Flesh is Weak

The past near and far returns.

The dinner that night was a soup recipe that Neri shared with Maéva and proved to be a massive hit with everyone in the house. Neri blushed and revealed that the recipe had been passed down in her family. Everyone praised the pureblood for it, and we continued to have a good atmosphere, making the maid smile wide.

As people were getting the next serving of soup, Kiryuu mercilessly teased a blushing Hetvia about something. Hetvia denied the teases and blustered that she was not doing what Kiryuu was implying. When I raised an eyebrow at Hetvia in question, Thoron answered with an amused smile.

"Via did something today while you were out. She got caught petting the next robot. What were you planning on calling him Via?"

Hetvia finger poked there for ten seconds before she answered.

"Mr Sparkles."

I outwardly smile while sweat dropping internally.

"We have a new place that can probably be better for your robots. How far along is Mr Sparkles?"

Hetvia brightened up, and she answered with excited eyes.

"He's almost done! He just needs his head plate!"

While I was discussing the eventual move with Hetvia, Rias bragged about her mission with us to an amused Kiba and everyone else who had not been there today. The blonde swordsman teased Rias that she would be a good swordswoman. That continued Rias's fantastic day, and she continued to brag while Akeno and Shirone snickered at their king being this happy. It was the odd one out in Xenovia who was strange.

She was watching me with a sad and desperate look on her face. I looked away from Xenovia, but Raynare poked me with her foot. I looked at my pawn, and Raynare shook her head before she looked dead straight into Xenovia's eyes, and that made the other perk up. The two had a conversation only they could hear, and I'm putting that down to Raynare's psyker nature. I fell into a conversation with Ravel over the rough plan for the village in the underworld.

According to Neri, the village is located in a valley that leads out to the plains where the grapes are grown. I wanted to visit there sometime this week or next to scout it to see if it would work. The rough plan was to get the first grape harvesters out before the second harvest. Given the warmer temperatures of the underworld, we have two growing seasons, and hopefully, we will be ready for the second season.

I did catch Rias and Kuroka giving each other a smirk mid-way through the meal that I was immediately suspicious of. I glared at them while they just continued smirking. I didn't like that they were both so smug about whatever they were planning. They departed, and I followed them with an eager Ravel after everyone was done eating.

As we entered the library, sitting on the couches by the fireplace, Rias and Ravel looked at me in pure curiosity. The two were sitting on either side of me while Kuroka stood behind me and held my neck, putting her head on my right shoulder. I let them get comfortable before I started.

"There is a second half of my gear. There is a conscience inside my gear that awoke during our training session. She and I have talked extensively, and it shocked me and answered many of my questions that were bugging me."

Rias and Ravel went wide-eyed. They both looked at me as I summoned Koriel and the anvil. Both my betrotheds looked at Koriel, and their mouths dropped to the floor, seeing the cybernetic eyes and the red robes. The trio stared at each other, and I let Koriel take the lead.

"Greetings to you both. I am Koriel Zeth."

Rias looked at Koriel with wide eyes as she was in pure amazement at the cybernetics. Ravel put it a bit more together.

"The things you build originate from her."

Ravel's face reveals a naked desire to know everything about this, and Koriel approves.

"You are correct. It's interesting to meet you in person rather than through my host's eyes. You are indeed what he thinks you are. He believes you to be a brilliant planner and you are indeed one similar to another I knew."

That made Ravel blush red before she got a pleased smile. Rias continued looking at Koriel in silence. She finally found her voice and said in a tone of awe.

"You influenced him what I have now is because of you."

Koriel turned her orange eyes on Rias as everything Rias had seen from the beginning fell into place. She shook, and I comforted her, which stopped the shaking. Koriel let a slight grin show on her face.

"You do and don't. A very dangerous and insidious thing tainted my version of it. Yours is free of its influence, and while it doesn't have enough cybernetics for my liking, I can see its appeal for people here"

Rias continued to look at Koriel, and Ravel put it together further.

"You are so alien that my only logical conclusion is that you are from a different reality. Is that correct?"

Koriel smiled wider, and she confirmed it.

"You are correct. It's still a novel idea for me to be here in what is, for me the far past. My time was in the 31st millennium. I have learned many things about early Terra that we could only speculate on there."

