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The night in the Human World was also night in the Underworld.
At the same time that Hanakain Reiji was still dealing with a certain cat girl's arousal problem at home, in the Underworld, within the territory of the Gremory family.
Boom—
Accompanied by a slight tremor of the ground, the main gate of the castle slowly opened.
A red carpet was unrolled from the main entrance leading inward. Thirty-six thick Roman columns stood firmly on both sides of the hall. Bright light shone down from the enormous golden crystal chandelier at the highest point of the dome, illuminating the entire hall in a magnificent, golden splendor.
Lining both sides of the red carpet was a uniformly dressed maid corps, standing in a neat line, hands clasped in front of them, heads bowed, and eyes closed in silent reverence. In the absolute center of the red carpet also stood a gentle-faced, shapely woman with short brown hair.
Such a formation looked very much like a welcoming ceremony for a triumphant lord returning home.
Soon, as the castle gate fully opened, a tall, upright figure outside the door gradually became clear. He walked through the gate and onto the red carpet. The black cloak, symbolizing his status as a Devil King, trailed behind him, its edges fluttering slightly but not touching the ground. His long red hair and handsome features bore a striking, seven-tenths resemblance to Rias.
He advanced step by step to the brown-haired woman at the center of the red carpet, smiling as he slightly bowed his head. "I'm home, Mother."
"Mhm~ Welcome home, Sirzechs. I've been waiting for you for a long time." The brown-haired woman also smiled, reaching out her hands, encased in long glove sleeves, and patted her son's waist without regard for the presence of others.
"Honestly, Sirzechs, you look a little thinner than the last time you came home. Is the Devil King's work really that busy? If this continues, your mother will be heartbroken, you know."
"Heh-heh, I suppose so." Listening to his mother's concerned tone, Sirzechs couldn't help but laugh softly, squinting his eyes. "After all, it's still the early stages of my term, and many matters need my personal attention. But once I get through this period, it should be fine."
"Hmph, hmph, 'it will be fine once I get through this period' again, is it?" Venelana pouted in dissatisfaction. "Sirzechs, you said that last year, and the year before that. How many years has it been, and you're still in the 'early stages'? If this continues, your mother will die of heartache. If it's too much, you can just quit being the Devil King, you know~"
"That... might not be quite so exaggerated." Sirzechs shook his head with a smile. He knew his mother said these things out of concern for him, but he also understood that they were merely words.
Ever since his father passed away, the Gremory family had been in a state of dwindling support. Although this generation had him and his sister Rias, Rias was still young and attending school, while he himself, as the Devil King, was busy making decisions on various matters every day. Thus, his mother had been single-handedly struggling to support the entire Gremory family for all these years.
But precisely because of this, he needed to solidify his position as the Devil King. Only in this way could the Gremory family maintain its unshakable status among the Seventy-Two Pillars of the Peerage. After all, the Seventy-Two Pillars were not a unified bloc. God knows how many eyes filled with hidden ambitions and desires were focused on the current Gremory family, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce like a pack of wolves and devour them completely.
This was something Sirzechs, as the sole male heir of the Gremory family, absolutely would not permit.
"Lady Venelana..." A voice came from behind. Turning around, he saw a maid who bowed her head respectfully. "Dinner is ready. We can begin anytime."
"Mhm, understood." Venelana nodded her acknowledgment, then turned back to her son. "By the way, Sirzechs, did you come back alone this time? Where are the others?"
The young Devil King shook his head helplessly: "I couldn't help it. The others still have things to attend to, so I came back alone."
"Is that so..." Venelana murmured, a hint of regret in her tone. It was understandable. Since her husband's passing, only she remained in the house. Her son was busy with work, and her daughter was studying in the Human World. It had been a long time since she had more than two people sitting around her. So, every time her son came back, she treated even his servants as part of her own family. It was a pity that no one else came with him this time.
But it was still good—at least her son was home. Thinking of this, Venelana perked up and smiled again: "Alright, you've finally come home. Don't just stand here. Let's go and eat. You must be hungry, coming back so late, right?"
"Mhm~ Just a little, I suppose." Sirzechs also smiled. Only in the presence of his mother, who had been with him since childhood, could he shed the mask and burden of the Devil King.
...
The perspective shifts to the dining room. Complementing the castle's grand scale, the dining room was also quite luxurious and magnificent. A long table capable of seating dozens of people stretched through the entire length of the room. Red candles were lit on golden candelabra. Just looking at this scene, one could imagine the prosperity and liveliness of the Gremory family during its peak.
Yet, now, only the solitary mother and son sat at this long table, spanning more than ten meters.
Venelana stirred her silver spoon, scooped up some hot soup from the bowl, and sipped it: "Speaking of which, summer will be here soon in the Human World, won't it? Rias will be home for summer vacation in a couple of months."
"That's right..." Sirzechs put down his silver spoon and looked at his mother beside him. "Mother, do you remember the engagement between Rias and the Phoenix family?"
"...I remember." After a brief silence, Venelana's gentle smile faded. "Although it was for the continuation of the Gremory family, it's undeniable that it was the only wrong decision your father made before his passing. I heard that Rias's fiancé, the third son of the Phoenix family, is a playboy who acts quite recklessly in his daily life. Knowing Rias as her mother, there is absolutely no way she could ever like him. If Rias truly refuses, Sirzechs, you must..."
"Of course." Giving a definite answer to soothe his mother's emotions, Sirzechs nodded. "To be honest, one reason I came back this time was to discuss this matter with you, Mother. Before this, I already sent Grayfia to the Human World to gauge Rias's attitude. If Rias truly does not fancy the other party, then as her older brother, I certainly won't let my sister suffer any grievance."
"Mhm, that makes me feel much better." A smile returned to Venelana's gentle face.
But before she could continue speaking, a red glow from a teleportation magic circle suddenly lit up near the entrance of the dining room.
From the teleportation magic circle, the figure of a certain silver-haired maid emerged.
"Sirzechs-sama, Venelana-sama." She bowed respectfully to the two people at the dining table.
"Grayfia-chan?" Venelana raised an eyebrow in surprise, her tone slightly delighted. Although it was likely a coincidence, Grayfia's arrival now meant there would be one more person to share dinner with.
Sirzechs, however, appeared more prepared for her arrival. "Well, Grayfia, has my sister made a decision?"
"Sirzechs-sama, your sister... has indeed made a decision, but..." The typically mature and competent silver-haired maid was faltering for some reason.
But what? Although the exact reason was unclear, the sharp intuition of the young Devil King, seeing his subordinate's unusual behavior, told him that something unexpected had occurred.
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