The morning sun filtered through the tall, arched windows of the Lucifuge manor's grand entrance hall, casting golden light across polished floors and intricately carved columns. As the gathered peerage turned their attention to the newest arrival, murmurs rippled through the assembled ranks.
A woman stepped forward with unshakable poise beside Lucien. She moved like a ghost trained for war, elegant, lethal, and perfectly composed.
"I am Narberal Gamma," she said, voice smooth and clipped. Her obsidian-black hair was neatly tied back, and golden eyes scanned the room without fear or favor."I have served high-ranking lords and queens. Now, my loyalty belongs to House Lucifuge and Lord Lucien."
Kuroka raised an eyebrow, nudging Ghislaine with a grin. "A beautiful maid? Is he building a harem of aproned assassins?"
Ghislaine snorted. "She walks like she's hiding a spell matrix in her spine and daggers in her boots."
"She is,"Yamato added, arms crossed, her oni eyes narrowing after she had used her future sight.
Narberal's gaze flicked briefly to Yamato's stance, calm but alert, knuckles ready, posture balanced. Warrior instincts. Her eyes moved next to Kuroka, who tilted her head and offered a faint twitch of her tail, teasing and sharp.
"I am trained in protective formation magic, offensive combat sorcery, culinary alchemy, and high-level infiltration. My sole purpose is service to my lord."
Velzaria Tiamat stood silent near the back, regarding her with sharp, blue, slitted eyes. She said nothing, but her presence flared briefly, less territorial and more assessing. Not of competition, but of capability. A dragon's measure of a possible lieutenant.
Lucien inclined his head. "Narberal has been fully vetted through my system. She is loyal. Treat her as one of our own."
Rias folded her arms, her tone light but probing. "So she can fight, heal, clean, defend, and probably assassinate?"
"I do what is required, Lady Gremory," Narberal replied without missing a beat.
Rangiku sipped her tea from the lounge, lips curling into a grin. "Efficient and pretty. She's going to put half the nobles in cardiac arrest."
From the moment she stepped inside, Narberal integrated with quiet efficiency. She memorized schedules, reinforced enchantments, polished protocols, and even led formations during mock drills. She didn't disturb the household rhythm; she sharpened it, like a sword sliding into an already-perfect sheath.
Lucien observed her that night from the balcony as she coordinated Yamato's sparring rotations and adjusted Ghislaine's footwork with a silent spell circle.
She's almost like a mini Grayfia. The thought emerged unbidden. The grace, the precision, the quiet ferocity. It echoed in his mind.
Is this what Father saw in Mother?
A whisper of Sirzechs' old lessons stirred in memory:
"Lucien, a servant is a sword. Beautiful, sharp, and loyal if used right, or they can bleed you dry."
Territory, Training, and Power
The next several days unfolded in a flurry of both preparation and pressure.
Lucien sparred with both Yamato and Ghislaine beneath reinforced gravity seals, while Kuroka helped Koneko refine her chakra nodes and body control. Familiar spirits adapted quickly to their hosts, forming natural support synergies during mock battles.
Narberal tested her speed against Ghislaine and even clashed briefly with Velzaria in an evening duel. It was a blur of lightning against flame, one quiet and surgical, the other elemental and primal. Neither woman spoke afterward, but both gave the faintest nod of mutual recognition.
Later, standing atop the balcony of his estate, Lucien took in the upgraded landscape. Magic-saturated fields glowed with budding herbs, and reinforced training grounds pulsed with latent mana. A teleportation gate customized with House Lucifuge sigils was nearly complete.
Later that night, Lucien stood before his study desk, the parchment unrolled as he sketched out plans for the Lucifuge Revival Banquet, a declaration of identity, alliances, and future power.
Lilith's voice chimed in his mind.
Lilith's voice chimed in his mind as the light blue task system appeared.
[NEW SYSTEM MISSION – ACTIVE]
Lucifuge Revival Banquet
• Objectives:
Announce Engagements Secure 3+ Noble Pacts Declare House Alignment Rewards: +1 Reputation Buff Special Summon Token ×1 Territory Expansion Permit
Lucien's eyes gleamed. "Perfect."
"Lilith, the ring opens a private dimension, right? What's inside?"
[The Eternal Vault contains the Trial Dungeon, adaptive and layered.]
First Tier: Goblins, Slimes, Undead, and Ratman. Bosses are scaled based on Peerage Origins (e.g., Ghislaine: Beastkin Arena | Yamato: Oni Guardian Trial)
Rewards: XP Bars, Rare Drops, Passive Unlocks
"Solo or Squad?"
[Both are viable. Squad runs increase drop rates. XP split by contribution.]
Lucien laughed. "Oh, Issei's going to hate me when I drag him through this hell. But he will thank me later; he is going to be strong if he wants to be a harem king, especially if he wants my Ri Ri."
His gaze returned to the scroll in his hand. "I need a name for us… 'Lucifuge's Blades'? No. 'Shadowflame Vanguard', yes. That fits."
A system ping echoed next.
[NOTICE: Albedo will be arriving earlier than expected.]
Lucien let out a long sigh, though a smirk touched his lips. "And here I thought today was quiet."
He scribbled more notes.
Serafall's bound to crash the banquet to mess with Sona. And the Phenex delegation's sending someone flashy, no doubt. Lady Seraphina's daughter, maybe?
The Unseen Bond
Later that evening, Lucien wandered through the manor alone as he headed to the hot spring. Ideas swirled through his mind about his territory, the banquet, each demanding attention, each laced with meaning far deeper than logistics. The moon was high, casting long, silver shadows over the path before him. He stopped at the stone bench where Kuroka had often found herself at peace, her tails flickering in the quiet night air.
Lucien's eyes flickered to her as she appeared from the shadows, her golden gaze gleaming in the soft moonlight.
"What's on your mind, Kuroka?" He asked softly, feeling the weight of the day on his shoulders. She was always an enigma to him, a contradiction of mischief and loyalty, elegance and ferocity.
Kuroka tilted her head, eyes narrowing in amusement. "I think you know." She teased with warmth, but her voice betrayed her possessiveness curling beneath the playfulness, like a truth she couldn't quite hide.
Before Lucien could respond, she was beside him, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her presence. The air shifted as she stepped into his space, her form framed by the soft glow of the moon behind her.
"I've been thinking," she purred, her tail brushing his side as she leaned closer. "You've got many people around you, Lucien. But there's something... more that I want."
Lucien looked into her eyes, sensing the change in her. "More?"
Kuroka smiled, her lips curling slightly, but it was a smile that promised something deeper. "We've both been dancing around it. The truth of what you and I are." She slid her fingers along his arm, the touch electric. "You're mine, Lucien."
Before he could speak, she stepped in closer, her breath brushing against his ear. "The Nekoshou mark their mates differently, you know. Instinct has already chosen, and I seal it now. I'm yours, and you are mine. I don't care if I have to share you; just give me a piece of your heart. "
Her lips brushed against his skin, soft yet commanding. As her energy surged around them, a pulse of primal magic flared, seeping into his very being, an invisible bond forming between them. Her gaze never wavered, eyes glowing with an almost feral intensity.
Lucien felt the mark burn into his chest, an invisible, yet powerful symbol of their bond. He exhaled slowly, his heart beating harder in his chest as the connection deepened.
"Kuroka," he whispered, understanding her completely in that moment. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good," she purred with satisfaction. "Because I've claimed you. No one else will ever have what's mine."
Her lips captured his in a kiss, deep and possessive, sealing their bond in the quiet of the night.
Lucien smiled as he pulled her close, as they entered the hot spring together.