Agatha let out an exasperated sigh, tucking at Eren's sleeve, 'Tch! Don't drag me into your conflicts, Eren.'
Eren responded with a smile, his gaze fixed on Demonmir, as he conveyed his thoughts to Agatha without uttering a word.
'I'm looking out for your safety, Miss Manager. Demonmir is dangerous. I can handle this situation, but I suggest you distance yourself from him as much as possible. Consider my words as your excuse to leave this meeting,' Eren silently explained, maintaining unwavering eye contact with Demonmir.
Several of Demonmir's subordinates, who had accompanied him into the meeting hall, seethed with anger upon witnessing Eren's blatant disrespect toward their master. Among them were Demonmir's former colleagues from his time in Edinburgh, as well as individuals bearing the Montmorency surname who had been loyal to him since their youth in House Montmorency. Two Rankers from House Lowin had also forsaken their clan loyalties in favor of Demonmir after he offered them demonic powers.
These subordinates, or more accurately, Demonmir's lackeys, stood a few paces away from the table. Initially, they were expected to remain silent throughout the meeting. However, Eren's provocative words ignited their fury, making it impossible for them to contain their anger any longer and maintain a neutral face. It seemed they were used to letting anger drive their actions for as long as they had served Demonmir.
"Impudent brat! Who the hell does he think he is, calling Lord Demonmir unimportant? I'll fucking teach you a lesson!"
One of Demonmir's subordinates, Mael Montmorency, seethed with rage as he glared at Eren. Mael, appearing to be in his early thirties, stepped forward, locking eyes with Eren, aiming to assert his dominance as a Master-ranked individual and subdue Eren, whom he sensed to be an Expert Ranker.
However, as Mael attempted to channel his mana, he witnessed a striking change in Eren's eyes. Suddenly, Mael's consciousness was drawn into a sinister world, where blood-soaked flowers bloomed, a crimson moon hung in the sky, and rivers of blood flowed endlessly.
Paralyzed by Eren's Sedating Gaze—a skill Eren had consciously developed and honed over the past nine years—Mael abruptly ceased speaking.
"Back off, you fucking idiot. I don't need your assistance," Demonmir refused to allow Eren to exert dominance over his subordinate solely through his gaze. Employing his Draconic Tongue, Demonmir compelled Mael to snap out of Eren's Sedating Gaze, forcibly causing his body to retreat a step.
"I... I apologize, my lord," Mael stammered, addressing Demonmir as he regained his composure. He cast a fearful and apprehensive glance at Eren, no longer daring to meet his eyes.
A brief silence settled over the room as the members locked eyes with each other. It was Ariella Lowin who took the initiative to break the tension, initiating a casual conversation with the half-blood members seated at the table. The discussion gradually shifted back to the ongoing war, and as Eren had requested, Agatha seized the opportunity to excuse herself from the meeting, leaving Eren to face Demonmir alone.
Eren and Demonmir resumed engaging in casual conversations with the members of the half-blood forces, deliberately avoiding direct interaction with each other. As the main topics of the meeting concluded and the representatives of various half-blood clans began to depart, the atmosphere grew tense once again. Eventually, only members of Demonmir's forces, House Lowin, House Fenris, and Eren remained in the meeting hall.
"I've heard the White Raven Guild has been prospering lately thanks to its active participation in the war," Demonmir decided to approach Eren, his demeanor calm and composed. He smirked mischievously before continuing, "Ah, and you were a part of Sebastian's company, Grimdawn, weren't you? It was you who dealt with Reva Rain, I believe?"
Demonmir showed no signs of being affected by the revelation that his former colleague Reva Rain had perished at Eren's hands. He had used her extensively for his own gain, even utilizing her name now to strike up a conversation with Eren, exploiting her as a pawn even after her demise.
Eren nodded before responding, "That's correct, Ottoman. She remembered you in her final moments. Too bad for her, she didn't realize you don't truly care about your subordinates," he remarked, his gaze directed at Demonmir's followers.
Demonmir remained unfazed by Eren's attempt to provoke his subordinates against him. He chuckled before speaking.
"Hahaha. That wretched woman was no longer worth my attention or nurturing. It's as simple as that. The only reason I took an interest in her was because the demonic fragment within her soul belonged to one of the Ars Goetia demons.
Unfortunately, she failed to awaken the fragment and trigger demonification, rendering her useless in my eyes," Demonmir explained, casting a glance in Eren's direction. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, showing little concern for the audience. Since the half-bloods were born as demonkin, the half-blood clanshad retained some knowledge of demonology, and there was no need to restrain their discussions within the Last Blood Bastian.
'It appears I've acquired something quite valuable as a spoils of war. That's why Alephee was insistent on capturing the slumbering soul fragment within the Paladin of Pain,' Eren thought to himself before communicating with Alephee telepathically. 'Miss Timeless, what does Ars Goetia mean?'
Alephee had been hesitant to divulge this information prematurely, but since Demonmir had brought it up, she decided to satisfy his curiosity to some extent. 'Ars Goetia refers to a group of 72 demons who hold exceptional authority over other demons, Eren. These 72 demons are ranked just below the Seven Demon Princesses and serve as capable lieutenants for them. This was why I asked you to capture the demon soul fragment slumbering within Reva before killing her. I'll tell you about it at the right time.'
Unaware that he was inadvertently helping Eren solve a puzzle, Demonmir regarded Eren with an amused expression before redirecting the conversation.
"And how is my dear cousin, Levine? Is she serving as your obedient concubine? Shall I train her to meet your exact desires? I assure you, I can mold her to perfection," Demonmir taunted, intending to provoke a strong reaction from Eren.
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