The First Hell of Hell, Mephistopheles' Palace, is celebrating the return of the Sword of Satan.

The drums pounded, knocked, knocked, and Mephistopheles was dizzy. From the musician's platform at the bottom of the resplendent hall, the cries of flutes, the trills of the pipes, and the screams of the violins were heard at the same time, but it was the sound of the drums that gave him goosebumps all over his body.

"I really regret agreeing to your request to come here for a banquet. Lucifer, who was sitting in a chair next to him, grumbled as he took a sip of sweet wine.

"I didn't expect them to do this. Mephistopheles looked dissatisfied, "Giving the celebration to Astarot was really the worst decision I've ever made. ”

The fireplace in the hall was blazing, and a row of torches on the wall emitted black smoke from a row of torches that blackened the otherwise ornately decorated walls.

"It seems that the people you invited didn't come. Lucifer said as he picked up a piece of beef with a fork. "Only six of the thirteen demon lords were present, except for the dead Levi Anson, the other six lords didn't seem to come, did they refuse your invitation?"

Mephistopheles was very annoyed by the messy tune, and Lucifer happened to bring up the most depressed thing he felt about the day, and his tone was obviously unhappy: "They don't love to come, anyway, I have already sent out an invitation, and if they refuse, it can only be regarded as their own loss." ”

"Levi Anson's death is a great loss. Lucifer said quietly, "Although we have obtained the Sword of Satan, the loss of a demon king of the Seven Sins is still a bit too high. ”

"Hmph," Mephistopheles made a disdainful voice from his nostrils, "Whoever let him act so recklessly, he deserves to die, and." He turned his head to look at Mammon, who had been quietly eating and drinking, and added, "Perhaps his death is a good thing for me." ”

"Hey, hurry up, hurry up, we've got to drink all the wine here today. Astarrot shouted there in his characteristic loud voice, bringing their thoughts back to the noisy banquet. Astarrot poured another large glass of wine, the size of a barrel, and the drink flowed from the corner of his mouth to the obsidian armor, but he raised another glass as if he didn't see it.

What a boring drunk, Lucifer thought to himself. He looked around again, and it seemed that Mephistopheles had invited not only a high-ranking Thirteen Lords, but also a large number of emissaries and demons, and judging by the excited expressions on their faces, these fellows were very flattered to be invited.

But compared to heaven, the banquet of hell was simply a dance of demons, he couldn't help but think. But I can't go back, I killed my brother with my own hands, I betrayed my father, just to follow the right path, but I still miss the feast in heaven at that time.

Mammon, who sat diagonally across from Lucifer, turned her pupils from time to time to look at him and Mephistopheles. Sometimes he bites into beef, sometimes he pours a spoonful of broth, sometimes he tears some bread with his slender fingers, but his mind is clearly not on the meal.

On the balcony overlooking the banquet, Kane Maite leaned alone on the balustrade made of gold, observing with a pair of sharp eyes.

Since his resurrection, he has lived in Mephistopheles' palace, or as Mephistopheles himself calls it, "Castle of the Perfect". Kane was eligible to attend the banquet, but he declined Mephistopheles' invitation. "This is a banquet for your demons, and I'm just a lowly human being, and I'm really not fit to be there. This was the reason for his refusal.

But what was the truth? Even Mephistopheles could not be 100% predictable, and although the man was outwardly obedient to his orders, who could know what he was thinking under that taciturn appearance.

Below the balcony is the musician's stage, where dozens of human musicians who have been coerced from the world to hell by demons are playing with all their might. When they were on earth, they were all famous musicians without exception, but on this stage of hell, their inner fears interfered with their talents, and it was this that made the accompaniment to this banquet so bad.

"It's sad. Kane sighed as he looked at the musicians who were sweating profusely and playing with their fingers, but he quickly subconsciously touched the sleeve of his empty right arm, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "But if you think about it, isn't I also a pathetic existence compared to them?"

