Chapter 4

Alice’s POV

We returned to the villa after a day of scouting. According to my master the only major force he managed to detect today was Earl Paimon. I am currently in my master’s study, Shiro-san finally forgave Kuro for running out like that without consulting anyone. However, Kuro has kept the details of what happened to himself, despite my master’s constant probing.

“Ohh, Alice-chan? I didn’t expect you to be here this late, I’ve already dismissed you for the day.”

“...I will turn in as soon as you do my lord.”

“Awww, I don’t know what I’d do without you Alice, maybe you can help me with this list.”

“...What list?”

“Well I made a list of the potential households that will be participating in the summit. So far I have Paimon, Bileth, Belial, Agares, Barbatos and the lesser house of Astaroth which has just seen a resurgence and is looking to expand its influence.”

“...What about the Asmodeus House my lord? It has enough financial might to be a key player should it participate.”

“Hmmmm, not a bad suggestions my little Alice, but I think old granny Asmodeus is going to sit this one out and focus on reaping rewards from behind the scenes. I might send Kuro over to her and see if he can get her backing hahaha.”

“...I see.”

“The first Prince of the Bael is the favourite, but I think I’ll leave him to Kuro and not bother mounting a challenge this early on.”

“...Is that wise my lord?”

“Oh? Alice-chan, we can’t forget the promise our Kuro made with Auntie now can we? There’s no point of worrying about the Bael house until the end, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the first prince’s household will be one of the top two. What we need to worry about is how we end up as the other one.”

“...As you say my lord.”

My master returned to making notes and mumbling to himself. I poured him some coffee and stood beside him whilst he continued to go over the possibilities.

This was the first time that I had returned to hell after what happened all those years ago. My previous master had dismissed me before he perished and asked that I flee for my own safety, he was a good man. I stuck around despite our contract being void after his death and have been with my lord ever since. My lord has spent the entirety of his life preparing for this moment.

Throughout the years I've even mulled over the idea of attempting to storm the castle and free the young lady myself. However, the young master forbade me from doing so, he always said that the best way to do it, was to do it legitimately and that saving her was the easy part. The hard part was changing the perspective of the masses and ensuring that Lucifuge Bael was exposed for what he was. Even now I ponder the level of resolve and steadfastness required to harden one’s heart to that extent.

My master finally fell asleep at his desk, he looked relaxed, so I didn’t bother to wake him and request that he make his way to the bed.

“Mhmmm...Alice-chan, I want pancakes for breakfast...hehehehe”

It seems he was sleep talking. I placed a blanket over his shoulders so he doesn’t catch a cold, turned off his desk lamp and made for my own chambers.

Just before I opened the door to my room, I went to the kitchen and made sure that we had pancake batter, after confirming this, I finally returned to my quarters and turned in for the evening.

Kuro’s POV

We spent most of this week scouting the area around the summit, despite spending the entire day at the site, we never came across another incident like the one that involved Mei-Lien. Seir continued being his usual self and causing trouble for those around him to see if he could detect any other big players that intended to participate in the upcoming summit.

He managed to confirm that along with the Paimon house, the Astaroth as well as the Bileth and Belial houses intended to make a play this time round.

According to Seir, Astaroth was new blood, a house that had just risen to power recently and the Bileth House was a branch family of the Bael House. If this was true, Bileth would prove to be an obstacle. I managed to overhear conversations during our many visits to the site that claimed, the current head of the Bileth House was a monster who’s demonic energy was endless. If this proved to be correct, than things just got more complicated.

I was currently in my room after having just returned from another day of scouting when I became curious about something.

“Hey old man, you there?”

“Wahahahahahahaha, little Shiko and I were starting to think that you’d forgotten about us.”

“Oh yeah? That didn’t stop you two from munching on my demonic energy day after day despite doing nothing did it!?”

“Wahahahahahahaha, good point foolish boy.”

“Old man, I was wondering whether you managed to detect any of your kin in the area?”

“Ohhhhh, you’re finally thinking about the real threats in this poxy summit boy?”

“Just answer already!”

“Wahahahahaha, I have indeed foolish boy.”

“What!”

“So far, I sense two of my kin in the vicinity of the site. Although, I am not able to pinpoint their exact location, nor am I able to discover who they serve. They seem to be masking their presence really well, no doubt at the request of their respective masters.”

“...!”

“Wahahahahaha, don’t worry foolish boy, I have been doing the same, but for 3 of the 4 Dragon Monarchs to be present in the same general area and be serving a master at the same time. This era is pretty interesting.”

“Any idea which ones are here old man?”

“Oh? Hmmmmmm, no, no idea whatsoever, it’s been so long since I’ve seen the others, but don’t worry foolish boy, you have the great ME with you, you have nothing to worry about.”

“...I’m gonna die.”

“Wahahahahahaha, don’t talk like that foolish boy, you will make little Shiko upset.”

“Shiko is a blade old man!”

For other Dragon Monarchs to be here was worrying, there’s less than a week till the summit begins so there’s no point in trying to figure out who has a Dragon familiar now. I think I will also not use the old man’s power until I really need to, it’s a good idea to keep a trump card like this for a time that requires me to pull something out of the bag.

I laid down to go to sleep and wondered what Alice was going to make for breakfast, I hope it’s not pancakes because she’s been making those all week. I almost panicked one morning when Shiro suggested that she make breakfast for us, luckily Seir kept her busy with something else and we avoided a bloodbath.

So far, I haven’t come across that person's demonic energy so I don’t think she’s in the vicinity, part of me was disappointed. However, the other was relieved because I could focus on the task at hand. Paimon, Belith, Astaroth, whoever was up first didn't matter, I was gonna blow them away and keep moving toward the top.