Aqua closed her eyes, arms held out at her sides as the wind beat against her face.

"Great feeling, isn't it?" Coal asked from beneath her, his voice deep and powerful. If she didn't know the dragon as well as she did, his voice might scare her. As it was, it was just comforting, a reminder that she was here, that this was real, that she was free.

"I'm jealous. You get to do this whenever you want." Aqua said.

Coal rumbled beneath her as he chuckled. "You have wings now, Aqua. You can fly on your own just as well."

"But I can't fly this fast. Do you not like flying with me?"

"I never said that, now did I?"

The two lapsed into silence. Aqua enjoyed the feel of the air on her face, in her hair, the rushing in her ears. She felt alive.

"How are you feeling?" Coal suddenly asked.

"I feel great." Aqua opened her eyes to look down at the dragon. "Why?"

Coal made a considering sound. "Hold on." He banked downward, rapidly descending until they were hovering just a few feet off the ground.

Frowning, Aqua let her wings out and flew in front of him to get a look at his face. Golden scales split through the black like veins. His golden eyes were sharp as they peered at her. Her entire body was barley as long as his snout. He was massive. Aqua sometimes forgot how powerful her friend was.

"I want to know how you are feeling. After the mine… I don't know if you've killed before, but I know you've been going through some stuff. I had a few users while I was imprisoned that freaked out after their first kill."

Aqua frowned, looking away from the golden orbs in front of her. "I… Is it wrong that I don't feel anything about it?"

"No, it isn't, but I think you should still talk about it, and I'm willing to listen."

Aqua's armor vanished with a thought. She idly ran a hand over her arm, feeling the skin that appeared to be shadow. "When I was…trapped, it was hard to feel anything. That place…it grates on you. It erodes your ability to perceive and feel until you're nothing but a husk. I don't even know how long I was there. It felt like forever and a moment all at once all the time. I can't explain it."

Aqua sighed. "Like I said, it was hard to feel anything there. I forgot what happiness and joy felt like. I've finally started to learn all of that again, but there's other parts that I don't think I'll get back. I don't feel guilty about the goblins or the elf. Maybe I should, but if anything, I only feel a little regretful that I don't regret it. Maybe that's because my emotions are still muted, or maybe I broke a little in that place in a way that can't be fixed."

"You aren't broken, Aqua. Not feeling bad about killing someone trying to kill you doesn't make you a remorseless murderer."

He huffed. "When I was stuck in the Sacred Gear, everything I felt was second hand. It was rare that I felt anything in the first place, but even when I did it was never me, it was always secondhand from my wielder. I'm still getting used to being the primary source for physical feeling again. I was millenia old when I was put into that Sacred Gear. You were a young adult that suffered something worse than what I did. You are not weak, Aqua. You're not broken. And personally, I think it's a good thing you aren't regretting killing those goblins or that prick of an elf. Our master is dedicated to our well-being. I've seen that in his every action since he reincarnated me, but it is likely we will have to fight and kill for him again. You not hesitating to kill will save your life and potentially mine, so if you're okay, then I say that's great."

He sighed. "I'm not very good at this stuff. Look, if you need someone to talk to, I'll be here, but I think you're doing just fine."

Aqua smiled. "Thank you, Coal."

"Now that that's dealt with, do you want to do some barrel-rolls?"

Aqua flew up onto his neck, holding on tight as the dragon soared into the air.

X

"Lord Magdaran, a letter for you."

Magdaran set aside his trowel as he turned to face the maid. "Thank you," he said as he took the envelope. On the envelope's face were the words, 'Bael and Abbadon Trading Co.' with a dark sword and a magenta flower crossed in an 'X' beneath them. It was from his business partner then.

Magdaran sat down on a bench in his greenhouse as he read over the letter. Balthazar was receiving too many requests for special orders to the point that Caster was booked out for months.

Magdaran sighed as he set the letter aside. Business was a good thing, but this was overwhelming. Respecting his wish to remain out of the spotlight, Balthazar had given Magdaran an administrative role while he and Medea dealt with negotiations on his behalf. That meant the majority of his job was scheduling and poring over contracts.

Busy though he was, Magdaran found he enjoyed it. He didn't have to leave his home except to go to the main office in Lucifaad on occasion, and outside of that he could spend his time developing new species of plant both to sell and for his own personal enjoyment. Magdaran was still trying to figure out where Balthazar had managed to find all of the never-before seen flora that he kept gifting to Magdaran in vast quantities. He likely used the same method by which he somehow secured a Mithril Mine. Pantheons would jealously hoard such a thing. The fact that Balthazar had found one and that it was so secure no one could find it despite many efforts to ascertain its location was astounding.

