Nekro finally published the first chapter of Take Me Back to Eden. Go check it out, you'll see why it's important. Tell him to update quickly, if you don't mind.

"Miyu." Yuzu spoke up as she entered the room where Miyuki stayed. Hooked to some monitors via sensors taped to her, but without any sort of needles giving her fluids or anything more worrying. She saw the black haired girl awake but still on the bed, and couldn't help the relief wash over her as she called that stupid nickname without thinking.

Miyuki smiled tiredly as Yuzu approached, using her left hand to fix some of her hair behind her ear.

"Miyu." Miyuki parroted. Her voice was a bit hoarse, but she looked fine. Unhurt "Did you miss me so much that you'd visit me first thing in the morning?"

Normally, Yuzu would've found the comment inappropriate. But given what they just went through, she couldn't muster the antipathy to do so. She smiled a bit, just slightly, and took the half-youkai between her arms without complaining.

"I'll take that as a yes." Miyuki's voice came muffled by Yuzu's clothes as she had her arms around her shoulders "Sorry I made you worry."

"I was more afraid that you'd be assimilated than hurt." Yuzu revealed "I knew you were strong. But Stain is stronger."

"You guys are just leagues ahead of me." Miyuki went back to lying on the bed once Yuzu released her "It's good that the slime is gone."

Yuzu frowned.

"...It is, right?" Miyuki asked as she saw Yuzu's expression harden "Miyu?"

"Not… Entirely."

"So you came here to get me back on the field?" Miyuki sounded like something didn't quite fit into her mental picture of the situation "You don't look ready to go hunt the abomination down."

"I'm going to the Underworld with Kuroka and Lucius." Yuzu looked down "We're leaving Stain to the Grigori and whatever forces Heaven can muster."

"But that thing is creepily smart." Miyuki insisted, sitting up as she got more heated up "Miyu, what the hell? Was that that guy's idea?"

"It's not. It's Abigail's and…"

"Miyuzuin." Miyuki stated firmly. It reminded Yuzu more of the friend and confidant that the half-youkai had been when they first met. Rather than someone that Yuzu explored her feelings with. She looked tough, serious, and reliable. There was a reason the other Hounds called them 'the Miyus'. Their names were just one of the things they had in common "Are you insane? Why are you letting them dictate such an important thing? It's not just your life. I can't even put into words how dangerous that creature is."

"There is a plan." Yuzu insisted. She knew that Miyuki had a point, and it really bothered her to go against her friend's worries. But she persisted "It's almost defeated. We need to give it time, that's what they said."

"Oh, the two people you explicitly know are professional liars said so?" Miyuki retorted "Sorry, I didn't get the memo. Then it's alright, right?"

"They…! Lucius has never lied to me." Yuzu gritted her teeth.

"That you know." Miyuki added "Because really, why would you of all people be the exception?"

"Why are you like this?" Yuzu wanted to groan, to say things that she'd saved up for quite a while. And yet, she didn't "You were never this antagonistic with Gen. Or with Kuroka, for that matter. Why do you hate him so much?"

"No, Miyu. I don't hate your precious Lucius or whatever." Miyuki wanted to stand up, but the things taped to her body went taut so she stopped "I'm not jealous of someone that's been absent for literal years and you only know because of the things he left behind. I was there too, deciphering the things that Stain knew because of him. Trying to guess the logic behind his actions. And that's why I know that he, and his sister for that matter, should not be trusted."

Yuzu didn't have an answer ready for that, so she simply hardened her features and stared. Almost daring Miyuki to keep talking, but not breaching the silence that her friend's words created.

"At least say I'm wrong." Miyuki held Yuzu's stare, her face more neutral than Yuzu's own "Tell me that you believe I'm wrong."

"I know that being careful is the best option at all times, but you're letting your feelings…"

"'My feelings'?! Miyu, of course I think this because of my feelings!" Miyuki's body stiffened. She was holding herself back from outright yelling, from doing movements too sudden for her recuperating body "I love you, okay? We're not a couple anymore, but I care about you. We've been together since before we were teenagers. You are my family too, Miyu. And I don't want anything bad happening to you."

"That's… Not how it looks."

"And that's why you push me away? Except when you need something, that is. Because don't even think that I haven't noticed it." Miyuki gave her a humorless smile "Is it so awkward that you'd rather leave me behind? You did the same with Hector, but I thought that maybe our time together meant more than that."

