Chapter 284: The Rotten Cromn

“You’re telling me… even you lot from ‘D×D’ ended up saving us.”

Magdaran replied with a faint, almost mocking tone.

“D×D” was the elite anti-terror unit.

Within the underworld, the old devil factions, those who manipulated politics through corruption to gain leverage over the curren Satan regime, were essentially enemies of D×D. Of course, they operated carefully enough to avoid leaving decisive evidence, but in essence, they were the polar opposite of that organization.

Magdaran’s own brother, Sairaorg, also belonged to D×D. However, he—more precisely, the so-called “Rookies Four,” the young elite group within D×D—had been constantly deployed across the underworld dealing with ongoing riots and uprisings.

That was why Sairaorg had not arrived here despite the Bael household coming under attack. He was likely already on his way after hearing the report, but Magdaran doubted the Gremory faction would come.

The Bael house did not favor the Gremory house.

Although the Bael lineage was associated with the power of “Destruction,” neither Magdaran nor the current head possessed particularly strong destructive power. Worse, the heir apparent Sairaorg couldn’t even use it at all, his magical power was barely above average.

Meanwhile, the Gremory house was overflowing with monsters of destructive power: Venelana Gremory (formerly Bael), Sirzechs, Rias Gremory, and even the young Millicas showing frightening potential.

From the outside… it almost looks like the Gremory house is deliberately humiliating Bael.

Of course, that wasn’t true but pride didn’t care about truth.

It was more than enough to provoke the Bael household’s arrogance.

They’ve definitely told the Gremory clan not to interfere…

That much was obvious.

Even the engagement between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex in the past had been tied to these political pressures. The Phenex family’s immortality and the Phoenix Tears made them uniquely stable, allowing them to withstand Bael resentment, another reason that engagement had even been considered.

Without understanding these deeper politics, Saji Genshirou simply tilted his head as he escorted Magdaran toward the escape route.

Magdaran’s mother had already gone into hiding in a rural region to avoid the chaos of repeated riots. If Magdaran escaped as well, the Bael household would effectively be emptied entirely.

The great Bael house… reduced to flight.

In truth, the demon aristocracy that claimed to worship power had revealed its reality: when real force arrived, only Sairaorg stood his ground. Everyone else chose to flee.

Magdaran did have talent, but it was academic. Botanical research. Useless in combat.

The only one who ever acknowledged him was Sairaorg.

And yet… even though Sairaorg treated him like a brother, Magdaran had been indifferent at best. Worse, he had secretly sabotaged Sairaorg’s policies and public efforts.

And still… Sairaorg never once blamed him.

Not even once.

All that time… nothing changed.

“Almost there,” Saji said.

Ahead, the back entrance of the castle came into view.

But Saji suddenly stopped.

He raised a hand, signaling everyone to halt, and his aura sharpened instantly.

The guards tensed—

And then—

BOOM

The back door exploded inward.

Something massive flew through the air and crashed heavily onto the floor.

THUD

It was Sectaas Barbatos—Magdaran’s Queen—clad in light armor and a cloak, now covered in blood.

A man capable enough to be entrusted with the escape route had been reduced to this.

“Se…ctaas! Are you alright!?”

At Magdaran’s voice, Saji extended shadowy tendrils from his armor, lifting the unconscious man carefully. There was no time to bring Magdaran forward while danger was still present.

Placed before Magdaran, Sectaas coughed blood.

“Please… flee…”

And then he lost consciousness.

Seeing wounds that looked as though he had been pierced repeatedly by spears, Magdaran tore his clothing and began binding the wounds to stop the bleeding.

Then—

Applause echoed through the hall.

“Well now. How kind of you. Hardly what I’d expect from the Bael clan.”

A figure stood at the shattered doorway.

“…Bedeze Abaddon.”

He was ranked third in the Rating Game standings. One of those exposed in Diehauser Belial’s recent revelation as a user of the “King” piece.

Magdaran immediately understood.

So this is the attacker.

Top-ranked “Kings” were said to possess Devil-class power. Even if stripped of their pieces, they were still monsters.

But Bedeze’s overflowing aura confirmed it, his pieces were still intact.

“Pardon the intrusion. I have urgent business with the first head and the current head. Could you tell me where they are?”

His tone was polite.

His actions were not.

He stepped over the destroyed door like it meant nothing.

Magdaran did not answer kindly.

“Unfortunately, the Bael household does not teach its members to open doors like barbarians and then expect an audience with our heads… however, since it is the famous Bedeze Abaddon, I would be willing to hear your purpose.”

A delay tactic.

Time.

Just until reinforcements arrived.

Standing before him was a High class opponent.

Magdaran and the guards were irrelevant in battle terms. Even Saji, at best, was mid-tier elite.

“Simple,” Bedeze said. “As you may have heard, Diehauser recently exposed certain truths. I am here to collect the heads of the first and current Lord Bael, the masterminds behind the Rating Game corruption.”

“You… the one who uses a King piece…?”

“Yes. I am merely a victim forced to serve the old demon aristocracy, who held my family and friends hostage. Now that chaos has spread, some Devil faction members have ‘protected’ them, and I am here to eliminate the root cause. After this, I will retire publicly.”

What a neatly packaged lie.

A script designed for tears and sympathy.

If cameras were present, he would likely be weeping within minutes.

“Not all factions are united,” Bedeze continued. “If Bael loses its authority, power will shift to the Devil faction. That would be beneficial for some of you, wouldn’t it?”

Saji shook his head.

“That’s not acceptable!”

Bedeze sighed.

“There is no solution that satisfies everyone. Only damage control.”

Saji’s voice rose again.

“That’s not an excuse for crime!”

Bedeze looked at him with mild disappointment.

“Child… you should think more like Sona Sitri’s pawn.”

Then—

“I just want a game where everyone can aim for the top! I won’t cooperate with something like this!”

Bedeze exhaled slowly.

“Then I will tell you plainly. Without overwhelming power, you cannot reach the top. Strategy alone is insufficient.”

At the mention of that, Saji stiffened.

“You… cannot even surpass Rudiger Rosenkreuzt, can you?”

Saji froze.

Even the “Upsetting Sorcerer,” a former human who shook the rankings, only reached seventh place.

“If even he cannot reach the top through strategy alone,” Bedeze said, “what makes you think you can?”

The words landed like a hammer.

“Only those with overwhelming talent or power reach the peak. Ajuka, Diehauser… history proves it.”

He looked down at them.

“That is why I used the King piece. It was the only way to compensate for what I lacked.”

Magdaran, tending to Sectaas’s wounds, finally spoke.

“And now you discard it so easily?”

“I enjoyed it,” Bedeze replied. “That is all.”

Saji’s anger finally erupted.

“How can you just throw it away like that!? Was the Rating Game nothing to you?!”

Bedeze paused.

“…Because I could never surpass Diehauser.”

That was his answer.

Simple.

Absolute.

Final.