— — — — — —
"Do you want this so-called 'fairness' you keep talking about… or do you just want to possess me?"
Her blunt words made both Ryo and Ajuka frown.
Euclid, the one at the center of it all, went pale. His lips parted, cold sweat forming on his forehead. It was the face of someone whose secret had just been dragged into the light, yet didn't dare admit it.
At that point, even an idiot could see what was going on.
So it wasn't about resisting his sister being treated as someone else's subordinate… he just wanted her?
Typical devil nobility, I guess. Still devils, but the worst habits of aristocrats were alive and well.
But a younger brother feeling that way toward his sister? Ryo's expression turned odd. If they weren't blood-related, he could accept it. But this was his actual sister. Seeing her as a woman like that… that took a special kind of twisted talent.
But was incest even illegal in the Underworld? Ryo really wanted to ask, but he knew this was the worst possible time to bring it up, so he kept the question to himself.
"Can't answer?" Grayfia let out a quiet sigh, then asked, "Do you still have any of the Progenitor Crystals I gave you?"
"I... I do." Euclid answered nervously. Right now, he didn't want to think about anything, especially not that question digging into his heart. "It's in my pocket."
As soon as he said that, Grayfia lifted a hand. A black crystal flew out of his pocket and into her grasp.
She fell silent for a moment.
Then, without hesitation, she dragged a sharp nail across Euclid's forearm, slicing it open.
Blood welled up—bright red. She held the crystal beneath the wound, collecting it. Only after filling it with roughly 300 milliliters did she stop.
Ajuka's face changed instantly.
The Progenitor Crystal was a closely guarded secret among devils. Only the Four Great Satans knew its full range of uses. Even the Devil Council only had partial authority to distribute it, not to use it.
So Euclid had no idea that blood could activate it.
But Ajuka did.
No way… She wouldn't go that far… would she?
He swallowed.
"Sis?" Euclid looked at her, confused.
Grayfia's tone softened slightly.
"When you get there, apologize to Father and Mother for me. I've failed them."
Euclid's pupils shrank.
"Sis, I—"
"I'll handle—" Ajuka started, but before he could finish. A hand pierced straight through Euclid's throat.
Ajuka froze, mouth half-open, but in the end, said nothing.
A faint silver glow spread across Euclid's body, tearing it apart piece by piece.
That was Grayfia's Power of Annihilation.
By the time his body had completely vanished, Ryo let out a quiet sigh.
"Was that really necessary? I said we could spare him."
"I apologize, Your Majesty."
Grayfia turned, dropped to one knee.
"Please forgive me for acting on my own… and for using the Progenitor Crystal to preserve the Lucifuge bloodline."
"…So that's what you wanted my approval for earlier?" Ryo asked after a brief pause.
"Yes," Grayfia replied calmly.
Every fragment of the Progenitor Crystals was precious to devils. She had already bent the rules by secretly giving Euclid five portions before.
Even if Algol hadn't said anything, Grayfia had never forgotten it.
And yet, the very thing she had given him to save his life… he used it to try to assassinate the Satans. Even worse, to target the Devil Progenitor herself—just to possess Grayfia.
That crossed a line.
No matter how reluctant she felt, no matter how guilty she was toward their parents, Grayfia still chose to execute her own brother.
Before doing so, she indulged herself one last time—using a Progenitor Crystal to preserve a fragment of the Lucifuge bloodline.
As for Euclid, she owed him nothing.
She had given up the position of family head. She had tolerated his arrogance. She had even worried he might offend someone and get himself killed, so she gave him power to protect himself.
And in return, he repaid her like this.
In Grayfia's eyes, her duty was fulfilled. Even their parents would have no grounds to blame her.
She had done everything she could.
It was just that Euclid's… inclinations were too far gone.
Even knowing that the bloodline created from this power would no longer have any real connection to Euclid himself, she still chose to preserve it.
Ryo, seeing all this, didn't press her further. He simply said, "Go get some rest."
"Yes."
Grayfia nodded, rose to her feet, and left quietly, still holding the black crystal.
Once she was gone, Ajuka walked over, shaking his head.
"I knew she was strict about rules, but I didn't expect her to be this decisive."
If it were him, there was no way he could have done it himself.
"She probably feels indebted," Ryo said. "To Lilith. And when something like this happens, that kind of guilt can push a person to extremes."
He had seen similar personalities before. Leticia, for instance, was much the same—honorable, loyal, and prone to overthinking.
Though, after all his… questionable influence, Leticia had loosened up quite a bit. At least now she was willing to wear Kurousagi's outfit.
"Women are terrifying," Ajuka muttered, a hint of awe in his voice.
He was already single. Now he felt even more committed to staying that way.
Devil women were not to be messed with.
Ryo sighed.
"Let's wrap this up. Bring Katerea and Creuserey to me later."
The first batch of "New Devils" modified using the Progenitor Power—he was curious about the data they would provide.
Even Algol's experiments hadn't covered this part.
"Understood. I'll bring them shortly."
Ajuka nodded, then hesitated.
"But… should we make the Three Factions Alliance public?"
Ryo thought it over.
If they revealed it, the entire world—Hindu mythology, Greek mythology, and all the major powers—would learn his name. They would know he was the one who unified the three factions.
In a way, that was exactly the kind of influence he wanted.
More importantly, he wanted to see how much impact he would gain after being unified.
And beyond that, he needed to test something. Would ruling this world fulfill the conditions of his observation… or would it require resisting an invasion from another world?
"Make it public."
"Yes." Ajuka accepted the order and left. With the three factions only just beginning to unify, he had plenty of work waiting for him.
"New Devil transformations, observing this world… I've got a lot on my plate too," Ryo muttered.
Even Ophis's adorable, hamster-like eating habits couldn't distract him now.
Work came first.
"Let's deal with the transformation issue first."
Then he paused.
To resolve that, he needed to consult Algol, who was still in seclusion.
And before that… there was someone he couldn't avoid.
Grayfia, Algol's queen.
"…Maybe I should go check on her."
After a moment's thought, Ryo stood up, took Ophis by the hand, and headed in the direction Grayfia had gone.
.
.
.