New chapter is here! it took a little while since I started college again but the third chapter is already half-way done!
Shaedy Hoe: Glad you like the MC, I will try to work on the punctuation thing, English isn't my first language and that area has always been a weak point
Beta'd by Everpeach
I took a sip from the exquisite tea served to me by the maids, enjoying the refreshing mint fragrance for a couple of seconds before focusing back on the man at the other end of the table.
"Well Lord Bael I think it is time to talk about our business with each other" I say calmly, I allowed him to pull me here to Bael Castle despite being in the middle of talking with Serafall for a reason after all, and that reason certainly wasn't our blood relation or any respect I may have for the man.
"I'm no longer Lord Bael, I gave that title to one of my descendants not long after the Civil War was dealt with and loose ends tied up" He calmly shot back taking a sip from his own cup, I barely kept my scoff inside I knew who that descendant was, personally.
"With all due respect Zekram, I remember Adramalech, last time we talked he was 8 years old if memory serves right, I simply can't imagine him as Lord Bael" that little mistake must have been the most spoiled brat I have ever seen in either life and that was saying something.
Lazy, weak, and with an inferiority complex towards his two bigger sisters the size of a house, social etiquette was the only thing keeping Naz from punching him to the void whenever they met.
"Though I am drifting off-topic aren't I?" I say with a minute shake of my head, if I knew Zekram right the man was probably nothing more than a titleholder "Let us converse about why you decided on this impromptu meeting?" I speak with a sweeping motion of my signaling him to speak.
"You are part of my clan and I am your ancestor is that not enough?" he said with a raised eyebrow, throwing me what he had Serafall, causing an upturn of my lips.
"Legally perhaps" I admit with a nod that was certainly a convenient law for him which makes it highly likely that he had a role in its creation
"But I do not believe you are the kind of man to simply call people to your personal castle just to drink tea" I really couldn't read much from the man, he was good, really GOOD at hiding his emotions and reactions with a mask of extreme calmness as if nothing could touch him.
"That is correct" he admitted with a small nod "I called you here today, the day you decided to reveal yourself, to discuss a mutually beneficial agreement between our clans" he finally started getting a slightly surprised look from me.
"Now I know what you are probably thinking but the fact of the matter is that you are currently the last Valefor and when you become Lady Valefor in a couple of days, certain scenarios will unfold that if treated carefully and smoothly will bring benefits to the both of us" my mind went a mile-a-second trying to guess what he was talking about but a possibility quickly came to me.
"I suppose this has to something do with the Gremory and Sitri's occupation of the Valefor lands?" that would be my best guess at least.
"Precisely" he said with what looked like an approving nod "You see Miss Valefor, the laws around making use of the lands of extinct clans are quite complex, but what you must understand is that both of those clans had no way of knowing that you were still alive to them and the Underworld at large the Valefor were well and truly dead"
My time as a lawyer helped me see where he was going with this "They used the lands in goodwill, that is to say, no harm was meant to my clan" I complete earning another approving look and what seemed like a glimpse of a surprise though I couldn't be sure.
"Yes, that's the gist of it" he said with a considering look before continuing "This means that the worse punishments are not applicable to them such as fines and actual penal repercussions, but it does not mean that nothing can be done. With the number of pureblood devils and devil clans dwindling with both the Great War and the Civil War after it certain laws were passed to make the resurgence of any extinct clan as smooth as possible"
"The process to revive a clan is normally considerably harder but that is due to no direct blood descendants being available which obviously is not your case" makes sense normally they would search through branch families or other pillar clans with a close blood relation and most importantly the devil trait.
"Whatever the case when you reinstitute the Valefor clan back to the 72 pillars the Valefor lands WILL be reinstated which I am sure you realize means that you will have Gremory and Sitri buildings and even citizens inside your territory's borders" I nodded in understanding a small smile on my face as I imagined what that could imply.
"Now this doesn't mean you suddenly own what they have built on said lands" Zekram said making my lips thin with disappointment "But you DO own the terrain which means a lot. The most damage you could do to them is ordering them to vacate and or destroy their infrastructure" My eyes widened at just how much chaos that could cause.
"I see that you understand. Frankly, these kinds of powers were put in place due to some pillars trying to kill each other for land a few centuries ago, the last thing the devil race is more infighting"
"I think that doing that would not be the best for either party" that would cause a lot of damage to both Sitri and Gremory that is true but it would also put me in both clans' bad graces a horrible position to be in for a fledgling political entity like myself.
"Obviously" drawled Zekram "But the fact that you can do something like this at all is a weapon all by itself" just the possibility of me doing it gives me leverage, it makes sense. It is like having a gun pointed at their hearts I don't need to shoot them to get what I want just the fear that I will.
"I must admit that I am surprised" I admit after a moment to think things better "That you would tell me this given that Aunt Venelana is part of the Gremory clan" not to speak about how some of his descendants are part of them, including one of my newest cousins Rias.
