Hi everyone, how are you doing today?
This chapter is the longest chapter I've written so far for this story, being over 8k words, passing the previous longest chapter by about 1k words. Just couldn't find a good stopping point and I just wrote the scenes until I finally thought they were ready. So yeah, here's an extra long chapter for you. Let's hope I haven't fucked something up irreversibly. That'd suck.
Enjoy!
Chapter 11: The Masks We Wear
You know, I expected Agreas to be big. I really did. I knew it would be a big city, even if I didn't see us approach because I was glued to the seat of the coach. So when I tell you that the walk to wherever Bafeel was taking me was long as hell, you better believe me.
I gotta stop with all of these 'as hell' puns. They're below me.
We went past street after street with no end in sight. Bafeel was still leading me by my arm. On her face was a bright smile, one I've only seen from her a few times.
After what felt like hours walking through the streets of this floating city – something which still secretly terrifies me. I can barely ride planes without feeling like I'm about to die – we finally came to a building that, strangely enough, didn't seem like it had any other structures beyond it. I figured out why that is when I saw the decorated sign at the top of the door.
'Look-Out Point'.
Oh, so we're at the edge of this giant rock with a city on it that is suspended in air by poorly explained – to me, at least – supernatural forces.
Marvelous.
Noticing my trepidation at approaching the edge of this massive rock that the devils wisely decided to build a city on, Bafeel flashed me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry," She said. "If you fall, remember what I said on the train?"
"I think I blocked out most of that entire trip," I replied dryly. "On account of the fact that it was terrifying."
"Oh, it wasn't that bad."
"You're not the one afraid of heights."
She puffed her cheeks and pouted at me. It only took a few seconds for me to cave. Am I that weak-willed?
"Fine, alright," I grumbled, although the small smile on my face betrayed my tone. "Besides, it can't be as bad as the train. Nothing is worse than that train."
I shivered. Seriously, why the fuck did we not just use a magic circle? I'll never understand devils.
Well, I am one, but that's not the point.
Her smile returned, and she bobbed up and down in excitement. She does that sometimes, usually when I'm around. And when she does that she nearly takes me with her.
"I've wanted to show this place to someone for years!" She exclaimed happily. "I'm glad that someone is you, Roland!"
"You just want me here so you can tease me about my fear of heights." I surmised hollowly.
She hugged my arm just a bit tighter as she pushed the door to the Look-Out Point. "Oh, please. If I wanted to tease you about that, I would have done it back on the train. Although you're acting so courageous now, fighting down your phobia just for me? How manly of you~!"
I didn't get the chance to say anything since the moment she opened the door all I saw was the purple sky of the Underworld. My heart beat quicker and the urge to just step back from the doorway increased tenfold.
You can call me a pussy all you want. At least I'm trying to get over this. For what reason am I doing it though…?
I know the answer, but I'm too embarrassed to say.
The artificial sun of the Underworld was starting to dip into the horizon, bathing this little Look-Out Point with a brilliant orange light. It was made of concrete, or something resembling concrete, and several old-fashioned, and just plain old looking benches on the far wall. A guard rail lined the area that showed the violet sky, making sure no one stupid enough to just walk off the edge by accident could.
I felt my legs shake. I could just imagine, despite the guard rails, falling off that edge. Falling for what seems like ages, nothing to stop my endless descent… That's the stuff of my nightmares. Falling, heights, shit like that.
However, I was not gonna show that scared pussy side of me to Bafeel. Strapping my balls back on, I bravely stepped onto the Look-Out point balcony. A faint breeze hit my face as I walked, Bafeel at my side.
"Huh, this isn't so bad." I said, looking around and noticing I wasn't plummeting to my death yet.
"I'm glad you like it!" Bafeel chirped, skipping over to the edge of the balcony like she wasn't a few feet away from falling to her death.
Wait, when the fuck has Bafeel ever skipped? Or am I remembering things wrong? I'm probably just remembering things wrong. Don't mind me.
I approached the balcony's edge slowly, as if I was approaching a sleeping bear or lion. Looking out I could see the rolling, hilly landscape of the Agares Territory. I could see clearly for miles on account of my devil vision and clear air.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Bafeel said beside me, smiling at the sprawling landscape below us.
"If you discount the fact that one wrong step and we'll be halfway to China then yeah, it is pretty nice." I said wryly.
"Oh please. Even if you did somehow fall off, you'd be fine. Mostly." She titled her head. "And… China? You do remember we're in the Underworld, right?"
"It's a joke," I chuckled. "Not a very good one, but a joke." I looked to her, more serious now. "But yeah, it's very nice."
She nodded, that same pleasant smile on her face.
We just stood there for a while, enjoying each other's company and looking out at the world below us. I noticed a few villages in the far distance. Occasionally I'd see a small cloud or too. But overall there was nothing that obstructed our view. After a while, Bafeel retreated from the edge and sat on a bench a little ways a way, and beckoned me over by patting the place next to her. I obliged. Not like I had any reason to refuse that wouldn't make me sound like a douche anyway.
"I-"
"You-"
Okay, what the fuck was that. Did we seriously try and speak at the same time?
