Chapter 33 Thank you.

I wracked my brain trying to think of who else I would want in my peerage. The obvious answer would be the Red Dragon Emperor, but I couldn't stand Issei's character. No matter how powerful he had the potential to become, I refused to be associated with that creep. Maybe I could trade information of his location to someone else? That would also deny Rias Gremory a strong asset, a fact I was ecstatic about. But who should I approach?

"Yubelluna?" I said, drawing my queen's attention. "I need you to research the current pillar heirs as thoroughly as you can. Prioritize finding information on their various peerages and what pieces they have yet to use. Anything you can turn up on prized possessions would be useful as well." A plan was starting to form in my mind, but it wouldn't work without a mutation bishop. Not for the first time, I grew irritated at Lord Gremory for his rather skillful manipulation of me. There was another potential person I wanted to reincarnate, but I didn't have any pieces strong enough to reincarnate her. I would need two bishops, but I already had Clarissa. Ergo, I needed a mutation piece if I didn't want to use all my pawns. "If possible, find me a mutation bishop."

Yubelluna bowed her head. "I will begin as soon as you are home, my king."

A plan began to take shape in my head, but I forced myself to be patient. I couldn't even attempt to implement it unless Yubelluna turned up something actionable. I'd just have to wait and see.

X

Yubelluna worked fast. I was impressed with the efficiency with which she went about gathering information, and was excited at what she had uncovered.

There were two pillar heirs who possessed mutation bishops. The first, and most vocal about her recent acquisition of the piece, was Rias Gremory. Lord Gremory had traded his daughter the bishop he'd traded from me for Clarissa. Rias was practically yelling from the rooftops that she had taken one of my most valuable pieces to try to save face after Yubelluna humiliated her in combat. I was a little surprised with the sheer volume of media Rias appeared in to show off her piece. I would have thought after her humiliation she would have dedicated her time to being stronger. But unless she was training in between her hour long interviews, she was more concerned with prancing in front of cameras than growing in strength.

Needless to say, I wasn't exactly fond of the idea of approaching Rias and attempting to make a deal with her, not to mention the fact that in the course of said deal I would offer her the Red Dragon Emperor. Canon could take a flying leap off a cliff for all I cared. If I could avoid strengthening Rias Gremory in any way, I would do so.

That was why I was so pleased with the alternative option Yubelluna was able to find. The Agares heiress, Seekvaira Agares, while not open with the fact, possessed not one, but two mutation pieces. The case of a devil receiving two mutation pieces had occurred only a half-a-dozen times out of all of the Evil Piece sets distributed with Seekvaira proving lucky enough to receive both a bishop and a rook, two very useful pieces. The piece that interested me the most was, of course, her bishop, but the fact she possessed the rook was also relevant because she would be able to use it to reincarnate the Red Dragon Emperor without using all her pawns. Not that I particularly cared how she chose to reincarnate Issei, but the added option would hopefully make it easier for me to make a deal with her.

Despite how well things would work for both of us, I wasn't sure Seekvaira would even agree to a meeting with me. I may have been a noble again, but the Agares house was more powerful than the Phenex house, a house I was no longer even a part of, by a large margin. The Agares were the second most influential family in the whole of the Underworld following only the Baels. My sending a letter to Seekvaira requesting an audience was akin to a cockroach asking a physicist to lunch.

After three days without a response, I considered leaning on some of my goodwill with Serafall to try to get a meeting set, but it wasn't needed. I was relieved by Seekvaira's reply that arrived on the fourth day.

Riser,

Your name is known to me, as it is to many in the Underworld. Your letter mentioned a potential bargain you wish to strike. I will admit to a certain level of intrigue, both in your offer and in yourself. As such, I invite you to the Agares Estate for tea at noon in three days time. I look forward to our meeting.

Seekvaira Agares, heiress of the Agares Pillar

It was short and to the point. I could respect that.

Three days later, Yubelluna and I arrived at the Agares Estate border fifteen minutes before noon. It was considered improper to bring one's full peerage, but acceptable to bring your queen as your queen was your right hand. Clarissa didn't mind remaining behind. It allowed her to continue whatever she was working on in her lab uninterrupted.

"Are you Riser?" a devil in light armor said from the other side of a wrought iron gate. The symbol of the Agares Pillar glowed bright on a piece of bronze set into the middle of the gate.

"I am." I said.

The guard unbarred the gate, and I felt a pulse of magic as an invisible ward was lowered.

"Lady Seekvaira is expecting you. I will transport you to the manor."

"Thank you."

The devil waited for us to enter before barring the gate behind us, the ward rising back into place.

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