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"Still loyal to your mother\'s dogmas, Raphaeline? I must say, it\'s almost touching." She paused dramatically, letting the venom in her words drip out smoothly.

"This ceremonial attire... inspired by whom again? Oh, of course... the Sun. Amaterasu must be writhing in disgust seeing yet another demon twist her beliefs."

Raphaeline didn\'t bother to look directly at Sapphire.

The difference in height between the two was obvious, but that wasn\'t what determined the strength of a presence.

The invisible yet powerful hierarchy between them made the air feel heavier. And even Raphaeline, with all her arrogance, knew this was a line she couldn\'t cross without caution.

She was beneath Sapphire… but that didn\'t mean she—

"What a warm welcome, Sapphire," Raphaeline said, her voice soft but sharp like a fine blade. "I imagine all this excitement is because you\'re afraid I might… do something to your newest little toy?" The smile she gave was cold, deliberately provoking the other.

Sapphire narrowed her eyes, trying to keep her composure. "My toy? Oh, Raphaeline, you speak as if you\'re threatening me. You should mind your own interests. Who knows what might happen if you lose control out there."

Raphaeline raised an eyebrow, finally turning her gaze towards Sapphire.

"Lose control? You really do confuse me with someone else. My presence here is merely a reminder that there are things far beyond your reach, Sapphire." She smiled, partially covering her lips with her hand, as if amused by some internal joke.

"Speaking of confusion, you intrigue me. Your rude manners make me question your origin... You have the bearing of a Spartan, but your features remind me of a woman from Russia. Tell me, don\'t you feel sorry for not having a place to truly call your own?"

Sapphire felt the provocation like a sharp knife. Raphaeline\'s words always hit the right spot, as if she knew each of her insecurities.

"Where I come from or where I\'m going, Raphaeline, is irrelevant. Unlike you, I\'m not shackled to the past or rusted traditions."

Raphaeline chuckled softly, her laughter echoing like distant chimes. "You may not be shackled, Sapphire, but it seems like you\'re running in circles. Always trying to prove something that, deep down, you know you\'ll never achieve. What scares you so much? Is it the fear that, in the end, everything you\'ve built is just an illusion? The strongest woman, never loved anyone.

The strongest woman is always bored of being the strongest. How amusing."

Sapphire clenched her fists, but kept her voice controlled. "Don\'t project your weaknesses onto me, Raphaeline. And speaking of projections, I hope you came here with convictions worthy of my presence, because I sense a hint of nervousness."

Raphaeline maintained her elegant smile, but the faint flicker of her aura began to vibrate almost imperceptibly. She knew where Sapphire was heading, and the provocation that followed didn\'t surprise her.

"Is that nervousness because... your beloved familiar spirit recently turned into sushi?" Sapphire said, releasing a controlled laugh but visibly savoring the moment.

"It was quite the sight, wasn\'t it? Watching the mighty familiar of the queen turned into sushi slices... well, so I\'ve been told." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Raphaeline\'s patience snapped the moment the laughter echoed. Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. The aura around her began to expand, filling the space like a suffocating wave of power. "Oh, you..." Raphaeline whispered, her voice reverberating with a dark, menacing tone.

The demonic pressure in the air became palpable. Sapphire, as provocative as she was, knew when a situation was spiraling out of control. Still, she held her head high, as if immune to Raphaeline\'s growing fury.

"Are you nervous, Raphaeline?" Sapphire asked, her voice still soft, though a hint of apprehension slipped through. "I expected more calm from a demon queen. Or is your crown as fragile as your emotions?"

Raphaeline stepped forward, and the tension in the air spiked. "You underestimate me, Sapphire. My familiar spirit is the least of your problems... But I could easily make your existence one of them." Her words were like ice, each syllable laced with a subtle threat.

Sapphire knew she had hit a sensitive nerve, but retreat wasn\'t an option. Even so, she couldn\'t ignore Raphaeline\'s growing aura, which seemed ready to explode at any moment.

"If you\'re looking to make this... more concrete, I can oblige," Sapphire said, trying to keep the provocation alive, though fully aware she was treading on dangerous ground.

But before the tension could escalate into a full-blown clash, Sapphire gave a lighter smile and gestured toward her mansion.

"Why don\'t we discuss this in a more... civilized manner? Inside, perhaps? After all, it would be a shame to waste all this energy on a meaningless quarrel out here."

