Venelana POV
Everything looked perfect.
I was excited.
It was the second time I was having a peerage member of mine come visit my family. And of course, little Olga is coming along as well.
It was unfortunate that Wilhelm wouldn't be here, but he was busy with something else. Regardless, the point was for them to meet everyone else and to alleviate their worries.
This was a big change for them, and I wanted them to feel comfortable.
Ooh, this is great.
Is this how everyone else feels when they build their peerages? I never cared for it, and admittedly, I still don't quite care to go searching for more. But now that someone else happened to fall into my lap, I can't help but want to play the role.
"My King, I presume the time is nigh."
"Oh, Mozart, you don't need to be so dramatic." I chuckled. "It's just a nice, happy gathering."
"But as a senior, I must set the mood." He held his hand up to the air. "I must show off my charming demonic side to our newest companion."
He flashed his wings for emphasis.
"Do not fret, my Demonic King." He did an exaggerated bow. "I shall do my utmost to welcome them properly."
He was more theatrical than Wilhelm, but he also had a warm heart that wouldn't do something to make them uncomfortable.
"You should have plenty to talk about." I said casually. "Considering your origins."
"Indeed." His eyes brightened. "While I never cared to visit the Clock Tower in my life, I was more than aware of its existence as a Magus myself. Though I was by far the traditional sort, even if I could be considered a genius even when not taking into account my musical abilities. But that may be a matter of debate depending on who hears it." He chuckled.
I don't think I'll ever quite understand that particular mindset.
What a 'proper' magus entails.
Perhaps it's just a human thing that I won't ever understand.
"I'm sure it will be enough simply that you can sympathize with them. Coming from the same place will be enough to ease their anxiety, I'm sure."
"As you say." He smiled. "Shall we fetch them, or will they come by some other hand? I have not noticed the presence of the Young Lord."
"Young Lord?" I tilted my head.
"Ah. The vernacular I have adopted, I believed it fitting for my position; don't you think so? As your queen, I of course must treat your paramour with the utmost respect, and it is the title he is called by the Youkai."
I hummed thoughtfully. "Well, you're not wrong."
Considering he's supposed to represent me in social circles, it is proper that he respect Wilhelm as my lover and future partner. I can't imagine that we continue as we are and we don't get married in the future.
It's funny that he pays more attention to those courtesies and social etiquette than I do.
"You know I only reincarnated you because I'm a fan. You don't need to play the role if it's too bothersome. I'm happy that you're helping with Trisha and Olga; that's more than enough for me."
"Madam." He adopted a gentle smile as he took my hand and placed the back of it to his forehead. It was a gesture of respect rather than anything romantic. "I am forever grateful for this opportunity you have given to me. I will fulfill my role as your queen to the best of my abilities for as long as you'll have me."
"Part of me just thinks you like playing the 'role.'" I eyed him.
He chuckled again. "I don't deny it!"
I playfully swatted him away. "I'm appreciative nonetheless."
His eyes brightened as he perked up. "I believe they are arriving."
My own eyes followed his, and they found the Teleportation Circle on the ground. "How strange, I didn't expect them to appear this way when Grandfather offered his assistance."
Did Zelretch hijack the Teleportation Circle?
Mozart rubbed his chin. "I can't say I have any knowledge of True Magic, but to connect to an already established point in space, I presume, would prove easier than normal means."
They appeared promptly, though the phenomenon was nothing like the standard teleportation that we utilize. I suppose I shouldn't have expected such for whom I asked.
Trisha appeared, as did Olga.
They perked up when they saw us.
"Welcome." I greeted.
"Thank you for inviting us to your home." Trisha politely bowed her head.
"Thank you for inviting me to your home." Olga did a little curtsy.
At the very least, they would fit into our social circles rather easily. From what I understood, what they usually navigate was perhaps even more cutthroat than our own.
She was very adorable.
"You both are more than welcome." I smiled warmly. "And Olga, it looks like you dressed up; you look very beautiful." I knelt down slightly and gently patted her head.
I could see that her clothing was much more intricate and well-made than what she wore before. Something very clearly chosen meticulously to make her look her best.
The young girl flushed under the praise.
She truly has had very few positive compliments, from what I've noticed.
"O-Of course!" She quickly regained her normal demeanor.
I smiled and stood back up and looked towards my newest bishop. "Trisha, I'm happy you came. I hope you enjoy your time here; you can think of it as your second home." I glanced at Olga. "That goes for both of you."
"I look forward to our stay, Lady Gremory." Trisha responded.
"Before we get to a tour and I introduce you to my family, first, let me introduce you to your fellow peerage member and my queen." I gestured to him.
"May I, my king?"
"Oh, by all means." I stepped to the side.
"Good evening, ladies." He bowed, sweeping his arm under his chest in a big gesture. "I'm enthused to finally meet your acquaintance. Caster Servant—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, at your service."
Both of them had their eyes widen.
"A Heroic Spirit!?" Olga blurted out in a whisper.
I didn't tell them because I thought it would be fun to see their reaction.
"Well, perhaps not quite a servant anymore." He gave a wink. "But all the same, that was my original status before I asked Lady Gremory to turn me into a devil. I've quite enjoyed my time thus far, and I do believe you will as well."
