Disclaimer: Btw if anyone wants to see the Fanart I made for this fic you can check out my DA.

https/emeraldoverlord

For short just type EmeraldOverlord on DA.

Arackniss sighed as he stepped out of the car, having finished whoring himself out for the night. He still hadn't quite adjusted completely to the fast life but he was slowly understanding how things worked around here and he wasn't certain how Angel enjoyed this job.

Sure, he got around a lot with women but the downside was the men who requested his services.

Despite clarifying his prices were extra, men were still insistent on getting his services much to dismay.

He still did the job, but that didn't mean Arackniss loved doing it. It was more like a chore if anything and the only positive about the situation was the extra money he collected. One regular customer he kept being pestered by was Travis, an avian sinner who seemed fixated on him and constantly drove around him whenever he was at the street corner.

The fucker of course tried to have a 'good time' with him but Arackniss informed of his charge for males, something that Travis seemed notably displeased with as he thought that it was just a rumor that he charged extra.

One would think he'd fuck off with that in mind but Travis simply refused to do so and continued pestering him.

At first he tried getting Arackniss to lower the fee but after several failed attempts and nearly getting slogged in the face for being too annoying, Travis decided to simply pay the extra fee in order to keep his teeth intact.

It wasn't surprising, many men who were fans of Angel Dust got very upset that he was straight and became enraged at how the prices for services were now extra. Arackniss had to shoot a few bastards who thought they could put their hands on him without paying and it was a tad infuriating having to deal with perverted freakshows on a daily basis just to make a living.

"Thanks for another night of fun, hot-shot! You're almost as good as your brother."

Arackniss scoffed coldly as he fixed up his hair,"Don't flatter yourself. Only reason I even entertained you tonight was because I wanted to make my quota for tonight to put Val in a good mood so let's agree to keep this between us, alright? I'm not supposed to be giving out my services to rando's so keep that beak of yours shut else I'll rip it out and shove it down your throat, got it? This was a cash-grab, just as it always is, nothing more, nothing less."

"Funny, your brother always said things like that to me whenever I paid him, the only difference is he never threatened my life whenever I picked him up."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not soft like Anthony was and I don't tolerate people's bullshit, yours included."

"Whatever whore…"

Arackniss groaned,"For fuck's sake, I've been called that like twenty times today, get original, will you? You perverted fuckers are all the same aren't you? God, you people make me sick," He then grabbed Travis by the collar tightly,"Now, do us both a favor and bring extra money next time because that was the most awful fuck I've ever had and you're going to have to pay me even more to make me even consider servicing you next time. And tell your wife that she's not the only whose unsatisfied with the fuck's they get from you."

He released his grip on the avian sinner and then slammed the door in a loud manner behind him.

"Hmph. Annoying twat. I can't believe Angel put up with that guy. He's such a loser…Oh well, at least he pays well." He mumbled to himself,"This should satisfy Val for tonight…Hopefully he's in a good mood tonight…"

Arackniss then made his way to the Studio, walking past the other sex workers. The only ones he knew personally were Summer and Dia, the rest were empty faces that he only recognized from going out on tours either for himself or the other sex workers who were drinking at the bar Val had placed inside for the staff to indulge in alcohol.

Regardless, despite the abundance of alcohol that likely would've lightened the mood in any other scenario, Arackniss had been in the Studio long enough to know that looks were deceiving.

He could see it in their eyes that even while they tried enjoying themselves as they drank, they weren't truly happy with themselves or their lives for that matter and drank their sorrows away.

Sometimes he even heard Val yelling at a few workers and hitting them for passing out on the counter after consuming too much alcohol after a particularly bad night and it was common enough the only thing he could really do to get smell through the day was to avert his gaze.

If there was one thing he knew about this place, it was that no one was truly happy. None of the workers anyway and Arackniss himself found it hard to blame them, everyday was filled with fear and constant abuse and if you were lucky you got off with a harsh warning and at worst…..

Well…let's just say it was anything but pretty. He had seen enough of Val's violent nature in front of other demons to know he wanted nothing to do with it and that he had no desire of being on the brunt of Val's wrath.

He headed up to the top story of the Studio, riding the elevator and pushing the highest button. The elevator ascended upwards and corny ass music with a sexual theme blasted over the speaker, Arackniss cringing upon hearing it.

