Dungeons and Devils (Chapter 63) (Patreon)

My sportscar drifts to a stop in front of a guard booth, I roll down the window with a grin and a simple button push on the console, I look to the booth. "Excuse me, can you let me in. Weiss Schnee is here to see her father."

The guard's gaze snaps over to the car as I lean back, showing off Weiss who looks over slowly after pulling her sunglasses down slightly.

The guard flinches. "R-Right away, sir."

The golden gates with a snowflake motif in front of us slide open as I pull ahead.

We drive up a fairly lengthy driveway, eventually slowly turning around a large spire of a fountain that has a large slowly spinning snowflake atop it.

The building before us is absolutely massive, four large spires of rock poke out from the main houses four corners, we can barely even see the far ones, showing off just how large the house is.

Two slightly larger buildings are on each side of the middle manor.

Weiss stares out the window, letting out a quiet breath as she calms herself.

"Are you ready?" I question.

She glances back to me and nods once.

Both of the doors open as I push a button on the center console.

I step out slowly, as does Weiss, both doors shut as I step around the car and we begin our way up the numerous steps to the entrance. We pause at the top of the stairs, overlooking the fine wooden door.

Weiss reaches over and pushes the button on the door and waits.

After around ten seconds the door cracks open, revealing a maid.

"M-Miss Schnee?!" The woman gasps.

"Correct." The used to be heiress to the Schnee Dust Company nods.

The maid opens the door allowing us both inside.

The foyer is absolutely huge, the tiled floor has a massive schnee snowflake upon it, a large staircase leads up to a balcony and to the second floor, two absolutely massive suits of armor flank the stairs. Each well over twenty feet tall.

"L-Lord Schnee wishes to see you at once." The maid meekly mutters while looking away. "He is waiting in his office."

Weiss nods once and begins leading me through the mansion, we go up the stairs and turn right, steadily making our way to where ever her father's office is.

"So... this is your home, hm?" I hum as I look around the large white and blue hallway, one side has far too many windows looking out over the lawn, the other side has numerous wall mounted candelabras.

There's a chandelier about every ten feet, and while they appear to be candle-lit, they actually produce light from the large spire in the center of each.

Chairs litters the halls in uneven and sparce placements. We pass a statue of a sword in a stone with a plaque reading 'The mind is a Schnee's greatest asset -Nicholas Schnee'

"Yes. This is my home." Weiss replies with a small frown as she looks around. "Quite dull, I know. The giant suits of armor are a little tacky, they can't even animate, and we have far too many candelabras."

She gestures to a marble Boarbatusk head. "And I genuinely have no idea why we have marble Grimm trophies lying around. It doesn't exactly mean anything. Those grimm were certainly never killed by us... nor were they ever grimm in the first place I suppose."

"I honestly sort of expected it to be made out of gold like your front gate." I note as we continue walking.

"Oh, no. The Schnee family isn't wealthy enough to waste all of our wealth on things that do not matter. The gate is merely a golden colored alloy, and-"

Weiss falls silent as we both look to a case of golden lapel pins as we slowly walk past it, all are identical, there are twelve in total, each shaped like a snowflake.

"Alright, to be fair. That was not here when I was last at home." The girl points out.

"Riiiight." I hum with an amused expression.

"I can't really say I'm one to judge... I didn't need my car to be so expensive. But I chose to make it like that anyways."

"But you aren't profiting solely on a non-renewable resource." Weiss points out.

"Technically speaking... is dust really non-renewable?"

"…"

"As of right now, it is." Weiss nods slowly. "I do not know if that will remain true, but if you were to not do anything to Remnant, eventually all dust would run out. Perhaps not in one hundred years, perhaps not in five hundred, but eventually it would run out."

"Fair. Fair." I shrug as we eventually come to a large mahogany door, a large white snowflake sits on the top half of the door.

Weiss knocks.

"Enter." The voice on the other side commands.

I open the door and we both step through, our heads held high as the man on the other side of the room quietly seethes, hands steepled in front of his face.

