Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Scott Fellman.
Serena POV.
After Bella and Riveria returned from their fight with Kuroka and Bikou, I had to mention it to Sirzechs. That way, I was finally able to free myself from all the demons who had come to harass me under a real pretext.
I approached Sirzechs, who seemed to be chatting peacefully with Azazel, who appeared as a guest. I was almost certain Michael had been a guest as well, but I don't think he'd been able to attend for some reason, though it was odd that he hadn't sent a representative in some way.
And I take it back. I could sense the sacred power from afar, even as little as the power Irina Shidou emitted; I could see her talking animatedly with Issei and Xenovia.
"Serena, I hope you're enjoying the party," Sirzechs said with a gentle smile. I sighed heavily.
"Of course not, I'd rather go to my lab or have sex with my Peerage," I said bluntly, without any filter. I'd been at this party for almost an hour and I was tired. Azazel burst out laughing.
"You see! She understands! " Azazel said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. I rolled my eyes.
"Putting that aside, we need to talk." I said to both of them. They looked at me curiously. I simply placed a muffliato around us, but before either of them could ask what it was, I just kept talking. "Khaos Brigade infiltrated the party." I said easily. That made them both tense up, but I had to give them credit; it was barely a twitch. They didn't even glance around the room looking for someone. They were still smiling peacefully, though their expressions hardened. They definitely knew how to stay calm.
"Are you sure?" Sirzechs asked tensely. I just nodded.
"They're gone now," I said simply, appreciating that it confused them. "I sensed two presences creeping into the woods near the party mansion. One didn't feel like a demon; it was a yokai. Both were strong and skilled enough to almost evade my senses. I sent my Queen and my Pawn to investigate. It turns out the intruders were Kuroka and Bikou, members of the Khaos Brigade." I said easily. Their fake smiles faltered slightly.
"Vali's group?" Azazel asked, almost with a sigh. I just nodded.
"My Pawn, Riveria, is good at setting up defenses. She was able to separate the forest into a different area to avoid attracting attention. They clashed briefly before a third member appeared and took them away." I summarized easily.
"A third member?" Sirzechs asked, frowning. I nodded.
"Yes, he didn't give his name, but from the description Bellatrix and Riveria gave me, and if my informants were correct, then he must be Arthur Pendragon, a descendant of King Arthur, part of Vali's group. He possessed Caliburn and Excalibur Ruler." I kept repeating. That seemed to make them even more tense.
" Caliburn and Excalibur Ruler?" Azazel asked, almost urgently. I simply raised my hand and projected both swords, though they were only the size of my palm. They weren't even holy swords, just physical replicas identical to both. Both were too distinctive to be mistaken for one another, especially Caliburn.
"These were the swords he was using," I said confidently, showing them to both of them. They both grimaced, realizing that yes, they really were those swords.
"Are you sure they're gone?" Sirzechs asked almost solemnly, and I nodded.
"Sure, Riveria's observational skills are more than capable; there's little to nothing that can escape her notice. They've definitely left, and I don't sense any other members or anyone else trying to sneak into the party. Or at least, no one suspicious." I said honestly. They both stopped and looked at each other. Sirzechs was the first to sigh.
"Well done, Serena. Let's keep this a secret," Sirzechs said with a sneer. "Yes, the last thing we need right now is for it to get out that there was a breach in the ballroom. It'll make the other factions start doubting the demons' ability to keep places secure." Sirzechs sighed, and Azazel nodded.
"That the treaty was violated is a serious problem, especially so recently and at an event sponsored by the Satans." Azazel growled. "That damned idiot, what's he thinking?" Azazel shook his head in disappointment.
"It wasn't Vali's fault," I said easily. Azazel looked at me curiously, and I shrugged. "As far as I understand, Kuroka just wanted to go after her sister, Bikou was there to accompany her, and Arthur simply came to find them because they were taking too long. None of them seemed to be following Vali's orders at the moment," I said honestly, shrugging. "Although I'm sure he doesn't even care," I added dryly. And I decided to completely ignore the fact that Kuroka wanted to have my children.
She wasn't the first woman to throw herself at me today, starting with Seekvaira for the deal, and then all the other demons trying to gain my support or trying to do business. They'd practically offered me their daughters, sisters, or even their wives in the hopes of striking some kind of deal. I almost wanted to punch them all.
I mean, yes, I was a succubus. And yes, I had groped and almost had sex in public with my Peerage several times. Maybe more than I should have. And yes, I'm pretty sure everyone in Pentagram City, and by extension, the entire underworld, knew I was practically sexually insatiable, and… yes, maybe it's my fault after all.
Even so, I decided to ignore all the offers. And they weren't just coming in my name. Some people wanted me to trade Enid with them, or with other members of my Peerage, for their own members or a fortune, which I flatly refused.
