howdy campers ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Thank you for teh reviews and teh follows, here's hoping for that 1k followers mark

And I'd like to extend a special thanks to Tyrese, Raven and Akashi and Ozekee, whose reviews reignited my desire to continue on writing this story.
haha. geddit? desire? cuz luci can read desires?

Btw i tweaked chapter 1 little bit. Took down Lucifer's childishness and gave him a more appropriate 'bored god' vibe when talking to boney boy hades

Lucifer: Yearning Armageddon

Chapter 9

|| The Temptation of Freedom ||

"Lucifer? Oooh~!" Tamamo squealed heartily. She had been dying to gush her new lover to anyone, but couldn't because of her newly acquired duties. When she was done acting and appearing as the Guardian, she had to revert back to herself so that the staff wouldn't notice she'd ever gone missing.

Three paces away from her, laying on her futon, Rossweisse jerked back an inch. She will be sleeping in Yasaka's room tonight as her bodyguard, apparently. She knew The Devil didn't need to sleep like most of them would, so why couldn't he stay with his foxy lover instead of her?

Did he think she'd wanted a sleepover? Well she'd loved to experience it —it was her dream— but Rossweisse doubted Lucifer was the kind to sympathize or be that sentimental. At the very most, he sent her here because he'd had enough of her for a day and it really was just to protect Tamamo.

Still, there were worse reasons to be given a break.

But perhaps she should have chosen a better person to ask about Lucifer.

"Mmmnh~! What's not to like?" Tamamo spouted, her hands clasped and brought to the side of her pink hair. "He's unrushed when he speaks… There's this subtle rhythm to his speech and, oh goodness, his voice has that rich deepness. Whenever he whispers into your ears, it's as if you're given no other choice but to float into his arms."

She skeptically furrowed her silver brows. 'Float…? Like balloons? Is his voice helium?'

Rossweisse was well-versed in most studies. Unfortunately her studies did not cover the subject of romance or romantic expressions.

"...I…don't want to bring this up but I'm too curious… If I'm being impolite then feel free to scold me. But… you're aware that he has Lady Yasaka, no…?"

She saw the excitement left on the fox yōkai's face, and felt guilty for bringing such an uncomfortable topic.

"I know. I'm not his special one nor am I his first lady… but… It's not the first time either," she said, and her face brightened into a smile. "Well, even so, the happiness I feel right now is real. We are blessed with a long life, a curse to some, I'm sure. Maybe I won't always be by his side until the end of ages… This I know."

Rossweisse wished she had kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to be a killjoy.

"But tell me, Rossweisse-dono, am I wrong for wanting to live the moment and not take him for granted? I feel happiest when I am by his side… Safest. My heart flutters knowing he cares… more than a wretch like me deserves. For once, I feel wanted. Is that so wrong?"

Morning arrived in the night at Old Kyoto, and Tamamo watched carefully with her vivacious amber eyes the small, squarish object in her hands. All black in color. Front and back. As thin as ten tarot cards stacked together and weighed just as weightless. A smartphone that Lucifer tweaked for her. In other words, it was a gift! A first gift from him! How generous!

Luckily for her, they were alone in the room together with his assistant, meaning she could drop her illusion and wag her bushy tail all she wished. Unluckily for her, they were about to leave.

"I'll treasure this until the day I die!"

"I'd rather you use it," Lucifer told her pointedly, unable to stress it enough.

"Yes!"

"Those dunces meant something to their cult. Their patience is running or has run out, hence why that roving band of heroes came by. I doubt that was the last you've seen of their skin. Fortunately for you, the spearman was the leader of their section and the people he brought with him were his chosen best."

And none of them left a lasting impression, but that was the expected outcome the moment they told him of their 'great noble goal'.

Tamamo blinked owlishly. "How did you know?"

"One of them told me," Lucifer smiled smoothly as Rossweisse shuddered. That Jeanne lass was stolid and defiant. No chance of her telling The Devil willingly. She could only picture what happened when she lost consciousness.

