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Lucifer sat up in his bed. That had probably been one of the best sleeps he’d had in a long time. In fact, his sleep schedule had seemed to stabilize over the past two months. Of course, the reason for this was his stay at his daughter’s hotel. His room had never been this tidy either. Ever since he had been near his daughter, he had been trying to be better. Stretching out his arms, he let out a yawn. He felt the bones in his back crack, and suddenly, his wings burst from his back as if in rebellion. He flinched. He knew exactly why they weren’t obeying him. It had been too long since his last preening session. As he got up and glanced in the mirror, he could see the unruly feathers sticking out.
With a deep sigh, he resigned himself to the task. He knew he needed to do it regularly, but he always forgot. Taking off the top of his pajamas, he let his back be completely free, and his wings spread fully—nearly filling the room. Grumbling, he started plucking out the damaged feathers. They were irritating him so much. And with his wings twitching restlessly against his will, it was even harder to do.
A deep groan escaped his lips. This was going to take a while, and he hated it. He wanted to be on time for breakfast. Half an hour passed, and there was still so much to do. On top of that, the discomfort had only increased, making it impossible to move faster. He hadn't been this slow before. Yet again, something he used to be good at had worsened simply because he had neglected it…
Dark thoughts began creeping in. But then—a knock on the door startled him, making him lift his head.
"Dad? Are you awake?"
Charlie’s soft voice drifted into the room. Lucifer tensed. He didn’t want to be seen like this…
“Ahhh… Yes! I’m awake, sweetheart!” His voice came out louder than intended. Charlie noticed.
“I’m coming in.”
Lucifer immediately jumped to his feet.
“No, sweetie, wait—”
But before he could finish, Charlie had already opened the door and stepped inside. She flinched upon seeing her father’s bare upper body and enormous wings.
“Oh… Is this a bad time?”
Lucifer let out an awkward chuckle.
“No! No, sweetie! It’s fine!”
Charlie raised a skeptical brow and stepped closer. She could see his wings twitching, and she noticed the occasional grimace on his face. The itching must have been unbearable.
“Are you okay? Looks like you've got a lot of messed-up feathers…” Lucifer grinned again, unfazed.
“Oh, no! I’m perfectly fine, duckling. It’s just been… a while since I last preened, that’s all.” Charlie glanced at his feathers, then spoke:
“Umm… I just came to ask if you were coming to breakfast.”
Lucifer flinched again as another wave of irritation hit him, forcing him to squeeze one eye shut—but he kept grinning.
“Ugh… Hehe… Yes, I’ll come, but…” Charlie arched a brow.
“But?”
“Unfortunately, I have to finish fixing these first, and it looks like it’s going to take a while. I won’t make it in time for breakfast.” Charlie instantly brightened.
“Oh! Then let me help you! We’ll get it done faster that way.” Lucifer stiffened and immediately raised his hands.
“NO! No, sweetheart, that’s not necessary! I can handle it!” His pride took over. “Besides, I don’t want you to waste your time. Don’t be late for breakfast because of me.” Charlie studied her father’s face for a moment:
“But you’re probably not fast enough because it hurts, Dad. Just let me help. I don’t want to have breakfast without you.” Lucifer immediately went into defense mode.
“Hurt?! I’m not in pain! It just… it just itches a little!” As he said that, his wings twitched again, and he squeezed one eye shut from the discomfort. Silently, he cursed at his wings for not obeying him. Charlie pouted:
“It’s obviously bothering you, Dad. Don’t try to hide it. Just let me help. Please.” Please. Every time his daughter said that word, all of his defenses crumbled. Including his massive pride. Lucifer took a deep breath and sat back down on the bed. Without saying a word, he gestured for Charlie to sit behind him. Charlie's face immediately lit up with a bright smile. She quickly climbed onto the bed and positioned herself behind her father. While Lucifer worked on the lower set of feathers, Charlie tackled the largest pair. And she was much faster than him. Lucifer let out a long, weary sigh, both from the irritating itch and from the fact that he had to accept help for something as simple as this. He hated it. He never felt like this when Lilith used to help him—so why did it feel like his pride was being stomped into the ground now? That one thought was enough for the gloom to take over his entire body. He stopped plucking the feathers from his wings. His hands fell limply into his lap. Charlie noticed her father had stopped, but she didn’t say anything. She kept working, thinking that maybe he felt more comfortable this way. If necessary, she would happily take care of all three pairs for him. But she could see that he was growing more and more tense. Fixing his feathers didn’t seem to make him feel any better. His back muscles had tightened, and she noticed how he had wrapped his arms around himself. She stopped tending to his feathers and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder:
"Dad?" Lucifer flinched. He turned his head slightly, just enough to his daughter see his face.
"Are you okay?" His jaw tightened, and he turned forward again.
"This… is wrong… So wrong…" he whispered. The moment Charlie heard those words, she moved closer, still keeping her hand on his shoulder.
"What’s wrong? Me helping you? There’s nothing wro—"
"YES, THERE IS!" Lucifer roared, abruptly standing up. His horns had already emerged. Charlie flinched but quickly got up as well, raising her hands.
"Dad…" Lucifer turned to face her.
"Look at me! I'm pathetic!" Charlie clasped her hands together.
"Why do you think that?" Lucifer took a deep breath. His horns receded back into his forehead. He ran a hand over his face, then through his hair.
"I… I’m supposed to be a king… but all I do is… nothing. I’m not good at anything anymore. I don’t dream like I used to. I don’t care about my people. I’m not a good king. I’m not a good… father. I can’t even fix my own damn wings like I used to. I’m just… an angel who ruined everything… Heh… not even an angel anymore. A fallen one." The moment he felt his eyes well up, he turned away, refusing to look at Charlie. Tears welled up in Charlie’s eyes as well. She hated hearing him talk about himself like this. Lucifer wrapped his arms around himself again. He was a pitiful sight, and he despised showing this side of himself to his daughter. He was supposed to be the embodiment of pride, for Hell’s sake. But then—he tensed. Warm arms wrapped tightly around him. Charlie had pulled him into a firm embrace.
