Chapter 81: Confessions [End of Volume 1]

{Another Month Later — Barbatos Manor, Underworld}

—Ingvild Leviathan—

"Is he still not out yet?"

For the past three days, the lord of their peerage had kept himself locked inside his study.

Faiser didn't do that often. But lately, after returning from the Vampire War, he had been working on things even his own peerage weren't aware of.

"No." Ingvild shook her head. "I went with food, but he still hasn't come out. The tray is just lying outside his door."

She was getting worried. She knew her King could survive without food thanks to his physical capabilities, but that didn't mean she wanted him going hungry. As his Queen, it was her responsibility to take care of him, and right now, she felt like she was failing at it.

Bova sighed and cracked his knuckles. "Should I force open the door—"

"NO!"

Ingvild's shout made the two vampires sitting in the corners nearly fall out of their seats. Elmenhilde, who had been reading a book on the history of Devils, and Valerie, who had been sketching, both looked toward the queen.

"When he's focused on something, he hates being disturbed," Ingvild said firmly. "I will wait outside his door for a while. Just to make sure that if he needs anything, I'm there."

Valerie finally stopped sketching, set her pencil aside, and got off her chair.

"We don't know when he might come out," she said with mild amusement. "So you're planning to stay there the whole time?"

Without hesitation, Ingvild nodded.

"I will."

Elmenhilde and Valerie still weren't particularly close, but at Faiser's request, they had been trying to tolerate each other. And at this moment, the two vampires could only stare at each other in bafflement.

"Are you sure?" Elmenhilde asked. "We could just have the maids check on the place from time to time."

"No." Ingvild shook her head. "I will wait."

Neither of them really knew what to say after that. The dragon, meanwhile, seemed to have given up entirely.

"Well, it's not like I've ever been able to convince you once you make up your mind." Bova pressed the back of his neck with a resigned sigh. "I'm heading out for a bit. I'll fly around the estate and make sure everything's running smoothly."

He didn't linger after that. A moment later, wings burst from his back and he leapt straight out of the balcony.

Elmenhilde and Valerie eventually gave up as well and returned to what they had been doing. The shorter vampire went back to reading her book, while the dhampir wandered off toward the kitchen in search of a snack.

Ingvild, however, walked to Faiser's study and stopped in front of the door.

She wanted to knock.

But she didn't.

As his Queen, standing guard and being patient was also her duty.

And in a strange way, she liked waiting for people.

No one had ever waited for her.

When she fell asleep all those years ago, people tried for a while, yes. But eventually they all gave up. Deep down, a small part of her had always wished that someone would have kept waiting.

Faiser, the devil she hadn't even known, was the only one who came looking for her when everyone else had stopped.

Sure, one could say he came because of her Longinus. And that wouldn't be entirely wrong. But even so, no one else had ever bothered to show her even a little kindness.

Even back when she had been awake, people only looked at her as a tool. Some pitied her. Others felt disgust at the fact that she was a half-blood.

Faiser was different from all of them.

He never showed her contempt. He never mistreated her. And he had never once raised his anger at her.

He was kind.

Caring.

And gentle.

To her, the first light she had ever seen was the day he woke her up.

And so, she didn't think twice before standing in front of a door that might not open anytime soon.

Minutes passed. Then hours.

The others came by from time to time to check on her, but she didn't move.

Before she knew it, darkness had settled outside. Night had fallen, and she was still standing in front of the door.

And she wasn't immune to things like hunger or sleep. She was still part human, and those urges were very real.

Her eyelids felt heavy, but she refused to let them close.

She couldn't afford to.

So she persisted.

By the fourth hour after sunset, her feet had gone numb and her mind had started to fog. She didn't even realize when her body began to lean backward. And before she could pull herself together, her legs finally gave out.

She fell.

Or at least, that's what she thought.

Because her body never hit the ground. She never landed. Instead, a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her, catching her before she could fall. A sweet, comfortable scent lingered around her as she felt a man's breath brush against her neck.

"You didn't have to wait here."

Faiser's voice sounded beside her ear as she slowly regained her senses. Her King, the lord of the peerage, was looking at her with soft eyes.

"I just didn't want you to feel alone."

That made the long-haired devil smile.

"And I'm thankful for that."

He helped her back onto her feet, still holding her hand while the feeling slowly returned to her legs.

"Everyone else is asleep, I assume?" he asked, glancing around and seeing not a soul in sight.

"Bova should be asleep," she replied. "As for Elmenhilde and Valerie, they rarely sleep."

Vampires didn't need sleep. Maybe a dhampir like Valerie did, but even then the girl hardly slept. She had once mentioned having nightmares, and that had made Ingvild wonder if Valerie avoided sleep because she was afraid of them.

