5 Chapter 5: Preparation

Diablo POV:

It's been 2 years since Grayfia saved me from my attempted assassination.

Yes, Grayfia... to be completely honest, all I know is that she's that hot maid that was pretty strong, but somehow she's here...

Isn't she supposed to be with Sirzechs right now? His queen and wife?

Hmm, a Butterfly Effect perhaps?

I dug around for more info during these 2 years and finally found out the cause...

Apparently the Barbatos clan housed her during the Devil Civil War after her father passed away, so when she heard the current situation of Barbatos clan she came to aid them.

....Shit....

An AU?

All little knowledge I had might become useless after all... for all I knew, this world could go to shit tomorrow..

I can't rely on my memories anymore. I bit my lips in anxiety...

'Expect the worse, assume nothing. And always anticipate an attack.'

Those familiar words rung in my head as a small fond smile took its place on my face, 'They fit the current scenario quite well huh...' I shook my head clearing my thoughts

....well to be honest....other than the entire canon being fucked now and all me knowing about the plot and the future going to shit...I just have to deal with it...get stronger faster...

And about Grayfia....I don't really care about the fact that Grayfia is here with me.... Instead I'm quite pleased. If I'm right, she was a Satan-Class Devil back in canon....plus she's a hot maid..... I'm not complaining at all.

It's not me..... it's all ROB's will .....

Yes that's right, he is the one who that wants me to cuck Sirzechs....

*coughs*

Nevertheless, Grayfia also fired all of the servants of the household due to the possibility of any of them being a spy or an assassin like the blonde-haired maid. They were all deemed as 'improper' servants by her.....unworthy, lazy, lax, unskillful, disgusting, filthy, corrupt, unfaithful.....these were some of the words that she used to describe them after observing them for a week.....yeah you get the idea.

Though her actions weren't unreasonable, the servants had indeed become complacent and lazy after my father died. Mother was sick and pregnant, and didn't have the energy to correct this...or never even noticed perhaps?

Several of them were also caught as small spies for the other clans for information, they were easy to bribe. Their loyalty was more brittle than a loner's heart.

I also definitely did not stumble upon her mumbling stuff like, "...As if I would let these pathetic peasants come between me and my Young master, Young master only needs one maid.... and it's me"

.....Yea she's a little obsessed with me....ok, maybe not a little

She doesn't leave my side 24/7 and even keeps my crib besides her bed at night....Though it is something understandable considering I recently got nearly assassinated, it was for my own wellbeing.....not that I'm complaining if it was for any other reasons though....

When I finally turned two, she let me start sleeping in my room alone (though reluctantly). Even though she is a little....clingy? She still has her maid mindset and sets my priorities and safety over her desires.... Her bedroom is right beside mine though....

Anyways, my eyes also awakened that night which was a bit sudden but I theorised that it might have opened because of my near death-experience.....Yea, what a delight that was...

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3rd POV:

A young cute looking boy, with tanned skin, who looked about two was sleeping peacefully on his bed.

Gradually the door to his room creaked opened and a silver-haired maid, who had a pair beautiful diamond earrings, elegantly stepped in.

"Young master it's time for you to wake up, you're already late for breakfast." She uttered out as the boy moved around in his sleep covering himself with his sheets.

Her brows furrowed in annoyance as she spoke once more, a little louder this time, "Young master please wake up!"

Getting no response from him, the silver-haired maid's mouth twitched in irritation..... before a mischievous glint passed her eyes as her gaze landed on the sheets that were covering him. She grabbed the end of it and with one pull, hauled the entire sheet of the bed.

The boy groaned in discomfort as his eyelids flickered. The maid, with a satisfied smile, then made her way to the side of the room and drew the curtains allowing the sunlight to come in.

"Ughhhhhhh, Fiaaaaa!!!" The boy complained out-loud, tossing around in his bed, as if the sun was burning him.

The maid who was looking at the whole spectacle amusedly, gently smiled at the nickname he addressed her as. She still vividly remembered the day when she was teaching him to speak...

(Flashback):

"Young master say Grayfia! Gray--fi--a!

Come on Young master, say it after me, Gray--fi--a!"

We could see a silver-haired maid leaning on a crib as she pointed at herself. She then pointed downwards at the baby, who was fidgeting around with his sheets, "Diablo! Come on Young master, say Di--a--blo!"

The baby just cooed, waving his hands above him as he giggled.

Diablo, of course, knew how to speak, he had previously managed to speak when he was alone.

He covered it up so he wouldn't seem unusual, a genius was fine but a baby speaking clearly at the age of six months was simply abnormal.

'But now it's fine, right? Even Grayfia is starting to teach me now. If Grayfia has already begun to teach me, I suppose this might be the appropriate age for devil babies to talk,' Diablo inquired silently

But what he didn't know was, it was indeed very early for even devil babies to start speaking, and Grayfia was just doing it because of her overwhelming adoration and confidence in her Young master.