"I…yes." Trisha pushed up her glasses. "I apologize for not returning the greeting immediately; I was…startled. I am Trisha Fellows, from the side branch of the Animusphere Family, and Miss Olga's teacher." She lightly gestured to Olga. "And I suppose…a Bishop?"
She looked to me for confirmation, and I nodded.
Calling herself a bishop was not strange terminology here, and if anything, it was recognizable and descriptive.
"And I am thrilled to meet you; I'm a fan of your works." She added.
Mozart's eyes lit up. "I'm always happy to meet a fan!" He let out a laugh that eased a bit of tension in the room. "And of course, you must be the young lady Animusphere."
"Y-Yes!" Olga nodded before correcting herself. "I mean, I am Olga Marie Animusphere." She stood up straight. "I am the head of the Animusphere Family of the Astromancy Department."
"My, how impressive. At your age, I could barely even cast a spell, let alone handle a family with such a grand history and manage an entire department. Your reputation precedes you, Young Lady Animusphere."
I had to hold back a laugh as Olga flushed in embarrassment again.
It was never going to stop being adorable.
"Yes! Your praise is unneeded, but I accept your good will." She did her best to keep herself calm. "I'm honored to meet such a famous musician and magus such as yourself."
"Oh? It wasn't widely known that I was a Magus in life, or was it just because of my class that you assumed?" He rubbed his chin.
"It's covered in several texts that list historical figures that were Magi." She explained.
He just nodded as if it explained everything. "Regardless, the pleasure of this meeting is certainly all mine, and I'm sure we will continue to have a wonderful time together in the future."
For all the historical records and talks about how uncouth and how much of a potty mouth he was during his life, he certainly knew when to act properly and to good effect.
"If you don't have any questions or concerns, why don't I take you to meet my family?" I spoke up as the initial greetings finally finished.
"That would be lovely." Trisha replied.
There wasn't much more to say.
From our previous talks, they more or less know what they should and shouldn't say to protect Wilhelm's secrets.
While what he does is a known quantity for them, it's most certainly not one here, and I fear what would happen if word of it got out.
I know that there would be many in the world, both considered good and bad, that would covet what he has and demand it of him through whatever means necessary.
I led them out of the teleportation room and through the house.
The decor wasn't exciting, I would presume, for people of their caliber. They've probably seen just the same in their own homes or that of those they visited in the past.
"Mom!"
"Hello, Rias." I smiled as she dove to me for a hug.
She's already so old, yet she acts like a young girl still.
But as a mother, I wouldn't have it any different.
"I heard you had fun with Wilhelm?" I asked.
She pursed her lips. "That's one way to call it."
Well, she was the one who informed me. Though, she didn't give me all the details.
"He gave Koneko a cannon, Mom!"
I blinked. "A gun?"
"Then she shot him!"
I held a hand in front of my mouth as I let out a laugh. "That does sound like something he would do."
Well, it isn't against the rules of the rating game. If Wilhelm gave her a gun like that, then either it was for a joke or it was a good idea. Perhaps even both in this case.
I'm sure it won't have any negative effect on Rias's Rating Game; I know Wilhelm wouldn't sabotage her like that.
"Who's this?" Rias peeked around my shoulder.
"I told you already." I lightly chided her; she can be rather scatterbrained.
"Oh, right!" She nodded to herself. "Who's my mom's newest peerage member?" She asked, looking at both of them.
Trisha was about to speak, but I held up a hand. "Rias, dear, let's go to the others so poor Trisha and Olga here don't have to keep introducing themselves to everyone."
"Oh, alright." She rolled her eyes. "Hey Mozart, I really liked the concert that you played last week." She shot him a thumbs up.
"I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it." He smiled happily. "I do so find that I have fallen in love with my saxophone."
I just shook my head with a sigh.
This daughter of mine.
"Come along, dears." I had to be a bit forceful because she would just chatter away. I pulled on her arm gently to bring her with us.
The others were already waiting. Sirzechs, Grayfia, Zeo, and surprisingly, Ajuka were here too. But most importantly, Millicas was here with them too.
"Hello everyone." I greeted. "Ajuka, I'm surprised you're here."
"It's not every day you get a new peerage member." He responded, shooting a glance at Mozart. "After the…surprise of your last one, I was intrigued."
Yes, I'm sure you are.
"Alright everyone, introductions." I clapped my hands, not wanting to waste time, as I knew it would make things a bit more awkward for everyone. "Zeo, Dear, you first."
"My first?" He let out a little laugh. "My fair ladies." He lightly tilted his head in acknowledgement. "I am Zeoticus Gremory, head of the Gremory family. I'm pleased to know that Venelana here has found herself another peerage member to accompany her."
He's always such a sweetheart.
"No need to be stiff, Dad." Sirzechs stepped forward. "It's Mom's peerage member; it's not like we're announcing ourselves at a ball." He smiled as he turned to them. "Nice to meet you both; I'm Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Four Satans."
Olga and Trisha both stiffened but nodded politely.
They were aware that it was a title, not that my son was actually our ancestor.
But even so, it's not every day that you can meet a person who can claim the name of Lucifer as his.
"I'm Grayfia Lucifuge, his maid, his queen, and his wife." Grayfia was precise and to the point without any extra words.
"Hello, I'm Ajuka Beelzebub, one of the other Satans." Ajuka, likewise, wasn't someone to waste words.
"And you just met me, but I'm Rias Gremory." Rias waved happily to them.