Raphaeline, still radiating power, hesitated for a moment before reigning in her aura. "You talk too much, Sapphire. But I\'ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time." With a final icy glare, she followed her inside.

Once inside the mansion, the heavy air of tension momentarily dissipated as Raphaeline\'s eyes fell on an unexpected scene.

Her daughter, Ada, was lounging casually on a luxurious sofa next to Vergil, who wore a smile that bordered on insolence.

Across from them sat the heirs of two powerful clans, Agares and Sitri, completely at ease, as if they were awaiting an important audience—or, in this case, a spectacle.

Raphaeline approached with firm steps, her commanding presence filling the room. That\'s when Vergil, with perfect timing, flashed a wider grin and spoke with the casualness of someone unaware of danger.

"Well, if it isn\'t my lovely mother-in-law," he said, his tone carefree but unmistakably provocative.

Raphaeline\'s eyes flickered, briefly startled, before a dark expression crossed her face. The heirs of Agares and Sitri stifled their laughter, well aware that the situation was about to get much more interesting.

"Mother-in-law?" Raphaeline repeated, her voice firm but laced with incredulity and irritation.

Vergil\'s smile didn\'t waver. "Well, that\'s what we call the mother of our beloved wife, isn\'t it? And Ada… Well, we\'re in a rather advanced stage of our relationship. You know how it is—modern times."

Ada, who had remained quiet until that moment, merely sighed, as if long accustomed to Vergil\'s antics.

\'He\'s not going to do this... Of course, he is,\' Ada murmured to herself.

Raphaeline\'s gaze shifted from Ada to Vergil, then back to her daughter. Her eyes narrowed, and her aura, which had calmed after the encounter with Sapphire, began to pulse once more. "Advanced? I don\'t recall giving my blessing for any of this," she said, each word dripping with authority.

Vergil shrugged, his expression still light, as if he were dealing with a mere formality. "Ah, but who needs blessings when there\'s so much... chemistry involved?" He cast a glance at Ada, who rolled her eyes almost imperceptibly.

The heirs of Agares and Sitri were clearly enjoying themselves, watching the exchange with subtle smiles. They knew Raphaeline wasn\'t someone to be trifled with, but Vergil seemed determined to test that notion.

Raphaeline took a deep breath, controlling her anger. "Boy, I don\'t know who you think you\'re talking to, but I\'m not here for games."

"Of course not, mother-in-law," he replied, still joking but with a slightly more serious tone this time. "But let\'s be honest, this is all a bit... foolish. After all, you no longer have any power over my wife." Vergil\'s eyes gleamed with a clear challenge, but she wasn\'t about to let that slide.

The room fell into a deathly silence, and for a brief moment, no one dared move. Raphaeline remained still, but the air around her shifted in an instant. Her aura, once merely contained and dominant, now became oppressive. The murderous intent she exuded filled the mansion, tightening like an invisible fist around Vergil.

He felt the weight of her pressure like a crushing wave coursing through his veins, but he stayed standing. His body screamed to give in, his legs threatened to buckle, but he refused to bow. Vergil wasn\'t the kind of man to break easily, even in the face of someone like Raphaeline.

\'She\'s not as strong as Sapphire...\' he thought as his legs began to tremble slightly under the weight of her aura. \'But damn... my head feels like it\'s about to explode.\' He swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure. Despite the bravado earlier, he was now fully aware of the mistake he had made.

Raphaeline smiled, a cold, sharp smile like a blade. "You dare speak of power in my presence, boy? Your arrogance is only surpassed by your ignorance. You may think you\'re my daughter\'s husband, but never forget... I am far more than that."

Vergil forced a chuckle, keeping his tone light despite the cold sweat forming on his brow. "Looks like mothers-in-law have a universal reputation, huh?"

Raphaeline stepped forward, and the pressure intensified. Now, Vergil was struggling to breathe. His muscles were taut, ready to give out under the immense weight. He couldn\'t stop the involuntary tremor in his legs, but he kept his gaze locked on Raphaeline, refusing to show weakness.

"You think this is funny?" Raphaeline\'s voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried an overwhelming force. "You speak of power as if you understand it. But you\'re just a boy playing with things beyond your comprehension."

\'Boy this... boy that... does she think I\'m the god of war\'s damn son or something?\'