Flesh is Weak

In victory and defeat shall you see men truly.

We all were in an extremely good mood back in the manor. No, that was the biggest lie ever. We were positively ecstatic. My peerage and Issari partied like no tomorrow. Kuroka was leaning on my right shoulder, purring as we watched the party. The only one who was not so happy was Mittelt who I try to cheer up.

"You got more pieces with your shooting, Mitt. It was just unfortunate circumstances. I should have looked harder for runes. It's my fault, not yours."

Mittelt had shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll take a bit of blame, too. If I had been in the carapace, I might have been better off. Was the flak really standard issue stuff?"

The party grew louder, and Hetvia was extremely happy at her achievement. Mr Cuddles held her in the air as Hetvia was being congratulated by her fellow pawns with a cheer going up for Hetvia, the hero of Mars. I finally answered Mittelt after we three watched that.

"It was modern body armor against the horrors of the universe yet they made it work for many thousands of years. We just need to improve it further, and you can still have your mobility."

Mittelt was already thinking about how to do that.

"I have several ideas I will try in my spare time. I like the long las. I never was close enough to see it and with the mask, it was better than I hoped. Fighting has always been my weakness, and Dohn teased me constantly about that."

I make my joke.

"You're just built differently. No shame in that Mitt. I am just a gun and axe-loving nut I couldn't snipe."

Mittelt snorted, amused, as did Kuroka, and that got smiles from both of them. Mittelt, however, looked towards the door to the back of the house, and I smiled.

"Go enjoy yourself your way. Thank you for helping us, Mittelt."

My pawn smiled and immediately took the offer as she skipped off. Kuroka stayed next to me, and we enjoyed our moment together. Thoron and Issari were talking with Kiryuu as the three discussed something that had the two perverts have slight nose bleeds. Maéva was busy counting money that she had made by betting on us on the far counter of the kitchen and it was a massive pile. My maid was beaming at all the Lilith she now has. Her eyes had money signs, and it seemed she would bet further on us.

As Kuroka and I were near the entrance hall to the kitchen, we watched all this with a wide and happy smile. Before something smashed into my back, sending me to the ground extremely hard. I oof and am slightly dazed by this. Before I see a hint of red in my eyesight. I turned to my back and faced my betrothed. The second I'm fully around I'm kissed straight on the lips and red hair clouds my vision.

This moment I will remember for the rest of my immortal life. When it ends Rias looked at me and her eyes have tears of joy for this. Behind her are her parents, Heniya and my grandfather, who all look extremely happy for me. To the left was Akeno and the others looking at me with eyes that showed they were extremely thankful for the win. Shirone had narrowed eyes of lust for me, and she watched me being extremely down bad. Rias distracted me from her thirsty rook and pulled me up to face her family.

The three Gremorys kept their smiles, and I saw that Heniya had a positively beaming face. Velelana and Zeoticus are looking at me up and down subtly and my grandfather on Zeoticus's left smile smirked.

"We have agreed on both ends. Congratulations, Gregor. Your win has shaken the political landscape, and many people are now extremely interested in meeting you. Would you like to see the results of your win?"

I immediately nodded and Zeocutus pulled out the contract that now tied Rias and I together for eternity. The sight of our contract made Rias smile her supernova smile and then hug my right arm extremely hard. Zeocutus saw this and said to me now with a huge smile of his own.

"You have my support young man. My daughter has done nothing but go on about you to us and I will accept her choice. Thank you for doing this for my daughter."

Velelana had her own pleased smile, and she looked at her daughter with pure love in her eyes.

"You have mine as well. That you somehow woke the power of my family that I always knew Rias had shows me that you are the better option of the two. I expect you to show anyone who would hurt Rias the same treatment."

I smile smirked.

"All who try will get that and worse. I love Rias Gremory and will show the world that."

That got an I told you so from Heniya to her folks before she smiled wide and showed off her sis con self.

"My Ria-tan will never have people calling her weak or a mistake. I have enjoyed telling tales of your exploits to the others in my group, and someone I know wants to meet you eventually. Now, as much as I'd like to stay and enjoy my brother-in-law's company, I have a city to run. Enjoy yourselves."

Heniya opened her portal and stepped out of the manor with a spring in her step. Zeoticus and Velelana both continued smiling, taking the contract along with them as they too opened a portal to the train station that was the entrance to the underworld. It closed. My grandfather stayed, and he smiled widely.

"I have multiple good things to tell you of. The Phenexs have committed completely to the contract. They offered to have the wedding to the girl soon for the insult of their son and to waive the buyout fee for Lady Gremory for the trouble Riser brought to her. I have spoken with Lord Ruval, and he is eager to get this off the ground right away."

I was amazed that they were doing that with the money. Before I realized what he said. Oh fuck. I can guess why that might have happened. Rias snuggles hard into my right arm in a bit of jealousy for Ravel. My grandfather also informed me of something else.

"You have shown everyone our strength, and that has won us more goodwill. You did well, Gregor, and I am very happy for you. Congratulations on your victory and your reward. Lady Gremory proved me wrong. What day would be best for you to meet the Phenex?"

I smiled and then while giving a kind look to Rias replied.

"Sunday would be best. Tomorrow is for Rias and me."

Rias beams wide and my grandfather gets a smile of remembrance seeing the two of us.

"I will inform them that. She is eager to meet her betrothed."