"They'll send people here. Scouts, at the least. If not to find out what has happened to them, then it's to spirit you away back to their fort. Should they poke their noses again; call her."

Rossweisse blinked after Lucifer nudged his chin at her. "M-Me?"

Tamamo did the same. "Her?"

"She's my secretary," Lucifer said it with the same tone he used whenever he was making light of things. Which was a great deal of many things.

"Well— yes," Rossweisse couldn't argue with that, "but… why not you directly?"

He gave her a look. "Because I'm not my secretary."

"It just sounds inconvenient, is all…" Rossweisse tried to reason.

"For you."

The valkyrie-turned-secretary —valkyrtary— pouted. She was starting to think Lucifer was doing this to annoy her. She wasn't wrong.

"Okay, understood," Tamamo nodded and gleamed as she clasped her new phone, her single tail wagging side to side as she bowed deeply. "Thank you very much again for your assistance, Lucifer-sama! Every one of us yōkai clans owe you a great deal of debt."

"Reserve being indebted to me as last resort," Lucifer said, half-jokingly. "No. There is no debt, vixen. Everything I've done and will do for you and the Old Fox has been and still will be by my own volition. A goodwill, you're free to assume. Benefits of being a friend and lover."

Tamamo's smile sweetened. She was fine with just being his lover, but from what she had learned so far from the rumors and stories alike; The Devil was very picky with his friends. She wondered what happened between him and Lady Yasaka.

But in truth, Lucifer wasn't exactly picky. How could he when there wasn't much to pick? How many would willingly want to be a friend of someone known by many as The Nemesis?

"I'll wait and long for your return and pray for your well-being. And to you as well, Rossweisse-dono. Words fail to express my gratitude."

"I-It's fine! I… didn't do much anyway…" the secretary responded meekly.

Lucifer scowled. "When thanked, take it with pride."

"But I really haven't done anything!" Rossweisse argued, "I don't want false credits."

"I've brought you to the Void. That is nothing. Don't discredit yourself. It's annoying."

"I… well…" Rossweisse muted herself, thinking, ruminating his words, and found some right within them. "...Th…thanks… I-I mean, you're welcome."

"That was pathetic," The Devil sighed. This time he was unaware he had further enraptured poor Tamamo's heart. "Either way your concern is appreciated," The Devil smirk-smiled, and he was well aware Tamamo was expecting something more than just a mere goodbye with words. He could see it in her eyes, how they surreptitiously glanced on his lips, yearning for a kiss.

Being the third-wheel for the umpteenth time in her life, Rossweisse had prepared to roll her eyes and look away in jealousy. The sexual tension between their silent stare was so thick that it was like goo choking her throat.

"Until next time." But he denied it. For now. If only to see the fox's cute little frown as he conjured his Gate, stepping towards it without fanfare much to Tamamo's disappointment and Rossweisse's awkward surprise.

Seeing Tamamo's downcast expression, Rossweisse felt bad for the kitsune, especially after their talk last night. Seeing her flattening vulpine ears stirred this great urge inside of her to give Tamamo a few headpats, but she probably wanted Lucifer's headpats rather than hers. So Rossweisse excused herself and skipped over the distorted Gate, crossing Realms within a matter of a single step.

The sudden rise of lighting caused her to squint her eyes. The hour must be somewhere in the later stage of morning as she could feel the warm sunlight poking on her skin. It was too cool to be noon and not hot enough for it to be after. She looked around to gather her surroundings, noticed that they were inside some woody area as there were far too many trees, but the trees were neatly spaced as though those were planted by human hands.

Perhaps a town park?

"So where are we now in Japan?" she finally asked. "And why?"

"Kuoh Town. Its park," Lucifer answered as he moved along.

Now smiling to herself for guessing correctly, Rossweisse tailed him. She assumed he knew where they were heading, although it would be pretty amusing if he didn't.

"Why here?"

"Azazel made a deal with me."

Not the right answer to her question, but oh well.