Definitely not his taste of music and he wished he could get a break from all the lust and sexual deviancy for five seconds instead of being bombarded with it every step he took.
When the elevator door opened, he saw Val lounging on the couch, smoking a cigarette and scrolling through his phone. He took notice of him and grinned,"Ah, Nissy baby, I was just about to text ya. You came earlier than I expected. Do you have Daddy's money?"

"Yeah. It's right here…" Arackniss said before reaching into his pocket and handing Val all of his earnings for the night. He rubbed his arm, examining Val's reactions as he began counting the money, hoping that he was satisfied enough to let him go.

Val counted the bundles of cash for a minute, humming as he counted. Eventually he stopped, looked at Arackniss for a moment, his expression unreadable before saying,"Well done, Nissy. You made even more money than Angel Dust did when I had him in a night. He'd have to stay out late just to get this much and knowing him, he would've pocketed some for himself behind my back like the ungrateful wench he is. But you're not like that,you hand over the goods without even batting an eye and that's what I like about you, you're far more obedient than your brother was…"

Arackniss flinched, he knew it was meant to be a compliment but he sure as hell didn't feel flattered by this. Val's compliments always caused shivers to run down his spine, no matter how nice they sounded.

"Nissy, are you alright? You look rather tense, something bothering you?"

"No Val….I was just thinking that's all…"

"Think about what exactly/?" He pressed on,"Come on, you can tell me…"

"It's nothing Val…"

"Didn't It look like nothing," He said before it hit him,"Oh I see, you're still thinking about that Father of yours aren't you? Haven't I told you to forget about him? You won't be seeing him anytime soon and you've already got your career going for you, there's no need to think about him any longer. Take a seat, Nissy, we've got to talk about this…"

"But I-"

"Nissy, sit down, now. I wasn't asking you, I'm telling you what I want you to do. Now sit before I make you," He said, his voice becoming firmer, a warning of what was to come if he didn't obey.

Arackniss reluctantly did as he was told and sat on the other side of Val, still trying to keep his distance. Val blew a puff of smoke from his cigarette, the red smoke curling Arackniss for a moment before he brushed it off, finding the article smell cringe-worthy.

"You know, Niss, I don't quite understand why you care so much for that old man. He's held you back from your full potential, kept you under his hand for decades and what has it got you? Living in the shittiest parts of town where even looking at someone can get you beaten black and blue. Getting violent with you if you fail a mission and treating you like a minion instead of a son. And I saved you from that, gave you the life many would kill for and yet you still desire that old geezer after all this time…why?"

"Because he's my Father and I know he's not the best parent but I know he gives a damn about me and at one point in time, he cared for Anthony as well…"

"And look how that turned out? Your brother came crawling to me in his time of need, believing nobody loved him. I gave him everything he could've possibly wanted, drugs, money, sex, everything that whore could ask for, so long as he behaved himself of course. Angel was miserable with you people, he always complained about it when I first met him and I can't say I'd blame him. I'd hate my Father too if I were in his place…"

"What about your Father? Did you love him?"

Val raised an eyebrow before laughing,"How can you love someone you don't know? I never knew my father personally though from what I heard of him, he wasn't pleasant…"

"How would you know?" Arackniss asked, somewhat curious about Val's past. It wasn't like he had anything else to do and the less the topic was about him the better.

"Read a file about him. Forget his name but I do remember that he was a thirty five year old Hispanic man and that he knocked up my mom, who was fifteen at the time. Her parents lived next to him and apparently he had a secret fixation on her so when my mom's parents were gone, he broke in and…well, I think it's pretty obvious what happened after that."

Arackniss knew damn well what Val was implying, it was obvious for the mention of the man and the girl's age where this was going but just hearing it made his skin crawl with disgust.

Even in Hell, those who touched kids weren't well liked and were considered scum.

And the way Val spoke of it, as if he were speaking of the weather was saying something. He wasn't even batting an eye and he talked about his parents and his origins.

"Judging by the look you're giving me, I suppose you're disgusted by what happened. If it makes you feel any better that deadbeat rotted in prison when it came out after I was born. My mom and her parents obviously didn't want me but they were too poor to get a proper abortion so the moment I was out of the womb they decided to toss me into an orphanage. You know those movies when they make orphanages out to be a place of misery and suffering? Well, it was like that…but worse. The orphanage sucked ass, the people who ran the place were old hags who hated children and beat us with fucking rods. If I had to guess, those old bitches were in the money because when other adults were around, they acted like Saints but once they were gone, they became Demons again."

