Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

After receiving a reply from the Ice Demon Garr, Cohen gently pulled Grace, who still looked displeased.

She led them aside, away from the two ice demons that stood like ice sculptures.

Looking down at Grace's beautiful face, which was filled with dissatisfaction and worry, he smiled gently and asked softly:
"My princess, don't you believe in my abilities?"

Grace pursed her lips slightly, her violet eyes still holding lingering anger.

His gaze swept over the Ice Demon not far away, then returned to Cohen's face, his voice somewhat muffled:

"It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't want you to suffer this kind of injustice or take this kind of unnecessary risk because of my situation."

Why should we all have to listen to his arrangements?

He never mentioned this matter when we corresponded before!

Cohen's smile deepened as he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Grace's forehead.

His intense gaze seemed to penetrate Grace's very soul, and his voice became even deeper and softer:

“I understand Your Highness’s thoughts, but please also try to see things from Grand Duke Zariel’s perspective.”

To him, I am ultimately an 'outsider' from the main plane.

He wanted to marry Aphrodite's noble princess, a descendant of his bloodline.

Necessary tests are entirely understandable; they are not deliberate attempts to make things difficult, but rather a responsibility.

Moreover, this test may well be an excellent opportunity for us.

If I can pass this test and truly win the approval of Grand Duke Zariel, and even gain his full support...

This will be an extremely powerful asset in our future grand plan for the Dis Layer Domain.

"Avernus's full support."

These words represent not only military power, but also a powerful political endorsement from the front lines of the Nine Prisons.

Their weight is enough to give them a more advantageous position in the intricate Nine Hells system.

There was another reason Cohen didn't mention: he also needed a lot of experience points to increase his superhuman level.

The Nine Hells Plane, this eternal battlefield of bloodshed, is precisely the Shura Field where you can gain experience the fastest.

He had long been secretly planning to take advantage of this trip to Afonas.

Accumulate as much experience as possible in the battles against the abyss demons, and strive to save up the enormous amount needed to break through to the ninth rank before leaving the Nine Hells.

In this way, when they return to the prime plane.

When he launched the war to restore the Kingdom of Serene, he was able to gather all the final pieces of what he needed to reach the legendary rank during that massive war.

Breaking the legend will then be a natural outcome.

It can be said that the seemingly harsh test proposed by Grand Duke Zariel, with its core requirement of "proving value on the battlefield," coincided perfectly with Cohen's inner plan, and was exactly what he wanted.

In this way, he can reap experience points on the demon battlefield without restraint.

As Grace listened to Cohen's analysis, the anger in her eyes gradually subsided.

As Grace listened to Cohen's clear and logical analysis, the anger and resentment in her eyes were gradually replaced by a helpless understanding.

She knew perfectly well that what Cohen said was true, and that it was the best consideration from the perspective of the bigger picture.

But as his lover, she still instinctively didn't want to see him put himself in danger.

In the end, she could only sigh softly.

The sigh carried a hint of compromise and deep affection.

She gripped Cohen's hand tightly in return, as if trying to convey all her support and concern through the warmth of his palm.

He whispered in a voice that could be heard by only the two of them:
You always have your reasons.

Promise me you'll be careful!

Cohen nodded solemnly and squeezed his hand back even tighter.

All promises and determination are contained in these silent actions.

After persuading Grace, Cohen watched as the two tall ice demon guards escorted Grace to the envoy airship not far away.

Then it transformed into a cold streak of light and sped toward the bronze fortress.

He only slowly withdrew his gaze after their figures had completely disappeared into the end of the blood-red sky.

At this moment, Cohen was all alone on this scorched wasteland.

He looked around, sensing the pervasive atmosphere of war in the air.

A slow smile curved his lips; a trial for him was about to begin!
……

Inside the streamlined messenger airship, the atmosphere was somewhat tense within the exquisite cabin.

Grace sat alone in a large armchair.

His face remained as if covered in frost, his gaze coldly fixed on the blood-red wasteland rushing past the porthole.

The two ice demons, Lavas and Gal, stood like silent ice sculptures guarding the hatch.

Noticing the cold expression on Grace's face, the soul fire in the eyes of the ice demon named Gar flickered slightly.

Seemingly weighing something, it finally broke the silence, speaking slowly in a deep voice as if shavings of ice:
“Your Highness, please understand the Grand Duke’s situation in Afonas. The Grand Duke has not had an easy time either.”

Garr's words made Grace's gaze flicker slightly, but she didn't turn her head and continued looking out the window.