Miyuki laughed. It came out hollow, a bit deranged, and tired. She covered her face and pushed her hair back while Yuzu stayed silent, seeing her closest friend transform in front of her. Changing her expression so much that it'd have been less creepy to see her transform like Stain does.

"Just don't pretend I'd put my happiness over your wellbeing." Miyuki's voice came hoarse once she composed herself.

"I didn't say that."

"No, of course you didn't." Miyuki chuckled humorlessly "Well, are you at least telling me why you're so sure about letting the slime free? Or is that top secret too?"

"You're the one that changed the subject." Yuzu frowned, but she didn't have the severity she usually did. She didn't really know how to feel about this conversation, she'd rather just disappear without saying another word. But she didn't feel with enough strength to do so.

"Of course it's my fault." Miyuki shook her head "The answer?"

Yuzu almost didn't answer because of the irony in Miyuki's tone.

"Lucius managed to take hold of it with his demonic power." Yuzu spoke slowly. Not so much because it'd be hard to understand, but because she needed time to compose herself. To stop feeling so vulnerable "And Abigail managed to touch it with her Sephiroth Graal. They both left behind failsafes. They believe that it'll come back to us, or we'll have an easier time fetching it after a few days."

Miyuki frowned again.

"They don't want to kill it. They want it for themselves." The half-youkai gasped "Sweet merciful… How can someone be so rotten inside?"

Yuzu didn't like that either.

"And they convinced you it was the best course of action? The slime gets to live just because it is so useful?"

"To be fair, it seems like its attack severely crippled the Khaos Brigade." Yuzu replied weakly "It had become so many of the rank and file that leaving all at once basically left them with no ground forces or people actually running the projects and plans that the higher ups traced."

"That's…" Miyuki's eyes grew wide "Okay, stopping a worldwide terrorist organization by itself is no small feat."

Yuzu nodded, feeling the sensation of wanting to chuckle but not actually being able to.

"Sorry about the resort, by the way. I… I wish you hadn't been involved, that Stain hadn't…"

Miyuki covered her eyes with a hand.

"Yeah, yeah… It's… That's why it has to be stopped, right? It could've been anyone. I just so happen to have more ties to the world than your average Crossroad Hound." Miyuki gasped, almost like she wanted to cry. She didn't "I… Might be a little sensitive too. Sorry Miyu."

"It's been… Some pretty stressful years, huh." Yuzu tried to smile but she didn't quite manage to.

"You can say it again." Miyuki scoffed.

"I… I'll go to the Underworld to mee Diehauser."

"Your uncle?" Miyuki sounded surprised "I thought you didn't want to get involved more than necessary."

"Yes, but… Well. I kind of want to be like you." Yuzu tried to smile again to little avail "Your family always helps us out, even before joining the peerage and all… Which I was only part of for like four days, since technically the high-ranking devil King is dead so…"

Miyuki made an amused sound before actually laughing.

"That's right! You were a Queen for… What? Three hours?" Miyuki continued laughing, helping Yuzu gather her thoughts.

She wanted to see Miyuki well, just like she'd said.

"I still have the Evil Piece." Yuzu sighed "But I guess I'll have it removed. I'm not a real devil, only one in part."

"What if Diehauser wants you to remain a devil?" Miyuki asked a bit more seriously "Present you as the heir of Belial? What then?"

Yuzu contemplated the question for a moment.

"I'd have to make a choice." Yuzu spoke slowly again "My feelings versus… My goals, I guess."

Miyuki's expression became serene.

"You're perfect no matter the kind of blood that runs in your veins."

To her credit, Yuzu didn't blush.

"Thank you. For everything."

Miyuki shrugged.

"That's what friends are for." She then looked at the door, almost like she expected someone to barge in "Will it be alright that I'm here and you're not?"

"Don't worry, the Grigori gave us some space for ourselves." Yuzu nodded "Gen will stay here, Azazel's too interested in Vritra to let him go with us. And Abigail will also stay."

Miyuki's mood worsened after the names were dropped but she didn't complain.

"Gen's siblings are here too, so…"

"Oh, the little rascals. That's nice." Miyuki sounded a bit happier "If they're around, Genshirou should also be on the lookout for people doing weird things…"

Miyuki offered Yuzu a small smile.

"I'll be fine. Give them hell, Miyu." She reached out, fist closed, offering Yuzu a fist bump.

Yuzu leaned closer and kissed Miyuki's knuckles.

"Thank you, for real."

"You're making me feel weird." Miyuki retreated, shivering "Just go. I'll get emotional."

