Location: The Inner Palace of the Nijo Castle
Time: The Morning After the Battle
Event: The promised Wagyu Feast
The sun was rising over Kyoto, but inside the private banquet hall of the Youkai faction, the plates were stacking up like skyscrapers.
Raiden sat at the head of a low traditional table. He was currently consuming his twentieth plate of A5 Wagyu beef sukiyaki.
Yasaka, the Nine-Tailed Fox Leader, sat to his right, personally pouring him sake.
Kunou, the princess, sat to his left, offering him peeled grapes.
The rest of the Gremory group sat further down the table.
Issei was weeping into his rice bowl. "It's so unfair... he gets the Mom and the Daughter... and the beef..."
"Quiet, Issei," Kiba smiled, though his eye twitched. "Just enjoy the food."
Serafall Leviathan was sitting opposite Yasaka, emitting a menacing aura that froze her tea.
"Mooooo! Yasaka-dono! You are pouring his sake too close! That is my job!"
"Oh?" Yasaka covered her mouth with a sleeve, smiling slyly. "But in Kyoto, it is customary for the hostess to serve the hero who saved her life. Surely a Maou-sama understands gratitude?"
Sparks flew between the Fox Mother and the Magical Girl Satan.
Raiden finished the beef and set his chopsticks down.
"Good meat. Melted in the mouth. 9/10."
Yasaka clapped her hands, and the servants cleared the table. The atmosphere shifted from casual to political.
"Raiden-dono," Yasaka began, her golden eyes serious. "While the food is a token of thanks, I wish to discuss the future."
Ravel Phenex immediately pulled out a holographic tablet, adjusting her glasses. "We are listening."
Yasaka smoothed her kimono.
"The Youkai Faction has always remained neutral. However, the Hero Faction's attack proves we can no longer stand alone. The Devils are our traditional allies, but..."
She looked directly at Raiden.
"I do not wish to ally with the Underworld government. I wish to ally with you."
"Me?" Raiden picked his teeth.
"You possess the power of the Void. You consumed the curse that bound me. You faced the True Longinus and lived. You are a Sovereign in the making."
Yasaka bowed her head until it touched the tatami mats - a gesture of supreme submission from a faction leader.
"The Youkai of the West pledge our support to the Gluttony King. We offer our resources, our information network, and our spiritual leylines to aid you."
[System Alert]
[New Faction Alliance: The Youkai of Kyoto]
[Benefits: Access to Spirit Arts, Unlimited High-Quality Food Supply, Information Network]
Raiden looked at Ravel. "Is it a good deal?"
Ravel was typing furiously. "It's unprecedented! Having the Youkai faction as a personal ally - not a devil ally - gives you massive leverage against the Great Factions. It essentially makes you an independent warlord."
"And," Yasaka raised her head, a heavy blush on her cheeks, "there is one more condition."
She shuffled closer to Raiden.
"I wish to solidify this alliance... through a union."
"A union?" Issei's ears perked up.
"Marriage," Yasaka said clearly. "Strong males are rare. You defeated me. You saved my daughter. My instincts cry out for your genes."
CRASH.
Serafall flipped the table (luckily the food was gone).
"OBJECTION! Raiden-chan is mine! I saw him first! I licked him first!"
"Technically," Ravel interjected, "Serafall-sama has no legal claim, whereas a political marriage with Yasaka would secure the West..."
"Ravel! Whose side are you on?!" Serafall cried.
Raiden stood up, silencing the room.
He looked at Yasaka.
"I don't do marriage," Raiden said bluntly. "Too much paperwork."
Yasaka looked crestfallen.
"However," Raiden continued, leaning down to lift her chin. "I accept the alliance. You belong to me now. If anyone attacks Kyoto, they attack my pantry. And I kill anyone who touches my food."
He smirked.
"As for the 'genes'... keep feeding me this beef, and we'll see."
Yasaka's face turned crimson, her tails wagging furiously. "I... I will prepare the finest cattle immediately!"
Kunou tugged Raiden's sleeve. "Does this mean you are my step-papa?"
Raiden patted her head. "I'm your Guardian. Now, pack some leftovers. We're leaving."
