"Well now, look at that," Diehauser said calmly, not making a big deal out of his quietly fuming co-host, while also very much enjoying it. "A clean sweep victory ending in surrender. Not something you see every day, even in exhibition matches. Isn't that right, Ruval?"

The Phenex commentator remained quiet for just long enough that it was conspicuous. "So, let's get into some highlights!"

The Belial didn't poke any further, instead allowing and assisting the blond in moving things along. "What we expected was a rematch between two young rivals now that they're both established Kings in their own right. And in a way, that's what we got. Both of them acting as Kings. As commanders before anything else." Footage showed the gambits employed by each King. "With moves and countermoves as they worked to establish a strategic advantage. For a short game on a small battlefield, it was somewhat strategic. Largely focusing on just how they could nullify the other's advantages. Unlike many, however, the stratagems involved were about the field itself more than positioning pieces to engage in fights they could win."

"Yes. Lelouch arranged the field of play to his advantage. A successful ploy to turn every fight into a fight his pieces could win." The bitterness was quickly fading from Ruval's voice. "Lelouch Bael has always been credited as intelligent despite his youth and inexperience. Despite it being his first game, he's proven he knows very well how to play." Footage shifted, moving on to looking at the new players in specific. Starting with Sara. "Don't worry, we know what everyone is looking forward to, and we'll get there I promise. But let's do the rundown for everyone. Starting with the simplest."

"New to the rating games but not new to combat," Diehauser took over. "This is what it looks like to have a true veteran in a peerage. Abilities that aren't particularly flashy, but she knows what she's doing and how to do it well. Riser's peerage are no novices but compared to someone who fought in the civil war, they might as well be."

"No contest yet, I'll agree," Ruval allowed. "But that's what being a King is. You want a powerful peerage, you need to help them get there. And I've no doubt Riser is working hard to bridge that gap."

"Next up, the Bishops. Shirone the nekoshou, demonstrating her natural abilities with senjutsu. She seems to favour personal enhancements, giving her lesser versions of the Knight and Rook traits, while also cloaking herself in raw power. But here, we have a case of the veteran versus novice going in the other direction." Displaying a shot of Shirone taking most of a near suicide attack full in the face. "Senjutsu can heighten aggression, which can lead to rash decisions. I'm sure that kitten learned a lesson today she won't soon forget."

"And of course," Ruval sighed as the highlight reel moved to focusing on the other Bishop, "We can't forget what might be one of the two, or arguably three, MVPs of the match. Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova. And I think we can put that Wizard rating all the way up, with a little more in Support. We're not putting her on the level of the Lady Leviathan or anything, but it's still an incredible display of control and concentration to essentially be fighting an entire peerage at once, even if only as delaying actions."

"Very true!" Diehauser agreed enthusiastically. The two gave the impression that while they knew what their audience really wanted to know about, they considered this to be more integral to the outcome. "She forced the Phenex peerage to not only divide their focus for being such a persistent threat, every member had their focus split. Had they been able to move unimpeded even through the reshaped terrain, the ambush tactics would not have worked anywhere near as well. They had to be on the defensive even while attacking. It doesn't matter how capable a devil is, the more things they have to concentrate on in the moment, the more their performance will suffer for all of those tasks. Riser Phenex had no choice but to expend some forces on removing her. In fact, while he might not have attained victory, I can't really fault his decision making in this match."

"Trying to mend fences over the earlier crack, Diehauser?"

"I only give praise that has been earned."

"Hm." The Phenex commentator let the matter drop. "In any case, if we want to discuss true blunders? Mash ab-Galahad sure made one." The highlight reel moved to her 'ambush', attacking the Phenex peerage from the front. "An ambush from the direction the opponent is looking. Some Knights are fast enough it won't matter. She might even be fast enough. But if so, that just makes it worse."

"You see it a lot," Diehauser agreed with a resigned tone. "Knight Pieces. Young devils take the term so literally, they focus on getting swordsmen with a code of honour. Bael sent a Knight, an inheritor of a Knight of the Round at that, to be an assassin. A misstep from her, a misstep from her King. She was capable enough to overcome the adversity her chivalry caused her, but in the end her comrade suffered for it. Fair play has consequences."