It did get a little awkward, but that's why Yuzu listened to her friend and retreated. Her emotions got the better of her, and she couldn't help seeking a little bit of the closeness they had before. Alas, that'd probably create more difficulties than it solved them. But Yuzu wanted to think she'd keep it together for long enough to forget about that little slip.

Plus, they'd be in the Underworld for a bit. Maybe that'd help.

"Are you ready?" Lucius… Or, well, Luciel, asked while jumping off the couch he was waiting on. He wasn't small enough to have his feet in the air when he sat. But it looked like he needed some time to get used to his new height, walking funny on the first steps until he caught his balance.

Had he walked like this when he first became Diodora Astaroth?

"Yes." Yuzu had schooled her features before, and faced both Luciel and Kuroka with a neutral expression "Miyuki is fine. That's all I wanted to know."

"Not trusting the fallen?" Kuroka looked amused by it.

"There's some things I have to make sure of personally."

"There's no damage in it." Luciel interrupted them. He looked more cheerful, more alive. Be it because his body didn't constantly hurt anymore, or because this was the third day just lazing around since they came back from fighting Stain. The first day looking like himself.

Just how lost had he felt so far? He hadn't looked like this even when they met, when Stain was still by his side. His expression looked so much more natural that Yuzu couldn't help wondering.

"Well, I wanna see my sister as soon as possible." The nekomata placed her hands on her hips "It'd be great if we hurried up."

"It didn't even take an hour." Luciel looked kind of disappointed in Kuroka.

"I don't care! Get me to Shirone now!"

Luciel rolled his eyes.

"You could've prepared the teleportation circle." He told the nekomata "You don't get to complain if you're not helping."

Kuroka doubled down on complaining as soon as he did that, and kept on being bothersome right until they moved to the chamber that allowed for teleportation magic to be used. Somewhere close to the core of the Grigori's facilities.

From time to time Luciel stole glances at Yuzu but didn't say anything. He just glanced at her for a couple of seconds a time, only to focus back on the road.

He didn't say anything and she didn't question it. There was no point.

"I'll be with Ajuka." He told the girls once the process of activating the circle started "I don't have to tell you this, but be careful."

"I know people shouldn't see me." Yuzu replied.

"It'll be easy, I know my infiltration." Kuroka puffed her chest as she spoke "We can have fun later."

Luciel eyed the nekomata for a moment.

"Yeah, later."

Yuzu closed her eyes, feeling her chest tighten. She didn't want to go, and Miyuki's question weighed on her mind.

Maybe meeting Ajuka was a mistake.

"Come on, Luciel. Stand up." The Demon Lord hadn't moved from his chair in his lab. He spoke to Luciel through the coms that connected to the training room where Luciel fell face first after the last of said Demon Lord's barrage "We're just starting. If you keep misusing my demonic power like this, I'll get mad."

He didn't seem to care about many things, but Luciel felt the Demon Lord's eagerness through his magic.

Unlike his own, Ajuka's Kankara Formula was precise like clockwork and completely overwhelming. It encompassed everything in who knows how big an area, and Ajuka didn't even need to look at Luciel to make the changes needed to put him down.

Fire ceased burning, water evaporated, kinetic blows dispersed, and lightning found the easiest path toward the ground with such ease that it looked like Luciel was purposely undoing his own magic as he attacked. At some point, he stopped targeting the dummies that the Demon Lord prepared, and instead tried to break through the wall that separated the two in annoyance.

Ajuka still undid the magic easily. He even allowed Luciel's spells to go for a second longer just so it would seem like this time they'd break through, only to be dispelled mercilessly at the last second.

"A bit of tutelage would be appreciated!" Luciel spat, gasping for air while keeping himself on his feet by grabbing onto his own knees and keeping his arms stiff.

"Unnecessary. Previous tests show that you understand the basics of the Kankara Formula just fine, what you're lacking is in the application department." The Demon Lord answered evenly, not even acknowledging Luciel's intent to hurt him "Practice will be better for you instead of trying to drill into your skull what works better in which situation."

Hundreds of magic circles appeared all around Luciel. Some big, some small. Some worked in tandem with others to create different effects, all slowly charging up with demonic power fed purposely by Ajuka's power.

"Wait, wait, wait. Let me catch my breath." Luciel gasped as he saw the spells get brighter and brighter by the second.

"I'm going easy on you, boy." Ajuka answered "If you can't do this much, then we're both wasting our time."

