Millicas's eyes were glued to the outside world as the carriage slowed to standstill and looking out with him, Grayfia could see why the boy seemed so enamored. The previously giant sized Yokai, all equally as suffocating from their height alone now stood at a more reasonable stature. All of them still positively loomed over any of the Devils present, but at least their size had shrunk to a more human size.
It was one thing to hear that they could shrink, another to actually see it. They were all incredibly skilled too, especially since their armor had also changed to fit their frames. Whether it was from some sort of enchantment or their own power, she didn't know.
'Maybe I can ask Yasaka..'
"We are here..esteemed guests." Their blue skinned guide, Tsuru, called out to them. The pause noticed by all as she leaned down to glance into the carriage, and silently counted the number of noble Devils present. It was obvious that they really didn't know exactly how to address them and used that term as a catch all word.
"Thank you, Tsuru." Millicas squeaked, his crimson eyes wide as he gazed up at the statues Yokai with a slight blush to his cheeks.
Nodding slightly, the Oni walked away on long strides already issuing orders through her loud and powerful voice that hammered against the air itself. Grayfia could see the red head's eyes twinkle with mischief, and knew that her son would be teased excessively for his apparent crush. Gratefully, the carriage doors opened before Rias had the chance to even open her mouth.
The two heiress's queens were holding the door open with a deep bow, their postures still and proper. The pair didn't say anything, despite the light sheen of sweat that covered their bodies. Maybe they were too busy trying to catch their breathes?
'Their peerage's need more training..'
Grayfia didn't think such a short jaunt would have their servants huffing and puffing like that. Looking up, she even saw the more physically inclined Devils also seeming a bit bedraggled and felt her eyebrow twitch. It seems the heiress's had been spoiling their servants too much.
Stepping out, each of them observed their new environment. From the view they could see from here, she could tell they were on-top of one of the surrounding mountains that looked down at the bustling city down below. Thin clouds wrapped themselves around the peak, covering what was behind it in a sheen of protection that not even her prodigious magical senses could pierce through.
'Without being rude that is.'
But for anyone else, like the young Devils around her, it was impossible to see through the awe inducing peak. The surrounding forest had grown thick, with only this single stone path being the one route for all travel to this place.
Judging from how excited the youth looked, they were looking forward to exploring that mysterious peak. She held back a small smile, already knowing they would be greatly disappointed.
"Come this way," Tsuru waved a single massive arm their way, motioning to the 'small' building that was just off the path. It's stone walls, with red tiles tilted at an angle made it seem like the architect was really obsessed with how ancient it was," There will be refreshments present. Yasaka-sama is currently on her way."
"She isn't here already?"
Rias frowned heavily, her tone a bit unbelieving and smidgen too rude for it to be let go by polite society. Grayfia wished the girl would shut her trap, but it was already too late judging from the furrowed eye brows of their guide.
"Yasaka-sama is our leader, girl." Tsuru growled, the sound deep and reverberating as it rumbled through the air. "She can't just drop everything to see guests that didn't even have the decency to inform us of your new total party numbers. Now, you may explore the compound however you wish but do not leave until Yasaka-sama has come personally."
"So now we-"
"Thank you Tsuru," Millicas bowed elegantly to the Yokai, even the young noble could read the rising tension and sought to defuse it prematurely," We will happily wait for Yasaka-sama to provide us time out of her busy schedule."
Seeing such a small boy, barely older enough to be beyond ten fingers bow like some kind of high born noble was enough to ease the rising tension. And with a nod, Tsuru walked away from the groups of Devils who were then led in by a gaggle of human looking Yokai dressed in plain kimonos. It didn't take long for them to usher them into a nearby room that already had a steaming pot of tea and a cups set elegantly.
The red head kept her mouth shut until the servant's left the room bowing and Grayfia quickly set up a bubble of silence to spare the Yokai her tirade.
"How dare they?!" Rias huffed, her crimson aura flashing suddenly and erasing a nearby cup from existence. The girl had grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth, with all her needs and wants provided without ever having to work for it. Normally, any one of her servants would too problematic for any other Devil to take into their peerage. But because of who her brother was, she got away with it. "First they make our poor servants walk, then our host isn't even here to greet us personally? And now we're prisoners?"
"We did come uninvited." Sona mused, her queen pouring the Sitri heiress a cup of steaming tea. The girl's rook, stood off to the side. Her blue hair pushed to the side to gaze impassively at the opened door leading out to an open courtyard. "And they're right, how easy is it to get an audience with your brother?"
"…." The red head didn't seem to want to let it go, and continued complaining despite her friend's words. "That's not the same though, Sirzechs is a Satan! What is Yasaka? A leader of some backwater faction that was subordinate to us for centuries? What right does she have to treat us like this?"
"She has every right." Grayfia decided to nip this in the bud before the girl could go full brat mode and force them to flee from here if she decided to do something stupid. "We aren't in the underworld anymore. She's the leader here and while they might've been subordinate to us in the past, it's simply that. The past. We aren't here to throw our weight around, we're here to make sure she doesn't hold a grudge against us for the way the Pillars abused her people now that her backer is back on the board."
It was cruel and callous way of putting things but it was true. Normally, Rias's behavior could be considered average by all Devil scions everywhere. Before, they could run rampant in Yokai territory without fear of reprisal. And honestly, this probably wasn't the first that some heir demanded to see the illustrious Kitsune that ruled longer than even their parents had been alive. But that was in the past now.
With her backer and the sudden influx of spirit fruit, they had truly become players on the grand board. A force on their own capable of standing by themselves. It wouldn't do treat this place like it's pale imitation of the past.