"Did you get adopted?"

"If I was, I wouldn't be in this Hellhole," Val admitted,"The people who came to adopt the kids never picked me. Never was given an exact reason but I suppose those old hags must've spilled the beans about my origins. Didn't help that they only wanted light skinned kids. Apparently Hispanic kids that are a product of rape just aren't good enough for them. So I stayed there for years, watching as every other kid got adopted while I grew older and older. And the older I got, the less patience those old hags had for me. I won't lie, I was a troublesome kid and I made their lives as awful as I could, pulling pranks and being an all around nuisance. I can't count how many times those hags threatened to boot me out of the orphanage early but they never had the guts. I think it's only because they don't want to get into legal trouble. Their orphanage had a load of controversies and if they kicked a underage teen onto the streets they'd get investigated.'

"So what happened when you were an adult then?"

"What do you think happened? The second I turned eighteen those hags forced me to pack my things and kicked me onto the street. Only thing I had on me was a backpack and the shitty clothes they gave me from the donations they received. I tried finding a job but of course nobody wanted me. No one wants an eighteen year old Hispanic boy with no high school diploma in their workforce. Couldn't even get a job at a fast restaurant."

"How'd you survive then? If you couldn't get a job, how'd you live?"

"Living isn't what I'd call it to be frank. Because after another night of failed job searching, I noticed some fucking guys were following me in their car. They kept trying to get me in but I rejected them. I wasn't the smartest but I got enough lectures about trusting strangers from those old hags not to go with them. I ended the conversation but I noticed they kept following me down the street and wouldn't leave. Young me was panicking and I decided to run for it and they got out of their car and chased me. I ran into an alleyway and got cornered real quick. There were four of them and one of me so when I tried fighting back, it didn't bode so well as they beat me into a bloody pulp. I thought they wanted my money and I tried explaining that I barely had anything but they said they weren't there for that. Naive me didn't understand what else they could've wanted but then they started tearing my clothes off and started assaulting me…"

Arackniss fell silent, he had no clue how to respond to such a statement, especially when it was given in such a matter of fact spoke as if he was disconnected from the event entirely and merely listing it off as if it were a normal occurrence that happened in life.

"Those four more or less had their way with me that night. They took their turns and quadruple-teamed me when they were in the mood to be more cooperative with each other. I screamed, fought back and I swore I heard someone walking by and pleaded for them to help me…but they turned their back on me and left me for dead. The coward didn't even report what they saw and just watched in the shows.I forget how long they did it for but it was a while before they got tired of me and threw me to the wayside. One of the guys talked about killing me and I was so weak at that point that my pleas sounded so goddamn pathetic. The leader however, Lloyd, must've felt tad sorry for me and told them that they'd keep me. So they took me to their trunk, tied me up and threw me in."

Arackniss wasn't sure how to feel at that moment. It felt surreal actually feeling bad for someone like this

"After that, they took me to their base of operations. They worked with a human sex trafficking ring and I lived like that for several years until I was twenty-two. I don't know what made Lloyd think of adding me to his team but he must've seen potential in me and convinced the head-honcho to let me on their missions. We had to kidnap a hooker and I was a little scared at the time since I feared we were gonna get caught but Lloyd said we'd be fine if we followed his lead and we did. The mission was a success though the girl was the kicker and I nearly lost my eye because of that bitch. We took her in the truck and brought her back to HQ, never saw her again but this made them think I was trustworthy. From then on, Lloyd started teaching me the works. He taught me how to use a gun, how to lure unsuspecting victims and to put on an affable facade to get what you wanted and flirt with people regardless of gender in order to bring them into a sense of comfort before I drugged them and brought them in. But most importantly, he taught me how to be a survivor."

"More like he taught you to be a monster…"

"Monster…Survivor, what's the difference?" He asked,"Besides, we're all monsters down here, one way or another. Some are just better at hiding it from the world. And regardless, as much as I hated that man, in a way, he saved me from being a weakling. Because when he and his friends gang-raped me, I learned that this world has no use for those who are weak. There is no point in kindness, mercy or even love for that matter, compassion is nothing more than a fool's game of people deluded themselves into thinking someone actually gives a fuck about them."

"But what about your boyfriend? Didn't you love Vox?"