Zekram took some time to answer before settling on a surprisingly simple one "You would have learned of your powers over them eventually, better to do it here and now than from someone who holds a grudge against the Bael" He is right about the first part.
Even now I still plan to investigate whichever law can help me, it isn't like I trust Zekram to tell me everything after all. I wouldn't trust any devil that way.
"Though I myself have been pleasantly surprised with this meeting" Zekram admitted making me raise a perfectly sculpted eyebrow "The Valefor and Bael have enjoyed good relationships for a very long time as I am sure you know" I nodded the Bael and the previous Beelzebub were the closest to the Valefor.
It is easy to see how those two friendships may have turned conflictive with Zekram starting a civil war and all that.
"The original Valefor and I were quite close, mainly due to as being created by Lord Lucifer for a similar purpose" destruction, the two clans were probably created to act more as a warhammer, to crush Lucifer's enemies. Our traits are powerful sure but fairly direct in their applications.
Comparing them to something like the Phenex clan which has both regeneration and the tear-making aspect, their trait was more flexible.
"I say all this to make clear that I know the Valefor clan and how its integrants tend to act" I sigh as he finished talking, my clan's reputation as muscleheads continues to hunt me it seems.
That isn't to say they were dumb or completely inept when it comes to politics but they were what many would refer to as 'battle-maniacs' it was what got them the attention of the orginal Beelzebub, the man was the most violent of the four satans and took a liking to the fighting focused Valefor.
"I take more after my mother as I am sure you can tell" that isn't to say I wasn't willing to get my hands dirty but beating someone up is more like a plan B than anything else. Why waste energy fighting them when I can use my words (and powers) to convince them to follow me?
"Yes that much is very clear" he says with a small chuckle the most emotion he had shown yet "I was worried I would have to deal with a vengeance-driven Valefor settled to walk to Gremory castle to level it down to the ground" that got a giggle out of me, that did sound like something some of my ancestors would have done.
"If Galvina taught you right then I am sure you can see how beneficial things could be for you if you manage them right" right as in 'don't destroy all relationships with the Gremory and Sitri but make them think that you are willing to' yeah I can do that.
The maids from earlier walked toward us refilling our cups before giving Zekram a thick folder, no words were spoken and the whole thing took less than 30 seconds showing just how well trained they were.
I wonder what happened to the Valefor maids? are they even still alive?
"Now Miss Valefor what I have here in my possession is a list of Gremory and Sitri properties on Valefor lands I shall arrange a copy to be given to you"... how has he obtained something like that in such a short time!?
"I like to keep useful knowledge like this close to me" He said apparently reading my expression.
Now that I think about him keeping tabs on the New Satans families makes sense but it is still incredible that he has managed to compile this list so quickly.
So this is the man who managed to wrung control of the underworld away from the original satans huh? I suppose I should have expected this much from a millennia old devil.
"Let us start with an overview of the most important ones then" I straightened up and nodded, it would be a lot of work but it wasn't like I was afraid of that. The opposite really not actively working towards something annoys me.
"This way Princess Valefor" a maid said opening the doors to one of the guest rooms inside the Bael Castle, as agreed with Zekram I would be staying here until I was bestowed with my title as Lady Valefor.
I could have gone to the Valefor's secret cabin in which I was sealed but I think here is probably safer for now and staying here allows me to meet some interesting people.
The room itself was huge big enough to compare to a normal house with all the amenities I would need and I knew I needed to just ask a maid whenever I wanted something.
"Thanks dear, if you won't mind I would like some privacy" It was about time I got changed from this dress.
'I have been wearing it for more than 500 years' the thought almost made me snort.
Being left alone finally I take a deep breath and an equally deep exhale walking calmly towards the bed (A huge four post one) and sitting on it.
"What a crazy day" I know Zekram has some secret motivation for being so helpful besides me being half Bael, but I believe I will benefit from our arrangement either way.
I need some time to digest all the information I discussed with Zekram this afternoon but the gist of it is that the Gremory and Sitri overextend, though more so the Gremory. It seems Lord Gremory got greedy when building in Valefor our natural resources had been exploited to fuel the powerful political machine that is the Gremory clan.
If I went through with forcing them to remove their infrastructure I would cause considerable damage to the Gremory's economy, I would essentially be destroying their money making machine.
Sure they may not notice it for a couple of decades but in 40 years or so the damage could be catastrophic. Luckily for them, I'm not planning on doing that, I'm not one to waste resources after all.
Closing my eyes to rest a little my attempt for some peace and quiet is interrupted by a small bell sound right next to my ear.
Turning my head in the direction of the sounds, I see that somehow a note was sitting on top of one of the pillows I wasn't using, and behind it was a… coin?
What?
Moving towards the note I quickly scan through it.
