Chapter 27: The Seventeenth Brunch (Birthday, Part 1)

If Indigo were sinful enough, she would have razed Paimon's property with a swarm of Lapis Locustia.

It was finally Friday. The day of Octavia's birthday. Then Monday, she'd finally return to the hotel and away from the pompous decadent court of posh poultry. Indigo had hoped that the morning would be peaceful before tonight's grand party, during which she'd keep friendly company to Octavia. Then she wouldn't have to socialize with the royal poultry that weren't named Octavia, Stolas, or Naberius.

But then Paimon's delivery imp conveniently arrived just when she was about to reach the kitchen. After going back to the guest room, the imp opened the package to release the content, gave her Paimon's letter, and left. Fifteen minutes later, Stolas and Octavia were perplexed. Not as angry as Indigo, though. Her guest chambers now had five red admirals the size of Hellhounds fluttering around.

Paimon had sent a dress covering a bust mannequin like the ones seamstresses use. Not just any dress, but a ballgown. The black petticoat was coated by a draped skirt of midnight blue chiffon, the skirt's tips cut to match the tips of butterfly wings. Diamonds were sown over the chiffon in intricate, but subtle pink star patterns. The high neck top matched the skirt's color and was kept simple to not clash with the black layered sleeves bearing lace patterns of wing membranes. To accompany the gown, glass slippers and a diamond choker with a butterfly pendant were provided. To add insult to injury, there was also a tiara of amethyst butterflies, blue diamonds, and pink pearls.

"I… AM NOT celebrating Octavia's special day dressed up as Cinderella at the Hunger Games!" Indigo waved Paimon's letter. Stolas took it from her hands and looked at it.

His eyes widened. "What is he doing?"

"Dad?" Octavia asked. "Please tell me that Grandpa Paimon didn't do something I REALLY don't want to deal with..."

"Worse… He's demanding that you and Indigo accompany him for the Seventeenth Brunch today."

Octavia snatched the paper and read it as well. "Fuck!"

"The… Seventeenth Brunch?" Indigo asked. "I don't know what that is."

"The Radio Demon didn't tell you?" Stolas sighed. "The Seventeenth Brunch is a brunch Lucifer hosts on the seventeenth of every month. A 'casual' get-together to acknowledge the efforts the Hellborn and sinner upper crust of Hell put in to support the Devil. 7 Overlords, 7 Ars Goetia, 1 royal representative from the other Rings, and naturally the Devil and his wife. Of course, the Ars Goetia have the privilege of bringing along their youngest heir… and a plus one."

"Can't he just take Auntie Seere?" Octavia held her arms out in exasperation. "He always takes her to the Seventeenth Brunch!"

"Your aunt is the youngest of all of Paimon's children, but you're the youngest of his grandchildren." Stolas sighed. "And according to the paper, the other Goetia joining the Brunch are Gusion, Barbatos, Marbas, Samigina, Zepar… and Bael."

Indigo saw the two Ars Goetia cringe at the name of Bael. She remembered how the Apocatombs had a point leading into the forest near his property. Just seeing his castle had scared Octavia. She still remembered the ghost-like transparent figures that were dragging demons into the castle. Octavia had said that Bael was the only Ars Goetia capable of scaring Asmodeus. She also said he was a tawny frogmouth. Indigo couldn't imagine Bael, but she did see a picture of tawny frogmouths in books discussing Earth's fauna in Stolas' library.

Indigo sighed. "Do I have to go? I don't want to get any of you in trouble. Especially on Octavia's birthday…"

"Indy…" Octavia went to hug her.

Stolas was touched by the scene. "Well, the brunch is only a couple hours long. My father used to take until my younger siblings were born. Lucifer's not very creative with his list. He does play favorites with the Overlords and Ars Goetia he invites. I wouldn't be surprised if the Radio Demon happens to attend; I hear he comes every year! He might be satisfied to know of your situation."

Indigo stiffened. "Alastor will be there?"

Stolas nodded.

Indigo sighed and pinched her nose in defeat. "One hour and a half and we get the shit out of there." She covered her mouth. Stolas and Octavia gasped.

"Did you just cuss?" Octavia asked.

"I know! I've been in Hell too long!"

Around 11:30am… well, more like 6.66 seconds after 11:30am

Alastor wasn't quite a fan of the Seventeenth Brunch.

It wasn't even a brunch. It was more of a semi-early lunch at Babel's Delight, one of the most ludicrously expensive restaurants that only the most absolutely wealthy could afford. On the outside, it had the architecture of the infamous tower of Babel, but on the inside, it was just an enlarged replica of what the wealthiest sinners called the Kappo Masa Restaurant.

