Chapter 42 - 40

Soma's P.O.V.

"You know, we could have just solved this through the phone. It is a nifty little invention, I am sure devils should have it as well." I said in irritation as the Sitri heiress sat in front of me, a cup of tea in her hand. We were in a restaurant in downtown, she had rented a table away from prying eyes and was sitting in front of me in a simple white dress that was a bit on the short end. It would have been erotic if she had more to show, but with her slight frame, that dress ends up just making her look childish instead of sexy. I guess money doesn't buy good fashion sense.

... I guess I am still in a similar mindset of earlier when Kiyoharu convinced me to go cloth shopping for her. I wasn't into it, but I gotta give credit where it is due, Kiyoharu is very convincing when she wants to be.

Readgeless, just like Momo requested, I called Sona soon after as to hear her about whatever is going on. However, despite sending my cute cousin to inform me that she wanted to talk, she was free enough to say we should meet face to face.

I would have just said 'fuck you' 80% of the time if she tried to make me leave my project when it is 'mutating' like that, it was far too interesting... and dangerous since I had no clue what the final result would be. However, she would just order Momo to come to me and I can never truly say no to Momo about anything.

I was never able to, just as I know she can't ever truly say no to me. It is just how we work really.

"I understand why you would think that, but what I want to discuss with you is important and I wouldn't like people spying on me through the phone." Sona said and I snorted.

Considering she is the sister of Serafal, if someone has the balls and ability to be spying on her, they would have known about any meeting she has and what she knows either way regardless of her little decision of meeting face to face or talk through the phone... or the person spying is Serafal and she would know regardless.

Well, Sona seems like a mostly decent devil, even if I despise her having turned my Momo into a devil and would not shed any tears if the Sitri heiress was to die. But, for Momo, I can at least indulge the little devil princess, even if she seems kinda simplistic to me.

"So, you wanted to talk."

"Yes, but before we talk I must ask, how much do you know about the Sitri house and me specifically?" Sona questioned and I can already see what she wants me to 'know', but I don't feel like playing into her hand and saying what she wants me to say.

"I know just a few things. First that your house is one of the current top of devil society due to being on the winning side during the Civil War and having one of the Satans, the one responsible for diplomacy no less, being a member. Your sister is a highly capable woman considering she is able to keep the devils from entering any war with the other supernatural races and Pantheons despite your race constantly taking members of said groups by all sorts of means, honorable or otherwise. Of the Satans, as far as I could see and understand, she is decidedly the best."

Sona heard what I said and actually raised a brow.

"... You really think that? Even if she acts like... that?"

I just shrugged.

"How she dresses shouldn't truly matter in my eyes, she is a grown woman and if she wants to cosplay then that is up to her really. To me, if it doesn't interfere with her work as Satan, then her hobbies don't matter and are, as far as I can tell, harmless. Hells, she even does a show for kids that is apparently quite popular, you should be proud to have a sister like her." I said.

What can I say, despite her being the one that most likely wants me dead I can still respect those who deserve it. I sure as hell respect her more than the uncaring genocider Ajuka, a siscon that would risk a civil war for no good reason like Sirzechs, or Falbium who is apparently so lazy that the military forces of the Underworld are in shambles and with a big part of their staff being spies with who knows how many informants in their military.

Truthfully speaking, Falbium is the one that annoys me the most. Sure, Ajuka is the worst and most destructive piece of shit I have heard of since I got into this world and caused more pain and suffering than most anyone in the Throne and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future without a single care thanks to his system, and yet the military commander in me wants to strangle Falbium due to the sheer incompetence of the man. From the moment I thought a conflict with the devils was possible I talked with Riser about it and got intel from Mittelt and the Yakuza as well about what they knew, and Falbium is the most unfit person to lead anything that I have ever seen.

I observe Sona who adjusts her glasses before speaking.

"That was... informative. Regardless, besides my sister, what else you know of my family?"

///---///

3° Person P.O.V.

Serafal, in her private quarters in her apartment in the center of Lilith, the capital city of the devil race, was looking intensely at a screen in front of her. From it, she could clearly see Soma and her sister talking.