Val laughed,"Love him? Of course not, sure, Voxy was sweet and all but I couldn't possibly love such a pathetic fool. Believe it or not, despite all the bravado of his, he's pretty easy to manipulate. The man was so desperate for affection that he always came crawling back to me no matter how hard I hit him with flowers and everything…"

"Why'd you hit him?"

"Because Nissy, words don't cut it with people like him. Voxy only understood one thing and that was a harsh punch in that screen of his. Violence is the only answer with rebellious people. That's what Lloyd taught me after all, if anyone gives you lip, you hit them back twice as hard, hard enough to break the bones in their body. Because that's what he used to do whenever I fucked up and spoke out for whatever reason. I used to be a tad rebellious when working with him and he didn't like it so he hit me with whatever objects he could find behind closed doors to keep me quiet."

"Do you hate him?"

"Of course I do, I always resent that bastard. Even when he grew to trust me. I Just grew better at hiding my emotions from him. He could never tell I was angry or that I hated him because I always smiled and complimented him every turn. Lloyd eventually grew tired of getting bossed around overthrew the original guy we worked for, acting as the pimp to the entire operation in his place. I was always at his side as his right hand and part-time sidepiece because we started a sexual relationship. Of course we didn't it love each other but who says you gotta love someone to fuck em?"

"What happened to you and Lloyd after that?"

"Well, as years went by, I found myself growing tired. I didn't like having to work under someone and I didn't fancy being in the second command position for much longer. So I decided one night that I'd take matters into my own hands and usurp the throne from him. It was pretty easy honestly, Lloyd already trusted me and all I had to do was lure him in bed before I shot him. Once he was dead I threw his body into the river and cleaned up the room before telling everyone that Lloyd went on a mission and that he hadn't come back. Since I was a trusted member at that point, nobody dared question me as I filled in his place until my death…"

Arackniss made a face, many thoughts were swimming in his mind but he decided to ask Val another question that had been bothering him,"How do you feel about Lloyd now? What would you say to him if you met him down here?"

Val paused and thought about it before saying,"I hate the bastard, Nissy…I really do but I gotta give him credit, he taught me to survive. He made me strong and I'd honestly thank him for that. Because in a way, that man was basically my Father. He raised me and gave me a chance when none of those other fucker's would. He saved me and made me into the person I am now. And without him, I doubt I would've lived this long, let alone realize that compassion and kindness are just lies people tell themselves. The only thing that matters is how good you are at manipulating people and being ruthless enough to tear down those who stand in your way to get to the top because at the end of the day, it's a dog eat dog world here,baby, no matter how many try to sugarcoat it."

Worst part was that Val wasn't even wrong, Hell was a ruthless place where only the strong flourished and the weak were pummeled into the ground.

"But thankfully, if you have power like me, your life is a lot easier and there isn't much of a struggle. The other demons out there scramble to survive, thinking they'll get their chance, but there's no salvation for the damned, Nissy. But so long as you are under my protection, you'll be protected and cared for."

The spider wasn't even sure what to think at that, to hear someone actually speak of their life like that was disturbing as Val listed events in such a calm and collected manner, barely batting an eye as he went into detail about the hellish life he had lived while he was alive.

"Don't look so down, Nissy. It's all in the past now, besides, I'm far stronger than Lloyd could've ever imagined I'd ever be. Besides, I'm not that weak little boy anymore, I'm the most feared Overlord around and I couldn't be better. After all, who needs love or compassion when you have money and power? Having those two things can pave the future for you, Nissy, and I promise the sooner you forget about your father figure the better off you'll be. Henroin only held you back and he won't understand that this is who you are now. Forget about your life before me, babe, because none of it matters. What matters now is that you are Hell's latest rising star and that you'll be the most popular porn star this realm has ever seen. Don't you want to be adorned, Nissy? Don't you want to be a full-time celebrity?"

Arackniss reluctantly nodded, fame was never really something he thought about but it sure did sound nice.

"Then you need to move forward. You Father and his cronies don't matter in this Studio, the only thing that matters is the ratings and the money you make. Don't let what your Father thinks distract you from your dreams, baby because the more focused you are, the more I can make your dreams a reality. Can you do that for me?"

"I'll try, Val…"

"Good boy.." Val patted him on the head,"Glad you understand my view, Nissy. Say, do you wanna go shopping? I think you could use some new clothes for your next performance. That'll cheer you right up wont it?"

