Chapter 7: Sure, But You’ll Have to Pay More

nside the guest room—

While waiting for Sona, Lucien was practicing with his Sacred Gear.

Extending his left hand—

The crimson gauntlet of the Boosted Gear materialized.

[Boost!]

The emerald gem radiated brilliance.

As it pulsed, Lucien's strength doubled.

"Not enough."

Lucien maintained the Boosted Gear's activation.

Ten seconds later—

[Boost!]

The jewel flashed again, amplifying his power once more.

"Still not enough."

Lucien wanted to test his limits.

"Issei Hyoudou, right after reincarnation, was able to take down a Mid-Class Fallen Angel just by relying on his Sacred Gear and sheer willpower."

"His Dragon Shot, after being boosted, had the firepower of a High-Class Devil."

"A newly reincarnated Low-Class Devil could manage that—so there's no reason why I, at the peak of Low-Class strength, can't."

[Boost!]

[Boost!]

[Boost!]

[Boost!]

After stacking over a dozen boosts, Lucien finally hit his limit.

Exhale...

Letting out a long breath, he closed his eyes and focused on adapting to this state.

Until he unlocked his Balance Breaker, this would likely be his most frequently used ability.

A few minutes later, Lucien deactivated the Boosted Gear.

The crimson gauntlet vanished instantly, and he slumped onto the couch.

[Lucien, here's some tea to restore your energy.]

Agumon carefully handed Lucien a cup of tea.

She was genuinely happy to see him getting stronger.

Now, he could fight alongside her.

And the stronger he became, the less burdened he would feel.

Having been by Lucien's side for so long, Agumon knew just how much effort he had put in despite his lack of natural talent in combat.

Now, that hard work was finally paying off, and Agumon couldn't be happier for him.

"Thanks, Agumon."

Lucien downed the hot tea in one gulp.

Steam rose behind him.

Seconds later, the tea's effects kicked in, rapidly restoring his magic, stamina, and mental energy.

The only reason he had access to such high-quality tea was due to his "Leviathan Bloodline Heir" status.

Regular Low-Class Devils would never be able to afford it.

An hour later—

Lucien had recovered about sixty to seventy percent of his strength.

Whoosh~

The glow of a teleportation circle flickered.

Within the array, the insignia of the Sitri family gleamed, identifying the visitor.

Sona Sitri—Lucien's fiancée.

As the magic faded, two girls dressed in Kuoh Academy uniforms appeared.

As a High-Class Devil, Sona typically brought her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra, to formal occasions.

Seeing his fiancée again, Lucien's gaze carried a hint of appreciation.

He admitted—Sona was a true beauty.

Among the "cool, intellectual literature girl" archetype, she was undoubtedly one of the finest.

Her fair and flawless skin, noble yet cold demeanor, and the rose-colored eyes behind her glasses exuded both gentleness and an underlying sharpness.

Beneath her slender waist, her smooth, well-proportioned thighs were highly alluring.

Though not as voluptuous as Rias, her figure was sleek and well-toned—

The kind that would feel just right if wrapped around someone's waist.

Not just Sona, but even her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra, exuded elegance.

Like Akeno Himejima, Tsubaki carried the refined aura of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

The key difference?

Akeno's warmth was like flowing water, whereas Tsubaki's was deeply concealed beneath a composed exterior.

"Lucien-kun, it's been a while."

Sona adjusted her glasses, performing the formal greeting customary among High-Class Devils.

She found something strange.

The way Lucien looked at her—it was different from before.

Previously, Lucien's gaze carried the intensity of a competitor and someone seeking dominance.

Now, however, he looked at her on equal footing—even sizing her up.

She didn't like it.

A few minutes later—

Seated at a luxurious redwood table,

Lucien and Sona sat opposite each other, with Agumon and Tsubaki standing nearby in attendance.

After sipping the tea served by Nao Hayasaka—completing the formal etiquette of High-Class Devils—Sona finally got to the point.

"Lucien-kun, I assume Rias has already spoken to you about this matter?"

"That matter?" Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"I'm talking about our engagement, Lucien-kun. I'm here to annul it." Sona stated bluntly.

After a brief silence, Lucien slowly spoke.

"So, the news about you breaking off our engagement… You deliberately leaked it to Rias?"

"That's right. It was intentional." Sona nodded calmly.