She was a Satan who was responsible for all diplomatic affairs and someone who had been on a cold war with two other races for over three hundred years, of course, she knew how to and had bugged her sister. Namely, she had bugs in Sona's dress, underwear, socks, and especially in her glasses so seeing what Sona could see was child's play for Serafal. Heck, the Satan even had three different tracking chips inside her sister to always know where Sona was in case of an emergency.

As a high-risk and noble heiress of the devil race that was currently residing in the human world, her 'freedom' and 'privacy' were at most a flimsy illusion. Just like you wouldn't see the only daughter of the president of the USA travel around through the world without security, you couldn't expect anything less for someone like Sona.

"... Wow, just, wow." Serafal said, having heard all that Soma said about her and was honestly flattered.

She was used to people appreciating her, but not for her work and instead just looking and talking about her body or preference in clothing. It was extremely flattering for her to hear someone speak up about her for what she did, not details of her own life.

In truth, Serafal could be said to be a very lonely woman. She was very young by the time the great war started, being only 8 years old then and she was forcefully enlisted to it by the four original Satans then.

She was raised on the battlefield so to say, a child soldier who has had to live by the sword for decades as the war progressed. Any friends she made would most likely die on her as the war progressed and she drenched herself in the blood of both enemies... and allies as well.

One must understand, the original Satans were war fanatics who cared not for their people, they would push again and again for more battles regardless of the sacrifices as long as none of their descendants were anywhere near the battlefields. Logically, after years of war with no victory in sight and the body count growing to the point where their race's extermination became a possibility, many would want to dissert.

To those who wanted to leave the battlefield and escape from hell, Serafal was the one sent to kill them. At first, she refused to do this job, but after seeing those who escaped and, especially, what those who were sent to hunt those who just wanted to leave did to the deserters, Serafal volunteered to be the one to hunt those who ran.

Better her give them a quick death, than the dogs of Lucifer that would torture those who left and made a parade and celebration of their deaths. She was quick and merciful, she would execute her orders in a fast manner and let those who had to be killed at least die quick and painless deaths. This is why she even started practicing and changed her focus from water magic to ice magic, to be able to more efficiently kill others without them having to suffer.

After the Great War ended Serafal joined the Civil War, but this time it wasn't because she was conscripted as she joined willingly. She did so to stop any chance of restarting the Great War, she also had no love for the original Satans and their disregard for devil lives while their descendants were never sent to the thick of things and only fought easy battles.

Her whole life Serafal lived FOR the devil race. Even now her love for mahou shoujo is just her trying to spread something other than bloodlust and battle for the new generation... and because Mahou Shoujo were all about love, family, and good things that she appreciated a lot. She might have gone a bit overboard, but it was her one and only true valve of escape from all the memories of the past and the pressures of the present.

As such, she was not a woman who cared overly much about her looks, so being appreciated for her help to the devil race and being considered the best of the Satans even when most thought she only had that spot because of female representation... that was something new for her, and she loved it.

A fond smile blossomed on Serafal's face as she continued to watch her sister and Soma's meeting through her cameras while reading through the documents regarding a new proposal of commerce with the Yokais and hoping that this time things would go well.

Someone showed up that valued her work AND liked Mahou Shoujos, maybe a second miracle could happen.

///---///

Sona's P.O.V.

... He is irritating.

How much he knows about my family, assets, and more is impressive, that he said so much about my sister was surprising, but, but...

HOW COME HE DOESN'T KNOW WE ARE ALL BUT ENGAGED?

Not only that, he clearly hasn't taken note of the perfume I bought or the make-up I used. I never do that, but I had decided to go and talk with my best about this meeting and ask for some useful tips. I did my best, and yet, the entire time he seems to have barely paid attention to me, it is infuriating... and a bit hot.

No, no it is not. I am not into neglect play or anything like that. In my family, everyone is either a dominant or a submissive beneath our day-to-day lives, and I've seen how a submissive Sitri was like before in my mother and how she would do anything father wanted in bed. Hells, I've seen her lick the feet of one of my father's harem members when he ordered her right in the family dinner table when we were all together.

I won't be like that, I AM a dominant! I have to be one, or I would rather just die already.

Focus, focus Sona. Your dreams mean you are fighting against the entire world, you will dominate your future and change the path of your entire race just like your sister did. Taking a breath I recompose myself, even if no one could tell the difference since I always look the same when I want to, and speak.

"It seems like you don't know about the position both of us share at the moment."