"So you're just going to give up? Just because you stumbled a little?" Lucifer swallowed hard.
"Charlie…"
"Dad." Silence. Charlie pulled back slightly, locking eyes with him.
"Yes, you’ve distanced yourself from everything lately, and maybe that’s making it harder to do the things you used to do so easily. But you’re being unfair to yourself. You’re still Hell’s king. And I know you used to be a great ruler. And… you’re still my dad. You’ve proven that you're here for me… that you’re a good father." She placed her hand gently against his cheek.
"You just need a little practice." Lucifer closed his eyes and pressed his face into her palm, taking a deep breath. Charlie’s smile warmed even further, full of light.
"Besides, I think you forgot something. You weren’t ruling alone." Lucifer flinched… his head lowering.
"Yes… with your mother." Charlie stiffened at the mention but quickly shook her head.
"No, that’s not who I meant. The Sins." Lucifer's eyes snapped up. The Sins. His closest companions in Hell. It had been ages since he last saw them. The last thing he’d told them was that they no longer needed to consult him, that they could handle their duties however they pleased. His phone had been bombarded with messages ever since, all of which he had ignored. He had his own problems—he wasn’t about to burden them with them. Charlie watched his expression closely, and a wide smile spread across her face.
"Hey! How about calling them? I’m sure they’d love to see you again. Plus, they can catch you up on everything that’s been happening." Lucifer tensed again, looking away.
"Ahh… I don’t think that’s a good idea, sweetheart. Whenever we get together, it usually ends in an argument."
"Come on, it’s been so long. Don’t you want to see your old friends again?" Lucifer leaned back slightly, considering it. It wasn’t a terrible idea… but he still wasn’t sure. Charlie smiled brightly, watching her father carefully.
“Come on, Dad. And I should also mention… I miss them too.” Lucifer couldn’t help but smile in return. It was true. The Sins were family to him. He considered them his siblings. Charlie, on the other hand, adored spending time with her uncles and aunts. They had always been close-knit, despite the chaos that surrounded them.
“Also… don’t ever say you don’t care about your people again. I know you’ve worked hard for everyone in Hell to have a good life. Didn’t you even distribute the rings to the Sins so you could be there for all of them?” Lucifer rubbed his neck awkwardly.
“Well… sort of. The sinners were so exhausting that it became hard to focus on Hell-borns.” Charlie grinned widely.
“See! And now you’re working with me for the sinners. You care about them. You can show the Hell-borns that you care, too. The Sins will help you.” Lucifer let out a deep breath. She was right. It wasn’t a bad idea. He turned toward Charlie, giving a small but genuine smile. Though uncertain, he knew it made sense.
“Alright. But give me some time, okay? I don’t think I can just call them right away.” Charlie’s grin stretched further.
“After breakfast?” Lucifer laughed involuntarily. He did need a bit of nudging, and thankfully, his daughter was the one pushing him. She was truly all the motivation he needed. He chuckled.
“Alright. After breakfast, princess.” Charlie let out a small excited squeal and wrapped her arms around him. Lucifer returned the hug, feeling a sense of warmth in the moment. As she pulled away, she grinned again.
“Let’s finish your wings. They’ve got to look magnificent. The king will be facing his friends soon.” Lucifer chuckled at her words, and they both sat down to finish the work. About half an hour later, all six wings were finally perfected, looking nothing short of spectacular.
After breakfast, it was time for everyone’s tea hour.
Charlie had started this routine every morning as a small relaxation session before the day’s events. As they sipped their tea, lighthearted conversations filled the hotel lounge with a warmth and cheerfulness unlike ever before. Even Lucifer and Alastor weren’t arguing—well, as much as they usually did. Angel was laughing when, out of nowhere, the television switched on. A… trial?
“Hey! Guys, look at this!” Everyone in the lounge turned their attention to the screen. Lucifer immediately sat up straight when he saw the courtroom displayed on the screen, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Was this… a live execution of an imp? Charlie stiffened beside him, shock overtaking her expression.
“Dad! What are they doing?!” Lucifer’s gaze remained fixed on the screen, trying to process what he was seeing. Satan was broadcasting the execution of an imp, declaring how this was an example of the punishment they deserved.
“They must have committed a serious crime,” Lucifer said, his voice cold and detached. Charlie was even more shocked by her father’s reaction.
“What?! Dad! You know execution isn’t the solution! They can’t just do this!” Lucifer turned to his daughter, gripping his cane tightly in both hands.
“Sweetheart, things aren’t as simple as you think. There are only a few important rules here. Other than that, you’re free to do whatever you want in Hell. At the very least, don’t break those few rules.”
“But… but we don’t even know what happened! Look at him—they’ve gagged his mouth! They’re not even letting him defend himself!” Lucifer glanced back at the screen, narrowing his eyes.
“Yes… you have a point there. I can’t say for sure since I wasn’t there, but we usually allow defendants to speak.” Charlie furrowed her brows.
“Usually?!” Lucifer let out a tense chuckle.
“Heh… sweetheart, most Hellborns don’t commit crimes serious enough to warrant a trial. As I said, we only have a few strict rules. Breaking them is… rare. But when it happens—especially if the one on trial is an imp—the punishment is execution.”
“So… so you see imps as lesser beings? Like a lower class…?” Lucifer closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Let’s just say… until now, yes, I did. But you’ve opened my eyes.” Charlie felt some relief at those words, but when she turned back to the screen, her stomach dropped. The imp was about to be executed.
