We reached the edge of the Shadow Garden, pausing at the threshold where the cultivated darkness met the more conventional lighting of the mansion corridors. The transition always felt jarring to me—like stepping from one reality into another, more constrained one. Latia lingered beside me, her eyes still reflecting the faint purple glow from the shadow flowers.
"That was..." She smoothed her skirt, a small, private smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Educational."
I laughed. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"Among other things." She adjusted one of the hairpins that had come loose during our... demonstration. "I had a good time, Dante. A genuinely good time."
"So did I." I meant it, which surprised me.
The door remained closed, giving us a final moment of privacy before rejoining the world of political positioning and careful facades. Latia turned to face me fully, her expression shifting to something more serious.
"When are you planning to leave?" she asked. "For the human world, I mean."
I raised an eyebrow. "You really did piece it together, didn't you?"
"It wasn't difficult. The way you speak about it, your knowledge of human customs..." She shrugged. "So, when?"
"After Rias's eighteenth birthday celebration." I leaned against the doorframe. "Two weeks from now."
"Ah, yes. The Gremory coming-of-age party." Her fan appeared in her hand. "Everyone who matters will be there. Lucifer's little sister turning eighteen is practically a national holiday."
"You'll be attending?"
"Of course. Rias and I have been friends since childhood." She tapped her closed fan against her palm. "Though I suspect the event won't go as smoothly as planned."
"Riser," I said. Not a question.
She nodded. "He's been insufferable lately. More so than usual. I've heard rumors he plans to accelerate the engagement timeline."
"At her birthday celebration? Even for Riser, that's tactless." I couldn't help but grin. "Should be entertaining."
Latia shot me a sharp look. "You're going just for the spectacle, aren't you?"
"Partly," I admitted. "But it's also the perfect opportunity to make my exit."
"To form your peerage," she said, connecting the final dots.
"Exactly."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Wait—when did you become a King?"
"About three days ago." I couldn't keep the smugness from my voice. "The paperwork just cleared."
"So you have pieces now. Who's in your peerage so far?"
"Just Ariel. She took up two pawns."
"Only two?" Her eyebrows rose. "I would have expected at least three for someone with her abilities."
"The pieces cater to the strength of their king. What about you? Planning to form a peerage of your own?"
Latia shook her head. "I'd rather focus on my studies. My research on formula manipulation is at a critical stage, and a peerage would only distract from that."
"Shame." I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "You could come with me, you know. To Earth."
"Oh?" Amusement danced in her eyes. "Taking me to see the human world before making me your wife? How progressive of you."
The joke hung in the air between us, carrying more weight than either of us had intended. Latia wouldn't be the worst devil to make my wife. She was intelligent, beautiful, and genuinely enjoyable to be around. Our houses would both benefit from the alliance. And after what we'd shared in the garden...
But there was a complication. She now understood how Essence Drain worked—how intimate connections with others would make me stronger. Having a harem was normal for devil nobility, but the concept still felt foreign to the part of me that remembered being human.
"Would that bother you?" I asked, the question more serious than my tone suggested. "Knowing that I'd need... connections... with others?"
Her expression softened, becoming unexpectedly understanding. "You mean because of your Essence Drain ability?"
I nodded.
"Devils have practiced harems for millennia, Dante." She closed her fan, tapping it against her palm thoughtfully. "Look at Lady Venelana Gremory. She manages Lord Gremory's harem with sophistication and grace."
"That's different," I argued. "Their arrangement is political."
"And yours would be practical." She stepped closer, her voice dropping. "The wife of the strongest devil in existence? That has a certain appeal."
"You're serious."
"I'm considering it." Her directness caught me off-guard. "I've always known I'd need to make a political marriage eventually. At least with you, there'd be..." She glanced back toward the garden, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Compatibility."
I pushed away from the doorframe, offering her my arm.
"We should continue this discussion," I said. "Perhaps next weekend?"
"I'd like that." She placed her hand on my forearm. "Rias's birthday is approaching. I still need to find her a suitable gift. Perhaps you could accompany me?"
"Shopping with an Astaroth heiress? How could I refuse?" I opened the door, leading us back into the formal corridors of the Valac mansion. "Saturday?"
"Saturday," she confirmed.
We walked in comfortable silence through the hallways, her hand resting lightly on my arm. The mansion seemed different somehow—less oppressive than usual. Servants bowed as we passed, their eyes carefully averted but their curiosity palpable. News of our time together would spread quickly through the house, and from there, to the broader devil society.
By tomorrow, rumors would be circulating about a potential alliance between House Valac and House Astaroth. The political implications alone would keep the gossips busy for weeks.
We reached the grand entrance hall where Latia's servant waited beside the door—a tall, thin devil with steel-gray hair and impassive features. He bowed deeply at our approach.
"Lady Astaroth, your car is ready."