Making a mental note to ask her about it later, Ingvild turned her attention back to her King.

"What were you doing locking yourself in there for four nights?"

The question made the man practically light up.

"How would you feel if I said I was working on something for you?"

That left her a little speechless.

She knew him well enough. She was aware that he liked spoiling his peerage with random gifts, sometimes things that were ridiculously expensive or rare.

But she had never imagined he would spend sleepless nights preparing something just for her.

And she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"Please don't skip sleep even for gifts to your peerage."

He placed a hand gently on her head.

"Don't worry. It isn't just a gift. You need this. For the sake of our peerage."

She tilted her head in confusion as Faiser pushed the door open.

"Come in," he said, leading her inside.

The room had been shut for three days and four nights with him inside. The air smelled strongly of his perfume, mixed with the sharp scent of iron and ash.

Almost like a smithy.

And soon enough, she realized why.

"How do you like it?"

He asked, pointing toward a certain weapon.

A trident.

She recognized it immediately.

'Is it…?'

"Yes," he confirmed. "The Trident of the Original Leviathan. I managed to restore it with the Magic of Engineering."

The trident had originally been given to Faiser as a gift by Lord Bael during his Lordship ceremony. But the one he had received back then had only been a broken fragment.

Never once had she expected Faiser to restore an artifact of this caliber.

It wasn't that she doubted him.

She had simply believed it was impossible to repair the trident. At best, she had assumed it would remain a decorative relic.

"Try holding it," he said.

And that made her hesitate.

"Are you sure about it?"

He nodded without hesitation.

"I can wield it," he said honestly, "but even if I tried my best, I wouldn't be able to bring out its full potential. The trident only recognizes those with the blood of the Original Leviathan as its wielder. So other than you, no one can truly use it properly."

She found herself drawn to the trident. And hearing Faiser's reasoning, the last traces of her hesitation began to slip away.

As he passed the weapon toward her, she took hold of it almost without realizing.

The moment it settled in her hands, a cool sensation washed over her body.

She couldn't explain it, but it felt… natural. As if the trident had always belonged to her. As if it had been waiting for her to claim it.

Calling to her.

Without anyone explaining it, she somehow knew how to use it. The knowledge simply appeared in her mind.

"From what I can tell, the trident has three main features," Faiser said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "The first one is that it strengthens all water-based abilities of the wielder. The second is the ability to control any body of water… something similar to your bloodline ability."

She looked at him.

"And the third?"

He paused for a moment before answering.

"The third is the ability to manipulate the blood of the people you fight."

That was not something she had expected.

"Since blood is a fluid, and about eighty percent of it is water… the trident allows you to manipulate it. Bend it to your will."

"That…" She was visibly taken aback.

"Terrifying, I know." He nodded. "But I trust you'll use it well. Even a weapon made purely for pain and destruction can become a shield in the right hands. And considering it's you, I know you'll use it to help others."

That was a lot of faith he had in her.

But he wasn't wrong. She had always preferred protecting people rather than hurting them.

Still, if this weapon allowed her to protect him and the peerage by hurting their enemies…

Then so be it.

"Thank you." She smiled brightly. "I'll take the best care of it."

"I know you will."

Faiser smiled and placed his hand on her head again, ruffling her hair affectionately. Or at least, that's how she chose to interpret it.

A moment later, however, his hand moved down to his stomach.

"Is there anything for me to eat?" he asked. "I think I'm starving."

"Of course!"

Even if there hadn't been anything prepared, she would have cooked for him herself. There was no way she was letting him go hungry.

* * *

{Two Days Later — Beelzebub Testing Center, Underworld}

—Ajuka Beelzebub—

It had been nearly three months since Faiser left something in his care. And in those three months, Ajuka had worked on it to the best of his abilities.

Now, standing in front of it, he could breathe with pride.

"Is this it?" Faiser asked, arms crossed as he stared at the object with clear amazement.

"It is," Ajuka confirmed. "It will still break after one use. But now it can do its job without killing the person it's used on."

The item before them looked somewhat like a pair of tweezers.

A very specific, very magical pair.

"I never doubted you." Faiser grinned as he picked up the black tweezers, which practically hummed with magical power. "And I know this won't fail me."

When Faiser had first shown him the Sacred Gear Extractor, Ajuka had been stunned.

He couldn't believe the vampires had actually managed to develop a device capable of removing a Sacred Gear from a person without damaging the Gear itself.

But after examining it with his own eyes and running multiple tests on it, he had no choice but to accept the truth.

They had succeeded.

