Chapter – 25 Extra Demon Gathering: Mephisto Pheles Appears

"A duel between the child of a dragon and the child of a devil? Well, well… This isn't what I expected to witness, but I must admit… I find it quite intriguing. Child of the Belphegor Household, won't you indulge me by accepting this duel?"

The moment that voice echoed through the hall, all eyes instinctively turned toward its source. As soon as they saw the speaker, shock rippled through the crowd.

"Huh? You're…!"

"He is…" murmured Seir in surprise.

He was a middle-aged man with a strikingly masculine appearance, his hair a chaotic mix of red and blue locks neatly held together. His beard mirrored this dual coloration, giving him an eccentric yet dignified look. His eyes were long and slit-like, each a different color—his right eye a deep crimson, while his left gleamed a vibrant blue. He was dressed in an elegant black suit, draped with a flowing magician's cloak, and atop his head sat a sleek top hat. In his left hand, he carried a cane studded with a large diamond atop that also functioned as a staff, adding to his enigmatic presence.

"Lord Mephisto?" someone uttered in the crowd.

"Mephisto?!" Tannin murmured in surprise as he looked at the middle-aged man.

'Mephisto Pheles.'

Indeed, this enigmatic and mysterious middle-aged man was none other than Mephisto Pheles—a being who had existed since before Lucifer's fall from grace. Without a doubt, he was one of the oldest devils still alive.

'He's probably as old as the Governor of the Fallen Angels, Azazel, and the current leader of the Angels, Michael… Even figures like Zekram Bael and Runeas Gremory must seem like mere children to him…' Seir mused, studying the man before him.

Mephisto Pheles was not just an ancient devil; he was also the driving force behind the Extra Demon Faction, having played a pivotal role in its formation.

Despite being one of the central figures of the Extra Demon Faction and holding immense influence among the Extra Demons, Mephisto Pheles rarely, if ever, attended their gatherings. Instead, he preferred to devote his time to his role as the Chairman of the Magic Organization, Grauzauberer.

In fact, his last known participation in an Extra Demon Gathering had been over two centuries ago.

Thus, his sudden appearance at Abaddon Castle for this year's gathering was nothing short of astonishing. Almost no one had anticipated his arrival—not even the former Dragon King, Tannin, who served as Mephisto's [Queen], had expected him to attend.

Mephisto simply responded to the astonished faces around him with a mysterious smile. Removing his top hat with a flourish, he bowed gracefully before the gathered Devils and said with a playful charm, "Ladies and gentlemen… It is truly an honor to be here."

Following Mephisto's greeting, nearly everyone including Tannin and Roygun forgot about the conflict between Seir and Bova, shifting their focus to him instead. Even Seir and Bova themselves, momentarily set aside their dispute to acknowledge his presence.

As for Mephisto? He simply responded to their greetings with his ever-mysterious smile.

It wasn't until a few minutes later, after nearly everyone had finished greeting Mephisto, that Tannin finally pushed through the crowd, stopping others from continuing to pester him. Stepping forward, he addressed Mephisto directly, "I hadn't expected you to come…"

Mephisto responded with a casual smile. "Well… I had some free time, so I figured I might attend the gathering."

However, if he were being honest, he was already starting to regret that decision. As he glanced around, he could see the eager expressions on the faces surrounding him. It was clear they all wanted to engage him in conversation, request favors, or simply try to earn his goodwill.

'This is exactly why I avoid these gatherings and prefer to stay in the Human World…' Mephisto sighed internally. Shaking off his thoughts, he shifted his gaze toward the young heir of the Belphegor Household who was shooing away the youngest child of Tannin.

Mephisto smiled as he approached the two and turned his attention to Seir. "Child, state your name."

Seir bowed respectfully to the ancient Devil. "I am Seirios Vandegor Belphegor, son of Malakarion and Sephie Belphegor, and heir to the House of Belphegor. It is an honor to stand before your presence, Lord Mephisto Pheles."

"Hmm… I see…" Mephisto replied, his gaze lowering to Seir. "Then, Seirios Vandegor Belphegor, I must ask… you still haven't responded to my request from earlier. A duel between the child of a former Dragon King and the younger brother of someone who is as strong as the Maou… I wonder if you'd be willing to indulge this old man with his duel…"

"Well…" Seir hesitated, feeling a little awkward. If it had been just Bova, he could have easily rejected the duel. But when the request came from none other than Mephisto Pheles, outright refusal wasn't an option.

