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“Why is this all so complicated?” 

Leo groaned as he massaged his temples to stave off the impending headache. After he’d accepted Asa’s offer and agreed to make her a part of his Circle—despite his earlier wish not to create one at all—he was about to offer her one of his pieces. But then Lucy had barged into the room and stopped him from completing the inclusion of the first member of his Circle.

Now, just Lucy and Leo were in the living room with the curtains closed and the room plunged into darkness. The only source of light was a dimly glowing magical circle drawn on the hardwood floor.  

Maria and Mimi had been sent home, with Lucy’s portals delivering them safely to their destinations. The two Nephilim, on the other hand, were still unconscious and completely oblivious of the messy situation they were in.

Lucy had sent the cause of Leo’s latest headache, Asa, to her room to take a bath and to prepare herself and her psyche for what was about to happen. Though fearful, she’d gone as requested, constantly looking back over her shoulder at Leo when the succubus maid had sent her away.

“What do you want me to say, Master? Master-Servant Pact magic is complicated.”

Lucy answered with a straight face, accompanied by usual stone-faced expression. After giving Leo a chance to sigh for what must have been the fifth time, she continued with her explanation.

“Master Leo, did you know that there are probably only three succubae still alive on this plane?” She let that sink in. “That would be my mother, Maria, and I. We are most likely the last of the succubae.”

Leo frowned at the abrupt change of topic. It was a disheartening revelation.

“In the history of the supernatural world, there were many races like ours that were erased or brought to the very brink of extinction because they possessed a special talent—a talent could forcefully change the trajectory of the usual power dynamic. Unfortunately, those races didn’t have the strength to protect themselves.” She paused to make sure he was listening.

Leo raised an eyebrow.

“One such example,” Lucy continued, “is that of the Spirit Cats. They are a branch of the Nekomata race that were born with the power to use Senjutsu—the ability to draw energy inside their bodies—naturally.”

Revealing the fate of that particular race reminded Lucy of Akina, the little girl who’d gone through hell and more before being saved by Rayne. Though now, she went by the name of Kira… Kira Days Karteros.

“As for the succubae, the reason for our extermination dates back to the Great War that almost destroyed the underworld. During this period, we were revered because of our special skill—the power to form a Master-Servant pact. This could create a group with one person as the Master and a number of servants who would grow together in power nigh infinitely. It wasn’t impossible for such a group to see their power grow two or three times or more in a short period. And long time immersion in the technique could unlock a future filled with infinite potential for all individuals involved.”

Leo tilted his head, a glint of understanding flashing in his green eyes. He could understand why the succubae had been hunted to near extinction. 

The war between the three factions had been brutal—mainly because each side had more or less the same levels of power. If one side had a way to boost themselves to potentially infinite levels, the balance between the factions would have completely collapsed.

Some may have hunted the succubae down to ensure they kept that power for themselves, while others would have done so to ensure no one else had that power.

Still.

‘It feels like…’

“The current Demonic Pieces system was based on the Master-Servant Pact. It is a bastardized version that cannot give nearly as much of a power boost to the head of each Circle. But the fact that it can change the race of the one accepting an offeror’s piece is still impressive. Aiden Leviathan is a genius seen only once an eon.”

Leo eyes opened wide at the revelation of a core secret among the devils. The history lesson was eye-opening, to say the least. But it made so many things clear to him that had previously been cause for doubt.

“Let me get back to the situation we find ourselves in now.” Lucy smoothed the hem of her frilly maid’s uniform. “Normally, to activate the pact, we need a ritual time—normally that would be the height of a full moon. But with your pieces, it is possible to activate the contract at any moment. My mother helped create those pieces, so they are bound to have special privileges.”

The maid sighed. What she was offering her young Master was something many would—and some had—kill for. 

Unlike the Master-Servant Pact upon which it was based, the Demonic Pieces had a limit on how much of a boost they could give to either the offeror or the one who accepted the Piece. But it changed the race of the one receiving the Piece to that of the offeror while increasing their innate talents by a great amount. Unlike the Demonic Pieces, the original Master-Servant Pact did not change the race of those involved.