"G-g--gr....." Grayfia immediately quietened down hearing Diablo finally mumbling something, "....G-------F-Fia? Fia! Fiaa!" The baby mumbled out cutely pointing towards her before pointing to himself, "Di---a--blo? D-Diablo! Diablo!....Diablo! Fia! Diablo! Fia!"

Grayfia froze

The sight of a baby as cute as Diablo, with his other-worldly eyes, speaking his first words excitedly would make any women's heart beat due to their innate fondness of cute things. Grayfia was no exception....but this wasn't the sole reason why she froze.....

Diablo quietened down, noticing he got no reaction from her. Panicking slightly, that he might have spoken too early, he turned his head towards her. However what he saw, completely befuddled him

Grayfia was looking at him tenderly as her eyes welled up with tears.

The last time someone called her Fia was her late father....

She quickly realised her condition and hurriedly wiped her tears with her sleeve. She gently lowered her arms and picked up Diablo with a smile full of warmth and endearment, as she softly lay his head across her chest, lightly hugged him.

"Ara~ Look at that, my Young master is so smart.....

....Don't worry young master....Fia will always be there for you...That's right Diablo and Fia....Young master and me." She said affectionally.... but briefly for a second her eyes flashed with a crazy and obsessed look at the end, before being replaced by her normal affectionate look....

Unfortunately(?) Diablo didn't see it as he was busy enjoying the embrace of the mature woman and didn't even realise he was simply feeding the already awakened beast...

(Flashback End)

Grayfia smiled tenderly at the memory before frowning once again as she brought her attention back to the matter at hand. A vein popped out of her temple when she saw Diablo intentionally falling of the bed with his blanket and rolling sideways underneath it, hiding under the bed to escape the sunlight before sleeping there.

Just as she bent down to take him out, Diablo bolted out from the other side and ran away through the door, still carrying his blanket.

To say she was irritated would be an understatement

She immediately started chasing after him as her angry yell resounded through the hallway, "YOUNG MASTER!!"

The chase continued on throughout the whole mansion as shouts of an angry maid and the giggling of a young boy echoed the halls.

It was just another day at the Barbatos household.

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A few minutes later:

We could see a luxurious dining hall with a long table with multiple empty chairs, On the end of the table, the place where usually the head of the house sat, was a boy. For some reason, he was rubbing his swollen head in pain. A silver-haired maid was behind him, serving and preparing his food on a silver platter in front him.

"Fiaaaa!! I just wanted to sleep a bit more, why did you have to hit me so hard?" Whined the boy as he complained with a pout, "..... It really hurts you know.."

"It was supposed to Young master," Said the maid monotonously, "You are the heir of the Great Barbatos clan, you need to be strict with yourselves and display yourselves suitably" Grayfia ranted as such for a while before finally being at loss noticing she got no reply back, she turned to look at him and saw him get teary-eyed. Her heart scrunched up in her chest as she inwardly briefly panicked before finally sighing to herself... "Ok.... I apologise Young master"

Seeing no change in him, she momentarily hesitated for a split second before ultimately opening her mouth to speak., "....Is there anything you want me to do?"

Diablo's teary eyes suddenly disappeared as a bright smile appeared on his face and Grayfia's mouth twitched, realising she had been tricked.

"Then can you feed me like you used to?" He requested

In the past, Grayfia used to feed Diablo, but she stopped doing so because she believed that Diablo needed to be more independent—both as an individual and especially as the future head of the Clan.

"Young master yo-! *sigh* .....As you wish Young master.." Grayfia tiredly replied, dragging a chair beside him as she picked up the cutleries and elegantly cut his food preparing to feed him. She was definitely not enjoying this.....definitely not...

Once breakfast was finished, Grayfia set out to perform her many responsibilities around the mansion since all the other servants were fired, she was the one who took care of everything.

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Diablo POV:

After eating, I went to the library as usual since I can't train properly yet. It was better to gain some information first anyway. As they say, knowledge is power.

I couldn't learn magic till I was 3 anyway, because apparently it's unsafe for young devils, especially the ones that have strong families like me which meant that they had more powerful magic.

The amount of mana in a young devil is unstable before you turned 3, and if you force it to flow, you might just explode.....but I am a fucking genius

I didn't force my mana.....no....I merely, just guided it. It was a slow and an arduous exercise. Doing this I slowly strengthened my physique, making me sturdier, stronger, faster...

(whispers)... but only by a tiny amount...

.....WHAT!?! At least I'm doing something....

Anyway, for my physical training I just jog around. Nothing serious because I'm still young and heavy physical training may damage my potential or even stunt my growth. I also want to wait for my Zanpakutō, that will come on my 3rd birthday, before I start taking my physical training seriously.