The room is quite vibrant, the room is on two levels, the first, where we just entered has a few tables next to the door, a plant pot or two, beyond that, however, three steps down in a dip is a set of plush leather seats, a white rug underneath, and a glass table with an incomplete game of chess played upon it.

At the other end of the hall, level with us, is Jacques' desk. A large book case goes along the right side of the room, taking up practically the entire wall.

Three paintings are placed on the wall behind him, each in a slight divot in the wall. The first two showing a snowy landscape and overlooking a lake, while the centermost of the three shows a younger version of the man before us.

He is silent for a few seconds. "So. You have finally returned, Weiss. Have you finally grown up and accepted that what I am doing is for the betterment of the company?"

"What do you have to say for yourself?" He presses with a scathing glare.

Weiss' head remains tall as she looks slightly down at her father. "I do not have anything to excuse my actions because they were the correct option."

"The correct option?! Are you mad?! The Schnee Dust Corporation lost out on twenty percent off our incredible protection costs!" The man snarls.

"You seem to misunderstand something father... money is one thing, however... giving out the Schnee family semblance to a huntsman for twenty percent?! Do you have any idea what form of ramifications that may have had?!"

The man glares silently, stroking his mustache with a hand. "I am aware. You were meant to permanently bind our companies together. The Schnee Dust Corporation, and the Winrun Huntsman Association. This would have propelled the Schnee Dust Company to even greater heights you foolish girl! Yet you have ruined that!"

"Yet here you are galivanting across Atlas with some mere ruffian nobody in a suit to make himself appear more high class. Disappointing."

My impassive frown grows into a smile. "Oh please, do go on."

"Know your place, insect. Do not speak while your betters are talking, you little street rat."

"Father." Weiss lowly growls as she protectively wraps an arm around my shoulder. "You will not. Speak to my boyfriend in such a manner."

"BOYFRIEND?!" The man snarls rising to his feet. "I forbid it!"

Weiss' right eyebrow twitches.

I give him an amused look as he stalks forwards.

"You..." He seethes glaring at me. "You have ten seconds to get out of my sight before I call the guards to break your limbs for trespassing. And YOU!"

He turns raising a hand back, preparing to backhand Weiss.

I stop his hand with one finger as he swings it downwards.

"Allow me to clear up some miscommunications. First and foremost. Before talking down to someone you should really learn just who they are. I am Gaius Decrabia. Lord of both the Malthus and Decarabia clans... those probably don't mean much to you due to your utter ignorance, however, they mean a lot to the right people. Second off..."

The air becomes almost suffocating as the man's face pales, Weiss' eyes widen slightly as her eyes dart to my own, my eyes seemingly gleam as I give off an absolutely monstrous and murderous presence. His legs shake, pupils dilating in fear.

"The only reason you are still alive after your insults... is because Weiss asked me to not kill you. An insignificant gnat such as yourself should stop bothering your betters... this can change, however... if you dare try to strike Weiss again, your arm will be coming off at the elbow. Are we clear?"

A wet stain appears in his white trousers as I take a step back and smile, continuing in a far more chipper tone. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mister Schnee! Your daughter is really pretty and nice and I think I can be really happy with her in the future!"

The man falls back onto his butt and slowly scoots away.

"Ah well, I suppose we should meet the rest of your family, correct?" I ask Weiss.

"I... suppose we should." The girl nods, giving her father a slightly disgusted look, she seems to notice the fact he wet himself as well. "Father. I will be continuing to date Gaius regardless of what you say. Do what you will. Shout. Bribe. Coerce. Disown. Nothing you do will change anything. But please don't try to assassinate him I genuinely would feel bad for the numerous people who would foolishly try."

She turns and walks to the door.

"Anyways." I smile. " As I said, pleasure to meet you! And I am glad we could come to an understanding... we did come to an understanding, correct?"

He mutely and shakily nods repeatedly.

"Wonderful!" I smile as I open the door and close it behind me after Weiss steps through.

As it clicks closed Weiss slowly looks over. "Well... that certainly went about as well as I expected."

"Well, it appears my eyes were correct!" A young voice exclaims. "Weiss. It appears you are finally done running away?"

