46 Bonding with the Mother-in-law

[Richter's POV]

After a wonderful breakfast, the four of us departed the Lucifuge Castle only to find the majority of the servants were coming back from whence they went. Grayfia apologised to them for the inconvenience... some of the boys were innocent enough to ask if we were fighting.

"Yes, Richter-sama and I had an argument~ so we had to wrestle to decide who wins~"

"Did you win, big sister Grayfia?" The devil boy clung to her.

"Yes, I won~"

"Oi..." I frowned, she's definitely seeking more 'punishment'.

It was then that a little girl with a hat on her head approached Grayfia and held onto her golden dress with concern, I felt how Grayfia shivered and resisted her urges, the little girl was an angel.

"Are you okay, Big sister Grayfia? you're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm... not..." Her lips gnashed together, resisting the urge to feel killing intent against a mere infant. Fia held her shoulders and shook her head, giving some indications to her servants to go back in with the children.

Once they departed, Fia took her daughter into her arms.

"Thank you, darling, it must have been difficult for you... I will explain everything. I understand... that Lady Calliope never contacted you?"

"We need to have this discussion, about her... about what happened... but let's get this 'spar' out of the way first, Layla"

"Would you care to have a spar with me after big sister, brother-in-law?"

"I don't have an issue" I answered and we began walking towards what looked like some training grounds. Layla created some magic circles around what looked like a small dome, and the world began to change around us.

"These are the Lucifuge Sacred Grounds, they were created to host rating games, big sister... you would feel prideful to know that the Lucifuge Clan is currently a Duke Family ranked third in the seventy-two pillars".

"R-Really?"

"Yes, it was all thanks to Lady Calliope. This is not widespread knowledge, it is only known by us and the four satans. But we're all aware that Lady Calliope was called by you, she gave us that information herself. She told us she sent you on a sacred mission to her lands and in exchange, she saved our race. Given the outcome... I believe you accomplished your mission, right?"

"That's... correct..." Grayfia shot me a glance and then her gaze drifted somewhere else, I guess she was looking at her system, I wonder what it is showing her? how much affection do I have for her? it must have sky-ricochetted after last night. How does that system even know how much affection I hold for her? is it connected to me somehow? how to gauge it?

I was making all those irrelevant questions in my head as the world around us began to change like an illusion, transforming into an arena with a barrier around it. It was the same barrier that I broke before.

As this happened, Fia hooked her arm around mine with a smile and led me to the stands where we sat together she had four wings unlike Grayfia and her sister who had eight. I had attended to her expressions and body as she cast a barrier around us to conceal communication.

"So, son-in-law, do you love my daughter?~"

"I do, Fia".

"Call me mother-in-law~"

"Why do you want to speak to me?"

"Is it weird for a mother to call her son-in-law to have a private chat? Grayfia is my beloved... I have missed her dearly and awaited her return with desperation. Now she came back not by herself but with her man, how can I not be curious about you? then there is this whole incident... you know this is not simple. The two of you will have to prove yourselves in front of the four satans if you're even given the chance. The Agares Family is ranked second, which means they have the power to order your execution just by the amount of damage you caused, do you have the means to protect yourself and my daughter? mummy is worried..." Fia sighed and shot her gaze towards Layla and Grayfia who were talking between themselves with Grayfia shooting her mother a glare every once and then.

"What is this family rank or whatever?"

"Oh, she never told you? we, devils, are composed of seventy-two royal families, each holding a royal rank... the four satans are the governors of devils but they in the end have to abide by the devil council's decisions... the higher ranked the family is... the more power they have in this council. Originally we Lucifuges were not even among the pillars, but it was Lady Calliope's gift to us due to our familial relationship with Grayfia".

"I see..."

"Above us are the Agares and the Bael... their power in the council is greater than mine. I currently hold the title of Lady Lucifuge which I can't hand over to Layla because she's married to the Gremory... I'm hoping to pass it over to Grayfia".

"What about your son, Grayfia mentioned it before..."

"Euclid was too headstrong to understand things back then... the old-satan faction surrendered, none of the Lucifuge Clan members was willing to surrender, extremely loyal to Lucifer. Lady Calliope gave them a chance, but they rejected it... she ended up slaughtering all of them, and it wasn't just the Lucifuge Clan. I begged her to at least allow my son to live and she allowed it, Euclid fled and I exiled him from the Lucifuge Clan. Haven't heard from him since..." There were tears in her eyes as she spoke, it must have been difficult for her as a mother to have to see her son leave like that.

I guess, Horlein wasn't much different... the causes were different. He blamed me for his mother's death. And he has all the right to do so, it was my fault… for being a Primoridal.

"You have worked hard, Fia".

"Call me mother-in-law!" She pouted.

"I can reassure you that I have the strength to stop whatever they're trying against me and Grayfia. Even Grayfia might be able to fend them off on her own, she's not the same one that you knew".

"I can tell, are those golden strands of hair related to you? I can't picture her painting her hair".

"Yes, she has accepted my inheritance and become partly a dragon".

"And her wings? I can see he still has... two... of her devil wings, but what are those wings? they're not dragon wings, that much I know" She frowned, inspecting them.

"They're demon wings... the current Grayfia has attained Godhood" I explained

"G-Godhood!?" She pressed my arm against her breasts in shock, I merely sighed and allowed her.

"Yes, she's a Demon Goddess".

"Is that even possible? aren't gods and demons opposite existences?" She questioned, now looking at Grayfia with a keen eye.

"A God is an entity that has reached absolute proficiency over authority to the point that he or she can bend reality itself to their whims. I don't know what concept of god you have in this world, but any entity is perfectly capable of achieving Godhood, it is just a difficult and time-consuming endeavour".

"Amazing... it makes sense indeed. Very well, I'll trust you are capable of making my daughter happy. Her mission must have been difficult, right? I'm so proud of her~"

"You have no idea how difficult it was..." I sighed, smiling while looking at my apostle, "hundreds of capable individuals like her... failed, but she accomplished it, Fia... your daughter is great".

"Yes, I can tell you love her if even by her moans~ however, son-in-law?" She approached me and whispered in my ear, her voice as delicate as thin glass.

"Hmn?"

"You haven't called me mother-in-law yet~" The delicacy was gone and back was the 'absolute maid'. Now I know where that facette of Grayfia hailed from.