At first, Ajuka had considered recreating the device entirely with his own technology.

But he soon realized that doing so would require something he simply couldn't bring himself to do.

"At least five thousand… maybe double that." The green-haired Satan pressed his lips into a thin line. "That's how many live sacrifices went into creating that."

Sacrifices.

Humans, devils, vampires, or any other sentient race. Intelligent lives.

Those were the numbers required to create something capable of extracting one of God's finest works… a Longinus.

"You can't make another," Faiser reminded him.

"I won't even think about it." Ajuka's reply was firm.

"Good." The boy nodded. "I knew I didn't make the wrong choice."

And he hadn't.

If he had left it with the vampires, they would have almost certainly used it on Valerie. And without the modifications Ajuka had made, using the original version would have instantly killed the person it was used on.

Thankfully, Faiser had the foresight to call him instead of someone else.

Still, it left Ajuka with a question.

"Who are you planning to use it on?"

The young devil simply smiled.

"You wouldn't know the person," he said. "But you'll recognize the Gear once you see it."

"Which is?"

"A surprise." Faiser grinned.

Ajuka sighed.

"Of course it is."

It had never been easy getting a straight answer out of Faiser.

* * *

{Multiple Days Later — Barbatos Estate, Underworld}

—Ingvild Leviathan—

After being given something so precious, she found it hard to focus on anything other than training.

In a way, it felt like the best way she could repay him.

Because what else could she even do?

Sure, she had some money of her own. But Faiser possessed more wealth than most Lords combined. Not to mention, he already took care of all her needs. Whatever money she had simply turned into savings.

He had everything.

Maids, butlers, attendants to take care of his daily needs. Even when she personally cooked his favorite meals or prepared the things he enjoyed, it still didn't feel like enough.

Not even the paperwork helped much.

For every document she finished, he would already be done with ten.

It wasn't much help.

But at least she tried.

Which left her with only one real way to support him.

'Serpent of the End!'

The serpent she usually used to restrain enemies was unleashed as a purely offensive attack this time.

A massive snake formed from demonic power and water, over five feet long, shot forward with terrifying speed. It slammed straight into the training target ahead of her.

The demonic power corroded it instantly, and under the crushing force of the serpent's body, the target didn't survive.

Ingvild let out a slow breath, glancing down at the trident in her hand.

'My offensive ability has increased a lot because of this.'

She was getting closer to her goal.

She could feel it.

Somewhere along the way, she had crossed a certain threshold. Her power had advanced to another stage.

But it still wasn't enough to reach Satan Class.

Her eyebrows furrowed at the realization.

She needed some sort of stimulus to break into Satan Class.

It wasn't physical strength that was lacking.

It was emotional.

A push. A moment of desperation. Something powerful enough to force a breakthrough.

'What more do I need?'

Even after days of thinking about it, she couldn't find the answer.

So instead, she focused entirely on training.

That was the only thing she could do.

Lifting her trident again, she prepared to test another of her Leviathan abilities. Purple energy gathered along the weapon as her demonic power flowed into it.

But just as the trident began to glow…

She felt another presence appear nearby.

"That is an impressive amount of Demonic Power, Ingvild."

The voice was familiar.

Strangely enough, it was also difficult for her to either hate or like.

"You've grown a lot."

The face that appeared before her stirred a complicated storm of emotions.

Anger.

Jealousy.

Awe.

Appreciation.

And above all else…

Inspiration.

"I… have been practicing," she answered. "Lady Leviathan."

Stepping out of the teleportation circle as it vanished behind her, Serafall shook her head.

"I'm not talking to you unless you call me Serafall."

This wasn't anything new. The Satan had asked her many times to call her by name. If not in front of everyone, then at least in moments like this.

Ingvild felt awkward about it, but she also knew very well how stubborn Serafall could be.

"Serafall," she relented.

"See?" Serafall's face brightened instantly. "Not so difficult."

It was difficult.

Serafall just chose not to notice.

Letting go of any thought of arguing, Ingvild asked, "Are you here to see Lord Faiser?"

Serafall hadn't been dropping by for snacks like she used to. And after the war, this was probably only the second time she had visited.

"Mhm." The twin-tailed devil didn't deny it. "Where is he?"

'It's still pretty early for him to be in his study, so…'

Ingvild looked at Serafall.

"He should be in the garden. He's recently taken to tending the flowers."

When she had asked him why he had started spending so much time in the garden, the answer had been surprisingly simple.

He wanted to relax around the scent of flowers.

And honestly, it made sense.

After fighting for so long, building his estate, planning, studying, training, and constantly pushing forward… he needed moments to calm his mind.