"The Chief Governor of Grigori?"

"For the time being."

She didn't like how ominous that sounded. "...Silly of him to make a deal with you. Lord Odin always said he's one of the brighter ones."

Lucifer smiled. Her frankness was well-appreciated. "Unwise of him, yes. While I do find him more tolerable than most, his arrogance blinded him."

"Arrogance?"

"Mistaking my tolerance as camaraderie."

"You're tolerating him? I thought for sure you'd at least have a better relationship with him… since… you know… you both fell."

"He fell into temptation. I chose to leave Heaven. Big difference there," Lucifer corrected. It was an important fact many people did not know or refused to believe. Public opinion no longer bothered him as much, but those that he planned to interact with for some time did matter to him. Rossweisse seemed to be a part of it. "Still. He thought I would be on his side."

Rossweisse suspected as much.

"Are you even on anyone's side?"

"I am. Yours, at the moment."

She rolled her eyes. The Devil could make lame jokes, apparently.

He grinned. Satisfied with her reaction. The grin didn't last very long. She resisted another urge for an eye roll. Should have seen that coming.

"What about the yōkai?"

"Their leader is my close companion. Closest," he revised. "They happen to be under her rule, and she happens to treasure them the most. While I would get upset should they go extinct, as a whole I'm not attached to them. Just the old vixen. Enough to not want to see her heart torn from losing her people."

How romantic. And surprisingly reasonable. She supposed even The Devil had his soft spots. How lucky those people must be.

"You're older than her," Rossweisse bluntly pointed out. "Hell, you're older than Odin— may his soul rest."

"Age is a concept for beings affected by the passage of time. I looked the same when I was molded by dear ol' dad. Since the very first tick of my sentience. I was blonde then, to be fair… and lacking a penis."

Rossweisse shriveled her face. "I did not need to hear that."

"No, but it's an amusing trivia about angels," Lucifer laughed quietly. "Strip them down and you'll notice the uncanny resemblance their body shares with a toy doll."

"..." He's right. That was pretty amusing to picture. And weird. …And creepy.

Rossweisse grimaced and tried to scatter the mental picture. "I know I will regret asking this… but what makes you grow one?"

"Intercourse is a fun way to raise and express intimacy."

"Alright. I regret I asked."

"Because you haven't experienced any?"

"Rrrgh— no comment!"

Break

After quite some time talking and whining and grumbling, Rossweisse just now realized she didn't really know where they were headed. Although it shouldn't come as a surprise for her anymore. Not having a clue of their (read:his) next destination seemed to be a recurring theme for her journey.

All that said… she had no clue as to why they were standing before a grandiose academy. The building didn't look Japanese in the slightest, and she could tell the Devils had a major influence in this place as she could feel Demonic Magic practically swimming in the air, making her skin crawl.

"Why are we going to a school?" she asked, not expecting much of a straight answer as Lucifer, of course, just went in without ever stopping. "I thought you were visiting Lord Azazel?"

"We are," he announced blandly. "He's around."

"...I thought this area belonged to the devil…"

"You're not mistaken."

Rossweisse furrowed her brows, nonetheless following him deeper into the school, keeping her questions inside her head as she curiously glanced around here and there, inspecting the architectures and the Victorian-esque design. So many differences compared to Asgardian college, where everything was made out of silver or gold or bronze or a combination of the three.

And these structures were man made, strengthened by Demonic Magic only after the construction was done. One thing that greatly impressed her about humanity and their civilizations was the fact they were the same species and yet they were so diverse in culture.

Though their schools could be quite unnerving when it was devoid of students. She forgot what day it was now, but it probably was a holiday. Or the Devils, knowing Azazel's arrival, had emptied the school. Perhaps the Governor had sent them a letter announcing his intent— and now she's over analyzing again. Great. Rossweisse didn't like how geekish she was even outside of her academy.