The two hosts looked at one another.

"Alright," Ruval said, raising his hands in surrender. "Everything we just said went in one ear and out the other. So! Let's talk about the Red Dragon Empress." Up on the display were two different stills of the Bael Queen. One from around an hour ago. One from years ago. Both topless. "Whoops! How did those get there?!"

"A fruitful puberty it looks like," Diehauser answered flatly. "Kallen Stadtfeld. We've seen her fight once before and that was obviously not representative of her skillset." A brief sequence of the redhead weaving through the explosive spells of her opponent while returning fire with what looked like a very large handgun. The footage froze, and zoomed in on the weapon. "As a human, she was a soldier, or an officer rather. And it seems Lelouch Bael has equipped her appropriately for that skillset. A weapon," the shot moved frame by frame to show the gun firing, "designed with demonic power in mind. Allowing her to focus it into bullets. Simple but effective for her needs, while her training also made her a dangerous opponent in hand to hand. And all of that, merely a distraction."

A replay of the very first moment, the appearance of a second Bael Queen. Which incidentally meant they could show the footage of her topless again. "I'm going to be honest, Diehauser. This one...? Kind of new to me," Ruval admitted.

"There are a handful of Sacred Gears that allow for such things, but, we all know which Kallen Stadtfeld has," Diehauser commented as they showed the Red Dragon Scale Mail. "So, I'm as lost on just how she managed to create an autonomous clone as you. But, naturally, with the chance to ask her directly after the match, our reporters got an answer."

More footage that dominated the screen, complete with audio. "Oh, that? Neat trick, innit? Obviously my King doesn't want me revealing all the secrets of it, but I'd be surprised if anyone else would be able to do it. Not that they should want to, mind. If their double ends up like mine they'd be a massive twa– Oi!" The Kallen giving the answer suddenly let out a mortified shriek as her duplicate ripped all her clothes off in one go. The original showing her bare ass to chase after her. "Oi, bitch! This better not become a thing between us or I swear to fuck–!"

The post-match interview paused, bringing the shot back to the commentators. "Is this a good time to mention we'll be showing the full, uncut post-match interviews when we come back from our next break?" Ruval asked. "Stay tuned."

"We can draw certain conclusions from this," the rating game champion began. "First, the double is fully independent–"

"Unless she's an exhibitionist putting on a show," the Phenex joked.

"–Which further reinforces her claim that this technique is specific to her. Fully autonomous clones with minds of their own are nearly unheard of. Most uses of similar abilities are more akin to puppets that the original consciousness controls remotely. Either by dedicating themselves to that control, or if they're exceptionally advanced and capable, splitting their focus well enough to have both themselves and the double act in tandem. Outside of that, there are, as we've described before, some Sacred Gears that create independent lifeforms of a sort."

"But it can't be that," Ruval concluded for him.

Only for Diehauser to refute him. "That's not so certain. After all, the power of the Boosted Gear is to double the power of the wielder."

"You think it's a subspecies," Ruval realised with excitement. "Now that is an interesting theory!"

"As the Bael Queen said, we'll not get confirmation from her. But the possibilities would make for a fascinating opponent in future games."

"Hell of an endorsement right there! We'll be right back in a few minutes with those post-match interviews but before we go to break... Let's leave you with a pleasant memory of that cute little dragon booty bouncing again!"

"... Devils are pigs," Kallen Stadtfeld muttered moodily as they showed her chasing after her alternate in the buff. In super slow motion while they got a close-up of her ass jiggling. "This is your fault," she fumed at Kallen Kozuki.

"Turnabout's fair play," her more Japanese self responded, accompanied by a non-committal shrug and a cheeky smirk. "Can't judge 'em for knowing we've got a nice ass."

"I've got a nice arse. And perkier tits."

The smirk slowly became more menacing. A wordless promise for the future. "You just don't learn, do you Welshie?"