Moments to simply relax.

"Would you like me to take you there?"

She didn't really need to offer. Serafall knew her way around the estate well enough. Still, as Faiser's Queen, it felt proper to ask.

And truthfully, Ingvild had been quite certain Serafall would decline and simply skip away toward the garden herself, hopping along cheerfully like she always did.

Over the months, Ingvild had come to accept something about Serafall.

The cheerful, bubbly personality she showed the world had originally been a mask. But after wearing it for so long, parts of it had become real. Now she did those things almost unconsciously, as if that personality had quietly fused with who she truly was.

"Well… it would be nice if you did."

Surprisingly, the Satan wanted her to come along.

Ingvild blinked in mild surprise, her grip loosening slightly around the trident. Thankfully she caught herself quickly and stored the weapon away with magic.

"Alright."

She was curious about why the Satan had come. Whether something important had happened.

But for some reason, Ingvild didn't ask.

Instead, she simply walked ahead, guiding Serafall toward her King.

"Wah, the orchids and the lavenders are in full bloom!"

Serafall's excitement was understandable.

Faiser had been taking special care of the garden lately. So much so that he had layered countless spells over the flowers, allowing them to remain alive for far longer than they normally would.

Almost like they were suspended in time.

"They will die sooner or later," Faiser's voice reached them before they even saw him. He had already noticed their presence from a distance. "And for us devils, that time feels very short. Days pass like minutes… sometimes even seconds."

He turned his head toward them while tending to a patch of lavender.

"So even if it's only for as long as I can keep supplying them with my magic, I want them to stay alive."

His familiars, the bees, buzzed lazily through the garden, enjoying the nectar of the flowers. They might have been familiars, but at the end of the day…

They were still bees.

"You knew we were coming," Serafall smirked, letting one of the bees land gently on her hand.

"There isn't much that happens in my estate without me knowing," Faiser replied.

He called the bee back, and it flew toward him.

"These little ones keep an eye out for me."

Ingvild had almost forgotten that Faiser's familiar was… a little special.

It was a hivemind.

Every bee shared its senses with the others, and those senses fed directly back to Faiser. Sight, sound, movement across the estate… everything.

Not only that, the number of bees in the hive increased alongside Faiser's growth in demonic power, as long as the hive had enough space to expand.

Now, there were enough bees to cover the entire Devil Realm and still have a few left to scout the rest of the world.

"Though these little babies can't read minds," he said as he finally stood up, plucking two fully blossomed lavender flowers.

"So," he continued, "what brings you here, Satan Leviathan?"

He offered one lavender to Ingvild first, his Queen, which made her quietly happy. The second one he handed to Serafall.

"Satan Leviathan?" Serafall's eyes narrowed slightly. "You know you can tease me in other ways instead of acting so formal."

That made him chuckle. To some extent, even Ingvild found it amusing.

"Not when I know you care the most about formalities."

Serafall rolled her eyes.

"So, how have you been?" she asked. "I heard the potion business has caused massive losses for the Phenex Pillar."

Faiser shrugged.

"I've kept my word. I haven't released anything that mimics their Phoenix Tears, even though I could. So technically, I haven't attacked them."

He had.

Ingvild knew that very well.

He had practically cut off and taken over most of the Phenex customers, including many of their VIP customers. The only reason he hadn't released a competitor to Phoenix Tears was because Faiser knew that would be seen as a direct attack on the Phenex.

That would bring political complications.

Not to mention, Phoenix Tears were the Phenex family's lifeline. Without them, the entire pillar might actually collapse.

It sounded absurd at first.

A wealthy Pillar family like the Phenex going bankrupt?

But when wealth was built on influence, reputation, and a single golden product… losing that product was almost the same as losing everything.

"Anyway," Faiser said, bringing the conversation back, "what brought you here?"

He looked at her curiously.

"It's not like the vampire issues are fully dealt with. I know for a fact you have enough paperwork to last months. So what brought you here?"

He paused for a second before adding,

"Especially since you even stopped coming for snacks."

Ingvild wanted to know as well.

Recently, it had felt like Serafall had put up some kind of invisible wall between herself and them. Between herself and Faiser.

Ingvild didn't hate that.

If anything, it made her heart feel strangely comfortable when Serafall stopped visiting so often.

And yet… something still felt wrong.

Like something had shifted out of place.

"Why?" Serafall smiled softly, her expression gentle. "Can't I visit without a reason?"

"You can." Faiser sighed lightly, his gaze warm as he looked at her. "Which is exactly why I'm asking. Why haven't you visited in a while?"

Serafall didn't answer immediately.

She took her time.

