DxD: Devil’s Advocate

"Your mother warned me you'd grown... ambitious." Father's fingers drummed once on his desk. "I didn't realize how much."

"Is ambition such a bad trait for a devil?"

A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "No. But it can be dangerous."

"So can stagnation."

He nodded slowly, then opened a drawer in his desk. The box he withdrew hummed with contained power.

"I had these prepared after your last training session," he said, setting the ornate container on the desk. "Though I wasn't certain when - or if - I'd give them to you."

My breath caught. Evil Pieces.

『Stay calm,』 the Advisor cautioned. 『Don't show too much eagerness.』

Father opened the box, revealing the crystalline chess pieces nestled in dark velvet.

"You understand what these represent?" he asked.

"Power. Responsibility." I kept my hands flat on my thighs. "The ability to build something of my own."

"They represent House Beleth's future." Father's voice hardened. "Our bloodline. Our legacy. Not just your personal ambitions."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive."

He studied me for a long moment. "No. Perhaps they're not."

His hands moved to another drawer, withdrawing a thick sheaf of papers. Legal documents, magical contracts, binding agreements. The price of power.

"Ten billion yen," he said. "Five years. No collateral."

I nodded.

"Plus quarterly reports on all operations." He began laying out the contracts. "And veto power over any major acquisitions or expansion plans."

"Reasonable oversight," I agreed. "Though I'll need operational autonomy for day-to-day decisions."

"Granted, within established parameters." He pushed the first contract forward. "Sign."

I read through each document carefully, the Advisor highlighting potential loopholes or concerns. Father waited patiently, respect for thoroughness outweighing any impatience.

The final signature flared with magical energy, binding me to my word. Father nodded once, then pushed the box of Evil Pieces toward me.

I let my fingers trace the edges of the Evil Piece box, feeling the latent power within each crystalline figure.

"We need to make a trip," Father said, rising from his chair. "To Lilith."

I glanced up. "The capital?"

"The Monument of Kings." He moved to his coat rack, selecting a dark overcoat. "Every new King must register there. It's... tradition."

『And legally required,』 the Advisor added.

"Just us," Father continued, shrugging into his coat. "The car's already waiting outside."

I closed the Evil Piece box carefully. "What about the morning's appointments?"

"Your mother will handle them." A slight smile touched his lips. "She's quite experienced at making excuses for my absences."

The drive to Lilith took us through winding mountain roads, the underworld's perpetual twilight casting long shadows across ancient stone. Father handled the wheel himself, refusing the offer of a driver.

"Tell me about this Riser," he said after several minutes of comfortable silence.

I shifted in my seat. "You know him?"

"Lord Phenex's third son. Quite the reputation." Father's hands adjusted on the steering wheel. "Though I'm more interested in your opinion."

"He's powerful. Arrogant." I watched the scenery blur past. "Relies too heavily on his immortality."

"Ah." Father nodded. "And that makes him..."

"Predictable."

A soft chuckle escaped him. "You sound like your mother when we were young. She always said my greatest weakness was being too set in my ways."

"Was she right?"

"Usually." He guided the car around a sharp turn. "Though I'd never admit it to her face."

We fell into silence again, but it felt different now. Lighter somehow.

"I want you to build something better," Father said suddenly.

"Better than what?"

"Than Riser's peerage. Than most peerages, really." His grip tightened slightly on the wheel. "They've become... status symbols. Fashion accessories for young devils to parade around."

I studied his profile. "You don't approve?"

"Of treating servants like collectibles?" He shook his head. "The Evil Pieces were meant to rebuild our numbers after the war. To strengthen devil-kind. Not to..." He waved one hand vaguely.

"Not to create harems and show pieces?"

"Exactly." He shot me a sidelong glance. "Though I notice you didn't seem surprised by my opinion."

"You've never been one for empty displays."

That earned another chuckle. "No, I suppose not."

The road wound higher into the mountains, ancient devil script carved into the cliff faces we passed.

"Your mother thinks I'm too hard on you boys," Father said after another stretch of silence.

"Are you?"

"Probably." He sighed. "But the world isn't getting any kinder. The old ways... they're failing us. House Beleth needs..."

"Something new?"

"Someone new." He corrected. "Someone who understands both tradition and progress."

I turned that over in my mind. "Is that why you approved my proposal?"

"Partly." The car slowed as we approached a checkpoint. "Though I'll admit, the way you tied it to your rights... that showed real conviction."

"Or desperation."

"In my experience, the two often go hand in hand."

The checkpoint guards recognized Father immediately, waving us through with deep bows. The road beyond was older, the stone worn smooth by countless centuries of use.

The Monument rose before us like a spear thrust into the underworld's eternal twilight. Ancient sigils pulsed with deep, red light along its surface.

Father parked the car in a small lot near the base. "Your grandfather brought me here, when I received my pieces." He stepped out, adjusting his coat.

I followed him toward the Monument's entrance. "Did you bring Damian?"

"No." Something dark passed across his features. "He... declined the opportunity."

That explained some things about my eldest brother.

The interior of the Monument was a single vast chamber, its walls covered in names written in flowing devil script. Each name glowed with a different intensity, some barely visible, others blazing like captured stars.

"The brightest ones are the current Kings," Father explained, leading me toward a central podium. "The dimmer ones... well, some lines end."

I tried not to think too hard about what that meant.