"And now I've made this awkward…" I mumbled mostly to myself as Bafeel giggled at my pain. I gestured to her. "You go first."
"So chivalrous~!" Bafeel said dreamily before she apparently guessed what I was gonna ask. "You're probably wondering how I found this place, right? And why I brought you here?"
I lightly tapped my lips. "Took the words right outta my mouth."
She giggled again before continuing. She really does have a nice laugh. "Well, that's kinda a long story. I actually found this place when my brother took me on a trip to the Agares Territory a few years ago. I was… um, going through some rather tumultuous times back then, and when our parents found us, well… Well, I found this place and just stared out at the countryside. I just felt so at ease here."
As she was talking, I didn't realize she had taken ahold of my hand. I didn't resist.
"I actually met Seek while we were on that trip, you know. I never knew how much of a good thing that I did. I might have never escaped my house without her." She continued.
Why does everyone I know have such a shitty relationship with their relatives? I mean, I can't talk, but still.
"Point is," Bafeel began to conclude, this time lacing her fingers with mine. "This is a special place to me, right? Seek's only been here a couple times herself, and now you." I felt her head on my shoulder. "I'm glad I could show you it."
I'm sure my face was as red as a tomato at that point. It certainly felt like it; it felt like it was on fire. However, I can't deny that this felt… right somehow. I couldn't explain it even if you put a gun to my head. Although, considering who I am now, if you do actually put a gun to my head I might just blow you away. Queen Endurance mothafucka.
Maybe it was the adrenaline rush I got from facing my phobia so blatantly and actually succeeding in fighting it off, or maybe I was even more unused to female affection than I thought, but I was shivering just a little bit. Still, I felt the need to say something back, even if I was a bit jittery.
"Heh," I laughed nervously. "Special place? Next thing I know you'll be asking for my hand in marriage… well, I should be the one to do that if we were in that situation, w-which we aren't! But, you know…"
I don't know what cosmic force in this universe ordered me to say that, but Bafeel's reaction is what got me. I turned to her to see an expression on her face that I couldn't identify.
And then all I saw and felt was her on top of me, straddling me and hugging onto me. I admit to yelping at first before my arms instinctively encircled her, pulling her closer to me. With her pressing onto me, being able to feel her so close to me…
My mind kinda went blank for a moment, but I was able to pull back my consciousness from the abyss to hear what she whispered into my ear.
"You know," She said, her breath tickling my ear. "If we were to get married, no one would care."
"What…?" I mumbled back, a bit distracted by how good she smelled. Is it too much for me to admit I'm enjoying this?
"I mean politically." She clarified, pulling back and looking me in the eye. "All those people in high places and stuff like that. They wouldn't care. Sure, they might make a bit of a fuss because I'm a Pure-Blooded devil, but it'd eventually quiet down. They'd forget about it and focus on the other, more High-Class houses to keep their bloodlines pure."
"Okay, I'm getting what you're saying, I really am." I said, putting my hand on her shoulders and ignoring the… shiver that I felt go through her when I did that. "You're saying a lot of things right now and… Well…" I shook my head, trying to get my messed-up mind to form coherent words. "I'm getting the feeling that you… like me more than I think you do. But… why? Why do you act like this around me?"
To be honest, it has made me curious. I've never met a woman quite like Bafeel, and I want to know why she is the way she is. And if she actually… like I suspect…
Fucking hell, why can't I form a coherent sentence?
With her bangs shielding her eyes, a blank expression on her face, she got off of me and stood up. That made me both yearn for her back, a feeling that was becoming less and less surprising to me now, and curse myself for not just accepting what she was saying and rolled with whatever she was doing… Whatever she was doing.
I got up as well as she backed up, hugging her shoulders as she began speaking, her voice a little bit darker than usual. "You know about devil houses, right?"
Sensing that sarcasm was not the best way to go about this situation, I merely nodded.
She looked up, but it still looked like a shadow had come across her usual cheery demeanor. "Then you know that some houses are higher than others in the devil government."
"I haven't memorized all of the ranks," I supplied. "But I know enough."
She nodded, and if I looked a little closer, I could see she was shivering slightly. "My family, Furcas, was never very far up in the Ars Goetia. That became… even more so when the Great War ended. After that… Well," Her voice was breaking up a bit at this point. "Well, let's just say my family is High-Class only in name."
I nodded, showing her I was paying attention.
"I still had to attend some Underworld schools and things like that. My family wanted me to be the person who would bring them out of their dire straits. That, of course, meant that I would have to be betrothed to someone. Someone in high standing. Who cares if I was their child? I was third. I wouldn't inherit anything, I certainly wouldn't become the head of the family, so I'm expendable."
My eyebrows drew together as I glared ahead of me. No, she can't be saying…
A small, fragile smile formed on her lips when she saw my reaction to her saying that. "Don't worry, we could never work out a deal with any of the other devil families. We had nothing to offer them; why would they accept it? But my family, they wouldn't take that. It must have been my fault. My looks, the way I carried myself, that must have been what was turning them off to any deals. Not because they were too proud to do anything themselves…" She said bitterly.
