Garden of Avalon

by Skairipa1337

Within the ranks of the Golden Dawn, Lucius wields a mysterious sacred gear containing the Mage of Flowers, Merlin. An offer from Lucifer turns him into a pawn in a supernatural game, where with even greater power than before, his choices have a ripple effect on not only those around him but himself as well. OC x Small Harem. Infinity powers from JJK.

Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD. This is a non-profit-based work.

Note: So I've made yet another new fic, at this rate it can't be a shock. OCs are fun to write and experiment with, even if they don't get as popular as my other stories, the process is still enjoyable and more fulfilling given the amount of freedom I have. Also, this story will feature a couple of characters from other franchises, some with important roles and some that are of less importance.

I hate that I probably have to say it because some people don't seem to understand it in other stories I've read. This story will feature casual lemon scenes, meaning, it isn't sentimental ones. Devils are creatures of sin, and natural horn dogs, so, that's just that lmao.

Of course, I'll still work toward a good pairing that is indeed sentimental, but I just wanted to put the word out there that there will be lemons, maybe even in chapter 2 or 3, but there are reasons for it aside just being on horny time lol. Well, maybe it is, but who cares haha.

If y'all are interested in joining a community of readers and several talented authors, consider joining AizenTheGoat's Discord server.

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改行

-Chapter 1-

Let The Game Begin.

改行

The moonlight shone down upon the coast near the southern coast of England as a lone figure waltzed along a path of gravel and dirt. Each footstep of his, letting out a crunching sound, roamed across the area as his cloak fluttered in the wind.

It was a young man with short and unruly white hair with one bang wrapped up in a red piece of cloth and red eyes. He could be seen wearing a long white cloak that was thus revealing the black long-sleeved shirt beneath. To finish it off, he was wearing black boots and had a wooden staff with a red crystal at the top secured to his back through a leather strap.

In the distance in front of him, he could see the ocean and how the moonlight reflected off the incoming waves on the water's surface. Though one lone building did block his view, that being the place he called home.

It was a large tower that had once been painted white. However, through time, the paint had fainted into a greyer-than-white color. On top of the tower was a large lantern-like building that shone a light out upon the open sea, which was the main characteristic of this place.

A so-called lighthouse.

The young man let out a small sigh as he neared the front door of the large building, clapping his hands together twice as the twin wooden doors opened in front of him, without the need of any psychical touch to the doorknobs.

A loud creak sounded throughout the area as the doors opened, and once he entered, they closed again on their own. The worn-out doors creaked once again before the doors audibly locked with a sound click.

After the sound click of the door, as if on cue, the lights started to flick on throughout the entire lighthouse. A large grin spread on the young man's face as he pulled off his cloak and hung it up on a hook near the door. He stretched a bit as he looked around the place he called his own home, a secluded place away from most people, just as he preferred it.

It wasn't that he hated being social, but he preferred having his own space. Which was a major part of why he'd taken up the offer to move here. On top of being away from his dad, he even had this place all to himself.

Being the son of a big shot within the Mage Association wasn't as easy as it sounded. Responsibility and reputation were just too important. He loved to play around and test the waters, and his father hadn't appreciated that.

It almost felt like he was a member of the church instead of a group of magic users. At least now that he was located out here, he could do as he pleased.

A small yawn left his lips as he started ascending the stairs leading up to the rooms in the tower just below the lantern. The top one, with direct access to the view over the ocean, was the one he used as his personal room. Or, well, bedroom, in simple terms.

When he opened the door leading into his room, it was pretty much the sight that you'd expect. Despite it being located inside a lighthouse, of all places, it was pretty cozy. A king-sized bed in the middle with a nightstand on either side, decorated by a dresser on the right side of the room, and a desk along with some bookshelves on the left side.

He left everything else that he needed elsewhere in the it be equipment for battle, a place to experiment, or even a place to train and keep himself in shape. After all, being the son of a faction leader required him to be the best.

At least, that's what he thought personally.

"Did you remember to lock the doors?"

As the voice sounded in his head, his brow immediately twitched, "The doors lock automatically."

"Oh… I forgot."

He let out an annoyed sigh, "Bullshit."

The voice chuckled slightly at that, "Come on now, Lucius, why so hostile?"

"Because you're always an ass," Lucius answered simply as he held a hand out toward a bookshelf, and as if on cue, a book floated into the palm of his hand.

The pages would automatically start flipping to his desired page as he sat down to read.

However, the voice in his head didn't seem to let him have that peace for the time being.

"There is a reason I asked."