"Well, I have heard from Riser that you and I are engaged due to me beating you in chess once." he said nonchalantly and I almost snarl at him.

He KNOWS of the situation, so how can he so easily dismiss it out of hand? Does he look down on me or this engagement?

"Don't misunderstand, it is not that I look down on the decisions of you or your family, but I have no need to follow them. It wouldn't make sense for me to be forced to marry you just because you suck at chess." Soma said and I froze, my eyes turning cold as I glare at him.

"I don't suck at chess." I said, this being what offends me the most.

He just raises a brow as he hears this.

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that, miss rookie." He spoke and as he looked at me with that condescending gaze I felt myself get excited... at defeating and dominating him, obviously.

Yeah, I will do it!

"... Put your money where your mouth is." I said as I summon from my pocket space a set of chess.

What? I am a girl that likes to be prepared and no one knows when they must have a set of chess prepared for any case of emergency.

///---///

"Again!" I said in fury as I stare at the game. Soma just sighed.

"... Look, if you are into humiliation play and, if you want to be beaten publicly again, that is your thing. Regardless, I have more to do than spend my time here just playing chess with you." Soma said, making me blush in shame.

... I am not into that sort of play, I am just very competitive and I want to play one more round since I know I can win.

"I will have you know that I am not into that sort of thing." I said strongly and he just looks at me with the most condescending gaze I've ever seen.

"Yeah, I totally believe you. You are the type that likes to dominate others and be on top in all moments, or likes to portray that at any rate." He said before waving his hand. "Trust me, what gets someone going is hardly ever anything they are proud of and no one should judge it... as long as it is not scat play. That is the one thing I would not like to get involved with whatsoever." He said with a shiver of distaste.

I just look at him, take a deep breath, and tell myself he ISN'T a devil despite how he talks being exactly like some devils I've known before.

"Anyway, I would have you know that this engagement is of relevance for you as well." I said and he just looks at me with a raised brow. Seeing this as a chance to continue I do so. "I am not sure if you know or not, but my family and yours have been business partners for many years now. We were the ones that helped your family after the World War 2 where your grandfather got a fortune and he used it, and our family connections, to make the Hanakai conglomerate. It can be said that a large part of my family's assets in the human world is related to your family and we hold many shares of your family as well, our engagement would serve to help that bond and make both sides closer which would be beneficial on both sides, but if you break it then our two sides might separate and we both would suffer for it."

As I finish explaining it all he just looks at me before reclining in his chair, his eyes slightly vacant as he stares at nothing in particular while his lips are closed. I have no idea what he is thinking of but I choose not to stop him as I drink my coffee.

After a good two minutes of silence, he opens his mouth.

"It really doesn't surprise me that the old bastard made a deal with the devil to get where he is, no offense to you or yours." He says as if in an afterthought. "He was always very much in the occult and with how he acts, yeah he seems like the type that wouldn't mind even if the deal he struck involved selling all his kids into slavery or whatever. Regardless, since I am not really running for the position of heir for the family or anything I don't really care much about it, but since Momo is the heiress I guess I shouldn't make things worse for her moving forward."

... He does care a lot about Momo, huh. It is a bit offensive that he seems to be only thinking of our engagement due to it improving the position for Momo. Does he really not see me as anything worthwhile whatsoever? He already praised my sister so much, he gives plenty of attention and cares for Momo, and at Rias' party I saw how he danced with Ravel, Momo, that little girl he came with, and many other girls, but he never once seemed to even look at me.

This, this is so weird. Everyone always looks at me and pays attention, either as the heiress of the Sitri House, the sister of Satan Leviathan, or because I am the Student Council President. Having someone look at me and just dismiss me, it is vexing.

I think about it for a moment and speak.

"Since I lost in chess to you, you became one of the candidates for my husband since that was the condition for engagement with me. Normally, it would mean you and other candidates would be compared and the one more suitable according to my parents would be chosen, but since you are the only candidate..."

"Wow, either you chose your opponents well or the devils are all amateurs in chess." Soma says and I glare at him.

"I am good at chess, amongst the best."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that sweetheart. If you wish it hard enough, maybe one day it becomes reality." He says in an infuriating tone.

I want to shut him up, no, I will shut him up right here and now!