I took a step closer to her.
She shook her head. I noticed a single tear go down her face. "You know, for a long time I thought it was because I wasn't tantalizing enough. I wasn't pretty enough to attract the opposite sex, or even the same sex. I thought I was this creature who couldn't do anything to help anyone. I felt completely and utterly powerless. Unable to do anything for myself or for the handful of people I actually cared about. My parents didn't make that any better. I have to give them credit, they kept their contempt for me under wraps for a long time, but I guess they got sick of pretending."
I took another step closer. Bafeel didn't react to my getting closer. She was too focused on telling me everything.
"They made it clear to me how much I was worth to them. They put me as their last hope to get out of their squalor and I took that hope away from them. I snapped; I ran and joined Seekvaira's peerage. The only one I have contact with anymore is my brother Beruka. And… and here we are." She said, looking at me, and taking a step closer herself, until we were just in front of each other.
"I… I know it sometimes sounds like I'm just teasing you, or I'm just having fun." She prefaced. "But when I say those things about you, there is truth to them. I do… I do really like you, Roland. Even if you sometimes say mean things, I know you don't mean them. You're the only man who has had this kinda relationship with me. I guess I-I can't help but…"
I can feel just a bit of what she's likely gone through. Not to her extent, but a little. Cripplingly low self-esteem, despite this mask she puts on that has just snapped in half in front of me. I guess we're even more alike then I thought.
I never expected to be confessed to, that's for sure. And I gotta say, I might be… feeling something for her as well.
Oh what the fuck am I even thinking about anymore, of course I feel something for her. Who wouldn't after something like that? You know what, this is going to be ballsy, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Screw what might happen after this, but I'm doing this. Right here, right now.
I took that final step and wrapped my arms around her hips. Her face was flushed, and it looked like it became even more so when I made my move. I closed my eyes and leaned my face down to hers.
And that's when I felt my lips touch hers.
I was as inexperienced as inexperienced can get when it comes to kissing, but I still tried my best. I couldn't see her face because, obviously, my eyes were closed, but I felt her arms entangle themselves around my neck, one of her hands feeling up my back and the other tangling itself in my hair. We kept at it for a bit, until we separated.
I breathed heavily as I saw the faint line of saliva pass from my lips to hers before it vanished. Even if I'm inexperienced, the way that felt, the way it tasted, was completely worth it. Bafeel looked at me with emotion-filled eyes, slightly panting with her face still red.
"I…" I swallowed. What a time to be a virgin, right? "I like you too, Bafeel."
Her breathing hitched as her eyes widened.
What, the kiss that we just shared wasn't enough to give you a clue?
"I'm not sure entirely why you'd, um… choose me, per se, besides the reasons you told me. But I'm… I'm willing to give us a shot." I said eloquently.
I should just shut up right now, shouldn't I?
That sentiment was shared by Bafeel as she slammed into me, hugging me tightly as I felt wetness on my shoulder. I returned the embrace.
"Roland…!" Bafeel whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You don't know… don't know how much this…!"
She pulled back, only to slam her lips back onto mine. I was almost taken aback with how forceful she was, but I still tried my best to keep up. That one lasted a lot longer than the other one, almost going on for a full minute.
It amuses me that my first kiss was immediately followed by a make-out session that left me weak in the knees. I don't know why, but it just does.
We pulled away again, only this time Bafeel had the most radiant smile on her face. It was honestly stunning and for a few seconds I found myself just staring at her, my heart like a machine gun in my chest.
And then she started giggling uncontrollably. For a few seconds that was all I heard. I frowned. "Was it that bad?" I questioned morosely.
"Oh!" She stopped, but an occasional chuckle escaped her lips. "No, no, no, no! You were pretty good! Like, really good! I just… I just can't stop laughing~!"
I tried to keep my face straight, but a few seconds later I found myself laughing as well. Damn, her laugh is contagious.
After a few more moments of that, we finally both stopped. I looked down on her, and she looked up at me. In each other's arms. If this was just a couple days ago I would have told you that being in a situation like this was impossible. And yet, here I am, in that same exact situation. And I can't say I'd rather be somewhere else.
Besides, there was only so much time I could have acted like a tsundere. It would have happened eventually.
She got closer and nuzzled into my chest. I hugged her tighter.
All in all, I'm glad I took that leap of faith.
"Ehehe… AHAHAHAHAHA!"
Ajax leaped back from the madman he called a friend. It wasn't like he hadn't seen him burst into laughter like that before, but anyone who had kept his marbles throughout these long years like him would still jump back from anyone who sounded as deranged as the Kingslayer did just then. The vessel of the Kingslayer laughed for almost a full minute, stopping them both on their way to the Agares castle, tears streaming down his face.
When he was finally done, and the green-haired dragon-vessel could breath again, he looked at Ajax with a wide smile. Too wide.
"Ajax, my friend," He began cheerfully. "I sense that a dream has been fulfilled!"
Ajax raised a brow at that but said nothing.
"Haha! That's really, reeeeeaaaaaaallly funny to me, but I have no idea why!" The vessel's glowing green eyes flashed brighter for just an instant before returning to normal. "Eh, you probably have no idea what I'm even talking about right now, do you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about every day, let alone just now." Ajax commented wryly.