“We have to do something! Right now!” Charlie urged. But just as the spear was about to strike the imp’s neck, they all saw it—Prince Stolas stepped in, blocking the execution with his power. Lucifer was stunned. His posture straightened as his full attention locked onto the screen. Stolas began to sing, weaving a tale of everything that had happened. Charlie was captivated by his performance. A noble demon sacrificing himself for an imp? That was unheard of. Then, Satan intervened. He subtly accused one of their own of betraying them. And then… he too began to sing. The other Sins joined in, harmonizing with him. And then— That line.
“I rule The Endless Dark. Since Long Before The Golden Angel’s Fall.” Lucifer’s eyes widened. His brow twitched. His grip on his cane tightened until his knuckles turned white. His rage—his pride— Ohhh, it had never burned this intensely before. This was the last straw. For a brief moment, the entire hotel trembled. Everyone inside felt it. They all knew exactly who was responsible. Charlie tensed. She was absolutely furious at Satan for saying something like that, but even she couldn’t have predicted just how deep her father’s fury ran. Without a single word, Lucifer suddenly rose to his feet. The room fell into a suffocating silence. Everyone was on edge. It was painfully obvious—Lucifer was about to do something drastic.
“Charlie.” He had never said her name in that tone before. It was clear he was trying to sound composed—gentle, even—but the venom dripping from his voice was unmistakable.
“Y-yes, Dad?” He turned to face her, and a grin spread across his lips. The Devil’s grin.
“Come with me. We’re going to handle this together.” Charlie swallowed hard, then forced a smile. She knew—she knew—this trial was about to be conducted properly. Hope swelled in her chest. Lucifer raised a hand, and before them, a golden portal tore through reality. Without hesitation, they stepped through.
As the song reached its climax, the entire courtroom trembled. Every Goetia, every Sin—even Satan himself—flinched. All eyes turned upward. A golden portal tore open beside the grand throne. From it, he stepped through. Lucifer. And at his side, Charlie. His sharp gaze swept the room before flicking up to his throne. His expression twitched. The plastic duck. The cobwebs. Without a word, he plucked the rubbery intruder from its perch and slipped it into his pocket. A single snap of his fingers sent golden flames rippling through the throne, burning away every trace of dust and webbing. Then, with all the effortless grace of a true king, he lowered himself onto his seat. Beside him, a second throne materialized from nothing—a gesture, an unspoken invitation. Charlie hesitated before taking her seat, flashing an anxious yet determined smile. Lucifer leaned forward. His crimson eyes swept the courtroom as he addressed them all:
“Hello, Hell. Your King has arrived.” His voice bit. It sliced through the room like a blade wrapped in silk. From their seats below, Bee and Ozzie practically glowed with delight. Their faces lit up at the mere sight of him. Mammon, on the other hand, visibly recoiled:
"Oh... Fuck." Leviathan’s two heads darted around, unsure of where to focus. Belphegor, groggy and dazed, actually stirred from her sleep, blinking in confusion. Bee was the first to move. She flew to Lucifer’s side, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Luci! You're here! I can't beli—" Lucifer raised a single hand. Silence. Bee froze. Her expression fell. The look on his face was grave.
"Not now, Beelzebub." Ohhh... Full name. That was never a good sign. Lucifer almost never used full names unless something was very wrong. Bee swallowed hard. She glanced at Ozzie. Ozzie subtly motioned for her to return to her seat. Now was not the time for a reunion. Reluctantly, Bee stepped back. Her eyes flicked to Charlie, and at least that made her smile. She and Ozzie waved warmly. Charlie, still tense, gave them a small, nervous wave in return. Lucifer inhaled deeply, then exhaled. His voice was steady, cold.
"Alright. Is someone going to explain what the hell is going on here?" The entire courtroom tensed. Satan swallowed thickly, clearing his throat before he spoke.
"This imp," he gestured toward the prisoner, "used a high-ranking demon’s magical artifact to travel to the mortal world for personal use—a direct violation of our laws. And it appears that one of Ars Goetia, Stolas, knowingly allowed it." Oh... Yeah. That was a serious rule break. Lucifer’s eyes flicked to the imp in question—then to Stolas. Then to the two other imps standing beside him. And the Hellhound. His gaze narrowed. The sight of the muzzle strapped over the Hellhound’s mouth irritated him. That... was a direct insult to Bee. With a snap of his fingers, the muzzle vanished. Loona jerked slightly, startled—then exhaled in relief, flexing her jaw. Lucifer turned his attention back to Satan.
"Alright, and who exactly brought these charges to court?" Immediately, Andrealphus stepped forward. With a flick of his hand, an ice platform formed beneath him, elevating him above the others. He bowed gracefully. "That would be me, Your Majesty." Lucifer let out a long, deep breath the moment he laid eyes on the Duke. Of course it was him. All this chaos… for this? There wasn’t a soul in Hell unaware of Andrealphus’s obsession with exploiting Stolas. He would stoop to anything for more power. Lucifer snapped his fingers. A scroll appeared in his grasp. This wasn’t just any scroll—it was one of Lucifer’s own enchantments, a spell he had crafted long ago to document everything spoken in the courtroom, ensuring he never missed a single word. Charlie leaned in beside him, glancing at the parchment as well. Lucifer’s golden eyes scanned the text. His expression darkened.
"So," he began, his voice sharp, each syllable cutting through the tense silence, "according to this record… the group known as the Immediate Murder Professionals have been humiliated, debased, and denied sufficient time to prepare an adequate defense—leading to several misinterpretable statements. And all the while, they have been mistreated, purely for being Hell-born—charged at the insistence of one Marquis Andrealphus Ars Goetia." Charlie’s eyes widened. She turned to her father in shock. It had been so long since she’d heard his king’s voice—that commanding, absolute tone that left no room for doubt or challenge. Authoritative. Unwavering. Unyielding. It struck something deep within her. Before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out:
"Silencing the accused?! How dare you deny them the chance to defend themselves?!" Charlie's voice rang through the courtroom, sharp and unyielding. Lucifer turned his piercing gaze toward Satan.
