"So those ExE Gods are already paying attention to this world," Roxanne asked as she looked at Luciana.
She was currently in her office, going through some documents. But unlike Sirzechs, she didn't have a mountain of paperwork waiting for her. She had already warned everyone under her command not to slack off or pass the bucket every time they ran into a problem. Because of this strict rule, she was spared from all the boring, repetitive stuff and only needed to pay attention to the most important decisions.
Luciana bowed her head respectfully, her expression entirely serious. "Yes, Your Majesty. Our deepest intelligence network has confirmed it. The dimensional barriers are showing faint signs of interference. We also found traces of these gods coming in contact with many leaders in the Khaos Brigade."
Roxanne leaned back against her chair, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrest as she pondered what her next move should be. With her years of experience reading light novels back in her past life, she knew that these ExE gods would definitely not sit idly by. They were absolutely going to start causing trouble sooner or later.
*Hmm...* She narrowed her eyes, trying to recall the original plot details. If she remembered correctly, there was a specific goddess from that world who was supposed to be in contact with Issei, giving him that ridiculous ability to listen to boobs.
Should she go give Issei a surprise visit and check on this boob goddess? But last she heard, Issei seems to have gone on some mission in the human world to gather more followers for Rias Grimory.
But if she makes a move, those guys planning the dark would definitely be wary. Especially that Old Bael. Ever since she took the throne, that guy has been very well behaved.
He hadn't made a single move, nor had he tried to push his pure-blood agenda like he used to. But Roxanne wasn't foolish enough to believe he had suddenly changed his ways. A tiger doesn't change its stripes overnight; he must be hiding his claws, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back.
"Tsk, so troublesome," Roxanne clicked her tongue in annoyance.
She now genuinely regretted agreeing to her mother and grandfather's request to rule over the Underworld with wisdom without using brute force all the time. This was exactly why Roxanne was having a headache. Otherwise, with her usual style, she would have just created two portals, kidnapped both Old Bael and Rizevim, and tortured them into spilling the beans. It was that simple.
As for those ExE Gods, Roxanne could only say they better not come in front of her. Because as the strongest of this world, she had been itching for a fight to stretch her muscles anyway. And besides, she already had a countermeasure prepared just for them.
…..
Time went by after Roxanne's coronation ceremony.
Days turned into weeks, and just as Roxanne had planned, the Underworld began to settle into a tense but stable order. The high nobles, completely terrified of her power, worked themselves to the bone to prove their utility, too busy with their new duties to even think about plotting a rebellion.
Those proud, arrogant young masters were forced to mature early because, unlike the four Satans, Roxanne didn't babysit them. Every time they made a mistake, they would be punished according to the law. If their families tried to interfere, then they would also be forced to join in the punishment.
And with this precedent, those arrogant devils began to behave themselves and started acting like normal humans.
Serafall was so happy about this that she even cried in her office. After all, as the Satan in charge of diplomatic affairs, she was the one who always had to get scolded and lose face because of these spoiled brats.
While everything was going smoothly, the Khaos Brigade finally began moving their plan.
Deep within her private office, Roxanne stood by the large window, swirling a glass of dark wine as she watched the peaceful horizon. The calm was nice, but she knew it wouldn't last. The pieces on the board were already moving.
Suddenly, the space behind her rippled, and Luciana materialized from the shadows, bowing low with an urgency that immediately caught Roxanne's attention.
"Your Majesty," Luciana reported, her voice sharp. "The bait has been taken. Our scouts at the borders of Heaven and the outer Grigori outposts have just reported massive, coordinated movements from the Khaos Brigade. "
" Hmm, which pantheons are acting right now " Roxanne asked nonchalantly.She wasn't worried about the attack on Grigori or Heaven at all. After all, with her mother and grandfather there, the situation would definitely be controlled. Heck, even if things somehow got out of hand and they couldn't handle it, Shadow Garden was hidden in the dark, ready to offer reinforcement at a moment's notice.
Luciana adjusted her glasses, her expression remaining completely focused. "According to our latest reports, the vanguard are from the Greek and Egyptian pantheons. They are using massive hordes of mass-produced Grim Reapers and rogue mythical beasts to draw the frontline forces away."
Roxanne let out a soft chuckle, taking a slow sip of her wine. It was exactly as she expected. Rizevim and his hidden partner were using the classic textbook strategy—create a massive fire somewhere to make everyone flustered and fish in trouble waters.
"They really think they are being clever," Roxanne murmured, turning around to face Luciana with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "They want my grandfather and Azrael to leave my side so they can strike at me while I'm 'alone.' What about Old Bael? Has that old fox finally shown his cards?"
At this, Luciana had a complicated expression as she said, "That's the most surprising part. From what we could find, Bael seemed to have rejected the partnership offered by Rizevim."
Roxanne paused, her wine glass stopping halfway to her lips. She blinked, a rare look of genuine surprise crossing her face before she broke into an amused smirk. "Oh? The old fox actually turned him down? Now that is interesting."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Luciana continued, nodding firmly. "Our hidden agents inside the Bael estate confirmed that Rizevim sent a messenger offering a joint alliance to overthrow your rule. But Old Bael flatly refused, stating he would have no part in Rizevim's madness. It seems he value his family's survival more than his pure-blood pride."
Roxanne took a slow sip of her wine, her mind working through the implications. "Smart move on his part. But how could Rizeviem let him stay quiet and play the loyal subject? I reckon Bael must have paid a huge price to stay out of this mess "
"Yes, Your Majesty," Luciana replied, her expression growing even more serious. "You are completely correct. According to our deep moles, Old Bael had to hand over a massive amount of his clan's hidden resources and forbidden magical research to buy his way out. Rizevim essentially drained half of the Bael treasury as compensation for the rejection."
Roxanne's lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. "I knew it. Rizeviem would never let someone who had rejected him stay alive. But then again, when did Bael become so obedient to understand reality? Luciana send a team to understand what changed in the Bael house "
Author's Note: I'm currently balancing my university studies with writing, and things can get pretty tight. If you enjoy my work, even a $1 donation on Patreon makes a massive difference in helping me cover my education expenses.
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