First she looked down at the ground, then at the flowers. She even walked over to the lavender patch, crouching slightly as she compared the flower in her hand to the ones Faiser had been tending.

"Because I've decided to let go of my worries."

That wasn't the answer either of them expected.

Neither Ingvild nor Faiser fully understood what she meant.

"Filling my mind with so many thoughts… so many worries," Serafall continued softly, "doesn't help anyone."

Faiser didn't interrupt.

Neither did Ingvild.

Serafall kept examining the lavender flowers as she spoke.

"After so long… it feels like a burden has been lifted off my chest. Like I can finally let go."

Faiser stepped forward slightly.

"And what was that worry?"

For some reason, Ingvild's stomach twisted uneasily.

She couldn't explain why, but something about this conversation made her feel uncomfortable.

"For the longest time," Serafall said, gently playing with the lavender in her hand, "I thought of my position as a Satan like a shackle."

Her voice was calm, almost distant.

"Like I was trapped in a role I couldn't step away from. As if my life had been restricted because of that title."

She paused briefly.

"And because there was no one else capable of taking the position… I couldn't even consider stepping down."

She took a deep breath, inhaling the floral scent of the lavender.

"I blamed myself for a long time," she said quietly. "For not being able to protect your parents. For not being able to protect you… and the people who believed in me."

Her fingers lightly brushed the petals of the flower.

"For the longest time, I buried myself in the duties of a Satan. No… I was using it as a way to run away."

"I never blamed you for what happened to my parents."

Faiser's words made her shake her head.

"You didn't," she admitted. "I did. And I was responsible. At least partly."

Faiser didn't argue. He didn't interrupt.

He simply listened.

"And that guilt stopped me from following my heart."

She finally stood up, smiling softly as she walked toward him.

"This guilt will never leave me, Faiser. But I've accepted that I have to move forward… even with it."

The King didn't know what to say to that.

So he kept listening.

"The guilt hasn't gotten any lighter," she continued, "but I'm not going to keep beating myself up over it. I'm not going to punish myself anymore."

She paused briefly.

"And…"

"And?" Faiser prompted.

"And from now on, I'm going to follow my heart." She smiled brightly. "I don't care what happens because of it."

Curious now, Faiser tilted his head slightly.

"And what does your heart want?"

Serafall paused.

Then she looked toward Ingvild and offered a small, remorseful smile.

"I'm sorry, Ingvild."

Before the Queen could even begin to process what was happening, Serafall suddenly stepped forward.

She grabbed Faiser by the collar, rose onto her toes, and pulled him down toward her.

Ingvild's heart stopped.

It took her a moment to understand what she was seeing.

Faiser stood there wide-eyed, shocked and frozen in place. Serafall had her eyes closed, her lips pressed firmly against his.

It felt like the world had stopped.

Ingvild's mind went blank.

Everything became hazy. Her body turned cold. Even her demonic power began to fluctuate wildly inside her.

The energy within her started swirling uncontrollably.

After a second, Serafall pulled away, completely unfazed by the overwhelming surge of demonic power radiating from Ingvild.

"I'm sorry, Ingvild," she said. "Back then, I told you I wasn't sure. That I didn't have an answer to your question."

Her eyes remained fixed on Faiser, who still seemed lost inside his own thoughts.

"But now I do."

She smiled gently.

"I think… I think I like you, Faiser. No… I think I love you."

That was the final straw.

The dam broke.

The fragile shell around Ingvild shattered.

Her demonic power flooded out violently.

"Ingvild?" Faiser snapped out of his daze immediately when he felt his Queen's power spiraling out of control.

Even Serafall, who had ignored the earlier surge, finally noticed it.

"Satan… Class?"

Her eyes widened as the ground beneath Ingvild's feet cracked.

The pressure of her demonic power alone was enough to fracture the stone, and she hadn't even released any destructive energy yet.

"Ing—"

Faiser stepped forward instinctively, worried that his Queen might lose control.

But that wasn't necessary.

Just as both of them feared she might collapse or lash out, Ingvild's power suddenly stabilized. The violent storm of demonic energy settled, condensing neatly around her as she stabilized at the lower stage of Satan Class.

Her pupils returned to normal.

Her aura calmed.

But her expression didn't.

Her face showed a storm of emotions.

Frustration.

Hurt.

Betrayal.

Annoyance.

Jealousy.

And before anyone could speak… before either of them could react… before even she could fully understand what she was feeling…

Her body moved.

It ignored her thoughts and followed her heart.

She ran toward him.

"Ingv—"

She didn't care.

Nothing else mattered.

She wasn't going to lose to Serafall.