The eyes of Rias and Ravel widened, and I let my partner begin her side of the story while our audience listened in fascination. As Koriel explained, I felt Rias and Ravel squeezing my hands harder and harder. This explanation continued with Rias and Ravel asking dozens of questions, along with one occasionally from Kuroka. By the end, Rias and Ravel finally understand my desire to get stronger than anything on our planet. The tales of Orks and several other alien species of Koriel's reality and their possibility here make the two squeeze my arms. Ravel looked both scared by the possibility of those odds that could be, and at the same time, she was dreaming of planning things beyond the games. Her eyes at the end, like Rias, share our newly made dream of seeing Mars when Koriel revealed she had ship designs. This grew again when I told the two about the reader and what it could do. Rias and Ravel had looked at each other in silence before they made a decision together.

They swore to be with me on Wednesday as I took the next step on my body enhancements and every other step after. Denser bones and then an injection to my muscles. The synthetic weave would come later after I debated a bit with Mittelt about several universes that had those from which the reader could pull. It will be painful but shouldn't be as bad as the nerve rework. Only a half day of pure pain instead of the three of the original procedures. The sound of Rias yawning cutely made us look at a clock and realize it was close to one am.

We four got up as the anvil disappeared. We started heading towards our rooms, with Ravel and Rias holding me tightly. I was surprised when Ravel pushed past us into my room. She glanced at me to object, which I didn't. That acceptance from me, Kuroka, and Rias put a smile on Ravel that then went wider when I keyed her into the lock. The night began to come to a close as the four of us drifted away into the sea of the warp one by one, with me being the last.

That night, I dreamed of Rias, Ravel, Kuroka, and me having a picnic lunch at a park. It was wonderful and relaxed me. I was about to kiss my three when a massive explosion occurred, and a flaming red ball came down from the sky, slamming into the earth. The dream shook as a dreaded word was screamed out by a million voices.

Waaaaaagh!

That picture-perfect scenario morphed into me fighting through a horde of Orks as the city burned. There were numerous bodies on the ground of people I recognized as I fought to get to the manor. Akeno missing her legs, bleeding out onto a sidewalk. Kiba missing his arms from choppas leaning against a tree. Shirone and everyone else from my peerage were all dead from wounds inflicted by this rampaging horde of the greentide as they swarmed the city as far as the eye can see. I kept fighting Orks and I despaired that there are no space marines. When I was at our home, which was now burning, I was suddenly stomped into the ground. Bones crunched and I looked up into the eyes of a massive Ork. I hurt as my bones had pierced through my skin and were exposed to the burning hot air.

I recognized the Ork towering over me, casting a shadow. It's a primeork, and it laughed happily as Kuoh burned further. I was looking up at the primeork red eyes in pure fear. The blood ran out of my face as I saw the heads of Rias, Ravel, and Kuroka stuck on spikes across the back armor plates of this Ork, all screaming silently in death. The second stomp of said Ork woke me from this nightmare.

I woke up with a small whimper, still feeling the ghost pain from that stomp. It didn't wake up anyone else, thankfully. I blinked to get sleep out of my eyes, and the sight I saw was strange yet cute. Rias, Ravel, and Kuroka all snoring in unison. Ravel was sleeping on my chest while Rias and Kuroka held my arms on the right and left. The three are deep in dreams of their own. I don't feel like returning to sleep if it means seeing those heads again. I just enjoy being with my three. My unshakable redhead in Rias. The wonderful queen that is Kuroka and the newest member of this in Ravel. Even though we had only just gotten to know each other, we connected so quickly and well. I was silently considering how lucky I am to have them. That Ork, however, is bothering me, and I'm wondering if that was a prophetic nightmare of things to come.

The sound of my three snoring continued and was interrupted by Rias mumbling something.

"I want a few more minutes with him, Roka you had him yesterday."

That started a sleep fight between the three, and while funny, we need to do stuff today. I slowly started waking the trio. Groggy sleep eyes meet mine, and once everyone is up and off me, I start towards the bathroom for my shower. That dream of the Ork continues to haunt me today, and by the time I'm out of said shower, I am met by Rias and the others, who all seem to have decided on something as they slowly start going about their routines this morning. Ravel joined me on the walk out of the room, and she informed me of what they had been discussing.