The podium held a simple obsidian bowl filled with what looked like liquid darkness. Father produced a small knife from his coat.

"Three drops of blood," he said, offering me the blade. "While focusing on your pieces."

I took the knife, letting its edge bite into my palm. The blood that dripped into the bowl sparked with purple energy.

"Now touch the surface," Father instructed. "And think of your name. Your full name, as you wish it recorded."

I pressed my fingers to the liquid darkness. It felt... hungry.

Power surged through me, raw and ancient. On the walls, thousands of names flickered in response. When I pulled my hand back, new script was already forming among the countless others.

"Amon Beleth," Father read, satisfaction in his voice. "Welcome to the ranks of Kings."

I flexed my fingers, still tingling from the power surge. "That's it?"

"The ceremony? Yes." He smiled properly then, a rare sight. "The celebration, on the other hand..."

He produced a bottle from his coat's inner pocket. The label made my eyebrows rise.

"Is that..."

"1832 Phenex brandy." His smile turned slightly wicked. "Lord Phenex gave it to me decades ago, claiming no Beleth could appreciate proper spirits."

I accepted the bottle, examining the seal. "And you saved it for..."

"For showing him exactly how wrong he was." Father conjured two glasses from nowhere. "Though perhaps we should find somewhere more appropriate than a sacred monument to enjoy it."

The sun was setting in the human realm when we finally returned home. Father's driving was slightly less precise than usual, but his smile hadn't faded.

"Your mother will be furious we didn't invite her," he said as we pulled up to the manor.

"The brandy or the ceremony?"

"Both." He chuckled. "Though she'll forgive us eventually. Probably."

I started to exit the car, then paused. "Father?"

"Mm?"

"Thank you. For today."

He was quiet for a moment. "You're going to change things, aren't you? Not just the house. Everything."

I met his eyes. "Yes."

"Good." He nodded once, firmly. "Just... try to leave something standing when you're done. For tradition's sake."

"Of course." I smiled. "After all, some traditions are worth keeping."

The bottle of brandy sat empty between us, a testament to new beginnings and old endings both.

『Your mother's waiting in the study,』 the Advisor warned as we entered the manor. 『And she doesn't look happy.』

Father must have sensed it too. "Perhaps we should have brought a peace offering."

"Would it have helped?"

"Probably not." He straightened his coat. "But it might have bought us a head start."

We shared one last conspiratorial look before heading in to face the music. Some things, it seemed, really were universal. Even in the underworld.

***

I slumped into my chair, ears still ringing from Mother's hour-long lecture. Father had escaped to his study, leaving me to weather the worst of her disappointment alone. The memory of her words - "How could you both be so thoughtless?" - still stung.

『Your mother's quite the force when she's angry,』 the Advisor chimed in.

"Tell me about it," I muttered, pulling out the ornate box containing my Evil Pieces. The craftsmanship was exquisite - dark wood inlaid with gold and silver runes. I traced my fingers along the edges before finally opening it.

Fifteen chess pieces lay nestled in velvet, each carved from what looked like obsidian. But five of them were different - marked by intricate white patterns that resembled lightning frozen in glass. The Queen, one Knight, one Bishop, and both Rooks bore these distinctive markings.

"What's with these patterns?" I asked, picking up the Queen piece. It felt heavier than it should, thrumming with barely contained power.

『Those are Mutation Pieces,』 the Advisor said. 『And having five of them... well, let's just say most High-Class Devils would kill for just one.』

I set the Queen piece down carefully. "Explain."

『Mutation Pieces are rare variants that can reincarnate beings far more powerful than standard pieces. They're usually seen as system anomalies, but that's not quite right. The number of Mutation Pieces a Devil receives correlates directly with their potential power as a King.』

I leaned back, processing this information. "And having five means...?"

『It means you have the potential to surpass Lucifer himself. But don't let it go to your head - potential means nothing without the work to realize it.』

A knock at the door interrupted my response. "Come in," I called out, recognizing Maria's distinctive pattern.

She entered quietly, closing the door behind her. Her eyes immediately fixed on the open box. "Are those your Evil Pieces, Young Master?"

I nodded, studying her reaction. "Maria, how would you feel about joining my peerage?"

Her eyes widened slightly, but she maintained her composure. "I... would be honored, Young Master."

As if responding to my intentions, three pieces rose from the box - the standard Bishop, Knight, and three Pawns, hovering in the air between us.

『The pieces are reacting to her potential,』 the Advisor explained. 『The Bishop would amplify her natural aptitude for magic, while the Knight would enhance her speed and agility. The Pawns offer flexibility, but would require more pieces for the same power boost.』

I considered my options carefully. Maria had always shown a natural talent for our family's mind magic, even as an illegitimate child. The Bishop piece would build on that foundation, giving her the power to stand proudly as a true member of House Beleth.

"Maria," I said, plucking the standard Bishop piece from the air. "Would you accept this Bishop piece and officially become part of my peerage?"

She knelt before me, head bowed. "Yes, Young Master. I would be honored to serve as your Bishop."

The piece in my hand grew warm as I pressed it against her chest. There was a flash of crimson light, and I felt the connection form - a new bond linking us together as King and Bishop.

Maria gasped softly as the power settled into her. When she looked up, her eyes held a new spark of confidence.

『Well done,』 the Advisor said. 『Your first piece. Try not to mess it up.』

I helped Maria to her feet, already planning our next moves. One piece placed, fourteen more to go.