"Now that was just mean, buddy!" The Kingslayer exclaimed, hurt. "But back to where we were going, right? It's time for us-" He waved his arms dramatically in front of him, mimicking an old friend of his who never really mentally aged past 8th grade. "-to perform our dastardly, evil, completely abhorrent plan!"
Ajax merely facepalmed as they got closer to the gates. Roland didn't see this, considering he and those that surrounded him teleported right onto the grounds of the castle, but there was a fence that surrounded the Agares castle, and the train station near it. This was just for show, there was actually a complex barrier powered from beneath the castle that stopped those who weren't allowed from teleporting in, and any who tried to enter unannounced. It was a gift from a long extinct family, and the Lord Agares paid a lot of money to keep it running. In respect for the family it came from or the practicality of it was anyone's guess.
Ajax would like to consider that it was for practicality. He didn't have a very high opinion of devils in general, but the High-Class ones… There was a special place for them.
Of course, the fact that he knew this was all due to one person. A person on the inside. The Kingslayer hadn't told him his/her name, but he didn't really care. All he knew is that this person has been slaving underneath them for centuries, waiting for this moment.
Ajax was almost too pleased to give it to him. Although these changes to a plan that had been centuries in the making by the Kingslayer had made him a little… uneasy. Especially since they apparently involved this Roland person.
What disturbed Ajax was the fact that the Kingslayer would sometimes mutter Roland's name when he thought Ajax wasn't listening.
Still, he didn't know where this Roland person came in. From their insider's account just before they decided to set the plan into motion, this Roland and the peerage he belonged to had left for Agreas a while ago.
It was all very confusing for Ajax, but then again, everything that involved the Kingslayer was confusing.
The vessel of the Kingslayer held his arms behind his back, apparently imitating some sort of stance as they approached the gate. Ajax rolled his eyes and looked away. Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed by the green-haired dragon-vessel.
"Come now, Ajax!" He called out. "We have to maintain appearances! Come on, get into your pose!"
"No."
"I'm serious, get in your pose! It'll be sooooooooooo awesome. Wait till you see the look on their faces! They'll be like 'These are not the devils we are looking for,' and I'll be all 'You're right, these are not the devils you are looking for,' and I kinda lost track where I was going with this- Oh, look! We're at the gates."
Ajax had tuned out the Kingslayer until he heard that last bit. He pulled his shield off his back and looked at the two people who stood guard at the gate.
"Halt!" They both ordered.
"But what if I don't want to?" The Kingslayer challenged.
Ajax sighed in exasperation.
The guards were stunned for a few seconds from the nonchalance the Kingslayer displayed in that response but recovered a few seconds later. "Then we'll have to arrest you! And if you resist, kill you!"
The Kingslayer openly laughed at this, before he lifted his hand up. A green magic circle with some sort of crest that looked like a dragon in the middle of it appeared in the palm of his hand. "I've already been arrested once, not again."
One of the guards wasn't even able to react before a blast of pure green energy shot out of his palm, sending him soaring into the gate, denting it and then falling to the ground. If he was dead or just knocked out was unknown, but Ajax didn't care. The other guard roared, raised his spear, and charged at the Kingslayer. Unfortunately for him, he was too focused on the vessel, and didn't notice that Ajax's shield had appeared in front of him. The guard ran face first into the shield. A 'thunk' sound was heard as he collapsed to the floor.
"These guards were… pathetically weak." Ajax observed.
"Eh, from what our contact told me, they were just more for show. Of course, they didn't know that. They put all their stock into that barrier of theirs. But now…"
The dragon-vessel of the Kingslayer held his hand up and counted his fingers.
"Ah, it should be down now. Let's go, Ajax! It. Is. Time!"
"Where are you taking me?"
"A special place."
"Oh?" Seekvaira raised a brow as we walked through the streets of Agreas. "A special place you say? Have you finally snapped, and now you are going to assassinate me while my guard is down?"
I looked at her incredulously. "Why the hell would I do that?" I then looked away awkwardly. "Besides, if I was going to do that, why would I bring Akaibara?"
The red-headed nekoshou perked up when her name was called.
"I do not know, Roland. Why have you brought Akaibara with us if this is so important that you practically dragged us out of the mansion?" Seekvaira asked, irritation clear in her voice at my admittedly hasty actions earlier.
I had talked about it with Bafeel. Something that has been bothering me ever since we've arrived in the Underworld. Seekvaira and her parents.
There's something there that isn't quite right, if I'm honest. Sure, on the surface, it seems like they hate each other about as much as I hated Seekvaira that one evening. But I can't help but feel like something is just below the surface when it comes to their relationship.
That's why I'm taking her somewhere. Somewhere Bafeel told me about. It may seem like I'm being an asshole, taking not one girl out, but two so soon after Bafeel confessed to me (and I confessed to her as well). But she's the one who came up with the idea. After I had told her my thoughts on this.
Of course she then told me how cute I was when I was acting all tsundere. Frustrating, but can I really say she's wrong?