"That sounds nice…"

"See? I knew you'd like it…Now come along, I know a place with the hottest designer clothes that would look fantastic on you…"

Arackniss followed Val to the limo and sat in the car, staring at the window as they zoomed down the street. As they were driving, Arackniss processed everything he had been told and it scared him.

Normally he didn't think too much about Val, he thought of him as a one-dimensional predator. But to know he was once just a normal kid shocked him. He hadn't thought too much of who Val had been in his life but he had always assumed he was just a monster at the start…

But no…he was once just a kid. A part of him could imagine a young Hispanic man crying out for help in an alley as he was getting raped for hours, pleading for someone to help him. And that person who had the chance to help…turned their back and didn't even bother reporting the incident,being left for dead in that alley, bleeding and likely sobbing as he laid on the floor.

No doubt Val felt pathetic, humiliated and infuriated upon being violated and the memories still stuck with him after all this time. Seeing the cruelest side of the world with no hint of true kindness had taken its toll on whatever was left of his conscience, turning him into what he was now…

He looked into Val's eyes and saw callousness and disdain, there was no kindness and that innocent kid he used to be was long gone. All that was left was a cruel and heartless creature that would inflict misery upon others.

Lloyd may have been gone…but in his wake, he created a monster far worse than he was. An innocent soul that once existed in Val had died and in its place was a monster that would finish Hell on those who crossed him. A monster with an entire empire on his side was the most dangerous one and Val had learned it from the best…

That's what scared Arackniss the most, because those types of monsters do not stop until they die. And they'd sooner ravage Hell itself and destroy everything around them than lose what they created…

Frederick narrowed his eyes as his eyes peered at the phone. It had been over a month and occasionally when he was done with his work he pondered over when he'd receive any updates on the news of the private investigation he had been going on.

So far, nothing had been found of Helsa and Seviathan's whereabouts and Frederick wondered where they could've gone. It wasn't as if they were nobodies, they were the Prince and Princess of Envy for Satan's sake, how could they just vanish into thin air?

It was something that seemed impossible and while he believed that perhaps this was just his children's attempt to infuriate him, a part of him did wonder what their true intention was behind this.

As he sat at his desk, he sipped on some of the tea that was at his desk to calm his nerves, attempting to ignore the feeling in his gut.

Strange happenings were occurring, first with Charlie and now his children and he had heard rumors of certain Overlords vanishing overnight. He wasn't certain if they were confirmed or not but he most certainly didn't want to find out.

Frederick then heard a shuffle nearby, a movement that he recognized all too well. He knew who those footsteps belonged to and he sighed wearily,"Belphegor, what have I told you about entering my house uninvited?"

The Lord of Sloth was a tall entity in a lavish suit with the ends resembling a cape. His skin was black and his mouth and eyes were aquamarine color with a large tail and large hair at the end that was designed in a luscious way. He had black horns and hot pink in his suit. His right arm was robotic in nature and had neon colors imprinted inside to signify his futuristic advancements

"Oh don't be like that, Fred, there's nothing wrong with friends entering there?" He inquired.

The shorter male scoffed,"You know I'm a busy man, Belphegor. You should know better than to bother me while I'm doing my work. Speaking of which, don't you have duties to attend to?"

"I do….but I'd rather not do them…" He admitted lazily,"I'm not in the mood to do anything work-related right now. I'd rather spend my time with my friends than look through paperwork…"

Fredrick rolled his eyes,"By Satan's name, your laziness never ceases to amaze me…"

"Aw, I'm hurt, I'd think with how long we've known each other that you'd know how I am by now. We've known each other for eons!"He mocked,"How hurtful…"

"Quit being a baby," Frederick retorted,"You're insufferable honestly…"

"Thank you, I do my best…"

"That wasn't a compliment…"

"I know~"

The Lord of Envy found himself irritated by Belphagor's child's attitude. For a Deadly Sin, Belphagor was rather lazy and childish whenever he wasn't doing his work(which was fairly often) and unless he was experimenting, rarely was he ever focused on doing anything at all.

"It's a miracle Lucifer hasn't kicked you out yet…"

"Because he needs me," He said,"Luci may be annoyed by my laziness but he knows I'm irreplaceable. Even he knows that…"

Frederick knew all too well that Belphagor was too useful to keep around, no matter how often everyone joked about his inability to attend meetings on time or his inconvenient summonings, Belphagor far too important to get rid of and he took advantage of it for as much as he could.