"Yes, Satan. Since when do we hand out executions just like that?" Satan stiffened, swallowing hard.
"He broke the law. You know the punishment, sire." He couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle as he addressed Lucifer as sir. Lucifer scoffed.
"The law, huh…? Just admit you didn’t want them defying you while I was gone." Satan gritted his teeth. His fingers twitched. Lucifer wasn’t finished.
"And… broadcasting an execution across all Rings of Hell?" His voice dropped into something dangerously amused.
"Now that… that’s a first. I was beginning to wonder how much lower you could sink, and I must say—you surprise me." Satan opened his mouth to protest— But Lucifer cut him off.
"Let me guess, you were going to say it was to set an example?" Lucifer leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes gleaming with something terrifying.
"Believe me, Satan, no one in Hell needs a lesson. Anyone with a brain already knows what happens when they overstep their bounds." His gaze flicked toward Andrealphus. Marquis tensed ever so slightly. Then, in a flourish of shimmering frost, he lifted himself higher upon his ice platform, putting on his best diplomatic smile.
"Ah… Your Majesty, surely a mere imp’s trial is not worth wasting your valuable time?" Charlie moved before her father could speak. Her hands clenched into fists.
"A mere imp?!" she snapped. "So, to you, imps and hellhounds are just disposable creatures, is that it?!" Blitz’s eyes widened in pure disbelief. He’d never heard a noble—hell, especially not the Princess of Hell—speak about lower-class demons like that. (Well… except for Stolas, but that hardly counted.) Lucifer, too, blinked at his daughter in mild surprise. And then— For the first time since he arrived— A small, warm smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Pride swelled in his chest. Pride for his daughter. His little star. Slowly, he turned back to Marquis. "On the contrary, Marquis." His voice carried the weight of absolute authority. "I have already wasted enough time." His golden eyes hardened.
"Every soul in my kingdom matters. Charlie has taught me that." He cast another glance at his daughter. Charlie beamed. Lucifer faced forward again— And with one decisive motion— He slammed his cane against the floor.
"Let’s handle this properly." Lucifer’s voice cut through the courtroom like a blade. "I am reviewing the charges."He continued, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"Prince Stolas of Ars Goetia has admitted to granting access to the Goetia Grimoire to an individual by the name of Blitz—with a silent ‘O’.” Blitz’s face lit up in delight.
"Oh! Thank fuck! Finally, someone gets it!" Moxxie, gritting his teeth, shot him a withering glare.
"Not the time, sir!" Lucifer ignored them, turning his focus to Stolas.
"Would you care to explain why?" Stolas bowed his head respectfully.
"Of course, Your Majesty. This was part of an agreement between us. In exchange for his services to me, I granted him access to my grimoire so he could conduct his business." Lucifer arched a single brow.
"And this business is?" Blitz swallowed hard before answering.
"We’re assassins." Lucifer’s golden eyes studied Blitz, taking in the way the chains bound him so harshly that he could barely move. With a snap of his fingers—
The chains loosened.
"Stand properly when addressing the judge." Blitz immediately straightened.
"Oh—uh—thanks, Chief." He cleared his throat, quickly continuing.
"So, our business—IMP—we decided to step away from the already overcrowded, cutthroat assassination market in Hell and instead take our work to the mortal world—" The courtroom erupted into murmurs. Satan narrowed his eyes.
"Explain." Blitz swallowed, then cleared his throat.
"Here’s how it works," Blitz began, his voice steady. "The sinners with unfinished business hire us. They tell us the target they want dead, and we make sure they get sent here."
Charlie flinched, the weight of the words sinking in. Were these sinners asking for the living to be killed? She interjected, her voice trembling.
"But... do the targets deserve it?" Blitz bowed his head.
"Uh... We don’t really care if they deserve it, Your Majesty. For us, it’s just a savage business." Lucifer’s nostrils flared, his expression darkening.
"If their souls end up here, yes, they obviously earned it. I must say, it’s an entrepreneurial effort. No one’s ever attempted such a thing before." Charlie glanced at her father, her thoughts whirling. Lucifer continued, his tone sharp.
"But are you aware that you’re increasing the population of the Pride Ring, which is already overcrowded?" Moxxie cleared his throat nervously, speaking up.
"Uh... Your Unholiness... Maybe we could recommend Princess’s hotel to our clients and targets..." Lucifer and Charlie both widened their eyes in surprise. Blitz spun on Moxxie, a sharp frown on his face.
"Christ on a stick, Mox! Why do you always have the worst ideas?" Charlie, however, lifted her voice in excitement.
"Wait, wait! This... this is a brilliant idea!" Lucifer turned his gaze toward his daughter.
"Oh, is that so, sweetie?" Charlie practically bounced in her seat.
"Yes! Think about it! Extra opportunities for redemption! And the more people know about it, the more chances there are!" Lucifer placed his chin thoughtfully in his hand.
"Well... this will be taken into consideration. Now..." His gaze turned cold again, locking onto Blitz.
"Do you still have the book?" Lucifer asked, his voice cold. Blitz lowered his head.
"No, Your Majesty. Stolas took the book back during the last full moon." Lucifer raised an eyebrow.
"So... you haven’t had the book for a month. How have you been handling your business then?" Blitz hesitated.
"Well... Stolas gave me an Asmodean crystal... He said we no longer needed our agreement." Lucifer immediately turned to Ozzy.