Lucius lowered the book from his gaze and shut his eyes for a couple of seconds before reopening them, "Does that reason involve making a fool of myself by going down there to see if the door that I know is locked is actually locked because I put a spell there for it to do so?"

The voice continued to laugh, "Oh no, nothing of the sort."

Clapping the book shut, the white-haired man tightened his fist and asked through his frustration, "Then what is it?"

"There is just an intruder in your house. Figured you wanted to know."

The young man sat there and stared away into empty space for a couple of seconds before it hit him, "Why didn't you start with that?!"

As if the voice was confused, it hummed, "I tried, but you just brushed me off. So rude, Lucius, you're hurting my feelings."

"If I could strangle a soul, I would." Lucius grunted as he threw the book toward the bookshelf, the piece of literature automatically falling back into place as he stood to his feet, "Alright, hit me with it. Where are they?"

"Take a look for yourself."

Knowing what he meant by that, Lucius channeled his mana to his eyes as they gained a blue glow to them, and his field of vision rapidly expanded.

One of many abilities he'd been born with.

As if looking down upon the structure of the house from a bird's eye view, he gazed inside all of the rooms one by one until he found what he was looking for, but he was not prepared for what he saw.

Looking right behind the intruder, Lucius narrowed his eyes.

It was a man with shoulder-length crimson hair casually walking through the first hallway as if he wasn't in a hurry. His head would slowly turn left and right as if he was simply taking in the place he found himself in.

However, the most eye-catching thing about him was the type of armor he was wearing. It was dark with gold lining and, for some reason, had four different pairs of shoulder plates.

That couldn't be very practical unless it was more for show than for practicality.

Nonetheless, he knew he was dealing with someone he shouldn't take lightly. Even if he was confident in his own abilities, especially after the slave driver of a teacher that he'd been taught by, this was someone way out of his league.

Even if that was the case, it wouldn't bode well for him if he just let him do as he pleased.

"So, what do you plan to do?"

Caught by surprise by the question, Lucius' eyes stopped glowing that faint tint of blue, and thus his vision returned to normal. Back inside his bedroom, he narrowed his eyes, "This is no ordinary person."

"Of course not. He is a devil. A rather powerful one at that." The voice answered simply.

Lucius clicked his tongue, "Understatement of the millennia." He commented before he took a deep breath, "Any advice?"

"Flee with your tail between your legs, or stand your ground and see what he wants."

Losing his footing briefly at the suggestions, Lucius chuckled in an uncertain manner, "You could've worded that way differently."

The voice chuckled, "What's the point of lying? Ignorance isn't bliss.."

"Don't sugarcoat your words and tell me how you really feel, why don't you?" Lucius asked.

"How about I try to not hurt your feeling when your life isn't in danger?"

Deciding to ignore the quirky remarks, for the time being, Lucius calmed himself down. If this person was indeed as powerful as he feared, there was no point in running.

If they wanted him dead, it didn't matter how fast he could run. He likely wouldn't even realize it before he died. That was what his guts told him, at least.

There was only one real way to go about this, and with his mind made up, a red magic circle appeared beneath his feet as he seemingly faded away from view.

At the same time, downstairs, the crimson-haired man's lips quirked upward into an amused smirk.

Because as he stood there in the long hallway at the start of the lighthouse, he could sense a spell being used.

Mana spread through the air as countless blue thorn-shaped creations exploded all around him.

The floor, walls, and ceiling all raced toward him before circling his form in the blink of an eye, binding him in place.

Of course, he could break it with the swipe of a pinky if he wanted to, but what would be the fun in that?

Wanting to see what would unfold, he remained completely still as the young resident of the lighthouse faded into existence several feet away from him with a rather skeptical expression on his face.

He smiled simply. "Lucius Caelum, I presume."

"Oh boy, looks like you have a fan, maybe he wants your autograph?"

Fighting off the urge to make a spell to silence souls, he turned back to the intruder, "Who are you?" Lucius asked as calmly as he could.

The man chuckled, "I can assure you, this is completely unnecessary." He said, nodding toward the binding spell that was currently in place.

The white-haired man scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, maybe so… but I don't really take kindly to home invasions, though. And I have no idea who you are."

"That can be changed." He countered simply.

Rubbing his temples, Lucius stared at him, "I have to ask, what's with the armor? That can't be practical. Four shoulder guards? Don't they, I don't know, hit you in the face when you raise your arms?"

The man would've taken a step back out of surprise if he could. Instead, he settled for an amused chuckle, "Out of everything, that's what you wish to know?"

