Shortly afterward, in the same luxurious office where Alear had met with Lord Agares hours earlier, the air was thick with tension.
Alear sat in a comfortable armchair, his shirt partially open, maintaining a relaxed posture despite the situation. In front of him stood a middle-aged man with well-kept white hair, slightly wavy, falling to shoulder length. His eyes were a deep, serene blue, like ancient waters. His face, marked by soft lines of expression, conveyed a calm befitting a physician. He wore an immaculate white tunic with golden details.
That man was the bishop in service to Lord Agares: Machaon. For many, his name might mean nothing. However, for those deeply familiar with the history of the Trojan War, he was remembered as one of the most skilled surgeons of his era, someone whose reputation had endured across the centuries without fading. The healing magic he used reflected exactly that. It was not merely powerful—it was refined, controlled down to the finest detail, the result of countless years of refinement. One could tell just from a casual glance....
As the soft glow of the magic dissipated, the atmosphere seemed to relax along with it. The air, previously weighed down by a subtle tension, became lighter. Machaon stepped back, observing the result with a satisfied expression.
"Done. Lord Häagenti. Your injuries have been completely healed. There will be no scars nor any aftereffects....."
Alear flexed his body slightly and nodded.
"Impressive. Thank you, Machaon."
The Bishop inclined his head politely.
"It was an honor to assist the future son-in-law of the Agares Family. If you require anything further, just call."
After completing the procedure, Machaon gave one final respectful bow—first to his master, Lord Agares, and then to the young mistress, Seekvaira, both seated before Alear. Without another word, he left the office with the same discretion that marked his movements, closing the door softly behind him.
The nearly imperceptible click of the latch sealing the room seemed to emphasize the silence that followed.
Only three people remained in the office: Alear, Seekvaira, and Lord Agares.
But the silence did not last long; the three began discussing the possible culprits behind the assassination attempt. The primary suspicion inevitably fell upon Zekram Bael.
After a few minutes, Lord Agares, seated behind the desk, massaged his temples with a tired expression.
"This is not something so simple. The attempt failed, but they will try again. You must be careful, Lord Häagenti. They will not give up so easily...."
Alear nodded calmly, adjusting his shirt.
"I will be careful. In my mansion, I will be safe, since I have someone quite strong working for me. She can intervene if someone attacks, and I will also be cautious when going out...."
Seekvaira, who was standing beside his armchair, spoke in a firm yet gentle voice:
"I could also move in with you… and increase your protection somewhat. Although I am not as strong as you, Lord Häagenti, I am not that much weaker either. Considering that you are the only surviving member of your family and do not even have a retainer in your peerage, I believe I would be of great help....."
Alear looked at her, then at Lord Agares, raising an eyebrow.
"While I appreciate your offer… isn't it too soon?"
Lord Agares let out a long sigh, casting a meaningful glance at his daughter before responding.
"Yes, it is a bit soon… I had planned to arrange the marriage after yours with Serafall, since she will be the principal wife. But, considering what happened today… What do you think, daughter?"
Seekvaira maintained her impeccable posture, her voice calm:
"I will accept whatever you decide, Father."
Lord Agares sighed once more, visibly tired.
"Then… let it be after one month. That will not be a problem for you, Alear?"
Alear looked at Seekvaira for a second, then nodded.
"She will be welcome. After all, she is my future wife."
A brief silence fell over the office.
Seekvaira felt her heart skip again, but kept her expression calm.
Lord Agares merely nodded, resigned.
"Then it is decided."
Alear nodded, wanting to change the subject, and asked:
"Lord Agares, do you know anyone within the Bael Family who is not loyal to Zekram? Someone who might be… approachable?"
Lord Agares shook his head, a tired, bitter smile appearing on his lips.
"If your plan was to plant a spy within House Bael, you may as well give up now. It is practically impossible. There is no one there who openly opposes Zekram. He has controlled the family with an iron hand for centuries. Even those who fear or hate him know that any sign of disloyalty means certain death. Fear is stronger than any internal ambition."
Seekvaira spoke suddenly, her voice clear and thoughtful:
"Actually… there is someone."
Lord Agares turned to his daughter, raising an eyebrow. For a moment, he seemed confused, until understanding dawned in his eyes.
"…You are referring to Wilbert....?"
Seekvaira nodded.
"Who is that…?" Alear asked in confusion. Although he had read many books about noble families and politics in the library over the past few days and Venelana had taught him much about the underworld, this was a name he did not recognize....
Lord Agares let out a long sigh before leaning back in his chair, as if organizing his thoughts before continuing.
