About an hour later, the atmosphere over Agreas Island changed.
It began as a subtle pressure in the air, so refined and controlled that it never felt oppressive, yet impossible to ignore. The wind around the estate seemed to still for a moment, and even the servants outside grew quieter. Then, above the white stone courtyards of the Agares estate, a crimson magic circle bloomed into existence. Vast, intricate, and beautiful, it rotated slowly in the sky like a celestial crest carved from pure demonic power, bathing the estate in scarlet light. From within that circle, Sirzechs Lucifer descended with unshakable grace, not like a conqueror forcing his way into another noble's domain, but like a king whose presence alone made the world yield.
He touched down as lightly as falling ash, his long crimson hair shifting gently around him before settling against the black-and-red fabric of his formal attire. His appearance was almost unreal in its perfection: a handsome young man with refined features, clear blue-green eyes, and an expression so warm and composed that it softened the overwhelming weight of his status. Yet beneath that gentle smile was something far more terrifying—the quiet, immeasurable power of the strongest Maou. He wore elegant clothing befitting his rank, dark and regal with crimson accents, the kind of attire that balanced noble grace with absolute authority.
The moment Sirzechs Lucifer set foot upon the estate grounds, the atmosphere shifted completely.
The servants bowed at once, the guards lowering their heads with rigid discipline, and even the wind itself seemed to grow quieter in the presence of the Crimson Maou. From the entrance of the estate, my father descended the white stone steps with the same composed authority he always carried, though even he seemed more formal now than before. Seekvaira stood a short distance behind him, calm and graceful as ever, while I remained near the entrance with my hands in my pockets, watching the arrival in silence.
My father stopped at a respectful distance and bowed his head.
"Sirzechs-sama," he greeted evenly. "Welcome to Agreas Island. It is an honor to receive you."
Sirzechs offered a faint, polite smile, the kind that somehow felt both warm and impossibly dignified.
"The honor is mine," he replied, his voice calm and smooth. "Thank you for receiving me on such short notice."
Even his tone was absurdly balanced—gentle, courteous, and yet carrying the quiet weight of absolute authority. He wasn't forcing his presence on anyone. He didn't have to. Just standing there was enough to remind everyone exactly who he was.
My father straightened and gestured toward the estate behind us.
"Please, come inside."
Sirzechs gave a small nod before his gaze shifted, finally settling on me.
For the first time since his arrival, I felt the full focus of those blue-green eyes.
For a brief moment, Sirzechs simply looked at me, as if confirming something for himself. Then the faint smile on his face deepened just slightly.
"So," he said, "you must be him."
I raised an eyebrow.
"That depends," I replied. "Who exactly are you expecting?"
Seekvaira shot me a look sharp enough to cut stone.
My father's expression hardened by half a degree.
But Sirzechs only smiled a little more, seemingly unbothered.
"I can see already," he said lightly, "that the reports did not exaggerate your temperament."
I frowned slightly.
"Reports?"
My father's eyes shifted toward me, clearly displeased by the direction of the conversation, but Sirzechs lifted a hand ever so slightly, signaling that there was no issue.
"We can discuss everything inside," the Maou said.
With that, he began walking toward the estate entrance, his steps calm and measured, my father quickly moving to accompany him. Seekvaira followed after a moment, leaving me standing there for a second as I watched the back of the man who ruled the Underworld like it was the most natural thing in existence.
Then I clicked my tongue quietly and followed them inside.
The halls of the Agares estate felt even quieter than before as Sirzechs passed through them. Servants lowered themselves more deeply than usual, and no one dared speak above a murmur. The polished marble floors reflected the crimson tones of his presence, while the stained-glass windows cast shifting colors across the corridor as we made our way toward the main hall once more.
When we entered, the chamber somehow felt smaller than it had earlier.
Not because it had changed.
Because Sirzechs Lucifer was in it.
He walked with effortless poise across the crimson carpet until he reached the center of the hall. My father took his place nearby, posture straight and formal, while Seekvaira stood slightly to the side. I remained a few steps back, watching in silence as Sirzechs turned to face me fully.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Sirzechs folded his hands neatly before him and looked directly at me with that same composed, unreadable gentleness.
"I apologize for the sudden visit," he said. "But there were some matters I felt would be better discussed in person."
I stared at him for a second.
"Which are?"
My father's gaze flicked toward me in warning, but Sirzechs once again seemed amused rather than offended.
"Direct," he said.
His eyes studied me carefully, not like a ruler judging a subordinate, but like a man trying to understand something hidden beneath the surface.
"Tell me," Sirzechs continued, "have you ever wondered why certain eyes have begun turning toward you recently?"
The hall grew still.
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"No, but it's been annoying as heaven, I can't even start my own peerage"
Sirzechs regarded me quietly for a moment, as if weighing my words rather than reacting to them.
"No, but it's been annoying as heaven," I said, folding my arms. "I can't even start my own peerage."
