Chapter 33: A Glimpse of Power (Part 1)
The celebration was still in full swing, laughter and conversation weaving into the luxurious backdrop of House Agares' ceremonial hall.
Crystal chandeliers glowed softly overhead, reflecting against polished marble floors as nobles mingled and exchanged pleasantries.
But Volundr's attention was pulled elsewhere when a man in the uniform of a Maou's personal guard stepped before him with a bow.
"Young Lord Agares, Maou Beelzebub requests your presence," the attendant said, his tone polite but not optional.
Volundr gave a slight nod. "Lead the way."
They weaved through the crowd, exiting into one of the quieter corridors off the main hall. The deeper they went, the more layered and potent the warding became—scrying and sound barriers overlapping until even the faint hum of magic was muted.
Eventually, they reached a discreet chamber. The doors opened without a sound.
Inside stood Maou Ajuka Beelzebub.
He wasn't cloaked in ceremonial garb or adorned with jewelry like many other nobles that evening.
Rather, he wore a tailored black suit with emerald lining, subtle and refined. His presence, however, was anything but. It radiated precision—like a blade honed so finely it cut reality itself.
Ajuka stood beside a tall window, glass of wine in hand, gazing at the stars. He didn't look at Volundr as he entered, only spoke in that calm, calculating voice.
"So. The Rook."
Volundr bowed, respectful but not meek. "Maou Beelzebub."
Ajuka finally turned, studying him with piercing green eyes that didn't just see, but dissected.
"You remained composed. Most your age would have trembled under the weight of the ritual, let alone the anomaly your piece presented."
"I was prepared," Volundr replied smoothly. "A ceremony is but a stage. One must learn when to wear the mask."
Ajuka's eyes narrowed slightly—not in disapproval, but interest. "A philosopher already. That's dangerous in someone so young."
Volundr offered the faintest hint of a smile. "Only if philosophy becomes detachment."
Ajuka took a sip of wine.
"You understand more than you let on. That piece… that Rook… it didn't just resonate with you. It responded to something external. Something layered over time."
He stepped closer, stopping just a few feet from Volundr. "You weren't born with that Aura. You were given it."
Volundr didn't deny it. "My path has not been typical. But it will serve the Underworld… in time."
Ajuka tilted his head. "That remains to be seen."
There was a long pause.
"I designed the Evil Piece system to be adaptive,"
Ajuka continued, walking slowly as he spoke.
"To reflect the nature of potential, not just raw power. But that system was never meant to evolve without control. Mutation without structure leads to collapse."
Volundr met his gaze evenly. "But does forced structure not lead to stagnation? Growth often comes from chaos. Controlled chaos, perhaps… but chaos nonetheless."
A flicker of amusement touched Ajuka's lips. "Now you sound like Sirzechs. Or worse—Serafall."
"I assure you, I'm far more boring than either."
Ajuka laughed once, short and sharp. "No, you're something else. You carry the weight of a strategist. One who sees the board before the pieces are even placed."
The Maou stepped back toward the window, staring out at the horizon beyond.
"The mutated Rook is only the beginning. The system has accepted your potential. It will test you as much as you test it."
"Then I'll adapt as well," Volundr said. "The system will not be my enemy. But I will not be its puppet."
Ajuka looked over his shoulder, green eyes gleaming like a dissecting scalpel.
"Good. That's the only answer I would've respected."
He approached once more, this time extending his hand—not as a Maou to a noble, but as one power to another.
"I'll be watching," Ajuka said. "Not as a threat… but as a scientist."
Volundr shook the offered hand, his grip firm. "Then I'll offer you something worth studying."
Ajuka turned to leave but paused in the doorway, leaving Volundr with one last remark.
"The more you shape the system… the more the system tries to shape you. Don't forget that."
And then he was gone.
—
Later that night, back in his private study, Volundr sat at his desk with only a single dim light illuminating the parchment before him. His quill moved steadily, writing notes not just about Ajuka's words—but the spaces between them.
The system was watching him now.
And so were the kings that ruled it.
But that was fine.
Volundr had no intention of remaining a mere noble.
He was building something greater.
And tonight… the first true piece had moved.