Chapter 38: Devil's Offer

~ Takumi ~

"U-u-umm, Master?"

My eyebrows furrowed a little in frustration because Raynare interrupted me while I was drafting up a new seal idea I turned to her to see her actually shivering in fear.

"What is it?"

"S-satan Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia Lucifuge are in the living room and they are looking for you."

Oh right, them, I forgot about them since I actively made an effort to ignore their existence. How long has it been now? 10 minutes?

"Right, them, just ignore them. They will probably go away on their own after a few hours." As I was turning back to my workstation Raynare stuttered out again.

"I-I don't think that is very wise? They seemed really insistent on meeting you. I don't think it's a very good idea to make them wait any longer." I frowned slightly, she was out of line but also right, I have to meet them eventually.

...Eventually.

"Fine, tell them to wait a little. I will go there when I am finished with this."

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~ 3rd Person ~

*Slurp*

Taking a sip of the tea Grayfia prepared for him Sirzechs scratched his cheek in slight embarrassment as he glanced at the frosty Grayfia next to him.

"Well, this is starting to get awkward isn't it?" Sirzechs said in a hushed tone. He wasn't exactly used to being made to wait, especially in a matter like this. Furthermore, he had been waiting for 30 minutes, it wasn't that he was too bothered by it, but he was more concerned about how personally Grayfia was taking this.

"Sirzechs-sama, I will go and retrieve him at once." Grayfia said bowing but he could tell she wanted to drag him here.

Before he could stop Grayfia he heard a voice coming from the basement before a figure stepped out of it, a young man with dark brown hair tied in a low ponytail wearing black slacks and gray shirt with a black cardigan over it. He looked unassuming at a glance except for his eyes.

His eyes held everything except for friendliness. If there was rage in them even Sirzechs couldn't tell.

"Impatient much?" The boy strolled in casually, sitting down in front of Sirzechs with one leg crossed over the other in a relaxed posture as a tick mark appeared on Grayfia's forehead.

"You are in front of Lord Sirzechs Lucifer show some respect, you are already late." Grayfia said coldly as Takumi...

*Snort*

Snorted.

"Late? Late for what? My appointment with who? Late for what time exactly? I don't remember having a meeting due with anyone today? I am just here to see who broke into my house." This angered Grayfia who emanated a cold aura as she glared at Takumi who met her gaze with a thousand-yard stare with sweat running down his back from the pressure.

Before Grayfia moved to retort Sirzechs raised his hand silencing her.

"He is right Grayfia. He must be quite shocked to see us here and he had no obligation to hurry. That aside, it is nice to meet you Takumi-kun, I have heard a lot about you from my sister. I am Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the 4 Satans ruling the underworld and she is my Queen Grayfia." Sirzechs announced himself, not taking offence from Takumi.

"So? Why are you here exactly? I can't imagine Satan would take time off just to see little old me. Especially in such a hurry that he would feel the need to break into my house instead of making an appointment like a reasonable person." Takumi looked over to Grayfia to see her getting madder by the second, not surprising him in the slightest.

Sirzechs sighed a little in irritation, usually, people whom he would pull this trick on wouldn't point out such things, for good reason, no need to get nitpicky with the man who could destroy the underworld. Classic politics, it was a show of power.

But it only worked when the other party actually cared about such politics or your superiority.

Takumi cared about neither.

Rules did not matter to those who weren't playing.

"Unfortunately, you are right. Since you want to, I will cut to the chase. Are you aware of Rias' engagement to the Phenex Family's second son Riser?" Sirzechs bit back his slight irritation, Takumi was a valuable asset, incredibly valuable. He wouldn't want to aggravate him more for such a small thing. He was trying to recruit him here after all.

"Somewhat, I am aware that they are engaged, and that Rias doesn't seem too enthusiastic about it. So what?"

"Indeed, Rias is looking for a way out of her arrangement and unfortunately due to our father, the date of the wedding has been pushed even closer. Her only hope out now is a rating game and she cannot win against the Phenex boy."

"And how does that involve me exactly? Aren't you Satan? Just say I don't want my sister married to this man and it would be the end of it." Takumi raised his point, somewhat genuinely invested in why he hadn't done it already.