"I tend to act on impulsive thoughts." Lucius shrugged.

Nodding in acceptance, the man decided to answer, "While it is quite durable, you could say it's more of a formality."

Lucius hummed with a slow tilt of his head, "So you're some kind of… devil lord?"

"Oh, so you know I'm a devil?" The man asked. Though, he wasn't particularly surprised.

The young mage crossed his arms over his chest, "You don't seem that surprised, but yes. Your demonic energy is… Stupidly strong, I guess."

With a slow nod of his head, the man raised his head, "I'll cut to the chase then. My name is Sirzechs Lucifer. Given that not only are you aware of the supernatural world, you're a mage that is also aware of the devils, I don't think you require further explanation as to who I am."

"You got Lucifer in your hallway, my, my, aren't you the popular one?"

As the words registered in the young man's mind, the blue binding spell quickly withered away.

"No more traps?" Sirzechs asked.

Lucius let out a bewildered snort, "As if it even did anything aside from being a cosmetic display in a half-assed attempt to intimidate someone that could sneeze and vaporize me from existence." He answered.

The Satan looked amused, "Is this how you usually greet visitors?"

"When they don't use the doorbell before entering, sure," Lucius replied dryly before he cleared his throat, "So, what can I do for you?"

Sirzechs gathered his hands at his front and looked him straight in the eye, "I'd already cleared this meeting with your association. I suppose that news hasn't reached you yet."

The white-haired mage raised a brow. This was indeed the first time he'd heard of it, "Well, you know what they say about old people. Senility and dementia go hand in hand."

"I suppose that's true," The man laughed idly, "I've come with a proposal."

Lucius looked surprised, "For me?"

Sirzechs nodded, "For you, indeed."

"What could I possibly do for you?" Lucius asked with skepticism, "I'd offer you to sit down and talk, but uh, I don't really have the furniture for that…" He chuckled.

The Satan just chuckled, "It's quite alright. I'll be brief about it then." He paused before the calm expression returned to his features, yet it still seemed to make him uneasy, "How would you like to work for me?"

Lucius blinked, "Sounds like you want me to mow your lawn."

Sirzechs waved him off, "Quite on the contrary, while I believe you're more than capable of developing a spell for that, I already got people for said purpose. No, I'm offering a job that fits a man of your talents."

"My talents?" Lucius questioned.

The devil grinned, "I know quite a lot about you. Since I've thought about this recruitment for a while, I've done my homework. You're strong, really strong for an ordinary human. Word has it that the only reason you're not in a higher position within your current faction is that you feel like it'd limit you."

Lucius just shrugged, "Well, yeah, being stuck doing paperwork sounds like hell."

Sirzechs hummed, "Which is why I have a job for you. It'd leave the politics to me, of course, and you'd act on my behalf."

"Go on." Lucius prompted.

And thus, he continued, "You know of the evil pieces' system, correct?"

"Correct." He confirmed.

Sirzechs nodded as he extended a palm outward, and a crimson red pawn piece appeared in his grasp, "Within my position, I still have one pawn piece remaining. I'd like to offer it to you. With this comes the ability to promote to any other piece, just like in a game of chess. Given your variety of skills, I thought it to be a fitting coincidence."

Confused by the offer, Lucius waved his hands, "So you're offering me a chance to become your servant?"

"That is right." Sirzechs confirmed with that same smile, "Being a devil comes with many benefits. Your lifespan would increase to that of a devil's, your mana swapped to demonic magic, and you'd have the backing of a Satan. You'd have access to a vast knowledge of magic only accessible in the Underworld, and even more from your potential new allies in the peerage."

"A gift-wrapped turd is still a turd," Lucius commented.

Sirzechs blinked, "Pardon?"

Realizing he'd spoken out loud, Lucius grimaced, "That came out rude." He cleared his throat, "I mean no offense, but that's just a mild way of saying I'd be a slave to your will. Aside from the benefits of being a devil, there are also downsides. I've heard stories of how it works. I'd be at the bottom of a ladder I'm not born to climb."

"Only if you allow it to remain so." Sirzechs replied right away, "As I said, I know you. And your goals. If you aim to become better than the soul you're housing, you need to reach new heights. I'll personally see to that goal being reached. Become a High-Class devil and get your own peerage, and then you'll be your own boss. Set out for your own achievements and become an Ultimate-Class devil. The only limits in your way are the ones you put there yourself."

Lucius listened to his words carefully, "What would I be doing?"