"Sorry about dropping on you and killing you" followed by some crying and laughing emojis "Please take this as an apology, signed… the strongest gamer" the apology part also had some dogs praying making my eyes turn slightly dead at the absurdity of it all.
Behind the coin was another note. Apparently snaping the coin in half will summon someone from a different world as a possible companion and interesting gift for sure but not one I felt like using right now, maybe when I am alone and can make up where whoever I summon came from.
It isn't a bad apology gift at all.
…
I'm still a little resentful though.
I shook my head trying to keep my head from any dark thoughts what can I do now?
How about an upgrade quest?
[Illusion Grandmistress Upgrade Quest]
(8/5) Gain valuable information out of an enemy with the Influence Others skill
(0/1) Gain an ally using the Influence Environment skill
It counts retroactive uses which is great, I did interrogate a lot of low-class devils using influence others.
Now that I think about it didn't Zekram say that one of my cousins is visiting tomorrow? Sairaorg if I remember correctly, how convenient indeed.
Sneaking a glance of my room I quickly spot a PC on a desk, nothing too modern, though guess that's the early 2000's to you, still useful.
Let's see what information can I get about my cousin with this.
Change in POV
(Serafall Leviathan)
Serafall easily ignored her parents shouting at each other about what they should do about the newest hot prospect in the Underworld, Naz Valefor.
The Sitri clan (even if legally she wasn't a Sitri) sat around one of their business tables the only other person being cute little Sona-tan
Her sister's nose was twitching adorably as she tried to follow through with everything that Serafall had said. As smart as Sona was her lack of experience was showing right now.
"Serafall what would be your assessment of the girl" her mother suddenly said the mature woman looked like a mature version of Sona though she lacked the glasses, an essential part in her opinion.
Now, what DID she think of the girl?
"She is sharp, sharper than you would expect from a Valefor at least" She remembers the Valefor, of course, she did. The previous Lord Valefor was one of the few Ultimate Class Lords the Old Satans had at their disposal.
She was stronger than him even then, but it wasn't as big as a gap that she would feel comfortable with. In the end, it was Ajuka that dealt with him and it was her fellow Satan's smarts combined with the disparity in power that allowed them to keep the destruction to a minimum.
With all that said the Valefor weren't the biggest threat in the political arena.
"She seems to act more Bael than Valefor at any rate" really the move she made today was all Zekram, even if a novice version of what the man could do.
"Oh? how so?" Asked her mother with a tinge of worry on her tone, Sona seemed to lean forward eagerly on her chair if the subject wasn't serious she would have leaned forward and pat her head, how adorable.
"The girl literally broke from a seal today, after spending 500 years sealed her first move wasn't getting depressed or angry but collecting information and seizing an opportunity" It was a risky plan but she could admit that it brought results and if the appearance of Zekram was planned on her part (she doubted it) then the girl showed signs of being a great on-the-spot planner.
"What would most devil heirs and heiresses today do if they suddenly woke up to their family dead and lands seized by a different clan? their old government gone and dead?" Sona winced as Naz's situation was thrown into the open.
She knew the answer, of course, this newest generation of pureblood high-class devils showed great potential powerwise but their mental and political game was weak.
Even her cute little sister, as much as she loved her, wasn't excluded. Maybe Sona didn't have as much potential as Serafall herself but she wasn't that far off either.
What was the human saying 'Peaceful times breed weak men'?
"Do you think she may become a threat to our family?" her father asked making her narrow her eyes at him, he better not be thinking anything stupid
"Not unless forced into one in my opinion, though I lack information about her" she only had their meeting today and their letter communication back during the civil war. It was better than nothing but loss made people change as she most definitely knew so who knows how much the girl changed due to trauma?
"She is with Zekram now anyway" she declared with a wave of her hand, making her father wince, any ideas of politically coercing or forcing the girl going down the drain where they belonged.
"The girl is half Bael so that probably explains Zekram's interest in her" Her mother thought aloud, making Serafall nod, her mother had always been the brain of the couple.
"Is this girl related to Rias then?" spoke Sona for the first time since the meeting started with a focused look.
"They are cousins her mother and Aunt Venelana were sisters" she quickly explained getting an understanding look in return, she wanted to boop that nose so much, she was fucking tired and needed her Sona energy recharged.
"Lucky" came from her father's lips reflexively though this time Serafall agreed, they didn't have a familial link to play into like the Gremory did and Serafall doubted Zekram would let the girl do TOO much damage to a family with her descendants in it.
Frankly, the Valefor hot springs were too profitable to just give over, they were much more profitable than their hospitals at any rate.
That didn't mean that the Sitri would die without them but it would be a loss that would be felt for years to come as they found alternative income sources.
And it would ALSO make the Sitri look weak, and that was bad for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which being Serafall herself looking weak. As much as they insisted that the Satans weren't helping or related to their families any longer the truth was that their reputations reflected on each other.
