Chapter 407: The Forgotten Past - I

Tartarus was the highest level of the Underworld, where the Nobles and Royals resided.

It consisted of massive continents floating in midair beneath a perpetual midnight sky, suspended above another vast landmass that housed the upper demon population. Beneath them stretched the remaining levels, descending into the terrifying depths of eternal hellfire.

At the highest level, the central floating landmass housed Las Noches, the Royal Palace of Eternal Night, where the Devil Raizel, the current ruler of the Underworld, resided with his queen, Lilith Rhae Valtherion.

Surrounding the central continent were smaller, interconnected landmasses, each belonging to a demon prince who ruled from his own palace. Encircling these princely domains were smaller floating islands belonging to the high nobility.

The second-largest territory belonged to the next ordained Devil and housed the majestic Rios Palace, the seat of the Crown Prince Gavriel Rios Valtherion.

Now, some might wonder why Gavriel had a different middle name from the other princes. The answer lay in an ancient law of the Underworld.

Only Devils possessed beasts of their own, and Raizel’s beast name was Rhaegor. Thus, he bore the middle name Rhae, which was shared by every other prince and the queen, with one exception... Gavriel.

As the next ordained Devil, Gavriel was born with a beast of his own, Bellarios. His middle name, Rios, was derived from his beast’s name. Once Gavriel ascended the throne, his queen and the next generation of Royals would bear the middle name Rios.

Such was the law of the Underworld.

Currently, Gavriel was only twenty-five years old.

He walked quietly through the grand corridors of his obsidian palace, where massive pillars, golden carvings, and soaring arches stretched into high celestial ceilings. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm amber glow across the polished black marble floors, while towering statues stood like silent, eternal guardians along the hall.

Beyond the arches, a breathtaking sky-city of towering spires and floating castles rose above luminous clouds, surrounded by cascading waterfalls of blue light beneath a star-filled violet sky.

The entire palace exuded ancient power and otherworldly grandeur.

But his gaze was not fixed on the familiar scenery beyond the arches.

Instead, it lingered on the hand that had held Hera in the forest moments earlier, when her pet had slipped from her grasp to chase another small beast. Startled by the sudden movement, she had stumbled, and he had caught her just in time.

His eyes narrowed at the memory of how she had immediately pushed away from him, as though his touch had scalded her. For some inexplicable reason, her reaction had irritated him more than it should have.

He hadn’t had another opportunity to speak with her. She had simply retrieved her pet and hurried away without so much as a word.

Gavriel curled his hand into a tight fist at the mere thought of her escape. "Hera... what an odd one," he whispered under his breath.

Lowering his fist, his gaze shifted forward as he sensed another presence entering his hall.

A glowing silver magic circle materialised on the polished marble floor a short distance away. From the shimmering light stepped a tall, striking male with long silver hair and silver eyes.

"Brother." The man greeted him with a nod.

Gavriel approached him. "What brings you here, Belial?"

Belial was recognized as the first legitimate prince of the realm, being Queen Lilith’s eldest child with the King. Though he was technically the King’s third child, the first two sons were born to mistresses through the use of forbidden magic. As a result, those elder sons were declared illegitimate, demoting them to the sixth and seventh positions in court hierarchy.

Belial offered a faint smile. "Mother sent me. They request your presence at Las Noches."

Gavriel’s eyes narrowed in immediate suspicion. "Don’t tell me another noble is attempting to throw their daughter at me."

Belial chuckled. "Well, out of all of us, only you and Zereph don’t have any concubines yet. The nobles are growing restless, but they know they cannot pressure you into marriage, since your queen can only be your destined mate. So, this is the only other way they can think of securing a connection to you."

Gavriel’s eyes grew even colder. "Never. The nobles pushed Father into a mistake, and now both he and Mother suffer the consequences. Those aristocrats can only dream of me ever taking any of their daughters."

Belial sighed, falling into step beside him as they walked through the grand corridor. "I feel the same as you, brother." He looked toward the sweeping sky outside, his voice dropping to a quiet murmur. "Our parents are cursed because of one foolish choice Father made. Yet Mother and Father simply wish to see someone by our side before..."

He left the sentence unfinished, well aware that the deadly curse born from tampering with the mate bond was slowly claiming their parents’ lives. Belial let out another quiet breath, knowing how deeply Gavriel despised the subject. "I only accepted those women into my halls to fulfil their wish."

Gavriel cast a sharp side-eye toward his older brother. "You have nearly a hundred of them in your palace. I am sure Mother is thrilled."

Belial chuckled softly. "It is not entirely unpleasant, you know. They certainly ensure you are never lonely. Now Mother is pressuring me to choose a wife. I am certain you will find a few women to your liking as well-"

Gavriel came to an abrupt halt and shot his brother a sharp look. "What’s the point of this when my queen can only be my true mate? I would far rather wait for the right woman than entertain a crowd and invite political factions into my own home."

Belial smirked, unbothered by his brother’s icy glare. "You are missing the point, Riel. It is about simple companionship. After all, none of us knows when your true mate will finally appear."

"I can find companionship if I desire it. There’s no need to build a harem for that." Gavriel raised his hand and opened a portal. "I’ll see you around."

With that, he stepped through and disappeared, leaving Belial clicking his tongue in disappointment. "Ah, brother... you are truly missing out."

.....

Meanwhile, in one of the most prestigious noble households of the Underworld, the House of Ravenor, Hera lay sprawling across her mattress, thoroughly exhausted after a chaotic ordeal of bathing Ceri.

She stared up at the opulent ceiling, her chest rising and falling as she gasped for air. "Who would have thought caring for a tiny pet would be so much work?"

Without warning, Ceri climbed onto her chest. He tilted his small head, staring intently at the woman who had dared subject him to aromatic oils and warm water.

Hera looked into his bright eyes, a tender smile breaking across her face. "You are too mischievous for your own good."

Ceri let out a soft, melodic coo that dissolved her remaining exhaustion. She wrapped her hands around his fluffy form, pulling him close. "And far too adorable."

The little creature licked her cheek affectionately, causing Hera to burst into lighthearted laughter at the ticklish sensation.

Just then, a sudden knock sounded at the door, startling Hera.

Instinctively, Ceri leapt down from the bed, his little body beginning to glow as he growled at the intruder.

Hera’s eyes widened in horror as the pup began to swell in size. "Ceri, no! Stop!"

She threw herself in front of the creature just as the double doors swung open. A young woman with sharp features, cascading dark brown hair, and crimson eyes entered the room.

"Lady Hera, your mother requested your-" The woman stopped dead in her tracks, her gaze locking onto a dangerous beast growing in size behind Hera. Her face went pale. "By the seven hells!"