Of course, the hidden mine gave Magdaran a massive headache because everyone seemed to think that he was actually the one who controlled it and that Balthazar was just covering for him. It made sense. From an outside perspective, the Heir to the Bael Pillar would be a far more likely culprit for such a discovery, especially considering its continued mystery. Even Magdaran's own father didn't fully believe his son wasn't hiding the mine from the rest of his family. He'd already had many discussions with his father about 'the good of the family'.

Magdaran would be very annoyed if he thought Balthazar was using him, but he knew that wasn't the case. Balthazar came to him seeking help. Magdaran did everything he could to build their business venture together, but he was stonewalled at every turn by everyone from trading authorities to his own family's contacts. He'd expended a large portion of his own wealth in those endeavors and came up with nothing. Balthazar could have left him behind then. It would have been the correct business choice. Instead, Balthazar made him a partner in a venture that Magdaran had next to no part in building. Sure, he contributed with his plants, many of which were now flying off the shelves as Balthazar's new samples allowed him to create paltrices usable en masse by devils, but Caster and Balthazar were the true driving force behind their business. If he could repay them by doing some tedious clerical work on occasion, he was happy to do so.

Magdaran had never cared very much about money, but now he had more of it than he knew what to do with. He opened some charities, enjoying the work he was able to do through them for devils whose only crime was to be born outside the Pillars.

Magdaran set Balthazar's letter aside, pulling another out of his coat. He smiled as he ran his hand over the small, inelegant scribbles on the page. His brother's handwriting.

Another boon of working with Balthazar. His business partner, his friend, had told him he'd put in a good word with his sister. Magdaran hadn't expected much, but he received a letter from his brother some weeks ago. Since then, they'd been exchanging correspondence. They had yet to meet face to face, but it was a start, an avenue to repair a relationship Magdaran had destroyed in his misguided pursuit of… He didn't even know what he was trying to accomplish anymore. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been worth what he achieved.

Still, he had a chance to mend bridges now. Sairaorg seemed to be doing well and was opening up more in his letters. When Magdaran felt the time was right, he would invite his brother to lunch. Not at the Bael Castle. No, he wouldn't put Sai through that. Somewhere public, small, where neither of them would be uncomfortable. Magdaran just wanted to see him, to apologize in person. But that was for the future.

Magdaran sighed as he stood up. He fussed over his plants until he was sure they would be alright, then left the greenhouse. He had some work to do for Balthazar, scheduling conflicts to resolve and the like. The young Abaddon was practically handing him money for nothing, so Magdaran would be remiss if he didn't do the occasional favor that Bal asked of him.

X

Balthazar Abaddon, a source of both great fortune and unending headaches for Serafall Leviathan.

Issei Hyoudou was exactly where Balthazar had said, holding exactly what Balthazar promised he'd hold. With the Red Dragon Emperor in her possession, Serafall held up her end of the deal.

In the ensuing weeks, Bael and Abbadon Trading Co. had exploded in popularity, boasting items that would take a master crafter months to make appearing on the shelves in a day. Potions and elixirs sold in large quantities defying all logic and reason. And that was just the storefront.

Balthazar Abaddon had purchased up all of the land around him and formally started construction on a number of projects on his lands. He was now officially the Underworld's newest Baron, Lord Balthazar Abaddon, the youngest devil in history to claim the title. Granted he had a lot of help getting there, but he'd still done it. He'd pawned off one of the most powerful Sacred Gears around for little more than her favor and walked away happy. Now more than ever, Serafall needed to bring him in line with the New Satans.

The land, the permits – they weren't worth the Boosted Gear, yet Balthazar had still left happy. His Queen, the one handling the negotiations, had seemed far too pleased with herself once everything was concluded. Serafall was still trying to figure out who that lady was. There was no doubt in her mind that she was important somehow, be it because of a Sacred Gear or something else. She seemed older than she appeared, but that wasn't much to go on at present. Still, Serafall was quietly seething at the Queen.

Part of the deal she'd made ensured Serafall would handle things for them just enough for anyone paying attention to know Balthazar had her backing, but not enough to make him seem subordinate to her. He was a free agent with a Satan's protection. If he wouldn't have garnered attention for churning out mithril goods like he had an inexhaustible supply of the stuff, then having her backing would do the trick.

It was infuriating. Representatives from the Pillars were coming to her demanding that she share the boons of the mithril mine she'd apparently discovered and was hiding from the rest of them. Diginitaries from other factions had come with the same demands, speaking vague threats about consequences were the devils to hoard the wealth for themselves. She had the more bold of those dignitaries barred from ever working in the Underworld again. They'd be replaced by their respective factions shortly, but it did give her a small reprieve to think of what to do.