We both look to a short blue haired boy a little younger than Weiss herself, he has a certain smug aura that seems to render him very punch-able. He smirks as he continues. "I could hear my father's outrage from down the hall~ it's so like you to create such a mess for the family."

"I believe my father and I have come to an understanding." Weiss states.

I let out a slight huff of amusement.

"And who is this?" The young man questions, looking over me slowly with a frown on my face.

"Whitley, this is Gaius... my boyfriend."

"Oh, now I see why father was so angry. Hmph. You truly like to cause problems, Weiss." The boy huffs.

"Like I said, my father and I have come to an understanding." Weiss states while crossing her arms over her chest. "Gaius is going to remain my boyfriend."

"What?!" The boy blinks. "Father isn't one to cave on anything."

"I just made him aware of who he was messing with and he pissed himself." I shrug. "Honestly I didn't even hurt him, just used the power of my voice."

"You... what?" The boy mutters, eyes narrowing.

"Tch. Typical of you huntsmen types. Using intimidation to get your way." The boy huffs.

"Not a huntsman." I point out idly. "But yes. I intimidated your father. What of it?"

"The Schnee Dust Company has ties with the Atlesian Military... that was perhaps not a good idea." He hums with that same, half-lidded smug smile.

"Oh, the Atleasian Military will stay out of it if they know what's good for them." I smile brightly.

"Pfft." The boy huffs. "You may be strong, but there is no way you can take on the entire might of the Atlas Military."

"Whitley. It has been a pleasure to see you again, but alas, I believe I should go see mother." Weiss cuts in, grabbing my hand as she steps around the boy.

"Hmph." The boy huffs. "Whatever."

He turns and walks down the hall as we go the exact opposite direction.

"Do you seriously feel the need to antagonize every member of my family?" The girl questions once we leave earshot.

"No, no. Only the ones too arrogant for their own good. To be completely and totally honest though, I respect Whitley... or rather, the person he could be."

"The person he could be?" Weiss echoes with a small frown.

"Of course." I snort. "He has the same semblance as you, correct? Or at the very least, the potential to unlock it... that alone makes me respect him more than your fop of a father. Your father talks loudly and arrogantly with nothing to back it up... yet Whitley on the other hand, was merely raised that way, to be arrogant and hoity. It isn't his fault... yet there's something he has that your father doesn't. Potential power."

"I see. I suppose the devil society is slightly warped to place physical power over wealth and political power." The girl notes.

"In devil society, the ones who are strong hold the political power." I answer as we continue walking. "And if you are so gung-ho about turning the Schnees into the seventy third pillar family, you'll probably have to get used to that mentality as well."

"Fair, Fair." She nods as she leads me through the house.

We eventually enter a library.

All is quiet, a woman is passed out in a lounging chair, a bottle of wine is spilled on the carpet, a book is on her face.

Weiss and I share a look.

"Alright. Let's leave." The girl sighs.

"We can meet her later." I nod slowly.

We both quickly retreat, leaving the mansion without another word.

I pull out my key ring and push a button on it.

The doors on my corvette unlock and slowly slide open.

"Well, Weiss. Your father is an arrogant prick, your brother is annoying, and your mother is a drunk... your sister's nice though." I compliment as I take a seat in the driver's seat.

"Mother wasn't always like this." Weiss sighs as she takes her place in the passenger seat. "It has been a while certainly, but not always... back when I was a child... we were still happy. Of course, then my mother and father had a fight and she started drinking."

The girl shakes her head. "It doesn't matter."

I slowly drive down the long drive way, pausing in front of the gate.

I roll down the window and shoot the man running the guard booth a half lidded stare. "Open the gate if you would."

"Mr. Schnee has said that under any circumstances am I to let you leave." The guard deadpans with a glare.

Weiss and I share a quick glance.

"Pfahahahahah!" I cackle as she lets out a quiet melodious laugh.

We continue laughing at the poor guard for roughly thirty seconds.

I wipe a tear from my eye as I shoot the guard an amused smile. "Ah. Clearly he seems to have forgotten our conversation."