But that was a barrier she created. She kept her mind busy so she didn't have to listen to all those noises. To enroll in the academy meant she must study. She simply did what was right. The other didn't have the right to criticize her for that. She beat them all in the end by achieving the perfect score. She was personally assigned to be Odin's secretary while her colleagues only managed to be his Guards.

…So why didn't she feel the least bit fulfilled about all that?

"Oof—!" Rossweisse winced as she walked into his back. Lucifer had a far more rigid body than she could've guessed underneath all that formal clothing of his. "Hey! Why did you stop all of a sudden!?"

"We're here."

Now that her mind had returned to reality, Rossweisse just then realized they were standing in front of a door to a… surprisingly shabby building. She could've sworn they were crossing a track field or something… though judging from the overall looks of the building, it seemed to be a school at some point in the past.

"...Why are we just standing here?" she asked, now completely sobered up.

"We're being welcomed, it seems."

Well that was polite of them, or so Rossweisse thought just as the door before them was completely obliterated by a crimson spear, sending splinters everywhere in its wake. Her first thought and act was to conjure a protective barrier in front of them, disregarding the fact Lucifer probably wouldn't need it. The spear itself whizzed past him, and it would have nicked his cheek if he didn't tilt his head slightly. Before it could make any contact with any of the trees behind them, the spear vanished.

"You call that a welcome?!"

"That constitutes an assault, but it happens too often. Perhaps I've mistaken it as a greeting."

"You're used to this?!"

"Expected it," he simply said with not much interest. "I recommend that you should as well, if you plan to stick around."

Rossweisse sighed. Never knew she'd pity The Devil, but she supposed he had done plenty of things that deserved this sort of hostility, being the 'archnemesis' and all that. Unfriendly reception was likely a thing he had gotten far used to bother with.

She followed his stare down the corridor of the old school, and noticed he had been making eye contact with the person that was clearly the culprit. A fallen angel wearing a skin-tight purple bodysuit stood there with looks that could kill. She had long flowing maroon hair, and judging from the intense glare of her red eyes and the sheer unholy power emanating from her, Rossweisse assumed she was one of the higher ranked members of the Grigori.

Naturally, Rossweisse cleared her barrier and placed herself behind Lucifer, grumbling, missing Old Kyoto's hospitality.

"You…" the woman seethed, hostility dripped off her words like venom. By only saying his name had left her tongue tasting like ash.

"Penny." And of course, Lucifer was completely unphased, unagitated, unruffled —and those are just the u's— greeting her like he would a casual acquaintance. He even approached her without regard to her malice. "A surprise seeing you here. I see you're still the same; alive and irritated by me."

'Penny' conjured her spears, a pair of twin crimson lances with gold markings. He just admitted he didn't sense her. That subtle insult didn't go unnoticed.

"Another step and I'll make sure it'll be your last."

"Don't make vows you can't keep. It's a quick way to lose credibility," he replied instead, sauntering along whilst Rossweisse kept hiding behind the door frame, not wanting to catch stray bullets. Or spears. "Azazel's upstairs, I assume."

The fallen angel moved forward, positioning herself between the stairway and The Devil. "Through my dead bo—"

"Alright, no need for that Penemue!" came a shout from the floor above as the Governor had flown himself to the scene, halting his Cadre's sentence which would have been her death sentence. His aggravated look immediately turned into an enervated one once he laid eyes on the suited specimen.

On the other hand, Lucifer still wore that annoying, smuggish smirk on his face as he nodded.

"Azazel."

"Gah… I could have used another thousand years before having to see your face again… Don't you have your own Cosmos to torture?"

"I don't torture my own Creations. Don't mistake me as dad."

Rossweisse shuddered for a reason unclear to her that day.

Azazel groaned. Lucifer would talk smack about his 'dear ol' dad whenever there was a chance. Stupid of him to offer him that chance.

Whatever.

Peeking behind The Devil, he noticed Lucifer wasn't alone this time. "And that lovely miss over there?"

"My assistant. Hardly lovely."

