Chapter 539: Princes Of Hell

___ Gildreach Vault ___

Gildreach Vault was a realm where wealth was not merely displayed but worshipped. Every pillar of the vast throne room was carved into the shape of golden beasts, every wall was decorated with precious metals and gemstones, and even the enormous ten step staircase leading toward the throne seemed to have been forged from solid gold.

Yet despite the overwhelming wealth surrounding them, none of the overweight ministers occupying the court dared to smile. How could they possibly smile in the presence of so much wealth when their Prince was furious?

Bam!

Lazarus slammed his fist against the armrest of his golden bull throne, the impact echoing throughout the hall as his cold gaze swept across the ministers.

"Are you certain of this?" He asked, his voice carrying a dangerous calm that made several officials lower their heads even further.

Hagrid stood on the third stair of the ten step staircase leading toward the throne, his expression equally serious. Before him, a spy dressed in unassuming civilian clothes remained bowed with his forehead nearly touching the golden floor.

"Yes, my lord... The Prince of Velmora walked around the capital, interacting with locals and even helping some of them move heavy objects. Moreover, his hair had turned black again, and he looked much healthier than before. We believe fighting Duke Dantalion had only drained him, but now he has recovered. He seems perfectly fine apart from his dead right arm... Clearly, the Prince has no way of fixing that." The spy reported carefully, knowing that one wrong word could turn his report into a death sentence.

Lazarus’ expression darkened. "That useless bastard... How many thousands of gold did I throw into his scheme in Velmora? I spent so much to buy him a large army, convert civilians and soldiers into members of the Order, and he has the guts to die with nothing to show for all my investments?!"

His ministers abruptly dropped to their knees and planted their heads against the ground, trembling despite the fact that they were not the ones Lazarus was angry with. The sheer pressure radiating from their Prince was enough to make their bodies stiffen.

"Calm down, Sire. Have you forgotten that the greatest strength of the Sin of Lust is not its destructive capabilities, but deception?" Hagrid, the High Censor of Gildreach Vault, finally spoke, drawing the attention of the entire court.

Several ministers cautiously raised their heads.

"Lord Hagrid is right... The Prince of Velmora must have hidden his injuries somehow and appeared in public just to deceive you." One minister quickly added, his voice carrying more desperation than confidence.

The others immediately nodded in agreement, eager to support anything that might calm their Prince.

Hagrid rolled his eyes at their eagerness before turning his attention back toward Lazarus. "Act strong when you are weak and weak when you are strong... I believe the young Prince is acting according to those rules of deception." Hagrid explained.

Lazarus’ cold eyes gradually softened as he considered the possibility. After several seconds, he slowly nodded.

"And your spies?" Lazarus asked. "Any words from them?"

Hagrid shook his head with a bitter smile. "The Prince of Velmora pushed out all members of the Kitsune, Nagen, and Succubus clans from the capital, while the officials who remain in the capital are under heavy supervision by his army. It’s impossible for them to send out word without exposing themselves."

Tsk!

Lazarus frowned while tapping his fingers against the armrest of his golden bull throne. "He is cautious... More cautious than Lin Qui."

"Sire... The last message I received after my clan members and their allies were pushed out of the capital revealed that the three ruling clans are now under investigation for their crimes under Lin Qui’s reign. All members of the clans in various provinces are being watched and prevented from leaving the realm. I believe the Prince of Velmora is trying to enact a purge that may reach my sister and her sisters. If we do not act, he may kill them!" Hagrid cupped his fists and bowed, his voice becoming increasingly urgent.

Lazarus’ face twisted into an ugly frown. "Not only did he steal from me, now he dares try to kill what is mine?"

Hagrid smiled while keeping his face lowered. Lazarus’ obsession with Hazel, Racheal, and Ruby had been his saving grace, allowing Hagrid to amass wealth and influence within Gildreach. He had carefully cultivated that obsession for thousands of years, knowing that the Prince’s fixation on the three women could eventually be turned into something far more useful. Now, he intended to use that same influence to push Lazarus toward Velmora and claim the throne of power.

"Continue with the preparations. The Prince of Velmora will not live beyond the day of his coronation!" Lazarus declared.

"Yes... Sire!" Hagrid replied in a devoted tone as he raised his face, a faint smile hidden beneath his lowered gaze.

___ Cinderfall, Crimson Palace ___

Cinderfall, Crimson Palace, was far less extravagant than Gildreach Vault, but the atmosphere within its massive crimson throne room was infinitely more oppressive. The walls were carved with ancient draconic symbols, enormous pillars supported the dark ceiling, and the faint heat radiating from the volcanic realm outside seeped into the chamber. Yet none of the ministers seemed concerned with the oppressive heat. Their attention remained fixed upon the crimson throne, where Kaizer sat in silence.

"Sire, you can’t. You are already injured, and you have lost two of your best generals. If you leave the realm, your enemies will take the opportunity to gang up on you!" A dragon minister knelt before the Crimson Throne with his head pressed against the floor.

