Chapter 933: Gods and Dragons

Vergil entered the temple’s main residence alone after leaving Raphaeline, Ada, and Stella outside. Yae had shown him the way to a large private room, and as soon as he stepped through the door, he realized that the interior was much simpler than he had expected for the private residence of one of Japan’s principal deities. The floor was covered with perfectly maintained tatami mats, a few antique pieces decorated the walls, and the faint scent of incense mingled with the fragrance of sakura drifting in through the open windows. At the back of the room was only a raised platform, upon which a woman sat behind a thin silk curtain.

Vergil walked to the place prepared for him and sat down in front of the platform. There was no need for formal introductions; the spiritual presence on the other side of the silk was distinct enough to eliminate any doubt about who stood before him. Inari also seemed to be observing him closely, although Vergil could make out only her silhouette and the occasional movement of the large tails behind her.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet the famous Demon King," Inari said, with the same calmness she had displayed when receiving Raphaeline earlier. "I have heard your name so many times over the past few months that I began wondering how long it would take before you eventually appeared in my domain."

"The pleasure is mine." Vergil respectfully inclined his head. "It is not every day that I have the opportunity to personally meet the Nine-Tailed Fox Goddess."

"You are polite when you want to be."

"Raphaeline asked me not to cause any trouble."

Inari let out a soft laugh. "Then we truly should thank her."

Vergil smiled faintly but remained silent as Inari continued.

"When Raphaeline appeared here saying that you intended to visit the Oni Gate, I admit I became quite interested. I already knew this moment would probably come, especially because Susanoo spoke very highly of you after the Celestial Tournament. My sister rarely shows that much interest in someone she has only just met."

Vergil raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t have much of a chance to speak with her on that occasion."

"That didn’t stop her from watching."

At that moment, the silk curtain began to rise slowly.

Vergil followed the movement until he could finally see the woman who had been hidden behind it. Inari had long, almost white hair, with several strands falling over her shoulders and chest, while two large fox ears emerged from between them. Her reddish eyes carried an amused tranquility, and small golden and red jewels adorned her hair, neck, and arms. Her clothing blended white, red, and black, ornamented with golden details that gave the goddess a refined appearance without concealing her generous curves.

Vergil simply stopped.

It wasn’t a conscious reaction. For a brief moment, he merely stared at her.

Inari noticed immediately.

A satisfied smile appeared on her lips.

"That reaction is quite common," she commented, delicately resting her face against one hand. "But I confess I didn’t expect to leave a man like you so stunned."

Vergil recovered his composure almost immediately and let out a small laugh. "I’m still a man. I know how to appreciate a beautiful woman when I see one."

Inari raised an eyebrow slightly, apparently about to respond to the provocation.

"Stop flirting with mortals."

The voice came from the right side of the room.

Vergil turned his head.

A woman was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, as though she had been there since before he entered. Her long purple hair fell down her back, with bangs partially covering one eye while the other remained fixed on him. Her outfit blended white, black, blue, and violet details, leaving her shoulders and part of her abdomen exposed. A katana rested close to her body, and her entire presence carried a precision that was difficult to ignore.

Vergil didn’t remain surprised for long.

In fact, he smiled.

"Long time no see, Susanoo." He turned his body slightly toward her. "We didn’t get to talk much last time."

Susanoo pushed herself away from the wall and slowly uncrossed her arms.

"Yes. It has been quite a few months, Lucifer."

Vergil made a slight grimace.

"Oh, you don’t need to call me that. My ancestor wasn’t exactly viewed in a... favorable light." He rested one arm on his knee and added with obvious irony, "My grandfather was a complete lunatic. That sounds a little harsh to me."

Susanoo stared at him in silence for two seconds.

"You are a complete lunatic."

Inari had to hide a laugh behind her hand.

Vergil merely tilted his head. "That was unnecessary."

"You stole the Bifr?st."

"It changed owners."

"You took Mj?lnir from Thor."

"She chose me."

"You fought Odin."

"He started it."

Susanoo narrowed her eyes. "And I can sense two Dragon Empresses inside you. How did you manage that?"

Vergil’s expression didn’t change, but that question genuinely managed to surprise him.

Ever since Nivara and Crymsaria had established themselves within his existence in that manner, many powerful beings had been near him. Some were gods, others demons, and some possessed extremely developed spiritual senses. None of them, until that moment, had simply looked at him and identified the two of them with such ease.

Vergil rested a hand on Yamato’s hilt out of pure habit.

"Your perception is very good."

Susanoo didn’t seem particularly impressed by the compliment. "That didn’t answer my question."

"I know." Vergil smiled faintly. "But I think it would be better not to talk too much about them. The two of them aren’t exactly... welcoming when someone decides to bother them."

Susanoo observed Vergil for several seconds, as though trying to sense once again what she had detected. She didn’t seem capable of directly seeing his inner world, but she recognized two absurdly powerful draconic presences coexisting within his soul without any apparent sign of conflict.

Eventually, she nodded.

"Then be careful. I don’t know what your relationship with those two is, but keeping two Dragon Empresses loose inside yourself doesn’t seem like a particularly intelligent decision." Susanoo placed one hand on her own katana. "Creatures of that level can cause problems that not even their hosts are capable of controlling."

Vergil had to make a considerable effort to keep his expression neutral.

Because inside his inner world, the situation was completely different.

Nivara had started laughing the instant she heard the warning. Crymsaria resisted for approximately three seconds before joining her, and now the two were practically leaning against each other as they laughed uncontrollably. The fact that Susanoo was seriously warning Vergil about the danger they represented seemed to be the funniest thing they had heard all week.

"She’s warning our darling about us!" Nivara managed to say between laughs.

Crymsaria had to hold a hand against her own stomach. "Don’t tell her! Please, don’t tell her anything. I want to see how far she goes."

"I haven’t even done anything!"

"That’s exactly what makes it so good!"

Itharine watched the two from several meters away, completely silent. Her eyes moved from Nivara to Crymsaria as they both continued laughing like two idiots, and for a few moments she tried to reconcile that image with the two Dragon Empresses she had known before.

There had been a time when simply putting Nivara and Crymsaria in the same space was enough to make the entire environment feel as though it were about to explode. The two hated each other so genuinely that every conversation ended in insults, threats, or some ridiculous dispute to determine which of them was superior.

Now they were practically collapsing against each other because a goddess had advised Vergil to be careful around them.

Itharine slowly crossed her arms.

"Those two really have become completely different people..." she thought, watching Crymsaria wipe away a tear caused by her own laughter.

The most absurd part was that Susanoo had no idea that those two dangerous Dragon Empresses weren’t prisoners, parasites, or entities Vergil was trying to keep under control. Both of them were romantically involved with him and were bound to his existence in ways far deeper than anyone could perceive merely by looking from the outside.

In the real world, Vergil simply nodded at Susanoo’s advice.

"Don’t worry. I know the two of them very well."

Inside his mind, the laughter became even worse.

Susanoo interpreted the response as a display of excessive confidence and let out a small sigh.

"I hope you really do."

Inari had remained silent while observing the entire conversation. Her gaze moved from Susanoo to Vergil and lingered on the Demon King for several seconds, clearly realizing that there was something about the situation that only he found amusing.

"You’re hiding something," the Fox Goddess commented.

Vergil looked back at her.

"I hide many things."

Inari’s smile widened.

"I’m beginning to understand why Raphaeline came here before you."