The Opening Banquet
Nahen parted ways with Paimon and made his way straight back to Seere. As he passed the corridor leading to her room, lively voices spilled into the hallway. Listening closely, he recognized the high-pitched tones and laughter unique to women. All of it was coming from Seere’s room.
“…Weren’t they just picking out clothes?”
Nahen had clearly asked them to choose a dress, yet the room echoed with unbroken laughter. Curious, he leaned closer to listen. Though the words weren’t perfectly clear, he could grasp the gist of the conversation.
“Try this one on!”
“This suits her better, doesn’t it?”
Sitri’s and Gremory’s voices rang out, brimming with excitement. Seere’s voice was absent, but it seemed the other two were the ones fussing over her.
They’re enjoying themselves.
Sitri and Gremory were probably treating it like playing with a doll. With such a beautiful mannequin that looked good in anything, how could they not have fun?
Nahen waited outside until their game ended. He could have returned to his own room next door, but they would soon need to head to the banquet hall anyway.
Another hour or so passed before the voices drew nearer to the door, signaling the end of their little game.
“I wonder if Nahen has arrived.”
“He should be here by now. The banquet is about to start. More than that, I’m curious what he’ll say.”
As they spoke, the door opened. Nahen stood waiting right in front of it. The moment it swung wide, Sitri and Gremory jumped in surprise.
“G-Goodness! You startled me!”
“You surprised me as well… How long have you been standing there?”
“I arrived a short while ago.”
“Liar.”
While Nahen offered a considerate reply, a figure stepped forward to call him out. No longer a child, but a woman who had matured into striking beauty.
“You’ve been here since about an hour ago.”
“…Mm.”
Her hair was neatly gathered and pinned up, revealing a pale nape and a sharp jawline. The dress, cut to show both front and back, accentuated her delicate collarbones, the gentle curve of her chest, her smooth back, and the graceful line of her shoulders. It was the very embodiment of beauty. The black, sheer fabric with gold accents made her snow-white hair stand out even more. She had applied light makeup, a faint flush coloring her cheeks. Her long, straight lashes framed eyes that already looked large and lovely, making them appear even more captivating.
The combined aesthetic sense of two Demon Kings.
The result was truly breathtaking. Seere tilted her head slightly and spoke.
“Why didn’t you come in?”
She had known he was there all along. Her sensitivity to his mana was extraordinary. Gremory chimed in, echoing Seere’s words.
“You could have entered.”
“You all seemed to be enjoying yourselves. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“What? You’ve got a bit of a shady side, don’t you? Eavesdropping like that?”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping. I could hear everything clearly. Among them, Your Majesty Sitri’s voice was the loudest.”
“W-Was it?”
Sitri scratched her cheek awkwardly. Gremory chuckled and turned to Nahen.
“So, what do you think?”
“Pardon?”
“You left her in our care, after all. Here’s the result, and you haven’t said a word.”
“Ah…”
Nahen looked at Seere again. Even on second glance, admiration welled up naturally. He nodded without thinking, a faint smile on his lips.
“She looks absolutely beautiful. I’m glad I entrusted this to the two of you.”
“Heh, I chose well, didn’t I?”
“You chose it, Your Majesty Sitri?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
At Nahen’s surprised tone, Sitri narrowed her eyes, but Gremory smoothly changed the subject.
“I helped quite a bit too.”
“Ah, of course. Lady Gremory helped a great deal as well.”
“Mm, as expected.”
“Do you want to die?”
Ignoring Sitri’s ominous warning, Nahen praised Seere’s appearance.
“It suits you wonderfully.”
“…Do I look pretty?”
“Yes, very pretty. I almost didn’t recognize my own disciple.”
Seere beamed at the compliment, her joy plain for all to see.
“How adorable.”
“Indeed.”
Watching Seere smile so brightly, unable to hide her feelings at all, Sitri and Gremory couldn’t help but smile as well. Nahen, however, found he couldn’t join in. He knew all too well how deeply Seere cared for him.
…It’s too heavy.
He felt the weight of her affection. Being with her was becoming increasingly burdensome. To shake off the feeling, Nahen acted as though nothing were amiss.
“Shall we head to the banquet hall?”
“Yes, Teacher.”
#
Before the formal Demon Realm Assembly convened, the preceding banquet did not require every Demon King’s attendance. It was merely a gathering to foster camaraderie among them. Still, anyone who understood how vital such connections were in the Demon Realm inevitably showed up.
After glancing around the hall, Seere spoke to Nahen.
“All the Equites faction Demon Kings are here.”
“So they are.”
Most of the Plebs faction, their rivals, had also attended. Only Paimon, the faction’s leader, was absent.
