66 Mercy

[Richter's POV]

Time seemed to have stopped as the flowing gales of our collision brought back rainy clouds. It began pouring on us as my gaze set itself on Layla, she'd not stand back until I stopped.

Why should I stop? this bastard coveted my mate. Had this been Helius, he'd be turned into a golden sculpture already, in fact... I could have ended him faster, but seeing his broken jaw and pitiful silhouette lying down between life and death, I felt satisfied enough.

The man looked like he was in his last breath, his gaze focused on me with fear, perhaps he was feeling fear for the first time in his life.

"Grayfia..." I said all of the sudden, due to the situation my words carried unprecedented weight, a mere word made them shiver. They finally realised who they were dealing with.

I can understand, until the tiger shows his claws, he's still just a cat to foreign eyes. Alas, when the tiger shows his claws, it is usually too late. Lucky for them, this 'tiger' has lived long enough to know when to stop.

"Y-Yes, m-master?" Grayfia was still standing between the satans and me, protecting my back. I commended her loyalty, but her determination was feeble. I need to test her more.

"What reasons do I have to stop and let him live...?" I asked.

I need to know if she's prepared to be my mate and everything it involves. The maid gulped as all gazes except Layla's set on her.

"H-He is the father of my nephew... according to my sister the boy is quite fond of him and he's a good father too, also... he's the satan of the underworld. You know for what reason I went into your world in the first place, master..." Her words sounded like she was desperately trying to make me stop.

I frowned her way before releasing a helpless sigh. Basically... she's using her position in my heart to somehow repay me for his life, however, is that really my concern?

"If he is to die, the balance would break and a war would likely begin, not only would I have to involve myself, i-it would make me sad too..." Grayfia knew I was unconvinced and so she continued.

"..." Once again, I don't really care about the devils, if I was to care about something it would only be the Lucifuge Clan and I'd just take them away with me if it comes to that.

I shot Layla a sidelong glance, she hasn't stopped sobbing from the start to now, do you love that fool that much? even after he placed himself at death's door for your sister? love is such a ridiculous feeling.

"Dragon God-sama, please... Sirzechs-chan is not a bad person; he was just too infatuated with her for his own good. He definitely learnt his lesson!" the woman, Serafall, interjected for his sake; kneeling beside Layla until her twin-tails went muddy, her head planted on the ground.

Ajuka Beelzebub and Falbium Asmodeous followed, all of them begging me for this boy's life.

Why would I care if he learnt his lesson or not? I was polite enough and he still did it.

'M-Master...' Grayfia sent me a stuttery mind transmission, gaining my attention.

'...?' I wondered why she was using this instead of speaking out loud for everyone to hear.

'If you let him go... Mother, Layla and me will wear bikinis for you".

!!!!

Dead silence on the battlefield with only Sirzechs' rough breaths resonating.

'Come again...? said it out loud' I needed to hear this well.

"I said WE will wear bikinis for you, master. If you let him live..." Grayfia rolled her eyes, she couldn't possibly say who it would be out loud, it would not only inconvenience Layla, but her mother as well, I understand that much, I merely wanted to confirm that I wasn't imagining things as lately I'm imagining women I have known in bikinis and nonsense like that.

Everyone shot her a confused glance, possibly thinking the same that I thought 'What did she just say? bikinis...?'

My gaze pierced Grayfia who awaited my verdict, she failed... I don't have the intention to kill this bastard, if I really had... he'd be dead... were he some Carl Johnson nobody, I'd end him, but too many people rely on him, a whole race, in fact... I'm not that petty.

That said, Grayfia still went against my wishes.

Releasing a sigh I spoke out loud.

"Consider yourself pardoned, Sirzechs. But if I see you touching my maid again, I won't only kill you... I'll destroy your whole family, plunder your treasures and make sure that not even history records are left".

I walked by Layla who jumped on me and hugged me deeply, "Thank you! THANK YOU!"

She showed me her gratitude for a second before going past with a flask of something, flickering beside the dying Sirzechs.

"Sirzechs! drink! quickly!"

Serafall nodded and intended to approach but I flapped my wings and arrived beside Grayfia in a heartbeat; her ice began to melt back into her golden dress; giving me the sight of a beautiful queen.

She took my head and planted a deep kiss in my mouth, making sure that Sirzechs saw it, and he did.

Whatever remained of his heart got shattered at that moment as I took Grayfia by the waist and shot back to the castle.

I need to repair that hole.

**

**

[Layla's POV]

This is a catastrophe, such a sad catastrophe... but right now my feelings can't be in the middle, no matter how much sorrow I'm experimenting, as Sirzechs' Queen, I must do what is right.

My quivering hands gave him the phoenix tears and he began healing as the Super Devil transformation subsided, beside me were a haggard Ajuka, Serafall and Falbium.

None of us could believe what happened, it was completely one-sided... my husband almost died if not for my sister's presence, Richter-sama was ready to disregard me...

"Ajuka!"

Someone rushed amidst her flight, it was Ajuka's Queen, the Nephilim Sandalphon. When she saw me holding Sirzechs, she paled in disbelief.

She had twelve black wings, horns on her head and a black halo, the first Nephilim.