Belphagor stared at him intently as he attempted to ignore his ally's odd stare to no avail as his gaze kept piercing through him.

"What is it that you want with me?" He asked.

" I just wanted to talk with you, Frederick. It's been quite a while since we spoke and I wanted to see if you were alright."

"Couldn't be any better," He retorted halfheartedly,"Why? What is it to you?"

Belphagor frowned,"You know why, Frederick…."

"I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Frederick, I haven't seen those spawn of yours in quite a while…Can I ask…are they missing?"

Frederick's back straight before saying,"Why are you concerned about that? They are my children, not yours…"

"They may not be my spawn but they are your heirs and I'd expect you to care about your heirs for your bloodline's sake if anything. Tell me, have they run away like Little Miss Morningstar?"

"Most likely…I'm not entirely sure where they've run off to but I'm dedicating resources privately into finding them. Bethesda doesn't know but I'm certain she's noticed they're gone as well."

"I take it the search is going well if you're acting like this…" Belphegor sighed,"By Satan's name, I cannot believe we're experiencing so many controversies in a time like this. First Charlie's disappearance turns this entire realm upside down but Seviathan and Helsa's being gone is going to draw suspicion sooner or later. They'll eventually question you on why you're children not with you given their status, Frederick…"

"I'm not required to give them personal information…"

"But silence speaks volumes, especially down here. If you do not speak, people take that as confirmation and if you give the media an inch they'll run a mile…"

"Who says they'll find out?"

"You can't hide this forever, Frederic…"

"I can and I will. The denizens of Hell do not need to know everything. We keep tons of secrets from the public, what they don't know won't kill them and even if it did, it's of no concern to us what happens to them…"

"Fair enough, however, I'm a little worried for you. This seems to be taking its toll on you and I want to be sure you don't fall into a downward spiral again like you had centuries ago."

Frederick grit his teeth," We all swore not to speak of that again, Belphegor. Do not bring it up…"

"Frederick, I understand your anger but we need to address these sorts of things, especially given what a divide it caused when it first happened. You and Bethesda refused to speak with any of us for over almost two centuries.."

"So? I had the right to do so. Why do you care anyway?"

"Because that incident nearly tore us all apart, Frederick. You and Bethesda shut yourselves out from the world, nobody had seen you for years and you two changed in that time period…"

"How so?"

"You became a lot more…cold and cruel. You rarely smile and your gaze always seems to be filled with disdain for those around you. You used to be kinder until the incident happened and after that, you became a different person…"

"I am very much the same person," He rebuked,"I'm merely more mature and less naive. That comes with age don't you know? People change, Belphegor, you may not realize it with how lazy you are, but the rest of us change over time, even in the smallest ways imaginable. Some of us become better while the rest of us become worse. You'd' feel the same way after what that prideful bastard to us did…"

"Frederick, it was an accident. Lucifer didn't mean to do it…"

"Whether he meant to do it is irrelevant. What matters is that he did it and it changed our lives forever in the worst possible ways. It may have happened centuries ago but I still remember what he did and though we may pretend not to acknowledge it, I refuse to forget what he's done."

"I thought you two were finally friends again, was I wrong?"

"Who says we weren't?" Frederick retorted bitterly,"Just because I have a few…bones to pick with Luci doesn't mean I don't care for him. I just…hold an intense grudge against him that's all. Who wouldn't after what he pulled? You'd find it hard to be bitter and angry if someone did what he did to you and your family…"

The Lord of Sloth tensed at Frederick's rising tone, his breath shaking slightly with hidden rage.

"You know he didn't mean to. It was an accident. You know it was an accident, Lucifer. He didn't mean for it to happen."

"Just because he didn't it doesn't mean I am obligated to forget what he did to me. What he did to this family…" He growled, his eyes filled to the brim with hatred and bitterness that he had been keeping under the surface for far too long.

Belphegor made a face, he wasn't sure how to react as Frederick stood up from the desk and slammed his hands against it. The Lord of Sloth knew what Frederick was upset about, it was a tragic event that all the Sins desired to forget yet despite all these years, Frederick still hadn't moved on from the event.

