5 Chapter 5

"Ah, it seems you've gathered without me!" An irritating voice that Damian would not easily forget sounded out from behind him. Mentally ending the conversation with Sona he rose to his feet to greet the bastard this event was for.

"I greet the next head of Astaroth." Damian professionally introduced himself, only slightly bowing to the bastard that called himself a proud devil. While it was partially to show that they were close, close to killing each other, it was mostly because he simply didn't want to bow to Diodora.

"Ah, if it isn't my dear cousin! Have you finally decided to join the civilized side?" Diodora asked 'innocently' with a sly smile on his face, his eyes already slit like a snake. Logically, this wasn't the place to show their distaste for one another but clearly, Diodora didn't care.

To begin with, he should be led around by his family to meet and greet the adult nobility among the devils but it seems he had snuck away to pick a fight. Naturally, Damian would not rise to the occasion and firmly plant the idea that they are close in the minds of others.

"What a cruel joke Diodora, I thought we were closer than that." Damian replied without pause, a fake fond smile on his face as he approached his distant cousin. Diodora was a piece of shit but he was at least slightly smarter than the average rock.

While he may not understand every facet of it, even Deoderant should understand that an 'alliance' between the Astaroth and Thaumiel clans would be beneficial even if only as a path for more actual alliances.

"Friendly banter is normal between friends isn't it?" Diodora questioned, lightly pushing away Damian's offer for a handshake with a disgusted look on his face. He was an arrogant bastard to the extreme, he wouldn't touch a 'mere' extra demon clan heir if he could help it.

"I suppose it is. Still, I can't help but notice that you hadn't followed proper etiquette when greeting your peers. Shall I lend you a book or two?" Damian offered with a kind smile, blatantly insulting the little shit's education.

"As kind as that offer is, I doubt you have a book that we, the Astartoth clan, wouldn't have so I'll gratefully decline." Diodora declined with his ever sickening smile. Damian insulted his education and Diodora retaliated with his wealth.

"Perfect! It seems as though you have had plenty of opportunities to learn." Damian spoke with false cheer, gently patting his distant cousin on the shoulder. They had their time, it was time for him to move on.

"Of course. The Astaroth clan lacks nothing." Diodora boasted, completely missing the chance to end the conversation Damian had offered. In fact, he didn't even see the need to speak to the other members of the table.

"It seems that the Astaroth clan lacks manners." Sona interrupted coldly, her violet eyes bluntly showing that she was not impressed. They were eyes shared with every member of the table though Sairaorg's were dampened for obvious reasons.

They were all important individuals even if they were children, to be ignored was a slight upon not only themselves but also their families. In a less formal setting, it may not matter but currently, it meant little more than he, the heir of Astaroth, thought of their families as… insignificant.

"Excuse me?" Diodora questioned, his tone sharp and full of arrogance. For reasons beyond common sense, he seemed to believe that their clan was better than any other in their society due to their connection to the famed Ajuka Beelzebub, a trait shared with others at the table or even surpassed in the case of Sairaorg.

"That's true. It seems that the Astaroth clan failed to educate their heir." Rias interjected, a deep frown on her usually cheerful face. Like most Gremory members, she didn't like to push her weight around and she was currently a little naive but even so she was annoyed at his blatant disregard for her.

"How shameful." Sairaorg spoke his mind bluntly, his eyes a deep swirl of depression. The target to his words were unknown but it was certain that he meant them with every fiber of his being.

"Perhaps the Astaroth clan should reconsider their decision." Seekvaira added, her words vague but their meaning apparent. She was doubting his right to be the heir. It was the greatest insult one could give to somebody like Diodora but she still showed no fear.

Even if the Agares clan does not have the safety net known as one of the four satans their power over time is still extremely valuable. It is only with their help that the devil race can do a great many things ranging from growing enough food or technological progress.

"Excuse me?!" Diodora practically shouted, all eyes in the room already locked onto what was happening. Even if many wouldn't say it, they agreed with what Seekvaira said. And those that had a different view may change their mind based on what occurs here and now.

"I apologize. It was my own fault that he failed to greet you all." Damian interrupted them with a deep and 'sincere' bow, cutting into the tense atmosphere with ease. While it was his fault in a way that wasn't the reason he was taking the blame.

He could let Diodora make a fool of himself here and now but it wouldn't truly matter, not to him at least. Some of the people supporting Diodora may switch but that wouldn't truly shake the firm foundation that he was granted for merely being born to the right people at the right time.

The only reason he was doing this was to put on a show. It may make his family seem subservient to the Astaroth clan but hopefully, only complete fools would believe that with all the groundwork he had laid out.

If all goes correctly, this 'event' should be seen as a child taking the fire away from their clearly unprepared friend. Once this is over, the idea that the Thaumiel and Astaroth clans are connected will be firmly planted in everyone's mind.

In a perfect world, this would be enough to protect his clan from the devil's side of the world.