Sirzechs let out a rueful chuckle.

"Unfortunately it is not that easy as much as I would like it to be. It hasn't been too long since the last war and the Devil race is very divided, arranged marriages are buried deeply in Devil tradition, and if a New Satan like me broke up an arranged marriage of such magnitude between two large noble houses, it would lead to massive blowback from the more traditional houses and the old Satan faction. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that it could even cause another civil war that would for sure end the Devil race for good this time." It was an unfortunate truth, the Old Satans were looking for any and all opportunities to undermine the New Satans.

'About as much I had expected.' Takumi noted coldly, leaning back in his chair and raising his chin.

"So? How does any of this relate to me? I am a simple man sticking to my own lane."

Sirzechs leaned forward and clasped his hands together.

"I want you to join Rias' peerage and help her win against Riser." That was obviously not all of Sirzechs reasons, the desire to have a red dragon emperor capable of alchemy in the devil race and with the new satan was an equally important reason as saving his sister from an arranged marriage.

Takumi raised an eyebrow.

"What? No."

Just a simple answer, one that gave off the feeling of someone responding to an obviously stupid question rang out as Sirzechs raised an eyebrow while Grayfia furrowed hers.

"Why not? You are her friend, aren't you? Or something more than that from what she told me."

Takumi sighed, looking at him with an exasperated gaze.

"I don't know what to say to you. But kids these days don't swear their eternal loyalty and obedience, abandon their race and join the biggest pyramid scheme in the underworld just because their friend is in trouble."

Sirzechs frowned.

"You know Rias wouldn't mistreat her servants like that. Besides, you are a solo Alchemist, aren't you? You could use the protection from becoming a devil, you could even become a noble yourself, with my endorsement and your own accomplishment you could become a high-class devil in just a short few years."

Hearing this Takumi faked cheer and pumped his fist up.

"Oh boy really!? I can't believe I would have to opportunity to become a servant for protection I don't need, from a race led by a man who can't even save his own sister from the shitty traditions of, and I get to spend years of effort to climb up your triangle scheme of a society you yourself admitted to that was shitty while I get treated like a mere servant by them? Oh boy, sign me up!"

Stopping his fake cheer Takumi sat back down and glared at them with his frosty grey eyes before they could respond.

"Are you kidding me? Am I just that much of a joke in your eyes? That I would give up all up all I have worked for to your race and work for you and your sister for what? Recognition and respect from people I don't care about? The oh-so-great benefits of becoming a High-Class devil?"

The Gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor, Boosted Gear manifested in his right hand accentuating his point.

"I am the Red Dragon Emperor of Domination, I am an Alchemist capable of creating miracles in bottles. Yet you offer me what? The privilege to have a chance to become a noble in your fucking race? Degrade myself down to a servant in your race? That's your offer? What a fucking joke, might as well tell me to go fuck myself."

Takumi's gaze grew heavier.

"Do it yourself, for all care your race can bur-"

Before Sirzechs thought to say stop Grayfia's patience had finally snapped as she flashed forward at speeds faster than Takumi could perceive and grabbed him by the throat lifting him up while bearing down her full aura on him.

"This is a Satan you are talking to! Know your place and show some respect!" Takumi shivered and strained under the full brunt of her aura as his gauntleted hand grasped her hand in futility, Grayfia was fed up with the constant disrespect and disregard that the juvenile dragon emperor showed for her master and herself.

Takumi showed signs of being unable to breathe under the pressure when suddenly, he gritted his teeth, his dull grey-blue eyes turning into a glowing shade of cyan as he glared at Grayfia.

"Put me down...!" His struggle under the aura turned to sheer rage, emotions bubbled up within him embarrassment, rage, indignation, spite, hatred, his voice turned into a more guttural and animalistic tone as his teeth sharpened and his eyes looked more like a reptile.

Her figure blurred lines with his memories of a woman strangling him and screaming. His vision was filling with red his grip on her wrist tightened but it didn't budge. The sensation was unbearable and disgusting.

Before anything more could happen, however.

