Seven Sins System Chapter 543. Gladiator Pit With a Buffet

Seven Sins System Chapter 543. Gladiator Pit With a Buffet

It wasn’t entirely surprising, though. Parties like this were one of the few chances lower-class demons had to mingle with the royals.

My parties were open to all classes, but there was one catch: if they wanted an invitation, they had to be strong enough to hold their own in a duel. That tended to weed out the weaker ones pretty quickly. My parties were less "opera and elegance" and more "gladiator pit with a buffet."

Luci’s parties, on the other hand, were the complete opposite. Private, exclusive, and so highbrow they practically bled sophistication. The guest list was meticulously curated to include only the crème de la crème of demon society. Elegant dances, hauntingly beautiful operas, and an overall atmosphere of icy perfection.

"Your parties are so boring," I’d told him once, after sitting through what felt like the longest piano recital in the history of Hell.

"And yours are barbaric," he’d shot back, his nose wrinkling in distaste.

We agreed to disagree after that.

The only one who genuinely enjoyed Luci’s parties was Belphegor, and that was only because they were quiet enough for him to nap through.

As I mulled over the absurdity of our respective party styles, another demon—a lanky incubus with too much gel in his hair—approached my barrier. He grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the low light, and tapped a claw against the edge of the shield.

"Prince Azrael," he said smoothly, "surely you wouldn’t deny me the honor of a conversation?"

I opened my eyes just enough to give him a flat look that literally said "I’m relaxing. Go away."

His grin faltered, but he quickly recovered, adjusting his collar. "Ah, I see. A man of focus. Admirable." He bowed, retreating into the crowd with as much grace as he could muster.

Luci snickered. "You really have a way with demons, El."

"Don’t start," I said, leaning back in the chair. "You’ve got your own fans to deal with."

Sure enough, a small group of demons had gathered near Luci, watching him like he was some sort of celestial phenomenon. One of them, a petite succubus with bright pink hair, clapped her hands together and whispered loudly to her friend, "He’s even more handsome in person!"

Luci groaned, muttering under his breath. "Unbelievable."

"Don’t flatter yourself," I said, smirking. "They’re just excited to see you because you never let them into your parties."

"And for good reason," Luci retorted. "Can you imagine this lot trying to waltz? The horror."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "At least my guests know how to put up a good fight."

"Uncivilized," Luci said again, though his tone was more amused than anything.

The crowd around us didn’t seem to be thinning anytime soon. Some demons were content to simply watch from a distance, their eyes wide with curiosity, while others hovered just close enough to make their presence known without crossing any lines. Luci, ever the Lord of Pride, sipped his wine with the kind of regal detachment only he could pull off. Meanwhile, I leaned back in the massage chair, reveling in the brief escape from the chaos of the party.

"Do they ever stop staring?" Luci muttered, his tone equal parts irritation and disdain. "It’s like they’ve never seen royalty before."

"Most of them haven’t," I replied without opening my eyes. "Especially not like this. It’s not every day the Crown Prince of Hell and the Lord of Pride show up at a public party."

"Public?" Luci scoffed. "Asmo’s parties are hardly public. If anything, they’re a circus. Just like the previous Grand Court."

"True enough," I said with a smirk. "But it’s the only kind of party where lower-class demons can even dream of getting close to us. You think any of these demons would survive the invitation process for one of your soirees?"

Luci gave a dramatic sigh, swirling his wine. "Of course not. My parties are reserved for demons of refinement and status. Not… this rabble."

"You mean the demons who find your opera nights and formal dances unbearably boring?" I shot back, smirking.

"Unbearably boring?" Luci repeated, offended. "Excuse me, but those events are the pinnacle of culture and sophistication. Unlike your barbaric dueling tournaments."

I chuckled, sitting up slightly. "At least my guests know how to entertain themselves."

Before Luci could fire back, a smooth, feminine voice interrupted us. "Well, well. Isn’t this quite the sight? The Crown Prince of Wrath and the Lord of Pride, lounging like mortals at a spa."

We both turned to see her—Naamah, one of the Ars Goetia. She approached with the kind of effortless grace that only a demon of her rank could manage, her golden robes glinting in the dim light as if she were draped in sunlight itself. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and that sly smile on her lips told me she wasn’t here just to exchange pleasantries.

"Naamah," Luci said, his voice dripping with condescension. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

She stopped just short of our barriers, tilting her head as she studied them. "Oh, I was just passing by," she said breezily. "I saw Beel stuffing his face and Levi screaming at a game, so I thought I’d find some better company."

She reached out, placing a hand on our barrier. It shimmered under her touch, the weak energy quickly dissolving as though it had never existed. The barrier was only the weakest level after all. So it wasn’t surprising.

I sighed, sitting up properly now. "Was that really necessary?"

"Of course," Naamah said, stepping through the now-dissolved barrier. "You didn’t think something so feeble could keep me out, did you?" Yet, after she stepped in, the barrier went up again.

"It wasn’t meant to," I replied, rubbing my temples. "It’s for the gawkers, not Ars Goetia."

Luci raised an eyebrow, swirling his wine again. "And yet, here you are, barging in like the rules don’t apply to you."

Naamah perched herself delicately on the arm of my massage chair, ignoring Luci’s glare. "Rules are so… restrictive," she said with a wink. "Besides, I couldn’t resist seeing how my favorite royals were faring at this little gathering."