True Incubus: The Demon with No Limits

Chapter 170: This was now a matter of diplomacy.

"My student did not compromise the mission, he saved it.

And he did it all singlehandedly."

Vivienne declared, staring at every person sitting at the table. For a moment, there was silence. No one knew what they were supposed to say or how they were supposed to counter Vivienne’s words, until—

"And what if his actions had exposed the supernatural world?"

Marcelline spoke in a cold tone and Vivienne—

"Then your branch would finally have something difficult to do."

She spoke in an even frostier tone and the air around Marcelline turned sharper. Vivienne, however, completely ignored it, as if the Voss wasn’t a threat. Instead, she looked at the others and—

"Vaelrith staged an attack in a public studio. Vaelrith made a deal with a human celebrity. Vaelrith deployed over a hundred Hosts to attack the protected subject. Vaelrith caused civilian casualties and Vaelrith risked exposure."

She spoke in a definitive tone.

"Not Lucian."

Cassian spoke again.

"Lucian Cross formed an unauthorized demonic contract."

"With the woman Vaelrith wanted."

Vivienne replied.

"A contract that blocked Vaelrith’s claim and kept Evelyn Starling within our reach.

You are welcome."

Cassian closed his mouth.

"That contract will create complications with the Demon Courts."

Severin Hale sighed.

"Everything creates complications with the Demon Courts.

That is why your Seat exists."

Severin accepted those words with a tired nod.

Then finally, when it seemed like no other Seat had anything to say, the oldest Seat, Losef Ardent, spoke again.

"We still need an explanation for the contract and the form he manifested."

Vivienne turned to him.

"What explanation do you want?"

Losef could not answer immediately and Vivienne continued.

"We cannot even properly define his existence. How do you plan to explain what you do not understand?"

"That is precisely why Research should—"

The Research Seat took her shot but—

"No."

Vivienne said no without even looking at her. Vivienne’s gaze remained on Losef and—

"What matters is that he remained in control. He protected his allies, he saved the protected subject, and kept her safe when everything else failed.

And he did it while a Choir of Demons was trying to crush him into the floor."

Vivienne then took a small pause, looking at the Seats, especially at Marcelline and—

"So unless one of you wants to explain how your branch would have done better in that exact moment, I suggest you stop pretending his survival is the problem."

And the moment she said those words, the entire table turned silent.

Vivienne looked around the chamber with open disdain, then—

"I will say this one time."

She spoke again.

"Leave my student to me and start dealing with the actual problem."

"Vaelrith."

The Concord Seat spoke with a grave look on his face.

"Yes."

Vivienne uncrossed her legs slowly.

"Vaelrith has already attacked twice, he openly attacked our protected subject. He chose public locations, his attacks affected the general public, he did not care about public exposure and this time, civilians died as well.

That is the matter this Council should be discussing."

Vivienne spoke with a cold look on her face and the chamber turned silent for a good few seconds.

With Vivienne here, the Seats knew they couldn’t discuss Lucian even if they wanted to. She made it very clear that Lucian belonged to her.

And none of them wanted to stand against her claim.

There was no point in putting their lives at risk for a recruit who hadn’t even been here for a year yet.

So instead, the Seats returned to the more pressing matter.

"Then the remaining matter is Vaelrith."

Losef, the Archivist Seat, spoke with a deep sigh.

Alaric too, stepped forward, thinking this was the correct time to say it.

"When we captured Orpheus, he constantly screamed about how Vaelrith wasn’t going to stop, not until Evelyn Starling is his."

Garrick narrowed his eyes at those words.

"That cannot be allowed."

Cadrien spoke with a solemn look on his face.

The rest of the Seats nodded, agreeing to it.

Evelyn was under Enclave’s protection, the supernatural world knew this well by now, especially after Vaelrith had attacked in public twice.

If they lost Evelyn to Vaelrith now, the Enclave would become a laughing stock.

Evelyn now no longer represented one woman, she now represented Enclave’s capability and its promise.

They could not lose her.

And this wasn’t just about pride, no, far from it.

To Enclave, reputation wasn’t pride, it was deterrence.

Reputation was the reason rogue monsters hesitated before crossing certain lines. The reason old supernatural markets paid attention to Enclave warnings. The reason vampire houses negotiated, witch circles sent envoys, and even the Demon Courts followed certain rules.

If Enclave’s reputation fell, if their protection became something that could be challenged repeatedly, every treaty would become weaker, every warning they issued would sound softer, and the balance would be broken.

They could not have that.

Vaelrith couldn’t be allowed to attack again.

The Cleaners barely handled the fallout this time. Even now, they weren’t sure they would be able to clean everything properly and if Vaelrith was allowed to attack again—

It would become far worse.

It might even expose the existence of the supernatural world and that...

That would bring chaos to an already chaotic world.

Everyone sitting here knew that and as they thought of ways to stop Vaelrith—

"Concord will take responsibility."

Severin let out an exhausted sigh.

He did not wish to do this but seeing how the situation was developing, there was no choice but for the Concord Seat to step forward.

The rest of the Seats looked at him and they understood it as well.

This was no longer a hunting problem.

This was now a matter of diplomacy.

Severin looked at all the Seats present in the room, then—

"I will contact the demon representatives. I will make it clear that Vaelrith’s actions have crossed acceptable limits and demand he withdraws from Evelyn Starling. Or the Court of Desire’s Earth-side influence will become a Council matter."

"That sounds like a threat."

Cassian Rook leaned forward, clearly liking where this was going.

"It is diplomacy."

Severin sighed.

"That definitely sounds like a threat."

"Diplomacy."

Severin lazily shook his head.

Then, he glanced at the Reliquary Seat and Cleaner Seat and—

"I will need a proper report, along with the recording crystal covering all the damage Vaelrith’s actions have done so far."

"We’ll have it arranged by night."

Marcelline answered. Ophelia nodded as well.

And as it seemed like everyone agreed with the arrangement—

"Then the Council recognises Concord’s authority in this matter."

The decision was made.

All the Seats nodded, accepting the decision.

Then suddenly—

"I’ll attend as well.

The meeting with the demon representatives."

Vivienne spoke up.

The chamber froze for a moment, then Severin turned toward her and for the first time that night, his exhaustion eased up a little.

"You will?"

He asked with a hopeful look on his face.

If Vivienne was with him, this would be far easier than he expected.

And Vivienne—

"Sure, it’s been a while since I’ve seen those vile things.

Might as well say a little hello."

Vivienne shrugged and her single casual decision—

It changed everything.