by both the Old Satan faction and the GKF. But if she is in my peerage, I can tell the GKF that I am taking care of her, making sure she is safe."
Cain explained patiently
"Fine, but if Ingvild-chan denies, then you shouldn't force her, Cain-kun!"
Cain showed a rare smile and replied
"I wouldn't, Sera."
Seeing that Serafall was now not against the idea, Cain looked at Ingvild, waiting for her answer.
"I would love to, Lucifer-Sama!"
The last living Leviathan, at least to the average devil replied with the same nnocent smile she had when waking up.
Seeing that Serafall stood up from her chair.
"Then it is decided."
Seeing an opportunity, Cain asked
"Any progress with the Shinto pantheon?"
Serafall sighed and said.
"No, all kinds of communication have failed till now. As a last resort I will need to personally go to Japan or at least send someone competent there."
Seeing that Cain said
"If it isn't a problem, I can go!"
Serafall jumped at Cain hearing that and landed a kiss on his cheek.
"Really! Thanks a lot."
The bubbly Satan then went back on her merry way, happy that her workload was just lowered massively.
But she missed the death glare by the maid.
Grayfia quietly took out a handkerchief and cleaned the place where Serafall had kissed.
Making Cain look at her weirdly and ask
"You know I never ask, but why do you hate her this much? And I think it is mutual."
"It's a secret only to be known between two ladies my Lord."
The Lucifuge answered cryptically
Cain sighed and let the subject go, now once again focusing on the young devil sitting and said with a pleasant expression on his face.
"Lie down on the table, Ingvild."
The girl following the request, and did as asked.
Cain took out his bishop piece and put it on the chest of the young devil, and then he began the chant he was quite familiar with now.
"I, Cain Livan Lucifer, hereby order you,
Heed me Ingvild Leviathan, your soul belongs to me from this moment.
You shall become my bishop and rejoice in your newfound role in life."
The Lucifer clan's circle came to life below The girl, and the piece sank inside the leviathan.
Ingvild then opened her eyes, feeling no more different than before, but she instinctively knew that she just became connected to her saviour.
And the smile on his face once again made her heart beat fast.
"Welcome, to your new family, Ingvild."
AN:- New chapter!! Some slice of life. Gimme those stones!!