My grandfather smiled once more before opening his portal to the train station and leaving me to my victory party. Rias was the happiest I have ever seen her. Before an extremely down bad Shirone tried to jump me. She pounced towards me, with her ears and tail out. She almost hit me straight in the chest but froze in midair. A snicker goes up from Akeno and Kuroka. The Bad Cat grabs her sister and then starts a struggle snuggle getting snickers again from Akeno. My cousin hugged me fully and said with her head on my shoulder.

"You are a hero again, Lex. I am proud of you. I'm so happy for you and Rias. I wish they were here to see this."

I wish they could too. That unspoken feeling was there for both of us. Akeno saw something over my shoulder, and she started fufufuing in glee. She pulls back, and her face promises something special for the gecko. She moved towards the kitchen along with Kiba, who didn't know how to feel about that. Leaving Rias, myself, and the cats in the front room. Shirone was attempting to free herself from Kuroka, desperate to escape and jump me. Rias instead kissed my cheek before she pulled me towards the stairs. Kuroka smiled and winked at us.

"I'll be up later, nya. My Shirone needs her big sister's cuddles, as I now have plenty of time for them. Come along, Shirone he and Red need time alone, nya. You being horny is not helping."

Shirone pouts and then gets squeezed again by Kuroka using her rook strength. Rias pulls me up the stairs faster than ever while her smile remains there for only me to see. It's up to my room, and Rias throws open the door before she and I fall onto the crimson sheets. She doesn't do what I expected her to do. She just snuggles into my shoulder, and she's softly saying to me in my right ear.

"You are the one I will have forever now, my Lord of Iron. Let me spoil you as you deserve for being me and my peerage's hero. I know what you want, and I'm interested in trying it. I love you, Greg."

I got a small nosebleed imagining that point, and we settled into a night of just being together, relaxing on the bed. The two of us enjoying this night and the start of our new life.

I woke up slowly the next morning to a grogginess I had not had in several weeks. I heard snoring. I looked to my left and right to find Rias and Kuroka using me as a body pillow. Their snores are cute, including Kuroka's snot bubbles, which seem to be growing larger per snore. I didn't wiggle out from them and instead drifted back to sleep.

The next time, waking up was more of the same. I was being used again as the body pillow with snot bubbles on both this time. One finally popped, and that woke Kuroka violently. She flew up into the canopy of the bed. I was ready to laugh at that before I was crushed by Kuroka, landing straight on top of me and breaking a rib. The laugh turned into a groan and woke up Rias. She made the situation worse by hearing my groan and joining the new noise circus begging me to know if I was alright. I groaned once more as Kuroka flopped to my right, and Rias started making sure my chest was ok. A 'wonderful' start to the day.

Kuroka was still sheepishly blushing from breaking my rib and promised to let me have something I want today for this. I tell her I want us to relax together before going out later tonight for a date the Bad Cat will pay for. That got Rias excited about that and a nod from Kuroka. After a shower and then dressing the three of us moved together down the stairs to the kitchen where everyone save Issari and Akeno were sitting enjoying breakfast. There was also a new face here.

A second maid nervously shifting back and forth from where she stood next to Maéva. She was a pureblood and looked at the floor submissively. Maéva was professional as always and introduced me to the newcomer.

"Good morning young master young mistresses. This is Neri. She was sent here to help me with the house."

Neri was silent, still staring at the ground. She had short brown hair and was dressed exactly like Maéva. The symbol of House Astaroth is clearly seen on her uniform. I smile softly, seeing something. This was a surprise.

"Hello, Neri. I am Gregor Astaroth. Tell your son I enjoyed the picture he sent me."

This was the boy who lost his leg's mom. The woman went still before she looked up at me in amazement. Her eyes are a light pink color and extremely wide here.

"You got his picture milord?"

I smiled at my new maid.

"I did it is a wonderful picture. I understand that you need the money for his replacement leg."

The woman smiled softly at the compliment before immediately ducking her head to the floor again.

"Yes, milord. When the call went out by his grace Lord Astaroth for a new maid for you milord, I immediately volunteered. I wish to give back to our hero."

I see the fear that nobles have instilled in the commoners. I will break that like how I broke Riser.

"I will make something for your boy that will help him walk again. It will be free and done for him because I wasn't there to stop the injury in the first place. Is he up here along with your husband?"

Neri looked up in shocked disbelief at hearing this. She looked ready to cry before answering my question.

"He is please, milord, my son wants to walk again! We were hoping to get him a Phenex tear to get it back, but they are so expensive. It would take us decades to get the required amount."

That knowledge sealed my decision.

"I'll make him something right after breakfast. The thing I will make him is called a bionic. It will be a metal leg and I will do maintenance on the part for free for your son."

Neri didn't know what a bionic was, but the desire to see her baby walk again overshadowed the unknown idea. She had tears in her eyes now and bowed her head to me.

"Thank you, milord! We will never be able to repay you! I will tell every one of your kindness to us."

She looks ready to grovel at my feet. I gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"If I am to be your future lord, then I will embody being a noble. Never grovel to me or my wives. You and the others like you are the cogs that make the machine of our realm work. Your life matters as much as mine."

Neri can't believe it. Her pink eyes were on mine in apparent disbelief. Maéva speaks up to her new subordinate.

"The young master means it. I didn't understand it at first, but I do now. He is right that we are all cogs in the machine, which is reality. You will enjoy working here, Neri. The only trouble one is the sneaker, and she has been good lately."