And Serafall couldn't afford to look weak, now more so than ever with pro-Old Satans sentiment growing slowly but steadily.
"She did seem willing to discuss things out in a civilized way" Serafall admitted, it was honestly much better than she expected she knew that in her position she would have probably killed someone.
"Actually she seemed interested in meeting you Sona-tan!" cheerfully said Serafall pointing at the said girl whose eyes widened in surprise.
"W-what? Why!?" the girl's stuttered, her brain struggling to understand the sudden proclamation.
"Something, something about wanting to meet you because you were great" not remotely true but it was amusing and Serafall deserved something out of this stressful day.
Sona looked even more confused which made her chuckle, a little some suspicion in the younger girl's eyes.
Honestly, it wasn't a half-bad idea, Naz had that certain element that only the heirs raised during war times had, she knew how dangerous things could get if only some of that wariness stuck to Sona then Serafall would be euphoric!
Really her adorable little sister was TOO arrogant for her own good at times, it was cute most of the time but it could honestly come to bite Sona on her perky little ass.
Serafall was worried that Sona would decide to fight someone she has no chance of even scratching just out of pride one day. Serafall had a lot of enemies and some may go after Sona.
The only young heir that showed signs of understanding stuff like that was Sairaorg, now Naz as well she supposed but she didn't really count.
"I think you should meet up with her, I will make the arrangements!" Serafall happily said not asking for Sona's opinion.
She respected Sona's independence as a growing teenage girl but she flexed her big sis rights by ignoring her opinion and going through with her idea anyways!
And if Sona and Naz become friends which would smooth this whole land dispute thing over then all the better.
(Change in POV)
Back to Naz
The internet is a wonderful thing, I learned a lot yesterday and today.
It was currently 10:30 AM my cousin Sairaorg is supposed to come to visit me in half an hour or so. I decided to have some brunch in the flower garden here in the Bael Castle in the meanwhile.
Green tea and some croissants, nothing too heavy mostly getting some sugar and caffeine in my system to help my thinking, the scent of multiple flowers also helps.
So Sairaorg is the disgraced son of the current Lord Bael, stripped of his position as heir which was passed to his younger half-brother due to lacking the Bael devil trait.
Or at least that was the case until a couple of months ago when Sairaorg came from his unofficial exile beating his brother Magdaral with the greatest of ease and regaining his title as heir through combat.
I must say that I'm quite impressed the great majority of devils would just have settled for mediocrity hiding in their shame, but it seems my cousin is built differently. The most promising devil youth indeed.
He would be a great ally to have no doubt. Mainly due to him being the heir of the Bael house.
He also seems to be a bit of a battle maniac if rumors are to be believed and an easy way to get points with him would be to indulge him.
It wasn't only him that I investigated, my other cousin Rias, proved to be interesting as well if not as interesting.
Locked in a marriage contract with a third son from a lower house, she fights tooth and nail against the contract making her displeasure clear. Her arguments with Riser Phenex on the devil equivalent of Twitter proved to be as entertaining as they were insightful.
The Phenex boy basically didn't really care, he went partying every other day and most of those times he enjoyed the company of some random woman, his own peerage was also a harem for him.
His opinion of Rias from the multitude of baiting tweets was more or less 'A hot girl that was also crazy and a pain in the ass' he didn't seem eager at all for getting married but he also didn't seem against it.
Sadly for him, there were a lot of devils that were crazy about Rias mainly her looks so his reputation has taken some blows from the sheer vitriolic attacks Rias has been throwing his way.
'If Rias is so angry then he must have done something really bad' was the justification used and rumors about what exactly he had done to get Rias' anger were as abundant as they were bizarre.
Some say that Riser had sex with one of Rias' peerage members and the girl was jealous. Others say that Riser tried to sexually assault her.
It was all baseless and it only stroked the tensions. It was truly a complicated situation that I can clearly take advantage of.
Rias is clearly a prideful girl and pride is really easy to manipulate, add desperation to all that and I think I may be onto something.
"Lady Valefor, Heir Bael has entered the castle where would you want to greet him?" Zekram had ordered all the maids to call me by future title and declared me an official guest of the Bael house, this means I have a lot of control over the maids as long as I didn't order them to do anything that would harm the Bael clan.
"How about a small dining hall? Show him in and serve him some beverages I would like to make an entrance" I finally decide with a giggle, maybe it is my Curse of a Trickster drawback but I feel like teasing him a little.
"It shall be done my Lady" sheesh maids can be so boring, it seems Zekram subscribes to the 'not heard and not seen' school of thought for maids.
That is just unappealing in my opinion, I would like my maids with a little more flair and personality.
Whatever I can plan my future maids later right now I have a cousin to prank.
Change in POV
(Sairaorg Bael)
If Sairaorg was being honest with himself, this whole thing was kind of awkward.
