Alear showed no surprise upon hearing Lord Phenex's words. He simply leaned back a little further on the sofa, crossing his legs with elegance while maintaining a serene expression.
"My father mentioned something about an old promise between our families…" he replied calmly. "Naturally, he never went into specific details with me. He only said it was something important and that, if I ever needed it, I would only have to seek out the Phenex Family and mention that fact…"
Lord Phenex let out a forced, almost melancholic smile, exchanging a brief glance with his wife before continuing. Lady Phenex remained silent, observing Alear with calm and attentive eyes.
"I see…" said Lord Phenex, his voice filled with nostalgia. "Your father was always a man of few words when it came to favors. I will tell you the full story, then."
He paused briefly, as if organizing his memories, before continuing:
"Many years ago, your father and I were close friends. We were not part of the same political circle, but we had an affinity. We used to meet at a discreet bar in the Underworld's Capital to drink and talk about trivial matters. On one of those nights, we were attacked by members of the Old Satan Faction. They outnumbered us and were well prepared. I could not defend myself properly and had to rely on your father for that…"
Lord Phenex slightly clenched his jaw, his gaze hardening for a moment.
"Your father fought several of them alone to protect me. Thanks to him, I survived. After that day, I tried everything to repay the favor. I offered money, territories, resources, political connections… but he was too proud. He refused every offer. The only thing he accepted was a promise."
He looked directly at Alear.
"He made me promise that, if one day his son needed help, I would do everything possible to assist him. That was the only condition he imposed. Essentially, it was a promise between the two of us, and it would be dishonorable for me not to fulfill it, especially considering your father was a great friend of mine…"
Silence lingered in the office for a few seconds.
Alear absorbed the words calmly, showing little emotion. It seemed he had been mistaken: he had assumed the Phenex Family might try to take advantage of his situation to gain leverage from the promise between his father and Lord Phenex, but that was not the case. Everything indicated that what Lord Phenex had said was true. His ability to read others' intentions functioned like a natural lie detector, making it nearly impossible for him not to notice when someone was being dishonest.
He let out a sigh and adopted a contemplative expression.
"I understand. So that's why…"
Lady Phenex, who had remained silent until then with an elegant and serene posture, decided to speak. Her voice was soft, yet filled with sincerity as she looked directly at Alear with her vibrant blue eyes.
"The Phenex Family carries great gratitude toward your father…" she said calmly. "He saved my husband's life at a time when few would have risked so much. When we learned that you had awakened from your long slumber… we decided we could no longer delay fulfilling that promise. That is why we insisted so much on arranging this meeting as soon as possible."
Lord Phenex nodded, complementing his wife's words with a somewhat resigned but honest smile.
"Exactly. Although I must admit I'm not entirely sure how I can help you at this moment…" He slightly opened his arms, as if showing his limitation. "You are engaged to one of the Four Great Satans, lord of two ancient families, and will soon also hold the rights to House Leviathan. Your territories, especially the former domain of the Gäap Family, are extremely rich in minerals and resources. Furthermore, you are also engaged to the heiress of the Agares Family, one of the most influential in the Underworld. Whether in political power, influence, or wealth… the Phenex Family does not seem to have much to offer that you do not already possess."
Lord Phenex paused briefly, his gaze firm and direct.
"Even so, we will honor the promise made to your father. Whatever you need, we will not hesitate to provide it. This is a life debt. And the Phenex Family does not run from its debts…"
Alear listened attentively, his face maintaining a calm and thoughtful expression. Internally, he confirmed there were no lies in their words. The gratitude was genuine, as was the desire to fulfill the old promise. He uncrossed his legs and leaned slightly forward, resting his elbows on his knees while interlacing his fingers.
"I understand the situation…" he replied calmly. "I appreciate your sincerity. I see that the rumors about the Phenex Family being honorable in their word are indeed true… But I feel there is a 'but' in your words…"
Lord Phenex observed Alear for a moment, a calm and slightly impressed smile forming on his lips.
"Indeed… your reputation as a political genius is not exaggerated…" he commented in a surprised tone. "It almost seems as though you can read people's minds. I barely began speaking and you already realized there was a 'but'…"
He let out a light, almost resigned sigh before continuing:
"Yes, there is a 'but.' Although we are here to fulfill the promise made to your father, we would also like to formalize a stronger alliance between our families."
Alear raised an eyebrow, maintaining his calm expression.
"And this alliance would be…?"
Lord Phenex did not hesitate:
"A marriage. We would like to marry our youngest daughter, Ravel Phenex, to you."
Alear showed no surprise. He merely tilted his head slightly, as if he had already expected something of the sort.
"I see. However, I already have two fiancées, Serafall Leviathan and Seekvaira Agares. Would your daughter accept that?"
Lord Phenex exchanged a quick glance with his wife. Lady Phenex gave a small smile, but it was he who answered:
"For Ravel, that would be the greatest honor possible. She… admires you ever since she heard of your achievements. Even at such a young age, you have become the lord of two ancient houses, engaged to a Satan and to the heiress of the Agares Family. Your talent with the second most powerful Longinus in the world and the multiple bloodline traits you manifest are simply… heaven-defying."
Lady Phenex added in a soft and elegant voice:
"Among the young devils of the new generation, there is practically no one who has not heard of you. There is even speculation that soon the title of 'strongest young devil of the Underworld' will belong to you. Ravel has heard many of these stories. She has shown great interest in you…"
Alear remained silent for a few seconds, processing the information. A faint ironic smile appeared on his lips.
"I didn't realize I was that famous."
Lord Phenex let out a low chuckle.