Raynare, who was next to Hetvia, blushed before looking at the plaque that held the current rules for the home. The punishment for scaring someone in the home was removing a stuffed animal from her room for a week. Neri looked at Raynare with a glance out of her eye before nodding her head vigorously in acknowledgment of my request. I looked at Maéva, who smiled at me, answering my unspoken question.

"I like the analogy. I want to hear more about it before I commit. This idea will be very appealing to many and your cousin explains it well. I have also seen the wall. You remember them you gave justice and you put many of the others to shame. I say that from experience from when I worked with them."

Neri was confused by the exchange, but she immediately asked.

"What would you like me to do, madam?"

Maéva immediately got her junior to work on a project she wanted to do. I caught sight of Shirone, who was nervously looking at me. She was next to Murayama, who was amused at the younger woman. My knight patted the junior. That move made the white cat break her stare at me. I looked at Kuroka, and my queen sighed.

"I'll make your drone a bird nya. I hate that is becoming reality and you have become correct."

I smirked at Kuroka, who slapped me with tails, getting giggles from everyone. Shirone looked curious about the joke. I whispered it to her, and the white cat looked ready to tease her sister about it.

When I finally saw Issari after breakfast, she had several hickeys on her neck. Akeno was the same, but hers were hidden better. The pervert was smiling like a loon, purring up a storm for winning. Akeno was extremely happy with her iguana and hugged me again. I whispered to her.

"Congratulations. When's the wedding so I can tease the lizard."

Akeno rolls her violet eyes at my red ones.

"Not for a while. For now, she's my little kohai. I want to help Lex truly. He's a fallen prick, and while yours are decent, he needs to die."

I raised an eyebrow at her but shrugged.

"I'll make you a staff to channel your lightning into being stronger. I'll introduce you to the other people we have. You won't have a problem with them, will you?"

Akeno looked at me for a second before she looked at her gecko, which Kiryuu and Murayama were congratulating. She turned back to me and shook her head.

"I won't. The fact that even fallen can hate that action tells me that he's the problem."

Issari blushed as Thoron gently teased her. Hetvia was glaring at Issari who was watching Kiba out of the corner of her eye. I tell Akeno with a small smile.

"They are not fallen. Two are gear users, and the other is a person who runs. They were forced into it and were an outsider in Grigori. She's with the male gear user who is turning into my spymaster. The other gear user is one your gecko wants because she is a swordswoman."

That surprised Akeno. She watched her prize as the trio of chestnuts start to nosebleed together. Akeno shrugged again after a moment.

"I'll watch out for her. In the meantime, I, like everyone else, have been training."

Rias piped up from my side.

"I trained too. I want to be with you out there. We all do. I still want a sword like your axe."

We need to start cleaning up Kokabiel's bases. They were smaller than the first one as they would have begun gathering for a potential attack. I'll go with Rias on our next run.

"I'll make one for you, Ria. I have to repair our robot today and show Hetvia how to maintain it. That way, she can have Mr. Cuddles ready for his next deployment."

Hetvia bounced upon hearing that. She was eager to learn everything about robot manufacturing and maintenance.

"Mr Cuddles wants a friend. He knows that you have to make him a better shell, but he wants a battle brother, as you call it."

I thought of something I didn't like. An army of sis con robots. That would be worse than Serafall in full magic girl costume spouting off about her wand. I sympathize with Sona more than ever before. I don't want to enable this, but Hetvia pouting at me with the biggest puppy face ever makes me sigh.

"I will have Maéva get us more material for the next robot and Mr Cuddles. I will teach you how to build them."

That got my pawn excited about my promise. Maéva heard me and smiled.

"I will get the material tomorrow. The robot made me extremely wealthy, and more of them would be good. Young master, you will eventually need another place for them."

I know that, thank you very much. We need a place for an actual forge. I'll keep my eye open for Jeanne's reports and see if we can find a place. I looked at Neri, and she immediately looked at the ground. I asked her kindly.

"Neri, where is your village located?"

Neri replies instantly.

"It is close to a mountain range milord. We are one of the most useless villages in your land. We can't grow wine grapes there. I'm sorry we are not more useful milord."

I smile smirked. Rias blushed seeing my look.

"Thank you for the information, Neri. Your village will be a great place to live in the future."

Neri is confused by this statement before I clarify.

"I would like to visit your village at some point, Neri. I'm guessing your village's unemployment rate is incredibly high?"

Neri was confused more.

"Yes? Many of our men work in the nearby city to make money. We don't make enough many years."

I frowned at that before I asked her something.

"What is your village called?"

Neri answered immediately as that seemed to be hard forced on her.

"Metata milord. Why would a noble and powerful son care for our useless village?"

My face took on a half-smile.

"After I am done with it, it will be a place that other devils will envy. Please take me to your son."

I was surprised to learn that the manor had a small servant's quarters on the property. Well hidden and out of sight of the main house. Neri was extremely nervous about this, as was her husband who was to be one of my new gardeners. The little boy, however, was the cutest thing I have seen today. He looked at me like my old nephews used to. The only thing marring this was his crutches. This kid however was so innocent despite the fact he lost his leg.

Rias was on my right, and she, too, pitied this boy. I immediately knelt to his height and looked him straight in his pink eyes. The boy wasn't beaten down yet, so he looked back at me with a massive smile on his chubby cheeks. His hair was light black, like his father's.

"What's your name, buddy?"

The boy smiled so cutely at me.

"Alaric. You do care like he said, you do."

