The Prince of Sloth [DxD]

Inside a Castle somewhere in the Underworld

In one of the luxurious rooms of the Castle, several women–wearing typical nurse clothes–were carrying out various preparations for the delivery of a child.

While all the preparations were being carried out by the nurses under the leadership of the head maid of the Castle, a man in his late twenties with white hair, a pair of curved red horns on his head, crimson red eyes, a devilish red tail, pointed ears, and a fearsome appearance with red skin, something you would never expect a normal human to have, followed by a woman wearing the maid outfit, entered the room. The man, despite his fearsome appearance, had a nervous expression that of a man expecting his beloved wife to give birth.

The demonic-looking man approached the lady resting on the bed. Then, in a manner, you would not expect a demonic-looking being to act at all, he gently took the lady's hand in his, and spoke to her, "Don't worry Sephie… everything is going to be okay, I am going to be here with you the entire time and make sure everything goes smoothly…"

The voluptuous lady with very long and wavy cherry-blossom hair–Sephie–with an appearance clearly contrasting the demonic-looking man with normal fair skin color, no horns, and no tails, but with an incredibly beautiful face gently smiled upon noticing the nervous expression of her husband, she lovingly caressed his cheek and teased him, "Darling… you'd be more convincing if your hands weren't sweaty and you weren't fidgeting. The one giving birth to our child will be me… you don't need to be so nervous, right?"

"What…? Nervous and me?" the white-haired man scoffed, "Surely you are jesting my dear wife… I am not nervous… how can I, of all people, be nervous?"

Sephie passed a teasing smile to her husband which clearly meant that he won't be able to convince her this easily.

Seeking assistance, the white-haired man turned toward the maid standing behind and questioned, "Cecily… am I cowering?"

The orange-haired maid named Cecily adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose, and spoke in an apologetic tone, "Please forgive me, my Lord, however, as your personal maid, I must always speak the truth in your and my Lady's presence… you are indeed nervous. It's quite obvious from the traces of perspiration on your forehead…"

To deny Cecily's words, the white-haired man exclaimed, "Pfft… that's bogus… I am not nervous at all!" He then turned toward his wife and spoke, "I… I am excited, yes, very excited… I am not nervous; I am merely excited, this is the result of excitement. Today is the day my second child is going to be born, on the occasion of the birth of my child, wouldn't I be excited?"

"Of course… of course… little Mal is not at all nervous… he is just excited…" nodded Sephie with a teasing smile, though she did not appear to be convinced at all.

The white-haired man was helpless, and noting his helplessness, the former First Lady of the House of Belphegor giggled playfully.

'Sigh, my Lord, that's what you get for marrying a woman several thousand years older than you…' thought Cecily while looking at the previous Lord of House Belphegor with a pitiful gaze which made him a bit depressed.

After a while, Sephie stopped teasing her husband, and asked, "Say, Mal… have you thought of any name for our child?"

Mal's expression immediately changed upon hearing her wife's question, and he nodded with a smile, "Indeed, I have pondered over that… If it's a boy, we shall name our child Vandegor Belphegor, and if it's a girl, we shall name her Artemex Belphegor… what do you think?"

"Are you being serious?" questioned Sephie with a piercing gaze.

"What… what do you mean?" Mal asked in shock.

"What do you mean by 'what do you mean'? Mal, those are terrible names… Vandegor and Artemex? Really, that's what you came up with?" asked Sephie in disbelief.

"Eh? Is Vandegor, not a good name? But I put a lot of thought into it!" Mal did not anticipate such a response from his beloved wife.

"They sound like the name a Mecha or a Pokémon would have… it is weird! There's just no way we are selecting such a name for our child… our child might end up hating us if we gave such a name to our child…" explained Sephie with a helpless expression.

Mal pouted, "But I like the name…" The fact that they sounded like the name of a Mecha or Pokémon was all the more reason for him to want to name their child either Vandegor or Tear depending on their biological gender.

Sephie sighed, "Well…" She did not want to oppose Mal's choice completely, but at the same time, she did not want her child to primarily be called by that name. She pondered for a moment and suggested, "How about Seirios Vandegor Belphegor for the boy and Aurorae Artemex Belphegor for the girl?"

"I… I guess…?" Mal hesitated slightly, but noticing the 'extremely radiant' smile on Sephie's face, he eventually agreed, "Alright… let's go with those names if it's a boy, then Seirios Vandegor Belphegor, and if it's a girl, Aurorae Tear Belphegor…"

"Good…" nodded Sephie while lovingly caressing Mal's face, internally, she breathed a sigh of relief, 'Dodged a bullet there… Now, all I have to do is somehow get rid of the middle name as well, and we're all good… There was simply no way she was going to allow her child to be called Vandegor or Artemex!'

With the matter of the name settled, the couple then started to discuss other things. Mal was trying his best to resolve any nervousness that his wife might have in regard to delivering their child. Of course, Sephie saw through Mal'

In this manner, time ticked away steadily as preparations neared their conclusion, when suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the air, drawing the couple's attention. Mal and Sephie exchanged knowing smiles. "She's here..." they murmured in unison, turning their gazes toward the door.