So I definitely decided to ignore Kuroka's statements as well. Like Seekvaira, Kuroka was beautiful, but I wasn't desperate enough to sleep with her, especially not to have children. I guess this was because I repeatedly beat up Vali.
"Oh... so they were after my dear sister's family, huh? " Sirzechs said dangerously. Azazel just snorted.
"Calm down before someone notices," Azazel growled. Sirzechs just narrowed his eyes dangerously before sighing.
"Fine," Sirzechs grumbled, pouting. "Even so, well done. We'll keep this a secret; the party will continue as if nothing happened. Then we'll talk to the leaders, the other Satans, and Michael about the attack."
"Can you come and testify? If necessary, bring your queen and pawn?" Sirzechs asked with an apologetic smile. I just hummed.
"I could project the memories if you prefer; it will be much easier." I said honestly, and they both paused before nodding.
"If you can do it, it would be more than welcome," Sirzechs said honestly. I nodded.
"Oh? I'm really curious about that kind of magic," Azazel said, sounding excited. I chuckled.
"It's a magical object. I'll let you look at it," I said honestly. Azazel's eyes gleamed with anticipation. The Pensieve was something I'd shown to Ravel's family, but not to the Satans. But I had nothing to hide about it; it wasn't as if it were something I needed to keep secret. In fact, I could give one to each of the Satans, Azazel and Michael, as gifts.
I'm sure that with their age, being able to review their memories more easily would be a great advantage. It wasn't a loss; I could create as many as I wanted. I'll be working on them.
"Then, if that's all, I'll come back later with the memories after the party," I told them both.
"Well, well, look what we have here," someone said. I tensed up as I felt my Muffliato being practically- not broken, but easily canceled. We all turned around, and my eyes widened slightly as I saw the person approaching us. Odin. Allfather. The head of the Norse pantheon. Here at the feast. I could feel Odin's gaze on me, especially in his left eye; it was eerie. I could feel him looking me up and down, as if he were deeply scanning me, and I grimaced and resisted the urge to curse him.
He wasn't the first man or woman to stare at me. I knew how revealing my clothes were, something Narcissa also knew when she created them, but I didn't really mind showing skin or my body. I liked my body and wasn't ashamed of it, regardless of the stares it attracted.
But Odin's gaze felt truly eerie, especially that damned eye; it seemed to be peering deep into my soul despite the Company's defenses. I let my Six Eyes burn with full force as I stared into his left eye. I winced slightly as I felt his magic eye immediately repel my Reality Marble.
To my surprise, Odin's eye shone at that moment, and he looked me straight in the eyes and smiled slightly.
"Oh? I really thought the demons were exaggerating about you and that you were just some random sexy succubus. But this is the first time I've felt like someone was able to analyze my left eye." Odin said, stroking his beard. "I suppose you're Serena Prince," Odin said matter-of-factly.
"Lord Odin." I said immediately, bowing slightly.
"That's not necessary, child," Odin said dismissively before staring at me. "So what? What did you think of my eye? " Odin asked, sounding genuinely curious. I raised a hand and tried to project Odin's unfinished eye. Which was truly impossible; whatever Odin's Mimisbrunnr's Magic Eye was, it wasn't something I could decipher with my Reality Marble. I was really getting tired of these incomprehensible objects.
But it wasn't as if I could complain; it was literally the concentration of Mimir's Well, whose waters contained infinite wisdom. All I could understand was that it helped, giving Odin an extreme understanding of magic and a vast amount of wisdom and knowledge.
"Mmm? You were able to understand so much with just one look," Odin said, genuinely impressed as he examined my cheap replica. I shrugged.
"It's what I do," I said easily. "Although, unfortunately, some things remain incomprehensible to me, preventing me from fully understanding them. Like the divinities, I still can't quite grasp them," I said honestly.
"STILL can't understand the divinity?" Odin asked playfully, stroking his beard. I shrugged and smiled cheekily.
"It's just a divinity; just give me some time, and I'll decipher it," I said arrogantly. Odin looked at me before bursting into laughter.
"You're fun, Serena Prince. I really hope to see what you're capable of," Odin said playfully.
"And I dare ask, what did you see in me? I was able to feel your gaze," I said, raising a curious eyebrow. Odin smiled.
"Oh, I saw a lot. Serena Prince, your body is... really interesting." Odin said, and to my surprise, he seemed to be serious and not in a perverted way. I blinked slightly. Could Odin see the extremely altered biology of my body? That would be truly impressive.
"Lord Odin! Do not commit such indecent acts! It will damage Valhalla's reputation!" exclaimed a white-haired woman in a suit behind Odin. Rossweisse.
"As stiff as ever, Rossweisse. That's why you can't get a boyfriend among all those heroes," Odin said, disappointed. Rossweisse shuddered slightly before pouting. "You should do like that girl over there. She's your age and already has a harem," Odin teased, pointing in my direction. Rossweisse blushed even more.