He glanced sideways and noticed Roygun standing quietly and helplessly. 'Seems even sister can't interfere thoughtless in this…' he thought.

Noticing the hesitation in Seir's eyes, Mephisto grew curious and asked, "Is there a specific reason you do not wish to engage in this duel?"

Immediately, a voice interrupted from the side, "That's because the bastard is a coward…"

It was, of course, Bova. Without missing a beat, Tannin smacked him on the head for speaking out of turn.

Ignoring the foolish remark, Seir sighed and raised his hands in front of Mephisto. "It is as you say, Lord Mephisto... I don't see any reason to engage in this duel. Bova Tannin wishes to challenge me to redeem his honor, which I can understand. But what's in it for me? Why should I fight him? What will I gain if I win? There's nothing at stake and no reward to be had. I simply do not wish to engage in a fight that offers me no benefit."

Mephisto blinked in surprise but asked another question, "That child seems to have agreed to put himself on the line, didn't he?"

"That's true," Seir replied, "However, I simply don't consider his promise of servitude valuable enough to accept his duel." He continued, "Having him as a servant would only be a hassle in my eyes. He lacks basic emotional control and the minimal intelligence expected from the Dragon race, who are known for their wisdom. While he may have strength and potential, he's more trouble than he's worth the way he is now. He would likely just cause problems for me, probably freeloading, doing nothing but lazing around, and acting like a ruffian. Despite being Lord Tannin's son, he's nothing like his father. So, I do not see any value in Bova Tannin."

Although Bova was still a child, making his impulsiveness and recklessness somewhat understandable, Seir couldn't ignore a crucial fact—years later, even as a subordinate of the Red Dragon Emperor in the Azazel Cup, Bova remained the same.

Despite the passage of time, he had neither matured emotionally nor shown any signs of personal growth.

There was no way Seir would accept such an idiot as his subordinate.

Sometimes, it was better to have no subordinates at all than to be burdened with an incompetent one.

'I do not fear god-like enemies, but pig-like subordinates…'

"Damn you…" Bova seethed with rage at Seir's words, almost launching himself at him to throw a punch. "Bastard… I'll show you what I'm worth…"

Seir sighed and gestured toward the young dragon. "As you can see, Lord Mephisto," he said, "It didn't even take a moment for the idiot to lose his temper and get emotional."

Mephisto was left speechless as he looked at Bova, who was seething with anger and struggling to charge at Seir. However, Tannin, sighing helplessly, stopped Bova from making any move.

"I see…" Mephisto murmured thoughtfully.

At that moment, Seir smiled and added, "Of course, if I'm given a compelling enough reason, a reason motivating enough, I wouldn't mind accepting the challenge."

"Oh?" Mephisto responded, understanding Seir's implication.

Roygun, rolling her eyes, thought to herself, 'This little brother of mine can be so cheeky sometimes…' Although she didn't dislike it, she found herself satisfied with Seir's cheekiness.

Meanwhile, the others were taken aback. No one had expected the young boy from the Belphegor Household to be clever enough to make such a suggestion in front of The Mephisto Pheles.

What Seir meant was clear: If you want me to fight Bova Tannin, then give me something worthwhile as a reward. If not, then stop bothering me with this pointless challenge.

'I wonder what Lord Mephisto will do…' thought Rudiger.

'He's an ancient Devil and has been working as the Governor of Grauzauberer–the number one magic organization in the world–for centuries… Surely, he must have something valuable to offer,' Seir thought, his smile widening as he glanced at Mephisto with greed in his eyes.

"I see… I see…" Mephisto murmured, amused by Seir's words. Nodding with a smile, he continued, "Very well… since I am the one requesting you to indulge me with this duel, I shall certainly present something that would be worth your while."

Instantly, murmurs of surprise spread through the crowd.

"My word…"

"Is Lord Mephisto serious?"

Even Seir blinked in surprise. "Really?"

Mephisto nodded. "Certainly."

"To think that Lord Mephisto would personally offer a reward…"

Even Roygun, Vermeil, and the others were taken aback.