For the briefest moment, the corner of his mouth lifted, not quite enough to be called amusement, but close.
"I was told you might say something like that," he said.
My father's brows drew together slightly, while Seekvaira's expression remained composed, though I could tell she was listening more closely now.
Sirzechs' gaze stayed on me.
"The truth is simple," he continued. "Your name has begun circulating among certain circles in the Underworld. Not merely among young devils of noble houses, but among those with influence. House heads, political observers. Even a few members of the old factional networks that still insist on measuring worth before making a move."
I frowned.
"And why exactly?"
Sirzechs did not answer immediately. Instead, he took a few slow steps across the hall, his voice calm and even as it filled the chamber.
"Because potential attracts attention," he said. "Especially when that potential belongs to someone born into one of the great houses."
I clicked my tongue softly.
"So this is politics."
"In part," Sirzechs replied. "In the Underworld, it usually is."
He stopped and turned back toward me.
"But not entirely."
The atmosphere in the hall shifted slightly. It was subtle, but noticeable. Even my father seemed more focused now.
Sirzechs folded his hands behind his back.
"There are those who believe you should be formally introduced into the wider political landscape sooner rather than later," he said. "Others believe you should remain where you are, observed from a distance until your value becomes clearer. A few, however…" He paused. "A few have begun asking whether allowing you to form your own peerage would create a new power center before the proper balance around you has been established."
My eyes narrowed.
"So they've been getting in the way."
Sirzechs did not deny it.
"Some obstacles you've encountered were not accidental," he said.
A faint silence followed that.
I let out a dry laugh through my nose.
"Unbelievable."
Seekvaira's gaze shifted toward me, but she said nothing.
My father spoke instead, his tone level and measured.
"If this has been happening, why was House Agares not informed sooner?"
Sirzechs turned toward him slightly.
"Because until recently, it was still speculation," he answered. "Interest, quiet inquiries, nothing concrete enough to justify direct intervention."
Then his eyes returned to me.
"That changed when the number of inquiries increased."
I stared at him for a moment.
"So you came here because people won't stop staring at me?"
"That is the simplified version," Sirzechs said.
"And the full version?"
This time, Sirzechs' expression lost some of its warmth. Not in hostility, but in seriousness.
"The full version," he said, "is that the Underworld is entering a delicate period. Noble houses are watching one another. Young devils with unusual promise are being measured more carefully than before. Any individual with the ability, lineage, and disposition to alter future alignments will naturally draw attention."
I raised a brow.
"Disposition?"
A faint trace of humor returned to his expression.
"I have heard," he said, "that you are not especially easy to control."
Seekvaira closed her eyes for half a second, as if that statement caused her physical pain.
My father adjusted his glasses.
I smirked.
"And that worries them?"
"It interests them," Sirzechs corrected. "Some are worried. Some are curious. A few are opportunistic. But all of them are paying attention."
He let that settle before continuing.
"Which is why I came personally. I dislike allowing rumors and half-informed maneuvering to continue unchecked, especially when they concern someone whose future role may become significant."
The word role hung in the air.
I looked at him carefully.
"And what role is that supposed to be?"
Sirzechs studied me in silence for a moment.
"That," he said at last, "depends largely on you."
That answer annoyed me more than it should have.
"So you came all the way to Agreas just to tell me people are watching and that my future is apparently important?"
"No," Sirzechs said.
His voice remained calm, but there was now a firmness beneath it.
"I came because I intend to remove unnecessary interference around you."
That got my full attention.
The hall went quiet.
Even my father's gaze sharpened slightly at those words.
Sirzechs continued.
"If you are to form your own peerage, it should be because you are ready to do so, not because external interests are delaying the matter for their own convenience. I have no interest in allowing lesser political games to dictate the growth of capable young devils."
I stared at him for a second, then glanced toward my father, then back to Sirzechs.
"You can do that?"
A small smile touched his face again.
"I am Lucifer," he said simply.
Fair enough.
He took another step forward, not enough to be threatening, just enough to make his next words feel more direct.
"However," he added, "before I clear the path in front of you, I wanted to see you with my own eyes."
I held his gaze.
"And?"
Sirzechs was silent for a heartbeat.
"And now I understand why they're watching."
The room fell still again.
That answer was somehow more irritating than flattering.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and tilted my head slightly.
"So what now?"
Sirzechs' expression returned to composed calm.
"Now," he said, "we speak properly."
His eyes flicked briefly toward my father, then back to me.
"About your peerage. Your future. And the reason some people have become far more interested in you than they should be."
He paused.
"Because whether you realize it or not, you are already standing at the edge of something much larger than a delayed peerage."
He said it so evenly that it almost didn't register at first.
Almost.
I looked at him for a long second.
Then I exhaled slowly.
"...Alright," I said. "Then stop talking around it and tell me what the hell is going on."