Lilith's Capital

Chapter 17: Lilith's Capital

—

POV:Aiden

Aiden sat in his quiet room, the faint moonlight quietly filling the space. Books and manuscripts were open on his desk, but his eyes were focused on his hands as he felt the flow of energy within him. He knew he had the potential to reach the level of a high-ranking devil.

"I'm at a mid-rank devil level..." he muttered to himself, feeling his power increase. "But... I feel like I'm approaching something bigger. I can break through the boundaries and reach a higher level."

He took a deep breath, and his eyes shone. "But... is this the right moment?"

His energy surged like a raging river, seeking to break the dams and be set free, but he stopped. He knew that reaching a higher level wasn't just a random step; it required patience and deep thought.

"If I break through now, without a solid foundation... everything could collapse." He whispered to himself. "True power comes from building strong foundations, slowly and steadily. Like the roots of a tree that grow deep into the ground before its branches rise toward the sky."

He began to compress his energy within him, focusing on embedding it deeper into his body, like a Chinese farmer nurturing his seed before allowing it to grow. Rushing was not the key; patience and building a power that wouldn't easily waver were what mattered.

"I'll build myself step by step. There's no need to rush. A strong foundation is what makes the difference between those who reach the top and those who fall." He said firmly, feeling the flow of his energy increasing slowly but steadily.

He opened his eyes and smiled quietly. "True power comes to those who wait and cultivate it carefully. And when the time comes, I will reach what I deserve, and I'll be stronger than I ever imagined." Then, he went to sleep.

—

With the first rays of sunlight rising, Aiden stood before the mirror, wearing a long black cloak that covered him almost entirely. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "Today... is the day of freedom!" He said with excitement, but in a low voice, as if trying to hype himself up while ensuring not to wake anyone in the castle.

Since the last incident, his family hadn't stopped monitoring him like a constant shadow. Rias hovered around him like a guardian bird, and Grayfia never missed a chance to give him "excessive" cautionary advice. Even Sirzechs watched him with the eye of a protective devil. "I'm suffocating!" Aiden thought with suppressed anger as he tried to quietly open the door.

He opened the door slowly, and as the hinge moved slightly, it made a sound similar to the creaking of an old door in a horror movie. He froze suddenly, motionless in his place. "Oh my god... Did anyone hear that?" He looked around nervously, then continued opening the door with extreme caution, as if dealing with a ticking bomb. Success! He stepped into the empty hallway and took a deep breath.

"First step successfully completed!" He whispered with a smile, then started tiptoeing like a professional thief, moving skillfully between the shadows.

But he didn't know that the real challenges were just beginning...

The moment he reached the downstairs area, he saw two figures talking from afar: Grayfia and Sirzechs. "No, no, no, not now!" This was the worst timing possible! He quickly looked around and saw a large vase. Without thinking, he slid behind it.

Half of his body was visible, but he tried to pretend he was just another decorative piece. "If they see me now... it's all over!"

Grayfia continued speaking calmly, while Sirzechs laughed his usual laugh. Each laugh made Aiden's heart beat faster, as if he were racing against time. "Come on, leave!" He thought desperately. Suddenly, Grayfia stopped talking and slowly turned toward the vase, as if she sensed something strange.

"Oh no... Please don't come closer!"

She approached further... but before she touched the vase, Sirzechs called for her attention.

"Would you like to go to the garden now?" He asked, extending his hand to her.

"Of course." She replied with a smile, taking his hand, and they finally left.

Aiden collapsed to his knees behind the vase, trying to stifle his laughter. "I was so close to being caught!"

But that wasn't all. Just when he thought things had become safe, Rias suddenly entered the hallway, talking loudly: "Where's Aiden? I haven't seen him since the morning!"

Oh god, not Rias!

He looked around frantically, finding no place to hide. He was near the door leading outside, but there were two large barrels in front of him. In a moment of desperation, he decided to slip between them, knowing that this decision could end in disaster.

Rias stopped in front of the barrels, starting to search around the place. "I swear I heard something here." She muttered as she approached closer.

"If she finds me here... I'll be the laughingstock of the family forever!" Aiden thought, trying to hold his breath and squeezed himself further between the barrels, to the point that his head began to poke out a little from the other side.

Rias suddenly stopped and placed her hand on one of the barrels, while Aiden's heart pounded like a war drum. Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind: "Rias! Your father is asking for you!"

Rias quickly turned and headed toward the voice, leaving Aiden sighing with relief and whispering: "Another close escape!"

Finally freeing himself from between the barrels, he rushed toward the back yard lightly, jumping over the fence in the moment when he felt like he was on the brink of freedom.

He finally reached the outside and stood for a moment to catch his breath before bursting into laughter. "I did it! Freedom at last!" He said loudly, smiling broadly, then started walking away, exhilarated by his success in escaping from the "family prison."

After Aiden successfully sneaked outside the castle walls, he stood for a moment in the open air, breathing in the cool breeze. He felt a surge of excitement rising within him, but he knew the escape wasn't over yet. There was a magical barrier surrounding the castle, preventing anyone from teleporting within its boundaries. This field was placed specifically to protect the castle's residents and prevent any unwanted exits or entries.

"Now that I'm out of the barrier's range, I can use teleportation." Aiden muttered quietly as he extended his hand forward, focusing his magical energy.

With a simple flick of his fingers, a glowing magic circle formed beneath his feet, starting to expand until it surrounded him completely. In a moment of stillness, his body suddenly shot forward and disappeared from his spot in the blink of an eye.

Aiden appeared in the capital of the devils, Lilith, where life was bustling and the streets were filled with magical beings. The grand city was teeming with life and energy, but it was also a place where he could move freely without fear of being noticed.