"W-what happened?!" Sandalphon looked at her husband with the most confused gaze. Sirzechs Lucifer's defeat must be as odd of sight for them as snow falling in the underworld, and as expected, only the latter is impossible.

"It was the Golden Dragon... we made a mistake... we underestimated him too much" Ajuka clenched his hand as we saw Sirzechs recover from his wounds, but he was out cold.

"Sirzechs-chan should have restrained himself too..." Serafall sighed in defeat, it wasn't a good day.

Several silhouettes began flashing all around us, they are the four satan's peerages.

"Sirzechs-sama!" Aphrodite flashed and knelt beside me with a gaze filled with terror, behind her were Akita Souji and MacGregor Matters.

I know their gaze, none of us could ever imagine our king in this state, moreover... he's already healing, they didn't see him a few minutes ago... I thought he was going to die as I knelt and could only cry in powerlessness.

"What happened, Layla!?" The goddess yelled at me with tears in her eyes.

"It was the Golden Dragon we talked about before, my brother-in-law... he had mercy on Sirzechs-sama, that's why he still lives".

"How long were they fighting?" The peerage members asked as they saw the destruction all over the field, this couldn't be called a forest anymore, who knows how much wildlife was lost?

"Just three minutes" Ajuka answered solemnly, it might not have looked like much to others, but we knew otherwise.

!!!

Their reactions were as expected, disbelief.

"Three minutes in which he toyed with Sirzechs-chan... the power he displayed here is even more devastating than what he showed in the Agares Territory... perhaps it really was an accident as he said" Serafall asserted with a guilty conscience.

"He's a true Dragon God; we can't treat him as we would with regular threats anymore... as of today, his existence has to be ranked on the same level with Ouroboros Dragon and Great Red. Should we cancel the banquet? we can't risk it... what if he gets offended by anything our families do? who is going to stop him then?" Ajuka asked all of us, it was a dilemma but he is right.

I know my brother-in-law won't be easily offended, I always wondered why he is so aloof and uncaring but I understand now... why would he care with all that power? contrary to what the majority believe, being so powerful doesn't necessarily translate into being violent or tyrannical... perhaps that's all the reason why Ophis and Great Red don't bother the other races despite their might.

They just... don't care about us.

I lowered my gaze, clenching Sirzechs' chest, 'So the only reason you even lowered yourself with us... was all because of my big sister? is it always she?'

"But we also don't know what he's going to do afterwards, leave the underworld? it might be our only chance to communicate with him and Grayfia-chan before they're on their way, Layla... do you know their plans?" Falbium took me out of my trance.

"They wish to return to their world but are stuck here, that's all I know... big sister wished to speak to you, Ajuka... she thought you may have an answer to their predicament" I summarised, unaware of that their movements would be after this banquet, they have no reason to stay in the underworld if it has nothing to offer to them, I already brought her to Hephaestus-sama, and now Ajuka is sure to speak to them regarding their issue.

'After that... will he leave?' Even I was unaware of how much his actions were beginning to affect me, his decisions.

Sirzechs' eyes finally began fluttering open, filling all of us with joy as I released a breath of relief but... I was still angry at him. So angry and ashamed of my brother-in-law... despite how much of an antagonist he might have looked to us, nothing of this is Richter-sama's fault.

He was lenient enough, humbled himself down to meet us on equal terms and even offered compensation when he could have just left. It is our fault for constantly belittling him, Sirzechs for being so impulsive... it was all our fault and he still showed mercy.

'I need to apologise to him' I felt so ashamed.

After seeing that he woke up safely sound, I stood up and addressed the rest of the peerages, "It is better if the peerages head back to their respective lodgings, the more threatening we appear to him, the more likely it will be that he shows hostility".

"L-Layla... is right..." Sirzehcs remarked with rugged breaths, all the fighting spirit had left his body even as he healed.

"Master!" Aphrodite hugged him tightly in concern despite my presence and... for some reason, it didn't affect me as much as it would have before.

"Aphrodite, MacGregor, draw back; return to the castle... this is an order" Sirzechs staggered up, his clothes all in tatters, I would need to help him change into something more presentable.

He is usually easy-going with all of us, I don't remember the last time he said 'order' but without any more choice, Aphrodite and McGregor retreated together with the rest of the members of the peerages that had been nearby, standing by... the fight was so quickly that they didn't even have time to catch up.

"Sirzechs..."

"Don't say anything, Ajuka. Let's go... Sandalphon, the guests?" He asked the Nephilim beside us, the lady gave him several looks of concern before speaking, "They should all be there already since Ajuka called for us, we didn't expect this sort of incident to be taking place, they must be confused"

"Then we need to go quickly to solve any misunderstanding, Layla, with me..."

He flew in front; rushing back to the Lucifuge Castle as if the battle that happened a few minutes ago was a dream. His ego must be surely hurt but aside from that, he didn't even apologise to me.

I clenched my hands against my dirty dress where the collar was folded; we all chased after him back to the banquet.

[A/N: To those that wanted him to die, nope~ he ain't dying any time soon he has yet to lose his wife, lover, sister and mother...]

PSD: I don't hate Sirzechs or anything.