After the long-awaited return of Rimuru, Lucian left her in charge of Tempest's administration — a task she accepted with far too much enthusiasm — and teleported back to Kuoh Town. For once, he wanted a break. A few days of quiet. Maybe a date.
But peace was apparently too much to ask for.
Sona wasn't even there.
"She's in the Underworld," Rias told him when he showed up at the Gremory mansion, looking slightly confused but amused by his sudden visit.
Lucian frowned. "Underworld? Did something happen?"
Rias sighed softly, setting down her teacup. The faint scent of bergamot drifted through the air. "Something political. Since she started dating you, a number of old families have been… less than kind about it."
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Less than kind?"
Rias gave a delicate shrug — elegant, but with visible irritation beneath her poise. "Many of the old noble lines see her as compromising her status by being with a non-devil. They're whispering behind her back — saying she's weak, that she's 'tainted by attachment.' She hasn't told you because she's stubborn. She wants to solve it herself."
Lucian leaned back, thinking. His first instinct, naturally, was to go there and flatten whoever was spreading the rumors — but he wasn't that dumb. Politics wasn't his battlefield, and Sona wasn't exactly lacking backup with Serafall around.
"You know politics better than I ever will," he said finally. "You're a noble too. If it were you in her place, how would you fix it?"
Rias looked thoughtful. Her tone grew measured — more calculating than conversational. "There are two levels of this problem — the nobles and the public. The nobles are easy. They can be bought, influenced, or made to fear repercussions from the higher houses. But public perception…" She tapped a manicured finger against her cup. "That's the long-term issue. Devils live indefinitely, Lucian. Opinions last centuries here. A bad reputation lingers like a curse."
He nodded, listening intently.
"For people like Sona or myself — second-generation nobles who rely on our siblings' prestige — the public's trust is crucial. It's what gives us political leverage. Once that fades, we become targets for opportunists." Rias's eyes softened slightly. "If she wants to protect her house, she needs to balance personal life with public image."
"So how does she do that?"
"There are a few ways," Rias replied, crossing her legs as she fell into lecture mode. "The simplest route is achievement — winning public admiration through something undeniable. Victories in Rating Games. Social reforms that make her appear noble and just. Helping lower-class devils or improving conditions for reincarnated ones. The nobles might sneer, but if the people love her, they'll fall in line eventually. Even pride bows to popularity."
Lucian hummed. "So she's playing the Rating Game card then?"
Rias nodded. "Most likely. She's too practical for political speeches. She'll earn their respect through merit. That's her style."
Before he could respond, a familiar teasing voice drifted from the doorway.
"Ara ara~ Rias, are you trying to seduce Sona's boyfriend while she's busy defending her honor?"
Akeno strolled in gracefully, her smile both serene and dangerous, dark hair cascading over her shoulder like a waterfall.
Rias rolled her eyes. "Akeno, must you always appear at the worst possible moment?"
Lucian chuckled, resting his chin on his hand. "Don't worry, Rias was just about to seduce me. You ruined the moment."
Akeno tilted her head, the corner of her lips curving into a sultry smirk. "Oh my, is that so? Well, I wouldn't want to leave such an opportunity wasted. Should I prepare my own… methods?"
She leaned forward slightly, giving him a view that tested divine willpower itself.
Lucian's brain short-circuited for a second before— thunk!
Rias smacked him on the back of the head with a rolled-up document. "Focus."
"Fine, fine." He rubbed the spot. "We'll help Sona first. Then I'll look all I want."
Akeno giggled behind her hand.
Rias sighed, setting the document down. "I don't have a concrete plan yet. Sona's handling it her way, but if we want to help, she could use a stronger peerage member. A meaningful addition could shift the narrative."
Lucian's eyes lit up. "Then let's find her one."
Rias blinked. "You say that like peerage members grow on trees. Strong, compatible ones are rare."
"For you guys, maybe. I've got an idea." He smirked and vanished in a ripple of distortion.
Akeno's smile lingered as the air stilled. "I hate when he does that."
"I know," Rias said with a faint pout. "I was hoping he'd stay longer."
Akeno raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously trying to seduce your best friend's boyfriend?"
"Of course," Rias said plainly. "I have permission."
"Wait—Sona agreed to that absurd arrangement?"
"Mm-hm." Rias sipped her tea, utterly unashamed. "She knows him too well. He's… insatiable. And frankly, she'd rather share him with people she trusts than some stranger who worms her way in later. It's better this way."
Akeno smirked, amused. "Practical as always. Still, it's quite the gamble."
"Maybe," Rias murmured, her crimson eyes glinting. "But one worth taking."
---
Lucian, meanwhile, emerged in the dim expanse of Purgatory — a place where the air shimmered with chaos energy, and the sky itself burned faintly violet. The realm pulsed with primal malice, whispering of hunger and despair.
It had been a long time since he'd last visited — or spoken to Eve.
He'd avoided her partly out of guilt — after all, his Lord of Monsters trait had nearly brainwashed her into fanatical devotion — but mostly because he didn't quite know how to handle that devotion. The Ogres were loyal, yes, but Eve… she worshipped.
And there she was, waiting for him.
As he appeared, Eve immediately dropped to one knee, her pale hair spilling like silk over the dark ground. "My Lord, you have returned."
