Chapter 107 - The Archduke’s Introduction Party Begins!(Bonus - !)

Chapter 107: Chapter 107 - The Archduke’s Introduction Party Begins!(Bonus Chapter!)

(A/N: Goal achieved! Next goal is 500 Power Stones)

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Naturally, due to his status as an Archduke, the possibility of becoming a "Satan" due to his potential, and the incomparable political power he had accumulated in such a short period of time, Alear had already been at the center of the Underworld’s attention for quite some time. His position as the fiancé of two heiresses from extremely prestigious families and another Satan only increased the interest surrounding him. Furthermore, he was the sole person responsible for curing the "Sleeping Sickness" and solving the fertility problem that had plagued Devils for generations, achievements that, by themselves, would have been more than enough to turn his name into one of the most talked-about subjects among the nobility.....

Therefore, when Alear announced that he would hold a grand party to officially introduce himself to high society and extended invitations to every family in the Underworld, the news quickly became a genuine event. The excitement was so great that, in the days leading up to the event, practically every Devil eagerly awaited the occasion, speculating about the guests, the alliances that might emerge, and, above all, the young Archduke who had shaken the political and social balance of the Underworld. Thus, even though the party had not officially begun yet, the first guests had already begun arriving at the palace, causing the grounds to gradually fill with luxurious carriages, nobles, and important figures long before the scheduled time....

As one of Alear’s fiancées, Ravel was naturally one of the first people to arrive at the palace, accompanied by the entire Phenex family: Lord Phenex, Lady Phenex, Riser, Ruval, and Riverie. The patriarch wore a classic-cut black suit, complemented by a white shirt and a dark tie, while his wife wore a long red dress made of elegant fabric, with subtle details that emphasized her noble status. Riser wore a refined black suit, accompanied by a white shirt and red tie, while Yubelluna, his queen, wore a long and elegant dark-colored dress, appropriate for the formality of the occasion. Ruval, on the other hand, wore a dark red suit with a sophisticated appearance, carefully tailored to his body, while Riverie had opted for a navy-blue suit, simple and elegant, befitting his reserved personality.

Ravel, naturally, remained at the center of the group, impeccably dressed and carrying the elegance characteristic of the heiress of one of the Underworld’s great families. She wore an elegant light-colored dress, with a sophisticated cut that accentuated her silhouette without appearing overly flashy, complemented by discreet accessories that reinforced her noble appearance. As soon as they entered the hall, however, they did not even have time to observe the activity around them. Grayfia was already waiting for them and immediately approached to receive them with her usual impeccable composure. Ravel greeted her with a discreet smile, while her parents and siblings also exchanged the appropriate formalities.

The arrival of the Phenex family naturally attracted the attention of several other guests. Besides belonging to one of the most prestigious families in the Underworld, everyone knew that Ravel was one of Alear’s future wives, which in itself was reason enough to arouse interest. Still, that reception was far from being the highlight of the evening. Other carriages continued arriving outside, bringing nobles, representatives of great families, and important figures from different regions of the Underworld. The party had not even officially begun, yet the hall was already beginning to come alive, and the number of guests increased with every passing minute.....

Shortly afterward, the Agares family also arrived at the palace, with Seekvaira at the head of the group. As one of Alear’s fiancées, she naturally occupied a prominent position among the guests, accompanied by her father, Lord Agares, Lady Agares, and the other members of her family. The patriarch wore an impeccably tailored black suit, with a white shirt and dark-colored tie, conveying the dignity expected of one of the Underworld’s great nobles. His wife wore a long violet dress, elegant and understated, adorned only with a few refined accessories. Seekvaira, meanwhile, wore a sophisticated black-and-violet dress, carefully fitted to her body and complemented by golden details that emphasized her position as the family’s heiress. Her expression remained confident, and her posture clearly demonstrated that she was accustomed to representing her family before the nobility.

With the arrival of Alear’s first two fiancées, only Serafall remained to complete the group. She arrived shortly afterward, accompanied by the Sitri family: Lord Sitri, Lady Sitri, and the family’s heiress, Sona Sitri, who came alongside her queen, Tsubaki Shinra. Serafall’s presence naturally drew considerable attention, not only because she was one of Alear’s fiancées, but also because she occupied one of the highest positions in Devil society as one of the Maous. Lord Sitri wore an impeccably tailored dark suit, while his wife wore an elegant navy-blue dress, both maintaining the dignified bearing expected of the heads of one of the Great Families. Sona, meanwhile, was dressed in a formal and refined outfit, predominantly dark blue, which matched her serious and reserved personality, while Tsubaki wore an equally elegant dark-colored dress, complemented by subtle details that highlighted her distinctive appearance.

Serafall, naturally, was the most eye-catching figure in the group. She had chosen a formal dress with a sophisticated appearance, while still retaining some elements that reflected her extravagant and cheerful personality. Even on such an occasion, it was difficult to imagine Serafall simply abandoning her characteristic style....

But she was not the only Maou. Ajuka Beelzebub had decided to attend as well. He came alongside the Astaroth family, which was led by Echidna, one of Lord Astaroth’s daughters who had become part of Alear’s new nobility. She arrived shortly afterward, accompanied by her family. Lord Astaroth himself walked alongside his wife, Lady Astaroth, while Latia Astaroth followed with her family.....