At that precise moment, the door swung open, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful woman in her early twenties. She bore a striking resemblance to Sephie, with long, wavy cherry-blossom-colored hair and a pair of horns on her head, though her pair of elegantly curved horns were distinct from Mal's as they were neither red; nor curved backward, rather they curved upwards. Her fair skin and pointed ears added to her allure, while her attire—a high-cut formal dress with daring slits—highlighted her well-endowed figure. With an air of urgency, she stepped into the room and asked, "I'm not late, am I?"

Sephie greeted her warmly with a gentle smile. "Roygun..."

Mal followed suit, his voice filled with paternal affection. "Daughter..."

The woman glanced between the two, her expression softening. "Father... Mother..." She then let out a relieved sigh, her gaze settling on Sephie's prominently rounded stomach. "It seems I arrived just in time."

"That you did, my dear child," Sephie replied with a tender nod and a serene smile.

Mal inquired in a casual tone, "How did the Rating Game fare? It was against the heir of the House of Phenex, was it not? My apologies for being unable to attend this time…"

Roygun shrugged as she approached her parents. "That is quite alright, Father. It is far more important for you to be by Mother's side at such a pivotal time." She added with a touch of nonchalance, "Yes, it was against Ruval Phenex. The rules this time were rather intricate, making the game considerably challenging."

Mal folded his arms across his chest, his expression sharpening as he got straight to the heart of the matter. "Did you secure victory?"

Roygun's lips curled into a proud smile as she nodded. "Naturally, Father!"

"Good," Mal replied, a satisfied smile playing across his face.

"Well, enough talk of the Rating Game…" Roygun remarked, waving the topic aside before turning her gaze to Sephie. Her voice softened as she asked, "Mother, how are you faring?"

Sephie returned her daughter's inquiry with a warm, serene smile. She placed a gentle hand on her rounded belly, nodding as she replied, "I am feeling quite well, my dear. And now that you are here, I am wholly ready."

"I see… If there is aught I can do to assist…" Roygun offered earnestly.

"Silly girl," Sephie responded with a soft giggle, shaking her head gently. "Your mere presence here fills my heart with joy. What more could I possibly require?" Sephie then paused, a playful thought crossing her mind, and she turned to her daughter with a question. "By the way, my dear Roygun, which would you prefer? A younger brother? Or perhaps a younger sister?"

Roygun brought a finger to her chin, pondering briefly before answering with conviction, "Definitely a younger brother!"

Mal tilted his head, his brow arched in mild confusion. "And why, pray tell, 'definitely a younger brother'? Would not a younger sister suffice just as well?"

A faint blush crept onto Roygun's cheeks as the thought behind her preference surfaced. Yet, she offered no answer, choosing instead to remain silent.

Sephie, observing her daughter's flushed cheeks, merely smiled knowingly. Familiar as she was with her daughter's taste—and, perhaps, recalling her own fondness for younger men—she had no difficulty discerning the thoughts running through Roygun's mind. However, with a mother's discretion, she chose not to remark on it.

At that moment, Cecily approached the three. After offering a respectful bow to Roygun, she addressed Sephie with a composed tone. "My Lady… the time has come."

Sephie inclined her head gently, acknowledging the announcement. "Very well," she said with a serene smile, before turning her gaze toward Mal and Roygun. "Well then, darling, sweetie… the moment is upon us."

Mal returned her smile. "I know."

Roygun, unable to conceal her anticipation, stepped closer to her mother with an encouraging smile. "I shall remain by your side, Mother."

Thus, the long-awaited moment arrived for Sephie, the esteemed former First Lady of the House of Belphegor, to welcome her second child into the world.

.

.

Sometime later

"Push my lady… the head of the baby is almost starting to come out… this is the moment… just one big push…" the Obstetrician and maids urged the Lady of House Belphegor to push harder.

Mal tightly held his wife's hand and urged her as well, "Come on Sephie dear… I know you can do it…"

"Mother… please… just a little more…" Roygun's voice sounded from the side.

Sephie nodded, "I know… I know…" as she clenched her teeth and used all her strength to carefully push the baby out of her womb. The two maids on either side aided her in the delivery by carefully helping her apply pressure.

"Coming… the baby is coming out…" the Obstetrician exclaimed as suddenly the cry of a newborn resounded in the room, "Uwaaaaaa… waaa… waaaa…"

The Obstetrician carefully held the baby as she quickly cut the Umbilical Cord and passed the baby to Cecily, "Here…" then started providing the post-delivery medical attention to Sephie.

Cecily took the baby from the Obstetrician and began cleaning the blood from the baby's body with warm water and towels, once that was done, she wrapped the baby in a baby blanket and passed it to Mal, "Congratulations Lord Malakarion… Lady Sephie has given birth to a perfectly healthy boy… Lady Roygun, from this moment forward, you are an elder sister."