Beelzebub swallowed everything he could see in front of him, and Astarot drank glass after glass and soon became so drunk that he even reached out and crushed the head of a trembling musician, causing a commotion.

Mephistopheles finally felt that he couldn't take it anymore, and he pushed his chair back and stood up. "What's the matter, are you leaving now?" Lucifer asked, looking up, "The banquet is not over yet, and the host will leave first, but it is not very polite." ”

"It doesn't matter. Mephistopheles picked up the unfinished glass of wine on the table and drank it down. "I see that they are having a good time, and my presence and absence are just decorations. What's more, it's really not a good place to stay for long. ”

Another burst of laughter echoed throughout the hall, and this time even Lucifer subconsciously covered his ears. "It's really chaotic. Lucifer commented, "Now that you're gone, I should be able to go back too." ”

"Whatever you want. Mephistopheles said as she pushed away a demon in front of her who was blocking the way, and the demon was so drunk that she actually smiled at him. "Anyway, I have to leave, if you want to go, feel free. ”

He pushed through the bustling crowd and finally squeezed out, while Mammon kept staring at Mephistopheles' back until his figure completely disappeared from the crowd, and then returned to his original posture and continued to eat quietly, drinking the food and wine in front of him.

Almost as Mephistopheles left the palace gates, Kane, who had been watching from the balcony, also left where he had been standing. This was something they had agreed on before the feast began, or more accurately, Mephistopheles had something special to give him.

Compared to the sweltering heat in the hall where the banquet was being held, the outside of the palace was really much cooler.

Mephistopheles prides himself on elegance, so unlike the horrors outside other lords' palaces, his palace is a vast and beautiful garden that will make it impossible to tell if it's hell or heaven for the first time.

"If there's anything you want, just tell me here. Kane went straight to the point, "I don't want to waste much of my tongue with you, and I don't have that much time to listen to your nonsense." ”

Mephistopheles fiddled with a budding rose beside her, and didn't feel particularly angry when she heard Kane's very rude words: "You really can't bear it, I asked you to come naturally because I have important things to do with you, how can you say that it is a waste of words?"

"That's why I told you to say something quickly. ”

"Then I'll just say it. Mephistopheles didn't want to say any more polite words, "That man's blood has awakened, and compared to five years ago, this awakening is very thorough, and I can clearly feel the fluctuations caused by that soul awakening. ”

"I see, are you awake?" Kane knew exactly who the man Mephistopheles was talking about, "So what do you want me to do?"

"The simplest thing. Mephistopheles whistled, "Bring him to me, I need him now." ”

"Why didn't you bring him back five years ago?" Kane asked, "Why didn't you do it at the time, even as I was still a member of the BPRD, I thought it was beyond my imagination?"

"You're not qualified to question me. Mephistopheles's voice raised slightly, "I didn't do this at that time because of my own considerations, and you don't need to know what I was thinking at the time, just do what I tell you to do now." ”

"Understood. Kane replied.

"But to be honest, it's still risky for me to send you. Mephistopheles plucked the buds that hadn't yet opened, "Shore Robert is now his captain and used to be your best friend, so I'm still a little worried." ”

Kane felt his heart pound, but quickly regained his calm tone: "Your worries are too much, and it is impossible for me and him to go back to the way they were." I'm in hell now, I've abandoned my identity as a human being, and you shouldn't be foolish in any way. ”

"That's right. Mephistopheles threw the freshly plucked bud to the ground and casually lifted one foot to crush it. "It seems that you have crushed your human past and fought for us wholeheartedly, and I am really worried too much. ”

Kane turned away without saying a word, and Mephistopheles didn't mean to say goodbye, but just raised his foot and picked up a petal on the ground that had not yet been stepped on.

"Half of my body with my blood flowing through it. He rubbed his hand over the tender and translucent petals, but the petals gradually turned black and withered. "It's time to get back in front of me and reclaim the common posture that I and you deserve. ”