Chapter 425: Whoever Wants to Be Satan, Can Be
Haruto, being stroked by Sheila, felt incredibly comfortable and instinctively rolled over on her warm lap, exposing his belly.
The next moment, he noticed the strange looks from Mio Naruse and Lucia and couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed.
Fortunately, in his cat form, his pitch-black face showed no visible change.
It wasn't entirely his fault—since it was a perfect transformation, he was inevitably influenced by some of the cat's innate instincts.
Haruto could overcome these influences; they weren't weaknesses, but if he wasn't careful, they could lead to embarrassing moments.
Seeing Haruto's "useless cat" behavior, Ramsus stopped being suspicious.
As for Mio Naruse keeping a cat...
Having lived in the human world until now, aside from her extraordinary strength, she was purely a Japanese high school girl—wasn't keeping a pet perfectly normal?
If she hadn't kept one before, it might have been because her family didn't allow it.
But with her current power, no one would dare say anything even if she raised a tiger, let alone a cat.
After resting on Sheila's lap for a while, Haruto, summoned by Mio Naruse, gracefully padded over to another soft and warm spot.
Lying against the plump, resilient chest, Haruto faced the questioning of the two women through their soul network.
Though they clearly knew that Sheila had been won over by Haruto, both as a daughter and as a soulmate, they had every right to feel jealous.
At first, Haruto wanted to stall for time, hoping Sheila would share some of the blame, but it was impossible to hide the truth.
Not to mention the tremor in the barrier last night, just Sheila's radiant complexion and the mature charm she exuded were enough proof of what had happened between them.
In truth, if Sheila had really wanted to hide it, her control over her succubus bloodline would have made it possible.
But after cultivating with Haruto, far from pushing him toward her daughters as before, she was more inclined to keep him all to herself.
While Sheila happily enjoyed her breakfast, Haruto, held in Mio Naruse's arms, was forced to agree to a series of unequal treaties.
Just as his cat face was about to crack, revealing an expression of utter despair, the two women finally let him off.
Coincidentally, Sheila finished her meal at that moment and stood up gracefully.
"Alright, it's time for us to depart. We shouldn't keep His Majesty Satan waiting."
The timing was impeccable…
If Haruto hadn't been with Sheila since last night, he would have suspected the three women had planned it together.
In reality, even without explicit coordination, the tacit understanding between women achieved a similar effect.
As the elder, it was somewhat improper for Sheila to compete with her daughter for a man. As compensation, she tacitly sold Haruto out.
The group stood up, led once again by the same demon girl who had delivered the message.
Naturally, one couldn't casually use teleportation magic near Satan's residence; they had to make their way there on foot.
Whether it was intentional propaganda or Mio Naruse's inherent fame in the Underworld, nearly every demon they passed cast curious glances their way.
The former was more likely, but there was no point dwelling on it now.
As they drew closer to Satan's palace, rumors began to spread—claims that Mio had returned to reclaim the throne of Satan.
Since Mio had agreed to come to the Underworld and acknowledge her status as princess, this scenario had been anticipated by Haruto and the others.
Especially after learning of the Cardinal Council's schemes through Katerea's intelligence, it was easy to guess who was deliberately orchestrating this situation.
Mio's calm and unruffled expression caught Ramsus's eye, earning his newfound respect for his niece.
But even more surprised was Satan Leohart, who had been waiting for some time and was observing Mio through the palace's magical devices.
He had expected nothing more than a young girl raised in the human world, yet she displayed such composure, as if she held neither the throne of Satan nor the external pressures in any regard.
Mio's relationship with Haruto, or rather, with the Gremory family, was no secret. However, her most notable moment had been her performance during the Zolgear incident.
And the so-called highlight was merely not dragging others down.
For a teenage girl who had only been exposed to the supernatural world for just over a month, this performance was already commendable, but it fell far short of what was required for a successor to the position of Satan.
Yet, witnessing this scene, it seemed as though Mio Naruse truly possessed some hidden talent.
Aside from Leohart, even the members of the Privy Council were baffled.
If Mio Naruse proved too exceptional, it would inevitably impact their upcoming plans. It appeared they needed to inform their superiors to prepare countermeasures sooner rather than later.
Just as the Privy Council began to move covertly, Haruto and his companions finally arrived at the main hall, where they laid eyes on Satan Leohart, whose dark skin was adorned with purple demonic markings.
This young Satan was quite handsome, though he still fell slightly short compared to Haruto.
Even within the palace, Leohart wore attire suited for combat, unlike the elaborate noble attire worn by Ramsus.
Haruto's sapphire-like vertical pupils swept across the scene, but he quickly lost interest and lazily nestled back into Sheila's embrace.
As he recalled, Leohart excelled in close combat and avoided wearing opulent, intricate clothing—this was largely the reason.
His strength, at best, reached Satan-Class, and even when pushed to his limits, he could only hold his own against Toujou Jin.