I lean out the window and look back at the mansion, putting a hand over my eyes to block out the sun. "You think I could hit is office from here?"

"Gaius, as annoying and arrogant as he might be, he is still my father." The girl huffs in amusement.

"Oh, I am well aware. I didn't say I was going to kill him, just terrify him."

The guard pulls out a pistol. "Sir I am going to have to ask you to show me your hands."

I give the guard a good-natured smile.

*SWISH*

His eyes widen to comical proportions as red powder begins to fall out of the hilt of his gun.

"W-"

My smirk grows as he weakens his grip.

Two even halves of the pistol clatter to the floor, sending powdered fire dust everywhere.

I had cut it along the barrel, trailing down the grip and through even the magazine, cutting each and every bullet perfectly in half despite the slight staggered manner they are in the magazine... all without harming his hand in the slightest.

I wordlessly roll up the window and look to the white haired woman in the passenger seat. "Weiss, if you would."

"It would be my pleasure." She smiles.

A massive Schnee glyph appears behind and slightly below the car, it slowly twists and turns for a moment.

A massive serpentine head sprouts from the earth, it has a white mask blue markings, glowing blue eyes, and pale white skin.

It scoops up the entire car in its mouth and grows over the gate. It arches its back and lays its head down on the other side, turning into snow as the car drops the remaining foot or so to the floor, the suspensions shaking slightly.

I quietly slip on a pair of sunglasses and look over to Weiss. She gives me a slow nod as we quietly drive away from the Schnee manor.

"So. How'd you enjoy meeting family again?" I ask idly as we slowly drive down the winding, curving path towards the full Atlas city.

"Well, I certainly enjoyed visiting my sister, I hadn't realized just how much I missed her... as for the others? Hn... it was quite a bit less enjoyable." The girl replies while slumping back in the chair.

An impish smile crosses her face. "Well, I guess it was amusing to be able to go directly against what my father says while he can only watch."

We make it to the city, quietly driving through the streets.

"So... you ready to go home?" I ask as we roll into a parking garage.

"I..." The girl begins suddenly only to cut off. "Just like that?"

"What do you mean?" I mutter with a raised eyebrow as we park in the darkness.

"Er- well..." The girl begins, shyly touching her fingers together. "Normally in these situations... after a date, a boyfriend and girlfriend would go find a hotel to... uh... g-give the date a good ending?"

I give the girl a bemused smile. "First off, you are probably thinking of a 'happy ending' a type of thing some shady massage parlors do, with the masseuse in question giving the buyer a hand job or whatever, but anyways, you seriously want to cap off our first date with sex?"

"W-WELL-, yes?" The girl states with a tremendous blush, she looks away from me, staring out the tinted windows as she tries to break eye contact.

"Weiss, I will admit you are very attractive and caught my eye many of times, but I'm not going to be pushy. We will progress in our relationship at the pace that you want."

She shifts in the leathery seats for a moment, looking over and biting her lip slightly. "I-It... just feels so anticlimactic?"

"Most first dates don't end with sex." I point out with a half-lidded stare. "It's entirely up to you. Do you want to go somewhere and have a sensual several hours, or do you need more time to prepare yourself."

"I-I-" she whispers. "I think I need a little more time, Gaius."

"That's fine. Like I said, your own pace." I smile kindly as I take the girl's hand. "So are you ready to go home? Or do want to go somewhere else? We can get dinner if you'd like, go see a movie, perhaps go to an art gallery?"

"I am ready to go home." The girl supplies. "Most of those things are just... boring... compared to the devil equivalent. Movies have more life, art is typically achieved with magic making far more impressive works, and I doubt anything can beat the food you make. But to end the date like this, it just feels so... anticlimactic..."

"What about a kiss?" I suggest.

The white haired girl pauses and turns to look at me and smile gracing her lips, she leans over towards me as I meet her head on, our lips press together, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. We remain like this for a short while, quietly basking in each other's presence.

We split apart suddenly, taking deep breaths as I don't think either of us breathed during the kiss.

"I had fun, Gaius." The disgraced Schnee heiress announces quietly.

"As did I." I smile as I hold up a hand and snap my fingers.