So that's why we're here. I took Akaibara along because I'm still nervous about letting her out of my sight while we're here. That outing with Bafeel was an exception to that. I realized how stupid it was to leave her alone like that, even if I was trying to get her used to being without me. Not that I regret going there, mind you.
I told Seekvaira the reason why I brought Akaibara.
"Fair enough, I suppose," She replied. "Although, considering what I found both you and Bafeel doing in bed this morning, I'm surprised you are not taking her out instead. Unless you are trying to form a harem, in which case I think you are wasting your time."
My lips thinned, and my cheeks became bright red as I remembered what happened this morning just before we went out.
"Rooooland!" Bafeel said sweetly, opening the door to said boy's room. "It's time to get up~!"
The boy in question didn't even move on the bed. Eyes closed with a blank expression, he looked peaceful. Bafeel pouted, but that pout quickly turned to a mischievous smirk as she tip-toed into the room. Sitting on the side of the bed, she cupped Roland's cheek with her hand.
"Hmm, if you don't get up Roland, I'll kiss you~" She whispered.
Still no movement from him.
Bafeel giggled. "Don't say I didn't warn you~!"
She leaned in close, until their lips were almost touching.
And then Roland's arm shot up and closed the remaining distance. Bafeel's eyes widened for just a moment before she eased into it. This was a feeling she could really get used to.
"Bafeel, it really shouldn't take this long to wake up- Oh." Seekvaira barged into the room only to see the two of them locked together.
Roland's eyes shot up and looked in shock at Seekvaira as he and Bafeel separated.
"Well, hurry up then. Breakfast is ready." Seekvaira said quickly before leaving.
"Hmph," I grunted as the memory passed by. "A harem, seriously? Whatever."
"A dragon's aura has a strange effect on the opposite sex Roland. I thought you knew this. It may not be a complete inevitability, but it is certainly possible. I suspect that's why Bafeel is acting that way around you." Seekvaira Seeksplained.
I knew all about the 'dragon's aura' at this point. Everyone who had a dragon-type Sacred Gear had this persistent aura around them, from someone with the [Divine Dividing] all the way to a lowly [Twice Critical]. To those of the opposite sex it would manifest as if the person with the dragon's aura had indescribable charm or handsomeness to them. It didn't make someone fall in love with you instantly, but it made the journey to that easier. For the same sex, the effects were even less noticeable. They would either not notice it at all, or they would subconsciously see the one with dragon's aura as competition. There's a reason why most of a male dragon's male friends constantly fought with each other.
Now, with that explanation out of the way, I responded.
"Then why say it's a waste of time?" I challenged.
Playing devil's advocate for this really. I don't even want a harem.
"Because you do not seem like the type to readily accept one," Seekvaira said matter-of-factly. "And thus, you would push those who try to get closer to you because of it. I imagine you would try based on a bet or if someone challenged you, though."
I was tempted to try and prove her wrong, but considering how well she assessed that, I'll hold off on that urge.
I scratched my head awkwardly. Seekvaira really has been touchy these past few days. It may be arrogant of me to have a talk with her about having a good relationship with her parents, considering I didn't have one either (with one of them, at least.). But I don't like people I actually care about be like this, if that makes any sense.
Yeah yeah, I know. Tsun-tsun Roland to the fucking rescue. Woohoo.
"…Whatever." I said. "That's not what I wanna talk about though. First, let's get to the café she told me about."
I'm not sure what I was expecting from a café that Bafeel of all people had told me about. When we arrived, from the outside, it looked normal. It looked human. Many things in the Underworld were made to accommodate the Reincarnated Devil population, which was mostly originally human. Hell, before Reincarnated devils came around, the Underworld was supposedly in constant twilight; never quite light, and never quite dark.
As soon as we entered the café, though, I realized this is synonymous to a place the lowest of the low of humanity go to. A place so depraved, so niche, that only hardcore otakus, people who will never breed, go to.
"Welcome masters, nya!" Meowed a cat-eared girl, wearing a french maid uniform and bowing to us politely.
I slammed my fist into the calf of my leg, my lips trembling and thin. I could feel Seekvaira's disapproving gaze and Akaibara's blatant confusion all focused on me.
God-fucking-DAMNIT.
I will get you back for this Bafeel. I don't care if we're technically dating now, I will get you back for this.
I looked down, my eyes shaking in their sockets. I could go to a different café, or I could find a nice park, but I have no idea where any of those are. We've only been here for a day, and I don't feel like travelling across this deceptively large floating rock. I could ask Seekvaira, but…
Fuck it, roll with it.
I held up three fingers. "Table for three, please." I requested meekly.
The cat-eared maid – I seriously suspect that those are just accessories – checked a list in front of her, and looked back at us, motioning for us to follow. "This way, nya!" She said cheerfully.
"I-I'm so confused…" Akaibara whispered, looking wide-eyed at several other cat-eared maid who all gave her weird looks as well. "Why are so many of my kind here…? I've never seen one of my own kind before…"
"They aren't your own kind, Akky. Don't worry so much," I said as soothingly as I could despite my embarrassment. "And as to why there are so many of them… Well, it looks like the average devil population has just as many otakus/weebs as where I come from."