Echidna was elegantly dressed for the occasion, wearing a long, dark-colored dress made of fine fabric and adorned with discreet details that enhanced her sophisticated appearance. Lord Astaroth wore a formal black suit, while Lady Astaroth wore a refined burgundy dress, both displaying the dignity expected of members of one of the Underworld’s great families. Latia, meanwhile, wore an elegant dark-blue dress, maintaining an impeccable appearance appropriate for the occasion. Ajuka had opted for a discreet dark suit, without unnecessary extravagance or adornments, something that perfectly matched his personality and contrasted with the extravagance of some of the other guests....

About half an hour later, when practically all the invited families had already arrived at the palace, another carriage finally passed through the gates. The Gremory family had arrived, and their presence immediately drew the attention of the guests. Sirzechs Lucifer was among them, accompanied by his younger sister, Rias Gremory, who came alongside her queen, Akeno Himejima, as well as Venelana Gremory and Zeoticus Gremory...

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Rias was one of the first to notice the presence of the Sitri family. As soon as her eyes found Sona among the guests, a spontaneous smile appeared on her face. The two had grown up together and, despite the rivalry between their families and their very different personalities, they maintained a long-standing friendship and a relationship built on trust. Rias approached without hesitation, while Sona, as reserved as ever, simply adjusted her glasses and greeted her with a small smile.

"Sona!"

"Rias. You finally arrived."

The two exchanged a brief hug before beginning to talk, while Akeno Himejima remained a few steps behind, observing their interaction with her usual amused smile. Rias, however, seemed unable to completely hide her anticipation. Her eyes discreetly scanned the hall, as if searching for someone in particular.

"So... he really is here, isn’t he?"

Sona immediately realized who she was referring to.

"If you’re talking about Lord H?agenti, yes. After all, this is his party."

"I know that." Rias paused briefly before admitting with a curious smile, "But I’m really looking forward to meeting him in person. After everything I’ve heard about him, it’s difficult not to be curious."

Sona let out a small sigh, although an equally interested expression could be seen on her face.

"I want to meet him too. Mainly because I’m still trying to understand how someone managed to make my elder sister behave so... peculiarly."

Rias held back a laugh.

"You’re talking about Serafall?"

"Who else would I be talking about?"

The two exchanged a knowing look before quietly laughing. After all, Serafall was known for her extravagant personality, and the idea of someone being able to keep up with her so closely was, in itself, reason enough to pique Sona’s curiosity. As they continued talking, other guests kept entering the hall, and the activity around them gradually increased.....

Shortly afterward, Tsubaki finally returned with two glasses for Sona and herself. She handed one to the young Sitri, who accepted it with a small nod.

"Thank you, Tsubaki."

"You’re welcome, Kaichou."

Rias watched the two of them for a moment before looking at Akeno.

"Akeno, could you get us a drink as well?"

"Of course, Buchou. No problem."

Akeno smiled and walked toward the table where several drinks had already been arranged for the guests. As she walked, her eyes casually swept across the hall, observing the countless people conversing among themselves. Then, as she approached the table, a figure caught her attention. A young woman with long red hair was standing in front of the drinks, her back turned toward her. The silhouette, particularly because of the hair and posture, looked remarkably similar to Rias. Acting purely on instinct, she ended up approaching a few steps.

"Rias, you—"

The girl immediately turned around.

Akeno stopped in the middle of her sentence. Standing before her was a beautiful young woman with red hair cascading down her back, pinkish eyes, and an elegant appearance that fit perfectly with the high-society setting. Her expression was calm, and she simply looked at Akeno with a tranquil expression, showing no sign of irritation.

"Do you need something?"

Akeno blinked several times before realizing her mistake.

"Oh... I’m sorry. I mistook you for a moment. You looked like someone I know from behind, so I ended up calling out without realizing it."

The young woman did not seem bothered by the mistake. She merely nodded slightly, accepting the apology without making any further comment.

Akeno, however, was still curious. After all, this was not someone she remembered seeing among the great Demon families. As Rias’s queen, she was accustomed to knowing the prominent names of the nobility, and the presence of this girl immediately piqued her interest.....

"In any case, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Akeno Himejima, queen of Rias Gremory."

The young woman remained silent for a moment before responding with the same tranquility.

"Mio Naruse." She paused briefly before adding, "I’m one of the Bishops in Alear G. H?agenti’s peerage. It’s a pleasure to meet you...."

Akeno’s eyes widened slightly.

"...One of Lord H?agenti’s pieces?"

The surprise was genuine.

"Yes...."

Akeno remained silent for a moment, but soon a mischievous smile appeared on her lips. She brought one hand to her mouth and let out a soft giggle.

"Ufufufu... so you’re one of Lord H?agenti’s pieces? That’s quite interesting. My king is very curious to meet him personally...."

Mio merely blinked, seemingly surprised by that information, but her expression soon returned to its usual tranquility.

"I see. Well, Alear-sama should be appearing soon. If you’d like, I can introduce you to him when he arrives....."

Akeno’s eyes immediately lit up.

"You really would?"

"I see no reason not to."

"How kind of you." Akeno’s smile grew even wider. "Then I’ll hold you to that promise, Mio-san."

"You can count on it."

Akeno picked up the drinks she had come to retrieve and walked away from the table, still smiling to herself. That small coincidence had transformed a simple trip to fetch a few glasses into an opportunity she definitely had no intention of wasting. After all, if Rias was so curious about meeting the mysterious Lord H?agenti, it would be much more entertaining to let her meet him through someone who was already part of his nobility....

Tonight just became more interesting...

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(A/N: What if I told you that, for the price of a cup of coffee, you could be 35 Chapters ahead of the story? We’re starting Volume Two there! It focuses on the human world, no more politics! There’s much more action!

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