His parents looked at their son weirdly while I smiled, knowing who he was referring to.

"I do. I heard you want to walk and run again. I know a way to do that for you. Do you want that?"

Alaric grew super excited.

"Please, Mr Lord of Iron! I want what you have like he said you have!"

I chuckled and stood up, backing away to make him the bionic leg. The anvil appeared, and the family looked at it in shock. I picked up the hammer and swung before I picked up the bionic leg. Alaric bounced on his crutches while his parents looked in amazement. I told him to sit down so I could apply the limb. The boy quickly did, and I explained to his parents.

"With this, he can walk again. I'll make a machine that can grow skin so that he won't be made fun of for it. I'll also sponsor him for schooling. Now, Alaric, you will be more like me."

His parents look at me in pure shock with Alaric bouncing more than ever. With Koriel's help, I gently and fastened the limb to this boy. He whines a little as the wires connect to his nerves and as the needles gently poke him, attaching the bionic. After it was done, I stepped back again and smiled at my little cyborg friend.

"Try moving, buddy."

Alaric hesitated for a moment before he got off the chair and stood without the crutches and then took a step. The foot clanked before he took another. He looked in pure amazement along with his parents. Alaric smiled so wide and happy before he ran to me and hugged my leg in glee.

"Thank you, Mr Lord of Iron! Thank you! Thank you!"

Rias smiles at this, as do Alaric's parents. I patted the boy on his back.

"The only thing you need to do, buddy, is grow up and pass your classes when you start school. Can you do that for me?"

Alaric nodded into my leg ultra quickly.

"Yes, Mr Lord of Iron! I'll pass everything!"

I smiled at him, and he cutely looked up at me.

"You can call me Greg. That name is for others and not for kids like you."

Alaric nodded fast before he looked at his parents.

"Greg is my hero! He said I would run again, and it happened!"

Alaric detached from my leg and ran to his parents fast. The boy's father picked up his son, and Neri weeps happily, seeing her baby running again. She joined her husband and son in the group hug. Rias kissed my cheek and held my right arm while leaning on me. Neri stops hugging her baby boy, and in her pink eyes, I see a woman who has her whole world remade. I inform his parents.

"If he complains of an itch, that just means the bionic needs to be tinkered with. After the flesh is put over it, I'll have to do a certain poke to get it to go away."

Neri looks at my face fully, and so does her husband. The tears in their eyes are happy ones. Alaric excitedly begs to be let down so he can run again. His parents squeeze him tighter, getting a whine from Alaric, but it's him just being a kid. Neri smiles, showing her gratitude to me.

"Thank you, milord. We will never forget this."

The two parents squeezed their baby harder getting more whining from him. I leave them to their moment. Telling them over my shoulder before I leave.

"Take the next few hours off and be with him. If Maéva asks you about that, tell her I approve of it. Be good for your parents, Alaric. Next time you come over to the main house, I'll let you see Mr Cuddles. Just be careful around him."

Alaric got excited at the news that he could be in the main house, along with being curious about Mr. Cuddles. Rias smiled at the boy for being so cute. We left the family so they could be happy again. As we walked up the path to the manor, Rias held onto my right arm and said with a wishful tone.

"You were good with him. He was so happy to have that again. I want to be there doing that with you. Please teach me eventually how to make those. We have so many people in Gremory territory like him many of whom are veterans of the civil war. The Phenexs have always been stingy with tears, and this could help so many people."

I can't control how the Phenex's do business. I can control how I do mine. I will make an entire wing of my forges to build bionics for veterans and others who deserve better than being forgotten. I kiss Rias's cheek, and I softly say in response to her.

"Tell your parents to start sending veterans to me. I'll make them the bionics for free. When I have a forge made in that village, I asked Neri about I will teach you and anyone else who wants to be a tech priest. The commoners give up so much for us but are left with nothing. I hated how she and her husband were afraid of me. Is that common with your family's territory?"

Rias shook her head.

"We have always treated ours well. Heniya donates part of her winnings to them after each victory. My mother and father give away extra food every year. I tried to help them too and did several small medical things, but I never got as much credit as Heniya."

Rias is bitter about that. I squeezed her hand in understanding.

"This will be your thing, Ria. We can do this together, and they will give you the credit you deserve. We can do whatever you want till you and Roka get ready for our date. The repairs for Mr Cuddles can wait for a bit, and I'll fix him fast."

Rias blushed, then finger poked.

"I want to try this thing Kitty called Halo. What is Halo?"

I smiled kindly and started explaining.

"It's a game about humanity in the far future. We have spaceships and many hundreds of planets that we colonized. It's like Dune, but in Halo, we learn that there are other things out there besides us, Ria."

That discussion captured Rias's imagination. We went up the stairs, and Rias was in nerd heaven with me. We entered our room, and I found Kuroka and Shirone talking about something, so I threw the gauntlet.

"I challenge you to a duel of Halo Roka. Rias and I against you and Shirone. You game?"

Kuroka immediately went MLG while Shirone smiled at me in gratitude for trying with her. Kuroka smiles wider, and her fangs show.

"You're on nya. Shirone, we need to win! My reputation is at stake, nya!"

Shirone gets competitive and she immediately starts getting ready to play. We do split screen with a black barrier preventing cheating between us with Rias and I on the left side and the cats on the right.