Sirzechs answered promptly, "Think of yourself as my enforcer. You're trained for combat, so I won't have you sorting papers. I might be Lucifer, but I'm not the devil. Any task will be a challenge worthy of your skills and talent."

"I guess being under Lucifer would mean not many can boss me around." He thought out loud.

The crimson-haired devil smirked, "Aside from myself and my Queen, you'll be your own chief. As long as it's not tainting our name or our station, you're free to pursue whatever goal you wish. And do remember, we're devils. Our social standards are way more flexible than that of a human."

"You drive a hard bargain." Lucius chuckled as he scratched his head.

Sirzechs simply smiled at him in return, "I'll give you the chance to become even greater than Merlin. That is a promise. Consider the potential money and women as a bonus in a long and fruitful partnership."

At that, Lucius' eyes widened in surprise, "I guess you weren't kidding when you said you know me."

He laughed, "You're in possession of Avalon, the container of Merlin's soul. It's rather strange for a sacred gear. It doesn't give you any apparent ability… More like, your body is his reincarnation, but the soul is stored away, and you're left in charge."

"Doesn't stop him from being a major pain in the ass." Lucius sighed meekly.

"He speaks to you?" Sirzechs asked with mild surprise.

Lucius grunted and crossed his arms, "Sure does. And it isn't always good ideas."

"Hey, that's mean."

'It was supposed to be.' Lucius thought to himself, knowing the incubus could hear him.

Sirzechs tapped his chin, "Curious, most curious." He snickered, "Well, as much as I enjoy our little chat so far, I hope we can continue it as associates. I am a busy man and the Warden of Hell, so forgive me for cutting this shorter than it had to be."

"I suspect you want an answer?"

"Everything has been settled with your faction, should you say yes. A member of my peerage was a founder of your group, and I'd imagine you have lots to talk about if given the chance." Once again, the Satan nodded his head and almost expectantly extended his hand forward, "So what will it be?"

Lucius eyed his hand carefully. If his faction had really cleared him for this, they must've gotten something in return.

Politics. He'd always hated that, and he felt like it wouldn't be the last time he'd be a part of it.

And that wasn't even depending on his answer to the proposal. Politics ran this world, the human one but also the supernatural. There was no escaping it, no matter what he did or how far away he decided to go.

Even inside a lighthouse on the outskirts of England, it still haunted him.

"Well, shit…" He chuckled out loud as he accepted the extended hand and gave it a shake, "What the hell, I was getting bored here anyway."

At that, Sirzechs smirked widely, "Excellent. Now, let's discuss your living accommodations."

Lucius raised a brow, "Something wrong with my home?"

"Of course. It isn't placed in the Underworld." Sirzechs replied simply, "For us to work together to achieve our goals, this is not ideal. Do not worry. I'll have room for you in my personal estate."

"Do all your servants happen to stay at your house?" Lucius asked curiously.

Sirzechs shook his head, "Well, it's not exactly a house… But no, a few do. A few have living accommodations of their own within reachable distance. You're also still young. I'd say you'd learn a lot from it as well. We have a generously sized library and more than capable means to teach you."

With a skeptical look, Lucius pocketed his hands, "I don't think you mean just magic here, huh?"

"I'm afraid that proper etiquette and the likes will be necessary. You will, after all, be a representative of Lucifer." Sirzechs said apologetically.

"Whatever, as long as my job isn't going to be standing bodyguard during your business dinners," Lucius grunted.

Sirzechs snorted, "Don't worry, my wife is already taking care of that part."

Fighting the urge to snort in retort, Lucius just crossed his arms over his chest thoughtfully, "So what happens now?"

His new 'employer' cleared his throat, "The transition from human to devil can be a very taxing process to go through, given that you'll form a type of link to me, and you'll also grow exponentially in power. You could say that the pieces are an extension of me, and to fit a certain standard, you'll be changed accordingly."

The white-haired mage gave him a blank stare, "So because you're super powerful, the piece will give me a huge power kick in the ass to match?"

"Well, not exactly match, but you'll be brought up to a certain standard and in tune grow if I do. Of course, you're not limited. You're free to try and achieve greater strength by almost any means necessary." The man just grinned as if he could read his mind.

Lucius just sighed in understanding, "Still doesn't answer what exactly happens now."

Sirzechs nodded, "We'll make preparations for your arrival within my personal residence. If you so desire to keep this home of yours as a personal stronghold, we'll be able to form a permanent connection for transportation."

"Then what was the problem with me staying here?" He questioned.