Lucian sighed quietly. "Still with the kneeling, huh?"
Her head bowed even lower. "It is the least I can do. You are the reason I exist."
He winced internally. "Right. We'll… work on that."
Eve was a dangerous blend of ethereal beauty and barely contained madness. Her devotion wasn't theatrical — it was absolute. Her violet eyes gleamed with the quiet intensity of someone who would burn entire worlds if he asked.
He forced a smile. "I'm taking you with me this time. Think of it as… fieldwork."
Her expression flickered with surprise. "To another world? Beyond Purgatory?"
He nodded. "You've been cooped up here too long. Besides, you could be useful. The others could learn from you — loyalty, discipline… maybe not your intensity."
Her gaze softened. "If it is your will, then I will follow. Even if it kills me."
That line made him pause. "Hold on. What do you mean kills you?"
"My existence is tied to Purgatory," she said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "If I leave its reach, I will begin to unravel. My life, my soul — all of it is woven into this realm."
Lucian exhaled through his nose. "Of course it is."
Still, he had a workaround. His link to his subordinates extended beyond worlds — a connection maintained through the Essence of Typhon. He could anchor her existence to himself, keeping her tethered even outside her native plane — a combined effort between the Essence of Nomad and Typhon.
"Relax. I've got it covered," he said, placing his hand over her shoulder. Power rippled through the space, threads of energy weaving between them like glowing veins of light. "You'll stay connected through me. That way, even if you leave the world, you'll still stay connected."
Her eyes widened slightly, awe replacing her usual calm. "You would… bind me to you?"
"Technically, you already are," Lucian said. "This just makes it official."
And then — they vanished.
---
When they emerged in the Cardinal World, Eve immediately collapsed to her knees. Magicules surged violently around her, the air vibrating with raw pressure. Her aura ballooned uncontrollably, shaking the trees and sending waves of heat across the plains.
Lucian steadied her, gripping her shoulders. "Damn, I should have known something would happen."
Before he could do anything, a familiar chill ran down his spine.
"So you really can travel beyond this creation," a voice said behind him — smooth, cold, and faintly amused.
He turned. "Hi, Velzie."
Velzard stood there, elegant as ever — a vision of icy grace. Her white hair caught the light like frost, her sapphire eyes glowing faintly.
"The moment you used that sickle, I knew something was off," she said. "A Genesis-grade weapon doesn't just appear. And now, here you are, walking through realities like you own them."
Lucian chuckled. "So what now? You planning to seal me? Take my powers? Maybe a dramatic betrayal arc?"
Velzard snorted softly. "Please. Do I look like Veldora? I have no interest in being the Evil Dragon. Power is boring once you have too much of it."
"Fair," Lucian said with a grin. "Then yeah, guilty as charged. I can travel outside this multiverse."
Velzard's lips curved. "Good. Take me with you sometime. I'd like to see what other worlds look like."
She snapped her fingers. Two chairs of translucent ice formed beside a crystalline table. Steam curled from two cups of hot chocolate resting atop it. "Sit. Your companion will take a while to stabilize."
Lucian sat, taking a sip. "So this kind of reaction — will it happen to everyone I bring here?"
"Not quite," Velzard said, crossing one leg over the other. "She's connected to something vast — something beyond this world. The Cardinal World is trying to convert that alien energy into magicules. It's… not a gentle process."
"That's the problem. She's linked to Purgatory — a realm outside this multiverse entirely."
{Voice of the World is attempting to connect to Purgatory (A Realm linked to subordinate Eve). Allow connection?}
Lucian's gaze flicked up at the holographic text displayed by his System. "Oh, hell no."
If the Voice of the World connected directly to Purgatory, it could rewrite the hierarchy of the entire Supernatural Verse. He declined the prompt instantly.
Individual Eve's evolution cannot be completed without Realm connection.
Would you like to use [Stomach] as a temporary realm to anchor individual Eve?
Next came the Voice of the World.
Lucian tilted his head. "Huh. That's… actually smart."
He accepted.
Derived Skill [Predator] under Ultimate Skill [Abhoth] is undergoing evolution...
Magicule requirement not met.
Commencing evolution of sub-skill [Stomach]...
Sub-skill [Stomach] evolved into Unique Skill: [Purgatory].
Subordinate [Eve] has been granted access to [Purgatory].
A radiant pulse filled the clearing. Eve's body arched, her aura expanding as the world bent around her. Dark tendrils of energy spiraled upward before collapsing inward — forming faint silver markings across her skin.
Lucian exhaled. "Even the Voice of the World is helping, huh?"
Velzard watched with faint curiosity. "It works quite mysteriously. Only my brother could explain its logic, though."
When the light faded, Eve knelt before him again, her expression serene — too serene.
"Thank you, my Lord," she whispered, voice trembling with devotion.
Lucian rubbed his temples. "You know, you could act a bit more casual. I'm not going anywhere."
Eve smiled sweetly — too sweetly. "If that's what you wish, Master. As long as you don't leave me… I'll act however you want."
Her tone was gentle, but her eyes gleamed with the quiet, dangerous promise of someone who'd follow him to the ends of creation — and destroy everything that stood between.
Lucian forced a laugh. "Right. That's… comforting."
Velzard chuckled softly. "You have a type, it seems."
Lucian groaned. "Don't start."