An invitation from Lucifer was mandatory, but Alastor sincerely wished he didn't have to attend. The Brunch was just another attempt for Lucifer to remind his subordinates that even among the upper crust, the Overlords and Ars Goetia were never and will never be equals. The Overlords only brought themselves, but the Ars Goetia always brought in their youngest heirs.

What a way to rub it in their faces that the sinner Overlords could never produce biological heirs.

"So…" Alastor took a sip of blood wine. "Who shall we loathe today?"

"Let me think." Rosie swirled the spoon in her teacup to mix the sugar. "The Overlords of Consumerism, Frederick and Bethesda."

The Von Eldritch Overlords were casually chatting with Lucifer and Lilith Morningstar over alcoholic drinks.

"Our semi-neutral associates Karat, the Overlord of Gambling, and Missy Zilla, the Overlord of Monsters."

Rosie motioned to the redheaded owl-demon and the green haired punk dinosaur demoness, both chuckling over bills and raw meat finger foods. Alastor and Rosie didn't interact much with those two outside of meetings hosted by Lucifer. The Overlords of Gambling and Monsters ran their own independent empires, with Karat having gained his title around the 1970s when casinos became legal in the United States. Missy Zilla was the newest Overlord, having gained her title back in 2016, only a few years after Velvet. Karat and Missy Zilla did make good trades together, however, due to their businesses functioning on the prospects of bets: Karat had a whole arsenal of casinos spread throughout the Pride Ring and Missy Zilla operated her Klub Kaiju and its small branch arenas in hands-on combat. Gambling and bets were popular in her rings, so Karat and Missy Zilla had good business.

The final Overlord attending the Brunch was part of the triumvirate that disgusted Alastor and Rosie. None of them were pleasant, but when Velvet, the Overlord of Social Media, was without the company of the pimp and television-head, demons quickly learned that creepier creepiness was buried within the cutesy appearance of the creepy doll. And now, she had the audacity of approaching them.

"Velvet. What a surprise!" Rosie's teeth gritted through her smile.

"What a surprise to see only you today!" Alastor held his glass up. "Have your comrades declined Lucifer's invitation or did they suddenly perish from horrible circumstances?"

"Lucifer invited me." Velvet scooped up a large chunk of the cake slice she was eating and forced it into her mouth. The older, refined Overlords hid their disgust at her lack of manners. "So, Al! Hear the princess still has just Val's prized whore as her only guinea pig for her pet project!"

"Now why would I validate such a statement?" Alastor drank his wine.

"Just sayin'." Velvet licked her fingers. "I hope you guys are aware of how dangerous the possibility of redemption being a thing is. Many resources, clients, and slaves would be lost. There might not be a decreasing clientele at the Emporium and audience for the radio…"

"Oh, Velvet! Are you worried over our clientele rates?" Rosie faked being touched. "How lovely! How are things with your comrades now that Valentino is financially struggling?"

Velvet merely looked at her black fingernails ornated by obnoxious reddish pink sequin. Behind their smiles, Rosie and Alastor's stomachs turned. Velvet truly had no strong connections. The Three Vs were friends, but that friendship only went as far as their Overlord empires. No doubt about it, Velvet would deem Valentino as disposable if he couldn't maintain his empire. And Velvet was the youngest of the Overlords. Literally. She was 19 when she died, making her a year younger than Missy Zilla. Velvet held her title as Hell's youngest sinner Overlord tightly.

The imp valets announced the arrival of the Ars Goetia. Lucifer snapped his fingers and the seven present Overlords aligned themselves at attention. The first to arrive was… an imp messenger with a letter addressed to Lucifer. Judging by the Devil's reaction at the letter, Bael had bailed… again. Alastor wasn't sure why Lucifer let it slide. Bael always bailed on the Seventeenth Brunch since the French Revolution. Rosie had always theorized that perhaps he didn't want to associate with Overlords that weren't of human nobility at birth. It was a trend back in the day until humans popularized democracy.

After Bael's messenger imp ran for her life, the other invited Ars Goetia came in rank order and accompanied by their youngest heirs. First came Marquis Samigina, a cattle egret demoness. She came with no heir; the rumors were that somebody had assassinated her husband and only heir. Then came President Marbas, a snowy owl demon who thought it was a good idea to bring his baby son. Following Marbas was Duke Barbatos, a blood-colored peregrine falcon demon who brought their pre-adolescent daughter. The child seemed to have forgotten she was in a high-ranking demon event and not her archery lesson.