As I was leaning on the table as I was declaring that I do NOT suck at chess, I decided to shut him up for good. Boys his age should be easy to make dumb, just need to know how to do that according to the magazines I've studied for this meeting.

Taking advantage of my position, I push myself forward and kiss him. That would shut his mouth and would make him not able to think, I can dominate him then and...

Huh? Why does it feel like I am losing control here and why does it feel so good?

///---///

Soma's P.O.V.

Too easy.

Seriously, for a devil she is far too easy to rile up with some harsh truths, even if my family's association with her house was a bit of a shock as it didn't come up in my talks with Riser and the others before.

Regardless, this engagement is not all that bad for me since, if I can't get Momo out of Sona's grasp, I can just make the Sitri heiress obedient to me and thus make it where she doesn't even think about hurting or using Momo in any way. It is a roundabout way of doing things that goes against my preferences (namely, blowingshit up until the problem goes away), but would still work regardless.

Normally I wouldn't go down this route as I don't really like manipulating women using sex, but this girl was so obviously a submissive deep down that using it to my advantage was the obvious choice. Especially since, if I tried mind-controlling her my actions would possibly be exposed and cause a backlash towards Momo or myself.

Besides, why use magic when I can just ensnare her through more natural and biological means, which also happens to mean we both can enjoy no less?

It is not like I would hate having another partner in bed, and this one seems like would like it even if I go a bit rougher, and I am confident would be good when I am mad with something.

Deepening the kiss and using my hands to stop her when she tries to move back I force myself on her just enough to be pleasurable while not truly hurting her. I let the kiss continue for a good thirty seconds and when she manages to pull back I look down at her body and speak.

"About the engagement, we can come to an understanding in time. As long as we agree to not be exclusive with us being able to marry again if we want to as long as we inform each other. We also must have a proper contract detailing what we should do in case we decide to divorce and kids, and we also agree that any secret shared between us is to remain exactly that, a secret. If we are to marry we must be able to trust one another at the very least, love or affection can come later." I said and she stares at me with a lost puppy face.

... She is far too innocent, it almost makes me feel bad about manipulating her like this, but I at least won't ruin her like others could considering how she is right now. Well, maybe I will ruin her for other men, but that is just how things would progress I suppose.

I DID learn a lot from Kiara about how to sense other's sexual preferences as well as use them, and I also learned seduction and how to make others do things for me from Mata Hari whose Noble Phantasm is literally seducing others into little more than slaves. Someone as clearly innocent about sex and so naturally submissive deep down like this devil heiress in front of me, yeah she won't even be a challenge in a battle of sedution or in bed.

"I, I suppose that is acceptable." She says and I smirk as I lean into her hear and whisper.

"Besides, even if you can be a bit annoying and needs to learn your proper place in this relationship, I can't deny you have a tasty little mouth there. I wonder what else about you is this delicious, and I want to find out." I say as I put my hand on her cheek, sending the smallest shocks possible to give her to make it feel stimulating but not hurtful.

She flushes as I smirk at her expression, she looks away from me with her face all red and, seeing this, I have to wonder.

Does anyone actually fear her? Seriously? I heard plenty of times in school how 'fearsome' and intimidating she is, but, how to say it... she is about as threatening to me as a kitten in my eyes. She can be grumpy and liking to act aloof, but it is painfully obvious that one just needs to know what buttons to push to get her to do whatever one wishes.

"What would you say about us finding out?"

"Really? Now? We barely even know one another!" She hisses in embarassment at my suggestion and I just shrug.

"We know enough to not make us complete strangers and we are to be wed anyway, wouldn't it be better to know if we are actually compatible?" she looks slightly torn so I say. "Or is it that you are not 'devil' enough to delve into just this little amount of sin? What? You want to be a little pure Christian girl guarding herself to her marriage bed? How cute." I said, in the end there putting a finger beneath my chin and giving a condesending smile

That, obviously, put a fire on her as she obviously did not like the insinuation of her being a lesser devil. After what I've seen so far after my interactions with devils, I truly realized that devils are quite full of pride and love to sin, even if some of them don't like to show their love for sin in some cases due to liking to act like if they are humans or because of some ridiculous sense of morals that just seems quite silly to me. If normal human girls can fuck around, why should actual devils adhere to celibacy for some idea of purity for the marriage bed?