"Grayfia release him right now!" Hearing Sirzechs' hurried and stern order Grayfia released her grip on his throat letting him drop back onto the couch before she moved behind Sirzechs.

Sirzechs was planning to let Grayfia continue as a move to show him the sheer difference between status and power to show him the dangers of the world and the powers of devils while showing who was in power in the negotiation at the cost of vilifying Grayfia however he quickly dropped the idea when he saw the expression of Takumi.

If he let that go on for any longer there was a very real chance he would have to deal with a Juggernaut Drive Red Dragon Emperor while at the same time the alchemist losing his life.

"Takumi-kun, I am very sorry fo-"

Takumi raised a hand to stop him, rubbing his throat with the other hand when oddly.

"Hahhahaah! Haaaah... no need. In fact, you know what?"

Takumi raised his head again, his eye still glowing cyan looking oddly excited and malicious as if having made up his mind on something. Sadistic intent seemed to leak off of him.

"Fine, I will join your race and become Rias' servant. But I just one simple thing in exchange, just this one thing and nothing else."

Sirzechs did not know what to think with the sudden switch in attitude but he leaned in to listen more attentively. Takumi was important, to the extent that he could shake up the peace between the 3 factions important, he couldn't afford for him to not join them.

Because, with the anger and spite he held toward them at this, it was almost assured that he would join any side opposing them wishing for their ruin seeing how Rias hadn't convinced him to change races to help him, she wouldn't help convince him of the opposite.

"Say it, as long as it is within my power I will do everything I can to meet that request." He was being serious, there was little in the list of things he wouldn't fulfil for him to join them.

Takumi smiled widely.

"It's simple really, eye for an eye right? You wish for me to become an obedient servant right? The only thing I want is this."

Takumi pointed his hand toward Grayfia with a malevolent expression.

"For 10 years, I want her to become my servant for that duration. That is my only condition." Takumi declared, leaving everyone speechless.

Seeing their blank faces Takumi giggled to himself again.

"Haha, I mean. Isn't it such a great deal? Just for her serving a 10-year sentence you get me on your team? I find myself a great deal you know? You get a Dragon Alchemist combo in exchange for a rude and brash beat stick of a maid. I am being a saint for you here you know?"

As Grayfia was starting to get mad Sirzechs raised a hand to stop her, looking at Takumi with a blank expression.

"...We will need some time to talk about it. We will be leaving for now, and again, sorry for my wife's actions." Sirzechs said emphasising the word wife, standing up while Grayfia stood up with a bitter expression.

"Oh wait, before you go here. Just in case you want to entertain the idea of rejecting the deal and then disposing of me to be rid of a future trouble." Takumi said, dropping an obsidian feather pin on top of the table between them that Sirzechs recognized which made him curse slightly inwardly.

That was Azazel's personal pin, Takumi was already involved personally with Azazel and the Grigori.

"I am not one to not have any contingencies. I will leave the rest to your imagination." A warning, that they couldn't touch him without heavy consequences.

Sirzechs elected to say nothing as they both teleported away. Leaving Takumi behind as the cyan in his eyes reverted to the usual grey-blue and his teeth regained their usual shape.

But even then the malicious smirk on Takumi's face did not fade.

A/N: And it is checkmate. Takumi has all but fully cornered Sirzechs. Makes one wonder who the real Devil in this offer was.

This kids is what it looks like when you roll a nat 1 in negotiation and persuasion. Power moves do not work on someone who doesn't care for your authority, offers of status do not work on someone who doesn't need them and intimidation doesn't work on someone who willingly took on the mantle of the Red Dragon knowing he will face gods one day.

Especially after Grayfia triggered some repressed trauma(I wonder what that was about) in Takumi he will make sure that she "Knows her place." Takumi is not a very kind person at heart. And he for sure is a very spiteful person. Like a dragon he holds grudges.

Oh and to clarify, Takumi would have helped Rias regardless. He just would have created a regeneration disabling light nuke or something along the lines and helped her as a third party.

Also, why do you guys think his eyes went cyan and he suddenly stopped faltering under Grayfia's aura? I would love to know your theories about it.

Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts about this chapter so make sure you leave them in the comments alright?