"I get your anger Frederick. I can't say I wouldn't react the same way if I were you but I do know that Lucifer didn't mean for it to happen on that fateful day. I'm not saying you have to fully forgive him but perhaps it'd be best to focus your energy on something you can change rather than something you can't…"

"Do not judge me, Belphegor!" He snapped,"I do not need your pity. I have no use for those who allow their sentimental emotions to cloud their judgment. I may entertain your laziness but I have no patience for your judgment of me."

"Frederick, I'm just trying to help you and-"

"I do not need your help, Belphegor. I have no use for those who show pity towards me. Pity is for the weak and I refuse to be seen as weak through the eyes of another, let alone to another Sin of all people! We are meant to be revered and feared, not pitied. You of all people should know better than to show another pity."

"I get that, but I remember when you weren't like used to be happier…we all were…before that incident nearly tore us apart."

"That time passed long ago and the Frederick you knew died long ago. I learned from my mistakes. Belphegor. I learned that opening my heart to others only gets you hurt and I refuse to allow myself to be hurt due to others' carelessness."

"What about your family? Don't you care about them?"

Frederick scowled as he thought back to his spawn and his wife, he remembered the first time he met his kids in the delivery room and he recalled his feelings when he laid eyes on them.

He remembered for a faint second feeling love when he first held Seviathan as his son opened his eyes at him, that love immediately repressed itself the moment he remembered what had happened the last time he allowed himself to get attached and immediately withdraw any sense of affection he had towards him.

He never said he loved Seviathan or Helsa for that matter. He never hugged them nor did he even give them a smile to show his pride for them. Anytime his children showed him affection he turned them away or at best, gave them a small pat on the head of acknowledgement before tending to his duties.

That was when he was in his better moods, because when he was in his writ of moods, let's just say his children were better off not being in his line of sight, especially if they were being disobedient or had done something disappointing to him for that matter…

"Frederick…are you alright?" Belphegor asked as he tried reaching out to touch his shoulder only for the shorter man to balk at his advances,

"Do not touch me!" He hissed,"I have no use for your attempts to pity me. Leave me be, your presence only brings me trouble and I'd appreciate it if you excused yourself from my house. Not only have you entered my home uninvited but you dare bring up topics we all swore to never discuss ever again. If you truly value our friendship, you would leave me alone until further notice, understand?"

"I understand…Sorry for bothering you…"

Belphegor soon teleported out of the area, leaving Frederick alone. The Lord of Envy scoffed before heading back to his desk, attempting to focus back on his paperwork but struggling. HIs thoughts were clouded with that topic he desired so badly to forget and the discussion of his children didn't help matters…

He then noticed something sticking out of his desk from the corner of his eye that he didn't recognize. It looked like a crumpled piece of paper and he believed it was one of the documents he had neglected to throw out…

When he opened the drawer and grabbed the paper he found himself stunned when he saw what appeared to be a childish doodle in the drawer.

He blanked,"Where in the Hell did this come from? Did one of the maids put this in here? I swear if they were rummaging through my things someone is going to get fired..

However, upon closer inspection, he noticed something off about the drawing. The drawing didn't appear to be of something random, but rather a (poorly done) drawing of him and…

Seviathan.

Only then had it hit him, Seviathan drew this…

Just then, the gears in his head turned and the memories came flooding back inside of his mind.

It was a normal day for him, he had been walking around his house, focusing on his duties as per usual. It had been rather quiet in the house and he emerged in his own thoughts.

'Hmm…how interesting. Guess things never seem to grow stale around this place…' He thought to himself as he read over the news. As he was walking, Frederick was taken aback when he heard a child shout,

"DADDY! DADDY!" His eldest son screamed as he rushed towards him and latched onto his leg, causing Frederick to stumble and lose his balance.

"Gah!" He hissed as he hit the ground,"Seviathan, what is the matter with you!? Haven't I told you not to pester me while I'm working!?"

"But you're always working…"

"That doesn't matter!" Frederick snapped, causing his son to wince at his rising tone,"Do you not realize that I have things to do? You cannot just bother me whenever you feel like it. And what have I told you about calling me such 'childish' names? You shall address me as Father, nothing more, nothing less.""

"Sorry Father…"He mumbled,"I know you're busy but I really wanted to show you something…"

"It better be important, boy…" He growled,"Out with it then, show me what you did that made you think pestering me was such a wonderful idea…"

"Okie dokie! Here it is!"