It became clear that Shirone was bad at Halo. What was astonishing was that Rias was extremely good, as she and I started winning fast. Rias eventually showed she was still great at strategic thinking, and we crushed Kuroka and Shirone. Rias shouted in excitement when we won, and Kuroka hissed losing. Shirone was glum but it was struggled snuggled away by her sister. I say over the black barrier.

"It takes practice, Shirone. Not everyone is MLG like Rias and your sister. Let's switch teams, and we can see who will win."

Shirone jumped over the barrier while Rias moved around it, and we started again. Shirone immediately sat in my lap, and she purred extremely loudly. The two of us lost, but Shirone was happier being here with me. I said softly to her.

"I'll practice with you. Shooters might not be your forte, and there are other games out there. We can find one that you will win at. Don't be discouraged."

Shirone purred more than ever, hearing me say that. Before she went silent, she turned her head up to look at mine and was nervous. She then asked in a deathly whisper.

"Can I be your kohai Gregor-sama?"

I kindly looked at Shirone.

"I'd be happy to be your senpai Shirone. You can drop the sama."

Shirone had tears in her eyes, and she purred again. We play several more games between us and switch teams multiple times. Shirone won with Rias twice. Lost with me again and then won with Kuroka. Rias and Shirone enjoyed themselves immensely, and Rias asked Kuroka to practice on the Xbox when she was not using it which Kuroka agreed to. We missed lunch with the fun, and Rias was extremely happy. I excused myself to go do repairs for Mr Cuddles and that let Rias and Kuroka talk about dinner tonight. Shirone followed me to watch, and she was silent as we went down the stairs. She asked as we descended to the basement.

"Why is the machine immortal, nya?"

Shirone was curious about this. I see Hetvia at the robot maker, patting Mr. Cuddles softly and communing with his spirit. I made my way over there, and upon entering Hetvia's view, she perked up, and I made my tools before explaining to Shirone and a listening Hetvia. They both listened in fascination for Shirone while Hetvia was connecting more dots. Especially the tenant of the preservation of knowledge. They watched me fix the reactor through a hole in the shell I made. Hetvia finally said when I finished explaining.

"My family lost half our library in the Civil War. We had several people in the family support the OSF, and they destroyed over five hundred years of knowledge. Was there anything like that from there?"

Shirone was confused about that question, but I answered with a sad face.

"There was indeed something like that. It was called the Burning of Prospero. The place was a massive library with a horde of knowledge that you would spend lifetimes looking at just one section. So much knowledge was destroyed there because of two brothers having horrible miscommunication problems. It was terrible and a true tragedy. The knowledge lost in the burning was worse than your family's library."

Hetvia grew sad knowing that much knowledge was lost from the universe. She was silent there, as was Shirone. Hetvia finally said sadly.

"I wish I could find the ones in our family who did the damage. We searched hard for them, and we have never found them. The one who burnt the library was my aunt Orvega. She said to my dad it was better that it burns than let it be used by people who didn't respect the Morning Star and what he did for us."

The original Lucifer does not impress me. He was a bastard and should not be loved nor remembered with anything but hate. He caused humans and devils suffering because he couldn't let go of his grudge. Shirone understands my frustration with the original Lucifer as does Hetvia. The two were silent together. I say while fixing the next dent.

"I understand why he's loved by the pillars, but I will never accept him."

Hetvia nodded, and she replied while observing my work.

"I'd rather believe in our deity too. The world is clear to me now, and I understand my part. The Morning Star did horrible things to us. My family found a half-burned book in the library that our founder wrote, and it told of the abuse he suffered from the Morning Star. That destroyed our faith in him and left us in a horrible place. We can't be open about it or we would be ostracized."

I replaced the chest plate on the shell, and Mr Cuddles immediately woke up, having felt his little sister's sadness. He lumbered to Hetvia fast before the sis con robot gave her a small hug. Tweeting to her that he was now here. Hetvia is a bro con it seems, and hugged her robot in comfort. I let the two hug and looked at Shirone, watching this. Her eyes were filled with tears, and I softly asked the cat.

"You like the Morning Star?"

Shirone nodded ashamed.

"He helped me when I was the old me, nya. Now I regret believing in him because he would hate my valiant prince and my Pappi nya."

Shirone is ashamed of herself. I picked up my kohai and gently put Shirone on my lap as I tell her softly.

"Faith is good and bad. What we do with it is what makes or breaks us. The world is different for everyone, Shiro. You don't have to join us in believing in the faith."

Shirone snuggles into my chest, and she understands now she doesn't have to be something she is not. My kohai says quietly to me.

"I choose to be better, nya. Pappi took us to church many times when I was young nya. I miss Big G, yet I can't have him again, nya. I want it again, and your one accepts everyone but me, nya."

Shirone loves Big G. I patted my junior.

"He didn't accept you because of the past. Our faith is not like Big G's. We earn everything in Iron and Blood. With mechanists, we see that Flesh is weak and that we must push through that weakness to earn strength. It's not going to be for everyone."

Shirone listened to the ideas and started to click with the faith. I encouraged her to do something. Shirone looked worried about that, but she tested it.

"Machine God nya."

Shirone froze, getting ready for pain. It never came, and this made her worry turn into a happy face on the white cat, who smiled at me and purred loudly. Hetvia and Mr. Cuddles were communing together. Now that I wasn't focusing on the Xbox, I noticed that Shirone was five inches shorter than me. Hetvia finally said something to me after her hug with Mr. Cuddles ended.

"I want to build the next one. I will be the first mistress of robots and will prove to the world that I am strong. My flesh is weak, but in iron, I will be reborn."