Most of the spells followed patterns, similarities that Luciel could easily pick up on the fly. The way Ajuka created his magic circles meant that Luciel couldn't just overpower the Demon Lord so the spells wouldn't fire off, but rather he had to target specific parts of the equations so they'd fizzle out or be redirected so he didn't have to dodge.

Ajuka changed some on the fly, making Luciel's countermeasures fail and some of the demonic blasts went off. Curving in mid air and drawing weird patterns just to graze him in the weirdest of angles. Not hurting him, but throwing him off and having him slam onto the floor without much resistance. Because his body didn't naturally grow in strength with his magic.

"Are you… Having fun…?" Luciel wheezed once he gathered himself enough to get off the floor again.

"You're helping me look at my power from a point of view I'd never manage by myself." Ajuka answered plainly "Yes, unbelievably so."

Luciel wanted the chuckle but didn't manage to.

"Well, you're welcome." He stood back up as magic circles broke down and rearranged to a different configuration.

"I feel like it's a time before the Civil War." Ajuka continued "I'll treasure this moment."

Water erupted in different ways. Sprays, pressure cuts, steam. Luciel took control of some of it and blocked the most threatening attacks with those that were the easiest to grab control of. He changed the temperature of the steam, and made it so an area around him was more dense so even the water bullets slowed down for Luciel to get out of the way.

He took a lungful of air and grabbed hold of it all once the initial push ended, forcing all that liquid into a very small space to propel it toward Ajuka.

The water looked like a laser once it was released from Luciel's hold, but it became droplets that splashed everywhere harmlessly before they made contact with the wall.

Luciel gritted his teeth, annoyed.

"Okay, that's enough." Ajuka sounded a little happier now "Come back."

Coming here might've been a mistake.

Luciel still had to figure out where the room opened, because it somehow resembled a sci-fi chamber with no apparent doors in it and he'd been manhandled enough that he forgot where he entered from. He looked through his mind's eye, seeing how the demonic power flowed thanks to the Demon Lord and all the ambience power lingering, trying to find anything that looked like 'movement' being dormant, or something that felt like 'stillness' being active. He found it on one of the corners of the room, and opening the chamber was as simple as opening a program's data and switching a 1 with a 0 and saving.

Or vice versa, he didn't know anything about programming.

He walked back to the main chamber with some laziness, making his barefoot steps echo as he grumbled to himself. Feeling needlessly prodded in this cycle of missing attacks and almost failing to defend. He'd known the gap would be huge, but the more this repeated the better he understood why being a Super Devil was such a big deal.

He had to use his power to open this door too, because Ajuka would never make things easier.

"Are we done? I feel like we're done he—." Luciel stopped in his tracks and left his words hanging in the air as he found the people inside the room "Lord Sirzechs?"

The Demon Lord of Lucifer stood with his wife-slash-maid with an air of pleasant surprise, giving Luciel a good look while he took a few steps forward.

"Sirzechs, this is Luciel. My apprentice." Ajuka spoke softly, motioning to the younger boy with a hand. Although more half-heartedly than his words would suggest.

"I see. So that's how it is." Sirzechs offered a hand, giving a cheeky smile while still glancing over Luciel "I thought you were a girl for a moment."

Luciel looked down, seeing how he only had pants on. Exposing the damage on his chest and arms, and gave Sirzechs a look.

"Please don't tease me like that." Luciel took the offered hand with a bit of hesitation, shaking it firmly but trying to pull back as soon as he could.

Sirzechs didn't let him.

"Sorry, sorry. It's inappropriate coming from me." Sirzechs chuckled softly, reaching out with his left hand and patting Luciel on the back, close to his shoulder "Ajuka just doesn't show interest in a lot of things, so I couldn't wait to meet the individual he thought was promising."

He released Luciel's hand after saying that, and the boy laughed awkwardly while giving Ajuka a nervous stare. He thought they'd be the only ones there, and he didn't know how much Sirzechs knew about him. Or how he'd react about… Well, everything. And even if he wouldn't attack, Luciel didn't want to deal with anyone that hadn't personally exchanged words with Sin Devourer. That made things a little more complicated.

"I didn't think I'd be so important that a Demon Lord would personally come to meet me. I'm honored." Luciel reverted back to old habits, trying to feel safe in etiquette as the memories of being in front of Star Seeker in the church came back to him.

"Well, yes. Although I also came here to ask Ajuka for a favor." Sirzechs laughed it off, motioning with his hand behind him.

Luciel's heart dropped to his stomach as two girls got closer while staring holes into Luciel's body.

