Volume 2, Chapter 32-2 – My Precious Darling

Within the council chamber of the Abyss Nexus Council, the rich fragrance of black roses permeated the surroundings, while the magical auras of Archdemons filled the air with an oppressive weight.

This was the heart of power in the Demon Realm.

And also its largest marketplace.

“Regarding the mining rights to the Cocytus Frozen Lake of the Seventh Layer, the Bathory family has crossed the line!”

“Bullshit! It was obviously the dream demons of the Belphegor family sleeping on the border and blocking our transport route. Belphegor representative, you people must compensate us!”

“…ZZZZ.”

“…”

“Why are the Mammon family’s caravans setting up stalls beneath the gallows!? This is a place for punishing criminal demons.”

“That’s called making efficient use of space! Do you even understand what a closed commercial loop is?”

Vivian Valentine sat on a bench, idly swirling the wineglass in her hand.

With one hand propping up her cheek, she watched without much interest as the group of old relics around her, each of whom had lived for thousands of years, argued until their faces turned red.

The subjects of their disputes were extraordinarily boring. Every round of the Nexus Council was spent bickering over trivial matters, and they would even come to blows over them.

The root cause of it all was the vacancy of the throne.

Vivian’s gaze swept across the round table, where seven seats symbolizing the supreme authority of the Abyss surrounded the vacant throne at the center.

Ever since the previous Queen of Eternal Night fell, the throne had remained vacant for far too long.

The Abyss could not go a single day without a ruler. According to convention, the Seven Electors were supposed to select a true ruler of demons through political deals and maneuvering. But after several hundred years of fruitless arguing, a regent with restricted authority became the compromise they ultimately settled upon.

The so-called regent, when all was said and done, was nothing more than a product of the various factions restraining one another, an expensive ornament dressed in magnificent robes.

The regent possessed no absolute authority to command the masses, could not interfere in the internal affairs of the great families, and certainly could not mobilize another family’s private troops.

Most of the time, the only privileges this acting ruler possessed were priority in the allocation of the Abyss’s public resources and a symbolic veto during the Nexus Council.

Even so, that was more than enough for everyone to quarrel endlessly over it.

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Vivian’s gaze swept across the family crests of those present.

The Faust Family Head, representing ‘wisdom and cursecraft,’ was currently arguing with the Bathory Family Head, representing ‘commandments and punishment,’ over ownership of a patent for torture instruments.

Belphegor, representing ‘sloth and eternal sleep,’ had only sent a representative, who had done nothing but sleep ever since arriving. Their Family Head was apparently too lazy to even attend.

The Asmodeus Family Head of lust and revelry was throwing flirtatious looks at the Mammon Family Head with all her might, trying to weasel her way out of paying last quarter’s wine bill.

The biggest problem, however, came from the man seated across the round table.

He was a draconic demon. Dark golden scales covered his skin, and his utterly arrogant aura could not be concealed, blooming like fiery lotus flowers competing with one another in full splendor.

The Samael Family Head of wrath and conquest.

“Valentine, don’t think that just because you have Mammon’s financial backing, victory is already in your grasp.” The Samael Family Head’s vertical dragon pupils stared at Vivian. “This year’s regency, we are determined to take it.”

“Oh?” Vivian chuckled. “I thought that after your family’s young lady unfortunately chose to follow the Pale Lord, causing the previous regent to purge half your territory, you would have learned what it means to keep your dragon tail tucked between your legs.”

“That was three hundred years ago!” The Samael Family Head slammed his palm onto the stone table. “Samael’s Dragonblood Legion has long since been rebuilt, and that stain has already been washed clean. Don’t think this is still the era when you could carve us up however you pleased!”

That much was true.

Vivian began evaluating the situation in her mind.

The Samael family’s recovery over the past century had been astonishing. Not only had this bunch of draconic demons whose brains seemed to be made entirely of muscle drawn Asmodeus over to their side, they even appeared to have reached some sort of technology-sharing agreement with the Faust family.

Meanwhile, the Belphegor representative, who held the crucial deciding vote, had slept all the way until now without waking up even once.

The situation remained deadlocked.

Vivian estimated that if the regency failed to be decided again this year, then according to the ancient laws of the Abyss, they would have no choice but to hold the Abyss Supremacy Tournament.

Its rules were exactly as stated in the ancient covenant, when the round table could not reach a consensus, blood would determine the truth.

Each of the Seven Elector families would select one direct heir and cast their true name into the Chalice of Sin blazing with azure flames. Once the covenant was formed, this would no longer be an ordinary competition, but a lawless survival trial spanning the entirety of the Abyss. There would be no such thing as stopping before inflicting serious harm. Only one victor would be able to raise the trophy at the end.

The victor’s family would obtain the authority of the regent, while the losers would naturally be left without even their bones intact.

“Since the fundamental matters have all been resolved, and the only remaining issue is the regency of the throne, which we are unable to decide…” The chairman’s gavel fell heavily. “Then, according to convention, the Nexus Council will temporarily adjourn. We will resume discussion after one Abyssal month, and at that time, we will decide whether to convene the Abyss Supremacy Tournament.”