"We will be holding a meeting with the others soon to get the issue of you settled. We will probably hold it today or Wednesday."

Oh, fun, the council of the harem. The look is plain to see on my face because Ravel shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

"From everything I have seen, this one will be vastly better than many in the underworld. I can see our knight and pawn are truly interested by the looks they sent you last night. The other cat will be the one we have the most trouble with. I don't like her, and considering what I have heard about her."

I understand that feeling, but Shirone continues to be good, and with him gone now she would be able to leave that behind. I still have doubts about her, but she honestly seems like she wants this and me. I looked at Ravel and said, absent-minded.

"The white cat continues to show her dedication to trying to be better. Give her a fair chance, but on probation. Her nekoshou nature makes this difficult, and I want her to have a chance with someone else in the future should she fail with me."

We were outside Ravel's room, and my bishop looked at me with a shake of her head, sending the drill hair in two separate directions.

"I can understand that thought process. Considering what I have learned from Kuroka about nekoshou, it won't go away once they truly fixate; they are near impossible to shake then."

I answered with a small frown.

"Like I said, probation. I have seen genuine improvement in her, and she has my tentative approval."

Ravel takes that, and she sighs before she moves towards her room.

"I will keep that in mind, but I will do my own interview with her today. Go do your lessons, Greg."

That last part slipped out, and Ravel froze then blushed extremely red. I smile smirk, and told her with that smile on full display.

"Call me that whenever you want. Rias and Kuroka already have that right, and I have enjoyed getting to know you. Despite how we started, I can see a firm future with you."

The smile that bloomed there was something I could add to the vault of good memories here. Ravel closed the distance between us before she kissed my cheek, and after that, she softly took my hand.

"Then call me Vel in private when it's just the two of us. You continue to prove to me that you meant that oath you swore on Sunday. I think I can eventually like the rest of this. Rias despite my past experiences with her, she isn't who I thought she was."

That moment between us was when we truly intertwined out of real things. Ravel reluctantly let go of my hand to get her shower and dress properly. Before she goes, I kiss her hand like a proper gentleman, getting a dazzling smile from her. She enters her room with that smile. I wish she and I could stay together here. Reality is sadly disappointing.

Entering the kitchen, I am met by a strange sight. That sight was a half glare off from Irina at Akeno while Issari was getting head pats from my cousin, who was smiling triumphantly at Irina. Irina growled at Akeno, and the triumphant smile turned teasing as Issari continued purring the whole time. I raised my eyebrows at this while Maéva continued to cook for everyone in the house. My maid filled me in with a small frown.

"The dragon brought her over today to meet everyone."

I snorted at Issari being this, and Irina glared at me now, and she barked out.

"Grasshead, tell your cousin to back off from my best friend!"

Akeno kept smiling and turned her violet eyes towards me in an I dare you to look, and I shrugged at Irina.

"This is a you problem, not a me problem. Talk with her rather than glare. Was the staff to your liking yesterday, Keno?"

Irina looked ready to blow a gasket. Akeno fufuing excitedly at my question.

"I love it, Lex. It helps with the regularity of my bolts, and I am especially excited about using it more. Cheer up, exorcist I'm not against sharing my kohai and you are pretty cute."

That made Irina freeze hearing that, and Akeno continued fufufuing while head pats came more often for the pervert getting more purrs. Issari finally opened her eyes to look at me, and I rolled mine, seeing the lust shining. I looked at the clock to see it was ten thirty, and Grayfia wasn't here with Geros yet. Maéva noticed that while cooking with her mechadendrites.

"Lady Lucifuge is preparing for your reunion with your father young master. She told me it would be a lunch at a restaurant here in the city around noon."

That made everybody here not Irina, freeze. Irina broke from her freeze and showed her ignorance of devil society.

"Who the hell is Grasshead's dad?"

Everyone gave the chestnut an Are you serious look, and it was Issari who answered her friend.

"Gregor-kun's dad is Ajuka Beelzebub Irin."

That made Irina's eyes widen, and she looked at me in horror and a bit of confusion. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they finally found him. I'm incredibly nervous now. Irina showed more of her ignorance than ever before.

"Why isn't your last name Beelzebub then?"