"L-Lord Odin!" Rossweisse squealed in embarrassment.
"I apologize; she's my assistant. Although she's so beautiful, her stiffness has only driven men away," Odin said, shaking his head in disappointment. Rossweisse simply slumped to the side, muttering to herself. I just looked at Rossweisse closely before sighing.
She is a Valkyrie, a warrior and attendant of the Norse gods, but specifically, she was a Walküre—demigods of Norse mythology. I had a faint hope of scanning her biology, but unfortunately, the amount of divinity in her body made it impossible.
The same thing had happened with Ottar. At this point, he was a demigod, son of Zeus, thanks to Kratos's template. Therefore, his biology was impossible to replicate, even though he himself had given me some of his blood so I could study it closely—a pity.
"Where were we? Oh, yes—" Odin said suddenly before looking at me. "Your body, though very beautiful and sexy, the most important thing is hidden inside, isn't it, girl? What you have inside is… marvelous." Odin said, his eyes shining, before looking at a spot on my chest, right on my sternum. "Do you know about your lineage? What you are? It's been a long time since I've seen something like this. That light inside you, it's like—"
"Odin! It's been a while, old man." Azazel greeted, suddenly interrupting the silence.
"It's good to see you, King of the North Gods, Lord Odin," Sirzechs added with a crooked smile as he joined the conversation. Odin paused, looking at them both curiously at the interruption. He simply snorted and shook his head.
"These youngsters have really forgotten how to greet an old man like me, huh? I've been standing in front of you for several minutes, and now you're greeting me? The girl was a better conversationalist and more interesting than you two." Odin mocked with a sneer. They both chuckled softly.
"Oh, definitely, Serena is really interesting and very intelligent. I want to take her to Grigori to exchange ideas," Azazel said, agreeing with a smile. Sirzechs nodded quickly.
"And very busy. I'm sure she wants to get back to her Peerage quickly." Sirzechs added with the same smile. Then Sirzechs began to push me. Lightly, as I walked away. I looked curiously at both of them. There was definitely something he was hiding from me.
"So busy that you can't entertain an old man like me? I was enjoying our chat," Odin said mockingly. Both of their smiles faltered slightly.
"I'm sure we can entertain you enough ourselves, Old Man. There's no need to involve young Serena in such situations with the leaders of the pantheons. Don't you think? " Azazel said jovially. Hate only seemed amusing.
"Bah! Fine, you'd better entertain me, brat. I came because I accepted your invitation to watch the Rating Games and see some interesting things, so let's talk about it," Odin said simply before looking at me. "I'll see you later, Serena Prince. It was really interesting meeting you... I hope to see what the future holds for you," Odin said with a wide smile. I raised an eyebrow at that.
"Same here, Lord Odin. It was a pleasant chat," I said easily. Odin simply nodded, and I let Sirzechs push me far enough away before walking on my own two feet. I just glanced at Sirzechs with a raised eyebrow, to which he only offered a shy smile.
"Just ignore what Lord Odin says; he likes to talk too much," Sirzechs said quickly. "Go enjoy the party. We'll start the announcement and the rest of the festivities shortly." Sirzechs said easily before slipping away and returning to Odin. I just glanced at the three of them before sighing and shaking my head.
I was genuinely curious about what Odin was about to say, but even more so about speaking with him. It was rare to encounter someone as perceptive as him. Being able to see The Light within me so easily was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
I could only shake my head before heading over to where the others were and trying to endure the rest of the party. In a few days, it would be Sona Sitri versus Rias Gremory's Rating Game. Shortly after, Sairaorg versus Zephyrdor would follow, and finally, Diodora versus Seekvaira. The initial matches had gone exactly as I remembered.
But I wasn't sure how the following rounds would play out. Sairaorg would advance immediately to the next round. I wasn't sure if Rias would be able to advance. I had intervened a lot in Issei's development, unintentionally. Still, even so, he might not be as strong as in the canon, though I understood that Azazel was still teaching them.
Diodora was the favorite to win, but… perhaps I could help Seekvaira. The technology exchange would take place in a few days; could it help her win? Would that stop Diodora? I seriously doubted it. Diodora had Ophis's Serpent to boost his power, so I doubted he would lose against Seekvaira, even with help.
That meant that in the next round it was Rias, Sairaorg, Diodora, and me, as per canon. And I definitely couldn't predict how the subsequent matchups would form. I doubted Rias would face Sairaorg so soon. But I also doubted the Satans would immediately put me against Sairaorg. That meant Sairaorg would face Diodora, and Rias and I would face each other almost immediately.
I hummed softly before sighing and shaking my head. There was no point in really thinking about it. I'd just take on any of them, no matter who you put me up against. After simply dismissing those thoughts, I headed in Bella's direction. If I had to be at this party, I'd find a way to have some fun.