Riser and Lelouch watched on as the two women began to develop a malevolent aura within their particular corner of the afterparty. "You know, Lelouch," the blond said as he stared at the unfolding confrontation, "When I first realised whatever that is means you basically have two Queens, I was jealous. I got more jealous when I realised they're almost identical twins. The Welsh one is right about having perkier tits. But as I stand here watching them, and I realise both of them are dragons, instincts and all, I'm suddenly less jealous. And I realise that in some things, you are a braver man than I."

"Hm... Only in some things," Lelouch uttered with irony. Remembering all the foolish and near suicidal things he had done in this life, let alone his previous.

"I have in my harem a set of twins who exclusively wield chainsaws, and they do so with unbridled glee. But that?" the Phenex asked as he pointed not so subtly at the now standing Red Dragon Empresses as they mashed their foreheads together. "That is not something I would want to involve my penis in."

"... Wait. So... You involve your penis with the chainsaws?" the Bael heir asked, looking and feeling uncomfortable about the implications. "I know the Phenex can regenerate almost anything but that's something about your preferences I really didn't need to know."

"Hey, hold on, that's not what I meant in the slightest! I haven't even done anything like that with them! Also, don't give them ideas!" he suddenly rushed to add the final demand, his eyes flicking to where the twins were, praying they weren't listening.

Then suddenly popping up in Lelouch's vision was another blonde. A girl with an appearance loud enough that he felt he really should have seen her coming. "Hi, Lelouch!" Ravel greeted him cheerfully. "You did a great job beating up my brother's peerage!"

"Wha– Hey!" Riser complained, only to get a dainty hand plastered over his mouth to both silence him and push him away.

Strangely enough, unlike the crack about his peerage, he was fine with this behaviour. After all, he brought her into his peerage because he wanted a bratty little sister type and Ravel was playing that role to a T.

"I don't think you'll win any friends among them saying things like that, Ravel," Lelouch responded, glancing at the stink eye she was receiving from several directions.

"Oh, that's fine, they already don't like me so it makes no difference."

"I... See? Well, thank you for the praise, but it really was all the work of my peerage. I barely did anything at all."

"Hee, you're so modest! You came up with the strategy that beat my dumb big brother! And I just want to say I think it's so brave of you to get into the thick of the fighting, placing yourself right alongside the piece you knew he would target! I really respect that kind of bold and decisive approach. Maybe if you have time, you could... Give me some pointers? I'm basically the one who coordinates Riser's peerage now anyway, but I'd love the chance to... To learn under you."

He kept his smile polite for the girl flirting with him so obviously she might as well have written 'please bend me over' with her flames. And if she were older he might even have taken her up on it. Or if he didn't suddenly have other very important business that just walked into the party. "I'll be sure to think about it."

"I hope so..."

"But I've just spotted someone I need to speak to, so if you'll excuse me." He quickly moved away from the Phenex daughter, making his way through the small clusters of high-class devils to the entrance. To, "Diodora Astaroth," he greeted with not quite cheer, but a tone of being glad to see him. "I'm glad you decided to stop by. I hope you enjoyed the match?"

"The systematic dismantling of an opponent definitely has its appeal," the cousin of the Lord Beelzebub responded with approval.

"I expected you in particular might enjoy it." Very deliberately, Lelouch did not look at the guest Diodora had brought alongside his Queen. A very familiar face. After all, she had been a part of Lelouch's own peerage only a few years ago.

-(-)-

Two years earlier

Lelouch Bael had three problems.

Well, he actually had many problems, but for the sake of this moment, he had three for which he could pursue the solution.

The first problem. Being a devil, he had an innate fondness for devil society. Most of the people he liked were a part of it, thus it was something worth preserving. And there were certain elements with decidedly destructive and even self-destructive intent. The Old Satan faction remained a presence, if one largely in hiding. As subversive elements, it was necessary to know what they were doing before they did it, to mitigate as much damage from their actions as possible.

The second problem. Having been a part of the Great King faction for a time, and having been told directly which houses in that faction secretly had ties or allegiances to the Old Satans, Lelouch had an avenue to acquire such information on their plans. However, due to his very obvious intent to bring the Bael closer to the New Satans rather than maintain the moderate position Zekram cherished, those leaning toward the Old Satans wanted less and less to do with him. In the long term, he would be able to help shape their society into something better, more stable. In the short term he lost some access that let him somewhat keep an eye on his enemies.