"Umm… What is an otaku? Or a weeb?" She asked innocently.
"You're better off not knowing. It is not meant for your ears." I replied resolutely.
"You are being melodramatic, Roland." Seekvaira pointed out.
"It's how I deal with embarrassment…" I said softly.
"But you act like that quite a lot." Seekvaira countered. I guess she was sensing that she was onto something.
I remained silent.
The cat-eared maid led us to a table with five chairs instead of three, but I guess that wasn't that big of a deal. This place actually seemed rather busy. That surprised me considering that an heir to a Pillar family was murdered by someone with cat ears. Great to see that cat ears have not gone out of style with degenerates lately. Although most of the guys in here are clearly not very high-up, Agreas is by no means a poor city. The creation of the Evil Pieces and the tourism ensured that.
Wow, I'm being very mean to otakus today. Maybe I should stop.
We were given menus and I asked for simple water. Seekvaira sat across from me and, of course, Akaibara sat next to me.
"So, Roland," Seekvaira began, taking a sip of her water before leaning forward and lacing her fingers together. "What reason have you brought me to this… establishment."
"If I knew of a mecha café, Seekvaira, I would have gone there instead." I sighed, messaging my temples. "Unfortunately, this is the only place I knew about."
She raised a brow at that. "You have been-"
"No!" I said just a bit too forcefully. I coughed into my fist. "No, Bafeel told me about it."
Seekvaira had a half-lidded gaze directed at someone who wasn't even here.
"Had no idea that this is what she had in mind…" I muttered.
I lo- like you Bafeel, but this may have been a bit much. I almost feel like she is laughing at me from afar. Not that beautiful laugh either, that 'I just got you, sucker' laugh.
Meh, I've been through worse.
"Nonetheless…" Seekvaira sighed. "Why have you brought me here? I assume you wished to speak to me about something."
"No, actually I wanted to kill you, exactly like you said. Prepare to di- Of course I took you here to talk." I replied almost without thinking. I also get even more sarcastic than usual when embarrassed. And there is no small amount of embarrassment to be found here.
"Get to the point, Roland." Seekvaira said with a slight twitch of her brow. "Stop dawdling."
I nodded and took a deep breath.
"It's about you and your parents."
She instantly stiffened then. "…What about us?"
"It is clear to me," I began. "That you don't have the best relationship with them."
"Oh, and what tipped you off to that, Roland?" Seekvaira said in a defensive tone. That's one I have never heard from her. "Was it the way we talked, stared, or did you just know?"
"Um," I blinked. "…All of the above?"
She scoffed. "I'm sure. What does it have to do with you anyway? What do you care? Why would you care? It's not really any of your business, honestly. Did you take me here just, so you could tell me this? If so, then that is the biggest insult you could have given to me. I shall take my leave-"
"Wait!" I all about shouted. That turned south so fast it almost ended up in Antarctica. "I didn't come here to insult you, I swear!"
She gave me a look and settled down. Akaibara looked from me to her with wide eyes. We are kinda making a ruckus here, but at this point I don't care.
"It has to do with me because I am your Queen for Lucifer's sake. I care because, despite some hiccups in the beginning, you have been fair, and I see this as a way to pay you back for that. The reason why is because, despite all the odds, I actually do give a damn about you. And I took you here, so I can tell you how I am going to help." I said as fast as I could and as clearly as I could.
Her eyes widened at that. She looked away, so I couldn't see her face before she turned back to me. "You… Alright, I will… listen to what you have to say."
"That's all I'm asking for," I said, a slight smirk on my face. "Now, your father is a… well, he sees people more as objects then he does people, doesn't he?"
She nodded. "I'm the heiress to the Agares family. I've never been Seekvaira."
"Yeah, and your mother doesn't seem like she's all… um, there?" I said carefully.
"She barely talks." She replied. "Even to me. Sometimes she pitches in, sometimes you almost forget she's there. I am not sure… what can be done about my relationship with them, Roland. I thank you, sincerely, for even trying, but I do not-"
"That's all surface shit, though." I said quickly.
"Language, Roland."
"Oh come on, we're in a maid café. No one cares." I grumbled, before continuing. "There is something more there. I'm sure of it. That's why, when we get back, me and you are going to have a good chat with your father and mother about this. Get it all out in the open. No secrets left unsaid, no feelings left untouched."
Seekvaira seemed genuinely taken aback by this. "I do not-"
"You don't think it's gonna work, do you?" When she shook her head, I sighed. "I'm not gonna lie, I could be very, very wrong about this. Lord Agares could be an unrepentant monster, but I just… don't get that vibe from him. He's cold, calculating, sees people around him as objects, but still. I can't shake this off." I added, a bit more softly and quietly. "Trust me, I've seen a true irredeemable bastard before."
"…hy." She said so softly even my devil hearing couldn't pick it up.
"Hmm?"
"…Why?" She repeated. "I know what you said earlier but… truly, why? Why would you do this?"
"Well, I… don't have a great relationship with my parents. Sure, I wanna see my mom again, but…" I stopped. That's a place I don't wanna go to right now. "Well, let's just say I'd rather not see someone I like be in a position like that, especially with their own blood."
