Chapter 3
"Master Raizel, wake up..."
The beautiful young boy groaned as he felt someone shake his shoulder, and groggily opened his eyes as he sensed his sleeping partner wake up in his arms.
"What is it, Hilda?" He recognised the voice of the woman who woke him up. "Please let me sleep some more..." He requested the yellow-haired woman, who possessed beautiful green eyes.
"Mama, please." Freya too was not happy at being woken up so soon, but despite her words, she was already sitting up and stretching her limbs, not minding her nakedness in front of her mother.
"You two can continue sleeping after your birthday party, Master Raizel." The maid smiled as his eyes widened in realisation.
"It's Sunday?" He asked.
"Yes. Now get up and get ready. I have already prepared your suit. And you too, Freya. Get ready and help Master Raizel." Her voice deepened on her last sentence which was directed at her daughter, causing her to flinch at her words.
"Yes!" Freya fearfully stood up and immediately rushed into the dressing room to get ready.
"What time is it?" Raizel lazily asked and then stood up as well, stretching his back.
"It's late afternoon, and guests are already arriving." She informed him. "Ban and Moka are waiting for the two of you, and they are growing quite impatient."
"Let them wait some more then." He replied and walked towards the dressing room, but a sudden thought stopped him in his tracks, and then he turned to look at the beautiful maid. "Is Mother tonight's Host?"
"No, Master Raizel. That would be you and Lady Asmodeus."
Hearing her answer, he sighed and depressedly shook his head.
He knew that it was going to be a very busy evening, and seeing his dejected state, Hilda started giggling.
"It will be fine. Neil and I will be there as well."
"Thank you." He smiled at her and then continued walking into the dressing room.
When he came out with Freya, all dressed up in white, he quizzically raised his brow when he saw the yellow-haired maid apologetically smiling.
"There's something urgent that needs your attention, Master Raizel. Your mother wants you to deal with a certain matter."
"Right now?"
"I am afraid, yes." She nodded and then turned to look at her daughter. "Go and be with Moka and Ban. You will inform the guests that Master Raizel will be a little late."
"Yes, Mother." Freya nodded to her and then smiled at Raizel before brisking out of the room.
"Let's talk." The young Darcaedes walked over to Hilda, who had already summoned a Magical Circle. And then the two of them disappeared from the room and appeared inside the Dungeon in their territory, where some of the most nefarious criminals of the Underworld were kept.
"The head of a branch Family of the Nebiros Clan, Zeroma Nebarius, was killed on Friday Night along with all of his peerage and several clansmen."
"Who was responsible?" He uninterestedly asked.
"Zeroma Nebarius' Bishop, Kuroka," Hilda informed him, and Raizel looked at her in surprise.
"She managed to break through the bindings of servitude and killed her own King?"
"Yes."
"Not bad." A devilish grin crept on his face.
"And she successfully managed to run away from the forces of Devildom until she fell in the hands of Bahamut, who caught onto her scent as soon as she trespassed the Darcaedes Territory."
"Ouch." He feigned a wince, knowing well that the prisoner was likely not in good shape.
Bahamut was his mother's Rook and one of the most powerful dragons in existence. He was quite an eccentric, who loved beating people up for no particular reason other than to make them realise how powerful he was.
He had once even tried to refuse Raizel from riding on his back, but one glare from his mother had tamed and convinced him to let the young Prince ride on him for an entire day.
"Where is he?"
"He flew off after he dropped her here."
Raizel shook his head in disappointment. It had been a while since he had met that old man. And he was in the mood to take a ride on a dragon tonight.
Arriving outside a cell, the first thing he noticed about its occupant were her pair of beautiful glowing golden eyes with slits in them, and he found it quite amusing that they were glaring at him.
"My, my, what do we have here?" He smirked as he placed his hand on the cage, where a Magical Circle appeared to scan it. As soon as the scan was complete, the cage opened, and he leisurely walked inside to the prisoner's dismay. "A Nekomata?" He playfully furrowed his brows. "No, you are even more special." He reached his hand forward, ignoring the girl's threatening glare, and lifted her chin. "And you have very sharp instincts."
Raizel inspected the girl as if she were some sort of doll, and despite all her reservations, the Nekomata did not dare to make a rash move.
Her instincts were screaming at her that one wrong move would end everything for her. And she had no intentions of dying anytime soon.