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The moment the meeting ended, the demons who had been glaring daggers at one another immediately rose from their seats.

After all, the matters demons discussed during meetings were never the truly important ones. The truly important matters were usually discussed separately after the meeting.

Vivian rose elegantly and straightened the elaborate black lace of her skirt. Just as she was preparing to head to the Mammon family’s lounge to negotiate a price, a biting chill blocked her path.

It came from a petite figure.

She wore a professor’s robe that did not fit her frame at all, its hem dragging along the floor and making her look somewhat comical. Yet her enormous spiral-curved horns and overwhelmingly intimidating magical aura caused every higher demon passing nearby to lower their heads and move aside.

Gehenna Jelansika.

The Principal of Lilith Academy, and one of the primary guardians of order in the Abyss.

Her expression carried the same oppressive gloom as always.

“Vivian.” Gehenna said calmly, “I heard you sent a squad of Blackthorn Guards into my territory.”

“They were only there to supervise,” Vivian said carelessly. “After all, I have two daughters studying at your school. As a mother, isn’t it perfectly normal for me to care about the environment my children are growing up in?”

“Care?” Gehenna snorted coldly. “My Vice Principal told me herself. Your supervisors started a fight in my school. Not only did they attack my student Stella Darkfallen, they even demolished half a corridor and a load-bearing wall.”

Vivian froze for a moment.

Although the Blackthorn Guards were scouts who specialized in assassination and reconnaissance, Riko, as their captain, had always been known for her meticulousness.

How had she managed to cause such a commotion?

“The order to withdraw probably wasn’t delivered in time, so there was a minor misunderstanding.” Vivian was long accustomed to this sort of thing. She shrugged. “Send the bill to Valentine Manor. I’ll have the steward pay double. Is a trivial matter like this really worth someone as busy as you coming all the way here personally?”

“A trivial matter?” Gehenna narrowed her eyes. “Since Stella is your illegitimate daughter, how you choose to educate her is your business. But if you intend to turn my school into your beast-fighting arena—”

“Gehenna.”

Vivian interrupted her.

“Since you’ve already guessed it, why bother asking?”

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“Yes. I’ve already sent over the Sacred Blood Grail.”

Gehenna’s pupils contracted slightly.

“You really intend to make Cheryl and Stella kill each other?”

“As far as I know… you once had sisters as well, and you also—”

“This is the Valentine family’s tradition, and the inevitable process of bloodline selection.” Vivian interrupted Gehenna.

Yet on Vivian’s face, apart from her usual elegant smile, Gehenna glimpsed contemplation, a fossil-like desolation, and a deeply buried, numb sorrow.

“The tides of the Abyss are even more violent than I estimated. It won’t be long before the blood moon overflows. When that happens, my two children will enter the Corridor of Blood, where the departed spirit of our family’s ancestor, Mia, the Lord of Blood, will personally preside over this sacred coronation.”

She turned around and extended an invitation to Gehenna.

“The Nexus Council has temporarily adjourned anyway. I happen to be taking an investigation team to Lilith School, and I’ll also personally welcome that one and only ascender while I’m there. Want to come along?”

“Tch.”

Gehenna clicked her tongue impatiently.

The investigation team was one thing. As a remnant force of the Ash Drinkers, Mara was bound to attract an investigation from the Nexus Council. As long as Stella’s identity as the Pale Daughter was kept hidden, everything would be fine.

But the Sacred Blood Grail…

Although she was a demon, she had always detested meaningless slaughter between blood relatives.

Especially Stella… Although that child had a somewhat peculiar personality and was exceedingly talented at causing trouble, she was Vilpana’s daughter after all…

‘Wait.’

Gehenna looked at Vivian’s arrogant expression, as though everything was already firmly under her control.

A thought surfaced in her mind.

Gehenna’s expression became somewhat strange, and even carried a trace of pity.

“Vivian.”

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“What now?” Vivian turned her head impatiently.

“I have one final question for you.” Gehenna spoke mysteriously. “May I ask if you know which lover Stella Darkfallen… was conceived with?”

Vivian frowned slightly.

How could she possibly remember such a boring little detail?

Vivian raised a hand and brushed back her hair.

“No idea. Perhaps some passing succubus lord, or an Archdemon who caught my eye? Who cares? As long as Valentine blood flows through her veins, that’s enough. I don’t care about anything else.”

“But I know.”

Gehenna pursed her lips into a smile. Her expression was like that of a cat toying with a mouse it had no intention of eating.

“Stella Darkfallen is the daughter of you and my student.”

Gehenna paused, her gaze deep and unfathomable.

“The madwoman who once nearly overturned the Nexus Council, the Pale Lord, Vilpana.”

After a brief moment of stunned silence, the haughty and aloof expression on Vivian’s face froze, completely devoid of noble composure.

“…Eh?”

Translator Note

So there will be a deadly tournament for all families… will that happen right after Stella finishes the fight against Cheryl?

I feel bad for Stella for having a deadly situation in almost every chapter TvT