"So… what do you say, child of the Belphegor Household? Are you interested?" Mephisto asked with a knowing smile.

Seir remained silent for a moment before finally asking, "Then, Lord Mephisto… may I inquire what the reward is?" Although he doubted that someone of Mephisto's stature, history, and influence would offer something worthless, he still wanted to confirm whether the prize would be worth his effort.

Mephisto chuckled at Seir's cautiousness. "I see you are not one to agree so easily…" He didn't seem offended, instead stroking his chin thoughtfully as he pondered what would be an appropriate reward. After a brief pause, his eyes lit up. "Aha… I know just the thing."

Tapping his cane against the ground, he conjured a glowing magic circle. From it emerged an ancient spear radiating a crimson, ominous aura. The weapon was long and broad, with two outward-turned lugs at the base of its spearhead, resembling the guard of a boar spear.

"This is…" Mephisto began, allowing the anticipation to build. "This is the Demon Spear, Chastiefol." He paused before elaborating, "Once, it was renowned as a Holy Spear, crafted from the Sacred Tree by the Fairies. However, over time, it was tainted by demonic energy, transforming its nature from holy to demonic—though it retained its original powers. There was a time in the Great War between the three factions when I personally wielded this spear as my primary weapon… but those days are long past, and this spear is rusting in my personal Dimensional Space. Now, I believe it would serve well as the prize for the victor of this duel."

After providing a brief description of the spear, Mephisto turned his gaze toward Seir and asked, "So… what do you think, child? Does this spear catch your interest?"

To think he would offer Chastiefol… I wasn't expecting this… Seir mused, his eyes fixed on the once-holy, now-demonic spear.

Over the past few months, under Sheila's guidance, Seir had studied the history of the Extra Demons extensively. During his research, he came across numerous accounts detailing Chastiefol's origins and significance. As the legendary spear wielded by Mephisto Pheles during the Great War between Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils, the weapon had garnered considerable attention and was well-documented.

Seir also knew that Chastiefol had originally belonged to one of the great Kings of the Fairies, a warrior who once battled Mephisto Pheles himself. The spear was not only an artifact of great historical significance but also a weapon imbued with extraordinary abilities.

To say the prospect of possessing the Demon Spear Chastiefol didn't tempt him would be a blatant lie.

A smirk slowly spread across Seir's face as he locked eyes with Mephisto. "Heh… It certainly does, Lord Mephisto." He then turned to Bova and declared, "Bring it on, lizard for brains… I'll roast you into dragon meat for dinner!"

The moment Seir agreed, a woman's voice rang out from the crowd, drawing everyone's attention.

"My, my... A duel at the Extra Demon Gathering with Demon Spear Chastiefol as the reward? Now, this is unexpected. But I must admit, this turn of events is quite intriguing..." She paused before turning to the man beside her and asked with a curious smile, "What do you think, Bedeze? Doesn't this pique your interest?"

Bedeze, holding a glass of champagne, glanced at the unfolding scene and replied casually, "Hmm… well, at the very least, it won't be dull."

'These two are…' Seir mused as his gaze settled on the man and woman.

The man needed no introduction, Seir believes that as the entire Underworld recognizes the man, after all, his reputation and fame speak for themselves.

'Bedeze Abaddon,' Seir noted, his gaze settling on the blonde-haired man. An Ultimate-Class Devil and one of the top champions of the Rating Games, he holds the third rank and has countless Rating Game enthusiasts as his fans. There is no doubt that Bedeze is one of the strongest Devils in the Underworld.

But, of course, he did not achieve all of this through his own efforts alone. Like Roygun, Bedeze is one of the six users of the [King] piece, which grants him an immense power boost—making him a hundred times stronger than he originally was and allowing him to stand on par with the current Maous.

In fact, when it came to Bedeze Abaddon, Seir had always harbored a lingering doubt. 'If Roygun was able to become the Head of the Belphegor Household, then why couldn't Bedeze?'

It was well known that for an Extra Demon to participate in the Rating Games, they had to distance themselves from their households—only then were they eligible to compete. Yet, despite this rule, Roygun had not only managed to retain her position as the Head of the House of Belphegor but also remained an active participant in the Rating Games.