People already have enough shitty problems without me downloading my own onto them.
Akaibara has been staring at us this entire conversation, almost unsettlingly so. For a brief moment, her expression hardened, as if she had come to a decision.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to talk about much after that, because at that moment fate itself decided to fuck with us. I noticed them before they approached. They were separate from each other, but their destination was the same: our table. One had blonde hair and blue eyes that were a shade lighter than Thomas, wearing simple clothes, and wasn't very tall, appearing to be only 5'7. The other one was a bit more notable, if only because of his noble clothes. He had pitch-black hair with red eyes. He was only 5'5, only slightly taller than Akaibara.
I groaned internally when they approached.
"Seekvaira Agares, is that you?" Said the black-haired one. "I did not expect to find you in such an… uninhibited place."
Could ask you the same question, bud.
Seekvaira looked up in surprise. "Grigus Uvall? I had not realized you were visiting Agreas." She then turned to the blonde-haired boy who had tried to get to us before the noble-looking asshole. "And Kugol Abaddon? What are you doing here?"
The blonde-haired boy scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ehm… Well, I happen to… You see, I…"
"Are these two just gonna stand up and talk to you or are they gonna sit down?" I questioned loudly, getting everyone's attention.
The black-haired one, Grigus, turned to me and just gave me a passing glace, as if I wasn't worth his time at all. Already not winning points with me, dickhead. "It seems your servant is rather rude, Lady Seekvaira."
"No, actually, I'm just going to… sit down." The blonde-haired on, Kugol, sat next to Akaibara. "Um… is there a menu?"
"No, they just left us here with water and told us to go fu-" I began to say, before Seekvaira shushed me.
"My Queen," She stressed, staring Grigus in the eye. "Makes a good point. If you have something to discuss with me, would you take a seat?"
Grigus narrowed his red eyes before acquiescing and taking a seat next to her. "I've only come here to discuss one important detail with you, Lady Seekvaira."
I don't like you, which I think is pretty important. Most people I don't like aren't alive right now.
From what I could tell from Seekvaira's body language, she wasn't in a mood to discuss whatever it was Grigus wanted to. "You already know the details, Grigus. I made them abundantly clear when you tried to make the contract through my parents." She gave him her trademark 'Are you stupid?' stare. "Did you really think they didn't agree with what I had outlined?"
Grigus' lips thinned in annoyance. "I just do not see the point in it. We both aren't even able to participate in official Rating Games. Why would you set a condition such as beating you in one for your hand in marriage?"
What.
"Obviously so that I won't have to deal with those like you," She brushed him off. "How many fools would want to marry into one of the strongest houses? At least you seem like you have a backbone. Even if your family has nothing to offer us financially or politically, you have still kept coming. For that, my parents are willing to entertain it. Still, unless you beat me in a Rating Game, they won't give you any more attention than they do to the other offers they have filtered for me."
I guess her parents are definitely more than they appear, if they are willing to let her make her own choices like this.
The strangest thing I saw that day was the fact that Grigus Uvall seemed to be blushing. Not from anger, but…
Oh for fuck's sake.
He still sounded angry though, as he suddenly and loudly stood up from his seat, almost sending his chair to the ground. "I will not give up, Seekvaira! I will not wait around!" He folded his arms, trying to look intimidating, but it came across as if he was a spoiled child who wasn't getting what he wanted handed to him. "At least you are not like some from our generation, who would rather sleep with their own reincarnated servants than their own race. You have not done that, have you?"
Even if she did, I'm sure it'd be a lot better than being with you.
"Of course not," Seekvaira shot down. "If you are going to insult me or my servants, then you may leave."
Grigus snorted. "This isn't over."
He left the building with a dramatic flair that would put me to shame.
"What a dick." I said without reservation. "You're not… actually considering him, are you?"
The concept of arranged marriages was an old one that was not used in devil society often anymore. That didn't mean they didn't happen. Seekvaira's friend Rias Gremory is currently going through something like that, fighting against a contract that was signed before she was even born. I guess Seekvaira doesn't have the exact same problem. It seems she gets to choose.
Although one has to wonder what any of these other remaining families have to offer the Agares household.
Seekvaira sighed. "For once I agree with you, Roland. I used to at least somewhat respect him for his persistence, but now it's just annoying. The only leverage he has is that his family's power is in barriers, which, combined with my time abilities, could prove to be formidable. But Grigus isn't even exceptional in that regard."
I stretched, feeling some weariness in my bones. We've been here for a while haven't we? Just one more thing to get off the table. "Who's the aryan?
Seekvaira raised a brow. "Who?"
"The blonde who's eyeing Akaibara up. The one who is going to die if he does not stop eyeing her up." I growled.
Through out that entire conversation about marriage and how dickless Grigus Uvall is, I had noticed that the blond who had been silent the whole time was looking Akaibara up and down, which had the obvious effect of making her uncomfortable.
The blond yelped when I called him out. "I-I am not 'eyeing her up'!" He defended himself poorly.
