Chapter 510: Fall Of The Sin Of Wrath!
___ Purple Garden Guest House ___
Astaroth sat comfortably upon a plush cushion in one of the private chambers of the Purple Garden Guest House, his relaxed posture contrasting sharply with the cold and calculating expression in his eyes.
Two young demon women rested on either side of him, one with her head against his lap while the other leaned comfortably against his shoulder, and Astaroth casually stroked their hair with slow movements as though nothing in the world concerned him.
Yet his attention was entirely focused on the two demons standing before him. Kaja and Cain had been summoned to brief him on the latest developments, and neither of them dared mistake their master’s relaxed posture for a lack of interest.
"That man actually had the guts to invade Cinderfall and interfere with its politics? He can’t just stop making enemies, can he?" Astaroth asked with a faint chuckle, his fingers continuing to run through the hair of the woman resting against him.
The latest reports had reached the Purple Garden Guest House quickly, and considering the scale of Damian’s actions, it was extremely surprising. A Prince entering another Prince’s territory was already provocative enough, but Damian had gone considerably further.
He had killed the Twin Dragons of Wrath, rescued Fulgur, dismantled a five legion force at the Stone Gate and walked away after openly declaring his intention to take the Dragon Throne.
"In his defense, Fulgur has been poisoning Prince Kaizer for a decade now, and he is badly hurt. It will take a while for him to recover and retaliate," the red demon Kaja answered.
"And with this news making rounds, it’s only a matter of time before dragons and Ifrits begin making their way down to Velmora to serve the Prince of Lust. If that happens, it means he has successfully divided two high tier bloodline races, further weakening Prince Kaizer’s position already dwindling influence," Cain added.
The political consequences could be considerably larger than the battle itself. Cinderfall had always relied heavily upon the prestige of the dragon bloodline and the strength of the Ifrits. If both groups began questioning Kaizer’s authority and looking toward another Prince for protection, then the damage would extend far beyond the loss of a few soldiers.
Astaroth chuckled as he leaned farther back into his seat, a vicious gleam appearing in his eyes. In the past, any Prince who invaded Kaizer’s realm would probably have been treated as a threat by him.
Astaroth might have considered Damian an enemy and used his influence with the Council of Elders to place political pressure on him. But circumstances had changed. Damian was no longer simply another ambitious Prince. He was now a potential ally, and the more power he accumulates, the more valuable that alliance could prove.
Especially now that Kaizer had failed to live up to expectations.
Astaroth’s expression hardened slightly as he considered the Dragon Prince’s recent failures. Astaroth had no reason to continue investing his influence in someone who could no longer guarantee results.
"It seems the Dragon Prince is truly a lost cause..." Astaroth frowned slightly, his fingers continuing their slow movement through the woman’s hair as his thoughts shifted toward Damian and the opportunities his actions were creating.
___ Aurelios, Golden Palace ___
Sol’s laughter erupted across the enormous courtroom, shaking the entire chamber with enough force to make several ministers struggle to maintain their footing.
The golden pillars surrounding the hall vibrated beneath the pressure of his voice, while the officials standing throughout the chamber exchanged helpless glances as their God continued laughing at the latest report.
"Since that kid came here, he has managed to keep me entertained. He goes out and does something crazy every week. God damn, I don’t think I was this troublesome back in the days." Sol laughed, rubbing his stomach as he remembered the latest reports from Cinderfall.
Damian had somehow managed to turn what should have been a relatively simple rescue mission into another event capable of shaking the political balance of the Underworld.
"Back in the days, you outrightly killed everyone in Aurelios. There was no one left to give you a reason to cause trouble." Leo yawned lazily from nearby, his enormous body resting comfortably beside the throne.
The lion’s gaze remained lazy for another moment before becoming noticeably more thoughtful. His amusement disappeared as he considered the actual implications of Damian’s actions.
"I’m more curious about why he would take such a risk to save that dragon... It feels a bit..." Leo paused, his words trailing off as he considered the possibilities.
The ministers exchanged glances before the Minister of Works quickly stepped forward. He bowed deeply before presenting the information his people had gathered.