Location: The Hyperion Train (Returning Home)
The mood on the train was lighter. Issei and the others were sleeping.
Raiden sat looking out the window, with Serafall asleep on his shoulder (she had exhausted herself arguing with Yasaka).
Ravel sat opposite him.
"You realized what you just did, right?"
"I secured a food source," Raiden said.
"You secured an army," Ravel corrected. "Runeas-sama will be pleased. With the Gremory Progenitor, the Sitri Heiress, and now the Youkai Faction... you are building a power base that rivals the Satans themselves."
Raiden looked at his hand. The burn marks from the True Longinus were almost gone.
"The Hero Faction... Cao Cao," Raiden muttered. "He ran away. I hate it when food runs away."
"He will return," Ravel said softly. "But next time, you will be ready."
Location: Kuoh Town - Park
Time: Night of Return
Raiden walked home after dropping Serafall off (who clung to him for ten minutes before Sona dragged her away).
He stopped in the middle of the park.
The air smelled of rain and... ozone.
"You can come out," Raiden said to the empty swing set. "I can hear your stomach growling."
From the shadows of the trees, a figure emerged.
A woman in a seductive black kimono that barely covered her curves. She had black cat ears and two tails.
Kuroka. The S-Class Stray Devil. Koneko's older sister. And a member of the Vali Team.
"Nya~," Kuroka purred, floating in the air. "You really are sharp. Vali said you were a monster, but you look quite tasty."
She circled him.
"You're the one who ate the Lucifer Fragment, right? And beat up the Hero Faction? My, my. You're famous."
Raiden looked at her.
"You're the sister."
Kuroka's smile faltered for a second. "Oh? Did Shirone (Koneko) talk about me?"
"No," Raiden said. "But you smell like her. Just... wilder."
He reached into his inventory and pulled out a box of leftover sushi from Kyoto.
"Want some?"
Kuroka blinked. She expected an attack. She expected judgment. She didn't expect sushi.
"Are you poisoning me?"
"It's Toro (Fatty Tuna)," Raiden opened the box.
Kuroka's eyes dilated. She drooled slightly.
She snatched the box and retreated to a safe distance, scarfing down a piece.
"Mmph! Good!"
"Why are you here, Stray?" Raiden asked.
"Just watching," Kuroka licked her fingers. "Ophis is interested in you. Vali is obsessed with you. And I wanted to see the man who might change the world."
She finished the sushi and tossed the box away.
"Be careful, Gluttony King. The Norse Gods are coming. And that old geezer Odin brings trouble wherever he goes."
She floated up, turning into a black mist.
"See you later, handsome. Thanks for the fish~."
Raiden watched her leave.
"Cats," he shook his head. "Always begging for food."
Location: Rias Gremory's Residence
Time: The Next Day
Raiden was summoned to the Gremory house.
The room was packed. Rias, Akeno, Asia, Kiba, Koneko, Issei.
And sitting on the sofa, drinking tea with Runeas Gremory, was an old man with an eyepatch.
Odin. The Chief God of Norse Mythology.
Standing behind him was a valkyrie bodyguard, Rossweisse.
"So this is him," Odin grunted, setting his tea down. "The one who eats Longinus."
Runeas smiled, resting her hand on Raiden's arm as he entered. "Raiden. Meet Lord Odin. He is here to sign the peace treaty with the Biblical Faction."
"And to hide from my wife," Odin whispered loudly. Rossweisse sighed.
Raiden sat down. "Old man. You have a strong aura. Aged. Like a fine whiskey."
Odin laughed. "Hahaha! I like him! He looks at a God and thinks of liquor!"
Odin leaned forward, his expression sharpening.
"But listen well, boy. My pantheon is... unruly. Loki is not happy about this peace treaty. He plans to crash the party."
"Let him crash," Raiden shrugged. "I'm still hungry after Kyoto."
Odin grinned.
"Good answer. Because if you help me smack my foolish son... I'll let you date my Valkyrie here."
"LORD ODIN!" Rossweisse shrieked, blushing furiously. "Please stop trying to sell me off!"
Raiden looked at Rossweisse.
"Can you cook?"
Rossweisse blinked. "I... I am excellent at bargain shopping and budget meals!"
Raiden nodded approval. "You're hired."