"Yeah, and I'm not an unlikable asshole. You keep doing that and you'll find yourself without an arm, or another appendage that you really, really don't wanna lose."
Kugol's skin turned pale at that, but before he could retort, Seekvaira interrupted. "Roland, calm down." She commanded.
I looked away, my arms crossed. "Sure, sure."
She then turned to Kugol, who had since recovered from the scare I gave him. "Now, what are you doing here, Kugol?"
"Trying to find some nice pussy, what else?" I said sardonically.
"Roland, lower your crassness."
"Hmm, okay."
"Your newest servant really is very temperamental, isn't he, Seekvaira?" Kugol observed.
"Only on Wednesdays." I commented.
"We just got finished with a rather… intimate conversation when you and Grigus arrived." Seekvaira said. "He tends to get that way when he's stressed. Now, I assume you are here about my offer? Have you reconsidered?"
Kugol shook his head. "Sorry, Seekvaira. Can't become your Knight yet. Still have to… smooth things out with my family."
"Everyone does. Does no one have a good relationship with their family here…?" I mumbled to myself, but I'm sure they all heard me.
Seekvaira ignored me. "I see…" She seemed disappointed.
"But!" Kugol was quick to add. "The moment I have everything good to go, you'll be the first person I come to." He laughed to himself. "I was actually only here for a couple days. Wanted to see the sights of Agreas before I had to go back to my family's territory. Let me tell you, that place is bor-ing. They didn't have cat girls there."
"Touch Akaibara and die," I growled menacingly.
Kugol gulped. "O-Oi, why is your servant so scary…?"
"He's about as scary as a puppy when he's with Bafeel, don't worry."
"You-!"
In the end, Kugol left, and after finished what we ordered, we left as well. I, myself, prepared for the no doubt awkward conversations that were to come in regards to Seekvaira's family.
Ah well, at least I get to hang out with everyone else for a little while longer.
Siemon Agares, better known as Lord Agares in more formal settings, was in his usual mood: detached, frustrated, and feeling just like the cold monster his daughter sometimes screamed he was when she was in her early teens. Those episodes had become non-existent as she got closer to adulthood, but he could still see it in her eyes. She did not like him, and he knew the exact reason why.
Sitting at his desk in one of his many spacious study's, with his wife, Ciarrai Agares, née Dantalion, at his side, he studied a certain dull green crystal. It was the same one that his daughter had supposedly found in the ashes of the Stray Devil Iudex's head. He was glad he could strike that name from the wanted lists, but the fact that this A-rank Stray Devil was in some way connected to the first… Well, when he told his fellow Pillar heads, they at first laughed, but then it became serious. They were entertaining the idea of such a legend as the Kingslayer coming back, but they weren't totally convinced. Not yet.
"I need to send this crystal to Lord Beelzebub." He told his wife. "If there is anyone in the entire damned Underworld who can find out what it's all about, it is him."
His wife nodded her head. "I shall make the preparations soon."
He nodded as well. "Good."
With that done, he relaxed in his seat. His hundred-years old bones didn't so much as creak, but he felt like they should have. He felt like he was thousands of years old instead of hundreds. Being a Pillar head did that to you. Especially for a Pillar head who controlled the Agares house like he did.
It also distanced you from those you wanted to be close to. You couldn't be emotional in a position like this. You had to shed those, become a machine. Even if devils were creatures of emotion, it was the biggest irony to him that most looked down on them.
It was unnatural, and he knew it.
If her own daughter grew to hate him for how he is, he could not find it within himself to blame her. If it made her stronger later on, so bet it. If she changed things for the better, so be it.
Still, he wished he didn't have to be like this. Was it so much to ask for to have a strong family life among nobility? The only ones who seemed to have maintained that were the Gremory, something which he envied of them above all else.
"Ciarrai." He called his wife's name. He did love her, and he hated himself for not showing it more often. But here, away from prying eyes, he allowed himself to.
She was more than just what she looked, after all. She knew everything there was to know about anything worth knowing about. In his eyes, at least.
She was like a sentry, or a security camera. She had more of an eye for seeing details he wouldn't have.
"Yes, dear?" She replied sweetly.
"…Our daughter."
"Yes, our daughter…?"
Why did he have to be like this? Spit it out. Get it over with.
"Do you think we should-"
A loud bang was all they heard as something below the mansion went offline. Siemon Agares knew what it was instantly as he was up on his feet in an instant, despite the rumble that went through the entire massive castle.
The door opened a moment later, the face of their head-butler Lucien was surprisingly relaxed. "Lord Agares, Lady Agares, it appears we are under attack."
How's THAT for an uncommon pairing!? Huh? HUH!? Bet you've never seen a story with a pairing like this! I fucking guarantee it!
I really hope I didn't screw that scene up. Hopefully you Bafeel x Roland shippers are happy. At least it didn't take me over 100k words to get to any hint of romance this time, eh?
Here's the new Discord link then: discord. gg/TGPM9pH
And, lastly, here's another theme, although it seems like you guys don't really care about them I'll still do them. They're fun.
Bafeel confesses to Roland - Reflections Theme from Mass Effect 2
Good Night!