The devil answered swiftly, "Given circumstances, it'd be a more dangerous place to live, do not misunderstand. I'm an influential character within the Underworld. And so, certain people do not agree and would take any chance to get to me through you. It's also faster for you to react to my summons that way, even if teleportations are almost instantaneous."

Lucius chuckled with a smirk, "And you'll be able to keep an eye on me."

"You really are quite perceptive," Sirzechs commented with the same unnerving smile, "There will be someone to pick you up within a couple of hours. I'd suggest having packed down what you need by then."

The young mage remained silent for a couple of seconds, "I got to ask, what is it exactly you see in me? Compared to devils, I'd imagine I'm nothing special."

Once more, Sirzechs was forced to fight back his amusement, "As I've said before, I see great use of your talents."

"Talents that are nothing compared to the likes of yourself." He hurriedly added.

The man shook his head, "Talents can grow when properly nurtured, which you can call a type of investment that I wouldn't make unless I thought it was worth it. A leader must look for potential. You can't always snap your finger and wish forward a candidate for what you need. It's unbefitting for a leader to just expect and not put in any effort."

As he finished, Sirzechs blinked and turned to properly face him, "Did you perhaps change your mind?"

Surprised by the question, Lucius raised a brow, "No… I just wanted to make sure I wasn't just being recruited for some lame reason, like, I'd make one hell of a butler or something."

"You should work a bit on that self-esteem of yours. I'd say you're worth more than you think," Sirzechs commented as he began making his way toward the wooden doors that he'd decided not to use earlier when he arrived.

"If you say so," Lucius replied as he followed along, doing a quick clap of his hands to open the door for the man that just turned his head.

"Remember, a couple of hours."

The mage nodded, "I'll be ready."

改行

An hour passed as the white-haired magician waltzed around the various levels inside the lighthouse.

About half an hour after Sirzechs had left, he'd gotten a message from his father… Well, it could barely count as a message.

It was a simple magic signal that practically instructed him to go with the devil that'd pay him a visit. Perhaps his old man hadn't even realized that the race of the Underworld was a lot more punctual than he clearly was.

It honestly felt like he'd been sold out. Like his life was just something to trade for currency.

Well, hopefully, they'd at least gotten something good out of it. That way, it wouldn't make him feel like such a cheap object. Though it was safe to say it pissed him off greatly.

The old man hadn't even bothered to come in person to let him know he'd sold him as a servant for a guy that could erase his very existence by just glaring hard enough.

It took him about ten minutes to calm down after that. Figuring he should just focus on getting his stuff in order first. Couldn't keep the devil of all beings waiting after all, that wouldn't look good on his first day at his new 'job'.

He didn't have to do much to pack down all of his things since being lazy was so common these days, and he'd already prepared various spells and formulas around his little home to pack down things almost automatically.

Especially for his books, a simple magic circle in place if he wanted to pack them all down within the confinements of a little pocket dimension that'd be linked to an emblem he'd drawn in the palm of his hand.

Under normal circumstances, he'd probably store other things within that emblem, for example, a potion or elixir to use for offensive or defensive purposes in combat. Or perhaps even poison, if he needed that kind of thing.

The world of magic had fascinated him for as long as he could remember. His father had been a mage, after all, a quite respected one at that. It made people around him have certain expectations, but at the same time, he couldn't complain.

Especially due to a lack of a mother figure, he'd just dived into the world of magic. Partially because he loved the idea of becoming a mage himself when he was a kid, but also because it distracted him from the fact he didn't have both parents like most kids did.

He'd almost go as far as to say he'd seen it all. Offensive, defensive, and even simple practical spells.

So when his father had begun teaching him how to do it himself, he'd absorbed it like a sponge until he awakened his sacred gear. While he'd kept it a secret at first because he at first thought he was crazy hearing a voice in his head, he soon came to realize that there was something more to it.

After that, and having understood what it meant, he had two great teachers. One of them was a bit too overprotective, and the other one was willing to make him their source of amusement.

Safe to say, Merlin was a very interesting figure to have in your life. There was no denying that the man was great, and he'd never have gotten this far without him. As a mage and a swordsman, he was practically unparalleled.

He could live without the endless mind games, though. It was as if the mage found pleasure in pissing him off at times.

It made him sigh out loud as he waved his hand toward his bookshelves, watching with satisfaction as all the books flew down to form neat piles on the floor, sorted like he wanted them to be and then swallowed up by the magic circle.

Finished with what he had to prepare, he sat down on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes, "Do you think I made a mistake?"

Merlin hummed within his mind, "Who knows? Life is unpredictable, and you won't know whether or not you've made the right choice before you see the result. All you can do is trust your instincts."

