Even though Duke Krior's body was hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, his consciousness was powerful enough to form an enormous head in the sky full of power and energy.
The words he spoke packed the wickedness and rage of a monster that had lived for thousands of years and ended millions of lives.
Despite all that, there was nothing but disdain in Zatiel's heart as he heard the words of the Devil Duke. To the Neo-Demon, a Rank 6 Devil Lord that was too afraid to leave his shelter was not a threat.
Of course, regardless of his personal feeling, Zatiel knew how he needed to behave to maintain his cover.
"Please forgive me, my great Duke, but I could not allow this traitor to go unpunished. She attempted to entice me to join her side in a rebellion against you. You can search Micra's soul to find out the truth and realize I have nothing but loyalty for you." Zatiel showed a meek attitude, and there were fear and respect in his eyes
The monstrous face in the sky only showed coldness when he heard Zatiel's words but did not attack immediately. He focused on the Devil Marchioness that was falling from the sky and brought her to him.
Micra's body was a mess, with almost all of her vital organs destroyed, but the Devil Duke cared only about her soul.
Krior's consciousness infiltrated the Devil Marchioness's soul dimension, and when he saw the state of her True Soul, a fierce expression appeared in the face in the sky.
An immense killing intent targeted the Neo-Demon, one full of viciousness and cruelty.
Zatiel's last Soul Eradicators did not destroy Micra's True Soul, but they annihilated her consciousness. She was in a deep coma, and even if she managed to recover, she would awake with all of her memories gone and a twisted personality.
Duke Krior would have to pay an enormous price to heal her. The price was worth it for a Peak Rank 5 soldier in normal times, but right now, he needed all the soul healing treasures he could get to heal himself.
"You have cost me a Marquess and have no proof of your accusations being real. The damage you did to her soul is so significant that I can not obtain anything from her memories. Therefore, I will search your soul for the truth." Duke Krior's words carried unquestionable might, and it was clear he would not allow any disobedience.
Zatiel's eyes showed an even greater fear when he heard Duke Krior's intentions, but on the inside, the Neo-Demon was sneering.
He knew that this would happen. After all, many inexplicable events were happening around him. "Kenner" managed to survive the Blood Fortress, and now he had the power to battle a Devil Marquess.
Any devil would feel curiosity and greed when they thought about him and how he managed those amazing feats.
"My Lord, I am afraid that is not possible. My soul dimension suffered severe injuries during the fight, and it would crumble the moment your consciousness touches it. But don't worry, I am ready to solve all of your doubts."
Disdain appeared in Krior's face. Since when have devils trusted the words of their brethren.
Before the Devil Duke could do anything, Zatiel began to speak at an accelerated rate.
"I know I should have warned you, my Lord, about Micra's betrayal and ask you for permission to take care of her. However, an enemy with Peak Rank 5 battle power and knowledge about your troops would be a significant threat in your current condition, so I could not waste time. I know you care about your people, but there is no need to worry since I was never in real danger."
Duke Krior's consciousness that was about to overwhelm the wounded Neo-Demon froze when Zatiel spoke.
The coolness and killing intent in the giant face in the sky grew stronger, and it was clear Krior was truly angry. How could he not figure out the hidden message behind Zatiel's words?
When Zatiel mentioned how an enemy with Peak Rank 5 battle power and knowledge about his troops would be dangerous, he was not referring to Micra. As for the last part, he told the Devil Duke that he had a way to escape if things became too dangerous.
There is a contract between them that forced "Kenner" to obey Krior. Nevertheless, if the Devil Duke directly endangered subordinate's life, this one was free to join someone else.
Zatiel could feel Krior's killing intent and rage growing, but there was no fear in his heart.
"Tell me how is that you are so strong, what happened in the Blood Fortress, and the details about Micra's rebellion." In the end, Krior did not attack immediately and waited for the Neo-Demon to speak. The Devil Duke knew he would be fed lies, but he believed that he could exploit Zatiel's story's flaws with his wisdom and cunningness.
Zatiel stood up, and with a cowardly smile, he began to answer the Devil Lord's questions.
"Regarding my battle power, let just say Severian was not the only one hiding his cultivation."
The next second, Zatiel's soul force grew mightier, and the strength of the Law of Death emerged from his soul.
The Neo-Demon had made adjustments to his Doppelganger Fiend Rune, allowing him to express cultivation at the 4th Engraving Stage and Death Essence.
Krior's eyes narrowed as he saw the power and talent of the man in front of him. Having a subordinate this gifted was not comfortable for the Devil Duke.
Zatiel appeared not to have noticed the way Krior was looking at him and continued speaking.
He related an epic tale about his experiences in the Blood Fortress. How he fought a Runic Spirit, but failed and in the last second, he pushed his Law of Death to the Minor Completion level and managed to escape. After that, he hid while the other Marquises and Counts fought against the Blood Duke.
Of course, all of it was a lie, but the Neo-Demon spoke with such sincerity that it could fool anyone.
Regarding Micra, Zatiel told Krior that the woman had sided with the Darkness Poison Duke, the Rank 6 Pit Fiend.
The Neo-Demon even told him that the Devil Marchioness mentioned that the Darkness Poison Duke had formed an alliance with another Devil Duke, and they were planning to kill him.
Zatiel also made up the plot against Krior, but thanks to the information he had collected and his understanding of devils' nature, he was sure something similar was transpiring in reality.
The giant face's coldness did not diminish at all after hearing those words, but a smile appeared as he spoke.
"Kenner, you are indeed a loyal subordinate. I had my suspicions about Micra, and you confirm them and take care of the problem. Since you have the strength and have proven your commitment to my cause, I hereby grant you the title of Devil Marquess. Please sign this contract so you can have full access to all the benefits of your new status."
Zatiel saw a long and ancient parchment materialize in front of him. It was golden and shone with a marvelous light. The first sentence described all the benefits he would get but mixed between the words were the contract's true goal.
'The contract seeks to bound a subordinate to his leader forever. They would not be able to regain freedom no matter how strong they become.' Zatiel could feel Krior's gaze on him and how his energy was ready to explode at any moment.
The Neo-Demon stared at the giant face with a look of resignation and defeat before signing the contract.
"Well done Kenner, I will send someone with the reward for your new title soon." Duke Krior made a nasty smile before his consciousness disappeared.
The moment he was alone, Zatiel laughed as he thought how easy it was to trick the Devil Duke.
'Stupid brat, thinking he has any control over me with just because I signed a minor contract.' The moment Zatiel does anything that would go against the contract, the worst thing that could happen would be losing his Kenner's disguise.
The Neo-Demon gathered what little strength he had to break space and returned to the city before disappearing through the World Gate.
Even if he were no longer present in his city, his title as a Marquess would make anyone hesitate to challenge him.