To the Overlords' surprise, Paimon wasn't the next in line. Preceding him were Duke Gusion with her son, the young Marquis Naberius (Alastor didn't understand how a drongo could give birth to a crow), and Duke Zepar, a cardinal demon in red armor who came with his red stork son, the Marquis Shax who was just as young as Naberius.

Paimon stepped in.

Alastor and Rosie did their best to not gasp.

Paimon was accompanied by Octavia Goetia. And next to Octavia, all dolled up like the pompous avian demons she was surrounded by, was Indigo Caligo. Her face was expressionless.

Knowing her, Alastor could tell that she was trying to control her emotions. But that made him wonder why Paimon lied to Charlie… The king had claimed Indigo to be injured. Why was he dragging her to this event along with his granddaughter? The Overlords had brought no one but themselves. The Ars Goetia all brought their heirs, except the childless Samigina and always-absent Bael. Why was the second highest ranking Goetia bringing along a sinner associated with his granddaughter?

Alastor quickly looked at Rosie. In their composed position, she saw the look of worry in her black eyes. Alastor couldn't break his smile just yet. Paimon, his granddaughter, and Indigo went to align with the Goetia. Alastor's ears picked up bell dinging noises at somebody's footsteps and… his nose picked up the smell of blood.

Somebody was walking on glass and bleeding.

Finally, the last guest came. That caused Lucifer to wrinkle his nose. The sin who joined in for the Seventeenth Brunch was Addison, Mammon's nephew. Accompanying him was his Hellborn lover, a purple humanoid demon of snake features. The press called him Gustaf. He was two years older than Addison and the latter was over the black moon for him. At this rate, the Overlords could think that Hell's aristocracy was facing harsh times, what with the more 'modern' heirs finding romance or pleasure within the lowest of commoners. But then again, aside from being an insane miser, the Embodiment of Greed notoriously doted on his nephew.

The Ars Goetia and Indigo aligned at attention, facing the Overlords. Addison and his companion faced the Devil and his queen, the whole formation a rectangle. The restaurants staff pushed the tables together, creating a table large enough to sit everyone up in their current order. That made 7 Overlords, 1 deadly sin, the Devil, His Queen, 6 Ars Goetia nobles, 5 Ars Goetia heirs, a sinner, and a Hellborn. That made a total of 23 demons in one table, all of different positions in the hierarchy.

The Overlords faced the sour look of the Ars Goetia. Even Marbas' baby son could hiss at them. The avian aristocrats looked down on them as nothing more than glorified sinners. Nouveau riche dining with old wealth. Small grey clouds trying to join a hurricane. A small poodle trying to fit in with the wolves. Although one poodle seemed… relevant enough.

Alastor and Rosie could know why, but the Overlords didn't. They were confused by Indigo's presence. A sinner among the Ars Goetia. If it had been one of the sins or the Overlords, it would have made sense. Valentino had dragged Angel Dust to the Seventeenth Brunch before… But the Goetia never did.

"So…" Lucifer clasped his hands. Immediately, the staff started bringing in juice pitchers, crystal glasses, and wines of the most ludicrous quality. "Who's had a good year… that didn't disappoint me?"

They said nothing. The only sounds came from the beverages being poured in the crystal cups.

"So, nobody wants to talk about the overpopulation?" Lucifer leaned in his seat. His black fingers rubbed against his crystal glass. "The low quality of the sin polls? My daughter's silly rehabilitation program? Come on, it's our once-a-month shindig!"

Velvet had no dignity and raised her hand.

"Finally!" Lucifer took a sip of his bloody red wine. "Tell me something, Velvet!"

"I think your daughter's project should be terminated on the spot," Velvet said bluntly. "Resources could be lost if redemption was possible."

"She'll come to her senses, Velvet." Lucifer said calmly, but dismissively. "Redemption can't be done. Alastor's reassured me of the lack of progress!"

"Indeed!" Alastor chuckled. "It's entertaining, really! How even Valentino's prized merchandise can't do the impossible!" That wasn't something Alastor wanted to say. True, Angel Dust had struggled, but… He was changing rapidly ever since Indigo came to the hotel. His drug and alcohol stashes were gone. Husk hadn't seen him drink at the bar in a while! "And my presence scares of any new patron."

"Atta boy." Lucifer winked.

"True, but not EVERY sinner or Hellborn fears you, Alastor." Velvet insisted. Her nails then scratched against the surface. Her white feline pupils darted at Indigo. The latter was sitting across from her, between Octavia and Gusion. She was calmly drinking her glass filled with nectar-based juice. "I'm sorry, but who the fucking shit are you?"