"Were you actually just helpful?" Lucius asked with surprise as he reopened his eyes.

The incubus gasped in mock hurt, "When am I ever not helpful?"

Lucius shrugged exaggeratedly, "Oh, I don't know… When the Prince of Hell was sightseeing my hallway, and you decided to play games?"

"Such a cynical person you are, my young apprentice," Merlin replied with a couple of clicks of his tongue.

"Learned from the best." He sighed and decided to ignore the incubus' protests and stood up with a grunt.

Merlin sighed, "Oh well, women and wealth are always a good thing."

It was just a matter of time now before they'd come and pick him up. If he were to be honest, he had no clue what to expect. He had, for a good reason, never been in the Underworld before.

So it was either fire and damnation or something completely different.

With nothing better to do, the white-haired mage walked out of his now-empty bedroom and down the stairs. As he'd already packed away most of the belongings that he'd need, he just pushed his hand forward to summon his cloak from the hallway.

Once again, being lazy had won in many wars, so when the white cloak just floated to the stairs and into his hand, all he had to do was swing it around his shoulders and sit down on the stairs.

All that was left to do was to wait.

At least he didn't have to sit there for long before he heard someone knock on the heavy wooden doors.

The mage stood to his feet as he strapped his magic staff to his back, tightening the leather strap that kept it in place, and moved to clap his hands together. The heavy doors would whine loudly as they began to open.

When the person that Sirzechs had instructed to pick him up appeared in his vision, he was quite visibly surprised.

He'd almost expected a butler, so in a way, he wasn't that far off, but at the same time. The aura he could sense from the person indicated anything but being just a simple servant in the service of Sirzechs Lucifer.

It was a beautiful young woman that appeared to be in her early twenties with back-length braided silver hair and red eyes.

Despite the aura she was emitting, she was wearing a blue and white French maid outfit.

He couldn't believe she was a simple maid. Her very presence reminded him too much of Sirzechs. One wrong move, and he could very well be a decoration on the wall.

As he looked at her, he could hear Merlin speak up in his mind, "My oh my."

'Not now, man… Bad timing.' Lucius thought with a visibly irritated expression.

The mage sounded confused, "What, am I wrong?"

Lucius groaned mentally, 'No? Uh… Still, not the right time for this.'

"Come on…" Merlin tried again.

The woman had a stoic expression on her face as she asked, "Is something the matter?"

Blinking, Lucius cleared his throat, "No, no, sorry about that."

She just stared at him before nodding her head, "As I said, my name is Grayfia Lucifuge. Queen of my Lord and husband, Sirzechs Lucifer. I'm here to show you your new living accommodations for the time being."

"Oh shoot, she is married." Merlin sighed.

Lucius' brow twitched, 'As if that has ever stopped you before.'

The flower mage let out a mocking laugh, "And it has stopped you?" He retorted.

The younger mage clenched his fist as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of his face, 'This is different, very different, alright? This is not just a married woman in an unhappy relationship. This is the wife of Satan. I'm not as suicidal as you.'

"Fine, fine, forgive me for wanting a little fun. It's not like I'm locked inside your head. Oh, wait. I am." Merlin snickered painfully.

Sighing softly, Lucius decided to ignore the man for the time being.

"Are you alright?"

Snapping his head to Grayfia in surprise, he nodded, "Yeah, sorry. Again. Did uh, Sirzechs tell you about the condition with my sacred gear?"

The woman nodded slightly, "He mentioned that it speaks to you."

"Pretty much, and it's not always convenient." He chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

It seemed to make the woman cool down just a tad bit. He wouldn't have blamed her for getting annoyed. It wasn't nice to be ignored by someone that was making all kinds of faces and reactions while you were speaking, after all.

She gathered her hands at her front, "I understand. Are you ready to depart for the Underworld?"

"Sure am. Just lead the way." He nodded.

At that, she raised a curious brow, "Do you not have any luggage to bring with you? While there is furniture available, we haven't prepared clothing and replacements for your personal items."

Confused by what she meant at first, Lucius chuckled and raised the palm of his hand to let her see the emblem drawn on his skin, "It's all stored away in here, figured it'd be easier than to carry it all around."

"Practical, I approve." She hummed before gesturing him to follow.

Following the woman outside, he clapped his hands together again as the doors to his home closed behind him, and the lights began shutting off throughout the place.

She came to a stop as a magic circle appeared on the ground, which he stepped into and waited for something to happen.

It took a couple of seconds, but soon enough, everything changed before his very eyes.