"Asmodeus? Is this true?" Ozzy stood and bowed his head.
"Yes, it’s true. Stolas convinced me to give Blitz one of my crystals." Stolas interjected.
"This way, Blitz wouldn’t be dependent on my book... no more... breaking the laws..." Whispers spread throughout the room. Lucifer slammed his cane onto the ground, silencing everyone. They all froze in place, the room quiet once again. Lucifer’s gaze snapped back to Stolas.
"Still, you’re aware this is a crime, right? Lower-class demons cannot travel to the human world to use magical objects for personal reasons, even if the high-ranking demons give their permission. The law stands regardless." Blitz and Stolas both flinched. The owl prince bowed his head.
"And I am ready to accept the punishment you deem fit, my king." Charlie watched the two demons with a sad expression. Was this how it felt to look down on someone while defending yourself in Heaven? Here, there was no such thing as right or wrong. You had to be neutral. It was just... justice. She understood very well why her father was tense in this situation. Although, it was hard to tell if he was still tense right now. He seemed much more composed than when they had left the hotel, his anger seemingly gone. She guessed it had passed. He was fully focused on the trial. Lucifer cleared his throat again.
"Alright. Let’s take a look at the other accusation." Again, the parchment appeared in front of them. Charlie immediately glanced at it. Was it true that an imp named Striker was hired by Blitz to kill Stolas? Blitz lost control of his anger again, shouting,
"This is all a big load of crap! We saved Stolas from him!" The courtroom filled with whispers once more. Satan raised an eyebrow.
"Saved him?" Lucifer grinned devilishly and glanced at Satan.
"Yes... didn't you hear his “defense”?" Satan gritted his teeth again. Stolas raised his hand, requesting to speak. Lucifer shook his head and gestured for him to continue.
"Your Majesties, what Blitz says is true. He was indeed busy, but his workers came to save me. Blitz himself sent them to rescue me because I couldn’t reach him to notify him." Lucifer's eyes narrowed. He turned his gaze to Striker. As soon as Striker realized the attention was on him, his anger flared. He looked at Andrealphus.
"Hey! I thought I was under protection if I confessed." Lucifer burst out laughing. The entire courtroom tensed, even Charlie. When Lucifer’s laughter ended, he looked at Striker with a sinister grin.
"Did you interpret protection... as being free from all punishment?" Striker's eyes widened. What did that mean?! Lucifer turned to Satan.
"Well? Was he not going to face punishment? You were talking about the law." Satan averted his gaze. Lucifer continued.
"Confessing to one of the most serious crimes doesn’t protect you from punishment. It only... protects you from the death penalty. But, confessing won’t even give you protection in this case... Anyway, my absence was taken advantage of." His grin widened.
"Trying to kill an Ars Goetia... a royal demon. That’s one of the greatest crimes." The courtroom grew tense. Whispers rose. They all knew Lucifer was right.
"Alright, for fairness' sake, let’s vote. Who approves of sending this imp, who tried to kill an Ars Goetia under the guise of protection, to the ‘Dungeon’?" Charlie gasped. The Dungeon? Did they have Dungeons? She could see the other sins were quite startled as well. Even the Ars Goetias were. Dungeon... Was it worse than execution?
Lucifer raised his hand to confirm. Soon after, everyone in the room raised their hands one by one, including all the sins. Blitz proudly raised his hand. So did Stolas, Moxxie, Millie, and Loona. Lucifer grinned again.
"It is approved. Satan?"
Satan looked at Lucifer. Lucifer waited for him to make the decision. He was the real judge here. Satan straightened up and spoke.
"Striker. As punishment for your crime, you will be sent to the ‘Dungeon.’ Indefinitely." Striker furrowed his brows and gritted his teeth. Satan continued.
"To make you feel the weight of attempting to kill a royal demon. I’m sure you’d prefer execution at this point." Lucifer slammed his cane onto the floor, as if signaling the final judgment, like a gavel. Reapers surrounded Striker. Striker began to scream.
"This is madness! Do you hear me? Madness! You nobles think you're superior to all of us! You use us and throw us away to do your dirty work!" Lucifer turned his face toward Striker. Striker, looking at Andrealphus, shouted,
"The deal wasn’t like this! You and your sister! You're disgusting!" Lucifer stood up. Everyone flinched. Lucifer raised an eyebrow and spoke coldly,
"What deal are you talking about?" Striker spat out words like acid,
"You know nothing! You're pathetic! You use the lower classes to destroy each other! You can’t even handle your own business!" Lucifer turned his head toward Andrealphus,
"What is he talking about?" Andrealphus shot a fiery glare at Striker and then looked at Lucifer and bowed,
"I truly don't know, Your Majesty. He might be in shock from the punishment he’s received. I have no involvement in this conspiracy. I only wanted to inform the court of the despicable assassination attempt on my overly attractive sister’s husband. The information I received was about Striker getting an order from Blitz to carry out the assassination." Striker was about to continue shouting but his mouth was sealed. Seeing this, Charlie immediately stood up.
"Stop! Right now!" The reapers flinched at the princess's command. Lucifer looked at his daughter.
"Charlie?"
"The punishment may have been handed out, but he still has something to say. You can’t just silence him!" Stolas raised his hand again. Lucifer nodded.
"Majesty." He spoke while looking at the princess, "I can explain what Striker meant." Charlie raised an eyebrow. Stolas continued,
"When he kidnapped me, he let something slip. His skills didn’t seem that impressive. The person who wanted me dead was careless enough to just say it... it’s almost funny. The exact words were: ‘Your wife must really hate you.’" This sentence made it clear that the one who hired him was my soon-to-be ex-wife, Stella."
Whispers spread throughout the room again. Andrealphus's sister... and it was clear from what had been said that he was in cahoots with Stella. Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was he not surprised?