"We'll have a very important event soon, we ought to show that we still control the Underworld and that we will protect devilkind no matter what." Grayfia spoke up for the first time, clearly talking to Luciel "And we want our top ranking young devils to attend. Although Lady Rias hasn't felt like she's up to her station, so…"

"So I thought of asking a friend to help her train a bit." Sirzechs beamed with innocence, doubling down on his smile as Luciel stared on in disbelief.

He knew. And he knew everything, and Ajuka didn't even bother telling Luciel that Sirzechs knew too. That he'd brought Rias and Akeno, and their reaction, meant that he wanted them to see Luciel. Probably because they thought that 'Diodora' died.

Devils…!

Luciel had a bit of troubles breathing.

"Of course, it'd probably be better for the young ones to exchange tips and tricks. Rather than sticking to the forms of us old ones." Ajuka looked out, back into the training room with a bit of boredom "Luciel can manage the place just fine. So there should be no problem."

"If that's the case, shall we discuss some important matters for a bit?" Sirzechs brought his hands together, touching his fingertips with those of the opposite hand.

"I don't see why not." Ajuka stood from his seat "Boy."

Luciel glared at the Demon Lord.

"Behave." Was all the green haired devil said before being led out.

The three adults were about to leave, so Luciel spun on his heel and gave the girls his back.

"Let's go in then." He spoke mechanically, not really wanting to face them. It didn't help that they didn't answer him, so all he could do was to walk back into the chamber and distract himself with his power to make sure that they got in.

Rias wore a sports bra and hotpants. And Luciel could honestly say he never ever imagined seeing her dressed in something like that. The bra was in a color between pink and purple, but for some reason he wasn't wording right now.

Akeno had a sports jacket and similar hotpants to Rias, though it fit her a bit tightly. Luciel almost didn't notice, as she proceeded to look at him with so much intensity that she might start shooting lasers out of her eyes.

But that too, didn't matter. Because, contrary to what people might think, Luciel was not stupid. Initial shock aside, he knew perfectly well that the Demon Lords would accept no excuse or counter offer to being thrown into the waiting arms of these two girls. Sirzechs just loved his sister too much, and Rias probably wanted answers. The only way he could've avoided this, was to not go to the Underworld. But he wanted to train, and he wanted to go with Miyuzuin so she felt even a bit backed up. Plus, he doubted that Kuroka wouldn't 'leak' the truth to her sister one way or another.

Put that way, it became increasingly evident that the only reason why Rias' arrival surprised Luciel at all was because he hadn't stopped to think about her before making his choice.

"Umm, I'm not sure if this place can withstand the Power of Destruction. Let me just—." Luciel turned around while talking, meaning to get out of the room to mess with whatever console Ajuka used for this place. He'd probably end up having to resort to his own Kankara Formula, but he just needed a moment without the two drilling holes into his back with their eyes "Woah!"

Unfortunately, Rias walked up to him so close that he had to take a step back so he wouldn't run into her breasts. Being now L****s-sized meant that Luciel just barely reached her size, or maybe he was a bit shorter. But the point is that these two looked a whole lot more intimidating when he didn't have to look down to face them.

"You look like you saw a ghost." Rias' words were severe, nowhere near as unsure as she looked moments ago. And breaking the silence seemed to give her enough encouragement to gather herself, getting her arms under her breasts as her expression changed from one of disbelief to one of anger "Or maybe you're hiding something? What did Lord Ajuka call you? Luciel? Hmm?"

The small guy didn't flinch.

"Luciel, yes." He nodded.

"It sounds like an angel's name." Akeno spoke slowly, having a bit of trouble mimicking her King "Or a fallen's, for that matter."

The severity in Akeno's frown was only exacerbated by the accusation.

"Oh, I didn't catch that. Nice one, Akeno." Rias scoffed, looking down on Luciel now more than being mad at him.

"Is this bullying sequence really necessary?" Luciel caressed his forehead, more annoyed than guilty "I believe you're no longer a high school student? Aren't you a little too old for this?"

"Bullying, huh." Rias didn't even look surprised by his words "I wonder. Did we say something that struck close to home? Hmm?"

"You're doing it again. Making it seem like I'm at fault for your mood." Luciel made circles with his finger "Except intimidation tactics like that only work with an audience. There's no implicit danger in me just not playing ball since we're alone."

"Oh, but Rias-sama is just asking things for your sake." Akeno intervened "Since, you know, she actually cares about the people in front of her."

