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After waiting for some time, a knock sounded on the door of Lucifer's penthouse room.
'Knock… Knock'
'Knock…. Knock'
A voice came from behind the door. "Young Master, can we come in?"
From inside the room, Lucifer's voice replied, "Yes, come inside."
With permission granted, Allen and Jeff entered Lucifer's room together. They found Lucifer reclining comfortably against the headboard of his Priapus bed. Two figures sat on chairs placed beside the bed, their faces concealed behind veils. In front of them, two female beastkins knelt on the floor in a surrendering position, their faces clearly showing fear. It was obvious that the source of their terror was Lucifer, who sat at ease on the bed.
One of them had long wavy silver-white hair that flowed down past her shoulders and mixed with thick fluffy white and gray fur on her shoulders and arms. She had large pointed wolf-like ears on top of her head covered in the same fur. Her torso showed pale smooth skin on the chest and stomach with large round breasts and pink nipples. Fluffy white and gray fur covered the sides of her torso and extended down to her hips and thighs. Her arms were covered in layered fluffy fur with visible hands at the ends. The lower body had dense white and gray fur around the pubic area and thighs. She had a toned stomach with a visible navel.
The other had long wavy blue hair that reached past her shoulders. Her head had two large curved green horns with a scaled texture. Her ears were pointed and long with pink inner parts. Blue dragon scales covered the area around her eyes like a mask. Her eyes were bright green. She had a humanoid face with defined lips and nose. Her torso had large round breasts with visible nipples covered by light-colored segmented scales on the front. Blue scales covered her shoulders, arms, sides, and legs. Her arms were muscular with clawed hands. The stomach area showed segmented light scales forming an armored pattern down to her hips and thighs. She had a long thick blue scaled tail extending from her back with spikes along the top. The scales had a glossy texture throughout the body. Her hips and thighs were thick and covered in blue scales.
After briefly assessing the situation in the room, Allen and Jasper approached the bed. Allen then asked, "Young Master, your humble servant is here. What are your instructions?"
Lucifer remained lying comfortably on the bed with his eyes closed and asked, "Have you sent invitations regarding the Ascension Day of the Duchy to every neighboring territory as well as that Lustbound Heaven Kingdom and Purefield Duchy?"
Allen replied, "Yes, Master. As per the responses I have received so far, guests from Florence County, Livingstone Duchy, Weilhiem Duchy, Redbarn Barony, and Ironford County will arrive by this evening. As for Sable Duchy, Herald County, Purefield Duchy, and Bexihound Barony, the guests will arrive by tomorrow morning. But the status of Lustbound Heaven Kingdom isn't clear as they never replied."
Lucifer continued, "What about Piccolo Kingdom and Hemis Kingdom? Are Matriarch Lady Lirael Hazelwood, Brother Vibrosa, and Brother Samuel coming to attend it?"
Allen answered, "Young Master, the entourage of Hemis Kingdom has already departed from their capital city, Verdentia. Due to some health-related issue, the Matriarch isn't able to travel, but instead Queen Sarion is coming along with Sir Vibrosa and Samuel as well as some other important figures of Hemis Kingdom to further solidify relations with us. As for Piccolo Kingdom, they replied that their representatives will also visit Westirifer on this joyous occasion and are expected to arrive by tomorrow evening."
Hearing this, Lucifer nodded calmly and asked, "What about guests from Holycross, Morrgen, and Hektor State? Who is coming from there? As far as I know, after killing the Hektor Ducal Family, Artemis, Nocturna, and Severina have also completely annihilated their whole army."
Allen answered, "Master, guests from Keilname State have already been staying with us for the last fifteen days. From Holycross State, about ten to fifteen people are coming, including upper echelon of the Holygrill Family. As for Morrgen State, Sir Kolam Vertek along with his family and some nobles are coming."
Hearing this, Lucifer nodded once again, satisfied. He then said, "Allen, don't forget to summon priests of all three prominent churches for performing the rituals of ascension. After completion of the ritual, we will celebrate the rest of the day in two phases.
The first phase will be the Welfare Phase. We will distribute food and money among our citizens so they can live peacefully and comfortably through this winter. The amount we distribute to every household is 10 pounds of oats along with 4 silver coins. The main reason for giving this much is that from the first day of the Fertility Ceremony Festival, the winter season will truly begin, and the Fertility Ceremony Festival is just three days away. I want every household in my territory to acquire enough resources to pass through this winter, as cold breezes have already started descending from the Gigori Mountains. For this, ask Uncle Jeff to arrange everything as he is the Minister of Treasury.
The second and last phase of the day will start with a grand ball where guests can enjoy themselves by dancing and playing other games, and this ball will conclude with a dinner banquet. Dinner for so many guests is a huge task, so I'll help in acquiring ingredients, especially different kinds of meat."
After saying all this, Lucifer asked, "Do you understand it all?"
Allen answered, "Yes, Young Master. But on average, what do you think about how many guests will come? I'm asking this so I can get a general idea about the preparation of food and beverages."