And lastly.
"Hi, I'm Millicas!" My grandson smiled brightly as he looked at Olga. "I like the ribbons in your hair."
"Eh?!" Olga was taken aback by the compliment and caught off guard by it. "T-thank you?"
Trisha put a reassuring hand on Olga's back. It must have been a strange situation they found themselves in, and they were doing their best to acclimate. "I'm Trisha Fellows, a magician. It's wonderful to meet you all; thank you for having me."
She remembered to call herself a magician; that's good.
"I'm Olga Marie Animusphere." Olga did her best to project confidence. "I'm a magician and head of the Animusphere family!" She puffed up as she said it.
Well, I wasn't the only one who picked up on her mannerisms here and how she was trying her best, but everyone was polite enough not to say something.
There was a moment of silence that followed as if each and everyone else was waiting for someone to talk.
"What kind of magic do you know?" Milicas was the one to break the silence with his innocence.
"Magic?" Olga repeated, and her brow furrowed as if trying to decide how to answer that question. "The Animusphere family has been practicing astromancy for generations."
"Oh? Astromancy?" Ajuka chimed in. "That's not a common practice these days."
"What's Astromany?" Rias asked.
"It's the study of the stars and planets." Ajuka answered easily. "I believe its primary strength is in predicting the future?"
Olga just nodded. "Y-yes, that is correct. We observe the stars and are able to predict future phenomena if needed."
"You can see the future; that's so cool!" Millicas's eyes lit up.
"Erm, well… It's more complicated than that." Olga flushed again.
"And how about you, Miss Trisha? I'm curious what about you caught Venelana's attention to have her want you to join with her." Zeo joined in.
Trisha smiled politely, looking down at Olga. "I suppose it won't be much of a secret. I am from a branch family of the Animusphere, so we have similar concepts of spellcasting. However, from a notable perspective, I have…Magic Eyes that allow me to peer into the future."
They went quiet.
"Magic Eyes!?" Rias all but blurted out. "Like a Sacred Gear?"
Hmm, I barely covered sacred gears.
"No, they're innate." I interjected. "The terminology they use is 'Mystic Eyes.'" I helped her out.
She shot me a thankful look while adjusting her glasses. "Yes, they're called Mystic Eyes of Precognition. I can catch glimpses of the future, though I'm ashamed to say that I can never see an entire 'picture' but more pieces of a future."
"Don't sell yourself short, madam. Mystic Eyes of such caliber are hard to come by." Mozart was praised.
I put a hand on Trisha's shoulder. "Go ahead and brag; it's the best time for it. Everyone here is family; your secrets are safe here." It was tradition in a sense. At least, with regard to introducing yourself to your fellow peerage members or direct family members.
She hesitated for a moment, and I knew it went against her ideology from before, but she wasn't human anymore.
She was a devil.
She swallowed a little. "I am adequate in most basic forms of Mage—Magic. I have been trained in combat since a young age to act as Miss Olga's guard in an emergency. In order to be a suitable tutor, I also have a wide array of knowledge regarding the magical arts of primary use. I was born with the Element of [Water], but I changed my affinity to [Imaginary Numbers]."
"To whatsit?" Rias blinked.
Trisha pushed up her glasses, taking a breath. "Imaginary Numbers." She reiterated again.
"Oh, you changed your Element. That's not an easy task to accomplish." Mozart nodded in understanding.
"I'm lost. What do you mean? I mean, I know humans have like an element they're good with or something…." Rias looked confused.
Trisha was about to open her mouth, but Ajuka interrupted. "Allow me; I am familiar with human magic and concepts enough to grasp the understanding. Humans are born with an element they're predisposed to; there are a large array of elements, not just 'Water' or 'Fire' or 'Wind' or such and such. Devils, generally, are born with an affinity simply for Demonic Energy, which translates to being able to utilize all 'elements,' as it were, in the same way. There are exceptions, such as the Sitri being predisposed to water and ice, similar to the original Leviathan having a monstrous affinity for water as well."
Rias nodded along absentmindedly. "I know that much."
"Well…" Ajuka rubbed his chin as he eyed Trisha. "I can't say I've heard about someone changing their born element. I've known some magicians in the past that forwent their born affinities because they simply chose other paths, but never one who changed it. How curious."
I smiled, looking towards Trisha and Olga. "Ajuka here is the foremost expert on magical concepts in the Underworld."
They both sort of nodded absentmindedly, just like Rias did.
It was a strange situation all around.
"Ah, they're unfamiliar with me?" Ajuka blinked. "Or the Underworld in general, I suppose. No matter, yes. I am an expert in nearly every form of magic, be it devil or human. The position of Satan I hold was won through my magical skill, not strength like Sirzechs."
"Ajuka, it's not like you to admit you're weaker than me." My son teased.
Ajuka rolled his eyes. "Ignore him; he couldn't cast spells to escape a paper bag if his life depended on it. Now, where was I? Yes, I believe I was saying that changing one's elemental affinity was not something I was aware you could do, but not being a human, it wasn't a field I ever researched. How curious; I'm pleased to have discovered this. Now that I think about it, I believe I could devise several ways to do so off the top of my head."
"Don't mind him; he gets lost in thought when something catches his interest, and he can't focus until he resolves whatever questions are on his mind." I told them.
"But what's the imaginary thingy?" Rias asked.