"Yes, Satan. You were right." Satan flinched and looked at Lucifer, surprised.
"There really is someone betraying our kind." His eyes immediately cut to Andrealphus. Andrealphus flinched at the dark cloud that seemed to settle over him.
"This is madness, Your Majesty! Why would I want anything to happen to Stolas?!" Lucifer chuckled. Did he really believe what he was saying?
"Are you serious? Everyone knows you’ve always had your eye on Stolas’s position. But as the Father of Lies, I won’t lie about this. I didn’t think you’d go this far." Andrealphus shivered,
"What?! B-but Your Majesty! I didn’t plan any of this!" Lucifer shrugged,
"Doesn’t matter. You supported it. I don’t know Lady Stella’s motivations, but your reasons for power are clear. Really... how many more times do I have to tell all of you not to eye each other’s thrones?" As he said this, Satan’s words echoed in his mind. No matter how much he said it, it was clear it was never enough.
"Satan!" Satan immediately turned to Lucifer.
"Yes, my King."
"Please present the accusations and the sentences." Satan nodded and locked eyes with Andrealphus.
" Marquis Andrealphus! You and your sister Stella are found guilty of plotting an assassination to gain power over someone of your own kind! As planners, rather than executors, your status will be stripped away!"
Andrealphus flinched and shouted, but Lucifer slammed his cane on the floor, approving the decision.
"Please, take this disgrace out of here." The reapers bound Andrealphus. His arms and mouth were restrained. The chains prevented him from using his powers. Charlie looked at her father and whispered,
"Is this... is this a fitting punishment? You just took his status away." Lucifer gave a small warm smile,
"Trust me, darling. I was tempted to do much worse." For a brief moment, his warm smile turned into a devilish grin. Charlie tensed. Lucifer then smiled again and gently ruffled his daughter's hair for a moment. Charlie couldn’t help but smile in return. Blitz and Stolas exchanged glances. They both took a deep breath. A brief conversation passed between them. Blitz furrowed his brows and spoke,
"So... you were going to throw everything away for me?"
"What do I have in this life, Blitz, except you and Octavia? Once you’re gone, half of my life is already gone." Blitz’s tongue tied. He couldn’t say anything. His cheeks flushed. Lucifer’s cane struck the ground once again, causing the room to echo.
"Alright. Let's settle this last matter. The punishments for Blitz and Stolas." Charlie took her father’s hand. Her expression seemed to silently say, “Don’t be too harsh.” Lucifer shook his head and smiled before turning to the pair. He was going to explain, not Satan:
"Imp Blitz. From now on, because of Asmodeus’s crystal, you will be under his protection. After every mission, you’ll need to submit a report. You can still be the boss of your work, but you will not perform it without supervision. And don’t forget the condition: the clients and targets must be directed to the hotel. You are forbidden from using any other magical items besides the Asmodean Crystal. Understood?"
Blitz stiffened. The conditions were actually reasonable. He wouldn’t be killed, and his work wouldn’t be hindered. He bowed his head in front of the King. Lucifer turned to Stolas,
"Stolas of The Ars Goetia. Until you regain our trust, your access to your Grimoire will be restricted. Although your status will not be removed, your powers will be limited. You will spend this time training your heir. You will ensure that she becomes a worthy successor to the throne."
Stolas’s eyes widened. This was actually a much lighter punishment than he had expected. Plus, spending time with his daughter could never truly be considered a punishment. Lucifer, seeing the hope on their faces, smiled. But he quickly grew serious again.
"I suggest you realize the seriousness of your situation. This is my final act of mercy. If you come before me like this again..." A devilish grin spread across his face. "I’ll enjoy doing far worse things."
Both of them swallowed at the same time. Stolas lowered his head and bowed the King.
"I am grateful for your mercy, Your Majesty. Thank you." Blitz bowed his head again. Lucifer snapped his fingers, and the chains binding Blitz, Stolas, and the others vanished. Blitz immediately ran over to hug his daughter and friends. Lucifer and Charlie smiled at the scene. Lucifer struck his cane on the floor, signaling that the decision had been finalized.
"Court's adjourned! Time for lunch!" Everyone in the hall cheered joyfully. Mammon then presented food to the table.
"Yes! It’s fucking lunch time!"
"Hold on a moment." The tension in the room returned with Lucifer's voice. He took a deep breath, and his dark aura filled the room.
"Everyone except the Sins. Leave the hall." It was a firm and unmistakable command. All of the Ars Goetia members immediately started leaving the room. Blitz, his team, and Stolas reluctantly exited the room as well. Charlie didn’t understand what was happening, but she could feel the heavy darkness in her father’s presence. Lucifer spread his wings and descended to the center of the hall. Charlie tried to follow behind him. The Sins then lined up one by one. Bee and Oz moved to his right, Leviathan, Belphegor, and Mammon to his left. Satan stood directly opposite him. Charlie approached her father’s side. Lucifer glanced at her and offered a warm smile.
"I apologize in advance for what you’re about to see, my baby."
Charlie raised an eyebrow. What did that mean? Just as she was about to place her hand on her father’s shoulder, Lucifer slammed his cane onto the ground with force.
"Kneel." The devilish voice… Oh no. The Sins knew they had no room for protest. One by one, they knelt before the King. Lucifer first locked eyes with Satan.
"I’ll deal with you last." Satan flinched where he knelt. Charlie clasped her hands together.
"Dad? What’s going on?" Lucifer didn’t look at his daughter. He deliberately ignored her, knowing that he could easily melt his anger and pride for her, but he didn’t want to do that right now. He first scanned the Sins standing beside him, and then he began to laugh. They all flinched. Charlie did too.