Frederick was then handed a piece of paper of a poorly drawn doodle. He stared at it for a long time, narrowing his eyes as he attempted to decipher what he was looking at. At first he thought it was just a bunch of scribbles but he managed to make out a raggedy drawing of himself and Seviathan(at least what appeared to be them anyway) in stick figure form.

For a moment he was somewhat speechless at what he was looking at. It was quite possibly the worst drawing he had ever laid eyes on and he was far from thrilled at the drawing.

"You have got to be kidding me," He said flatly,"This is what you wasted your time on? Did you really think this scribble-scratch was worthy of bestowing to me? This is the worst thing I've ever laid eyes on. I cannot believe you interrupted me for something like this! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you no good brat!" He then crumbled up the piece of paper and threw it to the ground…

Seviathan whimpered,"I'm sorry, Father…I just wanted to make you something since you seemed like you had a lot of paperwork to go through and I wanted to take your mind off of it…"

"Is that so?" He asked,"Perhaps you should focus on better things than to waste time doodling. You are a Prince, Seviathan and as my heir I expect better things out of you than to waste time scribbling on paper. You should do things like swordsmanship if you truly want to captivate my attention…"

"Can I do it now then? I wanna make you proud!"

Frederick looked at Seviathan for a moment, lifting up his son's body for a moment before saying,"You are far too young for that. Wait a few more years and I'll consider enrolling you in swordsmanship lessons."

"But I want it now! Give me a chance!" He whined,"Please! I know I can do it!"

Frederick scoffed,"Since you're so certain, why don't you go ahead and try lifting this sword? If you do then I'll let you do so…"

He summoned a sword and dropped it on the ground.

"Well? What are you waiting for, Seviathan? Pick it up…"

Seviathan made a move for the sword and tried to lift it off the ground. He struggled, tugging desperately with all of his might. The sight was rather amusing seeing a five year old boy trying to lift a sword that was twice his size. Frederick found it funny at first but his son still struggled to pull it and it became more embarrassing and pathetic if anything…

"Oh good lord…" He sighed,"Enough, Seviathan. You cannot lift it…"

"But Father, please! Give me another chance! Just give me more time!"

"I said enough," Frederick clarified,"There's no point, you cannot lift it. You're wasting time, Seviathan. You are too weak to lift a sword like this. Perhaps when you are older you'll be able to wield it but until your demonic strength comes in you'll have to live with it…"

"But Father, I still wanna make you proud! Is there anything I can do?"

Frederick rolled his eyes,"I don't know, go outside and play with a stick or something. Pretend it's a sword, I heard that's what kids do whenever they are bored. Whatever you do, leave me out of it…"

"OK! Don't worry Father, I promise I'll make you proud of me!" He said before rushing outdoors and picking up a stick and swinging it in the air. It was pathetic and almost pitiful to see his son trying so hard to get his approval..

Frederick then prepared to walk back to his office when he stepped on the paper by accident. He honestly would've left it there for the maids to pick up so they could throw it in the trash but a small part of him felt bad….

So he decided to go into his office and stuff it in one of his drawers, just for safekeeping, figuring that when he got around to cleaning his desk out that he'd toss it into the incinerator when the time came…

Frederick stared at the paper for a moment as he returned to the present. His expression was akin to stone, unmoving and unfeeling but inside of his eyes, for a split second there was a glassy feeling inside as a piece of guilt gnawed inside of him…

He immediately snapped himself out of it, berating himself for daring to shed a tear. The last time he cried was centuries ago when Lucifer had…had…

God…just thinking about it made him feel even worse.

He snarled,"Rulers do not cry, Frederick. You are not supposed to cry, you are stronger than that. Do not shed tears over your spawn, they are not worth it. No demon is worth your tears, not anymore…"

He told himself that a few times, calming himself down and dispelling the guilt he felt in his stomach.

After regaining his composure, he took a deep breath before pausing when he heard a knock on the door.

'Oh what now?' He thought to himself before irritability asking,"What do you want?"

"Lord Frederick, would you like some more tea?"

He rolled his eyes before saying,"Leave it at the door. I'll get it later. I'm not in the mood right now. I need to be left alone for a while. Do not disturb me..."

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Enigmus-288: I mean, he's a shark so his understanding of the world is a little child-like. Doesn't help Vel and Vox legit vanished out of thin air.