Belphegor the Indolent is the naturally least active of the seven monstrosities unleashed into the world. They stretched out his elongated arms with long hook-like claws at the end of each finger. There are also several pairs of boneless arms sprouting behind their back to help with reaching and grabbing things the main arm is too lazy to do. It pushed itself up and yawns. Despite their appearance, they have thicker and sturdier armor than Mammon, but it also makes their body bulky and heavy and thus slower than everyone else.
"You've been asleep for two days straight, Belphegor. Shortest nap you had"
Asmodeus barges at the cleared-out island once home to a town full of people. All of Asmodeus's three heads snickers, but their hands only cover the mouth of the middle and primary head.
"I can't deal with Luci. They don't want any of us near them. Satan is short-tempered, Mammon is making money, Abaddon is busy, and Beel..." Asmodeus grits their teeth
"We're all connected, so Beelzebub didn't stay dead. They did something, didn't they?"
"Beel is alive and kicking. I suggested to find new flavors by feeding on humans differently, but I didn't think it would come to that. They seem to enjoy their new life"
"It's not easy..."
Belphegor lies back down, crossing their arms and resting their head on top of it like a pillow.
"Correct. It's Beel but not the Beel we know...yet" Asmodeus wags their index finger
"Yet?"
"Erm...Beel is reduced to an invisible parasite, you see. I don't think you have enough attention span to hear all the details"
"Correct" Belphegor doesn't particularly care
"Still, Beel is...what do you call it? Right, mentally confused! They feel like living in a dream"
Belphegor slightly raises its head when Asmodeus pulls out a stove from their stomach and a pot. They spit out a ball of flame and lights up the stove. The next object it pulls out of its abdomen is a bloody sack. They carefully untie it and shakes off all the human corpses into the pot with water already on it somehow.
"Beel appreciates my cooking the most. I'd like to have them taste the recipes from humans I collected, but right now..." Asmodeus patiently waits for the pot to boil
"I felt a kansen. Beelzebub is living in a kansen...or as one" Belphegor rests their head again
"Who knows? Beel is delirious right now which isn't good for their appetite. What do you think is the best soup to cure their senses?"
"Thinking isn't my specialty. I just go along with whatever everyone has in mind"
"Do you think it will boost their mental awareness if we feed them someone feisty? Yeah! That will certainly shake their senses!" Asmodeus wags their three tails on excitement
"Beelzebub is human sized right now. The big guy can't swallow a bunch of humans now"
"No, no, my lazy friend. I meant serve someone as a meal. Peel their skin while they're still alive, carve out the nasty guts and fill the hollow part with spaces. I'm thinking of roasting or grilling!"
Asmodeus brings out a few more cloth bags and plastic bags. They then proceed to pour a plastic filled with sticky red liquid and sprinkle with what appears to be pepper. To add the flavor, they rummage through a small bloody cloth bag. They grab a handful of chopped human body parts and simmer the boiling pot like pouring spices.
"We need to suppress the host's influence even though it should have been a hollow shell by now. Suppression, nullification, and draining is your specialty" Asmodeus grins
"I'm too lazy to put effort. It's easy, but I don't feel like doing it..." Belphegor yawns
"Beel needs our help. We can help them! All we need to do is feed them their favorite meal and it'll trigger nostalgia of their hungry days! Then you come along and sprinkle your miracle. It's easy! We get our Beel back and we're complete again!"
Asmodeus raises both hands in the air while all three heads proudly grin. They're fully confident of their plan and rather excited at enacting it.
Iron Blood headquarters...
In the infirmary, Prinz Eugen places her forearm over her forehead while her two sisters Blucher and Admiral Hipper are keeping her company. Admiral Hipper crosses her arms with an annoyed frown while Blucher is cheerfully chewing through a whole apple.
"I told you to stop drinking too much, but noooo! Now you got an upset stomach and got sick!" Admiral Hipper throws her arms up in the air
"What happened, Eugen? They said you were unconscious and groaning" Blucher asks while still chewing
"Like the hell I know. I barely remember leaving the bar and..." Prinz Eugen grunts in pain
"And?" Blucher tilts her head
"There was a monster in a dark corner. All I remember was that it was bigger than a human and bit my shoulder"
"There were no bite marks on you and if there was a big monster, someone would have seen it"
"..."
Prinz Eugen furrows her eyebrows, forcing her drunken memory to make sense of the image. There's mostly darkness and a clump of flesh and steel before her. It forms a somewhat familiar shape. Something resembling a lizard's head but with three rows of sharp teeth and a jagged gaping maw on its chest.
(Someone was there. It looked like a kansen than a monster...)
Her memory has the most difficulty recalling someone resembling a kansen. Prinz Eugen focuses more, but her mind repeatedly pushes her away.