After thinking for a moment, Lucifer replied, "Let's say I think about seven to eight hundred people will attend our Ascension Day ceremony, but for precaution, tell the cooking staff to cook for a thousand people more."
After saying all this, Lucifer paused for a bit, opened his eyes, and pointed his index finger toward one of the veiled men who had green hair and pointed ears. "Allen, that man's name is Galathor. He belongs to the Hazelwood Royal Elf Family of Hemis Kingdom. I think Silva or Selene may know him. So lead him to their room. Maybe he is someone closely related to both of them. Now Allen, take him with yourself and guide him toward the room of Silva and Selene. Oh yeah, by the way, inform all members of the spy unit to come and visit me as soon as possible. You may leave now, Allen."
Lucifer's words prompted Allen to say, "Yes, Master, but there is something that I want to ask you before leaving."
Lucifer gestured for Allen to ask whatever he wanted. Seeing that Lucifer agreed, Allen pointed toward both female beastkins and asked, "Young Master, who are they? Do you fancy both of them? Are they your new wives or something? And if not, then what are they doing in your room? Does Madam Grand-Duchess know about your new taste? Where did you find both of them? Are both of them from Piccolo Kingdom?"
Listening to Allen's barrage of questions, Lucifer glanced toward both beastkins and answered one by one.
"Allen, both of them are monsters. Well, actually they are beastkins, but they identified themselves as monsters. The one with wolf-like features, her name is Flegris. While the other one with scales and horns, she is Karzha, apparently belonging to the Dragonkin tribe. No, I don't fancy any of them nor are they my wives. Actually there is no relation between me and both of them. Both of them aren't from Piccolo Kingdom but from Risen Kingdom. And from now on, both of them are slaves of the Velmora Family and will work as regular maids. Actually, you know what, tell Aunt Misty to train both of them as well as introduce them to the rules and regulations of Westirifer. And lastly, no one knows except you and Jasper that I have returned back. Not even Mommy, so it's next to impossible for her to know that I brought slaves from Risen Kingdom."
As Allen heard Lucifer's words, he asked in surprise, "Young Master, you went to Risen Kingdom? Meaning when you weren't in the Duchy yesterday, you were in Risen Kingdom? What was the need for you to go there? If you had to go, you should have informed someone in the Duchy, right?"
After listening to Allen, Lucifer said, "Mommy, Aunt Ruby, Crotivia, and Jasper knew about this. In fact, I went at Mommy's request. Allen, we will talk about the rest later. Now you go."
Listening to Lucifer's words, Allen glanced toward Jasper who was standing right beside him but didn't say anything. He politely turned around and left Lucifer's room with steady steps.
After waiting for some time, Jasper asked, "Young Master, what about Crotivia's father? Did you manage to find him? Is he alive?"
Even before Lucifer could answer, another man whose face was covered with a veil, sitting on the chair, said, "Yes, Jas, I'm alive. All thanks to Lucifer."
Listening to that familiar voice, Jasper instantly looked toward the man with tears in his eyes. At that time, he heard Lucifer's voice again. "Jasper, this is Sir Valdren, Crotivia's father. It's still early morning time, so could you take him to your room so that Crotivia could meet her father?"
Jasper nodded fervently. Lucifer then said, "By the way, I'm a little bit tired, so tell everyone not to visit me till evening. Now you may leave."
Hearing Lucifer's words, Jasper bowed a little as he guided Valdren out of Lucifer's penthouse room. When both of them came out, Jasper asked, "Father-in-law, what happened to you? How did you reach Risen Kingdom and what happened there?"
In return for his questions, Jasper initially received only silence. But some moments later, Valdren said, "Your master, he is a good person with unfathomable power, but he is much more terrifying than those monsters and demons. His killing intent and bloodlust is beyond measure, so much that it's literally terrifying. How did you come to know him?"
As Jasper listened to what Valdren was saying, he understood that something significant must have happened in Risen Kingdom, something beyond the comprehension of his father-in-law. Still, Jasper thought, 'Father-in-law, you are asking me how I came to know him? You talked about Young Master's bloodlust? I have experienced it firsthand in the past. Have you ever seen any human butcher a whole ducal family into such a fine paste that even the soil becomes red by absorbing blood? I have seen it—well, not directly—but I have imagined that terror. My Young Master butchered every single person who belonged to the Asher Ducal Family or had any ties with them into such a fine paste that their smell of blood still lingers in the air. And I'm sure that whatever you witnessed in Risen Kingdom wasn't as terrifying as the genocide of the Asher Family. But still, I can't find any fault with Young Master's response as they really did deserve it, and I'm serving him because he is a good person as well as a good master.'
Even after thinking all this, Jasper didn't answer Valdren directly. Instead he said, "Father-in-law, we will talk about it later as it's a long story. Let's first meet Crotivia as she was very concerned about you."
Saying this, both of them reached near the space transportation portal and vanished from the highest floor of the Ducal Palace.