Balthazar Abaddon was a diamond in the rough. His Queen was…someone important. Serafall was convinced of that much even if she hadn't been able to put together why she was important yet. She'd also heard rumblings about Sairaorg Bael complementing the strength of Balthazar's Pawn, though not going into great detail about the man. That wasn't even mentioning the mine.

Boosted Gear, the Queen, the mine, maybe the Pawn – there was a pattern forming here. Either Balthazar had some way to locate incredible boons or he was the luckiest devil she had ever crossed aths with in her very long life. She could not afford to alienate him. If she could convince him to give her and her allies some discounts on his products, both magical items and a steady stream of regular mithril ingots that Ajuka had been practically salivating at the prospect of getting his hands on, all the better.

She needed Balthazar on her side. She doubted she'd be able to make him subordinate to her with that Queen beside him. If anything, she seemed to be the one making the plans that he followed. He probably set the course and had the ideas, but Serafall would bet it was the Queen that made the plans that achieved Balthazar's aims. Serafall wouldn't be able to bring Balthazar under her with the Queen in the picture, and removing the Queen would make an enemy of the man she was trying to make an ally.

No, she was already on semi-good terms with him after their meeting. She would build on that, try to make him more open to the idea of working with her. The golden goose had walked right up to her and announced itself. She'd be an idiot to not take advantage, but she would save that for tomorrow. She had something important to do today.

A magic circle expanded out from Serafall that whisked her away from her office. She appeared with a flash of light in a small room, sparsely decorated with a number of chairs and a couch.

"Magical Girl Levi-tan is here!" Serafall cheered as she appeared, holding two fingers up in a 'V'.

"Satan-chan!" a young man with brown hair yelled, eyes widening in excitement as he saw her. She noted the way his eyes immediately tracked down to her chest and stayed there.

"Sister," Sona Sitri said, teeth clenched. Oh, she did not look like she was having a good time. Tough.

When Balthazar had told her that he was 'incompatible' with Boosted Gear's host, she'd initially wondered what he meant. Then she met Issei Hyoudou herself. He was…interesting.

Issei yelped in pain, clutching at his red knuckles.

Sona retracted the ruler she'd just brought down on his hand. "When you are interacting with a woman, you will look them in the eyes, Issei."

"But–" he flinched as Sona brandished the ruler threateningly.

"So-tan!" Serafall cheered, leaving forward to pull her sister into a hug. "I'm so happy to see you! I got you that present you wanted!" Serafall gave Sona just enough space to breathe so she could see the chess piece Serafall summoned atop her hand. A red rook positively brimming with demonic power sat atop her hand, frequently sending crackles of red energy off into the air.

Finding a mutation rook for her sister hadn't been too difficult. The New Satan faction did a good job of cataloguing who received Evil Pieces when and whether or not any of their pieces mutated. Convincing the prior holder of this mutation rook to trade it to her had been an entirely separate matter. It had cost her a lot to get this piece, but her So-tan was worth it.

Sona looked hesitant even as she clearly desired the piece. "Sister, you don't have to–"

"Ah, ah!" Serafall cut her off, wagging her finger chidingly. "I already told you, my little sister is worth it! So you're gonna take this and that's that. As for you…" Serafall slowly turned to face Issei.

The young man shrank in on himself as Serafall bore down on him.

"What did we agree about my So-tan, Issei?"

"Kaichou is off limits! I can have as many women in my harem as I want except for Sona!" he yelled, primal terror alight in his eyes.

Satisfied, Serafall nodded and stepped back, grabbing her sister's hand. "Come on So-tan! We need to do that silly ritual to trade rooks so you can reincarnate your new unwaveringly loyal dragon." Issei frantically nodded his head as Serafall shot him a glare over her shoulder.

Difficult though the Red Dragon Emperor appeared to be, Serafall couldn't think of a better servant for her sister. As far as the Underworld would be concerned, Sona had found Issei on her own. The fact that Issei lived in her territory would only lend credence to that story. Sona could use the reputation boost associated with the discovery.

Of course, Balthazar and her knew the truth, but she was willing to bet she could kick some concessions his way to buy his silence. If her guess was right, He likely had other peerage members lined up already. Hopefully they wouldn't be as large of a headache for her as Issei had been.

A.N.

I have been having significant problems with this website recently. Chapters aren't posting. Edits aren't working. And the entire story just wouldn't appear for a day before coming back like nothing happened. I'm going to keep posting here, but be aware that there will likely be further issues.