He received a message from Zekram, apparently, he had a new cousin. Even with his admittedly straightforward life view, he was a little lost at that.
He had some of his smarter peerage members investigate what they could for him since Zekram proved to be tight-lipped knowing the man this was some kind of test.
The only notable news that they could potentially link were the rumors of the Valefor clan being reinstated, a long-lost heir, or something. That didn't exactly explain how they were cousins given that his only possible cousins should have to be born from Aunt Venelana which obviously wasn't the case.
At least he had his Queen with him, Kuisha was much better at this kind of stuff.
Turns out that getting relegated to the outskirts of the Bael territory for most of his life didn't give him the best training in politics. His mom tried to teach him as best she could before… well before.
As things were currently he was only slightly awkward as he was guided to a seat on one of the incredible fancy dining tables his seat pointing towards a set of twin staircases where he assumed his mystery cousin would show up.
He and Kuisha had less than a minute of privacy before the doors at the top of the staircase were burst open a figure walking with slow but purposeful steps a clacking sound that he knew belonged to a pair of high-heel shoes being the only source of noise.
Getting his first look at his supposedly new cousin as she descended the stairs a hand daintily tracing the golden railing. His eyes focused first on the set of white horns standing proudly on either side of the girl's head, a very rare sight in a devil.
Her red eyes seemed deeply focused on him, red seemed to be her color of choice actually. She wore a tailcoat jacket that was a shade of red that Kuisha would probably scold him for not knowing.
Her outfit was different from what he was used to in female devils, a black dress shirt under her jacket (some kind of tailcoat) and some red trouser pants, she even had some black thin gloves the most skin she showed was the skin of her feet due to her high heel design.
It was more conservative than what most female devils chose to be sure, Kuisha at his side for example was wearing a dress that showed quite a bit of cleavage.
That didn't mean that it wasn't hot, the clothes were tight enough that they looked painted into her skin, she was really curvy and her breasts sizeable if not the biggest he had ever seen.
Some (even in his own peerage) thought that he had no interest in women being a complete battle maniac, but he wasn't (totally) clueless.
He was still a hot-blooded devil teenager of course he thought about sex.
Suddenly noticing that he had spent most of the girl's descent staring at her body, he looked at her face only to be met with a completely smug smirk, satan's dammit.
"It is great to finally meet you Heir Bael, I must say that I have been quite intrigued about you if some of the information I was given was correct" her voice was a little deeper than he expected from her body type, it was surprisingly nice.
"My name is Naz Valefor, heir to the Valefor clan and future Lady" his eyes widened and he could feel his Queen's body stiffen slightly as their theory proved correct.
"I'm sure you have some questions but those can be answered after we get you something to eat" he almost jumped when he heard the same voice suddenly behind him.
Spinning around he was greeted by the same smug-looking face now less than a meter behind him and his queen, a quick glance to the girl's previous location showed nothing but air.
What!? how fast was she to sneak behind him without him even noticing!? He felt her demonic power when he entered the room, she was slightly stronger than Riser Phenex at least when it came to demonic power.
That shouldn't be anywhere near enough to blindside him like that.
"Come on don't just stare, look here come the maids" The girl pointed forward where a group of maids was arriving carrying food and drinks but that was hardly what caught his attention.
No, he was much more focused on the figure of one Naz Valefor calmly staring at him as she sat on the table the mirth in her eyes clear. Looking behind him was again showed nothing but air.
Okay he was officially confused, slightly disoriented, and even dare he say bamboozled.
(Change in PoV)
Naz
It was hard to keep my expression to only a smirk when I was cackling inside. I choose the correct class indeed.
It was an easy enough trick to pull using Influence environment to create an illusionary copy of myself and make myself invisible, I have actually been sitting here the whole time while my copies talked.
It allowed me to keep a close eye on my cousin's reactions, which were quite fun.
"Wow that was quite a trick Heir Valefor" commented Sairaorg with an easy-going smile, he is a simple kid from what I have gathered.
"Oh call me Naz, we are cousins after all" he is powerful too and clearly has a focus on melee combat, though anyone who gave him a look could have told the last part, the guy is built.
"Then I must ask you to call me Sairaorg" I nodded easily and then gave a pointed look at the woman beside him.
"AH! This is my Queen Kuisha Abaddon" he introduced proudly, while we smiled at each other politely, I knew that of course, Queens are almost as famous as their Kings a lot of the time.
I didn't miss how her smile had a hint of resentment… no jealousy. Well, nothing that can be done about Sairaorg gave me a long look after all, the girl probably has a crush on her King as is also common.
Who can blame him though? I'm striking.
Not like I am planning on fucking my own cousin, but I won't hold anything against him for looking as long as he keeps it polite. Devils are creatures of sin so temptation will be there.
I can admit Sairaorg is really handsome and the previous Naz used to have a lot of interest in Sirzechs as a young teen (powerful, hot, and surprisingly kind) she grew out of it though.