"I understand Rias' personality."

"If I annul our engagement, she would certainly take the easiest and most effective approach to counteract her engagement to Riser."

"So, I estimated that upon learning the news in advance, there was an 80% chance she would seek cooperation with you."

"And from the looks of it, I was completely correct."

"As expected of Sona, accurately predicting Rias' actions."

Lucien took a sip of tea, offering her a small compliment.

No wonder Sona came to visit so soon.

She had been keeping an eye on his and Rias' interactions all along.

[Sona is truly meticulous—even breaking off an engagement requires a strategy.]

[By giving me a beneficial opportunity before delivering bad news, she ensures I won't be too resistant to the annulment.]

[She really calculates everything down to the finest detail.]

"Yes, I already know about the annulment."

"But Sona, don't you think you're being a bit too crafty?"

Lucien countered calmly.

"Even if you hadn't leaked the information, Rias would have done the same thing upon learning about our engagement ending."

"Which means the only price you paid—was simply informing her in advance."

"Quite the shrewd play~ Are you trying to maximize your benefits?"

Hearing this, Sona lowered her gaze slightly.

"So… does this mean Lucien-kun refuses to dissolve our engagement?"

She had hoped he would agree to the annulment after receiving compensation.

But from the looks of it, she still had more negotiating to do.

"It's not that I refuse, but the price isn't high enough."

"Sona, you should understand by now—I'm not like you nobles. I'm just a poor man who values money above all else."

"As long as you offer the right price, I'm willing to agree to anything. It's just an engagement—if you want to end it, fine."

Lucien had never been in a hurry.

Because no matter what Sona did, as long as he remained passive and avoided giving her any leverage, he held the absolute upper hand.

Sona rubbed her forehead, exhaling slightly.

It seemed she wouldn't be able to escape without making concessions.

Sona sighed and got straight to the point.

"Fine, name your price."

"I want…"

"Three drops of Phoenix Tears."

"One drop to extend our engagement by a year. Give me three at once, and I'll immediately agree to the annulment."

"Impossible!"

With Lucien's exorbitant demand, the negotiation broke down instantly.

"Sona, it's rare to see you get angry." Lucien waved his hand dismissively, acting as if she were overreacting.

"I—!"

Sona pursed her lips but refrained from snapping back.

"It's just that Lucien-kun proposed an unrealistic demand."

"Three drops of Phoenix Tears? Do you even know what you're asking for?"

Her expression darkened slightly as she returned to her seat.

"So, you think three drops of Phoenix Tears is too much?"

"Of course."

Sona recalled that her sister, Serafall, had compensated Lucien with a single drop when breaking off their engagement.

Even a Maou only gave him one.

Why did it suddenly increase to three for her?

Did inflation hit over the last three years!?

"Since we can't reach an agreement, let's settle it the traditional devil's way."

"Might makes right. The strong dictate the terms, and the weak obey."

"Best of three matches. If you win, I'll immediately agree to annul the engagement."

"If I win, then you will marry me immediately—dress in a wedding gown that night and surrender both body and heart to me." Lucien smirked, throwing out a sharp hook.

...

"Fine, if that's what you want, then we'll compete!"

Sona ignored the second half of Lucien's statement.

To her, he was merely trying to save face.

Lose?

Whether it was strategy, intellect, personal strength, or overall team ability, she saw no scenario in which she could possibly lose.

With a best-of-three format, even if she lost one round, she would still guarantee her victory.

The moment Sona agreed, Lucien heard the system's notification.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Host! Villain Sign-In Activated!]

[Sign-In Tier: Purple.]

[Sign-In Type: Multi-Stage Event Sign-In.]

[Sign-In Event: Do Not Underestimate the Poor Youth.]

[Do Not Underestimate the Poor Youth: When an ex-fiancée comes to annul an engagement, there is no need to back down when one has strength!]

[Defeat your fiancée in all three matches. Each victory grants a reward.]

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, Host! Villain Sign-In Activated!]

[Sign-In Tier: Silver.]

[Sign-In Type: Location-Based Sign-In.]

[Sign-In Location: Sona's Kiss (Note: Must be Initiated by Sona).]

Hearing the system notifications, Lucien smirked.

Perfect.

He had been meaning to test whether his succubus bloodline had any effect on High-Class Devils.

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