"Imaginary Numbers." Ajuka snapped back. "It's a concept derived from separating the universe into two distinctions in this context, I believe. There are many human concepts that speak of it, even from the mundane side. However, here, consider the universe separated into two halves. One is the Real Number Space; the other is the Imaginary Number Space. The Real Number Space constitutes 'Reality' in a physical sense. While the Imaginary Number Space is the 'not real,' such as the Dimension Gap. From a mathematical standpoint, it involves the Fourth-Dimensional Space that exists separate from the Primary Universe, which surprises me that it could be an 'element.'"
"...I understood some of those words."
Mozart cleared his throat. "Allow me, Madam. Imaginary numbers have to do with 'void' or other dimensions, essentially. If it were to be 'dumbed down,' as it were."
"So your element is Dimension Manipulation!?" Rias's eyes sparkled.
Trisha was startled at her excitement. "That isn't…entirely incorrect."
I was thankful she kept it simple for Rias's sake.
"That's so cool!" Rias exclaimed.
This time, I think Trisha flushed in embarrassment at being praised like that.
"Your 'credentials,' I believe, are not in question." Zeo spoke up next. "But I am curious, how did you meet Venelana? She isn't one to go for a peerage member simply because they are sufficiently qualified."
"That…" Trisha went quiet for a moment. "Lady Gremory saved my life."
"Sounds like Mom." My son chuckled.
"Oh hush, you." I rolled my eyes. "She makes it sound more glorious than it was. I was simply there, and I had the ability to save her, so I did. Now, you all interrogated her enough; no more of that." I chastised them all. I knew it was going to happen, but it was enough now. "Let's all get along, shall we?"
"Grandma, can I take Olga to go play?" Millicas asked.
[Line Break]
Olga Marie Animusphere POV
"Grandma, can I take Olga to go play?"
What!?
"That sounds like a good idea." She smiled. "We're going to be just talking about all the boring stuff; why don't you kids go run off and have fun? Show Olga around."
"I—I suppose a tour would not be r-remiss…?" I said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me away like a brute!
Trisha?
Why are you not helping?
Why are you looking at me like that!?
Before I knew it, he had already pulled me away from Trisha!
I was alone now, with a devil!!
A…boy.
What was I supposed to do?
How do you 'play'?
"This is my room." He said happily as he pushed the door open.
"Your room!?" I'm being taken to a boy's room!?
I'm not ready for this!
This level of debauchery! I'm not a devil; I'm a human!
Trisha said that this is only allowed when I'm older!!
No! Even if he looks nice and I like the color of his eyes, this is moving too quickly! From all the books I read, you're supposed to know someone before doing this! You're supposed to go on outings, and spend time together, and hold hands first!
"Look, this is my sword!"
"Eh?" I peeked through my finger-covered eyes.
"It's only a wooden sword for now. Okita says that I have to practice with a wood sword until I earn the right to use a real one. Though, when I'm exercising, he does make me carry around a real sword to get used to the weight."
"Y-y-you!"
"Is something wrong?" He tilted his head.
"Nothing!" I quickly corrected myself. I wasn't blushing! "It is a…nice…sword?" So he wasn't bringing me here for…for unspeakable reasons.
…I've never been in a boy's room before.
It looked normal…I think? I had nothing to compare it to… and he wasn't human, but it looked kind of human.
"What's….that?" I asked incredulously, pointing to the figure on the shelf.
"Oh, it's my brother's action figure!" He smiled happily, picking it up and handing it to me.
"Action figure?" I repeated. "It's a doll of Lord Schweinorg…?!"
"No!! It's an action figure!" He reiterated. "See, it even has a sword."
The doll did have a small replica of one of the swords I saw him use.
The arms rotated, and it seemed to be made of firm but pliable rubber and plastic. You could shift it around to make it stand in different ways.
"You like it? You can have it; I have more." He smiled.
"Eh?" What? Why is he giving me something? I didn't prepare a gift to give in response! "B-but it's a doll of Lord Schweinorg, I don't…!?"
"You've met big brother too, right? Grandma said she was going on a magic train ride with Big Brother, and then she came back with Miss Trisha as a new peerage member. So you were there too, right? Did you meet Big Brother?"
"Yes." I nodded absentmindedly. "I was honored to meet Lord Schweinorg and become acquainted with him."
To meet and become acquainted with a magician is a high honor! I even had many of my department aides behaving better when they found out that I was acquainted with Lord Schweinorg!
"My big brother is the best, isn't he? I want to be just like him; that's why I was learning how to use a sword and learning magic." He swung his wooden sword around.
I noticed that it was a Mystic Code too.
Who turns a wooden practice sword into a Mystic Code!?
But….
"...Can I really keep this?" I asked quietly.
"Sure!"
I looked at the doll and felt something strange in my chest. He didn't seem to be wanting anything in return from me or expecting a gift exchange, as is proper etiquette.
…no one other than Trisha ever gave me a gift before without expectations.
"Are you okay? You look red?"
"I'm fine!"
Trisha was right; all boys are stupid!
"Want to see a secret of mine?" He asked. "Not even my mom knows; I made it a while ago, and I use it secretly." He said in a whisper.
"A secret?" I whispered along with him. "I…am not sure I am worthy of your trust?" He just met me; why is he trusting me with his secrets?