We started chatting from there, I talked about my circumstances which opened Sairaorg to talk about HIS. It was a little heavy so I made sure to joke around a little and add Kuisha into the conversation when I could.
It wouldn't do to have the Queen of a potential ally have some resentment against me when I could easily avoid it.
I found them to be surprisingly nice company even if Sairaorg is kind of muscle-brained. Another reason why I wouldn't consider a relationship with him I like my men (and women) to be a little sharper.
"Though I must say that moved you pulled off at the beginning was fascinating" said Kuisha, Sairaorg nodded alongside with a growing smirk.
Kuisha quickly noticed the expression on her King's face but was too late to stop him.
"Hey Naz, want to spar with me?" Kusiha's tired expression gave me a chuckle, poor girl having to take care of a guy like this.
"Sure" I answered before she could apologize for his King making her eyes widen and Sairaorg grin excitedly.
Sairaorg isn't a complex man to carefully work and step around, this is exactly the kind of thing that will get me what I want.
"Heir Valefor you don't have to do this" hastily said Kuisha as I handed my tailcoat jacket to one of the maids, it left me with my black dress shirt a red vest on top of it I even had a cute little bow tie to finish the look.
"I know my dear" I answered her for the fourth time, Sairaorg was already stretching his limbs on one of the many Bael training arenas. The whole thing was surprisingly spartan with a simple plain terrain, no obstacles or uneven terrain to worry about,
I was sure there were more complex arenas available though.
"My cousin seems to enjoy fighting a lot, it would be rude of me to not indulge him and his passion at least a little" I finally explain with a chuckle
Kuisha still looked worried but settled with just a sigh, she quickly glided towards the center of the arena. We need a ref to keep things from getting too crazy after all.
"Thanks for agreeing to this Naz!" Sairaorg's earnest smile was contagious, or maybe that was my own eagerness?
I really want to try this body out, I have the previous Naz's memories but it isn't the same. I have literal super-strength now! I want to test it.
"Think nothing of it, I hear you have earned a reputation as the 'Strongest Youth', I am curious to see how this generation of devils stands up against my own" My generation is actually a lot smaller than this one though, there are a lot of heirs born in less of a couple of years between each other.
The only girl my own age was Katerea Leviathan and the males were all from lesser houses.
It seems Naz's memories are affecting me cause I actually miss Katerea, the huge tsundere that she was.
"Start at my signal okay?" Kuisha's words brought me out of my thoughts, I will check out how Katerea is doing another day.
The girl was casting a spell I assume the signal will become obvious when it comes.
I took a focusing breath and took a fighting stance. Left foot and shoulder forward pointing at the center of Sairaorg's body, my hands raised until they were at the level of my eyes, shoulders protecting my chin and elbows my torso.
The Valefor prefer a melee style of combat due to our trait being the most damaging at that range, all of this was muscle memory from this body. Which was appreciated since I was more a lover than a fighter in my previous life.
Even if Naz was never sent to the frontlines when the Civil War started she was still trained just in case. I am frustrated that the girl didn't train as hard as she should have but nothing to be done about it now.
"Oh! a fellow fighter!" happily said Sairaorg getting into his own stance, looking sharp and comfortable a sign of an experienced and confident fighter.
I wouldn't qualify myself as a fighter in the way he probably means, I do prefer fighting up close but that is purely from a pragmatic standpoint. If my trait and training were better suited for range then that's where you would find me.
I started bouncing on the tip of my toes, paying Kuisha only the necessary amount of attention. The training I didn't actually do coming to me as I focused my eyes on Sairaorgs neck and upper torso.
I barely reacted when I heard an explosion coming from the sidelines, what I did react to was the 6 feet 4 inches muscular teen rushing at me at blurring speeds.
Bending forward at the waist I was only hit by the wind from his initial attack his extended right arm hanging over me.
I didn't hesitate to snap two jabs in quick succession both impacting his left forearm and giving me some distance.
Takin a light step back I left an illusionary copy of myself behind and made myself invisible at the same time, it was hard to do illusions while fighting at such speeds. Pulling something like when I met him off was probably impossible right now.
Guess that is what my base skills get me, more of a reason to get that upgrade quest done.
Sairaorg jumped with a quick flying kick at the copy, making it dissipate, his befuddled expression bringing a big smirk to my (currently invisible) face.
"Eh?" left his mouth dumbly as he stared at where the copy used to be, still in the air.
I didn't waste the chance of course, while he was still confused I dash forward and let my right hand go, the straight punch connecting cleanly with the kid's chin.
A sound not dissimilar to a canon going off and Sairaorg being sent flying like 60 feet were the results. A crater forming and dust flying up from the impact his body had on the ground.
Oh, that felt GOOD! The glove on my right hand was completely destroyed but it felt completely worth it.