With that single thought burning in her mind, Ingvild jumped forward and wrapped her arms around Faiser's neck, clinging tightly to him as she pressed her lips against his.

She knew nothing about romance.

Nothing about kissing.

But she followed her heart.

She wanted to be with Faiser.

She wanted Faiser to be hers.

And in that moment, nothing else mattered.

Not her status as his Queen.

Not her responsibilities.

Not even Serafall's confession right in front of her.

Nothing.

All that mattered was her heart.

Her feelings for Faiser.

And—

She pulled back, looking at him with teary eyes.

"I love you… I love you, Faiser."

For the first time since she had met him, she called him by his name. No title. No 'Lord.' No honorific.

For the first time, she spoke to him not as his Queen…

But as someone standing beside him.

"I love you," she confessed again. "I loved you before her. I've loved you since the day you took me in. I've loved you for so long."

Her lips trembled.

"And I cannot give you up. I cannot lose you. Not to her. Not to anyone."

She loved him.

And nothing else mattered.

* * *

[Hidden Quest Completed]

Fuck off System!

My mind was numb.

My body felt warm.

My heart was beating like it wanted to punch its way out of my chest.

When was the last time I had felt like this?

It wasn't my first kiss.

Hell, it wasn't even a proper one. It had been rough, forceful, nervous.

And yet…

It felt more intense than anything I had experienced before.

"So, you decided to find the courage too?"

My eyes slowly drifted toward Serafall.

She stood there with her arms crossed, wearing an expression that looked both tired… and oddly aware.

This.

They both knew!

They were aware of each other's feelings! They had known!

They had talked about it!

And I was the only one left out of the conversation?

No.

That wasn't entirely true.

I did know how they felt.

What I didn't know was that they had talked about it.

What I didn't know was that they would do something like this.

And now?

Now I felt like absolute shit.

Ingvild slowly loosened her arms and stepped away from me, though her eyes never left my face.

"I… am sorry," she said quietly. "But I have always been in love with you, Faiser."

"So have I," Serafall added calmly. "No… I fell in love later than her."

She paused.

"But I love you too. And I can't say that I love you any less than she does, Faiser."

"I—"

The word died in my throat.

I didn't know what to say.

It was a strange feeling.

Being completely lost.

Neither of them spoke after that.

They just stared at me.

Not even glancing at each other.

Maybe they were angry with one another.

Maybe they felt guilty.

Maybe they were just as nervous as I was.

"What do you want me to say?"

Probably the worst thing I could have said in that moment.

But it was also the only thing I could say.

"The honest answer," Serafall replied, still smiling, though the smile looked more nervous than before.

"What you feel," Ingvild added softly.

What did I feel?

Terrified.

No.

That wasn't quite it.

I was worried.

Worried that whatever I said next would hurt one of them.

Maybe both.

And judging by their expressions…

They could see that worry in my eyes.

"It's alright, Faiser," Serafall said, clasping her hands behind her back. "We'll accept whatever you say."

I didn't need to look to know her hands were trembling.

She was hiding it.

"Yes." Ingvild's voice trembled slightly, even though she held her posture straight.

They wanted an answer.

An answer that I didn't—

No.

Who was I kidding?

I already knew.

I had known for a while now, but I never wanted to be placed on a pedestal like this.

"I don't know what to say."

Because I was worried.

"I know what I feel."

Because I was afraid.

"How I feel."

Because I was terrified of hurting them.

"And that's what hurts the most." I bit my lip. "I can't say that I don't like you two. But I also can't say that I love you."

Their expressions softened.

No.

It was more like something inside them cracked.

"I don't know," I continued quietly. "Because I can't say whether what I feel is love."

I didn't want to give them false hope.

But I didn't want to lie either.

"I like you. I adore both of you. But I can't call it love… because I don't really know what love is."

It wasn't a lie.

God.

What a complete mess this was.

In both my lives, not once had I ever truly loved.

In the past, everything had been transactional.

Sex. Kisses. Hugs.

All of it had just been steps toward a goal.

Not a single kiss had ever meant anything beyond that.

And yet here I was, shaken by two kisses that would have meant absolutely nothing to the man I used to be.

"I care about both of you deeply," I said slowly. "And I won't lie. I already knew that you two felt something for me. But I didn't say anything."

I exhaled quietly.

"Because even now… I don't know how to explain what I feel for either of you."

They stayed silent, listening carefully to every word.

"I've never loved anyone before. Not romantically. So I don't even know how to explain this feeling. I don't know if it's love or something else."

My expression softened before I could stop it.

"But I want to see you both smile. I want you to be happy… to laugh in front of me."