A portal opens in front of the car, I quietly drive forwards and through the rip in reality, sealing it up behind me.

**Linebreak**

"Lord Decarabia... Lord Paimon is here to see you." A maid bows before me.

'hn? That rating game top ten Great King faction supporter?'

"…"

He didn't ask for a meeting or even ANNOUNCE that he was about to show up.

The gall of this man.

That is mildly irking. On one hand, I really want him to do something that makes me inch closer and closer to pushing the nuclear button, but on the other, I sort of just want to make him leave for his arrogance.

"Hn..." I let out a low hum as I grab a gold coin from my storage and flip it.

'heads I hear him out, getting more reasons to shit on the great king faction, tails I just tell him to fuck off.'

I catch the coin.

"Heads, hn?" I quietly mutter as I look to the maid "Please bring him here."

The maid bows her head and swiftly disappears out the door.

It takes a moment, but eventually she does return with a white-haired devil who has an overly smug aura.

"Ah, Lord Decarabia! It is a pleasure to see you!" The devil announces.

"Lord Paimon." I deadpan boredly. "How... unannounced of you."

"I apologize profusely in this case." The man smiles. "It is just that I wished to commission something from you as soon as possible."

"Oh? And what is it that you want?" I ask with a cautious frown.

"My brother-in-law will be getting married later this month, and I desperately need to find a gift for him. I heard you have inherited the Malthus clan trait. Is this true?" There's a slight twitch to his smile as he closes his eyes.

"It is." I nod once.

"Wonderful! I would like to commission a sword from you. A saber worthy of the majesty of the Paimon house!" He grins massively.

"Alright. That is reasonable. How much are you willing to spend on this?" I question idly.

"Fifty million Lillum." The man answers.

"I see. Alright." I note. "I will make you something of roughly that value."

"Then do we have ourselves a deal?" The man asks as he holds out a hand.

"I suppose we do." I answer as I take his hand.

There's an almost unnoticeable spark of demonic power as our hands touch. I shake his hand as the man smiles brightly. His smirk seems to grow as the spark dissipates. An unobservant man wouldn't have noticed.

I am not an unobservant man.

He turns and walks to the door and leaves without another word.

My brain calculates what just happened as I stare blankly at my hand. 'Oh... great king faction you little shits. Is this truly how you insects wish to play? By all means.'

**Linebreak**

Pov: elsewhere.

A man with black hair and a trimmed beard steps into an office, a slight frown on his face. Specks of grey pepper his hair, portraying just how old this devil is getting, yet he hasn't lost anything overall in appearance, the grey has left him looking more dignified.

He pauses abruptly, eyes growing wide.

Sat atop his desk is an open beer, it has long since become flat, what is startling, however, is the note on the side.

Someone slipped into his office without him knowing and placed this can as a message... but Who?

He stalks over to the drink, close enough that he can make out the words. Written in an elaborate and neat handwriting is a message.

"Dear Zekram, do not try this again or the next thing I'll be putting in your office is the head of the last Marbas who abandoned his name. If you keep annoying me I will reveal all of your secrets to the world and remove Every. Single. Clan. Head. That is currently a part of the Great King faction through the powers of extreme violence. This is your one and only warning. You shouldn't be considering ways to silence me; you should be considering ways to bribe me. Because you cannot kill me and threatening my peerage will cause me to go nothing short of nuclear."

"The next time you try threaten a lord, make sure that he and his peerage can't utterly obliterate your entire political faction. It's just another Tuesday for me, Zekram. Don't be like those old Satan idiots who lost upwards of eighty near ultimate class fighters in addition to one of their three leaders for trying to test me."

What?

The man stays there, rooted in shock.

He knows.

He knows about the devil sleeping disease.

He knows about the fertility potion.

He apparently genocided eighty ultimate class devils and one of the three leaders of the Old Satan faction.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

The clan sigil for the Decarabia house is in the bottom corner of the letter.