“Teacher, I don’t see Lord Paimon.”
“It’s fine. I’ve already taken care of everything.”
“Ah…”
Seere realized where Nahen had gone earlier.
“You said you had something to do… You went to see him?”
“Yes.”
“How did it go?”
“You can tell just by the fact that Paimon isn’t here.”
Nahen smiled with quiet confidence.
“It was a success.”
“As expected of you, Teacher.”
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s agenda.”
“You seem pleased.”
Pleased? Of course he was.
“Reaping what you sow is always the most satisfying part.”
“You’ve been running around for this lately.”
“You’ve worked hard too.”
“The assembly hasn’t even started yet. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Teacher.”
“Is that so?”
Nahen chuckled and turned to Seere.
“Let’s go greet them first.”
“Yes.”
Nahen led Seere toward the table where the Equites faction had gathered. As the pair approached, the Demon Kings who had never seen them before regarded them warily.
“Ah, you’ve come!”
“We’ve been waiting.”
“Welcome.”
Yet when Barbatos, the heart of the Equites faction, along with his two lieutenants Lerajie and Jepar, rose to greet them personally, the other Equites Demon Kings looked startled. Seere stepped forward in Nahen’s stead and bowed her head lightly.
“Good evening, Lord Barbatos, Lady Lerajie, Lord Jepar.”
“It is an honor to meet you again, great Demon Kings.”
Following Seere’s greeting, Nahen offered his own. Barbatos burst into hearty laughter and addressed his bewildered colleagues.
“Ah, I never mentioned them to you all.”
He didn’t?
While the others were still reeling from the revelation that they hadn’t even been informed, Barbatos continued.
“This is Seere von Devata and her teacher, Nahen.”
“It is an honor to meet so many Demon Kings.”
At Seere’s polite greeting, the Demon Kings who still knew nothing about her or Nahen responded with slightly dazed expressions.
“I am Berith.”
“Saleos.”
“I’m Aini.”
Once Seere finished greeting them, Barbatos addressed the group.
“During this Demon Realm Assembly, the Equites faction will support their proposal.”
“Pardon?”
“What do you mean?”
“Their proposal is to repeal the ban on entering the Human Realm.”
Nahen nearly laughed but managed to hold it in. Saleos, Aini, and Berith were all members of the martial faction. Upon hearing Barbatos’s words, they immediately looked pleased.
“Sounds good to me.”
“I never liked that measure anyway.”
“I agree.”
Typical of the Equites faction. Their reaction was exactly what one would expect from Demon Kings who refused to fear mere humans.
“But Lord Barbatos? Liking the proposal and lending our strength are two different things. Has it been proven sufficiently?”
“Mm.”
Barbatos nodded. He then held out his palm. The scar left from his previous bout with Nahen had not faded and remained as a mark.
“Lord Barbatos!? That’s…!”
“This should be proof enough, don’t you think, my friends?”
The three Demon Kings could only nod. Naturally, another question arose.
“…Whose power is this?”
At Saleos’s question, Barbatos glanced at Nahen. Sensing the look, Nahen gave a small nod.
“It belongs to the Nahen standing right here.”
“…What!?”
“I can’t believe it. Someone who isn’t even a Demon King wounded Lord Barbatos?”
“I was surprised too, but the power was real. According to Jepar, Seere von Devata here has also reached an extraordinary level at such a young age. I believe these two are people we can safely lend our strength to. What do you all think?”
Though he asked for their thoughts, it was a formality; he already knew the answer. As expected, the three Demon Kings shared the same opinion.
“Very well.”
“If you approve, there’s no reason to refuse.”
“I like it too. Someone capable of leaving such a scar on Lord Barbatos… How intriguing.”
The female Demon King Aini showed interest in Nahen. Suddenly, the atmosphere around them grew cold, and everyone felt it. Nahen immediately identified the culprit. Seere was staring at Aini with a sharp, guarded gaze. He quietly whispered to her.
“Seere.”
“…Yes.”
“Relax your expression.”
“Haa…”
Following Nahen’s advice, Seere suppressed her emotions and composed herself. Noticing the change, Barbatos looked at Seere with interest.
Like teacher, like disciple.
Moments earlier, Seere had momentarily dominated the surrounding atmosphere. For someone to do that amid so many Demon Kings who already possessed overwhelming presence spoke volumes about the pressure she could exert.
“Now then, how about a toast to our newfound unity?”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll gladly accept.”
Barbatos personally handed Seere a glass, while Jepar offered one to Nahen. The fact that they served a drink to someone who wasn’t even a Demon King revealed exactly how they viewed him.
