As soon as I reach 500 Power Stones, I'll post another chapter! So, let's go!
__________________
Alear walked through the now completely silent corridors. He used [Status Recovery] to eliminate his fatigue and restore his [Demonic Power] reserves. The auxiliary ability was truly impressive; in a matter of moments, his body returned to its peak condition, as if the previous battle had never occurred.
He followed the Longinus signature to a more protected wing of the castle. Upon reaching that "dungeon," he calmly opened the doors.
Unlike what one might expect from a prisoner or someone kept under constant surveillance, the interior was extremely luxurious. Heavy black and red velvet curtains hung from the tall windows, while a large dark crystal chandelier dangled from the ceiling. The canopy bed looked worthy of a princess, with dark silk sheets and pillows embroidered with the Tepes crest. Ancient books were neatly arranged on a shelf nearby, and magical candles softly illuminated the room, creating an atmosphere of somber opulence.
As soon as he entered, his eyes were immediately drawn to the bed, where a young woman of delicate and striking beauty lay. Her soft features simultaneously conveyed an aura of innocence and gentleness. Her light blonde hair had a subtle golden glow, falling just below her shoulders in slightly disheveled strands. Long bangs partially covered one of her eyes, while side locks framed her face, and two small braids descending in front reinforced her graceful appearance. Her large eyes immediately caught attention: an intense ruby-red that contrasted with her extremely fair skin. Her gaze, however, carried an indifference and emptiness that were difficult to decipher.
She wore an outfit in shades of red and white, strongly inspired by winter clothing. The upper part was white, with plush trim on the sleeves and high collar, while fitted red sleeves completely covered her arms. A small pink bow at her neck added a delicate detail to the ensemble. The red skirt spread around her body. She hugged her own legs against her chest in a compact, almost childlike posture. Her legs were long and slender, with smooth and pale skin. Her delicate hands rested upon herself, with thin fingers and wrists adorned by simple dark bracelets.
"...Who are you?" she asked, her voice soft, almost without intonation, as if even curiosity had been consumed by the long years of confinement.
Alear remained motionless for a brief moment, genuinely surprised. The young woman before him was very beautiful. In his past life, only a few Servants could rival that supernatural appearance. Not that it was exactly surprising; the entire Nasuverse seemed to have been created as a true factory of "waifus," as they used to joke in his first life. Still, he quickly composed his expression and replied calmly:
"My name is Alear G. Häagenti. I came here to take you away from this place..."
Valerie observed him in silence for a few seconds. Her face remained almost completely expressionless, as if years of mistreatment, isolation, and exploitation had erased any spontaneous reaction. In her mind, the conclusion arose almost automatically. That man had probably invaded the castle just to kidnap her and make her use her Longinus for his own ambitions. After all, that was what everyone did...
Her own father had turned her life into an endless succession of orders and suffering, seeing her only as a weapon of enormous value. The only one who had never tried to use her that way had died many years ago. At least that was what her father had told her. According to him, a vampire hunter had killed him during their escape, cruelly mocking that their attempt back then had served absolutely no purpose.
Since then, she had learned that no one approached her for who she truly was.
There was no reason to have different expectations.
So, she decided to get straight to the point.
"...You want to use me because of my Longinus, don't you?" she asked in a low and monotone voice. "Everyone wants the same thing..."
Alear arched an eyebrow slightly upon hearing those words. A small sigh escaped his lips, not out of irritation, but because he understood how deeply rooted that way of thinking had become in her. Without saying anything immediately, he walked slowly toward the bed, taking care not to make any sudden movements that could be interpreted as a threat.
"Rest assured. I didn't come here to kidnap you or to use you..." he said, his voice firm but filled with sincerity. "I want you to become part of my Nobility. Well... even though you probably won't believe my words, I promise that I will protect you if you accept my offer. No one will ever imprison you or force you to use your power against your own will again. Not even me. If you don't want to use your Longinus, that's fine. Of course, I would be happy if one day you decided to fight alongside me of your own free will, but that choice will always be yours. And if you prefer to help me in other ways, I will accept that too. You will never again be forced to do anything against your will..."
For a brief instant, something changed deep in Valerie's eyes as she heard those words, spoken with a sincerity that seemed to reach a long-forgotten place in her heart. A warm and unknown sensation slowly bloomed in her chest, breaking through the emptiness she had grown accustomed to for so many years. It was an almost forgotten emotion... happiness. Her fingers tightened slightly on the sheet over the bed, as if trying to confirm that it was real, while a faint blush tinged her pale cheeks — almost imperceptible, but impossible to hide. For the first time in a long while, a small hope began to be born inside her.
She lowered her gaze, unsure of exactly how to react.
...No one had ever said those words to her. No one had ever given her the freedom to choose her own destiny. Almost unconsciously, her gaze returned to rest on the young man before her.
He was... handsome.
His features were delicate, yet at the same time conveyed a strange firmness. The calm expression on his face did not seem forced, and his magenta-pink eyes carried a sincerity in which Valerie simply could not find any sign of falsehood. They were incredibly beautiful eyes... but above all, welcoming. For a moment, she had the strange feeling that she could trust them, and that simple possibility made her heart beat a little faster.
