"Olga still hasn't returned. Looks like Lord Rean really did run away," Gabriel murmured with a sigh of regret, seated in the courtyard of the Demon King Citadel. Wisps of steam curled gently from the teacup before him.
"But doesn’t that also prove he couldn’t escape Miss Olga?" Glena said with a comforting smile. "Honestly, I hope she *can* keep Rean in check."
She meant it. Rean had shown extraordinary magical talent since childhood. Spells that took ordinary mages three months—or longer—to master? He learned them in three days max, then refined them into something even stronger. His power surged rapidly, surpassing his father Bisain long ago. Within the entire Christine territory, no one could corner him. The other six Demon Kings hesitated to strike Christine not only because of Bisain’s diplomatic finesse—but far more, out of wariness toward Prince Rean himself.
"Come to think of it… why is Lord Rean considered destined to become the strongest Demon King? Lady Glena never told me."
At Gabriel’s question, a trace of reluctant smile flickered across Glena’s lips, as if hiding something difficult to voice.
"You’re right. That incident’s been buried. Everyone involved swore secrecy… But since we’ll be family soon, it’s fine to tell Lord Gabriel."
"Haha…" Gabriel laughed awkwardly.
"Then let me ask first: Lord Gabriel, do you know of the *Beasts of Sin*?"
"Hmm… The ferocious beasts born from the Seven Deadly Sins? Sealed by Lucifer before he left the Celestial Realm?" Gabriel paused, startled to hear the name here.
Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Lust, Gluttony—each of the Seven Deadly Sins spawned a monstrous beast. Each wielded reality-defying power, wreaking havoc across the god-forged world. Later, Lucifer—still loyal to the heavens—descended like the morning star and sealed all seven into a rift no mortal could reach, restoring peace to the land.
"Actually," Glena said calmly, "ten years ago, the Beast of Gluttony—one of the seven Beasts of Sin—broke its seal in the Demon Realm. The seven Demon Kings temporarily united to launch a campaign against it."
Gabriel stiffened again. A Beast of Sin breaking free? Impossible to cover up. The spiritual vein chaos alone would alert the Celestial Realm. Especially *that* Beast of Gluttony, devouring everything madly—how could its magical surge stay hidden? Even with perfect secrecy, why had she and the other three Archangels heard *nothing*? And she’d just asked why Rean was called the strongest… Could it be—
"Did Lord Rean join the campaign… and reseal the Beast of Gluttony?"
"Hmm… You could say that. Rean *did* accompany his father." Glena nodded thoughtfully, but her strained smile betrayed her own doubt.
"However—the moment the seal shattered, all seven Demon Kings lost the will to fight. In the end… Rean alone finished the campaign. And slew the Beast of Gluttony."