Ice Demon Garr continued in that calm tone:

"The Supreme Joint Military Council is not a monolithic entity."

Many of the councilors are representatives of forces from other tiers, and behind them stand different Grand Dukes.

Some of them are even Asmodeus himself, the King of the Nine Hells.

These forces were placed there to check and balance the Grand Duke's power in Afonas and prevent him from becoming too powerful.

After all, the Grand Duke controls the largest military force in the entire Nine Hells Plane, and therefore faces the most checks and balances and obstacles.

Garr's words revealed the cruelty and complexity of the political struggles within the Nine Prisons' upper echelons, and his tone became more somber:
"Therefore, the matter of making a human from the Prime Material Plane the son-in-law of Aphonas is a matter of course."

It is inherently extremely sensitive.

His Majesty must demand that he prove his worth with irrefutable achievements in order to silence the envious members of parliament.

This is not only for the sake of the Grand Duke's reputation, but also so that in the future we can legitimately intervene in the affairs of the human empire in the main plane, and provide support to you and your husband without giving others a handle to use against us.

Those members of parliament were constantly trying to find fault with the Grand Duke.

This time, with such a sensitive cross-dimensional marriage and expansion of power, it is even easier for them to make wild accusations and even use it as an excuse to stir up trouble.

In fact, it was only to preserve your princess title in the Nine Hells, so that you would have a legitimate right of inheritance and influence.

His Excellency the Grand Duke had already been under tremendous pressure in the joint meeting and had made many unseen compromises and concessions.

His Excellency the Grand Duke specifically instructed me before our arrival not to disclose these matters to Her Highness the Princess.

But I feel that Your Highness should still be informed of the Grand Duke's difficulties and good intentions.

After listening to Ice Demon Garr's heartfelt words, Grace's tense profile finally softened.

However, he still didn't say anything, took a light breath, and turned his gaze back to the porthole.

This time, however, her gaze was no longer one of anger, but rather one of contemplation.

The airship sped silently across the blood-red sky, rapidly heading towards the majestic bronze fortress in the distance.

……

Inside the deepest strategic command hall of the bronze fortress, the atmosphere was somber.

The enormous hall presented a standard military fortress structure, with a dome suspended high above, constructed from countless giant demon skulls and hellish steel.

The four walls were inlaid with huge magical projection screens, which displayed real-time situation maps of Afonas's various battle lines.

Crimson dots and runes flickered against the dark background, like countless struggling souls.

In the very center of the hall is a command platform that rises several meters above the ground.

Seated atop him was Zariel, the ruler of Afonas, the "Grand Duke of War".

Zariel stood tall and exuded a suffocating aura of authority, even when seated.

He was wearing a marshal's uniform with a hellish style.

The dress is dark black with intricate dark gold patterns.

These patterns are not mere decorations, but rather defensive magic arrays and power-enhancing runes that flow with a faint magical light.

The epaulettes are carved from a single piece of abyssal demon steel, depicting the head of a roaring demon, as if ready to devour anyone at any moment.

On Zaril's left and right sides, there were five slightly lower metal chairs on each side.

Seated atop were ten high-ranking demons, each exuding an equally terrifying aura, dressed in uniform demon general attire.

The slight differences in color represent different legion affiliations.

They were the ten members of the Supreme Military Council, the highest authority in Afonas.

The routine battle report summary and military affairs consultation have just concluded.

In this brief moment of silence, Zaril was in first place on his left.

A particularly burly, devilish senator suddenly stood up without warning.

This is a horned demon whose strength has reached the low level of the legendary rank.
Its humanoid body swelled up like a small fortress, and its dark red skin was rough like the shell of cooled magma, covered with crisscrossing cracks.

A faint, dark red flame flickered beneath the cracks.

Most striking are the enormous, spiraling, upward-twisting "demon horns" on his head.

Dark golden evil runes were wrapped around its horns, radiating a chilling aura.

Seeing the horned demon stand up, Grand Duke Zariel, who was sitting in the main seat, narrowed his eyes slightly.

His previously calm expression instantly turned cold, as if an invisible layer of frost had covered his face.

However, the horned demon seemed completely oblivious to the obvious displeasure on Zariel's face.

His gaze swept over the other members of parliament present, finally settling on Zaril, and he asked in a tone that seemed respectful but actually carried a subtle hint of provocation:
"Your Highness, I heard that Her Highness the Princess has returned?"