"It's okay, we're friends!" He just smiled happily.
Friends!?
We're friends?
I…never had a friend before?
Is it that easy?
He pulled the rug up on the floor, and it revealed a large magic circle. "Look, I made my own Teleportation Circle! I use it to sneak away and go play with my friends. We have a secret clubhouse; I'll take you there, and we can all play together!"
"Ah!?"
A Teleportation Circle!??!
Is that something a Devil Child can do so easily? That's something bordering true magic!!
"Here we go!"
"No, wait! I didn't agree to this!" I screamed as the light enveloped us.
[Line Break]
"Where are we!? What did you do?" I cautiously looked around.
"Don't worry, we're at the secret clubhouse!" He puffed up his chest, his wooden sword in hand.
I looked around, and it seemed like a normal building. I looked out the window and scrunched my nose because the area wasn't….it looked like a slum.
Do they have slums in hell?
"That doesn't answer anything!" I huffed in annoyance. "I—I want to go back!"
"Oh…" He immediately looked downcast. "Sorry, I just thought you'd want to play with me. I'm sorry, I'll take you back home."
"I….." Why did my chest hurt? "I suppose…I can 'play' for a little while…." Trisha needs to handle her affairs.
Yes, she needs privacy to handle her private affairs!
I should give her time to handle everything she needs to privately.
He immediately brightened up. "Really? That's great! My friends should be coming soon! They can see when we teleported over."
Almost as soon as he said that, two more of those 'Teleportation Circles' appeared, and two more boys appeared.
"Millicas!"
"Who's that?"
Two new boys joined in.
"Hey guys, this is my new friend, Olga." He said excitedly. "And these are Aurelian Barbatos—"
The boy he was pointing to wore a cape like some kind of stereotypical vampire from a bad novel.
"Like the Roman Emperor?" I scrunched my brow.
"My parents were friends with him, so they named me after him." He said casually.
…why are Devils so absurd?
The other boy had a guitar on his back and pulled it over his shoulder, running his hands across the strings in a very pleasant way. "I'm Geedie Gamigin." His voice sounded very pleasant to hear too. "I like music."
"He uses music to do magic." Millicas stated.
They were all staring at me so…enthusiastically. "I'm Olga Marie Animusphere."
"She's my new friend." Millicas nodded. "And she's human."
"Human!? That's cool! I don't have any human friends; I've barely met any humans! My parents won't even let me go make contracts in the human world yet." Aurelian Barbatos spoke quickly.
"Awesome! I love human music. Who's your favorite artist!?" Geedie started, nearly talking over his friend.
"Um…." I didn't know what to say. Why were they acting like we were acquainted already?
"My mom just got a new Peerage member, and she's Olga's, um…"
"Tutor." I spoke up to add in for him. "And…nanny…"
"Wow, that's great; that means we have a new member of our group. Good job, Millicas!" Aurelian shot him a thumbs up.
"She's also a magician, so that means she's strong." Millicas nodded.
"Really? That's great!" Geedie smiled along.
"I—I suppose I am…competent." I muttered.
I very quickly learned that I had misunderstood what they meant by "play" as we left the building and took to the streets.
"We should start the patrol." Millicas said seriously, planting his wooden sword against the ground like a banner.
"Patrol?" I repeated weakly.
"Yeah." Aurelian nodded, adjusting his cape like it was armor. "We do a loop around the neighborhood. We make sure nothing weird is happening. We protect the neighborhood!"
"That's our job." Geedie added, strumming his guitar once, the sound carrying faint magical resonance. "Gotta keep things peaceful for all the Devils here."
"…Why?" I asked.
All three of them looked at me like I had asked why the sun came up.
"Because this is our territory." Aurelian said simply. "And we're Nobles. It's our duty." He puffed up his chest. "That's what my parents say, that as Noble Devils, it means we have to protect the Devils under us."
"It's dangerous sometimes." Millicas added. "So we watch it and make sure no one hurts the Devils under our protection." He said while puffing up his chest heroically.
I looked out at the street again.
The buildings were old. Some were cracked, others patched together with mismatched stone and metal. It was not what I thought of when I was told that I was going to visit hell. I've driven through bad parts of London enough times to see the similarities.
This was… a poor district, to put it politely.
"You… patrol this?" I asked carefully. "By yourselves?" It sounded incredulous to me. As a noble, shouldn't you be staying away from the lowlifes? Not meandering through the dirty streets.
"Of course." Millicas nodded. "We've been doing it for a while."
I wanted to protest. Loudly. Preferably while running back home.
But before I could—
"Ah! Young Master Millicas!"
An older Devil woman waved at us from her doorstep, her devil wings disappearing neatly behind her back just as I caught her in my sight. She was carrying a basket.
Millicas straightened instantly. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Halvine!"
"You're out early today." She chuckled warmly. "And I see you brought a new friend."
All eyes turned to me.
I stiffened. "I—I'm Olga Marie Animusphere." I bowed reflexively. "It's nice to meet you." I don't know why I did; she was…a lowborn even by their standards. Why was I being polite to someone so far below my status?
"Oh my, how polite." She laughed. "A human child? She smells human."
Do I smell!?
"Yes, ma'am." Millicas said proudly. "She's under our protection today."
"…Protection?" I echoed.
I don't need protection! I am Olga Marie Animusphere!
Hmph.