"I don't feel like drinking for a while" Prinz Eugen twitches her lips
"Hmph. At least it helped with your drinking problem" Admiral Hipper snickers
"How do you feel, Eugen?" Blucher is the only one concerned
"Like someone drilled through my guts and took a sip. I felt like I was drowning then nauseas. There's this broad monster with a gaping teethy mouth-"
Prinz Eugen swirls her fingers above her while a pinching headache pesters with every attempt to recall the culprit's identity. The only thing certain is the unknown attacker towers over her and certainly inhuman able to stretch their mouth to force their prey down their throat.
"Are you still drunk?!" Admiral Hipper fumes
"I'm not joking" Prinz Eugen frowns
"They said you were dehydrated badly, had low body temperature, and a weak pulse. I admit I find that strange but there's no way some monster can walk in here without being detected" Admiral Hipper believes her
"Leave it to us! We're going to get the bottom of it" Blucher salutes confidently
"I don't remember agreeing"
"This was like Emden the other day. I feel like this is some sort of mystery! Who knows? Maybe the culprit is hiding among us!"
Blucher wiggles her fingers pretending to be a ghost or monster of some sort. Her eyes only sparkle with child-like curiosity, oblivious at the fact someone managed to catch Prinz Eugen off-guard and vanish without a trace.
Meanwhile...
Tirpitz locks her room and shuts the window, safe from anyone's intrusion and prying eyes. As Tirpitz keeps herself in her room, she claws the wall - her bare right fingers transformed into thick metallic claws to resemble a beast's claw.
"...!"
Fortunately enough, Tirpitz's left hand remains human, and she uses it to cover her mouth when she begins to gag. The fresh wine lingers on her down and gently slipping down her throat. Wine is supposed to be exquisite - sweet, sometimes tangy, fruity, and strong. What's in Tirpitz's stomach is like filled grinded intestines and skin boiled in blood.
"What did I do...?"
She has vague recollection of last night, specifically ever since her hunger punishes her for refusing to at least bite of Victorious's hand and taste her insides. Back then, Tirpitz feels as if her guts have been punctured by acid needles poke her stomach. The unbearable feeling reaches her throat rendering it sore, itchy, and burning.
"I bite...I chew...I swallow...because it's my instinct as...Beelzebub"
Tirpitz begins to sweat profusely when she feels flesh crawl inside her pulsate as if her body resists being distorted and torn apart.
"This kansen...is difficult. I can't...eat through everything..."
The "infection" speaks and acts as the kansen itself, chewing through the fingers of the untransformed hand.
"I mustn't leave a scrap. Not even...memories..."
The brief recollection is in Beelzebub's perspective when they bend down staring closing at Tirpitz standing without the intent to attack. Even with an arm missing, she doesn't flinch or step back from physical pain. In fact, the stubborn battleship stares right at them despite knowing she's only a piece of meat in front of voracious beast.
If you want a different meal, I can give it to you
"That's right. Back then..."
I never hungered for anything and you're never full. If it's taste you want, then...
"..."
Beelzebub pulls the claw off the scratched wall and stares at the hand, their gaze switching between reality and memory. In the memory, Beelzebub gently lowers their open palm, stretching out their index finger to Tirpitz. They smile in anticipation and curiosity, their stretching near their eyes and thick jagged teeth exposed proudly.
"Nngh...what's happening? Why am I thinking as the monster?"
Before the memory can go further, Tirpitz shakes her head and regains her senses.
"What did Beelzebub do to my body and mind? What happened when it supposedly died?"
Tirpitz tightly shuts her eyes and scans through her recent memories. She recalls rushing to the direction of a towering creature taking direct blasts from Geryon and from the special attack creating a black hole's pulling and tearing property.
Bismarck won't buy enough time by herself!
I can't let her fall victim to that thing too
I need to stall, if it means risking my life
This is the only way to prevent more casualties
I know I will die trying...but the choice is obvious
The thoughts of when Tirpitz rushes to the scene flows through her mind. What transpires next are filled with holes, leaving gaps in her memories.
I consume and absorb for such if my nature
The gluttony of man embodies a neverending desire
To sate one's desire is to feed - and feed myself I shall
We exist so long as humans crave for desires
Kansens are rich with flavor, and I wish to taste it
I do not desire redundancy with another glutton
I believe you can offer it to me - you, who never hungered
Despite their reckless and savage method of biting and swallowing living beings, Beelzebub lets out a deep breath and speaks human language rather fluently. It has consumed kansens and normal humans alike, growing not only on strength but its sentience as well.
You are...beyond saving. Oh, how a meal will rot away
Offer "thyself" and I shall offer hunger free of "thine" numb heart
The frigid north - oh, how food pallet had been frozen away
To melt one's frozen heart is to desire...and to desire is to hunger
I shall leave but a scrap - enough for you to taste.