That sort of idea sounds far too Christian and 'angelic', not like a devil normally is at all. I've heard plenty from Riser and seen devils during the engagement party, and none act all pure and innocent at all.

To someone like Sona, using this point to insinuate she isn't much of a 'proper devil'... yeah the result was expected. But, credit where it is due, the results seem to not be quite as clean and cut as I would have expected.

"I suppose we could try it and test it out," She says with a slightly flirtatious tone, despite her serious and nonchalant tone. "BUT, we would still need to later have a long discussion about the terms of the contract we would be in as to clarify al details later, even if we agree to go through with this. I have no intentions of being taken advantage of by just letting you have full control over the terms of agreement, after all." Sona says, making me raise a brow. "You shouldn't expect me to be so easy to deal with, what fun would it be if I just did whatever it is you want like if I was just some fool? I am Sona Sitri, not just anyone."

In a situation like the one we are in now where I challenge her to prove she is a 'proper' devil elite, especially when I would be an acceptable 'challenger' to proving her worth as a devil due to being her fiance, she is still able to keep a cool enough head to start discussing ideas and proposals for the contract we would sign. Yeah, she is not stupid, I will give her that much. Horny, obviously if what I see is any indication, but not stupid.

Well, she still sucks at chess and is lacking in some aspects, but with some proper guidance I suppose she would make a suitable enough business and pleasure partner for the future.

This IS a mutually beneficial agreement, after all. We both get what we want with little drawbacks, but trying to squeeze a little extra on the side was the smart choice and not seeing we both aim to gain more from this deal would be dumb.

After agreeing that we would give this marriage a honest try and would discuss in details about the terms of it at a later time, we paid the bill of the coffee shop and got out. Not even ten minutes later we were walking out on the streets in search of a more appropriate location for the more relevant aspect of this relationship as to know if we would only have some papers connecting us or if we would be a bit closer.

... Sometimes being me is just far too good, even if I have to wonder if anyone will spy on us while we 'test' our compatibility.

Well, I guess I could just give any spy a show then, wouldn't be the first time I have an audience spying from a distance.

Fuck you Merlin, you perverted half-succubus, I can only hope my romp with a pure blood succubus doesn't produce another like him. One Merlin in my life was MORE than enough, that is for sure.

///---///

AN:

So, yeah that was the conclusion I got when I thought of a relationship between these two. They are both very busy people who have their own lives, an overly romantic and biding relationship wouldn't fit them and they barely truly know one another so trying to force romance wouldn't make any real sense. The more realistic approach would be that of they truly following through but it being a purely contractual and physical relationship.

If feelings develop in time, even if only fondness, would be left to time and nature, but political marriage and love don't need to walk hand in hand. Sexual compatibility is, however, desirable.

It is benefical for both sides, after all. Sona would no longer be pressed to marry or have challengers come for her hand all the time while Soma would be able to influence her to make sure she never tries anything that could hurt or damage Momo.

Is anyone surprised that Serafal would bug Sona to always know what is going on with her while in the human world? That honestly looked like the most natural thing for her in my eyes. And about Serafal's past, I tried to picture how she could become like she is now and came to this decision, and her liking Soma with how things are now sounded quite natural for me as well.

Also, I took inspiration from one of Shiro's fics about how different devil houses have certain fetishes, if that wasn't clear enough by now. Here are those I thought of for now:

Gremory - Incest (either true incest or someone seen as family, like how Rias sees Issei as a little brother of sorts);

Bael - Cheating (they like seeing their loved ones screwing with someone else as if they are being taken away, or cheating their partners with someone else);

Sitri - Domination and Submission (not SM but domination and submission, they don't enjoy pain but they like to dominate others in bed or be dominated and forced into obscene or humiliating positions);

Phenex - Harems (they like to have multiple partners, so they either make a harem or join in one but are with others in the harem instead of only one person in it);

Astaroph - Slave play (they like to either making others sex slaves, or be turned into one);

There are other houses I haven't yet decided and if you guys have any ideas I am all ears, and my thought about the Baels is more if I ever decide to try having Soma bang Rias' mother and maybe Grayfia (Sirzechs and Rias ARE half Bael, after all). But honestly, besides Gremory, Sitri, and Phenex the others are open to change if requests are made.

Anyway, thanks for reading and until next time, I will do a Lemon from this chapter later, of course.. Review and follow, bye.