Hetvia gets the ideas fully. Shirone still doesn't, but she calls me something new.

"The Iron Prince nya. My Iron Prince nya."

That was now her wanted pet name for me. The white cat has a dreamy look in her eyes, and I will deal with the size scouter tomorrow morning. I won't let him enter there and do his shit. I must be showing my idea to my junior because Shirone shivers and wiggles around. I head pat Shirone before slowly trying to get up. Shirone hops out of my lap and then takes my hand. We go up the stairs so I can get ready to do my date.

When I was fully dressed in a proper outfit I waited in the main hall. Shirone was watching me from the kitchen where Maéva had made her sweets. Shirone told me softly she had two sins. The obvious ones in gluttony and lust. The second one she had been slowly accepting before him. That had regressed after the incident, and now she could feed it better with me. I was about to ask Shirone something when my eyes saw my ladies.

Rias and Kuroka were equally beautiful. Rias was in a conservative red dress that accentuated her beauty, and Kuroka was in a black dress that was risqué, with her right shoulder bare. Both came down the stairs and were beaming at my stunned expression. Rias blushed bright red and then became pleased with the look I gave her. Kuroka rolled her eyes as the two hit the bottom of the stairs.

"You are beautiful, Red. We all know that, and I expect you to protect him from the fan girls at the school. He's our lord, not theirs."

Rias nodded cutely there, and she grabbed my left arm while Kuroka took my right. The two lead me towards the door for our date, and Rias tells me that it will be at a fancy sushi place. I have not had great sushi before, so I ask as we step out into the night recommendations for it.

Dinner that night was wonderful, and Rias knows sushi. During the dinner, I was glared at by various people. Men for Rias and Kuroka and women who are wondering how I had two dates. Several girls Rias's age were looking at me with hearts while death glaring at an oblivious Rias. I learned during dinner that Rias was a late bloomer with her weeb side here. It had come out here because Japan had become her haven from Riser fully at the beginning of the year. Unlike the base reality where she had been that from learning it from Sirzches's knight. Kuroka didn't mind the bill as it had been wonderful fish heaven for her. As we went through the shopping district that held the place, Rias was extremely happy about how this was our night. She had squealed seeing a manga place and dragged us into it.

I paid for her twenty books that she puppy eyed me for and once bought she hugged my arm, and I smiled wide for her. Kuroka snickered seeing one of the books had a catgirl on the cover getting stammering from Rias.

Rias took our teasing well as we left the store. The night went on as we each teased one another about things, and this night was amazing. As we returned home through the door, I was greeted by Neri, who seemed extremely happy to see me especially, and she told me that she would like to make dinner for Ravel and me. I happily say to her that she is welcome to do so. Rias had such a good day today that she didn't get bothered by the fact tomorrow was Ravel's day. The three of us went up the stairs to enjoy the rest of our night.

Neri had listened to the ideas that her lord spoke about from the staircase. They were strange yet Neri had felt something deep down hearing them. Neri had come looking for him to grovel at his feet in thanks for her baby boy walking again. While she held him her baby had called their hero Omnissiah. She didn't know what that was or meant. Neri was in pure disbelief hearing parts of what he said. He was powerful, unlike her, yet he believed that he and Flesh were weak. Neri looked at him, who had saved her family from despair and couldn't understand that yet she wants to be strong like him. A mechanist was what he called himself, and his statement of faith made someone or broke someone. She will have faith in him. He who made her broken world whole again. Neri had wanted to be like him totally and so had gone down to the basement again. The lord had a cousin, and Neri learned after asking around the others in the house that this cousin was often in a small room there. Neri wanted to know what it was to be a mechanist.

The room was a temple to a god. Neri felt fear like she always had with them, who hated her existence. Her fear heightened, and she remembered the nobles who had never seemed to care for people like her. She was ready to run in fear. Yet her baby had faith in this noble. As she prepared to enter the temple, she saw two people praying together. Neri doubts if she could do this. Thus, the first step was made as she realized Flesh was indeed weak. Neri found the last scrap of courage long hidden away in her body and swore to be strong like him. She entered the temple fully and felt no pain only acceptance. Neri looked at the cog with the skull split in half and remembered that symbol on her baby's new leg. She felt courage come again, and she stepped forward to the pair. When she was behind the black-haired one, she froze and looked to the left to see the Red Dragon Emperor. Or rather, Empress. Why would one as strong as her feel weakness, too? The black-haired cousin spoke, and her voice carried the understanding of the questions Neri had.

"We all have it, from the lowest of farmers to the highest of Emperors. Flesh will always be weak. Only through acceptance of the weakness and then improvement upon it can it be conquered. With it being conquered completely, eventually, you come to the strength and certainty of steel. There, you become immortal like the great machine that is reality. Few get to that point, but not trying to fix your weakness means remaining at the bottom and never seeing life improve. Yet even those who don't reach the wanted end have a purpose. We are all cogs in the machine that is our civilization and species. Each person plays their part, and everyone needs to work together as one in harmony, like a machine. The Omnissiah recognized that truth, and now it goes to those of us who are lost. We all have a purpose in reality. Some in ways not known yet and others in ways that change every day. It takes faith to take the first step to break weakness. It's what holds you back from what you want in life."