And yet, Bedeze—who was just as accomplished as Roygun—had never assumed leadership of the Abaddon Household.

After all, Bedeze Abaddon is an extremely arrogant, self-centered, and conceited individual—someone who would use any means necessary to achieve his goals. The position of Head of the Abaddon Household carries significant political power, and for someone like Bedeze, who looks down on those he deems less talented or weaker than himself, it is highly surprising that he allows Moros Abaddon to retain the title of the Grand Duke.

'It's strange… It's almost as if that rule doesn't apply to her… I wonder why?'

Of course, the answer was quite simple. It wasn't that Roygun was granted a special privilege, but rather that Bedeze himself had chosen not to accept the role of Head.

Why, then, did Bedeze Abaddon refuse to take on the responsibility of leading the Abaddon Household?

Of course, the answer to this question was also quite simple—and it stood right beside Bedeze.

The blonde-busty woman, appearing to be in her late twenties was the key to the mystery.

'They really have a similar shade of blonde hair and strikingly similar facial features, huh?'

'Well, that's not surprising… they're siblings, after all.'

That's right—the woman, Kyra Abaddon, if Seir recalled correctly, was Bedeze Abaddon's elder sister.

But being the elder sister of the third-ranked champion in the Rating Games wasn't Kyra Abaddon's only role. She was also the wife of Grand Duke Abaddon.

Indeed, Kyra Abaddon held the title of Grand Duchess of the House of Abaddon.

'His elder sister is the Grand Duchess, no wonder he isn't concerned about the position of the Head of the House of Abaddon,' thought Seir.

It wasn't that Bedeze didn't want to become the Head of the Abaddon Household—it was simply that he didn't need to. His elder sister, as the wife of the current Head, ensured his influence within the family remained secure.

In this regard, Seir and Bedeze were quite similar.

Bedeze's attitude toward the position of Head of the Abaddon Household mirrored Seir's own feelings about leading the House of Belphegor. Just as Bedeze showed little interest in claiming the Abaddon title while his sister held influence, Seir wasn't particularly concerned about becoming the next Head of Belphegor as long as Roygun remained in charge.

'But Kyra Abaddon, huh? Well, it's indeed a bit odd that the wife of the Head of the House of Abaddon is also an Abaddon herself,' Seir thought, finding the situation a bit strange, but shrugged it off. 'What do I care? This is Abaddon's personal matter… it has nothing to do with me…'

As Seir dismissed the thought, Roygun turned to Kyra and Bedeze, offering an apology. "It seems my little brother has caused some trouble… I'd like to apologize, Lady Abaddon."

Tannin followed suit, saying, "Ah… I apologize as well. This son of mine is the cause of all the trouble…"

But Kyra, wearing a bright smile, shook her head. "Oh, there's no need for an apology, Lady Belphegor, Lord Tannin. As Bedeze said, the gathering was quite dull and needed a bit of excitement. The duel between the children will certainly spice things up. Therefore, I wholeheartedly support the idea of the duel."

Mephisto Pheles gave a light smile and nodded. "I'm glad you feel that way, Lady Abaddon."

"Fufu~ Indeed," Kyra replied to Mephisto with a joyful nod before excusing herself. "Well then, if you'll excuse me for a moment…" She clapped her hands and turned to the servants. "Please prepare an appropriate arena for the duel."

"Yes, my Lady," the servants replied before quickly dispersing to make preparations for the upcoming duel.

At the same time, a butler, who had been watching silently, left the gathering hall and went to a private room within the Abaddon castle to report the details to the Head of the Abaddon Household.

Meanwhile, Roygun began searching for Malakarion and Sephie, only to be surprised when Seir and Vermeil informed her that they were having a private meeting with the Grand Duke.

"Huh? Father and mother are meeting with the Grand Duke privately? What for?"

"I have no clue…" Seir replied with a casual shrug. He genuinely had no idea why his parents were meeting with the Grand Duke in private. Malakarion had left without offering any explanation, and Sephie had soon followed, leaving him in Vermeil's care.

"Is that so?" Roygun murmured, her expression turning thoughtful. She couldn't help but wonder what her parents were discussing with the Grand Duke—especially since they hadn't even mentioned it to her.

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Author's Note:

That's it for this Chapter. Enjoy reading it.

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