That was uncalled for, Rossweisse grumbled. "Hello… I'm Rossweisse… Valkyrie from Asgard… his intern," she said, still hiding, still very much apprehensive of the situation but assumed things were cooling down at the very least. She didn't feel completely safe as long as that woman over there still carried those mean-looking spears around.

"Assistant, you say?" Azazel quirked his brows. "That's a shocker. I thought you're the lone wolf kind of… specimen… Why the sudden change?"

"You assume I don't appreciate company?"

"You're almost always alone."

"And that translates to me being a loner?"

"Hah! Guess no sane mind would want to be around you for long," Azazel snorted. "Never heard you taking in anyone with you when you're working though. Even if she's a Valkyrie. No offense, miss."

Lucifer only shrugged. "A dying friend's last wish, you can say. She'd be jobless without me."

"Ah." Azazel nodded whereas the valkyrie lowered her eyelids. "You know, I'd feel a lot sorrier for you if you hadn't just killed my people."

That last sentence immediately brought back the reality that Lucifer had massacred at least millions of fallen angels during the Great War right to her face like being slapped like a brick.

"The notion is appreciated," Lucifer only hummed a disinterested tone as a response. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"I'm currently occupied with another meeting with the devils, I'm afraid."

"Oh you'll be a lot more invested in this."

Azazel hated how easily he was tempted from that sentence alone. He wanted to spite Lucifer and told him a big fat 'no' as an insult to his overbearing pride, but he was too curious as to why The Devil would come and visit him personally instead of waiting for him to seek him.

"Dammit…" the Governor cursed after much mulling. "Fine. Let's hear it."

"Don't you have a place more comfortable for a lengthy discussion?"

"My clubroom shall do just fine. Of course, I'd expect you to introduce your unexpected guests once we finish our interrupted meeting, Lord Azazel. That, and a reimbursement for that door."

Another voice. One much more feminine than Penemue's. Shifting their gaze to the source, they saw a devil with striking crimson hair that flowed all the way down to her thighs, presently folding her arms, and evidently displeased with how quickly things had spiraled out of her control in her own domain.

Break

To Rossweisse's surprise, things had progressed rather peacefully. More than she could ask, rather. First they were invited into a cozy, nicely-decorated room. They were directed to take a seat at another set of sofas and armchairs while the devils attend to the fallen angels. Then, they were served a nice sweet tea by a nice looking devil with unbelievably long ponytail.

Lucifer refused, but Rossweisse wasn't going to say no to a cold refurbishment after all that fiasco. Afterwards, without regards to them, the devils progressed with their meeting with the fallen angels without ever once mentioning her or Lucifer.

She had heard of Rias Gremory. Heiress of the Gremory Clan as well as Satan Lucifer's little sister. That wavy crimson hair of hers was just as marveling as rumor went, and Rossweisse couldn't stop herself from feeling a little bit envious of how gorgeous the she-devil was, and how poised she was when she was in fact having a talk with who could be stated as the leader of her kind's natural enemy.

As to why she had decided to ignore what should have been the biggest elephant in the room, Rossweisse assumed it was some psychological thing… she probably didn't know that he was the Lucifer. He was the forefather of all devilkind, surely she would have a greater reaction than blatantly ignoring him, likely mistaking him as Azazel's 'friends', thus labeling him as an outsider not worthy of her attention.

Meanwhile, Rossweisse couldn't make herself completely comfortable as Penemue had been eyeing her employer from the start. Whatever Lucifer did in the past surely had pissed her off. Whatever that was, it was none of her business until Lucifer told it was so.

All in all, it wasn't that bad. That boy's stare on her breasts was annoying, however, but she could put up with it out of courtesy. Though she was surprised Lucifer would just accept being ignored like this… He thought he would have gone up and left.

And he would have, if he wasn't interested in the current topic of their discussion.

"Like I said, Lady Rias, it wasn't us."

"Then explain what we found," Rias spat, barely maintaining her civility as she gazed pointedly towards the pile of black feathers on the coffee table before them. "Those feathers were found at our clients' home. Deceased clients, you must know."