Mal carefully held the baby–who had stopped crying soon after the Umbilical Cord on his body was cut–in his arms. The moment he held the baby, he was reminded of the day he had held the baby Roygun in his arms, "My son…"

While in Mal's arms, the baby also curiously looked at the man holding him in confusion. 'Where the hell am I? Who are these people? And why are all these people Black and White? Ah… no… not just these people, but everything, why is everything, Black and White?'

Normally, a newborn baby's eyes are incapable of seeing anything clearly. Anything further than eight to twelve inches is not visible to them at all, and it takes a few weeks for them to properly see things around them. However, that wasn't the case for the baby in Mal's arms, although the sight was still somewhat blurry, he could still see things, however, as you would expect from the eyes of a baby, the boy still couldn't perceive colors and saw everything in Black and White.

For a while, the father and son continued to stare at each other in silence, but that silence was quickly broken by Mal as he smiled proudly and named the boy, "My dear son… you are going to be known by the entire Underworld as Seirios Vandegor Belphegor…"

Hearing the name, the baby's expression turned oddly perplexed. Unfortunately, young Belphegor couldn't speak yet; otherwise, he would have likely screamed at the top of his lungs, 'Where in the world have I been reborn? What kind of people names their son Seirios Vandegor Belphegor? Couldn't they come up with something more… normal?'

Mal, oblivious to the peculiar look on the baby's face, didn't read into it. After all, he believed newborns were incapable of processing thoughts or understanding the world around them. In his opinion, the baby probably didn't even understand that he had just been named.

At that moment, Roygun gently tugged on Mal's sleeve and asked in a hesitant, stammering voice, "Fa… Father… may I… may I hold the baby?"

"Ah, yes... of course. But be careful—Seirios is just a newborn, so handle him gently," Mal said with a nod, allowing Roygun to take the baby into her arms.

Although there was no real need to be so gentle—newborns of their species weren't particularly fragile—it was Mal's way of reminding his elder child to show care and tenderness toward her younger sibling.

Roygun, as if cradling the most precious and delicate masterpiece in the world, carefully took the baby into her embrace. She gazed into his crimson-red eyes with her own soft pink ones and murmured in a tender voice, "He... he is... my younger brother..."

Holding the baby boy close, Roygun felt an overwhelming wave of emotion she had never experienced before. Her heart began to pound violently, and an indescribable warmth filled her chest. 'Yes... Seirios... my little brother... how precious you are... how beautiful you are...'

His deep red eyes were so mesmerizing that she felt she could gaze into them for an eternity without ever growing tired.

Meanwhile, the baby, startled by the profound gentleness and love radiating from the gaze of the woman holding him, found himself momentarily stunned, unsure of how to react, and could only continue to stare at her.

Roygun had no idea how much time had passed, nor did she care. All she wanted was to continue gazing into her baby brother's mesmerizing eyes.

Unfortunately, her moment of bliss was interrupted when Sephie, having regained her strength after drinking a vial of phoenix tears, gently interjected, "Sweetie, Seirios needs to be fed right away… let me hold my son."

"Huh?" Roygun blinked, snapping out of her reverie. She nodded and replied, "Yes, Mother, here you go." She stole one last glance at her baby brother, burning his face into her memory, before carefully passing him into Sephie's waiting arms.

"Thank you," Sephie said with a gentle smile as she cradled their son in her arms, gazing into his clear, crimson eyes. "His eyes, hair, and tail are just like yours, Mal..."

Taking his seat beside Sephie, Mal leaned in to look at their son and added, "While the rest of his features are very much like yours, Sephie."

Roygun, wanting to join the conversation, blushed lightly and chimed in, "His ears… his ears are just like mine."

"R-right…" Mal nodded, a little perplexed. He hadn't expected Roygun to be so enthusiastic about her younger brother sharing a characteristic with her.

Sephie, however, noticed her daughter's emotions and chuckled playfully. "That's true," she said with an affectionate smile, making Roygun all the more flustered.

Mal smiled warmly as he looked at his wife, daughter, and newborn son before turning to Cecily. "My son has finally been born—it's a joyous occasion! This calls for a celebration. Cecily, announce to the entire Belphegor Domain and the Underworld that an heir to the House of Belphegor has been born!"

"As you wish, my lord!" Cecily replied with a respectful nod before leaving the room, leaving Mal, Roygun, and Sephie behind.

Just when she was about to exit, Cecily suddenly recalled something, "Yes… how could I have forgotten…" Without disturbing the family, she took a camera out of nowhere and used it to capture the special moment inside a picture.

Click!

As the picture came out of the camera, Cecily looked at it with a gentle smile, "Yes, this is it…"

With a satisfied nod to herself, she left the room.

.

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Author's Note:

Okay, that's it for Chapter - 0.

Yes, this is my second attempt at a DxD Fanfic. Well, not exactly second since I have made other attempts as well, but, well, let's not go into them.

Anyway, in this fic... I'll try to improve the story and remove the elements that messed up the previous story. It was only after a reread that I realized what I had written, and personally, I don't want to go that route again as it makes even a piece of shit like me feel weird.

Cough I am talking about children's stuff Cough.

I guess, that's all I wanted to say.