12- Lavinia Reni Meets the Agares
Chapter 12- Lavinia Reni Meets the Agares
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"This is my family's castle. I belong to the Agares clan, one of the highest among devils," I said as we teleported in front of the grand structure, turning to Lavinia to see her reaction.
Her eyes widened in shock, her jaw slightly agape. "Woah! You live here?" she exclaimed, clearly astonished. Lavinia had lived in a modest house before—one that couldn't even be hoped to be compared to Castle Agares, a massive Roman-styled fortress. Given her Italian lineage, the architecture wasn't unfamiliar for her, but the sheer size and grandeur of the castle were still overwhelming.
"Well, yes. And you'll be living here from now on as well," I replied casually, smiling as I implied that this place was her new home too.
"Hmmm." She hummed happily, her eyes sparkling with joy at the prospect of living here.
"Let's go meet my family. You're my first peerage member, after all," I told her, my tone shifting to something more serious. The importance of this moment wasn't lost on me—getting my first peerage member was a significant event for any devil. I couldn't deny the excitement building within me. How would they react? Would they approve? And, though I wasn't going to reveal it yet, there was the matter of me reaching Satan-class strength. Sirzechs himself hadn't reached this level until he was eighteen, but I, through relentless hard work, had surpassed him by a reaching the same level in a bit more than half of his age. However, it wasn't time to disclose that just yet. Secrecy was my ally for now, at least until I became a Super Devil, then there'd be no more need to hide my power, I could show it off as much as I wanted to, cause I would already be amongst the strongest in the world.
Unlike most devils, I had worked tirelessly. Devils were naturally powerful, but there was a catch—their aversion to hard work, every Devil, had within them, all of the seven sins, but usually one or two would be the most dominant one, which we referred as our primary sin, a devil's strength on paper often surpassed their actual capabilities. Most devils couldn't exert their full potential and strength due to a severe lack of combat experience. This was because the majority of devils led lavish lives, uninterested in the hard work that would sharpen their abilities. Their magic, unlike humans who spent years studying it, was innate—our magic was imagination-based. However, that ease of mastery came with a price: laziness. This led to devils growing stronger with little effort, but also growing complacent. They simply lacked the experience to wield their theoretical strength in practical combat. Even the Rating Games, while beneficial, didn't fully address this issue. That's where I differed. My hard work, paired with natural talent, had made me the fastest-growing devil in history.
We entered the castle, its grandeur greeting us with towering walls and pristine decor. Lavinia seemed both stunned and nervous as we walked through the hallways, greeted by bowing maids at every corner. It was clear that the nobility of it all was a lot for her to take in. Soon, we reached the meeting room, and I asked a maid to summon my parents and Seekvaira.
"All this is making me really nervous, Maximus…" Lavinia muttered, her voice trembling slightly. "Will everything be okay? They won't hate me, will they?"
Her worry was understandable. The expectations and etiquette of noble life could be intimidating to anyone unfamiliar with it. I turned to her with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, they'll absolutely love you. After all, you're part of the family now."
She looked at me with a small, grateful smile and nodded. "Hmm. Okay," she replied, her resolve hardening.
Before long, my parents entered the room. My mother, Maria Agares, was the first to speak, her voice full of mock indignation. "What!? My baby boy goes out once and already brings a girl home!? Son, you already have Rias, you can't do this!"
My mouth twitched at her dramatic tone. "Mom… please. Stop being overdramatic."
"Oh, so now you even hate your mother?" she cried, clearly enjoying the theatrics of the moment, while my dad just smiled at my mom's antics from beside her.
Sighing, I quickly shifted the conversation back to Lavinia. "Mom… this is Lavinia Reni, a human, and also my future Queen," I said firmly, introducing Lavinia with a meaningful glance.
At the mention of my "future Queen," both my parents instantly sobered up, their expressions turning serious.
"Are you sure, son?" my father asked, his tone cautious but trusting. "You've always been smart, so I trust your judgment. But remember, a Queen is basically your second-in-command. Choose carefully."
His words were wise, though I had already made up my mind. Lavinia not only had great potential and she may also be very loyal, she was the perfect choice for a queen, either way, managing things never interested me so she would have to do it in my stead, her being smart naturally was a bonus. My mother, however, took a different approach.
"Hello, Lavinia-chan," she said warmly, moving past the formalities with ease. "Since you'll be part of Maximus' peerage, you're part of our family too. Maximus, you better take good care of her. And Lavinia-chan, if he ever bullies you, just let me know, okay?"
Lavinia blushed slightly but nodded, clearly warming to my mother's playful nature. "Thank you… I'll keep that in mind," she said quietly.
Just then, Seekvaira entered the room, her eyes curious as they landed on Lavinia. "Who's this?" she asked, her interest piqued.
I quickly introduced Lavinia to my sister, and to my relief, the two seemed to hit it off immediately. Being of similar age, it wasn't long before they were chatting and laughing together like old friends.
As I watched them, I knew that I'd made the right choice. Lavinia was going to fit in perfectly, both as my Queen and as a member of our family. Later, I'd tell my parents when we are alone about Lavinia's possession of a Longinus, which would answer many of the questions still lingering in their minds, such things are better not to be said infront of Lavinia right now as she may think that I only took her with me for her sacred gear.
For now, though, this was a start. A good one at that.
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Here's an improved version of your author's note that sounds more professional while still being humble and engaging:
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Author's Note:
Hello, readers!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. As a new author, your support means everything to me! I've been working hard to improve my writing, especially when it comes to conversations and character interactions. I hope you're finding the story more engaging and lively compared to my earlier attempts.
I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you're enjoying the story so far, please consider leaving a review. It really helps me grow as a writer and motivates me to continue improving.
Thank you again for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for more chapters!