I've been going to the library ever since Grayfia taught me how to read, which was quite surprising because I already knew how to speak before-hand but not how to read or write.

Hmm anyhow, I went to the library to learn more about the world. Get more information, ways to get stronger..... especially since canon could go to all shit now.

I also have been gathering information on the Underworld and finding out what changes were there, different to the canon, like Grayfia's situation and how she was acquainted with the Barbatos clan.

Speaking of the Barbatos clan, the information I got in the library about it was rather surprising.

Apparently the founder and the originator of the clan was Yamamoto Barbatos

.....Yeah the OP old man from Bleach.... and he was my grandfather as well.

He was famous because of his exploits in both wars.

In the Great War he cut the hand of the Biblical god himself when the other Satans couldn't even scratch him, and in the Devil Civil war he single-handedly slaughtered an army of 150,000 devils led by the 3 descendants of the Original Satans, who he also killed...

....He also died in that war, which was surprising for a man of his strength but it was rumoured that his powers were sealed and that he was cursed. Which I believed because it was the only logical, reasonable explanation considering a man of his prowess

Well it was that.....and the other reason was because it was written here..

...Yeah that's right

I found his journal in this library yesterday.

It described his life after the Great War

It also explained the reason behind his banishment from Heaven

It was love....The bane of all good men

He fell in love with a mortal...a human to be more precise

A relationship with an angel and a human was of course forbidden. Any type of romantic relationship for an angel was forbidden because after all they had to be 'fair'.

But Yamamoto was given permission because he was very selfless and it was the first time he ever asked for anything, there was also the fact that he was the Biblical God's favourite son.

So years went by, Yamamoto had a happy relationship with his lover but it slowly got destroyed...

Unlike Yamamoto, his lover was a mortal...

As old age consumed his lover, he begged his father to extend her life but the Biblical God refused and said he couldn't and shouldn't interfere with the world's laws. He said that life and death are sides of the same coin, if he saved one life then it would be unfair to the others.

He understood his father, he really did.... but that didn't mean he accepted it!

Just as he was about to do something about it, his lover had perished.

Enraged and spiteful, he renounced his name given to him dearly by his father and joined Lucifer out of heaven as they rebelled against the Biblical God.

Love....a beautiful thing, but one of the most common causes of war..quite ironic huh

Also, his lover was a Japanese woman....they had a small hut in the mountains where they used to live happily. Small but cozy. Guess that's where he got the name, Yamamoto '(one who lives) in the mountains'...but a hut huh? I have to check it out someday, might find something important.

I brought my attention back to the journal in my hands and raised an eyebrow at what came next

Surprisingly the book also stated that, over the years after the Great War....Living in solitude in his cabin, attacked by painful nostalgia and miserable nightmares...he finally found forgiveness.... He forgot about all his suffering and his grudge towards his father and decided to live the remaining of his life in peace with his new family.

A happy end?

Hmmm, closing the book, I reached out to the bookshelf and was going to push it back in, in its spot...but I noticed two sheets of paper slipping out as I did so

Curiosity got the better of me, as I reached down and picked it up.

I examined it as I read its contents, it was some kind of instructions for a.....ritual?

The other sheet was some type of ....contract?

As I went through the paper again and more closely this time, my mind stopped working

"YESSSSSSS!!" I shouted out loud unconsciously in exhilaration as I finished reading the papers.

...but before I could even blink, a silver blur rushed into the library and came my way

"Young master!! Are you ok?! Did something happen?! Are you hurt!?" A panic-struck Grayfia asked me worriedly as she touched me all over to check if I was hurt.

Oh yeah I forgot about that. Even though Grayfia does different work around the mansion, her senses are always focused on me, even to the minute detail.... Not even a mosquito could bite me now..

I shook my head inwardly, clearing my thoughts as I looked at her

Seeing her so worried made me feel a little guilty but at the same time warmth spread through my heart...

"Fia I'm okay, calm down!" Since she was kneeling down to my level to check up on me, I held her shoulders to comfort her.

"I just got a little bit excited because of this," I said embarrassedly as I held up the sheets in my hands.

She calmed down a little after my words before curiously looking at the papers in my hands.

She glanced at me again with eyes basically saying, 'May I?' to which in response I gave an energetic nod.

She took the papers from me and closely went through them.

Reading the contents, her eyes widened slightly in shock, breaking her cold and composed look.

It's not surprising though, considering what's there.

The ritual is basically a 'Ritual version' of the Super-Soldier Serum in Captain America for Devils

The effects were:

-Increased strength

-Faster regeneration

-Strengthened physique

-Increased agility

-Increased stamina

-Heightened senses

-Increased mana capacity

-Enhanced memory and thought process

and the most important...