Alear extended his open palm toward her, maintaining the same calm and sincere expression, without showing any hurry to receive an answer.
"Trust me. I won't force you to do anything. If you want to stay here... I will simply leave without taking you. But if you decide to come with me, I promise I will do everything in my power so that you can finally have a real life..."
Valerie stared at the outstretched hand for long seconds. Her eyes wavered. After so long, such an offer seemed unreal. Part of her still expected a trap, a lie, or another form of exploitation. However, there was something in his voice, in the serenity of his gaze, and in the firmness of his words that gradually weakened her distrust. Slowly, almost afraid that the hand would disappear if she took too long, she extended hers and held his. Alear's hand was warm. Comforting. Completely different from anything she had touched in recent years.
"...In any case..." she murmured, her voice low and slightly trembling, "I don't have any other choice..."
Alear smiled discreetly and gently squeezed her hand, taking care not to frighten her.
"You won't regret this choice..." He paused briefly before asking: "You know what a Nobility is, don't you?"
Valerie lowered her gaze to their joined hands for a brief moment. Feeling that warmth still seemed strange to her. Then, she raised her eyes to Alear again and answered calmly:
"Yes. The members of my Clan taught me about the other races... including the system of Nobilities of demons."
Alear nodded slightly, satisfied with the answer, without releasing her hand.
"That makes things easier. I won't need to explain everything in detail." A faint smile appeared on his face. "So, since you've decided to come with me... that means you accept becoming part of my Nobility, right?"
Valerie remained silent for a moment before confirming with a small nod.
"...Yes."
"Good, then... let's proceed with the reincarnation ritual... But first, what is your name again?"
"Valerie Tepes... What do you need me to do...?"
"Just lie down on the bed and leave the rest to me..."
Valerie nodded silently and slowly lay back down on the bed. Her eyes, however, remained fixed on Alear as a mixture of anxiety and anticipation filled her thoughts.
She wondered if she had really made the right decision.
In truth, she didn't have many options. There was no place she could go, nor anyone she could trust. Still, that wasn't the only reason she had accepted his proposal.
In those few minutes of conversation, Alear had awakened something in her that she believed she had lost many years ago. A feeling of warmth, security, and hope that her own heart had almost forgotten how to feel.
For that reason, even without being able to rationally explain why, she decided to trust that feeling.
She believed... that she had made the right choice.
While the girl was mentally coming to terms with it, Alear extended his hand, and a single [Evil Piece] in the shape of a Pawn appeared in his palm. Under normal circumstances, that would never have been enough. As the bearer of a Longinus, Valerie would require at least six Pawns to be reincarnated, since a single common piece simply did not have the capacity to support someone with so much potential.
However, Alear's Evil Pieces were far from ordinary. After numerous experiments conducted over the past few days, he had managed to evolve all of them to the equivalent of Mutation Pieces and, going even further, removed the inherent limitation of the reincarnation system. As a result, each of his pieces was capable of reincarnating any individual alone, regardless of their potential or existence. In theory, even a God could be reincarnated using only a single Pawn...
Alear took a deep breath and concentrated his Demonic Power. Instantly, a complex dark-scarlet magic circle expanded beneath the bed, filling the entire room with glowing demonic symbols. The aura around him became more intense as he raised the Pawn between his fingers.
"I, Alear G. Häagenti, summon you, Valerie Tepes. Accept my Evil Piece and be reborn as a Devil belonging to my Nobility..."
As the final words left his lips, he gently placed the Evil Piece on Valerie's chest. The Pawn emitted an intense pinkish-red glow, radiating a warm energy that enveloped the vampire's entire body. Shortly afterward, the piece dissolved into countless luminous particles before slowly sinking into her chest, disappearing completely. The magic circle beneath her shone even brighter, responding to the completion of the ritual.
Valerie arched her eyebrows slightly as she felt a strange sensation course through her entire body. It was as if a current of energy passed through every muscle, every bone, and every fragment of her soul. Her magical power began to transform gradually, abandoning its previous nature and acquiring the characteristics of a genuine Demonic Power, without, however, losing her vampiric nature or her Longinus, since the Evil Pieces preserved the racial abilities and original powers of the reincarnated individual.
The magical pressure increased for a few seconds before completely stabilizing. When the glow finally disappeared, the ritual had been successfully completed!
She was now officially a Reincarnated Devil belonging to Alear's Nobility!
_______________
(A/N: Want to get ahead?
The story now has 103 chapters available on Patreon — that's right, there's still a lot of content waiting for you beyond the public release. There are currently 22 chapters ahead of the public version, meaning supporters are already deep into upcoming twists, revelations, and the absurd chaos of Fate Gacha summons.
If you can't wait for what comes next — the plot twists, power progressions, and those insane lucky (or unlucky) summons — this is the best time to jump in.
Get access now for just $6.99 USD and read everything ahead of time.
Light spoiler: his luck might be terrible… but the story only gets better from here.
My Patreon: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Thank you for your support — it makes all of this worthwhile.)