"Just this morning… Charlie convinced me. She arranged a meeting with you. I was going to tell you how much I missed you and apologize for neglecting Hell due to my own problems. But…" He slammed his cane on the ground again, causing them all to flinch. "Is this really how I was going to find you? Have you all stopped caring, living only to indulge your own pleasures? Wait, wait, that’s not the issue. Since when has one person been making decisions for the jury? Yes, I gave Satan the responsibility as a judge, but when did you all start behaving like his dogs?" The five demons shrank even more.
"It’s true that I always made the final decision in trials, but I never disregarded your opinions. Especially not allowing the defendants to speak. Did all of you really approve of this?" Not one of them said a word. But Bee broke the silence.
"Lu… Lucifer. A lot has changed in your absence." Lucifer turned to Bee and walked toward her. Bee couldn’t raise her head. She could only see Lucifer’s black boots.
"Yes. I can see that things have changed. And it’s clear that I am the cause of this change. I truly… let you all become too free. But… don’t worry. When we deal with the source of the problem, there will be no more issues. And know this. I will be back on my throne. Even better than before. You can thank my daughter for that." Bee found the courage to lift her head and meet the King’s eyes. Lucifer gave her a small smile. Bee couldn’t help but smile back. Lucifer then turned his attention back to the others.
"You may rise."He was referring to the Sins standing beside him. All five of them stood up. Satan remained kneeling, his hands and knees still on the ground. A devilish grin spread across Lucifer's face. His aura darkened even further. Charlie's eyes widened in horror. No. Of course, he hadn’t forgotten. It had been on his mind since they left the hotel, but he had only postponed it. His anger was still at its peak. The real source of the problem, as he had called it… Charlie moved to intervene, but Ozz immediately grabbed her, stopping her. She jerked around to face her uncle. Ozz shook his head, signaling for her to stay out of it. It was not a situation where she could argue with the King. Doing so was a death sentence. And her father’s anger should not be directed at her. Lucifer immediately stood before Satan’s head. Of course, his own body seemed small next to Satan’s massive skull. Satan tried to lift his head slightly, but the moment he attempted, Lucifer slammed his cane down harshly on the lizard’s muzzle. The force was almost enough to impale him. Satan flinched in pain. The Sins and Charlie did too. Lucifer placed one foot on Satan’s head and pressed down on the cane with his forearm. His grin had spread so wide, it nearly reached his eyes.
"Hey… tell me, Satan. What was that line from the song of yours?" The Sins and Charlie swallowed hard. Satan couldn’t bring himself to meet Lucifer's gaze. He flinched.
"Before I fell, you ruled over the endless dark… Is that really how it happened? Was that the case?" Satan tried to speak, opening his mouth.
"My King… Sire, please…" Lucifer pressed down harder on his cane. It began to dig into Satan’s flesh. Black blood started to trickle out. Satan groaned in pain.
"I didn't give youuuuu permission to speak." Lucifer’s forked tongue flicked out slightly.
"Tell me, Satan. How is it that, as the Sin of Pride, you become more prideful than me? Or more precisely, how do you think you could be more prideful? You really think you're above the other Sins? You’ve forgotten your place. When I told you you’d handle things, did you really understand it so directly? That you were King? That you were the one to rule?" Charlie began to tremble. She had never seen her father like this before. Sure, she had witnessed his rage, especially when Adam had attacked them. If he hadn’t stopped himself, Adam would have been dead. But this… This was a different level. Although, she understood why it felt like a different level. It wasn’t about someone threatening their lives. This was… an attack on the pride of The Devil, the King of Hell, and her father, the Sin of Pride. At least, Lucifer saw it that way. Even worse. Lucifer continued to press down on the cane.
"Come on… defend yourself to me. I'm really curious to hear what you'll say." Lucifer’s tongue flicks out again. He makes a whipping motion with it. It was clear he was enjoying this. Satan tries to move and opens his mouth. His eyes are teary.
"You… you left us… Just like that. Without a word… Someone had to put things back in order…" The Sins flinch at this sentence. It felt like Satan was wishing for his own death… Lucifer’s grin fades. His face turns emotionless as he leans in. In an instant, he grabs Satan by the throat and lifts him up. He throws him against the wall behind him. The Sins and Charlie jump in shock. Charlie brings her hands to her mouth. Tears were already streaming from her eyes.
"I won’t say you’re wrong." Lucifer’s voice is calm. Cold. Satan struggles to rise, but in an instant, Lucifer appears before him in his full demon form. He begins to burn Satan with his own fire. Satan screams in agony.
"BUT WHAT GIVES YOU THE AUDACITY TO SAY YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SHOULD RULE? YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SIMPLE LIZARD! WANT ME TO REMIND YOU OF YOUR ORIGINAL FORM WHEN YOU FIRST EXISTED IN HELL?! HELL EXISTS BECAUSE OF ME! AND YOU, THE OTHER SINS, AND ALL OF HELL’S NATIVES INCLUDED! Lucifer stops shouting and burning Satan with his flames. He is still in his full demon form. Satan moans and cries in pain where he lays.
"Forgive me... my insolence..." Lucifer grins again.
"Ohhh... I'll forgive you, don’t worry... I’m not going to waste one of my favorite toys... But it seems you’ll need another lesson to learn your place again." A cruel thought crosses his mind, and drool runs from his mouth as he flicks his forked tongue again. His grin widens until it almost reaches his eyes. But suddenly, his path is blocked. By Charlie. Charlie steps in front of Satan, her arms wide open. Tears continue to stream from her eyes. Lucifer flinches slightly, but he doesn’t show it. He tries to soften his terrifying and unsettling smile as much as possible.
"Charlie. Sweetie. Move aside." Lucifer’s voice remains firm, but there's an obvious strain in it as he addresses his daughter. Charlie presses her lips together and shakes her head vigorously.