Mrs. Halvine smiled indulgently. "How gallant."
She reached into her basket and pulled out several wrapped sweets, handing them over.
"For your patrol." She winked. "Don't work too hard."
"Thank you!" Geedie said cheerfully.
"We'll keep the area safe." Aurelian added with solemn authority.
"I'm sure you will." She waved us off. "Be careful, dears."
As we walked away, I glanced back.
She was smiling. Are all Devils really this nice? Was it just a trick to let my guard down? Why was this so much different than everything I expected?
We continued down the street.
More people waved. Some nodded. A shopkeeper raised a hand. Someone tossed a greeting.
It felt like… some type of devil neighborhood watch.
Except the watch was being done by children.
"This is absurd." I muttered.
But…it was nice. Seeing people waving and greeting us. They didn't even know who I was, but they smiled towards me without any hostility or hidden desires behind fake greetings.
Is this how most Devils lived, or were we just in the only bad places? They said that there weren't that many Devils; it was hard to imagine that most of them lived in such poverty.
"Hey!" Millicas suddenly shouted, and immediately the others noticed too. "Put that down; you have to pay for it!"
A man across the street was startled; he was standing in front of several food stands with various fruits, some I recognized, some I didn't. But as soon as he was called out, he suddenly ran with a bulge in his pocket from having clearly just stolen something.
"After him!" Geedie shouted.
They all charged at him, and not wanting to be left alone, I reluctantly followed along.
"Fuck off, you damn brats!" He shouted angrily, nearly knocking someone over as he ran past them.
"Surrender! If you apologize, then we'll stop chasing you." Millicas shouted back.
"Screw off!"
"Let me help." Geedie took out his guitar and strummed it. "Wind Song." And I felt a faint breeze hit my back, and suddenly my pace quickened quite a bit.
In fact, all of us suddenly ran faster.
Did he just cast a spell on me so easily?
It wasn't harmful in the slightest, so my innate protections didn't register it and fight against it with the same fury they normally would.
Nor did my protective Mystic Codes trigger.
But it was a single-word activation.
Wait, where did the other one go?
I looked up to see him leap from one of the rooftops, as if he teleported, and tackle the man.
The Barbatos boy tumbled with him across the ground but was flung off as they rolled a few times.
"Stupid fucking kids!" He growled. "You're going to fucking ruin everything!"
"You won't escape." Millicas tried to hit him with his sword, but the man dodged and kicked Millicas to the side before pulling a dagger out of his jacket.
I…didn't want to get involved in something like this!
"Gandr!" I shouted as the spell actualized and slammed into his chest, knocking him back. He stumbled slightly, so I increased the power of it and shot again. "Gandr!"
That one was three times as powerful, and it completely knocked him off his feet and sent him sliding backwards.
"Woah!"
"That was awesome!"
"Is he going to be okay?
"I—it wasn't overly harmful." I said quickly. "It's just a curse spell that makes the body think it's sick to be debilitating." Though, it would be increased to be lethal if needed….
"That's amazing!"
"Magicians are so cool!"
"Thanks, Olga, you're the best!"
Stop praising me, you stupid idiots! You're the ones who suddenly started this whole mess in the first place!
…but it was nice to be recognized.
Suddenly though, they froze, staring at me. No, behind me.
I slowly turned around to see what was behind me, and it was Millicas's mom. I was starting to think that devils may not be so scary, but the look on her face sent a shiver down my back.
"Run!" Millicas shouted, and the boys immediately ran away.
I stared at the woman, and she looked down at me.
I don't know why, but I ran away as fast as I could too.
[Line Break]
Wilhelm POV
I dragged a certain stupid devil with me, gagged and tied up, of course.
He had been sitting in the Youkai prison for a good number of days now, and I almost forgot about him, if I were to be honest.
"Hades, Odin, Zekram." I greeted the three people as I entered our super-secret room for our super-secret organization. "I brought a gift."
I tossed the devil to the center.
"If you're giving me a devil to torture. I will say it's a rather crass gift, but I will accept it nonetheless." Hades said dryly.
I snorted, but… "Well, you're not entirely wrong. I'm sure you heard that I had a run-in with the dumbass."
"Rizevim." Zekram stated.
"I reiterate, dumbass."
"He's not wrong." Odin grunted in agreement. "I met the dumbass in the past; he truly encapsulates the word."
The Devil looked positively terrified at the moment, being surrounded by all of us.
"I presume there's a reason you brought him?" Hades asked.
I kicked him over towards Hades. "Yeah, I found him with a bunch of other Devils—the Old Satan Faction—messing with a Trihexa Seal. Which, I'll say, I found over in Scandinavia. There were even large stones erected over it warning of a 'demon' being sealed there, more or less."
Odin visibly gripped his walking stick as he looked down at the Devil. "Is that so?"
Nobody likes someone else causing trouble in their backyard.
"Did Odin mention anything about Japan too?"
"I didn't say anything." Odin shook his head. "Figured it would be rude of me to say it."
Well, despite his personality, he does recognize propriety on sensitive matters.
"Right, Onogoro Island, the first land that Izzy and her ex created. It's been left alone for thousands of years, according to her. Apparently, sometime in the past, Big G used it as a seal on Trihexa." I briefly explained.
"Clever." Hades tapped his finger against the table.
"Izzy wasn't amused."