As if he'd been momentarily blinded by a bright light, he felt a bit of discomfort. He'd used transportation spells before, sure, but not something that made him hop across dimensions.

So when he arrived, he had to regain his footing briefly.

And what he saw, immediately made his jaw drop.

It had to be the biggest castle he'd ever seen. Crimson brickwork and several giant towers, and the land around it… Well, it was almost too good to be true.

Several acres worth of green grass and a fountain in front of the house, and clear purple skies.

"Well, I'll be damned." He muttered with surprise. Mostly by the fact that the sky was purple, of all things.

Grayfia turned to face him, "Is something the matter?"

He shook his head, "Oh, not really. I was just surprised. This is not exactly what I was expecting."

"What did you expect?" She asked with mild curiosity.

Lucius scratched the back of his head, "I don't know, something with rivers of lava and pillars of flames. Screaming souls, damnations, I guess."

The woman let out a soft snort, "That kind of hell is in a completely different section. You should do your best to try and avoid it."

"So it exists?" He asked with a raised brow.

She stared at him, "Of course, the damned need a place to go upon death after all."

The white-haired just nodded simply at that as she continued to walk up the stairs leading up to the grand main entrance of the castle as he followed close behind.

Once again, he hadn't expected much upon getting here, but when the doors opened, he had to admit he was a bit humbled by the sight.

A large red carpet was laid across the wooden floor leading up to another stair leading toward the upper floors of the castle, and on each side of the carpet was a line of maids already bowing their heads down to them.

He could hear Merlin gasp, "You sure this isn't Heaven? I think we took a wrong turn somewhere."

"I imagine it can be easy to be tempted here, but please try and refrain yourself from using them for your simplest needs," Grayfia noted.

He chuckled, "You mean they'll obey me?"

"Is she reading our mind?" Merlin snickered.

She stared at him like he'd grown a second head, "You're a representative and close ally of their Lord. It makes you have an especially high standing. They'll do your bidding should you request them to. All I ask is that you remain humble enough to let them do their duties without too many interruptions."

Lucius just nodded, "Sure, I'll leave them to it."

"That is appreciated." She replied simply.

The place in itself was as amazing as he'd judged the outside. Rich colors and quality furniture all around the place.

He almost felt bad that the maids had so much space to clean and take care of, but at the same time, working there had to be some kind of privilege. After all, he couldn't imagine that Lucifer himself would just invite anyone into his private home to take care of his place.

Most of them were dressed similarly to Grayfia. The only thing he could really make out to be different was the colors. So he supposed they had some chance for creative freedom there.

"You have arrived. Splendid."

Lucius hummed as he turned his head up to the top of the stairs, and saw the man that'd just broken into his home a couple of hours prior.

Though this time, he wasn't clad in that… ridiculous armor. Well, it was probably practical enough to catch enemies off guard, but the design of it all had been baffling to him at the time.

Now he was just wearing a fancy suit instead.

"Sure have." He replied with a scratch to the back of his head.

Sirzechs chuckled, "Welcome to my home. I hope it isn't too intimidating."

Lucius just smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest and let his gaze wander around the place, "Oh no, it's actually pretty cool."

As the devil got to the bottom of the stairs and walked over, a similar smirk appeared on his face, "I know, right?"

"So how is this gonna happen? We draw an octagram on the ground, and some weird stuff happens?" The white-haired mage questioned.

The comment seemed to bring out a minor glare from the man's wife as he chuckled nervously, "Nothing of the sort. It's a rather simple procedure, but you're likely going to remain in a deep slumber for a couple of hours. Your genetic structure will be overwritten to some extent, but it won't interfere with what you've gained from the connection to your sacred gear."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucius chuckled, "That's at least good to hear. I'd been wondering if… Well, it'd change too many of my abilities. A lot of it is probably more of a genetic aftereffect of having the gear, but still, I work with what I got."

"Qualities given by the gear will remain. You have my word." Sirzechs reassured.

"Alright, let's get it over with." Lucius said.

Sirzechs nodded and gestured for him to follow, "It'll also give me a chance to show you the room we've prepared for you. While it is not as spacious as the lighthouse you used to live in, I hope it lives up to your needs."

Deciding not to comment on how he used my entire house as a comparison for my new room, Lucius followed the Satan as he showed him around the place. Once the tour was done, he was now familiar with where the places were.

And if he needed help, he was told he could just ask the servants. Despite how Grayfia had told him to let them do their job, it seemed like this was at least worthy enough of approaching them.

Not that he needed much more than the training area, kitchens, and dining room for the time being.