“Well then……”
Just as Barbatos was about to make the toast, the banquet hall doors slammed open with a loud crash. It was a rude gesture that showed no respect or courtesy toward the Demon Kings inside. Barbatos frowned slightly, but upon seeing who entered, he let it pass. Nahen, however, did not. It wasn’t the action itself that bothered him—it was the identity of the newcomer.
I heard she rarely attends banquets.
The moment she stepped inside, every gaze in the hall turned to her. It wasn’t because of her rough demeanor or her striking appearance. It was because she was the one closest to the pinnacle of the Demon Realm.
Nahen stared at her and spoke.
“Seere.”
“Yes?”
“Watch carefully.”
“…Lady Agreas?”
Agreas von Dio. The mighty second-ranked Demon King and the current apex of the martial faction following Seir von Devata’s death.
“Yes.”
“Why are you suddenly telling me to watch her?”
“Because she’s the opponent you must defeat.”
“……”
Unlike the other Demon Kings, Agreas was not someone who could be drawn in as an ally through diplomacy. It wasn’t merely because she was independent and an extreme meritocrat.
“Isn’t that true of the other Demon Kings as well?”
“No, she’s a little different.”
“In what way?”
“…I’ll tell you later. For now, keep a close eye on her.”
“…Yes.”
If that were the only reason, Nahen, who had successfully recruited Glasya-Labolas, would have had no trouble with her either. Yet he insisted Agreas must be defeated for another reason entirely. After all, that Demon King was…
One of the Demon Kings who killed Seir von Devata.
She was the one Seere would have to overcome to achieve her revenge.
#
The moment Agreas entered the hall, she sensed something unusual among the gazes directed at her—an intense stare that bordered on unpleasant.
Which fool is it this time…
She had encountered plenty of men who approached her out of lust for her appearance. Most of them ended up beaten senseless by her and never drew breath again.
“Tsk, this is why I didn’t want to come to the banquet.”
If not for Bassago’s summons, she would have had no reason to attend a banquet Beelzebuth wasn’t even at. Agreas clicked her tongue and scanned the room. It didn’t take her long to find the source of the stare.
…What?
It was a face she had never seen before. Moreover, the person wasn’t even a Demon King. At first she thought it was just some nobody giving her an odd look, but then she realized it wasn’t that at all.
“Ha, right now, me…?”
It wasn’t a passionate gaze. The man’s golden eyes regarded her as if she were prey. Even when their eyes met, he didn’t look away. He simply continued speaking casually to the young Demon King beside him. Agreas’s lips curled into a faint smirk.
What exactly was that? She found herself growing curious about the man who dared to look at her with such insolence.
Just as her interest piqued and she began to move, a voice called out to her.
“Agreas.”
“……You really are no fun.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about all of a sudden.”
The one who called her was Bassago, the third-ranked Demon King. He was also the reason she had attended this bothersome banquet.
“What is it?”
“What do you mean, what is it… Have you already forgotten why I called you?”
“Haa, fine. I’ll go.”
Agreas grumbled and followed Bassago. As she glanced back, she saw the man still watching her.
“…Interesting.”
“What is?”
“You’re boring.”
Bassago, suddenly dismissed, gave her a bewildered look. Shaking his head at her retreating figure, he followed after her.
#
The gathering with the Equites faction Demon Kings could be summed up in one phrase: a drinking party. True to their robust physiques, the Demon Kings possessed monstrous alcohol tolerance.
“Kahaha! Royal Envoy, you drink well!”
“Not at all.”
In truth, most of the Demon Kings had already drunk themselves under the table. Only Barbatos and Jepar remained standing. Seere had long since collapsed face-first onto the table, fast asleep. Even Nahen was struggling to stay sober and had secretly been feeding his drinks to his demonic beasts.
“Puu.”
“Muung.”
“Pii.”
The beasts whined for more, clearly enjoying the taste.
“Be quiet……”
“Who are you talking to?”
“No one. More importantly, you all drink quite impressively.”
“Mm, even for us, this is quite a lot. Look, even Lerajie has passed out.”
“Yes… Is there a reason you’re all drinking so heavily?”
“Ho, you catch on quickly, as expected.”
Barbatos downed his glass in one go and spoke.
“Royal Envoy. I have a question for you.”
“Please ask.”
“You and your disciple—have you considered joining our faction?”
Barbatos’s eyes were serious as he spoke. Far too serious for someone who had consumed so much alcohol. This wasn’t a suggestion made on a whim.
“……”
Nahen didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he poured the remaining liquor in his glass down his throat, then looked at Barbatos.
“It’s insufficient.”
“Hm? The drink?”
“No.”
Nahen spoke plainly.
“The vessel held by the Equites faction is too small.”