"I wouldn't be either. But objectively, I will recognize the Biblical God's cleverness, along with his ruthlessness." Hades responded pointedly.
"I'll reluctantly agree with bone daddy." Odin spoke up as well, earning an annoyed huff from Hades. "I reinforced the seal there as best I could, but I had to be delicate. Figured out a thing or two. You probably won't find any other Seals in Japan if you go looking because that place was acting as a giant vacuum, sucking up all the malevolent aura from that thing and using that place as a plug on it."
"Could it be used to our benefit?" Zekram asked.
"I wouldn't try to mess with it. Even with my added spells, I was…hesitant." Odin shook his head.
"Unfortunately, there aren't many places like that still left in the world, if I'm not mistaken." I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "Comparing the ones we've found so far. Pandora's box, which…. I'm not sure if that was even a 'seal'? But the one under the Vatican. The one in Japan and the one hidden away in the remote regions of Scandinavia. It's hard to correlate what they have in common."
"Other than sites of some kind of mystical presence." Zekram added. "If that one in Scandinavia is as I assume."
I nodded. "It held a good amount of old magics in the place. But that seal was significantly…weaker, compared to the others. Not just the seal, I mean, but the presence being sealed."
I still feel like I'm blind, looking at an incomplete picture of what's happening. And I wasn't hesitant to go looking for more Seals on the off chance that it draws eyes to them by me messing around.
At least for now.
I would much rather have a game plan first.
And it doesn't help that we're on the defensive here while our enemies can just pop in, blow something up, and run away, leaving us to have to somehow pick up the pieces, if we can even do that.
"I recall a few words in the exchange with him." Zekram crossed his arms, looking contemplative. "He used an analogy. As if the world were a sphere filled with air, and the beast is constantly trying to poke at it. Some holes are larger, some are smaller, but each one needs to be sealed tight, lest it can eventually force its way eventually."
Leave it to the deity with the strongest future sight to use a balloon analogy before the concept is even created.
Odin let out a sigh. "The unanswered question is, how many times can the world be poked before it finally can break free?"
666 seals—that number is obviously important. I doubt Big G would just do that for the aesthetic. Though, we couldn't ignore the possibility that he did it to mislead everyone too.
"It's likely that not all the seals need to be broken, only a certain portion of them, each expediting the process exponentially." Hades voiced the same thought I was having. "Just as not all bars on a prison need to be removed for one to escape, it simply requires that many bars to prevent any escapes."
Odin stretched his back. "Well, sitting here moping about impending doom isn't going to solve anything; I've done that enough in my life already." His words alleviated the dreary atmosphere.
It was true too; however it happened, whatever cosmic stars aligned to thread the needle, they escaped Ragnarok, their fated end.
It would be insulting for him and any of Asgard's people to give up or wait for an 'inevitable' defeat.
I took out all the papers and some of the equipment from before the dumbass showed up, slapping them on the table. "This is what I managed to steal before everything went to shit. I looked over some of it; it's amateurish, if I'm being honest. But having the source material as a reference should be beneficial."
Hades lifted up a few of the documents, glancing over them. "I'll have to study them in depth. I presume you're giving me the devil then to get any last bits of information out of him."
I nodded. "Figured it was better than nothing. There was that other idiot there, the Leviathan girl who seems overly obsessed with her ancestor."
"Katerea Leviathan." Zekram named her. "She has an inflated sense of self-worth."
"You could say that about nearly every devil." Hades drawled.
Zekram didn't respond to that with anger or annoyance; if anything, he seemed to look thoughtful at that statement.
"Yeah, she fucked off somewhere as the fighting started. I could have probably grabbed her, but to be honest, I picked one of the random idiots actually doing the work over the other idiot who had her head up her ass." I said flippantly.
"Probably a good decision." Zekram acknowledged. "Katerea is not the most…..intellectual among her peers."
"Though, if you want my opinion, based on what I saw and read, it seems clear to me that they were trying to use that seal in particular to set up a means to track the others." I flipped through the papers until I found some relevant data to back it up, pointing to it. "They were trying to find a type of energy to resonate with it at first; presumably, if I had to make an educated guess, their end goal was to create some kind of locator."
They all silently looked through what I had brought. Odin was inspecting a magical device, seemingly understanding it at a few glances but being thorough nonetheless.
"The bright side here is that they're a bunch of idiots. It genuinely felt like they were scraping the bottom of the barrel. The dumbass made a comment about his right hand being taken out by me some time ago when I rescued Venelana and my half-brother. There were also a few hundred magicians with him—mostly human—and I killed them too. I wouldn't be surprised if that was their whole 'R&D' department."
"Small mercies then." Hades stated, still looking at the papers. "We can accept victories wherever they may come."
I looked down at the Devil, still gagged.
Strangely, by the look on his face, I think I hit the mark on everything so far.
"Oh, and before I forget. I'm hesitant to take them out, but I got some eyes that seem to be able to see the location of the Seals? Kind of, like they're threads that bridge out all over the world; I just have to follow one. They have some other use, I'm sure of it, but I have no idea."
"I can vouch for there. And I suggest not looking at them. They even gave me a headache when I tried to pry into their existence." Odin spoke in confirmation.
"Beneficial, and I shall take your word for it." Hades nodded.
He wasn't the type that micromanaged others outside his domain.
