Banquet Preparations

The Lucifuge Castle was immense, with more than two hundred rooms, five towers, four floors and ten massive hallways, it was the perfect spot for a meeting between the rulers of the underworld.

Worthy of the 'third-ranked Duke Family in the 72 pillars' whatever that means.

Layla and I walked down the stairs of the second floor, it was there where more than a hundred bedrooms were located, usually, they'd be divided by hierarchies but Fia forgot about such things and everyone was equal.

The ground floor was a recreation area filled with halls, kitchens, TVs and games, she made that area for the kids mostly.

The second and third floors were bedrooms, and the fourth floor had storage for the servants to place food, old furniture and assortments, and there was a basement where the Lucifuge Clan's treasures were locked. The towers allowed many entrances to the different floors.

The banquet was going to take place on the fifth floor and on the terrace.

I saw servants running all around, getting ready, tucking the children to bed and overall making sure that everything happened flawlessly.

"Despite being the third-ranked family, there has never been an instance in which the Lucifuge Clan served as a host for any of these meetings, that's because this is a 'sacred ground' where Lady Calliope is expected to reside".

"Is that why the whole region is filled with guards?"

"Yes, there is no lack of enemies and terrorists that are willing to sacrifice their life to disturb this banquet, whether their outcome is to 'incite' Lady Calliope's rage or something else, we don't know, but we brace for anything" Layla spoke solemnly, I am looking forward to seeing who is going to cause trouble here.

"Sister, I don't want to sleep!"

"Sweety... you can't stay up. Adults are going to have a party... if you're mischievous Lady Lucifuge will be upset and she will pull four feet at night~"

"No!"

The brats won't be causing trouble, that's for sure.

"I have to go get ready as well, brother-in-law, please make yourself home... well... it is your home~" Layla approached me and gave me a kiss on the cheek before trailing back downstairs to where Grayfia and Fia are, also preparing themselves.

This lass... if she keeps doing these things I might end up stealing her.

Sighing, I looked all around to see that only the servants that were prepared had already begun setting up the tables, appetizers, wine and essentials for the guests that were coming.

I heard many whistles the moment they saw me, particularly from the girls.

"You look so handsome, Richter-sama!~" A raven-haired beauty approached me in maid attire, her maid clothes were white and I saw her two white wings. She also had a halo on her head, an angel.

Her name is Lucy and she's one of the 'big sisters' among the servants, she has twenty-five years, a relatively young age for a member of the supernatural, but still, she was a big sister to all the kids in the castle.

We became rather close because unlike most of the kids, she was more tactful to Grayfia's hatred of those of her race, the two had a rocky start with Lucy evading her most of the time, seeing that Grayfia wanted to go over her own grievances I pulled these two together, although they couldn't be called friends... at least Grayfia had improved.

"You look wonderful as well, Lucy, are you ready?" I hugged her and she reciprocated, Lucy is a free soul, she hugs and is close to everyone, a cheerful being.

"Yes, would you like some shrimp?~ we prepared them for you" the beautiful angel led me to the table where some of the servants closest to me were, the majority of them were either fallen angels or angels.

The table was filled with assorted appetizers that one could say were for the guests, however, I knew better... all of these are the ones I like.

"Did you make this table for me?" I asked tentatively if she says yes then I can just eat the whole table, right?

"O-Of course not! but I know you like shrimps and seafood so, have some, we have many more rounds prepared anyway so you don't need to be courteous~" Lucy encouraged me to dig in even before the banquet started, and who am I to deny her kindness.

They already know how much I eat when I EAT. Taking a single one of them in the sauce I realised it was so much tastier than usual, they're working hard on this.

Seeing me like this Lucy held my sleeve with a longing expression as she regarded her fellow angels and fallen angels, erratically running and preparing for everything, setting the tables, the mantles, the lights... decorations. There was even a boy making sure all the utensils were perfectly symmetrical on a table.

"We never have the chance to host a party like this. We're unable to be in the presence of high-class devils aside from Lady Fia. It will show the rest of the families how well Lady Lucifuge has done keeping us all together, it is our chance to show them our stance!" She clenched her hand and the other people cheered with her.

"What do you mean?" I requested her to explain further.

"We angels and fallen angels are mostly shunned in the territories of the devil supremacy faction. Stepped on, humiliated... only someone like Lady Fia would treat us kindly, feed us and teach us... she's the only one. Even the families like Bael, Gremory and Sitri who support the conservative faction, don't do such things for our races. We want to show them that she hasn't been idling and her choice is not wrong, perhaps then they will take better measures to give better opportunities to our races in the underworld and Lady Fia will also get some recognition"

I can tell their loyalty to the Lucifuge Clan can't be any higher than this. But I still had doubts.

"Don't you think it would be better for you all to reunite with your people? you angels head back to heaven while the fallen angels go back to the earth? wouldn't that be the best outcome for you?" I asked, intrigued... why stay somewhere where you're shrouded by contempt?

"Most of us have already made a life here in the underworld, our ancestors wanted to leave but were disallowed to, treated as slaves... now we have better lives than them thanks to Lady Calliope and Lady Fia; now we don't desire to leave the underworld, it is our home!"

"I see... your parents were taken here by the devils, right? your ancestors..."

"Yes, four hundred years ago they were taken here against their will, used and slaved... most of the fallen angels you see were the product of angels falling due to the harsh conditions... eventually pairing themselves with other fallen, no doubt angels are the most scarce race in the underworld. You could say that outside the Lucifuge Territory, they're almost inexistent"

'I can say that even inside these walls... there is a single angel for every ten fallen angels and there is one fallen angel for every thousand devils in the whole Lucifuge Territory; considering that the Lucifuge Territory is the one with the most numbers... they're an overwhelming minority in the underworld' while thinking that, I took a shrimp.

"Angels are scarce because it is difficult for them to not 'fall' here, correct?" I had two more shrimps.

"Umm..." Lucy nodded, "Fallen are also troublemakers... their numbers used to be bigger but they decreased naturally after being hunted for their misbehaviour, the judges in the underworld courts always lean against us, allowing injustice to happen even in the territories of the conservative devil faction" she held her chest and confessed.

"I, in particular... don't feel like returning to the heavens... even if I was given the chance, I love this place, the kids, Lady Lucifuge... I merely hope that those of my race that don't have this privilege are treated better" a boy called Alan said, a fallen angel.

I kept eating a few more shrimps, paying attention to their words, it seems like for them this is more than just a meeting of some satans, this is an opportunity to display their abilities and be 'acknowledged' by the higher-ups. I could only shake my head.

I have lived long enough to know they're going to kick a steel plate. Discrimination is not something you can just get rid of with good intentions and actions, sadly.

Nevertheless, I saw one fallen young lady carrying a big load of plates and helped her.

"Richter-sama you shouldn't! it's going to ruin your clothes!" She said, almost placing the plates down to fix the little bit of dust that had fallen on my jacket.

I waved my hand and the plates began to float much to her surprise.

"Don't worry, Penny... they're not comfortable anyway".

Since I'd be bored until Grayfia, Fia and Layla appeared, I decided to just help these lads and lasses.