"Wilbert… Zekram's older brother. Unlike the rest of the main lineage, he did not inherit the Power of Destruction. Instead, he awakened what is known as Gravity Magic, an extremely rare ability, and in many respects, even more unpredictable."
He paused briefly, his eyes slightly narrowed, as if weighing how far he should go into certain details.
"No one has ever been able to explain the origin of this situation with precision. However, there is an old speculation… quite scandalous, it must be said. Some records suggest that the first matriarch of the Bael Clan became involved with the original Lucifer. This possible connection may have given rise to a variation in the clan's bloodline, something that would, in theory, explain the emergence of Wilbert's ability...."
Lord Agares' tone grew heavier toward the end, carrying restrained disapproval.
"Naturally, this was a severe blow to the reputation of the Bael Family. To preserve the image of the main lineage, Wilbert was expelled while still young… while Zekram, without any opposition, was declared the legitimate heir. Since then, Wilbert's name has been treated almost as a taboo within the family… although, ironically, his later actions ensured that he would never truly be forgotten...."
Alear listened attentively, his pink-magenta eyes slightly narrowed.
But before he could ask anything, Lord Agares continued:
"I imagine you must be wondering how… the great detail about Wilbert is that he was known as the strongest Devil below the Four Original Great Satans. They called him the Uncrowned Demon King. Using his overwhelming power, he established his own influence in the Underworld. He founded the Moderate Faction, the neutral side that always opposed the Great King Faction, but without fully aligning itself with the current Satans. He was a natural counterbalance to Zekram....."
Alear frowned slightly, genuinely surprised.
This sounded… familiar.
Wilbert… Wilbert…? Where had he heard that name before? Something about gravity magic… and the founding of a so-called Moderate Faction. Wait… wasn't this too familiar? There was an anime about demons and heroes—in it, there was a Demon King with that same name, who also wielded gravity magic and had created a faction with exactly that purpose. What was it called again…? Shinmai Maou no Testament! He had to admit: his "three thousand parallel thoughts" were absurdly efficient at times like this. In a matter of seconds, he had connected dots that would take anyone else far longer—if they even managed it. Still, that speed only made the situation more unsettling....
But was this merely coincidence… or not? The similarity was far too specific to ignore. Names, abilities, political structures—everything seemed to align with uncomfortable precision. If it was not coincidence, then the implication was far deeper: perhaps this world was not original, but rather a kind of alternative reality constructed from multiple works.
That possibility caused his gaze to narrow slightly. If different "anime" were blending together here, then what else might exist in this world? And more importantly… to what extent would events follow the scripts he knew, or had they already diverged completely?
"I had never heard of the Moderate Faction…." Setting his thoughts aside, he commented casually.
Seekvaira replied calmly:
"That is understandable. Wilbert died a few months ago. Without him, the Moderate Faction lost much of its power and influence. Many of its members scattered or were absorbed into other factions. Today, it exists in name only....."
Lord Agares massaged his temples again, visibly exhausted by the direction of the conversation.
"Wilbert was too strong to be controlled, but also too intelligent to be used. If he were alive, he might have been an ally… but now? That is impossible...."
The office fell into a brief silence.
Alear leaned back in the armchair, his fingers lightly tapping against the wooden armrest. After a few seconds, he asked, still in the same casual tone:
"Did Wilbert leave any descendants?"
Lord Agares blinked, visibly surprised by the frankness of the question. Still, he did not hesitate to answer; his deep voice carried a measured tone, like someone choosing each word with care:
"Yes. A girl. Her name is Mio Naruse, half human, half devil. She is currently in the human world… living a difficult life. She is hunted both by nobles who wish to use her and by the Hero Faction, which considers her a threat to the human world, classifying her as S-Class."
"I assume you are not familiar with the Moderate Faction. In that case, you may also be unaware of the resentment that exists between them and the remnants of the Hero Faction. It is said that the so-called Uncrowned Demon King caused numerous problems for the leader of the Hero Village. For a long time, he was criticized even among devils, especially for opposing humans who awakened supernatural abilities and began calling themselves the Hero Clan. This conflict accumulated deep grudges… to the point that today, we can be considered natural enemies."
"I pity the girl, but well… no one knows where she currently is. However, I believe it will not take long for her to be found...."
Alear showed no immediate reaction. His face remained calm, almost indifferent, as if he were merely absorbing trivial information. Internally, however, his mind was operating at a rapid pace.
So his assumption had been correct…
This was not good.