A groan of pain came from the newly formed crater, the dust leveling off to show Sairaorg rubbing his chin with a considering look.
"You have heavy hands Naz" He joked making me giggle "And illusions huh? that explains a lot" I shrug in a 'what can you do' way I felt no shame after all.
"Any chance that I can see that devil trait of yours?" I can't believe a man his size can give such an adorable pleading look.
"I probably shouldn't, I am a guest here so destroying TOO much of this arena is probably a bad idea" I admit with a small sigh, I do want to test my trait against someone like Sairaorg.
I can tell he isn't really hurt by the punch and I put my back into that one, I also have the suspicion that is far from his strongest, devils love their secret power-ups.
"Oh don't worry about that, I am the heir so I am sure that destroying some of the training ground is okay as long as it counts as training" I chuckled at his simple excuse, poor Kuisha.
"I suppose that is fair" honestly it is a pretty dumb excuse but I can always use it to blame Sairaorg.
Besides, the Bael are filthy rich a single plain training ground is hardly a dent in their fortune.
I made myself invisible again and started throwing illusionary copies of myself at him, coming from all angles he was able to handle most of them with wide attacks and sweeping kicks.
They can't do damage to him of course, but they keep him distracted.
Some threw melee attacks and others did spells (I do know a couple of them even if I prefer to just punch).
It was quite funny to see, poor Sairaorg was getting frustrated with all the illusions jumping at him.
I suppose one could argue that what I am doing wasn't really honorable, to those people I say… you are 100% right.
Whyever would I fight fair? I have nothing to prove, I am prideful yes that is certain. But pride doesn't mean forfeiting your advantages to satiate a hurt ego, that is called being a fool.
So I watched and chuckled as my cousin made copy after copy dissipate, his arduously honed battle instincts served him well reacting with the correct attack without a moment's hesitation.
'Being invisible is so much fun' I thought as I walked using Influence Environment to hide my footsteps, walking ever so slowly and carefully closer to Sairaorg not stopping the illusionary barrage.
Fun fact about instincts, they work due to muscle memory yes, but that muscle memory needs a cue to activate. The tensing of an enemy's muscle, the sound of a flying football, a particular note in a song, all of them were valid.
The thing is though, that those signs start losing their meaning when they were sent in repeat.
A jumpscare for example, when you watch a movie may manage to draw a reaction from you, but what would happen if you were shown the jumpscare in repeat? five times, ten times, twenty times even.
It would reach a point where the jumpscare would lose all its meaning and stop getting the reaction.
As I spotted Sairaorgs attacks growing slower and confusion start to settle into his expression the feeling of smugness grew, along with my amusement.
The illusions have been attacking him at the same pattern since the beginning making his body go into auto-pilot, elbow, shove, spinning kick, uppercut. It isn't a very noticeable pattern, but I have no doubt that Sairaorg will notice it eventually.
Not like I will give him a chance though.
'Elbow, shove, spinning kick… NOW!' I jumped at the place my illusion would have been and rushed my cousin. He reacted automatically as I moved the same way the copy had the previous 20 times.
Leaning to the right side of the lazily thrown uppercut, I grinned from ear to ear, my hand shaking as I formed a white sphere on it using my trait.
"BONK!" I shouted as my right hook barely connected through Sairaorg's rushed guard, my charged fist smashing into his lower ribs with a mighty cracking sound.
"UGH!" I watched as he was bent over by the attack, as to be expected white cracks started expanding from the zone of impact, the very earth under us breaking.
I wasn't going all out with my attack, of course I wasn't, why would I? But even when not at full power the Valefor trait was feared for a reason.
I remember training under Lord Valefor, my father, he was able to almost bend reality with his attacks, the shape of enemy and terrain alike distorting when hit by his attacks.
I am frustratingly not at that level yet.
I was about to dissipate the attack not wanting to do any permanent damage when I felt two hands grasp my forearm.
I looked with wide eyes as Sairaorg seemed to grind his teeth together and fight through the pain and concentrate.
"Nice punch" he managed to push out before a white aura enveloped him, his grasp on my arm turned from tight to constricting and I could feel my fist that had been sunk into his flesh be pushed back.
Was this touki!? A devil with touki? a young one at that!?
Learning to use one's own life force is almost impossible for devils, I would expect such a powerful aura from an elder youkai.
Sairaorg was able to push my arm away with seemingly no effort.
'Oh this is going to hurt isn't it?' was my last thought before Sairaorg moved like a blur his uppercut, hitting my chest and sending me flying through the air.
'I may have underestimated him' was the thought that carried me through the air until I touched the ground again making a crater, not unlike the one I had sent Sairaorg into.
Yup definitely underestimated him, if it wasn't for my unique physiology I would probably have been knocked spark-out by that punch. As it was I only had to deal with throbbing pain over my torso, a mild headache, and a bruised ego.