Indigo said nothing. She acted like Velvet hadn't spoken to her. When she put her glass down, her expressionless face shifted into a toothy grin.

Alastor's grin.

"Sorry… Wasn't paying attention. I thought you were the Annabelle doll."

The Overlords shivered. The Ars Goetia didn't dare to blink. Gustaf leaned in close to Addison while the latter drank his wine. Lilith was interested, but Lucifer got excited.

It was the opposite, but wonderful, of love at first sight. Hate at first sight. A thrill for all demons that observed. When the audience feels lightning going down their spines, the air they inhale reach volcanic temperatures, and their veins threatening to pop internally. All of these feelings stirring from the sight of demons hating automatically at first sight.

Commoners would find it a death sentence if it suddenly caused a brawl. For the upper crust, it was usually the beginning of a long-lasting rivalry.

Velvet's nails cut through the tablecloth.

"Just who do you think you are…" Velvet's eyes twitched. "Talking to ME like that?"

"You're the one who talked to me. I didn't want to talk to you in the first place." Indigo shrugged. At the other end of the table, Missy Zilla covered her mouth with her hands, muffling the chuckles. Velvet's face darkened. The staff brought in the first course of the brunch: eel and fish tempura, turnip cakes, and, to Alastor's delight, platters of andouille sausages from various fiery-tempered bovines of the Wrath Ring.

Velvet was still pissed. Duke Gusion couldn't resist cackling.

"Delightful as ever!" Gusion cackled. "How wonderful that you could accompany Octavia on her first Seventeenth Brunch AND her birthday!" Gusion put her hand on Indigo's shoulder and the latter didn't flinch. "Marquis Samigina, President Marbas, Duke Barbatos, Zepar! THIS is the cutie I was telling you about! The one that bit that bitchy, flightless Stella back down to her BORN rank!"

"Swans fly, mom…" Naberius ate one whole piece of fish tempura.

"Never seen my mother fly." Octavia rolled her eyes and drank.

"What should she even fly from anyway?" Indigo asked Octavia. "Her personality or her rank?"

Rosie clasped her mouth. Missy Zilla almost choked on her wine due to her laughter. The Overlords weren't sure what they were witnessing, but the Ars Goetia were now squawking and laughing. Alastor was almost taken aback by Indigo's witty use of humor despite her stoic composure. He might be proud.

"Her personality or her rank! That's actually pretty funny!" Samigina cackled. "I don't even understand why your father didn't just murder her after your hatching, Octavia!"

"I know I mounted mine on my fireplace after my Naberius was born!" Gusion bragged.

"Would have been funnier if Stolas put a hit on her using that paramour of his," Zepar piped in.

Alastor was disgusted. At least the Overlords had a sense of civility among each other despite their evident hatred. The fowl beasts sitting across from them had no problem being a decadent court of false elegance, belittling their peers within a nearby inch and treating those beneath them in the hierarchy as bugs. When Alastor had heard of the letter Charlie received from Paimon, the prospect of Indigo being assaulted by the Goetia had dawned on him. Now, her presence made sense.

Even if those avian bluebloods liked her, it wasn't genuine admiration or care the way Octavia Goetia and Indigo Caligo befriended one another. All the adult Goetia sitting at the table made it clear. They only liked her because she helped embarrass their lower ranking peers. And they didn't even seem to care of Octavia's birthday…

An idea came to him to switch things up.

"Oh, the joys of assassination!" He laughed, turning to Rosie. "Remember the centuries-old Overlords I extinguished back in 1933, Rosie?"

"Indeed! I'll never forget the day when the Overlord of Slavery fell!" Rosie clapped her hands. "You turned him into a fawn and roasted him alive. What a feast!"

"Speaking of assassination… How many of you have been using those freelancing imps for human targets?"

Lucifer's question caused deadly silence in the table. Alastor could see Paimon and Octavia stiffening in their seats. Lucifer cut his turnip cake and took a bite, as if he'd been asking about the weather.

"I know, I know. I'm the one who encouraged those rules about registration for human realm access." The Devil shrugged. "It's just… There are a few wild card factors on why our sin polls are still stable but decreasing. Yet…" When he looked up at the others, the air seemed to thicken. Threatening to suffocate the guests. "Who can tell me why most of Hell's upper crust isn't doing their fucking job… and a bunch of lowly imps are? Anybody would like to entertain me?"