If someone was competent and he trusted them, he would accept their words. Despite any differences I and Odin have with him, I think, in this moment, he trusted us.
"Since we're giving updates. Asgard has made some good progress in our recruitment. I even managed to swindle some Sacred Gears from the Grigori brat with vague statements of 'alliances' when Asgard is back on its feet. Something decades or so down the line." Odin waved off.
"I would much rather those infernal things be in your hands than the Fallen Pigeon's, All-Father.' Hades grunted. "I heard the situation regarding the humans from the Faerie lands has been settled?"
"Just waiting on the brat there to bring them home." Odin jabbed his thumb at me.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll hop over there after this and get to it. I know the sooner it's settled, the better. But don't blame me for taking too long; all your big egos in one room were not helping things. Yasaka specifically asked me to come over to help because all of you were causing her problems."
Odin threw his hands up. "Don't blame me, brat. I had to play my part, you know that."
"I know, I know." I let out a sigh. "I just don't like Yasaka having to deal with the stress. But regardless, I'll hop back over to Kyoto, and we can settle that. The humans that want to go to Asgard will be helpful; they're fairly strong, and with some proper training, they can go even further."
"Shall I go now?' Zekram asked, though it was rhetorical. "I have been watching the location of the Shroud of Turin long enough. I have been devising a plan, for stealing it without alerting them."
"Your restraint for not simply bargaining in is commendable." Hades gave rare praise, I think. Half mocking half praise? Well, it was a jab at devils as a whole I think.
"If we are to remain in the shadows, subtle is the prerogative. I would rather bite my tongue and stifle my pride to lower myself to observe those humans for hours upon hours to find a safe and silent way to achieve our goal."
"They don't know what they have, do they?" I hummed. "It's not just a matter of stealing it before they know it's stolen. It's stealing it so they don't know it was stolen and thus can't investigate what it was and thus can't raise any alarms after the fact."
"I have also awakened Runeas." Zekram said bluntly.
"I discovered that as well." I looked at him dryly.
Zekram coughed awkwardly. "Yes, you met her, did you not?"
"She was extraordinarily happy to see another Gremory with the family bloodline, you know, the Power of Destruction. That was after she propositioned me several times for sex." I deadpanned.
Zekram let out a long-suffering sigh.
I felt pity, actually.
"She is important." He said simply. "The Underworld is not without its own means, but I cannot do things alone."
"It is what it is." I waved it off. "Despite her eccentricities, she was kind and warm."
"I have nothing to add. My realm has remained untouched for eons; it is ready to battle should the need arise. However, I have noticed some peculiarities upon Olympus; I will be investigating."
Odin narrowed his eyes. "What kind of 'peculiarities,' bone daddy?"
Hades grunted at the nickname. "Many of the lesser gods have been acting…strange. I only have noticed because I have been watching Ares after my father gave me a warning."
"It's always something, isn't it?" I said softly. "I know you would reject it on principle, but out of politeness, I will say we're here to help."
"What the brat said."
Hades nodded. "I acknowledge the offer but politely reject it."
As expected.
Most people wouldn't want someone else to come into their house and start cleaning it for them.
I looked to Zekram. "Venelana got a new Peerage member. Someone from my neck of the woods. She's most likely going to be accompanied by a young human girl. If possible, make sure no idiots get any ideas. No one will like it if something happens to either of them."
Zekram just nodded. "I will do my best to dissuade any foolish minds from the act."
"That reminds me, I gave Rias, Venelana's daughter, a bunch of potions to use for her Rating Game. It's going to be broadcast, from what I heard. So, the potions will most likely become more popular than they already are. Odin, since the war is over, Yasaka is going to have a lot of surplus, and our own supply has gotten up and running. So, you can go to her more overtly to get some trading going without raising any alarms."
Odin nodded without saying anything.
He didn't need a novel to explain to him what I was doing with that in his favor.
There were already rumors and knowledge of our potions, but we hadn't been selling them. After they get popular through Rias and her rating game, Yasaka can start selling them publicly, and Odin can claim he 'got there first,' which everyone will most likely believe since he's my blood brother and we have a good relationship with Asgard.
Since we're doing our best to keep Asgard's growth underreported, I figured it was a good way to kill two birds when giving Rias help.
"And the last matter, I think we're all having it on our minds. What to do about the seals—it's our one advantage right now. Our original goal was to bring back Big G, but Trihexa appearing in the world isn't something any of us want and is equally important."
They were silent because I don't think they had a good plan either.
What exactly were we supposed to do? It was hard to be proactive; they were seals, not something we could destroy or take and hide.
We could obviously reinforce the seals, but that was just prolonging the inevitable.
There was perhaps one good option.
And Odin smiled. "Why don't you leave that to me? We've constantly been getting hit in the dark. Loki and his Titans, the World Tree. You lot with your interference in the war. It's time for us to strike back, don't you think?"
Hades smiled. "If the Ruthless God of War says it, then let it be so."
"I will leave it in your capable hands then." Zekram nodded.
"We're at your disposal, Odin."
It's one thing off my plate.
But now, let's finally go finish up with the Fae Lands; I would like to never have to go there again.
[Line Break]
A/N
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone
I also have a boosty if you can't use the above under the same name.
Should be doing a brand new world soon. And we got two Kunou chapters up over on the above.
A second chapter should be coming out later today as well.