The words came out more honestly than I expected.

"It feels nice when I'm around you. Comfortable. Like everything else fades into the background." I gave a weak chuckle. "Weird… maybe that is love. I just don't know what to call it."

Another laugh slipped out, quieter this time.

"I feel like scum."

Because I was.

"Not because I can't love you. Maybe this is love." My fists clenched slightly. "But because I can't love one of you and not the other."

I hated admitting it.

"Because I can't let go of either of you. Because I can't choose."

God, I hated myself for that.

"I'm afraid," I admitted quietly. "Afraid of loving one… and losing the other."

And knowing my luck…

I might lose both anyway.

"And I wanted to be honest."

Even if it cost me everything.

Even if they both walked away.

"I like you," I said, looking at Ingvild first, then Serafall. "Ingvild. Serafall. I like both of you."

I paused for a moment.

"Maybe I even love you both. But I can't choose. So… I'm asking you to reconsider."

It hurt to say it.

But it was the right thing to do.

"I might not be the best choice for either of you," I added with a nervous chuckle. "Because I'm someone who can't choose one over the other."

After that, I stopped talking.

There wasn't much left to say.

Nothing else would change the situation anyway.

I liked both of them.

No… I loved both of them.

And that was the worst part.

A scumbag who loved two people at the same time but couldn't choose between them.

That was me.

Nervously, I looked at them, half expecting an outburst… or for both of them to simply walk away.

Knowing them, the second option seemed far more likely.

Instead, I saw Ingvild smiling softly while Serafall let out a long sigh.

"You really are the worst," Ingvild said.

"You are," Serafall agreed immediately. "Selfish bastard."

I knew that.

"But…" Ingvild continued gently, her expression softening. "I'm happy."

Her eyes were teary, and it looked like she was barely holding herself together.

"I'm happy that you don't hate me… or dislike me."

I could never do that.

Especially not to her.

"You really are scum, Faiser," Serafall muttered, clicking her tongue in annoyance. "But you're also a devil."

She shrugged lightly.

"And devils are meant to be scum."

She glanced sideways at Ingvild.

"But thankfully, you understand that too."

I stayed quiet, unsure where this was going.

"And honestly," Serafall added, "as much as it hurts… this isn't the worst outcome I expected."

"What do you mean?" I asked before I could stop myself.

The moment the words left my mouth, I cursed internally.

Maybe I should have just stayed quiet.

But… it turned out to be the right question.

"It's not illegal to have more than one lover, Faiser," she said calmly. "As a lord, you're allowed to."

Ingvild nodded as well.

"You would have ended up with more than one wife or lover eventually, Faiser."

That confused me.

But what she said next made a lot of sense.

Too much sense.

"You're the lord of two Pillars," she explained. "That means you'll need heirs for both in the future."

She looked at me seriously.

"And devils don't conceive children easily."

A small pause followed.

"Even with your potions… it won't be simple."

"The elders will push you toward marriage," Serafall said with a bitter smile. "They'll bring you countless arranged marriage proposals. And as a lord, it'll be your responsibility to accept them… even if you don't love them. Eventually, you'd be expected to take two wives."

That felt—

Honestly, I didn't even know what that felt like.

"It's alright if you're unsure," Ingvild said after a moment.

She paused, then shook her head slightly.

"No… it's not alright that you're unsure about how you feel about us. But it is better that you can't choose."

Serafall nodded in agreement.

"As long as you don't hate either of us. As long as you feel something for us… this situation isn't impossible."

It felt strange.

Confusing.

They were accepting this far too easily.

No… not accepting it.

Understanding it.

"As long as you love me… as long as I'm in your heart and you don't push me away… that's enough for me," Ingvild said softly. "You loving me means everything to me. Even if you love someone else besides me."

Serafall pressed her lips together.

"Unlike her, it's not that simple for me," she admitted. "I was always expected to marry more than one person as a Satan. But not… to marry someone who has more than one lover."

She let out an awkward chuckle.

"This isn't going to be easy for me. Politically, at least."

Weirdly enough, I could understand her situation.

"But this might be for the best," she continued. "Maybe it's time I get rid of that annoying Satan title anyway. I'm tired."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"And I know for a fact that I can't love more than one person."

Then she frowned at me.

"I may be a devil… but unlike you, I'm not a scum."

What was I even supposed to say to that?

"I'll make this work," she said after a moment. Then she corrected herself. "No. I have to make this work."

Ingvild smiled gently, my eyes flickered between the two of them.

"You don't… hate me for this?"

"Oh, I do," Serafall replied immediately.

Ingvild nodded just as firmly.

"But this was within my expectations," Serafall added. "Just… not the first one."