It was a suicidal question. Despite the social damage it caused due to Stolas' involvement with an imp, the silence from the Ars Goetia was quieter than those of the Overlords. Only Missy Zilla and Karat dared to raise their hands boldly.

"May we entertain you?" Missy Zilla asked.

"Certainly, Missy Zilla." Lucifer leaned on his chair. "At least YOU and Karat don't cause me problems. Don't cause a first one."

"Certainly." Missy Zilla clasped her reptilian clawed hands together. "Karat and I share the common trait of values and chances in our industry."

"Casinos, street matches, annual sports, extermination bets, etc." Karat added.

"Hands-on-combat, gladiator games, kaiju, robots, monsters. Anything that involves lottery, chance, and a whole lot of sins being betted. Of course, ongoing lotteries require… newer resources. Pawns that can increase the betting pools." Missy Zilla continued. "A recurring, successful gambler at Karat's casinos has 75 chances out of 666 to lose if newer, cleverer gamblers come to play. An experienced fighter in my rings who was a professional wrestler in the 1980s has 13 out of 66 chances to win against a US soldier who fought in Afghanistan. New flesh puts in new chance numbers, more money, and more polls. But new flesh… requires the occasional accidents to procure it."

"We order like, what? 50 hits on professional con artists, casino patrons, game designers, underground dog fighting ring handlers, lab rats, and a WHOLE lot of college students!" Karat boasted. "How much did we make in the past year since we started using those imps for targeting humans?"

"Ironically, we made $6,660,000. That's a quarter more than we did before we contacted those freaks."

"You did keep up the Greed polls by 30%." Addison acknowledged.

Soon, the Ars Goetia admitted all their targets. Alastor was impressed by their lack of standards. The nobles had no problem encouraging the denials of global warming, destroying charities, and instigating some school shootings. Even Frederick Von Eldritch admitted to putting some hits on thrift store merchants threatening larger conservative chains. Lucifer and His Queen just listened to their bragging. The staff cleared away the plates and brought in the second course: devil Eggs Benedict, haggis, and, what freaked out the Von Eldritch the most, squid bourguignon cooked in snake wine. Alastor couldn't resist widening his smirk as the Von Eldritch couple's faces turned greener, particularly when Indigo ate her bowl of squid bourguignon entirely and requested seconds. The staff refilled her order eagerly.

"I definitely cannot wait for your birthday party tonight, Octavia!" Gusion chirped. "Your father showed me pictures of the new decorations, and let me tell you, they are EXQUISITE! Stella's usual ideas are shitty kindergarten paperwork!"

Paimon was eating his Eggs Benedict regally, but Alastor saw it. A smug twinkle in his eyes.

"Uh… thanks." Octavia gestured to Indigo. "Indigo came up with the new arrangements."

"Well OF COURSE she did!" Gusion got excited. "It can't be helped if Stella isn't naturally talented like your partner!"

Rosie almost cut on her haggis too hard. Lucifer and Lilith stopped eating. The Von Eldritch cringed in their seats. Velvet coughed out her wine. The Ars Goetia kept eating like nothing happened. Karat and Missy Zilla just smirked, as if things got interesting. Alastor's static scratch was brief.

NOW Paimon's letter made more sense! Why wouldn't it? All of the upper crust knew that when he arranged marriages, it was to produce precautionary, but powerful heirs! Stolas and his wife's engagement was solely for Octavia's existence! Why should Paimon care about his son ruining his marriage and divorcing his Marquess-ranked wife… when his youngest granddaughter now went around closely befriending a young sinner with swarms to control? That shitty king is really a dirty jackal, he thought.

"I'm sorry, I think I misheard," Velvet laughed. "The Ars Goetia don't mingle with sinners."

"Actually, we don't mingle with Overlords." Marbas ate all of his squid bourguignon. "You're all too… What's the word I'm looking for?"

"Nouveau riche?" Gusion offered.

"Glorified sinners?" Barbatos offered.

"A talentless lot," Paimon offered. "Granted, we have our means, but you all resort to your slaves for the most conquering of tasks." He bowed his head to Lucifer. "No offense to your toys, Your Cruel Majesty."

"None taken." Lucifer shrugged. "I can easily dispose of those useless to me."

Even among favorites, the Devil made it clear. Overlords could be just as disposable.

The plates were cleared to make room for dessert: a thirteen-layered tower of vanilla crème brulée, each layer bearing sauces reflecting the Seven Rings of Hell. Addison and Missy Zilla devoured large quantities of the Greed Ring mint sauce. Alastor noticed Octavia providing Indigo some crème brulée with sea salt caramel sauce.