So I ask "thee"...Offer "thyself"
This time, from Tirpitz's perspective, she nearly slides one foot back when the monster folds one hand behind their back and the other gently reaching out to her. Beelzebub slowly bows, bargaining with her like a sophisticated man of sorts.
"Why...ugh...did I offer myself?"
The memory cuts at the part of Tirpitz swallowing her breath and sweating from the blood loss. Her limbs gradually feel numb as strength begins to drain from her body and even if she's at her enemy's mercy, Beelzebub acts well-mannered rather than devouring her as an easy snack.
*******
"I get it, Mammon. It's not good to leave scraps behind, but as hungry as I am...it's always the flavors that fill me the most"
Static and buzzing noise rings inside "Tirpitz's" head and licks the side of her index finger in response. She slowly sweeps the window curtains aside and stares at some of the kansens passing by below. Instead of a kansen's faint reflection, a bipedal beast exposed muscles trying to erupt from steel hide and bare jagged teeth stretching far.
*******
"No. There's nothing alive here anymore. Like I said, scraps"
*******
"A stubborn scrap indeed because I haven't eaten everything"
*******
"You're a parasite too - we all are. That's why you're there too"
*******
"Bismarck's my main dish for this feast. Go get your own or I'll make a meal out of you too"
*******
"Nngh...I feel like something's crawling inside my head..." Tirpitz regains her senses again
The sign of infection becomes physically visible again and spreads to her cheeks. It sizzles, stings, and prickles her simultaneously, but there's no steam from heat or damage on her skin. The infection only faintly glows.
"What was I saying? Who was that in my head? It felt like I was in a trance"
Tirpitz presses her normal right hand on the window, and it now displays her human reflection. Her breathing grows slow and heavy, somehow physically and mentally exhausted. Cold sweat rolls down from Tirpitz's cheeks while she tries to steady her uneasy breathing.
Iris Libre Headquarters...
Richelieu rests her elbows on her desk and massages both sides of her head. The building exhaustion throughout the day forces a deep sigh followed by a mild annoyed groan.
"Beelzebub had been taken down. Shouldn't you be at least...less stressed?"
Jean Bart pulls a chair and sits on the opposite direction, resting her arms and head at the top back of the chair.
"Abaddon remained elusive and according to Foch and Algerie's latest investigation, Abaddon might have slipped into our territory"
"Do you think that freaky venomous thing with many eyes can slip into our territory? It's like a beast mashed with a shit ton of eyeballs and a snake!" Jean Beart throws her arms in the air
"Infighting within our sacred land...is reaching to an alarming level. A trivial argument the other day led to two kansens being hospitalized. Roma said she'll find traces but there's no progress so far" Richelieu sighs again
"Speaking of Roma, she's been acting strange lately. She seemed a bit grumpy, and I feel like there's something she's not telling us"
"Perhaps Roma is as occupied as us. If conflict among our people results in bloodshed, our land will cease to function, and we will fall"
Even if Richelieu assures her, Jean Bart raises an eyebrow while remaining skeptical of the brewing trouble.
"Want me to take a look at it?" Jean Bart raises one hand
"It's fine. You're already occupied with keeping order within our ranks everyday" Richelieu lightly shakes her head
"Stepping between arguments is like slapping band-aid in a crack. Perhaps, Bismarck's assistance is what we need"
"I can't believe she would try to find another Leviathan after nearly dying from one. Everyone else believes Beelzebub had been defeated, but she's not fully convinced it didn't go down completely"
Richelieu stares at the scattered documents in front of her which all needs her review and response as soon as possible. Sometimes she would think of leaving some of the paperwork to her sisters, but she's aware Jean Bart prefers to be active rather than sit down and read paragraph after paragraph.
"We just lost Emile Bertin and Le Triomphant last week. So long as I'm here, I won't allow more of our people to fall"
"What happened wasn't your fault. Emile Bertin charged at the enemy which prevented more losses and Le Triomphant sacrificed herself to protect Roma"
The atmosphere around them grows heavy and silence falls for the next minute. Richelieu couldn't be at the battle that time, but she closes her eyes and sheds a tear for their noble sacrifices. Emile Bertin bleeds from her orifices such as her nose and suffocated to death from a single scratch of Abaddon's venomous scales. Her distraction redirected Abaddon's attention to her, halting the spread of the poisonous mist to her fleeing allies. As for Le Triomphant, she immediately dies after being impaled into the stomach by one of the thorns shot by Abaddon. The thorn pierces half of her petite torso, nearly splitting her in half. Either way, blocking with her body prevented Roma's head from being blasted clean off.
"Abaddon tainted our waters with the blood of our people and their venom. I won't allow that vile creature to taint the sacredness of our land any further!"