Neri listens attentively to this before it all clicked as she finally understands the universe and her part in it. She now knows the weakness of flesh totally. To overcome it means to improve herself to be like the Omnissiah. Neri will believe in a God that had helped bring her baby his leg back. A God that brought to her lowly family a champion like the Omnissiah. As she reached her revelation, Neri wanted to spread this to others loudly and proudly. However, she realized she shouldn't do that. They needed to have her revelations to understand fully. Neri felt her new god touch her soul, accepting her utterly, and it was unlike the Morning Star, who was always silent. It was like being surrounded by music made from steam and a beating heart. It was pure comfort, and Neri never wanted it to go away now.

The maid of doubts now seeks the strength and certainty of steel. To be like the Omnissiah in every way. He was the machine that was man in all forms. She thanks her god and him. Neri knelt now, not in submission or fear that the nobles taught her. Now, it was by her choice. Akeno thanks her mother for teaching her Gods before she began to help the newest cog in the machine.

Sirzches was immensely enjoying the progress that his star son had made for the NKF. His information and the win had shaken the landscape of the underworld more in just two weeks than in two centuries. The GKF was fuming and decrying the Lord of Iron. They were demanding that he be removed from his position of nobility. They had tried twice on the floor of the Senate to remove this halfbreed filth. The Satans had moved to counter that and would not make the same mistakes again as they had in the beginning. They finally released the findings of their arrests to the nobility. Triple-checked and verified.

The GKF had seven major members of their faction dragged out in chains for backing the project to form a process to mass-produce super devils. What made the scandal worse was that the Naberius had used GKF resources to do this project for the foe that both parties in the underworld hated in the Old Satan Faction. That revelation had done lasting horrible damage. The Naberius were thrown out of the GKF completely. Both parties were watching them like hawks, and the pillar was now a pariah. Its lord swore up and down that they did not know they were working for the OSF. None believed them given the Naberius had only joined the rebels when the war was all but over. They had been accepted into the GKF when they had helped rat on seven smaller families, secretly assisting the OSF from within. Those families had been put to the sword being the lowest nobility. Now that the truth was out, this rat nature had returned to haunt the pillar.

The revelation that the Naberius continued helping the OSF after the war had made the GKF freeze internally as paranoia went through the roof, wondering who the other OSF plants were and how many there were. The Baels now had to clean house and search from the ground up for OSF supporters. The GKF may hold many of the same ideals as the OSF, but they were not them and had fought long and hard in the Senate to make that distinction. The Lord of Iron had given the NKF the first breathing space it had had in nearly five decades and future ammo against the GKF. The new addition of the Phenexs to the party had been a boon and the NKF was closer to having the same number of votes as the GKF.

Sirzches had taken this political victory just as he took this personal one that had entered his private manor through the wards.

Ajuka burst into the office and faced his best friend. Sirzches looked up from his paperwork, and smiled.

"Juka. You finally stopped hiding."

Ajuka was not amused by the tone of that voice. The greatest scientist of the underworld marched towards his friend, slammed his hands on the wooden desk, and snarled out.

"Where is my son? Why is he using that name that is not his!"

Sirzches was not intimidated by the rage on his friend's usually stoic face. The redhead man pulled a folder from his desk drawer that had been prepared by his pawn Beowulf long in advance for this possibility. Sirzches set the folder on the desk and pushed it to the green-haired man. Ajuka was not amused, and grew angrier. Sirzches answered the questions.

"He is under wards in a Gremory manor house on the surface. The reason he uses that name is because he lost his memories of life before the crash. This is his hospital report of the aftermath."

Ajuka was still angry as he picked up the folder and opened it. His face immediately went bone white as he read about the first injury. He began to shake, and Sirzches continued.

"He had to build a new life for himself while not knowing everything. It was Rias's queen who found him again. You know the girl, and she slowly brought him into our side of the world."

Ajuka went green, seeing an injury his boy had suffered. He didn't understand how his son was walking, let alone how he was able to fight Riser and move faster than he had ever before been able to. Sirzches asked his question.

"Did you ever know that he had a Longinus?"

Ajuka went wide-eyed. His son had a what!

"We never felt anything from him. Nomie and I checked often because of what happened when he was a kid with them. Which one?"

Sirzches frowned because that was not what he expected to hear from the expert in gear for devils. How could Ajuka have missed that?

"It's a completely new one. Everything your son's peerage used or wore was made by him with it. It has the potential to be stronger than Annihilation Maker in terms of a creation type."

Ajuka dropped his mouth to the floor wordlessly trying to figure this out. Sirzches was happy he had seen this. It was rare for Ajuka to be speechless. He had only seen that twice before now.

"He has made a sword for Nikola, along with what he calls mechadendrites for Grayfia. Our house has never been so spotless, and Milicas wants one, as do I. He has claimed to your father that he has plans to make more things to increase your former house's power."

Ajuka wanted to cry. His boy was an inventor like him. He would love to pick Alex's brain for ideas. He, however, remembered his son doesn't remember the past. How would they reconnect if half of it wasn't there? He feels doubt again before the skull split down the middle flashed again to him and he grew determined once more. He had failed him by hiding instead of being there during his recovery. He had run from his family, and now he must fix this no matter what. Sirzches saw his friend struggling with his regret.

"He knows your name and achievements. I'll bring you up to speed with his. Grayfia and I will get you in contact with him quickly."

Ajuka looked at the report again, and he began to see that this would be harder than he thought it would be. Shame filled him again, but that symbol was not going away in his mental eye. He will try for his now memoryless son. Ajuka sat down as Sirzches began to explain.