"You awakened after several years in a coma caused by what was, until then, an incurable illness, and within a few weeks you have already made such an impact. It is only natural that the young look up to you as an example… In our society, those who are stronger, or who possess greater potential—whether political or in power—inevitably become like flames that attract the masses, like moths…"
Alear listened attentively, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"That is a beautiful way to describe how much devils care about power and status…" he commented calmly, almost reflectively.
Lord Phenex let out a sincere chuckle, shaking his head slightly.
"Exactly. It is our nature. There is no going against it, no matter how much some try to disguise it with hypocrisy."
Alear nodded slowly, his gaze distant for a brief moment before continuing:
"That reminds me of an old human fable… The one about the scorpion and the frog. A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river on its back. The frog hesitates, saying the scorpion will sting it. The scorpion replies it would not do so, since both would die. The frog agrees. In the middle of the river, the scorpion stings it. As they sink, the frog asks why. The scorpion simply replies: 'It is my nature'…"
He paused briefly before continuing, his voice calm yet filled with deep understanding.
"I believe devils are not very different. In the end, most only care about power and status, and are willing to do anything to achieve it. Of course, some are lazy—after all, they are also affected by that sin—but the vast majority are driven by pride, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, or greed. Faced with an opportunity, they would hardly resist… because, in the end, they would follow exactly what they are by nature."
"But forgive me for that small reflection. I was simply quite inspired by your words, Lord Phenex…"
Lord Phenex smiled slightly, a glint of genuine admiration appearing in his blue eyes as he observed the young man before him.
"You have quite a deep understanding of a devil's nature, Archduke Häagenti. Few young people your age can see so clearly into the essence of our race…"
Lady Phenex, beside her husband, let out a soft and elegant laugh, partially covering her lips with her fingers. Her vibrant blue eyes fixed on Alear with growing interest.
"Now I understand perfectly why our daughter admires you so much…" she said, her voice carrying an almost honeyed tone. "If I were a few years younger and unmarried, I would certainly try my luck with you."
Lord Phenex chuckled lightly, looking at his wife with amusement, without any trace of jealousy or discomfort.
"Well, well… you are being quite direct, my dear."
Alear maintained a serene expression, with a polite smile on his lips. Internally, however, he was far more direct in his judgment. To him, many of those high-class devils were, in practice, almost openly cuckolded. This was already the second man he had seen act as if there were no issue in sharing his own wife with others. Well, technically he had never met Venelana's husband… but in his mind, that already counted as a confirmed case…
Still, none of that showed on his face.
Instead, he slightly tilted his head to the side, directing his attention back to Lady Phenex. His gaze briefly lowered, analyzing every detail of her body without haste before returning to her face, without any shame.
"I am flattered, Lady Phenex. A woman like you would certainly make any man lose his composure. It is a pity fate was not more generous and did not allow me to exist at the time when you were unmarried…"
Lady Phenex smiled gracefully, clearly pleased with the flirtation, a faint glimmer of excitement passing through her eyes.
Lord Phenex, still in a relaxed tone, added:
"My daughter, Ravel, is very much like her mother, you know? When she grows older, one could easily mistake my wife for her twin sister. She inherited the best of her, so I believe that, although time was not generous with that destiny, it at least offered an alternative just as good…"
Alear remained silent for a brief moment.
A husband practically advertising his own wife, as if, in a way, offering her to him—or at the very least, not seeing any problem with that interpretation. Although, reading between the lines, it was also possible to see that it served to redirect his interest toward the daughter, it was still strange. Devils truly had a peculiar and highly unconventional social logic; the more he interacted with them, the more evident that became.
He easily dismissed those thoughts and allowed a faint smile to form before responding:
"If she truly resembles Lady Phenex… then I would gladly accept having her as my wife."
Lord Phenex broke into a wide and satisfied smile, clearly relieved and pleased with Alear's direct answer.
"Excellent!" he exclaimed, clapping once. "I am very happy to hear that. Then let us settle the details."
He leaned slightly forward, adopting a more practical tone:
"Ravel will begin living here with you. I will inform her, and she will move in today, if that is convenient. She is still young, but she already has an exemplary education and is quite mature for her age. Naturally, we do not expect you to treat her as a wife immediately, nor for the marriage to be consummated now. For the time being, we can simply formalize the engagement…"
Lady Phenex added with an elegant smile:
"She is a proud girl, but also very dedicated. I am certain she will adapt well to your mansion and to your… current family situation."
Alear nodded calmly, showing no discomfort.
"That can be arranged. The mansion has enough space. I will have a suitable room prepared for her."
The three continued discussing details for a few more minutes. A magical marriage contract was established, and all the clauses of the alliance were properly added. In practice, the Phenex Family became an ally of the Häagenti Family from that moment onward. There were several benefits involved, such as the supply of Phoenix Tears at an eighty percent discount, among other advantages, making it clear that Lord Phenex truly intended to fulfill the promise made to his father in the best possible way. Everything was resolved quickly, directly, and extremely efficiently.
Finally, Lord Phenex extended his hand to Alear.
"Then it is decided. From today onward, the Phenex and Häagenti-Gäap Families are officially allied through this marriage."
Alear shook his hand firmly.
"May it be an alliance beneficial to both sides."
Lady Phenex also stood, giving a graceful bow.
"It was a pleasure meeting you in person, Archduke."
After the formal farewells, the Phenex couple was escorted by Lotte to the mansion's exit.
When the doors closed behind them, the office fell silent once more.
Alear remained seated for a few seconds, staring into the void with a thoughtful expression. A faint ironic smile appeared on his lips as he tapped his fingers on the table.
"Another fiancée…" he murmured to himself. "And apparently her mother wouldn't mind being part of the package either."
He shook his head slightly, finding the situation almost comical.
Devils truly had a very peculiar way of handling relationships.
Well, he was looking forward to meeting his "fiancée" later…
He just did not expect it would only be at night…
__________________
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