She sighed.

"And as much as it sucks… I love you enough to accept it."

"I don't mind you loving someone besides me," Ingvild said quietly. "I don't mind you loving her."

Her gaze stayed locked on mine.

"As long as you love me… and don't throw me away. That's enough."

Serafall nodded as well.

"As long as you don't randomly change your heart one day, I'm willing to accept this too."

That made me pause.

The question slipped out before I could stop it.

"Why?"

The answer came instantly.

Blindingly obvious.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, IDIOT!"

They shouted it in perfect unison.

And all I could do…

…was stare at them like a complete idiot.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[Hidden Quest Completed!]

[Quest (Completed): The Devil Charmer

Objective (Cleared): Obtain romantic confessions from more than one individual bearing the blood of devils!]

[Reward: Cupid's Pair Arrow]

[Cupid's Pair Arrow: By using this arrow on a target while thinking of another individual, the target will fall madly and permanently in love with the person you had in mind. The effects of this arrow are irreversible. The arrow cannot be used on yourself or on anyone who already possesses any form of attraction toward you.]

—End of Volume 1—

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

{A/N: Got a pat reon named RedLamp01 with 30+ chapters + Other Stories.

The longest chapter I have ever written for this story. But with this, the volume comes to an end. The next chapter will be the beginning of Volume 2, taking place in Kuoh. Also, since Faiser has acquired a lot of skills and items since the start of the story, I am listing down his status screen below to help everyone figure out his current status.

Faiser's Status:

[Name: Faiser Valefar-Barbatos]

[Age: 18* (518)]

[Rank: Pure Blood Devil]

[Class: Satan Class] (Around High Tier)

[Bloodline: Valefar, Barbatos]

[Valefar Abilities: Bind, Disperse, Temporal, Absorb, Cognition, Wield (Time) {used so far: Deceleration, Entropy Gradient}]

[Barbatos Abilities: Blink, Traverse, Transit, Severe, Penetrate, Wield (Space) {used so far: Void, Firmament}] {Also used Wield (Space-Time): Chaos Loop}

[Asura Abilities: Mind of Asura, Asura Body, Eyes of Asura, Mark of Asura, Asura's Siphon, Asura's Wrath, Asurafication, Demonification, Peerage Ability Sharing (Ability Synchronization)]

[Base Abilities: Magic of Engineering]

[Items: Metal of Creation, Ring of Wealthy Luck, Recipe Book for Familiars, Pendant of Resistance, Gloves of Balance, Core Golem: Ancalagon, Cupid's Pair Arrow]

[Metal of Creation (abilities): Shaping, Dragon Flames, Samael's Curse, Divinity Eater, Channeling]

[Treasury: (+) {Plant Species: 2287, Potion Recipes: 325}]

[Familiars: Buzzer {Bee Hivemind} (+)]

[Peerage: Ingvild Leviathan (Queen) (+), Bova Tannin (Rook) (+), Elmenhilde Karnstein (Mutated Pawn) (+), Valerie Tepes (Bishop) (+)]

[Estimated wealth within treasury in USD: $101,000,034,020,110]

Familiar's Status:

[Race: Bee Hivemind

[Rank: Low Class]

[Abilities: Sense Sharing]

Peerage: Ingvild's Status:

[Name: Ingvild Leviathan]

[Race: Half Devil (Human-Devil Hybrid)]

[Rank: Satan Class]

[Abilities: Sea Serpent of the End, Demonic Power, Advanced Defensive Magic, Basic Teleportation, Flight, Stealth]

[Items: Nereid Kyrie {High Tier Longinus} (soul bound)]

Peerage: Bova's Status:

[Name: Bova Tannin]

[Race: Dragon-Devil Hybrid]

[Rank: Ultimate Class]

[Abilities: Size Alteration, Scale Defense, Fire Breath, Demonic Dragon's Breath, Demonic Power, Flight, Brute's Rage]

[Items: -]

Peerage: Elmenhilde's Status:

Name: Elmenhilde Karnstein]

[Race: Pure-Blood Vampire (Reincarnated Devil)]

[Abilities: Blood Magic, Ritual Magic, Agelessness, Flight, Compulsion, Vampiric Charm, Venomous Fang, Health Recovery]

[Items: -]

Peerage: Valerie's Status:

[Name: Valerie Tepes]

[Race: Dhampir (Reincarnated Devil)]

[Rank: High Class]

[Abilities: Blood Magic, Agelessness, Flight, Compulsion, Vampiric Charm, Basic Teleportation]

[Items: Sephiroth Graal (High Tier Longinus) (soul bound)]

]