Chapter 551: The Lucifer Clan has a territory.
The sun rose lazily over the Agares territory. The first rays of light streamed through the mansion’s renovated windows, filtering through the curtains and creating reddish patterns on the polished marble floor. There were no sounds of battle, no echoes of monsters, no suffocating tension hanging in the air. For the first time in a long time, it was just an ordinary day.
Vergil woke slowly, feeling the warm weight of a delicate arm draped over his chest. He opened his eyes and saw Katharina nestled beside him, fast asleep, her red hair spread across the pillow like flames.
A small smile escaped his lips—rare, but genuine.
He stretched, trying to move without waking her, but failed miserably when she murmured something sleepy.
“Um… are you getting up already?” he asked hoarsely, still half-asleep.
“Someone needs to make sure the house is still standing,” Vergil replied sarcastically.
Katharina opened only one eye, staring at him lazily. “The house is standing. Viviane rebuilt it better than before. You can sleep a little longer.”
He just chuckled softly and stood up. In the hallway, the smell of fresh bread and tea was already wafting through. It was no surprise to find Viviane in the kitchen, already wearing an apron, her brown hair tied in a messy bun.
“Good morning, master,” she greeted, smiling, her excitement unmistakably hidden.
“Don’t you ever rest?” Vergil arched an eyebrow.
“Rest is for those who have nothing to do,” she replied, stirring a pan. “And I like taking care of you.”
He leaned against the door, watching her with that look that mixed approval and provocation.
“If it were up to you, no one in this house would remember how to cook.”
Viviane just laughed, placing still-warm loaves of bread on the table. Soon, one by one, the others appeared. Roxanne appeared first, complaining about the clanging of pots and pans. Ada followed, impeccable as always, though her eyes betrayed she’d had little sleep. Stella followed close behind, already arguing with Roxanne for reasons no one understood.
Raphaeline appeared serious, but with a softness in her eyes she rarely displayed. Sepphirothy entered silently, always mysterious, but her eyes roamed the kitchen as if taking in every detail. Sapphire was last, her demonic aura contrasting with the domestic atmosphere, but she still took a seat at the table, as if it were the most natural place in the world.
Breakfast was lively. Roxanne and Stella argued over who would eat the last piece of cake; Ada sighed, saying it was childish; Raphaeline tried unsuccessfully to mediate; Sapphire chuckled quietly at the commotion; and Sepphirothy watched everything with an almost amused silence.
Katharina finally appeared, still fixing her hair, and sat down next to Vergil, who was already drinking his coffee.
“You look like a normal family,” he commented sarcastically.
“Aren’t we?” Roxanne replied with her mouth full, ignoring all notions of etiquette.
“A normal family wouldn’t have you as a father,” Ada retorted.
Vergil smiled, pleased with the provocation. “And yet, here you all are.”
The lighthearted atmosphere continued for the rest of the morning. After the meal, Vergil suggested they enjoy the day off. There was no training, battles, or meetings. Just… rest.
Katharina wanted to take him to the newly renovated garden, where colorful flowers lined the carefully tended flowerbeds. She spoke proudly about every detail of the organization, and Vergil, despite not being particularly interested in botany, listened patiently. For him, seeing the sparkle in her eyes was enough.
Meanwhile, Roxanne and Stella decided to settle their differences in a “friendly game” in the courtyard. Vergil watched from afar, watching the two face off with practice swords. The duel quickly ceased to be friendly and became a veritable battle of egos. In the end, both were sweaty, laughing and complaining, but satisfied.
Viviane, on the other hand, insisted on showing off the mansion’s new details. She led Vergil through the redecorated hallways, pointing out each chosen piece of furniture, each hanging tapestry. There was pride in her voice, but also a desire to be recognized. Vergil, sensing this, spared no compliments.
“You’ve transformed this place into something worthy of us,” he said, his hand resting briefly on hers. Viviane blushed immediately, her heart racing.
Ada spent most of the day in the library, immersed in ancient books. Vergil found her silent, surrounded by stacks of parchment.
“Are you incapable of relaxing?” he teased.
“I relax by reading,” she replied without looking up. “Someone in this house needs to keep their brain working.”
He chuckled softly and left her alone.
Raphaeline took advantage of the day to train alone, but it wasn’t a strenuous workout—just graceful movements, almost like a sword dance. Vergil watched from a distance, appreciating her discipline.
Sapphire, in contrast, spent the afternoon lying down.
Well… At least they wouldn’t know…
A few hours ago…
“Hello,” Sepphirothy said with her usual calm, her icy eyes roaming over the figures before her: Paimon, Astaroth, Amon, and Phenex.
The room where they found themselves was plunged into solemn darkness, with only the blue flames of the candelabras illuminating the stone walls. It wasn’t often that she appeared before the four demonic leaders. It had been months—nine, to be exact—since she had last exchanged words with them. Still, their disappearance didn’t seem to have affected her. Her own plans continued at the same pace, relentless.
Astaroth was the first to break the silence. His smile was laced with sarcasm, but his eyes didn’t hide his curiosity.
“You disappeared, hm?” he commented, resting his chin on his hand. “Don’t tell me you decided to… take a vacation.”
Sepphirothy smiled slightly, a cold smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“If you want to call it that… I was in the Forest of Apocalypse.”
The words fell hard, like stones thrown into a lake. The four exchanged glances immediately. None of them interrupted, waiting for her to reveal more.
She didn’t make them wait long.
“There’s no point in beating around the bush.” Her voice was firm, like the pounding of a hammer. “Just know that… my son’s territory has been stabilized.”
The impact was immediate.
Amon’s chair scraped with a crash as he stood up suddenly. His eyes burned, locking with hers with intensity.
“He… managed to break that matrix?!”
The silence in the room seemed to vibrate with disbelief.
Sepphirothy merely tilted her chin, confirming with a simple nod.
Then, as if a wave of power had been unleashed, her aura overflowed. It was no ordinary demonic energy—there was a divine weight to it, a shadow of something that transcended simple hellish hierarchy. The air grew thick, suffocating, forcing even Paimon and Phenex to sit up straighter.
“The Forest…” she said, each word laden with authority, “belongs to the Lucifer Clan.”
Her eyes gleamed, as sharp as blades.
“If any of you dare touch that territory… it will not be intrigue, it will not be contention.” She paused, letting the silence build tension. “It will be war.”