He had overlooked a critical detail. If Wilbert truly existed in this world and, more importantly, had left behind a half-breed daughter being hunted—especially one with the same name—then the similarities to Shinmai Maou no Testament ceased to be coincidence....
He remained silent for another moment, organizing the multiple lines of reasoning forming in parallel. When he spoke again, his voice was calm and polite:
"I see. Thank you very much for sharing this information with me. It seems I will have to study much more—I am quite ignorant in some matters...."
The memories of his predecessor had been rather useless; they only served to help him identify that he was in an alternate world and that his family was being targeted. There were many things about this world that he did not know...
Lord Agares slowly shook his head, his gaze tired but understanding.
"Do not worry about that, Lord Häagenti. You have just awakened from a seven-year coma. When you entered it, you were still a child. It is natural that much information about noble families, factions, and recent events lies beyond your knowledge. No one expects you to master everything overnight....."
"If you want a broader and more up-to-date view on this matter, I suggest you ask Serafall for help. She is the Satan responsible for foreign relations and maintains contact with nearly all factions in the supernatural world...."
Alear nodded slowly, absorbing the suggestion.
"I understand. I will do so...."
The silence that followed was brief. Lord Agares seemed to make an internal decision. He stood up, walked to a side drawer of the desk, and retrieved a thick parchment sealed with golden wax and the emblem of the Agares Family.
"Before I forget…" he said, placing the document carefully on the table. "Here is the formal contract of the alliance between House Agares and Houses Gäap-Häagenti. It includes everything we have already discussed, including the marriage between you and Seekvaira...."
He pushed the parchment toward Alear.
Alear took the document and quickly scanned the main clauses, his eyes moving with precision as he filtered only what truly mattered. At the end, he nodded almost imperceptibly. Without hesitation, he leaned slightly forward and signed with his full name in the designated space. In the next instant, he channeled a small fraction of his [Demonic Power], sealing the signature with a magenta-toned magical mark that glowed briefly before settling onto the paper.
As a magical contract, validation required the direct infusion of the signatories' power, binding them to the clauses absolutely. Any violation would entail proportional penalties—fines, restrictions, and potentially more severe repercussions, depending on the nature of the breach.
Even so, he showed no concern. To him, it was merely a formality. After all, he had no intention of violating the agreement.
He then handed the parchment to Seekvaira. She received it with both hands, her pinkish eyes scanning the text attentively. After nodding, she signed with elegance, her signature fluid and aristocratic.
When she finished, she returned the document to her father.
Lord Agares observed both signatures for a moment, evaluating the parchment with a critical gaze. Then, he extended his hand and pressed his own magical seal onto the document. A golden light burst forth briefly, enveloping the signatures before stabilizing, sealing the contract irrevocably.
Shortly afterward, one of the copies was taken to the Altar, who simply stored it discreetly in his pocket.
"It is done. From this moment on, our houses are officially allied," Lord Agares said as he watched him store the copy of the document. His eyes then gained a subtle trace of intent behind the formality. "And my daughter is now in your hands, Lord Häagenti. I hope you will not take too long to give this old man a grandchild."
Despite the seemingly casual tone at the end, there was a genuine expectation behind his words—not only as a father, but as the leader of a house that had just forged a bond that transcended politics and reached into the very future of its lineage.
Seekvaira rolled her eyes discreetly, but visibly enough for both to notice. Her voice came out sharp, carrying that direct tongue she herself admitted to having:
"Father, please…" she said sternly, crossing her arms beneath her generous bust, the movement causing the fabric of her dress to stretch slightly. "Do not start that now. We have just signed an alliance contract, not a request for an immediate grandchild. Have some decorum....."
Lord Agares let out a low, tired, but genuine laugh.
"I am only being practical, daughter. Alliances are strengthened by blood. You know that better than anyone."
On the other hand, Alear's brow tightened slightly, the gesture almost imperceptible. He had read the contract carefully. There was no clause requiring Seekvaira to remain a virgin until the wedding. In fact, the document was quite open in that regard—unusual, but not unheard of in political alliances between noble houses. If they were to have a child before the official marriage, and Seekvaira were to become officially part of the Häagenti-Gäap Family afterward, the child could very well be considered a direct heir of House Agares.
That old fox… he cursed inwardly, but said nothing aloud.
"I appreciate the alliance and the hospitality, Lord Agares…." he said, rising from the armchair. "I will return to the mansion now. Any news regarding the assassination attempt, please inform me immediately."
Lord Agares nodded, standing as well.
"I will do so. Take care, Lord Häagenti...."
Seekvaira stepped forward, her voice softer now, meant only for him:
"I will accompany you to the exit."
___________________
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