"No! That’s enough, Dad! Please!" The Sins are shocked. They can see how Lucifer's expression cracks in front of his daughter, how his will is being challenged. Yet, his grin doesn’t falter. His threatening tone remains:
"Sweetheart. Your dear uncle needs a lesson." Charlie flinches but doesn’t back down.
"He’s learned his lesson! Just look at him! He knows his place! And you’re back among them now! There’s no chance this will happen again! Please, don’t do this!" Lucifer’s resolve seems to be crumbling. He shouldn’t give in, but... how could he oppose his daughter? Satan's voice comes from behind:
"I’m sorry... really... please forgive me." Charlie immediately drops to her knees beside her uncle. She makes the most pleading puppy-dog eyes at her father:
"You’re the King. No one can deny that, no one dares to." Lucifer’s eyes twitch, and his grin falters. Yes, his will was crumbling. He closes his eyes, pressing his lips into a straight line. He takes a deep breath. His horns and wings return to their place, and his eyes return to their normal serpent-like form. But they still have an intense sharpness. He looks into Satan’s eyes:
"Pray for my daughter. Every day." Satan nods in agreement.
Charlie smiles and immediately rushes to embrace her father. She wraps her arms tightly around him. Lucifer responds to her embrace without hesitation. Meanwhile, Satan rises to his feet. The Sins gather around him.
"This time, you really deserved it," Bee says. Mammon chuckles:
"Yeah. I’m with you on that one. Think about it." Ozz, Leviathan, and Belphagor nod their heads in agreement. Satan growls in frustration.
"I know. Don’t remind me."Charlie pulls away from the embrace and looks at her father:
"You were great in the trial." Lucifer smiles:
"You too." Charlie smiles shyly. She hadn’t done much, after all. Suddenly, Bee shouts from behind:
"Alright, enough of the gloomy atmosphere! Come here, Luci!" And in an instant, she jumps onto the king, causing them both to tumble to the ground since Lucifer wasn’t expecting such an attack.
"Hey, leave some for us!" Ozz yells, and jumps on top of them too. They both tightly hug Lucifer. Charlie bursts into laughter at the sight. Lucifer, although enjoying the attention, scowls:
"Hey, cut this out! You’re still in front of your king!" But Bee laughs:
"Come on, don’t be like that! You even said yourself you missed us!" Ozz joins in:
"Definitely! Do you have any idea how much we missed you?!" Lucifer can’t help but chuckle. He reciprocates the embrace. His massive Seraphim wings spread out, pulling the rest of the Sins into the pile and wrapping them with his wings. Even Satan returns the embrace.
"My troublemakers! How could I not miss you?!" Lucifer laughs. Belphagor smiles:
"Instead of isolating yourself, you could have tried talking to us." Both heads of Leviathan nod in agreement:
"Exactly. Did you really have to leave us wondering?" A melancholic smile settles on Lucifer’s face, an apologetic smile:
"You’re right. I just... didn’t want to burden you with my problems. So much has happened. I kept myself away from even my own daughter. I didn’t care about the kingdom. I left you all alone. I apologize to all of you for that. I promise I will be a better king." All the Sins greet him with joy. They accept his apology. Bee frowns:
"So, once again, you sacrificed your happiness for your loved ones... How many times do we have to tell you not to do that?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Charlie taught me that, don’t worry. No more hiding." Mammon smirks:
"The only one who can bring you to your knees in this life is Charlie. Look at how she broke your Devil will!" Lucifer raises an eyebrow:
"Don’t push your luck, Mam." Mammon immediately falls silent. Bee and Ozz appear next to Charlie. "My favorite niece! Come here!" she says, immediately hugging her. Ozz also joins in with a hug. Charlie starts laughing and returns the embrace. Leviathan laughs too:
"Well, I guess we should thank the princess for dragging you out of your cave, huh?" Lucifer chuckles awkwardly:
"Heheh... yeah. I guess so." Charlie smiles warmly:
"With great pleasure." Mammon pats Charlie’s head:
"Just so you know, once this girl takes over, she'll be even bolder." Bee and Ozz both cough intentionally in a mock warning manner. Mammon looks away. Lucifer laughs:
"Yeah. I have no doubt, Mam. She’s definitely going to be a perfect queen. My greatest pride." Charlie feels her heart warm:
"Thanks, Dad." Satan suddenly comes over, lifting Charlie onto his shoulder:
"I congratulate you and thank you, dear princess." Charlie tries to wrap her arms around his massive neck:
"Thank you, and no problem, Uncle Satan." Satan’s eyes briefly shift to Lucifer but he quickly looks away. Lucifer smirks, opening his wings and coming to Satan’s eye level:
"Ooohh... what’s the problem? Is the little king of wrath throwing a tantrum?" He speaks in a playful, babyish tone. Charlie can’t help but giggle. Satan shrugs, still not meeting Lucifer’s gaze:
"What do I know, my lord? I know my place, don’t worry." Lucifer bursts into cheerful laughter. The other Sins join in.
"Oh come on! In our last fight, you couldn’t get up for a week. Now I haven’t done anything! And back then, you kept throwing insults without even throwing a tantrum!" Satan flinches and becomes speechless. Lucifer looks him in the eyes and smiles sincerely:
"You’re still the person I trust most when it comes to ruling. Because you really take your job seriously. It’s just..." His tone turns dark again: "Don’t you dare try to strike me with pride..." It was a serious, real warning. Satan swallows and nods:
"Of course, my king." Lucifer smiles warmly again:
"Well then, what are we waiting for! Let’s go for lunch!" Satan laughs and agrees. All the Sins excitedly head for the door. Lucifer sits next to Charlie, on Satan's shoulder, and together, they go off to have lunch.
I wanted to draw a small scene. If you'd like to take a look, here you go.