"And I'm telling you it can't be any of my people. In fact, the reason I'm here is to ask you the same question — though it seems to me you're not aware of it either."

"I beg your pardon…? No matter how many times your people have trespassed the borders, not once have we taken such extreme measures, tempting as it is."

"And I believe you. We'd have known if it was a devil that did it… You're reputed to have a good head between your shoulders, not to mention."

Rias lowered her hostility then, easing into her seat. Those words meant something to her.

"If it's not your own, then who else?"

"No sane fallen angels would cause a mess in here. We have rogues, just like the devils have strays, but here? That's highly unlikely."

And Rias knew the answer. It was because she happened to be Sirzechs' sister. An aggravating fact but one she must learn to accept. A tough pill to swallow nonetheless.

"And I'm an advocate of peace. This treaty we have between our factions is the only thing keeping us as Majors."

"Indeed," Rias said, still very much suspicious of the Governor. "You were the one that brokered it, after all."

"Exactly," Azazel smiled.

"Even if your people tend to act as they wish."

His smile faltered into an awkward, sheepish one. She was referring to that incident with Raynare's little splinter cell. That dolt… how did she have the bright idea to attack a reincarnated devil that belonged to Rias out of all devils… Azazel knew how fortunate he was to learn about it sooner before it got uglier.

Silly of him to ask for Lucifer's help. That's a dozen misguided lives lost.

"We're a large group of people with varying aspirations and goals… some are just… a bit ambitious and reckless with that ambition than most. And we've dealt with it swiftly."

"They're dead," Penemue announced. "If that pleases you, Lady Gremory."

"...Dead…?" Rias blinked. That took her off her stride. Her Peerage was surprised about the news too. That explained why she hadn't heard any reports about Raynare. "I… see."

"You seem displeased," Penemue followed through.

"Surprised," the young devil clarified. "I didn't expect their actions warranted them to be executed."

"Wasn't the intention, believe me," Azazel grumbled, shooting a side glance at the perpetrator that ruined his initial plan of rehabilitating that group.

Lucifer, who had been paying attention, gave only a blithe smile.

'Prick,' Azazel huffed. "Either way what's done is done. We have a murder mystery here and it seems like we're dealing with the same culprit. I've lost a hefty amount of good exorcists and workers in this town in just a single day."

"What makes you believe we're looking for the same person?"

"Those black feathers. There's always one or two of them lying around the corpses." Azazel magicked a single feather into his hand and laid it next to the pile. "Same color. These are far too dark for it to be a low-ranking fallen, but the sheen is too fresh and clean for it to be the veterans."

Initially he thought it was Kokabiel's doing, if not for the aforementioned facts.

"Let me have a look," Lucifer finally voiced his thoughts, getting off his seat as he approached the group. He was completely unaware of Rias' disapproving look and Penemue's glare as he picked up a single feather.

Lustrously black with a shade of midnight blue.

Yep. He thought as much.

"These are Gabriel's."

The room went deathly silent, as if he had just said an inappropriate joke at the wrongest time.

"Hold on a second here… She's never left Heaven and she's not the type to just go on a killing spree."

"Not on her own accord," Lucifer said. There was a slight frown on his lips. "I'm guessing she received the same sanction you did when yours turned black."

"She's exiled?" Azazel couldn't even believe his own words and how absurd they sounded. "Get out of here. That's impossible. She's a Seraph. No. No way."

"She was," Lucifer pressed, "until recently. A day at most."

"What the hell did you do this time, Luci?"

"Her poor judgment caused her Fall," he replied, guiltless but not ecstatic about it either. Neutral, if not slightly saddened. "I thought she'd be given more time… I thought he would be softer on her. I was wrong."

"The Devil admitting he was wrong? This day just keeps getting crazier and crazier—" Azazel scoffed, "So you caused her to Fall and now she's here on a rampage. Great. But why here."

Lucifer did not appreciate that accusation especially after what he just said, but he ignored it as he always had.