A worry crept into his mind of what Zekram would do, how the ancient devil would use the fact of his recalcitrant heir to his advantage. Or potentially far worse, with Lelouch actively positioning himself as leaning toward the New Satans, Zekram might position himself as closer to the Old. It seemed unlikely. Zekram saw them as a danger as much as Lelouch did, but Lelouch wouldn't put anything past the ancient powermonger. The possibility remained that Zekram might choose to make use of such a hostile force, with fewer and fewer open avenues for Lelouch to learn of their activities. His paranoia fuelling him just a little, he swallowed his misgivings and began using his least faithful tool again. He was cautious. The threat of a devil able to resist or be protected from geass remained. As such, he focused solely on geassing peerage members, devils of the lowest rank. All with commands largely based around informing him on the actions of their masters regarding the Old Satan faction. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Still, it wouldn't hurt to do more.

And this was where the third problem became relevant. Hiroko Takashiro. His first Pawn. A wretched creature of self-gratification, who violated the bodies and minds of those around her for petty cash and her own satisfaction. Lelouch wanted her gone. But, there was opportunity in that desire. He had geassed her before he reincarnated her, something Anastasia confirmed had inscribed the command onto her very existence. An inextricable part of who she was, the command to give him her eternal loyalty. Even if he traded her away, she was his creature. A perfect spy.

And so... Who to give her to? An Old Satan ally in the Great King faction was out. They wouldn't take one of his. There weren't any particularly obvious options. And so he had to work for a non-obvious use. Figure out the most likely thing the Old Satans would do, then insert his spy in the workings of that outcome. It would seem like defeating the purpose if he could simply guess what they would do before they did it. But confirmation had one hundred times the value of speculation.

And so... What would the Old Satan faction do? Their main objective, so far as Lelouch was aware, was to dethrone the New Satans, reconquer the underworld, and perhaps reignite the great war. The last part was supposition. Maybe they learned their lesson on that point. But it remained, they wanted their thrones back. So... What would they do in pursuit of that goal?

Sway sympathetic houses to more overtly join their side. As they were doing. Perhaps seek out allies beyond the scope of devils alone. An alliance of convenience. Both possible. Both things to watch out for, especially with gods and heroes making concerning moves. But no. There was one more thing Lelouch knew the Old Satans would be trying to do. So obvious, because it was the exact same damn thing Lelouch was trying to do as he considered it.

Subverting the enemy.

Nothing undermines a power like turning their own people against them. The closer to the halls of power, the better. A properly placed subversive element can do more damage than an entire army. They would find someone within the New Satans. Someone who shared their ideals, or held resentment for the Satans, or had an overinflated sense of self-importance. The more of those factors, the more likely they were to be a target for recruitment.

And with those criteria, one name sprinted to the top of the short list. Diodora Astaroth. The young cousin of Ajuka Beelzebub.

Lelouch had rarely met him, but Diodora had a well earned reputation. A penchant and preference for toying with, for breaking, holy women. A sadist who saw humans as playthings to be enjoyed. A hedonist who saw value only in his own desires and seeking his own satisfaction. A world view in line with the Old Satans who held that view to the point of self destruction. Not only that, a relative of one of the two most dominant figures in devil society. Ajuka Beelzebub. The peerless genius, the saviour of the devil species via the Evil Pieces, the unconquerable Super Devil. Many titles, impossible to measure up to.

Diodora Astaroth. Arrogant, proud, self-indulgent, inferior. The Old Satans would be fools not to approach him.

And so... Lelouch approached him. With a trade offer.

"So what exactly does this servant of yours provide? You know she isn't to my tastes." Diodora sat comfortably, almost respectably. Though the effect of his posture and expression less spoke of dignity and more an arrogance of youth and privilege. An attitude most devils were expected to outgrow by their second century. In that sense, Lelouch's generation were considered rather precocious.