Kaizer’s face twisted with rage, but he said nothing. Unlike before, he no longer had the luxury of wasting words. A decade of heavy poisoning had ravaged his body, leaving his lungs severely damaged and forcing him to expend five times the effort simply to breathe. He had long since stopped wasting that precious effort on pointless banter.

Duke Kol stepped forward, his eyes burning with fury. "Nearly half of the members of the Draconian and my Ifrit clan have defected and are currently en route to Velmora to serve a human, and you dare stop His Majesty from seeking revenge on the man that killed Kai and Koi?! Minister Gurk, WHO DO YOU TRULY SERVE?!"

Gurk slowly turned toward Kol, his face burning with anger. "Silence, you piece of shit. My duty is to prioritize the safety of His Majesty no matter the situation, and that is what I plan to do. Or are you eager to see His Majesty fall in hopes of installing an Ifrit Prince?!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?!" Duke Kol bellowed, his demonic force surging through the chamber.

"Enough..." Kaizer said in a surprisingly low voice.

The single word carried enough authority to silence both of them. Kaizer leaned back against his crimson throne, his crimson eyes glowing with a cold gleam as he stared at the two men.

Duke Kol and Minister Gurk immediately bowed and stepped back to their respective positions without hesitation.

"Lord Astaroth reached out to me last night, explaining that the situation in Velmora is not as bright as many may think." Kaizer began, his voice quiet but steady. "According to him, even Sol was scheming to kill whoever survived the fight between Dantalion and the Prince of Velmora, but he thwarted it."

Buzz!

The entire room fell silent. Every minister held their breath, and the mention of Sol alone was enough to make the atmosphere feel considerably heavier.

"He what?" Duke Kol asked, his voice suddenly losing its earlier confidence.

The thought of Sol wielding both the Pride and Lust inheritances caused goosebumps to spread across his skin. If the two inheritances ever fell into the hands of the same being, the consequences for the Underworld were almost impossible to comprehend.

"Astaroth also informed me that the Prince of Gildreach Vault has plans of killing the Prince of Velmora on the day of his coronation... So there is no need for us to get involved personally. That Prince is doomed to die. Just not by our hands..." Kaizer said as he leaned back against his throne.

"I see... That’s good news then!" Duke Kol laughed, and the other ministers nodded firmly.

It was in their best interest to allow someone else to deal with the growing threat represented by the Prince of Velmora. And if there was one person who possessed enough resources and ambition to attempt such a thing, it was the Prince of Gildreach Vault.

__Nulldeep, Pale Palace ___

Far from the tension of Cinderfall and Gildreach, Nulldeep remained eerily quiet. The Pale Palace lived up to its name, its enormous white halls almost devoid of unnecessary movement.

At the center of the palace, Aien’s head rested comfortably on the thick, succulent lap of a succubus seated upon his Sloth Throne, while two other succubi lazily fanned both of them. Another succubus attempted to feed him berries, but Aien simply shook his head like a child refusing food.

His eyes remained completely closed, while his long white hair covered much of the throne because he was too lazy to cut it. Even his robes were messy and loosely worn, as though properly dressing himself had simply been too much effort.

"Why are you bringing me news of this?" Aien asked while staring at the male informant dressed in civilian clothes.

"I... I thought you should know, Sire." The informant lowered his head further.

Aien’s eyes barely opened, faintly revealing his sky blue irises beneath his pale eyelids. "Now I know. What do you expect me to do?" Aien asked.

"Sire...." The spy kept his head low, his voice trailing off as he struggled to find an answer.

Aien slowly sat upright and yawned lightly, shutting his eyes tightly afterward. "I’ll say this only one more time... Unless it’s news of something that directly affects my realm, don’t bother bringing it. What my siblings do is none of my business. Whoever becomes Demon Lord will get my support."

Aien said before turning his head toward the succubus beside him. "That is what you should tell his replacement."

Buzz!

The spy’s face twisted in horror. He sprang to his feet and immediately began running toward the exit without hesitation.

"I’m sorry, Sire!!!" He begged as he fled.

Aien calmly turned his attention toward the fleeing figure, watching him disappear farther down the pale corridor.

Bang!

An invisible force suddenly struck the man from behind, blasting his soul out of his collapsing body. His physical form fell peacefully against the floor while his soul remained suspended in the air, trembling violently.

"Please, Sire... I was wrong!!!" The man’s soul screamed as he desperately struggled against the invisible force pulling him backward.

The soul kicked and thrashed, desperately attempting to escape, but it could not resist the powerful suction force erupting from Aien’s body. Inch by inch, the terrified soul was dragged across the chamber until it was finally pulled directly toward the Prince’s waiting lips.

Aien opened his mouth and calmly swallowed the soul.

"Since you won’t let me rest in peace, I granted you eternal rest." Aien chuckled sinisterly.