Once they got to the door that led to his new room, Lucius realized they were up on the second floor of the castle.

At least he hadn't been pushed down to live in the basement like some kind of underground dweller.

"So this is it?" He asked.

Sirzechs nodded and extended a hand toward the door, "Go take a look for yourself."

Needing no more confirmation, Lucius stepped forward and grasped the handle of the door, and opened it to take a look inside. And while it was indeed not as big as his previous home, it was pretty damn close.

The first thing that caught his eye was a large panoramic window watching the gardens with large red curtains, and in front of it, a piano.

On the far right of the room was a bed fitting that of royalty, with far too many sheets and pillows for just one person, but who was he to complain? He was going to sleep like a king, after all.

And on the far left of the room were several bookshelves spread all over the wall with a ceramic fireplace in the middle.

And in the middle of the room was a pair of couches with a coffee table in the middle.

"The door beside your bed leads to a personal bathroom." Sirzechs quickly added as the two of them stepped inside the room.

"You guys really thought of everything, huh?" Lucius stated more than asked as his eyes wandered.

The crimson-haired man just smirked, "So it's to your liking?"

Lucius snorted, "More than that, it's great."

"Excellent." Sirzechs smiled, "So, are you ready to become a devil?"

Letting a sigh slip through his lips, Lucius waved his hand as his cloak and staff levitated over to hang and rest, respectively, on a coat stand beside the door leading into his room.

Since he would apparently fall into a deep slumber, he figured he might as well get comfortable, "Sure, let's get it over with."

Sirzechs kept smiling, "No regrets?"

"I don't think so." Lucius answered truthfully, "I'm not super close to any of my family anymore, and if this has already been cleared with the Golden Dawn, I don't see any reason to regret it."

At that, Sirzechs' smile withered into a frown, "Family troubles?"

Lucius chuckled sourly, "I suppose you can say that."

The Satan cupped his chin thoughtfully, "Family is important. It's one of the things the Gremory have always prided themselves upon. If you didn't know, my name used to be Sirzechs Gremory before I became Lucifer. Our peerages are family to us, so we try to stick together."

"That's nice. At least I won't be cast aside then." Lucius snickered.

Despite the snickering, Sirzechs could tell it was an iffy topic for the young mage. Perhaps he could do something to help him out in the near future when the reincarnation was complete.

"Please, go take a seat." Sirzechs gestured.

Complying, Lucius went ahead and sat upon the edge of his new bed and awaited further instruction.

Sirzechs stepped forward and held out his palm as his last evil piece appeared in his grasp, and started levitating.

The mage's red eyes followed the equally red piece of devil innovation as it floated toward his chest and seemingly just passed straight through him.

"Is that normal?" He asked.

The man nodded, "Oh yes, it will take just a second. You'll be feeling fatigue wash over you any moment. I suggest getting some rest."

As if it was the cue needed, Lucius immediately started seeing a change. His vision started getting blurred as it became harder to focus on his new 'employer' who just stood there and awaited the change to begin.

He clenched his eyes shut a couple of times, the effect not wavering as he reached up to try and rub his eyes, feeling as if his arms were wrapped in cylinders of cement trying to pull his limbs down.

"Sure…" He mumbled in response to the devil's suggestion.

Sirzechs smiled, "Go ask a servant for my whereabouts when you wake up. We have much to discuss."

Managing to give a mock salute in response, Lucius watched as the man left the room and shut off the lights on his way out.

When the door closed with an audible clasp, he groaned out tiredly and climbed up onto the bed and collapsed against the sheets. The last bit of strength in his body was used to pull the covers over his form and slam his head into the mountain of pillows.

Before he could register the soft feeling against the side of his face, his consciousness was already long gone.

改行

So, that's a wrap of the first chapter for yet another new fic. I know I've made a lot of new stories over the past year, but with new interests and motivation for writing OCs instead of just crossovers, this has been a lot more enjoyable.

I still plan to work on Throne of Heroes, and my other works. This idea was just too good, in my opinion, to ignore. So, hopefully, you liked it.

And to give credit where credit is due, thanks to that boy zxLupa for the idea and help while working on this. Truly a generous god.

As stated before, there will be smut in this fic. And it isn't always going to be sentimental, because, in a modern world, it's almost more unrealistic not having a casual fling at least once, lol.

Though there will of course be a pairing, Roygun is within my thoughts, that girl Ahri has been in my thoughts for a while too. If anyone knows of League of Legends, they know who I'm talking about.

So, yeah, hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts.