Chapter 112 - Rating Game!

Chapter 112: Chapter 112 - Rating Game!

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After saying goodbye to the Phenex family, Alear continued making his way through the hall, greeting a few more nobles he hadn’t yet had the opportunity to meet. It wasn’t long, however, before he recognized two familiar figures. Sairaorg was standing near one end of the hall, accompanied by his Queen, Kuisha. The young Bael seemed as calm as usual, maintaining his usual firm and imposing posture, while Kuisha remained discreetly by his side.....

Noticing Alear’s approach, Sairaorg turned his attention toward him. Kuisha was the first to react, taking a step forward and bowing respectfully.

"Archduke H?angenti. It’s an honor to meet you again."

Alear smiled and gave a small nod before turning his attention to Sairaorg. The heir of the Bael family merely lowered his head slightly in greeting, offering a much simpler acknowledgment.

"Lord H?angenti...."

"Sairaorg. Kuisha. It’s good to see you both," Alear replied calmly before looking at his friend with an amused expression. "And you don’t need to be so formal with me. We’ve talked enough for you to know that by now. Make yourself comfortable."

Sairaorg let out a small chuckle and relaxed his posture a little.

"Alright. In that case, Alear..."

"That’s better."

The three continued chatting for a while, setting aside the formalities of the reception. Their conversation naturally turned to Misla, and Alear asked about Sairaorg’s mother’s recovery. The young Bael’s expression immediately softened as he spoke about her.

"She’s recovering very well. She’s even started going out with some old friends again. It’s almost as if she hadn’t been in a coma for several years..."

"I’m glad to hear that. It’s good to know she’s finally getting her health back."

"That’s why I’m grateful to you, Alear. My mother is very grateful as well. She was quite disappointed that she couldn’t attend when she heard you were hosting this party. As you know, only the heir and the head of the family are allowed to attend this kind of event, and her position within the family isn’t exactly an important one." Sairaorg paused briefly, as though he had just remembered something. Then, he took out a small wrapped package he had brought with him. "Actually, she asked me to give you this."

Alear accepted the gift with a slightly surprised expression and looked at the package in his hands.

"For me?"

"Yes. It’s nothing particularly special, but she made it from the heart..."

Curious to discover what was inside, Alear carefully opened the package and stared at the gift for a few seconds. It was some kind of "Labubu," one of those little dolls that had become a massive craze in the Human World, but this particular version was clearly special. The small doll had been made in his likeness, although its miniature size made his features look much funnier than he had expected. He couldn’t help smiling as he imagined the girls’ reactions when they saw it. They would probably love that miniature version of him, which was simultaneously ugly, funny, and strangely adorable. Perhaps it would even be a good idea to have a few copies made later....

While thinking about that, he turned his attention back to Sairaorg and replied with a sincere smile.

"She really didn’t have to do this. But please thank her for me. I’m genuinely happy with this gift, although I’m also curious... How exactly did your mother learn about Labubus? As far as I know, they’ve only recently become popular in the Human World. I didn’t imagine Misla was keeping up with that sort of thing..."

Sairaorg remained silent for a moment. Then, he slowly turned his head toward Kuisha.

His Queen immediately noticed her King’s gaze.

"Ah..." She averted her eyes, discreetly bringing a hand to her mouth as a faint blush appeared on her face.

Alear narrowed his eyes, beginning to understand.

"So you’re the culprit, Miss Kuisha?"

Kuisha coughed discreetly, clearly embarrassed.

"Perhaps..."

"Perhaps?"

Sairaorg sighed, although there was a small smile on his face.

"Kuisha discovered those dolls some time ago. She saw some people from the Human World using them as accessories and became curious. Afterward, she started researching them on her own."

"I just thought they were interesting..." Kuisha quickly explained. "They’re different. When I discovered that some versions had become extremely popular, I started keeping up with the new releases. When Misla-sama began recovering, I thought they might be a good way to distract her. I showed her some pictures and videos, and at first, she thought they looked a little strange too. But eventually, she grew fond of them. She said that smile made the doll look as though it was always plotting something..."

Alear raised an eyebrow and looked back at the little doll in his hands. He had to admit that, upon closer inspection, the little creature really did have a somewhat suspicious expression. Its toothy grin and tiny eyes gave the impression that it was about to get up to some mischief. Even so, there was something about this particular version that bothered him.

"If that’s the case, why does mine look like such an idiot?"

Kuisha remained silent for a moment, looking at the doll and then at Alear. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks before she answered, clearly choosing her words carefully.

"...Actually, Alear-sama, I think it has a rather gentle expression."

"Gentle?"

"Yes." Kuisha nodded quickly. "And... I think it suits the image the Underworld has of you. The ’Messiah of the Underworld’ should have a somewhat friendlier appearance, don’t you think?"

Alear looked at the doll again.

Then he looked at Kuisha.

"Are you saying I look like an idiot to the entire Underworld?"

"That’s not what I meant!"

Sairaorg, who had been standing beside them, finally let out a quiet laugh.

"Kuisha, I think you just made things worse."

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, the conversation continued for a few more minutes, moving on to lighter subjects and the party itself. Sairaorg briefly commented on some of the nobles he had encountered that evening, while Alear shared a few impressions he had formed during his own introductions. The atmosphere between the two remained much more relaxed than the one Alear maintained with most of the other guests. After all, despite their political positions, Sairaorg was someone Alear genuinely considered a friend.

After some time, Alear discreetly glanced at the clock. He had already greeted practically all the important guests of the evening, and the reception had reached a point where it would be appropriate to begin the most important part of the gathering. He raised the glass he was holding and lightly tapped its rim with a finger.

A clear, crystalline sound echoed throughout the hall.

It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to attract the attention of those closest to him. Gradually, the conversations began to die down until they ceased completely. The nobles turned toward Alear, some curious, others already suspecting that something was about to be announced.

Alear waited until he had everyone’s attention before raising his glass a little higher.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for accepting my invitation and joining me this evening. As your host, I would like to propose a toast."

The hall remained silent as everyone waited for his next words.

"Tonight is not merely an opportunity for you to become better acquainted with the new Lord H?angenti. It is also an opportunity for me to become better acquainted with those who are part of Devil society and, hopefully, build relationships that will endure long after this reception comes to an end...."

Some of the nobles exchanged discreet glances at those words. Alear then allowed a small smile to appear on his face.

"And since we’re talking about the future, I believe it would be appropriate to share something with you. Soon, I intend to begin participating in the Rating Games...."

The declaration provoked an immediate reaction. Murmurs spread throughout the hall almost instantly. Some nobles showed genuine surprise, while others began exchanging quiet comments with those standing nearby. The news that Alear intended to enter the Rating Games wasn’t exactly something they had expected to hear that evening, especially because his Peerage was still in the process of being formed.

This was because most High-Class Devils preferred to finish assembling their Peerages before even considering participating in the Rating Games. It was simpler that way, since, with all their Evil Pieces and members accounted for, the group would be ready to compete without having to worry about completing its team along the way. Participating before finishing that process wasn’t impossible, but it wasn’t common either. Therefore, hearing Alear announce that he intended to enter the Rating Games while his own Peerage was still being assembled naturally caught many of those present by surprise....

While murmurs continued spreading throughout the hall, the members of Alear’s Peerage began approaching him, making it clear that his announcement was also a signal for his own team to present itself. Mio was leading the way, accompanied by Maria, Valerie, Ingvield, Meredith, and Echidna. Rin was also among them, although her posture was slightly stiffer than that of the others. She seemed aware that, for the first time, all those eyes were directed at Alear’s Peerage, and that made her somewhat nervous....

Alear noticed their approach and smiled faintly. Once they had all come close enough, he turned back toward Sairaorg, who was still observing the situation with an increasingly interested expression. Alear raised the glass he was still holding and made a small gesture in his direction.

"Sairaorg."

"Hmm?"

"Since we’re talking about the Rating Games..." Alear paused briefly before giving an amused smile. "How about being my first opponent?"

For a few seconds, Sairaorg remained completely motionless. Then, his eyes lit up as he realized what Alear was proposing.

"Are you serious?"

"Completely. We promised each other that during the friendly fight we had when we first met, remember?"

Alear’s answer was accompanied by a calm smile. There was no joking in his words; he genuinely intended to fulfill that promise.

Sairaorg immediately broke into a smile, clearly excited by the possibility.

"Of course I remember! Then I accept!"

His answer was immediate and firm, causing some of the nearby nobles to react at once. The murmurs that had already begun following the previous announcement grew considerably louder, and this time, there was more than just surprise. There was also a hint of excitement.

Sairaorg Bael was known throughout the Underworld as the strongest Young Devil of his generation. Even before officially participating in the Rating Games, his strength had already become a topic of discussion among the nobility, mainly because of his absurd physical capabilities and mastery of hand-to-hand combat....

But was that still true? Was Sairaorg really the strongest of his generation? That was precisely the question that had begun to arise after Alear appeared. With all the accomplishments he had accumulated in such a short time, he had almost unknowingly come to occupy the same position Sairaorg already held among the young Devils. Although little was known about his true strength, what he had demonstrated during the confrontation against the assassins in Agreas made it clear that Alear was far from someone who could be underestimated.

Now, however, the two would finally have the opportunity to discover the answer for themselves.

It would be a confrontation capable of answering the question that had been growing among the young Devils for some time.

Who was truly the strongest of their generation?

Sairaorg still had that smile on his face, clearly thrilled by the idea of their confrontation. He seemed to have completely forgotten that they were in the middle of a formal reception, such was the excitement shining in his eyes.

"Then, when will it be?"

Alear didn’t need to think long before answering.

"One month from now."

"One month?"

"Yes. I think that’s enough time for both sides to prepare properly. You’ll have time to organize your team, and I’ll also be able to finish the final preparations for my Peerage."

Sairaorg nodded immediately. To him, the wait wasn’t a problem. On the contrary, three days meant three days to prepare for a battle that was already beginning to stir his fighting spirit.

"Then it’s settled. One month from now...."

Alear raised his glass again.

"One month from now."

Sairaorg also raised his own glass, and the two brought them together in a simple toast. Upon noticing the gesture, the other guests began raising their own glasses, joining the toast. Within seconds, practically everyone in the hall was participating.

"To our battle."

"To our battle."

Their glasses clinked together, and the sound of glass echoed throughout the hall as the nobles drank. The atmosphere, which had previously been filled with murmurs and speculation, now seemed much livelier. Everyone knew they had just witnessed the beginning of a confrontation that would probably be talked about for a long time.

Then, a few claps began to echo.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The sound came from somewhere in the hall and, for some reason, seemed completely out of place amid the rest of the celebration. The clapping continued for several more seconds, causing the conversations to gradually fade away one after another.

Alear slowly lowered his glass and turned his gaze toward the sound, narrowing his eyes when he noticed a man walking in his direction while continuing to clap, a fake smile plastered across his lips. The way he approached, completely indifferent to the silence that had fallen over the hall, made it clear that this interruption was no coincidence....

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(A/N: What if I told you that, for the price of a cup of coffee, you could be 35 Chapters ahead of the story? We’re starting Volume Two there! It focuses on the human world, no more politics! There’s much more action!

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