These words caused the already solemn atmosphere in the command hall to freeze instantly. It was as if even the magical aura flowing in the air had been frozen.

All members of parliament, whether they were supporters or potential opponents of Zaril.

They all stopped what they were doing and turned their gazes toward Zariel, who was in the main seat, and the horned demon councilor who dared to make the first move.

The entire conference room was enveloped in a heavy, suffocating atmosphere.

Regarding the fact that Grace, despite being human, still retains the title of Princess of Hell.

Within this military hall, which symbolizes Afonas's supreme power, an exceptionally fierce, even brutal, political struggle once took place.

At the time, a group of councilors, led by the horned demon who mentioned Grace in his speech, strongly opposed it.

They believed this violated the ancient traditions of the Nine Hells and would give other realms an excuse to attack Aphonas.

Meanwhile, the members of parliament who support Zaril advocate for preserving Grace's right of succession in order to maintain the continuation of the Grand Duke's bloodline.

This debate lasted for several hellish cycles, finally ending after Grand Duke Zaril paid a heavy political price—including relinquishing command of some important legions and making significant concessions to the opposition in resource allocation.

Only then were the opinions of the meeting barely unified, and a fragile consensus reached.

At this sensitive moment, the prominent horned demon councilor brought up the old issue again.

Its intention was definitely not to welcome Grace's return, but rather it was more like a carefully planned political test, or simply the clarion call for a new offensive.

Sure enough, before Zariel, who was sitting in the main seat, could even speak...

From the shadows in the other corner of the hall, a voice rang out first.

The speaker was a whisker demon, not as imposing as the horned demon, but its body was shrouded in a layer of constantly writhing shadowy tentacles, making it appear eerie and unpredictable.

The demon's voice was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, hissing and echoing:
"Councilor Knatu, didn't the Supreme Council already make a formal resolution regarding Her Highness's title?"

What exactly do you mean by suddenly bringing this up now?

The horned demon named Knatu replied slowly:

"Aranie, what's your hurry?"
I personally welcome Her Highness's arrival with the utmost welcome.

There were no objections to the resolutions passed before the meeting.

However, I heard an interesting piece of news: it seems that Her Highness did not return alone this time.

There was also a human male with the princess.

It paused deliberately, allowing the message to ferment in the silent hall.

Then he slowly opened his mouth:
"And it's said that this human is also the princess's husband!"

The word "husband" resounded like a thunderclap in the hall.

The expressions on all the councilors' faces changed instantly, and even the usually composed Grand Duke Zariel's fingers on the armrest tightened almost imperceptibly.

The horned demon Knatu's attack was precise and ruthless.

Instead of directly challenging previous resolutions, it posed a completely new and more explosive question.

This puts Grand Duke Zaril in an even more passive position.

Without a doubt, it was the forces behind Knatu who provided this information!
The demon Araniee displayed a perfectly timed expression of surprise.

The head, shrouded in shadowy tentacles, turned slightly toward Horned Moknatu, as if hearing the news for the first time.

He then deliberately raised his voice, the hoarse sound particularly jarring in the silent hall:
"And a human male came along too?"

What does this mean?

As it spoke, it turned its gaze to Grand Duke Zariel, who sat regally in the main seat. Its eyes, hidden in the shadows, gleamed with ill intent as it asked directly:

"Your Highness, could it be that this human male actually wants to be Aphrodite's son-in-law?"

This question completely shattered the previous layer of hypocritical politeness.

Grand Duke Zariel coldly swept his gaze over the two demons below, who were singing in unison, his face showing no emotion whatsoever.

Only a bottomless chill was quietly spreading.

After a moment of silence, he said slowly:

"Whether or not I become the prince consort is a private matter between Grace and me, and it doesn't seem necessary to report it to everyone present."

This statement, though extremely plain, contains a strong sense of sovereignty.

It's as if a clear line is being drawn, warning the other party not to cross it.

However, the demon Aranie was clearly prepared, showing no sign of fear.

Instead, it took a step forward, and the writhing shadowy tentacles around its body emitted an even denser aura of darkness.

He responded in a seemingly respectful but actually aggressive tone:

"Your Highness, Princess Grace is now the acknowledged Princess of Hell in Afonas."

Her identity and status are crucial to the reputation and future of the entire stratum.

Her matter is no longer just your private matter, but a public matter for all of us at Afonas!
According to the ancient traditions of the Nine Hells and the charter of the Supreme Council, Her Highness the Princess's husband, that is, the future Prince Consort.