Then the princess had the audacity of doing the following.

"Your Majesty, who is your favorite among the Overlords?"

The Overlords, excluding Alastor drinking his coffee, glared at one another. The Ars Goetia watched in amusement.

"And if you did have a favorite, is it because they make a lot of cash… or are they a sycophant licking your boots?"

Lucifer Morningstar laughed his hat off. "Favoritism for sycophants! You're really funny, tiny princess!"

"We're clearly among the best!" Frederick Von Eldritch claimed. "After all, we are connected to the Von Ouroboros family!"

"What, the same people that burn your Christmas cards?" Addison snorted. Gustaf laughed and kept eating his crème brulée.

"The Three Vs are the biggest fucking triumvirate in all of Hell's Overlords!" Velvet growled. "We've been responsible for boosting up three types of sin polls for decades!"

"Girl, please!" Missy Zilla snorted. "Your bitchy buddy Valentino is facing bankruptcy! That moth is literally getting infested by butterflies!"

Velvet's head suddenly twisted. She glared at Indigo. The girl was eating through three plates of crème brulée and sea salted caramel sauce to her heart's content. She noticed Velvet glaring at her.

"You think I did it?" She scoffed and kept eating. "Just because I'm a butterfly demon, you think I trashed your friend's property? That's pretty racist."

"You know any other demons who can do fucked up tricks like that?" Velvet tested.

"Says Annabelle who crafts Frankenstein dolls for her tea parties." Indigo kept eating. "At least Octavia does authentic taxidermy."

"Oh, my gosh, I just LOVE taxidermy!" Gusion clapped her hands. "You know, like what I did to my husband!"

"WE KNOW!" All the adult Ars Goetia groaned in exasperation.

"Fucking Satan, why don't you just publish a book about it, Mom?" Naberius groaned. Out of nowhere, Duke Gusion pulled out a book. The cover was a lovely photograph of her stuffed husband resting on a fireplace while in the foreground, a giddy Gusion was holding a blood-coated scalpel as if to carve the title out of skin. TAXIDERMY ON OUTLIVED HUSBANDS: A HOBBY BECOMES A PRACTICE ONCE YOUR HUSBAND GIVES YOU AN HEIR.

"I'm having the first copies sold after Extermination!" Gusion bragged.

"Uh… congratulations?" The Queen of Hell was a bit disturbed and pulled her husband closer to her. Alastor was certain that Lilith feared that Gusion would be too eager to use taxidermy on the Devil and give a stuffed, but dead Lucifer to Lilith for her birthday.

When dessert was over, it was one out of three closing traditions that came. The picture taking of the guests and hosts. One by one, standing before a dark red wall with painted black thorns frames, the Ars Goetia took turns getting their pictures taken. The nobles and their heirs. It was rather adorable when Marbas' baby son cuddled in the former's laps and Barbatos let their daughter hug them on the legs during the pictures. When Paimon's turn came, it was only natural for his granddaughter to come in but people were surprised that he included Indigo.

And being the elitist he was, they were surprised by how he put himself in the background while the girls stood close in the foreground.

"He usually takes pictures by himself…" Lilith said quietly.

The first picture was taken.

And just as the second one was about to be taken, he slipped out from the shot. The quick, smiling relief on the girls' faces got caught on camera.

Now Alastor wasn't certain what kind of matchmaking game Paimon, but his ways were sneaky. For someone who had no problem marrying off his children with dastardly Goetia barbarians, he was deliberately showing off Indigo's connection to Octavia. The photographer reassured Paimon that the printed picture would be sent to him within a week.

Alastor didn't like it. A printed photograph could easily be mailed to the press…

"So… how exactly did you get acquainted with… this, your Highness?" Velvet asked, seething at the two girls.

"I'm sorry, I don't talk to 'things' who are racist to my friend," Octavia dismissed and walked with Indigo around. The second tradition came: the guests drinking and mingling with one another. Naturally, the Ars Goetia approached Indigo like bees to honey. Alastor kept his ears out for peculiar information. His protégée was very cautious with her words when they asked her many things. How did she meet Octavia? A retail location. How long has she been in Hell? An amount of weeks? What were her demonic powers? A work in progress. They didn't need to ask her how she was acquainted with Paimon, the Goetia nobles would just laugh at how pathetic one of their kin was for being assaulted by a sinner when said sinner was defending another Goetia. Mammon's nephew was berating the Von Eldritch couple for their recent lack-lustering performance in the sin polls under the snickering eyes of his paramour. The Overlords tried to butter up to the Devil and His Queen.