"I'm not Gabriel," The Devil bluntly stated. "Coincidentally, her Falling is the reason why I'm here for you."

"Oh. Not to call in a favor you forced me to owe?"

"It correlates."

"Should've known," Azazel sighed.

"Pardon me for interrupting your conversation, Lord Azazel," Rias finally said, the mild fury in her apparent for being ignored, "but who is this person? Is he one of yours? Judging from his formalwear?"

"That's just how he dresses. He's Lucifer," Azazel answered plainly, currently wracking his mind to find a solution for a fallen seraph that wouldn't require Lucifer taking part. He'd learn his lesson. The Devil fooled him once. That was enough. "Surprised you didn't recognize your forefather, Lady Rias, though I do suppose he's far too ancient for the younguns to remember."

Rias had to let a few seconds pass before she could respond. "...Pardon me?"

Admittedly, Rossweisse found this name-drop to fascinate her. The reactions of those who didn't know; their look of disbelief, processing the information, the doubt and then the visible shock as realization set in. She had to admit; it was pretty fun to watch. It made her feel knowing him in the first place was a big deal. And it was. He was rumored to be dead after all.

Lucifer himself evidently wasn't as interested in those around him. He appeared to be completely preoccupied with the thought of his rampaging sister, no doubt a plan or two was already in the progress of hatching inside his mind.

"Lucifer As in… Rizevim's son?" Rias was heard muttering, speculating. First the strongest seraph had fallen and now apparently there was another Lucifer? "No… he has white hair… all known Lucifers have white hair…"

"Let's make an agreement, Zazel." Uncaring to most things that didn't interest him, Lucifer moved on without letting their realization sink.

To which Azazel swiftly rolled his eyes to. "Oh here we go again—"

"I will find her. You will take care of her afterwards."

"Oho— still have a soft spot for dear Gabby eh? Even after all this time?"

"Always," Lucifer nodded. No shame about it.

The fact that he admitted it so bluntly made Azazel feel a bit embarrassed. Sometimes he forgot this magnificent bastard before him used to serve alongside Gabriel and Michael.

"Even though you caused her to Fall?"

"Severed the chains that bound her. Staying in Heaven for too long will dull your mind," The Devil said. "As to why she's going on a spree… obedience is what angels are best at. They're not known for their flexibility. Freedom terrifies them."

He wasn't wrong about that. Well, Lucifer wasn't wrong about many great deal of things, but this one he nailed it hard. Without a guide, without rules, an angel would always get lost.

"That said…" Lucifer sighed. "I can't say I expected Michael to banish her this soon..."

Azazel muted for a thoughtful moment. He knew Michael loved Gabriel too dearly to just abandon her like this.

"...You reckon?"

"Most likely," Lucifer supposed. Perhaps Michael already knew Lucifer wouldn't just abandon her either. "It doesn't matter."

"You owe me big time though," Azazel smugly smiled. "Our previous agreement is nothing compared to this."

"Name your price."

"A favor, and I want Kokabiel back to me too. Alive."

"Fair," Lucifer sealed the deal before it expanded. "So do you accept?"

"A chance to make you indebted to me for once? I'm an idiot if I pass on that."

Rossweisse felt that an entire essay had gone through those two ancient beings from that quick conversation. So few words said yet they understood so much more than what was spoken. Meanwhile here she was, sitting with the rest of the devils, having not a single clue as to what had transpired between these influential men.

"O-oi oi! Aren't you two being rude to Prez? You two are talking like you own this place! This is her territory, you know? And her clubroom! I know we're young and all but respect goes both ways!"

That brave scolding drew all the attention away as everyone turned to him; a young boy with spiky brown hair, distinctly the greenest in terms of experience, pointing a finger at two veterans of the Great War.

Rossweisse felt she would be far more impressed if the boy hadn't been ogling at her chest. Or his senior devils' chests. She observed that Azazel had an amused look on his face, whereas Lucifer actually gave away a small smirk, entertained by the boy's gall that borderlined stupidity.