His identity and qualifications must be recognized by our entire parliament.

This is a matter of utmost importance concerning the purity of Afonas's bloodline and the succession of power; it must not be taken lightly.

Aranie's words were powerful, elevating what could have been a private matter to the level of public affairs and political tradition.

This completely blocked the possibility of Grand Duke Zariel trying to avoid the discussion under the pretext of "private matters".

However, this meticulously planned political siege did not end there.

The horned demon Knatu picked up where the beard demon Aranie was headed, his tone calm, yet every word carrying a sharp edge:
“The Aranieh lawmaker makes a good point.”

Aphrodite's title of son-in-law was not merely a nominal one.

He will naturally become a member of our ruling class, sharing Afonas's power and resources.

For such an important position, the candidate must undergo rigorous review and formal approval by the Supreme Council; this is the only responsible approach for the entire sphere.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire strategic command hall became as tense as a fully drawn bowstring.

The air seemed to freeze.

Regardless of faction, all the members of parliament unanimously focused their attention on the supreme ruler of Afonas, who sat on the main seat.

The question remains: how will he respond to this relentless and increasingly aggressive attack?

Zariel took a deep breath, and the demon skull emblem on his chest, symbolizing supreme military power, rose and fell slightly with his breathing.

Although he had long anticipated that he would face such a situation after Grace's return.

They had even mentally rehearsed countless times, searching for ways to deal with the situation.

But when that moment truly arrived, when these two devils, each with their own ulterior motives, so openly and tacitly pressured him...

A chilling rage still rose uncontrollably from the deepest recesses of his heart.
He knew all too well the true nature of these two devils before him.

On the surface, the horned demon Knatu is a high-ranking general of Afonas, but his true backer is Asmodeus, the king of hell in the ninth level of the Nine Hells, at the very core of the Nine Hells.

They are the eyes that His Majesty the King has placed on the front lines, a "warrior's sword" hanging over the heads of all front-line commanders.

It is nominally assistance, but in reality it is surveillance and checks and balances.

Meanwhile, the demon Alanie has a close and intricate connection with Grand Duke Dispat, the ruler of the second-level domain Dis.

This "arms magnate" has long coveted Afonas's military resources and strategic position, and has attempted to infiltrate and exert influence through various means.

Today, these two devils worked together seamlessly, singing in unison.

This was absolutely not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a premeditated and meticulously planned political action.

Their goal was not just Cohen's identity, but more profoundly, to use this opportunity to challenge Zaril's authority in Avernus.

To test his bottom line and seize as much political benefit as possible.

Grand Duke Zariel's gaze, like two cold bolts of lightning, slowly swept over Knatu and Aranie.

His face, as if carved by a knife and axe, still showed no emotion, but a chilling pressure had begun to spread silently from him.

The light in the entire hall seemed to dim slightly.

He knew that every word he spoke next would be crucial.

Grand Duke Zariel forcibly suppressed the rising flame in his heart.

He knew that losing his composure in such a situation would be tantamount to handing his opponent a handle to use against him.

His gaze slowly swept across the entire area, finally settling on the horned demon Knatu and the beard demon Aranie.

He stated his pre-prepared strategy in a calm and unquestionable tone:

"Since you are all so concerned about Afonas's future, let's verify it in the most direct and fair way."

Within ten days, one 'Blood Battle Badge'.

The words "Bramble of Blood" seemed to possess a certain magic, causing all the devilish councilors present to gasp for breath.

Grand Duke Zariel's sharp gaze fell upon Knatu:

"If he can do it, then that should be enough to prove his value and ability."

Surely this should also gain the approval of all the members of parliament present?"

As soon as Zariel made his suggestion, the entire conference room fell silent.

The lawmakers were well aware of what the "Battle Badge" meant.

That is one of the highest honors awarded by the military to commanders who have made outstanding contributions on the battlefield in extremely disadvantageous and bloody conditions.

The Bloodbath Badge requires defeating an enemy force that outnumbers your forces by at least twice and capturing a medium-sized stronghold.

The entire process must comply with strict battlefield rules and certification procedures.

This task was a challenge for a veteran commander who had honed his skills in the demon legion for hundreds, even thousands of years.

Both are extremely difficult challenges, full of variables and dangers.

Not to mention Cohen, a human who has just entered the Nine Hells plane and may not even have fully adapted to the battlefield environment of Hell.

This was seen by the vast majority of lawmakers as an almost impossible task! (End of Chapter)