"Thank you, Thorne." Latia turned to me. "I had a wonderful evening, Dante."
I took her hand, bringing it to my lips in the formal devil gesture of respect. But instead of the quick brush that propriety demanded, I placed a lingering kiss on her knuckles, my eyes holding hers.
"Until Saturday," I said, my voice pitched low enough that only she could hear.
Something sparked in her eyes—a decision made. She stepped forward, closing the distance between us, and pressed her lips to mine in a brief but unmistakable kiss. The action, performed in full view of her servant and the Valac household staff, sent a clear message about her intentions.
When she pulled back, a satisfied smile played at the corners of her mouth. "Until Saturday."
I watched as she departed, her servant following two precise steps behind. The massive doors closed behind them, leaving me alone in the entrance hall with the stunned Valac staff trying desperately to pretend they hadn't witnessed anything unusual.
"You may return to your duties," I said, not bothering to hide my amusement at their discomfort.
They scattered, disappearing into various corridors and side rooms. All except Ariel, who materialized from the shadows near the grand staircase, a knowing smile on her face.
"I take it the evening went well?" she asked, her red eyes gleaming.
"You could say that."
"Your father is waiting for you in his study." She fell into step beside me as I headed toward the west wing. "He seemed... eager... to speak with you."
"I'm sure he is."
Ariel escorted me to the heavy oak doors of my father's study, then stepped back with a small bow. "I'll prepare your evening tea."
"Thank you, Ariel." I watched her walk away, noting the slight sway in her step that betrayed her good mood. She approved of the development with Latia, it seemed.
I knocked once on my father's door, then entered without waiting for a response—a small assertion of independence I'd maintained since childhood.
The study was dimly lit, as always. Father preferred the shadows, claiming they helped him think. He sat behind his massive desk, silhouetted against the purple light filtering through the tall windows that overlooked the Valac grounds.
"Father," I greeted, closing the door behind me.
For a moment, he remained silent, his face obscured by shadow. Then he leaned forward, the light catching his features—revealing something I rarely saw: a genuine smile.
"That's my boy!" he exclaimed, pride evident in his voice. "An Astaroth alliance! And not just any Astaroth—Beelzebub's own niece."
I moved further into the room, taking a seat in one of the leather chairs across from his desk. "Nothing's official yet."
"But it will be." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "The kiss in the entrance hall made her intentions clear enough. Clever girl, making a public statement like that."
I shouldn't have been surprised. Although, he rarely showed enthusiasm like this.
"The timing is perfect," he continued. "With tensions rising between the Gremory and Phenex houses, a Valac-Astaroth alliance could shift the balance of power significantly."
Of course. Everything came back to power for him—to positioning and advantage.
"That wasn't my primary motivation," I said.
"No?" He raised an eyebrow. "Then what was?"
"I enjoy her company," I said simply. "She's intelligent, interesting, and sees through the facade I show the rest of the world."
To my surprise, he nodded thoughtfully. "Like your mother saw through mine."
The comparison startled me. He rarely spoke of his relationship with my mother in personal terms.
"Your mother was the only person who ever truly understood me," he continued, his voice softer than usual. "Finding that is rare, Dante. Rarer than power or wealth or position."
He stood, walking to the window to gaze out at the Underworld's eternal twilight. "I've pushed you hard. Perhaps too hard at times. But everything I've done has been to secure our family's future."
"I know," I said, meaning it despite our many disagreements.
"The Astaroth girl—Latia—she's worthy of our house." He turned back to me. "And more importantly, she appears worthy of you."
Coming from him, this was extraordinary praise.
"Thank you, Father."
He nodded once, then returned to business. "I'll have the legal department prepare the preliminary alliance documents. Nothing binding yet, but enough to establish intent."
"Not too fast," I cautioned. "She's still considering her options."
"Of course." A knowing smile crossed his face. "But after what transpired in the Shadow Garden today, I suspect her decision is all but made."
Heat rose to my face. "You knew about that?"
"I won't ask for details. Some things should remain private, even in this house."
I stood, ready to escape this increasingly uncomfortable conversation. "If that's all—"
"Just one more thing." His expression grew serious again. "This business with the Gremory girl's birthday celebration. Be careful. The Phenex boy is unpredictable, and Sirzechs is protective of his sister. If trouble starts..."
"I'll stay clear of it," I promised. "I'm just going to pay my respects, then make my exit."
He nodded, clearly not believing me but unwilling to press further. "Very well. Good night, Dante. We will talk more tomorrow."
"Good night, Father."
I left his study, closing the door quietly behind me. The corridor stretched before me, shadows gathering in the corners as if waiting for instructions. For once, the darkness felt comforting rather than confining.
Two weeks until Rias's birthday celebration. Two weeks until I could begin my real plans in the human world. And now, unexpectedly, those plans might include Latia Astaroth.