Richelieu displays a moment of intense anger when she stands up, pushing her chair back in the process and smashes both of her fists at her desk. Jean Bart is briefly startled that she lifts up her head and blinks a few times, worried and anxious at Richelieu being emotional.
"..."
An eye shared by a pair of emerald irises and cat-like pupils stares directly at Jean Bart. It blinks as it continues to observe and somehow eavesdrop on their discussion.
[Look at them excluding you from discussing something important. Even your efforts were brushed off. Poor Roma, untrusted by her sister favored by the church and adored by her people~]
At the other end of the eye stems back to Roma's personal quarters where multiple similar eyes spread at all angles. Thorns coil around Roma, leaving countless torn and bleeding skin all over her body.
"Aa...aagh..."
Roma herself is immobile. Alive albeit twitching and struggling to breathe, namely because of a snake snapping its fanged jaws on her throat and its slithering body wrapped around her head.
"You have such beautiful skin that I couldn't help but taint. Your ever brave and proud face irritates me that I wanted to get rid of that expression"
Another "Roma" stands in front of her - a perfect replication of her physical attributes and even her voice is perfectly imitated. The only difference is the sarcastic and irritated tone of the doppelganger.
"Your heterochromatic eyes are such an eye candy that I'm tempted to gouge them!"
The doppelganger presses her hand on both sides of Roma's head and both of her thumbs are a few centimeters from Roma's eyes. The latter couldn't properly speak or move her fingers with the venom paralyzing her and the thorns restraining her.
"This is what Mammon feels to always desire something beautiful and unique. It's a shame I could never get it while they take whatever they please. I - hehehe, even envy Beel for managing to eat something too"
"E...nvy...ea...t" Roma struggles to utter words
"That's right, that's right! Asmodeus gave this idea because of what I can do. Beel had no limits just like the rest of us. Beel burrowed and area through everything - well, mostly everything"
"B...eel...zebub..." Roma coughs out blood
"Beelzebub likes to eat and I envy them for being a gourmet. I want to try eating through you too and wear your corpse. Perhaps I can experience being beautiful and loved too~"
"Aba...ddon..."
Roma utters the doppelganger's name who gently caresses her long and silky jet-black hair and squishes her cotton soft cheeks.
"I have to let Mammon teach me how to get all the beautiful things, but they're a bit occupied in the Sakura Empire with a...kindred spirit. Oooh...how it makes me jealous that Belphegor need not to worry about everything"
The doppelganger, Abaddon, dances around Roma and cheerfully envies their brethren. What brings them joy the most is how the true Roma bleeds from her eyes and mouth, but the venom is ensured to not be fatal.
"I want to pluck an angel's wings and add it to mine. Their white dresses are so beautiful. I keep envying - always wanting, always hungry. No wonder I get along with Mam and Beel so easily. Lucifer - ugh, they're always full of themselves like they have everything in the world"
"Nn...gh...gah..." Roma struggles to curse the doppelganger
"The Iris and Vichya have so many beautiful things because it's my nature as Abaddon the Jealous"
The demon wearing imitated skin sits on the tormented and paralyzed victim's lap and keeps on smiling, enjoying tormenting something beautiful and blessed like Roma that they couldn't have for themselves.
***********
"Asmodeus, what's the matter?"
Abaddon raises their head as a buzzing noise alerted them of their connected brethren. Although Asmodeus themselves are on another nation busying themselves as an artist experimenting with desires, the network allows them to be telepathically connected all the time and possibly keeping their "harmony" intact.
"Bismarck is coming to visit? As far as I know, she's off the table because Beel had her reserved"
***********
"That's not the point? Then what is?"
***********
"You need my help with something?"
***********
"Flagship meetup two day from now? Bismarck sent an invitation just now and she's bringing along Beel?"
***********
"You want me to serve a meal to help Beel? You're the better chef while my cooking skills are trash"
***********
"I look forward to your new masterpiece of a meal. Oh, how I would do anything to have your artistic skills~"
Abaddon bends a bit while wrapping one arm around Roma's neck and placing the back of her other hand on their head as some sort of dramatic gesture. Their attempt to smile reveals imperfection in the mimicry when the side of their lips splits a couple inches more and reveals four bent serpentine fangs. Two lines form below their eyes and reveals two emerald eyes with two irises in each eyeball.
"I wish I could incite the chaos myself. Maybe I can~ The proud big sister who once fell into a blaze of glory while the feeble little sister was casted away and forgotten~"
"...!" Roma widens her eyes
"Surely the comparison of these two is enough to spark within the corpse of a little sister"
Roma can only move her eyes and the rest of her senses are still functioning, so she clearly overhears the schemes. Abaddon couldn't care less because no one even suspects of a doppelganger despite the ongoing issue with the surge of infighting.