"You know the boy's got a point there," Azazel laughed, "we are being rude."

"Are we in agreement?" Lucifer pressed in. He'd be a fool to allow the righteousness of a child to bother him. Especially when he had a far more pressing matter at hand.

"Jesus— can't you read the mood?" Lucifer didn't budge. "Okay alright, yeah, yeah. Just make her stop killing my men left and right and I'll make sure she gets nothing less than a five-star reception in our place."

"Good," he shifted his eyes at the valkyrie. "We're leaving."

"Uh-huh— right… Of course we are… Uhm…" Rossweisse awkwardly shuffled away, moving further from the devils and their mixed looks. This had been a supremely uncomfortable and an unbearably awkward meeting. "Erm… thanks for the tea. It's very refreshing. Sorry to have butted in. And erm… pardon us."

"Hey don't just ignore me! Or us!"

And this time, Rias' pride had made her take action; by blocking the exit with her Power of Destruction. The black hole spiraled violently by the door.

"If you think I will let you leave before an apology, you clearly have overestimated my patience."

Rossweisse feared what was about to come. She could only hope Lucifer wouldn't harm these kids. Their pride was hurt and they didn't know better.

"Err… on his behalf, I'd like to extend an apology—"

"Don't say you're acting on my behalf when you're clearly acting out of your own accord," he scolded her instead. "

But Lucifer finally acknowledged the devils. A glance, at first, but then he fully turned his body to face the boy. He saw right through him, and the boy known as Hyoudou Issei immediately froze in place, but he quickly gathered his wits and glared. A typical reaction from a boy wanting to be seen as a man, mistaking Lucifer's approach as a challenge.

"I haven't seen you in a while…"

Issei blinked. "...What…? Wait, we've met before?"

Lucifer chuckled. "Of course. If it isn't the consequence of your actions… Such a terrible punishment. But, you see, he often overreacts."

But it wasn't him that Lucifer was staring.

"...Huh?" Issei sputtered, utterly confused. "...Whaddya mean…? Free? Free from what? You're freaking me out, man—"

Or talking to.

Azazel quickly caught on, and chose to remain silent as the disjointed conversation continued much to the rest's growing confusion.

"I've read the Manuals," Lucifer went on, stepping closer towards the 'vessel'. "There is nothing sacred about it. It's nothing more than a cage, and I know how it operates. Anything my dear ol' dad created, I can destroy. Who he imprisoned, I can set free…"

Even if he didn't know whether this strange man named Lucifer could do that, Issei had the sense to pale as he finally realized he was talking to the dragon in his sacred gear.

"So what say I let you feel the wind breathe through your wings as you soar once again into the sky… taste the fresh morning air… feel the droplets of rain, the chill of the snow, the warmth of the sun on your skin once again… all I ask in return is to heed my call."

Lucifer smiled amidst the look of sheer dread around him. If the rising panic was like the hurricane, then Lucifer was the eye of the storm; unsettlingly calmest as the chaos brewing around him was never able to reach him.

"There are far worse prices for freedom, no?"

To be continued…

Oh shit

Remember that chapter when he was idly musing about getting a pet dragon?

Yeah.

If you're Ddraig, you've been trapped inside some bullshit prison that empowers your current 'host' for a thousand of years because you have no other choices, now all of a sudden offered a key to escape that prison, can you decline? And why? What level of attachment to your current host that can be more valuable than having an actual body, having actual control over your actions again?

I imagined many OCMC would either go 'that's right, I'm Lucifer bitch' or act smug and cool and all when the big name reveal dropped, so mine just doesn't even recognize it. Didn't even feel good about it, just kept focusing on his current issue which is Gabriel and Yasaka

Besides, to him Rias' group is like a bunch of chumps. would you associate with chumps? If you say yes, then good. don't be like him. Lucifer is basically the person those unironic sigma/alpha grindset posts wants to be

True sigma is acting kind without expecting anything in return. Such as donating me through my onlyfans page without expecting a nude