So the strongest youth got that title for a reason, fair enough. If nothing else this is a great incentive to form that alliance with the ki-MAN, he has earned that much at least. Just thinking about the amount of effort it would take to unlock touki as a devil… yes Sairaorg is definitely an ally to have.
Pressing my hands on my knees I manage to stand up with only a slight stumble. Climbing out of the crater I made with my body, I am greeted by Sairaorg his white aura still activated.
I raise my hands in a placating manner "Calm down cousin, you beat me" the man still looked slightly suspicious, nice instincts "I am also not an illusion, I swear on the Valefor house" at that he calmed down his aura with a simple exhale.
"You sure don't hold back, do you? punching a beautiful lady like myself that hard" I grinned teasingly as Sairaorg started looking sheepish "Really at this rate you will never get a girlfriend" I start giggling as he choked on air.
That wasn't even remotely true of course, devil women love power and he was positioning himself as the cream of the crop of his generation.
His lack of a devil trait is probably a deterrent to some families but with enough power it becomes meaningless. Having an ultimate class in the family is a sign of prestige after all.
Is Sairaorg ultimate class? I don't know he is certainly powerful with that touki of his, on the upper echelons of high-class to be sure… but what if that isn't the full extent of his power?
I am not underestimating the man again.
"Sorry Naz, I just got pumped during the fight, the Valefor clan trait sure is something else!" He said with an honest smile rubbing where I had punched him "I think you gave me some bruised ribs"
"I'm also feeling a little stiff" I murmured touching where HE had hit me and wincing, that wince quickly grew into a grin as an idea struck me.
"You know Sairaorg we are both hurt and a little dirty from this whole spar so how about…" leaning into his ear I whisper the rest, chuckling as he got a healthy pink blush on his cheeks.
"And Kuisha can join us!" I shout getting the girl's attention, she had been looking from afar with a curios expression seemingly understanding my and Sairaorg's situation as one he should manage alone.
"To the baths!" I declare with a grin dragging Kuisha and leaving Sairaorg behind.
I doubt that he will enter the bath with us, he doesn't seem the type but if he actually does I wouldn't have a problem with it.
I have nothing to be embarrassed about with a body like mine, and I do prefer daring men.
I did say I had no plans of bedding my own cousin and that is true, but if it benefits me to do some flirting with him then I won't hesitate.
He is the heir of the leader of one of the most important factions in Hell, and a possible ultimate class devil, he is an ally I want close at hand.
I have definitely won men over for less than that, and besides, it isn't like he is hard in the eyes anyway.
And that was chapter two, hope you guys liked it!
A lot happened, with the reaction of certain important characters and the introduction of Sairaorg to the fic.
For those wondering Naz won't be fucking Sairaorg but she will tease him, Naz is an opportunist and Sairaorg is the heir to one of the most important men in Hell, so she sees her looks as something to take advantage of.
The companion Gem has also been given, they won't be too common, I'm thinking 3 or 4 of them tops and the first companion has already been chosen a certain kinky blonde will make her debut next chapter.
If any of you are wondering Naz's outfit is the one from the cover of this fic (minus all the fly themes)
I'm making a list of Naz's gamer powers at the end of each chapter from now on, just so that you guys don't have to be looking for them through chapters.
[Devil Noble]
-Demonic Power - Adept
Now you are able to use the demonic power surging through you with above-average skill, this also translates to the use of the devil's imagination magic system
-Territory Management - Apprentice
As a heiress to an influential devil clan, you were supposed to take certain responsibilities and while your training was never completed due to your circumstances you still have some understanding of exactly how to manage a territory.
-Politicking - Adept
No noble should call themselves such without the ability to manage through the less violent but still equally dangerous battlefield of politics, you can proudly call yourself one.
[Valefor Heritage]
Tremor (Valefor Trait)- The iconic devil trait of the Valefor clan what it lacks in utility and versatility it makes up with sheer destructive power, the ability to create 'quakes' is now in your hands
Unique Physiology (Valefor Trait)- Valefors have developed resistance to the recoil of their devil trait over time you are no exception your physical strength and endurance are above a devil of equivalent demonic power.
[Illusion Grandmistress ]
Influence Others Rank 1 - Active
As an Illusionist melding the minds of others is just par for the course, from terror to elation manipulating emotions has never been easier
Influence Environment Rank 1 - Active
The other branch of Illusion magic, not directly affecting anybody while not as powerful now, eventually you will be able to thread illusions complex enough to make Loki green with envy.
Charming Presence - Passive
Your deep understanding of the power of illusions seems to have created a permanent passive effect on you. Your threats are twice as intimidating your promises twice as alluring and your sweet words are all the more encapsulating
Curse of the Trickster - Drawback
You just seem to love messing with people, using your illusions to get some amusement is to be expected though it isn't all fun and games as you also have an inclination to manipulate people even allies to achieve your goals.