The out-of-place black cat naturally caught the attention of Leohart and his subordinates.
However, after a brief inspection revealed nothing particularly remarkable—it seemed to be nothing more than a pet kept by the noble "maiden" Sheila—they paid it no further mind.
The meeting proceeded without the usual clichés of intimidation or power displays. Haruto's group did not kneel, and no one on Leohart's side was foolish enough to make an issue of it.
After a brief introduction and mutual nods, they quickly moved on to the main agenda.
The focus of this meeting remained on Mio Naruse. Whether it was Ramsus, Lucia, or Sheila, they were all merely supporting roles.
Leohart reclined lazily on his throne, propping his head up with one hand, exuding an air of carefree, untamed regality.
"Mio Naruse," he said, fixing his gaze on her as he spoke slowly, "You are Wilbert's daughter, but the position of Satan…"
"Whoever wants to be Satan can have it," Mio interjected decisively, following the prearranged plan before Leohart could finish. "I came to the Underworld only to visit my one and only uncle. As for the rumors circulating outside, they have nothing to do with me."
"I'm perfectly content living in the human world. Why would I want to be Satan in this godforsaken place where there isn't even cell phone reception?"
Watching Mio's disdainful pout, Leohart suddenly chuckled.
Even his usually composed and meticulous friend, who also served as his secretary, sighed helplessly and adjusted his glasses.
They were well aware that the rumors had nothing to do with Mio. By all accounts, she hadn't even been here for a full twenty-four hours.
Moreover, if Mio truly intended to contend for the position of Satan, she wouldn't have come alone.
Admittedly, it was somewhat embarrassing, but if Mio had rallied the Gremory family, the Sitri family, and the current Red Dragon Emperor to her side, Leohart would have had no choice but to relinquish his position as Satan.
There was no helping it—after the Great War of the Three Factions, every family had fallen on hard times.
But it all depended on who you compared them to.
As a border region, the territory Leohart had inherited was the most impoverished, not only in terms of resources but also in terms of powerful individuals.
To address this, he had no choice but to excavate ancient ruins buried deep underground, studying ancient technology to bolster his forces.
When it comes to ancient relics, the old fossils in the Sacred Council are all experts.
This was another reason Leohart was constrained by the Sacred Council.
Due to Mio Naruse's candid remarks, the hall fell silent for a moment.
Then, amid the suppressed laughter of the crowd, the previously tense atmosphere instantly eased.
"If it's just to visit home, I'd be happy to welcome you."
Leohart's expression also relaxed considerably. The situation had unfolded so suddenly that he hadn't had time to gather sufficient intelligence, and he had initially worried that Mio Naruse and the Sacred Council were collaborating.
Now, it seemed all of this was likely the Sacred Council's doing.
"To prevent excessive rumors from spreading and affecting the lives of the Demon King's Castle residents, I will use the Demon King's authority to announce your abdication shortly," Leohart said. "All you need to do is cooperate, make an appearance, and explain the situation."
"Alright, no problem."
Mio agreed readily. Indeed, it was easier to communicate between young people without all the convoluted schemes.
While the atmosphere here was harmonious, the demons of the Sacred Council grew restless.
They had assumed that even if Mio didn't care about the Demon King's position, Leohart wouldn't be so trusting.
Mio's bloodline and status remained a constant threat to his rule. In their place, the worry would persist as long as Mio lived.
They couldn't comprehend why Leohart could trust Mio so easily, nor why Mio could resist the temptation of the Demon King's throne.
Though it had been brief, under their influence, if Mio truly wanted to become the Demon King, at least half the nobility would support her.
What? You ask about the commoners' opinions?
In an era dominated by noble families, commoners had no say at all.
The stability of a ruler's power depended solely on gaining the support of the majority of aristocratic families.
Just as Leohart turned to Ramsus to discuss when to proceed with the announcement and grant Mio a nominal demon noble title, a series of hurried footsteps echoed from the side corridor of the palace.
Along with the footsteps came a pungent odor reminiscent of cheap perfume. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but once everyone realized what it signified, they instinctively frowned.
Among them, Haruto in his black cat form reacted most visibly.
His heightened sense of smell in this form made it particularly sensitive, and the fact that only trashy cultivation techniques left such a scent annoyed him even more.
However, the agitation of a black cat clearly went unnoticed by Leohart and Belgas, who strode confidently into the hall.
"Your Majesty, the Demon King."
Belgas, dressed in formal attire but resembling a purple-skinned monster more than a person, approached Leohart and bowed.
Though he bowed, Belgas rose without waiting for Leohart's response.
Noticing the displeasure on everyone's faces, he deliberately sniffed himself and leaned closer to Leohart, saying, "I've been busy these days taking over Zolgear's Paradise. Training new slaves is quite troublesome, so it's inevitable that some odors linger."