"So I've heard." He didn't remember if this sort of response had been taught to him or if he'd picked it up from somewhere, but at least they weren't outright yelling at him. As long as he could answer, he should be able to push back no matter what they threw at him.

"We thought you died." Oh, goddamnit "We just lost Kuoh and narrowly avoided the Khaos Brigade taking us down, and soon after we hear the news of you going after your Pawn and dying in the process without so much as a warning."

Rias closed her hands, probably keeping them in check so she wouldn't lash out at Luciel.

Good. He didn't want to have to defend himself physically too.

"Did you even think of telling us if you won?" Akeno took the opportunity to speak up "You didn't ask for us, you didn't ask how we were or if we'd want to help."

"No. The more people that know about Stain, the less useful it becomes." Playing dumb wouldn't help here. And honestly, he didn't feel like running in circles about the things he did. Because the past week had had a lot of things happening, and when the situation was like that a lot of people suddenly got better ideas to deal… After the things had happened. How funny "Plus, there was no benefit in your participation. It'd be more of a problem than help."

Anger flared up in Rias' face, and she lifted her hand to slap Luciel. He didn't let her. Her hand found resistance in the air, way too dense for her to go through with the motion.

He stared at her hand, half wondering if she'd use her Power of Destruction to break free of the changed air. She didn't, and that disappointed him a bit.

He released her.

"See what I mean?" He asked as Rias pulled back, looking at Akeno now "Stain is not the kind of foe that you outgun or outthink. We had a way to deal with it, but it got out of hand. There's nothing else to it."

"That's not—."

"The point? Let me guess, after you guys realized what I was doing you suddenly got the idea that I should've gone to you. That I should've trusted you, and maybe things would've gone differently." Luciel spoke coldly, glaring at the girls to keep going without their interruption. He knew how this went. He was, after all, not stupid "Except you coincidentally forget that you started trusting me because things happened like they did. The ideal world you envision doesn't exist, and I'd probably be in turbo jail or something. And you'd certainly not think that I didn't deserve it."

He scoffed, looking away while waiting for them to say something. They didn't.

"You feel bad because you know I'm no threat, but you wouldn't have known otherwise." Luciel repeated "And, ultimately, it's not your fault."

Rias looked surprised by his words.

"Honestly? I'd have done the same as Sona. I'd have wondered, followed every step. I'd have landed myself in jail in her place. There's no going around it." He shrugged "You're way too kindhearted, Rias. I don't know if it's a savior complex or you just think that things will work out if you're just there. But let me assure you that that's not the case. And there's no world in which we would've trusted each other before Star Seeker arrived."

"You displayed kindness every step of the way, you listened." Rias started speaking up.

"No. I bowed my head and went out of my way to have you be content." Luciel shook his head "I bent the knee every step of the way. Don't misunderstand, that was never meant to be the status quo. I simply did what I did to survive."

Because he could've pushed back against their demands, however logical they were. Because he knew that standing his ground was possible… But in the end, he never did it. Luciel had been too scared to. Too hesitant to take even one step toward having this girl suspect him and call her big brother for help.

Funnily enough, most of the things that he'd learnt were nowhere to be seen. He followed his parents' advice in name only, quivering against the possibilities of a single misstep being taken. While at the same time doing wildly illogical things in the name of 'progress'.

He shouldn't have taken Stain, he shouldn't have let Rias and Sona get so much ground in his behavior.

He should've done things differently but didn't. Because he was a scared boy desperately trying to convince himself that he knew better.

Ironic how things turned out this way. His brother would be happy, knowing that the people he hated the most were proven wrong in L****s' decision making. He wasn't raised to be a genuins chessmaster, he hadn't learnt to be cold and calculating in the face of adversity.

C*******n was right in the end, L****s hadn't won by applying their parents' teachings. But rather, by building trust between the few people that chose to help him.

There are no children too mature for their age, there's only traumatized ones.

"Diodora…"

"No. Not Diodora." He wouldn't accept that name anymore "Luciel."

Surprisingly enough, Akeno was the one that looked the most hurt.

"...Why?"

Luciel looked at the ceiling.

"Y'know, there's something I wanted to do since we first disagreed." He gave them his back again, feeling their gaze fall on the scar that took most of his back. Giving himself some space "Devils respect strength, so… Let's do things your way once more."

Luciel raised his hands as if he was praying, palms up and power coursing through them. Lighting up the scale-like tissue that Ophis left behind.

"You want answers? Fight for them. You'll see just why I care so very little about all of this."