"Hilda. Remind me about the punishment of a Servant who kills their King."
"Death, Master Raizel."
"Sad." He sighed. "It's unfortunate that such a talented and powerful Nekoshou has to die. Your numbers are already too low." He looked into the girl's eyes as he spoke. "At least, tell me your name before I kill you off."
The sweet smile on his face chilled her heart, and her body trembled as she tried to fight against her instincts and make a run for it.
"One wrong move on your part and you will die. Your little sister will be killed next, and then every single member of your race will follow you to the afterlife." Hilda saw through her intentions and warned her, which made the girl retreat in fear, but her eyes were still sharply narrowed at Raizel. "Her name is Kuroka, Master Raizel." Hilda played along with him and informed him about the Nekoshou's name again.
"Really?" He beamed a smiled at the girl. "You said that she has a sister?"
"Yes. A young girl of five years." The maid nodded. "The Devil Council has sentenced her to death."
"What?!"
Kuroka screamed when she heard those words, and in her panic, she tried to rush to the gate, but sadly for her, she was effortlessly grabbed by the little boy and then felt a sharp sting on her neck as two canines sank into her skin.
"Ahhh!!!!" The Nekoshou screamed in pain more intense than she had ever felt before. It was even worse than the beating she had received at the hands of that stupid Dragon, and inside her mind flashed all her life before she started feeling a little cold.
Her eyes became droopy, and all the strength in her body seemed to have been sapped away.
"I want to live..." She managed to voice out her desire in the form of a hoarse whisper. "Please..." And she begged as a tear slipped out of her eyes.
Suddenly, she felt a rush of energy jolt through her veins, exciting her blood, and she subconsciously let out a gratifying moan.
When her mind cleared up, she was amazed as she found all the wounds on her body healed, and she felt herself brimming with energy like never before.
Even though she had not tested it, she could feel that she was much stronger than before.
"What did you do to me?" She asked
"Like it?" Raizel asked back as he wiped the blood from his lips.
"It is awesome, nya~!" She excitedly said before she realised the change in her mood and narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" She asked, succeeding in maintaining her calm this time.
"We will get to that later. Let's now discuss the options you have." He smiled at her. "Well, since I have already seen all your memories, you only have one option."
His words terrified her and she understood why the young boy had suddenly decided to sink his fangs into her neck.
"Submit yourself to me, and you will be saved from being declared a Stray Devil."
"You are too young to make me submit to you, nya~" She playfully smiled, swaying her two black tails.
"And you are still an innocent maiden, Kitty." He reminded her that he had seen through all her memories and Kuroka frowned at his words.
"You want me?"
"Yes."
"In your peerage?" She guessed.
"Yes." He nodded to her.
"Can you save Shirone?"
"That's another yes." He nodded again.
"Sirzechs Lucifer has her. She's safe and won't be executed." Hilda suddenly said, taking Kuroka by surprise.
"So, what do you say?" Raizel asked, grabbing her attention.
"And if I refuse?" Kuroka asked, looking deep into his eyes.
"I will kill you."
The words sounded strange coming out of the mouth of a ten-year-old, but Kuroka did not doubt that this young boy already had his hands stained in blood.
All possible scenarios went through her mind, and in the end, she decided that she wanted to live and be able to see her little sister again.
"I accept." She smiled. "I will serve you with all I have, nya~"
"Good." Raizel nodded his head and then raised his hand, summoning all his unused Evil Pieces.
Kuroka frowned a little as she watched the Pieces orbit around her, and she was dismayed when she found out that five of them were Mutated Pieces.
"I was a Mutated Bishop." She knew he had seen her memories, but still decided to remind him.
"I don't choose the pieces. My pieces choose their host." He told her and smiled when finally his Bishop Piece resonated with her. "See. We have the perfect piece for you."
Kuroka frowned a little as she watched all the other Evil Pieces disappear. She was a little sceptical if this simple Bishop Piece would be enough as she was well aware of her strength and potential, both of which had seemingly risen after what this young Devil did to her.
"Shall we begin?"
"Yes." She gave her consent and then watched Raizel raise his right hand, pointing right at her.
"I, Raizel Darcaedes, hereby accept you...."
Kuroka's mind went blank as soon as she heard the name Darcaedes. She did not even feel the Evil Piece sink into her chest, and when she regained clarity, she was already his servant.