-Holy magic resistance

It doesn't make the user completely immune but it makes the user have the same resistance towards holy magic on the level of humans, which was enough!

For a devil that's basically a blessing from God!

.....wait not God.... That's wrong... Satan?

Anyway the best thing is, that it's without any side effects!

.....but you need to take the ritual in an early age, preferably three, cause otherwise it will cause you immense pain..... but fortunately I'm still young and I going to turn three this year, so LUCKY!!

And if you were overwhelmed by just that, the other paper will take your breath away

The other one was a contract, it even had Grandpa Yamamoto's and my father's notes on it

It was a contract to make a constellation with any three celestial bodies

....Yeah you read that right...

Every Celestial body gives a different special ability to the user

I can contract celestial bodies!

Well it's random....but I can still contract them!

Though three is the theorised limit

Why do I say theorised?

Well, because Grandpa Yamamoto only managed to contract two celestial bodies, it was a red dwarf and a blue-white supergiant. Though the special abilities given by the two were not written.

My father only contracted one and it was some kind of gas giant....No it was not Jupiter. Again the special ability of it was not written

The three is the limit because I'll fade out of existence if I contract more, which I do not want, thank you

Why will I fade out of existence? Well I don't know, Grandpa Yamamoto said it might be because of the overload of energy and I'll definitely not risk my life to prove him wrong :)

This contract could only be done every five years, so I have to wait till I'm five before doing this.

The only weakness of it, would be that the abilities of the celestial bodies would only work at night.....even though space is still fucking there in the morning...Its just sunlight....

Nevertheless, there is also one more thing. The ritual could only be taken by the main branch of the Barbatos family because the ritual was basically the awakening of the little divine blood passed down from Grandfather from when he was an Angel and the contract could be used by the members who could use TRUE SPACE MAGIC, which was again the direct descendants of Grandpa Yamamoto. Not the rattled-down version that the branch members had, that they used to utterly destroy the armies of the Satan Faction back in the Devil Civil War

To be honest I'm not complaining about the contract but it's a shame that my loved ones would not be able to use the ritual. Rituals without any side effects, like this, were very rare. VERY.

Grayfia came out of her stupor before smiling at me, "That's great Young master, I was already sure you'll become stronger than even your grandfather and restore honour to the Barbatos household but now with this, it's almost guaranteed!"

I nodded joyfully at her sharing her happiness

"So Fia, we can't do the contract because I would need to be five... but about the ritual?"

"Don't worry Young master I'll take care of it. We will manage the ritual on your third birthday, before the party," She said assuredly

"Party?" I asked confused.

Now don't get me wrong, we did celebrate each other's birthdays but we never had a party per se. I never complained about it as I was used to stuff like this during my past life and even without a party it was quite fun celebrating with Grayfia alone. I still remember the diamond earrings I gifted her on her birthday, I found them in one of the rooms in the mansion. They looked beautiful, and Grayfia wearing it complemented the earring more, rather than her. She looked gorgeous in anything. I think I haven't seen her without them ever since.

"Ah yes I haven't told you yet, have I? For your 3rd birthday I'm planning on preparing a party and inviting all the major clans to it, I think it's time for you to start acquainting yourselves with them and even socialise with the other heirs that are around your age. It will be beneficial for you to get connections. Now in the lieu of this pleasant surprise, I will also prepare for the ritual before the party that day." She explained

I hesitantly just nodded at her, I was a little nervous to be honest because the only person I talk to is Grayfia, and its usually us alone in the huge mansion. It's not that we always stay in the mansion, Grayfia sometime goes out to buy groceries and sometimes allows me to got out with her as well.

I do talk to the locals there but it's just some casual pleasantries, I haven't really actually talked to anyone of my age. Or even had a proper conversation with anyone other than Grayfia in this new life.

That's why I was slightly nervous

Grayfia as if sensing my uneasiness warmly reassured me, "Don't worry Young master I'm sure you'll do fine. After today I was going to start teaching you basic noble etiquette anyway, so you need not worry."

I calmed down a little after hearing that...yes....it will all be fine..

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes

Yes.....2 months from now will be my birthday, the day I'll also get my Zanpakutō, the day of my ritual, the day when I'll probably meet the other major characters from the anime...

It would also be the day when my journey will finally begin....

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{{NOTE from Author-san: Listen about the constellation contract thingy, I may be wrong in the future about the description of the different things I say about space and all the celestial body stuff, so give me a break will you? If I'm wrong about something you can tell me about it and if it doesn't make a huge difference in the plans I have, I'll correct it but if it does mess up my plans just treat it the way I want, it's a fictional fanfic in the first place so please do not whine about how I don't know stars and the space and all....I know, trust me I know that I don't know everything about this and I even may be wrong so please do not lose your shit over it and calmly enjoy the novel :) }}