Mira was running in pure fear. Oh, how could she have thought things would get better? It had been refreshing for everyone in the peerage not to be hurt by their king and queen for a day. That day of being left alone while their king and queen were unconscious after they lost had made everyone happy and it had been like a paradise dream. Then Riser and Yunabella had woken up from their beds and immediately had gone on a rampage to in their words. Correct their weak pieces. Everyone had started running in fear, seeing the rage in their eyes. The person caught had been Isabela who was still limping slightly despite the Phenex tears that had been used on everyone after the game.

Riser and Yunabella had cornered Isabela in an entrance hall in Riser's part of the castle. The mask-wearing woman was shaking as she prepared for their abuse again. Yunabella had thrown a punch at Isabela in her rage and that punch hit an invisible wall. Yunabella froze and then got thrown back by an invisible force. When she landed on the marble floor, the peerage and Riser saw that Yunabella had a nasty black bruise forming on her face, exactly where their queen had tried to punch their fellow. Mira couldn't believe her eyes nor could the rest of them.

The suddenness of this injury had made Riser turn to the only woman he actually cared about. He ran to her, allowing Isabela to escape up the grand staircase to the others. Isabela wanted to weep tears of joy as did the rest of the peerage. Mira broke the first wall that Riser had made by letting out a cheer. That cheer attracted Riser away from Yunabella.

Riser grew pissed at Mira for her defiance and threw a fireball at his pawn. This act of insolence had earned her death. He would break the next pawn better. Mira froze at her incoming demise. Then it happened again. Riser's eyes widened to saucer plates as his fireball hit an invisible wall. The spell flew backward towards him and was so in shock that he took the fireball head-on. He regenerated and looked horrified before going on a rampage throwing eight more fire balls, one at each of his pawns and every single one returned and hit him.

The thirteen abused people in the peerage watched as Yunabella got up and tried her own spells at her peerage mates. Every injury that they would have taken, physical and magical, went back on Yunabella or Riser. It was nothing short of a miracle for the long-abused pieces. Mira finally broke from the stupor that they had been in when she heard a voice speak to her softly.

"The Omnissiah and his peerage are sorry they can't help you all any further than this. I, however, can help you all further. Accept this gift you are about to receive."

Riser roared in fury as he prepared a firestorm to throw at his peerage. They had failed him and should all die for that failure. He had been humiliated in front of the underworld and was now a laughingstock. Just as he was about to throw the firestorm, he was caught by people entering the entrance hall.

Ruval and Layla Phenex entered the wing of the family castle that was Riser's urged on by an extremely bad feeling they had suddenly gotten. There, they saw Riser about to kill his pieces. Ruval paled along with Layla. There were several servants behind them, and one of them was a nasty gossip. She would report this to the new department that dealt with abuse. Riser was going to fuck them over again being made the first example for the department. Ruval summoned a windstorm spell that contained the firestorm, and then Ruval showed why he was in the top five. He beat Riser black and blue. When that was done, Riser was a bloody mess again on the marble floor. Ruval stepped back, and Layla Phenex looked at her utter disgrace of a beaten-down son with contempt.

She looked at the scared members of Riser's peerage, and Layla finally did something that she had long wanted to do but never could because of her husband. She glared at her son and immediately said her demand.

"You will trade all your pieces except for your bitch of a queen to me Riser. I can't stand by any longer and allow you to be a piece of absolute shit to them. I failed to raise you properly."

Riser gasped at his mother's audacity. She couldn't do this to him! Ruval smirked sadistically and said something he had been hoping to tell his mother later.

"My wife has twins on the way, Riser. You're no longer needed. Trade them or else."

Riser's world continued to crumble. Layla was pleased to learn she would be a grandmother. She looked at Riser, and that was his final warning to withdraw his board.

When it was over, Riser was left with nothing but Yunabella. The two quickly disappeared from the hall where this had taken place, both with faces of pure humiliation. Riser now knows he was very close to being thrown out of the family altogether. Ruval told his little brother that if he did anything from this point forward that destroyed House Phenex's reputation, he would never be a Phenex again. Ruval followed after Riser to reinforce this point further.

Layla looked at the thirteen pieces she now had, and her face was one of utter apology. She looked at them and bowed her blonde head in shame.

"I'm sorry I never helped you all before now. I will try forever to make up for that. Please forgive me."

The thirteen women had pure tears of joy in their eyes at this. Rather than be angry at their new king for failing them twelve women ran to Layla and hugged her for ending their nightmare. That shocked Layla before she returned the hug.

Mira stood completely still because she saw their true savior. There, standing away behind Layla Phenex, was a ghostly figure wearing the face of Gregor Astaroth. It was smiling at the scene before it saw Mira watching him. The being's organic eye winked at her, as did the mechanical one on its right. The figure disappeared, and the voice returned.

"Enjoy your new life, Mira. Don't do what you think you should. Only do it if you can commit yourself totally otherwise, I won't be able to do more things like this easily. Trust one last time because your new king is a wonderful person who will never abuse you or the others."

That reassurance from a divine being broke the final wall for Mira. Her past as a former exorcist let her put the pieces together. Gregor Astaroth was a divine champion and avatar. He and his god had protected them even though they had been his foes at the game. Mira had pure and utter tears entered her eyes. That realization made Mira lose those tears as she gained an idol to look up to. Mira now rushed to her new king and joined the group, hugging her fellows. The thirteen women will enjoy this day and every other day of utter freedom from their tormentors. A miracle to add to the list.