"Well, she is a self-professed witch," Lelouch began. "While that isn't to your tastes, I can tell you with certainty, she has some qualities you won't find anywhere else. Perhaps you might see her less as an object and more as a partner." The arrogance gave way to boredom. "She has some proclivities that aren't to my taste, but seem to mesh well with your own. And to that end she learned some very interesting bits of magic, from a treatise on the True Key of Solomon."

Lelouch had been rather hoping that would be the thing that would truly take the Astaroth's attention. Unfortunately... Judging by Diodora's expression he didn't know what that was. "Interesting." Even as he pretended he did.

The Bael tried to keep the frustration off his face. "Hiroko, strip please."

"Of course," she agreed instantly, unbuttoning her blouse and peeling her clothes off one article at a time.

"A bit of her history. She came to my attention as an amateur magician, even put together a little coven of her own. And the very first instinct they had for using their newfound powers was to violate their classmates. Twisting their minds to turn them into willing slaves to their lusts, all while the coven prostituted their victims. Chastity, purity, defiled on the whims of a girl with just a little power. And some moments of creative cruelty." The revulsion was real, selling a monster to another monster, but Lelouch had never been above vile acts in the short term to prevent utter horror in the long term.

"My my! Suddenly you have me a little interested!" Diodora said as he leaned forward to inspect the naked body of the redhead. "Quite the beauty too."

"Still a virgin, by the way," Lelouch added. "Not of the cloth, but at least unspoiled." He had to remind himself he didn't get to be disgusted by the way he was talking, not when his actions were far worse. "But as I said, magic you might find amusing. Hiroko."

The reincarnated devil nodded, hovering a hand over the apex of her thighs. A glow took shape as she began pulling her hand away. As the hand returned to her side, where previously there had been smooth skin, a foot long pillar of flesh had grown with a bulbous, pulsing head.

"... It's functional?" Diodora asked.

"Even virile," Lelouch confirmed. "No more so than a natural male devil, but–"

"Can she... Can she give those to others?"

"Yes."

The Astaroth heir stood. Reached out to grab Hiroko by the chin to turn her head this way and that. As if to inspect her for something. Then, wrapped his fingers around her throat and began to squeeze. She made no noise of protest, merely waited for his judgement. "I'll accept the trade."

-(-)-

Two years of occasional intelligence updates from ever-faithful Hiroko. Itemising every guest Diodora had received. Every name she had gotten. Every depravity he had visited upon her. Lelouch couldn't help but think the last part was a show for just how loyal she was that she endured such things on his behalf.

Geass. It did horrible things to a person. Especially when he wanted it to.

Over the years, a picture had indeed begun to form. Mysterious guests that Diodora didn't want his peerage, any of his peerage, to be privy to. As well as trips to the human world alone. Sometimes he would come back from them with a new pet to break. Others he would return and take out frustrations on his servants.

Shalba. It was the only name Hiroko had gotten that stood out at all. A name spoken with irritation. Unfortunately, a name that may have been significant was not enough for Lelouch to inform Sirzechs of the possibility. Nor was the hunch that the Old Satans were approaching Diodora for the sole reason of it being what Lelouch would do. Not exactly compelling evidence to accuse a pillar heir of treason.

But it was certainly compelling enough for him to keep investigating.

He exchanged pleasantries with Diodora. A mercifully brief story about how he and Hiroko double penetrated his Queen while watching the match. And then it was over. Without making a big fuss, Lelouch found a quiet place to inspect the message Hiroko had delivered to him, with the intent to destroy it once he was done.

Plans to corrupt a nun. Par for the course. Though one with Twilight Healing, that was interesting. A fairly rare Sacred Gear with an equally rare ability to heal. Lelouch was only familiar with it for it being among the list of probably insufficient options to cure 'sleeping sickness'. Probably not something he wanted in Diodora's hands even if he wasn't working with the Old Satans. But Lelouch wasn't sure that was worth potentially compromising his informant–

... Wait, there were fallen angels where?!

-(-)-

A/N: This chapter seen very early by my generous supporters on THE GREAT FORBIDDEN P! FEAR THE P! LOVE THE P!