What Aiden didn't know was that someone had been watching him from afar. That person, hiding in the shadows at the entrance of the castle, had watched Aiden as he crossed the magical boundaries of the castle. Silently, the person opened their hand, and a small glowing communication circle appeared before them. They smiled wickedly and whispered: "Master, the mouse has left its hole."

---

Upon Aiden's arrival at the capital of the devils, Lilith, he stood in the middle of one of the wide, bustling streets, wearing a black cloak that covered his body and a mask that covered half his face. "I don't want to attract attention." He muttered as he walked cautiously among the people, placing his hand on his chin as if pondering deep thoughts.

The capital, Lilith, was astonishing. Towering buildings rose toward the sky, glowing with blue and silver hues. The bustling markets were full of magical goods, while the floating carts moved through the air in a magical manner. The cityscape was a blend of magic and technology, and with each step, Aiden felt a sense of admiration. "This city... is absolutely stunning. The beauty here doesn't compare to that of the castle." He said to himself as he marveled at the streets, lost in his thoughts.

But as he was thinking and reflecting, he suddenly collided with someone else without noticing.

"Oh, sorry!" He quickly muttered, turning to help the person he had accidentally knocked down. He bent quickly and extended his hand to help them up, and when the person stood, Aiden raised his head and looked at them cautiously.

It was a girl. With soft features, shiny silver hair, and sharp blue eyes. She was about the same age as him, and notably beautiful. Aiden felt a moment of awe, but he couldn't hide his prolonged gaze.

The girl felt his gaze and raised an eyebrow in anger. She looked at him sharply and said in a stern tone: "What are you looking at, you pervert?!"

"..."

At that moment, time froze for Aiden. "Pervert?! Me?!" He thought, his eyes widening in shock. He hadn't expected this accusation. The people in the street turned toward them, and whispers started spreading among them.

"Oh my god, what did this poor boy do?" Someone muttered.

But before Aiden could defend himself, someone else from the crowd provocatively added: "I saw it! He was harassing that girl!"

""What?! I didn't do anything!" Aiden thought in panic, but he didn't have time to explain himself, as the crowd began to draw closer, and the accusatory stares multiplied around him. Embarrassment started to show on his face, and the girl still glared at him with contempt, as if waiting for an explanation.

The moment he heard someone say, "Call the police!" Aiden knew things had spiraled out of control.

Without thinking, Aiden suddenly grabbed the girl's hand and quickly said, "We don't have time for this now!"

"What are you doing?!" the girl shouted angrily, but before she could understand what was happening, Aiden was already pulling her behind him and began running quickly through the narrow streets.

The scene looked like something out of a comedy anime. Aiden was running fast, with the girl yelling at him while the crowd chased after them. He darted around corners, jumped over obstacles, and hid behind stalls in desperate attempts to escape. Every time someone got close to catching them, Aiden skillfully slipped into another street.

"Let me go!" the girl screamed, trying to free her hand from his grip, but he kept running and said urgently, "I'm not a pervert, I swear! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"Is this how you clear your name?!" the girl snapped sharply.

As they ran, people in the streets started noticing the scene, and laughter began to rise from bystanders who found the situation more amusing than controversial. Finally, after a series of twists and jumps, Aiden found an empty corner behind one of the shops and stopped there to catch his breath, while the girl still stared at him angrily.

"What were you doing?!" she shouted, trying to steady her breathing.

"I was trying to get us out of that mess!" Aiden replied, panting.

But the girl didn't seem convinced, and she continued to look at him suspiciously while Aiden felt like the whole world was conspiring against him at that moment.

To dispel any doubts, Aiden decided to remove his mask and reveal his identity. As he removed it, his red hair and ruby-like features came into view, causing the girl to blush. The immediate impact was evident on her face. Aiden looked at her calmly and said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Aiden Gremory."

The girl was stunned for a moment before quickly regaining her composure and coldly saying, "You're lying."

Aiden was shocked and responded with childish frustration, "Why am I lying?!"

The girl replied in an indisputable tone, "Because you're a pervert."

"..."

At that moment, Aiden froze entirely, as if cracks were forming around him, and it felt like the world had stopped. His mind began imagining a bleak future: "The first pervert in the demon world... known as a child molester..." It felt as if his reputation was crumbling right before his eyes.

Trying to escape this nightmare, he quickly looked around and said to the girl, "Look! There's a plane!" He pointed toward the sky. But the girl didn't respond, so he looked himself and realized the embarrassing truth: "There are no planes in the Underworld..."

He quickly reorganized his thoughts and said firmly, "Okay, there's a dragon!" He pointed again, and this time the trick worked. When the girl turned, Aiden tried to make a run for it, but he was surprised when she grabbed his clothes and yanked him back forcefully.

"You're not only a pervert, but you're also rude!" the girl shouted angrily, making Aiden feel utterly defeated. "Where is the justice in this world?" he thought in despair.

In one last attempt to calm things down, he smiled a childish smile and said, "Where are your parents?" The girl hesitated, caught off guard for a moment.

Aiden took a deep breath and said with a mocking smile, "You're lost, aren't you?"

The girl froze in place, while Aiden smiled triumphantly and whispered as if sealing a devilish deal, "So, what do you say? You won't tell anyone what happened, and I'll help you find your parents. Deal?"

But the girl still didn't seem entirely convinced and said firmly, "No, I don't trust perverts."

Aiden sat down in defeat, unable to explain himself. Finally, in a last-ditch effort, he said in a tempting tone, "Be a good girl, and I'll buy you some candy."

Upon hearing the word "candy," a sparkle appeared in the girl's eyes, and she finally agreed. When Aiden saw the glimmer in her eyes, he felt like scum.

Aiden asked with guilt, "What's your name?"

The girl replied coldly, "My name is Valia."