Many people had asked her mother to help Aiden create special pieces for them and were ready to use force if need be. But with Aiden adamantly refusing to create such a thing, and her mother marrying Zane, they had no other way to coerce her. They could only bite the bullet and leave with gritted teeth at their failure to gain more power.

“Saphire managed to convince my mother to make your Pieces, but it was on one condition. And that condition was that this magic won’t trigger automatically. Without the power of a succubus, your Pieces will just be normal pieces.”

“Meaning…”

“Without my, my mother, or Maria’s approval, it would be impossible to unearth the true potential of these pieces. During these few days, I have observed you and have judged that you would not misuse this power. After all, you know more than anyone the pain that uncontrolled power can bring.”

Leo was not surprised by this particular constraint. He’d already had an inkling that she had been testing him—from the very first day they’d met. From what she’d explained, he understood this Master-Servant Pact Magic had unlimited potential. There was no way the one who’d created it would let just anyone use it—no matter how close they’d been to his mother.

Leo only wanted to be left alone. He wanted a normal life—but that didn’t seem to be in the cards. Having gone into hiding following the tragedy he’d foolishly begun to hope that he might fly under everyone’s radar. But he now knew that this was impossible. 

Leo had already been dragged into a whirlpool of supernatural plots and complications. The only way for him to survive—if getting out of those plots and complications was no longer possible—was for him to become stronger. He had to become strong enough that no one would even dare to cross him for fear of being erased from existence. 

Such was his determination.

He couldn’t afford to refuse the incredible and rare gift it appeared Lucy was offering him. He knew that this was his parents’ way of ensuring he would be as safe as they could make him while they were gone. He’d have to be an idiot not to accept the gift his parents’ love and care made possible.

“Okay… I think I understand. Assuming you approve… what now?”

His succubus maid nodded, then pulled a lacquered wooden box from her skirts. “You have claimed these Pieces as a bestower... but before you can offer them to another, you must bind them to you.” 

Lucy opened the box. It was the same satin-lined box that had held his Pieces when he’d first claimed them. Inside, lay sixteen scarlet chess pieces.

The maid’s pale hand hovered over the open box. “What part of your Circle will little Asa become?” 

Leo didn’t hesitate. “She will be the first of my Bishops.”

Lucy lifted a Bishop from the box. Taking Leo’s hand, she smoothed it open and placed the Piece in it before curling his fingers around it. 

“Now,” she said, “remove your shirt and press the Piece to your bare chest over your heart and repeat after me.”

Leo took off his shirt and pressed the Bishop to his chest over his heart.

“I, Leonidas Karteros, accept this Piece as part and parcel of myself. Only of my free will and by gift of my blood may it be divided from my body.”

Leo repeated the words, and then gasped when the scarlet Bishop sank into his chest.

“Good.” Lucy nodded. “Might as well bind all the others while we are at it.”

***

“Um… L-Lucy? Are these the c-clothes what you want me t-to wear?”

The stuttering voice of the petite blonde came from the top of the stairs. Leo’s jaw hit the floor and his eyes filled with incredulity—and a little embarrassment—when she finally came down to the living room.

Asa wore a nearly transparent white camisole with no bra underneath. Under the camisole, all she had on was a simple white thong. With her golden hair gleaming in the dim glow of the magic circle, the overall impression Leo had was a fusion of lewdness and purity that made Leo’s heart clench. 

“Of course, dear,” Lucy replied. “I prepared those clothes special for tonight’s ceremony after a short trip to the underworld.”

Lucy’s magic was incredibly useful as it made virtually any distance basically meaningless. Of course, Leo didn’t have the wherewithal to consider the distances involved. At the moment, coherent thought seemed to be beyond him.

Gulping audibly, he asked in a tentative tone, “Why is she wearing… that?”

“Fufufufu…” The succubus maid was having the time of her life. 

Lucy’s normal stone-faced expression never changed as she explained, though the amusement that oozed from her normally flat tone couldn’t be hidden. 

“For you to subjugate her, of course.”