"From the information we were able to gather, Fulgur and the young Prince first met on Earth, the day he defeated Kaizer. From what I was told, he was impressed by the dragon’s demeanor and even tried to recruit him then. So it makes sense he decided to make a move as soon as he found the opportunity to take him in."
Sol’s laughter stopped.
He stood up abruptly, and the entire courtroom immediately fell silent. The change was so sudden that every minister straightened instinctively. Sol’s expression became serious as he looked across the room, and the atmosphere changed from amusement to something considerably heavier.
"Who cares about his relationship with demons... The only thing that matters now is that his actions are weakening our opposition to the Abyssal Throne." Sol began walking down the stairs leading from his elevated platform toward the lower section where his ministers stood.
"When the time finally comes for all demons to die, he will either submit all his subordinates or die alongside them." His words were spoken without hesitation, and there was no hatred behind them.
To Sol, it was simply the inevitable consequence of Damian’s decision to stand against him if Damian ultimately refused to surrender his people.
The ministers stepped aside as Sol approached, creating a path for him to pass through. None dared question the declaration, particularly because everyone in the room understood the larger purpose behind Sol’s relationship with Damian.
"Where are you going?" Leo asked.
Sol stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Duke Darbin will be executed tomorrow alongside his in laws, but my people tell me the Order is planning something big and three million demons have migrated to his capital. I’m curious to see how things will go down."
Leo’s expression became slightly more alert. "You remember what he said about keeping our alliance secret?"
Sol nodded without hesitation. "Don’t worry. I have no plans of interfering. If I ever show myself, it will be to take his life if he fails to follow through with his words." His voice remained calm, but there was absolute certainty behind it.
Leo slowly nodded before pushing himself upright.
Puff!
His huge figure suddenly vanished beneath a burst of amber smoke. A moment later, a much smaller lion cub version of himself appeared on Sol’s shoulder, settling comfortably against the side of his neck as though he had always belonged there.
"I have nothing to do here... I might as well join you." Leo said lazily.
Sol smiled, lifting one finger to gently rub his beard as he looked at the ministers. "I’ll leave this place to you guys while I’m gone. Just scream my name if something goes wrong."
The ministers laughed at the absurdity of the instruction, though none of them doubted that Sol genuinely expected them to do exactly that if necessary. They bowed deeply as Sol turned away and walked out of the courtroom with Leo resting comfortably on his shoulder.
___ Velmora, Violet Palace ___
Bam!
The royal court doors swung open, and Damian entered without slowing his stride. Two unfamiliar figures followed behind him, immediately drawing the attention of every official gathered inside. Conversations died almost instantly as nobles turned toward the entrance, their eyes moving between Damian, Fulgur and Loyd.
The Prince ignored every stare and walked directly toward his throne, his expression remaining unreadable as he ascended the steps and settled into his seat.
Fulgur stopped two steps below the throne and turned around, positioning himself where the entire court could see him. His presence alone generated a wave of uncertainty throughout the chamber. He was a dragon demigod, formerly associated with the Crimson Throne, and his sudden appearance beside Damian raised more questions than anyone was willing to ask aloud.
Loyd meanwhile walked toward the empty position designated for the Ministry of Justice and stopped there, standing quietly while the nobles watched him with growing confusion.
Damian looked across the courtroom at the countless puzzled faces before finally speaking. "From henceforth, Fulgur will serve as my High Censor and Loyd will serve as my Minister of Justice..."
The declaration immediately caused subtle murmurs to spread throughout the chamber. Several nobles exchanged alarmed glances, while others looked toward the members of the established noble families to see how they would react. Damian had not consulted them, nor had he followed the traditional method of filling those positions through the established clans. He had simply decided, and that decision was now law.
An official from the Kitsune clan stepped forward before anyone else could react. He bowed deeply, but there was visible tension in his posture as he gathered the courage to challenge the decision.
"Sire, but this position belongs to our Kitsune clan. The replacement for the Minister of Justice is meant to come from our clan," he argued.
The entire courtroom fell deadly silent. Damian slowly turned his eyes toward the Kitsune official and the man’s throat tightened under that gaze, but he remained standing.
He had just challenged the Prince’s appointment in front of the entire royal court, and everyone present understood that whatever happened next would reveal exactly how much authority Damian intended to give the old noble families over his government.