Only Velvet wasn't really paying attention. Alastor wasn't certain, but it looked a bit too real.

Velvet's eyes were flashing green. Not the greed green, but the green-eyed monster. The Overlord of Social Media was seething in jealousy.

"Your Majesty," Velvet asked, not careful with the manners, "sinners can't surpass Overlords by joining the Goetia ranks, can they?"

To Alastor's surprise, Lucifer tapped the apple of his staff on top of Velvet's head. His smile was gone. "I'll advise you to wash away that envy of yours, Velvet," he warned. "Your rising envy makes me uncomfortable."

"I'm not envious, Your Highness. I'm only asking out of curiosity."

Lucifer pushed his staff harder on top of Velvet's head, Alastor could smell some blood. "Your little friend Valentino is already in hot waters for his potential bankruptcy. You and Vox may be the main Overlords responsible for the envy sin polls, but keep in mind that your goal is to keep the envy sin polls as beneath from the other sin polls as possible. I don't need Leviathan to get all cocky if his polls got drastically higher just because one of my Overlords got pathetically jealous over a lowly sinner. So get back to being a bitchy doll. Am I clear?"

Velvet's nod of understanding was nothing compared to her distasteful grunt. Her jealousy was clear…

Alastor realized that he completely forgot that Indigo, a sin-devourer preying on envy, was in the same room as the most jealous Overlord there could possibly be right now. He was thankful that the elitist Goetia nobles kept Indigo busy.

The third and final tradition finally came up. Customary, Overlords took turns every month to show off their newest products. Products meant to boost sin polls for the next year. Gain potential monetary sponsorship from the Goetia. This month, it was none other than Missy Zilla. Despite the neutral terms, Alastor wasn't exactly found of Missy Zilla's business in gladiator games. The Radio Demon killed to leave a message; the Pink Dinosaur did it for sport. From her green bracelet, Missy Zilla showed holographs of six new monstrosities she was working on to throw into the arena for the battles following Extermination.

"Most of them are my creations, but 2 of those are candidate submissions. They send blueprints, I build them. They win, they get a percentage of the winning bets. They lose, they owe me for the monetary losses."

"Wouldn't it just be dumbly obvious to sponsor YOUR creations?" Naberius asked.

"They only qualify as my creations if they actually make me money. If they don't, it's garbage. The first match is on January 6th. Any sponsorship for a potential winner means higher upgrades and industrial replications. Many high-class demons order at-home replicants for their residences in the other rings. Lost money would be returned… with a sponsorship margin of 66%," Missy Zilla smugly said. "So, for submission-based monsters, we got a steampunk cobra submitted by Sir Pentious and a gelatinous bee monstrosity submitted by a Gluttony-based engineer. My personal creations: one experienced gladiator demon, two robotic axolotls, and one bioluminescent jellyfish from the oceans of Envy. Your call, my charge."

The Ars Goetia looked over the holographs of Missy Zilla's arena monstrosities.

"I can't even concentrate. I feel like I'm looking at a buffet than a money-maker," Gusion commented.

"We can definitely cross off anything Pentious makes," Samigina said. "If Alastor can crush a war machine of his, then it's immediately hopeless in an arena."

"I hear you on that one," Marbas nodded. Barbatos and Zepar agreed as well.

"Could be hard to pick. Any of them could have a chance of failing or winning…" Shax grumbled.

"Uh… are you avian freaks morons?" Addison groaned as he slouched on his seat. His hands fluffed up his tail resting behind his neck. Gustaf had his chair pulled closer to Addison's. "Isn't it the birthday of one of yours?"

"Fabulous idea!" Paimon roughly patted his granddaughter on the back. "Well, Octavia! Consider it a birthday gift! Pick any you'd like! It's our money on the line!"

Alastor REALLY didn't like Paimon. Octavia looked at the other Ars Goetia and then at the Overlords. They all looked at her, ready to expect a mistake.

"Can't decide? No?" Paimon shrugged. "Indigo, why don't you help her?"

Indigo stiffened a bit.

"Let's not inconvenience anyone…" Octavia began.

"Her presence is an inconvenience," Velvet grumbled.

Octavia heard that. Without hesitation, she grabbed a nearby wine bottle and threw it at Velvet. The doll demoness dodged it fast enough, but the strength of Octavia's throw caused the impact of the thrown bottle on the chair to make the material sizzle and melt.

"Next one goes right into your FUCKING head!" Octavia's feathers ruffled. Out of nowhere, Shax pulled out popcorn and shared it with Naberius.

