Chapter 1

A few days have passed since my battle with the geezer. My right arm is healing rapidly and my demonic energy recharged soon after the battle. The real issues was my left fist that made impact with the geezer’s chiselled iron chin, I didn’t notice at the time, but the after affects of that attack were devastating.

Alice applied Caladrius tears on the wound but I am still not able to move my left hand. Seir said that he was going to source some Serqet poison from Asmodeus corp. It would supposedly help with the paralysis, no idea how though.

I am currently in my room watching the highlights of the other first round matches. Shiro is sleeping on my shoulder. She’s in her yokai form, her gentle breathing is calming and despite the left side of my body being numb, it feels like I have an ice pack on my arm so I can’t complain. It’s taking all I’ve got to stop the old dragon’s aged eyes from peeping through her loosely bound haori though and judging by his incessant laughter, I’m failing miserably at doing so.

As promised the geezer handed over his territory to Seir, Seir stated that he would hold onto the territory for the duration of the summit and then return it to him once it was over. After being momentarily surprised the geezer burst into his patented laugh and clapped Seir on the back with all his might.

Despite this outcome the geezer hasn’t given up on marrying me off to Mei-Lien, he even attempted to negotiate with Seir by offering him a small fortune and access to his personal harem for life, in exchange for me joining his household. Seir gave it a little too much thought for my liking. But ultimately refused, after Alice gave him an uncharacteristically expectant look.

Undeterred by Seir’s rejection, the geezer started calling me son-in-law and I have been receiving an endless influx of invitations to attend his Estate to discuss wedding arrangements.

Thankfully Shiro has been miraculously kept out of the loop when it comes to our contact with the Earl and whenever a messenger comes to deliver an invitation, Alice makes sure to send him/her away without Shiro noticing. I am thankful for her help but whenever Alice turns a messenger away, she delivers the invitation card to me which normally encloses a picture of Mei-Lien at varying parts of her life, looking a little bit too adorable.

I haven’t had the heart to dispose of them, so I’ve kept them in a chest of drawers under a pair of socks. Every time Shiro enters my room without my permission and leans on that chest of drawers, my heart is in my mouth and it takes all I have to not draw attention to them.

I know that I should just reject Mei-Lien personally, but she hasn’t explicitly said how she feels, so I don’t wish to presume something and then cause embarrassment to all those involved. There’s also the possibility that this is a result of her father’s badgering and from what I’ve heard about the geezer marrying his daughter’s off when it suits his bottomline, I don’t want to make things difficult for Mei-Lien, so am unsure on what to do for now.

“Yahoo, Kuro-kun, I had a word with Asmodeus Corp and, am I interrupting?”

“Huh? Ah no, go on, what did they say about the Serqet whatever?”

“Ahah, well it’s gonna be a little difficult for them to source it but they will. I suppose it’s got something to do with their pride as a company, you know what they say, there’s nothing money can’t buy, when you use Asmodeus Corp.”

“I don’t think that’s the slogan...But what’s going on, have they announced our next opponent yet? And can we really afford this rare medicine?”

“Ahhhh, no not yet and no need to worry there my little Kuro, the Earl insisted on paying, the second he found out about your situation, you ARE his beloved son-in-law, remember?”

“...Mmmmhnnngh, Kuro, what time is it? What are you doing here your highness…?”

“Sh-Shiro! It’s pretty late, you should go back to sleep, Seir was just talking about the medicine for my left wrist.”

“Eh? How did it go your highness? Did Asmodeus Corp know how to source it?”

“Yep!”

“Oh thank goodness, don’t worry about the price, I will dip into my savings if I…”

“Hahahahaha, taken care of my little Shiro-chan, in fact the Earl is willing to pay for it.”

“Eh? That’s awfully nice of him, I hope you’re not holding his territory over his head so he agrees to do this your highness.”

“Waaaaahhht, I am hurt Shiro-chan! For you to even think that I would be capable of doing something like that, besides, Earl Paimon would do anything for his beloved sonmgmhm…”

I dashed to Seir and placed my right hand over his mouth.

“S-subordinate, subordinate! Hahahahaha that battle crazy geezer seems to have taken a liking to me after I defeated him, you know how these kinds of people are hahaha super emotional, wear their hearts on their sleeves and in this case he’s showing his affection by opening his wallet, right Seir?”

“Hmgmgmhmngmhgmf!”

I forcibly made Seir nod his head.

“I-I see…”

“Ahahaha, g-great! I need to speak to Seir about something in his study now, s-so we’ll see you later, feel free to use my bed if you don’t feel like going back to your room.

I grabbed Seir and made for his study before Shiro could say anything. When we finally made it and I locked the door behind us, Seir burst into laughter and I decided to catch my breath.

“Hahahahahaha, you know she’s gonna find out eventually.”

“Y-yeah, but I’d like to enjoy being warm while I still can, anyway. Seir, I was watching the first Prince’s match.”

“Oh? Didn’t that end without any conflict? Although for Lord Decarabia to give in without a fight is surprising, I know it’s the Bael House but Decarabia is from the same generation as Earl Paimon so…”

“Seir, I think he was using the Will of Lucifer on him.”

“What!?”