The letter continues

"In addition. Did you seriously think that you could slip me my very own creation without me realizing it? Yes. I made the fertility potion. You nearly doomed the entire devil race through your short-sighted idiocy. I am not pleased. Nor is any of the four Satans. You should be thankful to Serafall as well... because if she didn't talk me out of it, it would be me sitting in that office instead of this drink, and I think we both are aware of what happens when I get just a little bit furious."

The man freezes in shock.

Oh. He is... the creator of the Fertility potions? This was a horrid misstep on his part. He needs to quickly prepare a gift. Some form of bargain to lessen his fury.

"Damn it." The man lowly curses.

None of this would have happened if that damned Abaddon hasn't pissed him off!

What could he possibly offer to calm the angered lord.

He notices that there is more to the letter.

"P.S. I prepared explosive runes this morning."

Those words begin to glow brightly.

A tremendous blast of force shoves the man into the wall, his desk is reduced to shards, the paper and drink utterly disappear under the tremendous force. The paintings on the walls rattle, the carpet is ripped up, the potted plant in the corner has its vase shatter as a fast moving pen pierces through it like a high caliber round.

The man bounces off the wall and stands static for a moment.

His queen smashes open the door.

"My lord! are you alright?!" He exclaims.

"Removing the evidence and a statement." The greying haired man whispers. "A display to show off his annoyance... and a threat..."

If he could slip explosive runes into such a well-guarded office, what could he possibly slip into the man's home when he sleeps?

"Well played." The Bael ancestor mutters, clothing slightly scuffed, but otherwise only really shaken up. "I underestimated you."

**Linebreak**

Pov: returned.

I let out a relieved sigh as I quietly allow myself to soak in the bath.

I am alone for once... a little unusual, certainly. More often than not I am joined by someone as I take a bath. Be it Ravel, her mother, Vivianne, or Valerie.

But Ravel is catching up with her mother, Vivi is sleeping, and Valerie is playing some sort of online game with Gasper.

So it's just me, myself, and my thoughts... and those thoughts revolve around one thing.

The Great King faction is truly testing my patience.

The fertility potion was one thing, the maid responsible has been fired, but then they had lord Paimon try to put me to sleep.

Annoying.

That little fact allowed me to discover something quite interesting. Lord Paimon merely took the name of his wife, allowing the underworld to think that his clan died out completely. The Marbas clan, a clan whose clan trait allows them to place curses on people. Sort of obvious, honestly.

The curse placed on me was removed in an instant with the boosted gear so there's no lasting damage. Not that there ever would be. He has to carefully calculate his power as to not kill his target via stopping their heart, and considering how he doesn't know my exact strength, he was merely guessing, and he estimated just a little bit too low, making the curse entirely ineffective to me.

Doesn't make it any less annoying that the bastard attempted this, however.

Serafall was put into a feral rage because of it.

She had no idea that all of the cases of Devil Sleeping Disease were caused by one man. Nor did any of the other Satans. This fact alone seems to have set in motion a plot that will shake the political factions of the underworld.

All of the other Satans are quietly seething as well, waiting to blow up. Like a hornet's nest that was just kicked.

Serafall has already begun plans to rid the Great King faction of their supporters. The new satans are in agreement. If the Great King faction doesn't fold soon, they will be forced to utterly erase them.

I'm all for that. A shame that some bloodlines will probably end, but at the end of the day, you can't uproot toxic and annoying political parties that obstruct your path at every step of the way without breaking a few eggs.

I let out a quiet sigh as I look around the large tub.

This is a little boring without anyone else.

I sink into the water, my breath bubbling as my mouth goes below the water line.

I pause suddenly, a foreboding and ominous feeling passing over my body, the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

I look over my shoulder swiftly, seeing a small back haired girl looming over me.

She has long silky black hair that goes past her hips, dull grey emotionless eyes with slit pupils, she has a frilly purple headband atop her head, pointed elf-like ears and wears a black overshirt which leaves her bare chest exposed. A purple ribbon is tied around her midsection and she has white bloomers.

Her nipples are covered by two X shaped stripper pasties.

Her emotionless gaze bores into my own as she slowly tilts her head.

"Who... are you?" She quietly questions.

Ophis. The infinite dragon.

I was wondering when she'd show her face.