"Why did you bring her?"

"Why do you care? Oh, wait! More importantly, what do you plan on doing to the sinner friend of an Ars Goetia? Will you then take it on Mammon's nephew for dating a Hellborn?"

"Hey! Leave me out of this!" Gustaf hissed.

Lucifer smugly drank his wine.

"No, it's OK, hon." Addison patted him. "Let's see…"

A vicious reptilian roar got out of Missy Zilla. Her growls were enough to freeze demons and act docile. In this case, the Overlords and Ars Goetia shut up and sat down on their seats.

"Get a FUCKING grip on yourselves! You're Overlords and Goetia nobles on the Seventeenth Brunch, and you're all acting like whiny preschoolers over one MINOR sinner!" Missy Zilla growled. "Fuck Satan, she's the only non-upper crust who behaved while you all squabbled! So yeah, Indigo gets to pick which of my monsters the Goetia pay for and we can all go home and not see each other again until next month! Indigo, which monster do you pick?"

"Thank you, Ms. Zilla…" Indigo courteously bowed her head. "May we go for the bee?"

Missy Zilla looked back at the holographic projection of the orangish yellow gelatinous beast that was the bee. At first glance, the mechanical-beast coated in honey-like substance looked like a slime monster. "Why the bee?" Missy Zilla frowned.

"It comes with multiple assets. Evasive maneuvers through flight, venomous stings, and hive-performance," Indigo explained. "I mean, that's what regular bees do. But the artificial kind? The gelatinous outer coat could physically trap gladiators or damage internal wirings of other robots. Venomous substances could be transferred into the substance… if your creations are allowed to paralyze their opponents in battle. Hive-wise… Well, a whole hive of gelatinous insect abominations…"
Paimon tilted his head.

Alastor had to recognize, that was the one thing he'd agree with that Goetia.

Indigo made him proud.

Soon enough, the other Goetia agreed at her logic. And Paimon eagerly paid Missy Zilla a generous sponsorship of 6,660,000 souls for the bee monster.

"I'll pay a sponsorship for one of your monsters as well, Missy Zilla." Velvet smugly declared.

"Whatever. For how much?" The dinosaur demoness counted the dollar bills she had gotten in a fancy suitcase. Imps were collecting the dishes and everybody's coats.

"6, 666, 000 souls for the bioluminescent jellyfish."

Snickers came. From Indigo and Addison of all the demons. "What?" Velvet barked.

Indigo remained calm despite her snickers. She was doing REALLY well at holding her butterflies in.

Velvet glared at Indigo. "You got something you want to tell me, BITCH?"

Unfortunately for her, the Seventeenth Brunch was over. The guests thanked the Devil and His Queen for inviting them, bowed, and left in descending order. From the sounds of it, Addison and his partner were eager to return to the Greed Ring. This time, Paimon came in his proper rank order and stood before the monarchs with his granddaughter and… guest. Indigo kept her eyes down the whole time and remained stiff. New sinners always had that reaction whenever they met the Devil for the first time in their miserable afterlife.

"I'm gonna have to make sure I don't put you two Goetia nobles on the same table as Velvet…" Lucifer grimly said. Paimon stood still while the girls gulped. He then laughed like a happy clown. "You brought such a vile, cute thing!"

"Really adorable!" The pinch Lilith gave Indigo on the cheek visibly left discomfort on her calm face. "Do come more often to the Seventeenth Brunch, will you? We don't get adorable critters like you to entertain us with that hellish innocence of yours!"

Alastor never thought he'd want to do something as suicidal as to punch the wife of the Devil. Obviously, he didn't do it. He WANTED to do it.

He didn't pay much attention to the other Overlords saluting the monarchs and everyone making their way back. The Goetia had their own plans, particularly the party happening at Stolas' mansion tonight for his daughter's birthday. As the valets pulled in the cars, he caught a glimpse of Indigo by Paimon's limousine.

She briefly turned and spotted him. Alastor tried to give her a quick smile.

The moment she raised her hand to wave at him, Paimon's glare intimidated her to step inside the car. Lifting up her dress' skirt to get in revealed her shoes.

Glass shoes.

So that's where the bloody scent had come from.

That didn't… Was that why Indigo was so calm during the brunch? Why she didn't speak to him? Why Paimon intimidated her? Because she was too busy focusing on the cuts the shoes were giving her?

Before disappearing into his limousine, Paimon gave a direct smug grin to Alastor.

Later in the afternoon, more demons were killed from the Radio Demon's wrathful bloodlust.