What do they teach at the exorcist schools? It is Akeno who smiles wide and enjoys the shock that comes from her revelation while shaking her head.

"The new devil kings are elected by votes exorcist. Gregor couldn't become Beelzebub unless he were elected. Ajuka Beelzebub is from the Astaroths thus my cousin is an Astaroth first."

Irina showed us all a different side of her there. She was deeply fascinated by learning that. Her stunned expression was where I started a probe.

"What is the official stance of the exorcist schools on devil society? Because that's a big thing for them to miss."

Irina finally broke from her amazement to huff out the answer.

"That you are all evil. The full stance is that you abuse the Lord's flock constantly and that you should be eliminated whenever possible. What more do we need to know? Devils have no society."

Irina was still mainly in that thought camp and was pinched by Issari. That got a whine, and I can't blame the churches for that stance. However, you should be studying your enemy for weaknesses to an extent. I poked with my next question.

"What about the angels? What's their stance on everything?"

Irina was about to answer the question, but a voice spoke up from the entrance to the kitchen.

"They don't visit us much here. The ones who interact the most with us here on earth are angels from the cadre of the under-seraph Metatron. However, they deal with the Orthodox Church the most because they are the only ones of the three who stay mostly true to his teachings."

It was Xenovia dressed in a casual blue T-shirt and a short pencil black skirt. Something haunted her eyes, and she didn't look directly at me. Irina immediately got pissed.

"We Protestants provide the most dedicated of the corp and follow the Lord's teachings perfectly! We are the ones actively fighting against the Norse and the other pagan religions that have survived in Europe's north! You Catholics are the ones stumbling the most, while the Russians are too busy doing nothing to contribute to the holy work! They watch aimlessly while we Protestant men and women give their lives for the Lord!"

Xenovia doesn't deny the claim.

"We do stumble the most because the College of Cardinals hamstrings us. They continue to slip further and further into sin. Our recruits are getting worse and worse training as the actual competent exorcists are driven out because of corruption or die like Vasco Strada."

My mouth almost dropped to the floor hearing that. What the absolute fuck Vasco Strada is dead! Xenovia looked at me now and grew sadder.

"We lost our best person in our third of the corp after he died, stopping an extremely strong devil king from taking over a town close to the Vatican. Vasco was the head of a growing reform movement in the Catholic church. His best friend, Ewald Cristaldi, tried to continue it, but he was excommunicated shortly afterward because he ran afoul of the Pope. It saddened my mother and me deeply because we believed in the ideas of this movement. I was chosen to wield Durandal because of Vasco's death. Vasco's legacy as a reformer tainted me in their eyes when I learned it. The Protestants are lucky to have Dieter Gwisdek as their best exorcist. He has mostly stopped the rot inside the Protestant churches from spreading towards their exorcists."

Who the fuck is Dieter? Irina saw my confusion and immediately embraced her knucklehead side, getting pissed at my ignorance.

"How can a filthy devil not know the strongest exorcist that we Protestants have ever produced! He's been graced by having one of the thirteen holy Longinus! He's a hero of the faith and my idol!"

Irina was still pissed with my ignorance about this Dieter and was judo chopped by Issari and Xenovia at the same time when she tried to strangle me. The chestnut fell to the floor with spiraling eyes getting fufufuing from Akeno and a sweat drop from me. Xenovia finally elaborated for me.

"He is the wielder of Zenith Tempest. He is admirable for his care of the faithful and, from what I understand, a well-regarded cook."

Oh, fucking shit! Dieter is this place's Dulio! Irina, with her spinning eyes, continues with the hero worship.

"His parents died when the East Germans tried a small revolt against the heathen communists. It failed, and he was smuggled out of the east by an angel from Metatron's cadre that was the sneakiest thing that the priests who took in Dieter had ever seen. She was said to seemingly disappear into thin air."

Ok, I know who that is. Raynare's voice confirmed that.

"He was terrified when I found him. He looked at me with big eyes, and his first question was whether I could cook him a good meal. Little Dieter serves Father well and is loved in Heaven for his deeds of faith."

Irina stopped having swirling eyes and looked at the source of Raynare's voice. She then jumped up from the ground extremely quickly and ran to Raynare. She excitedly pulled the black-haired woman into a hug and began babbling in excitement.

"Oh, by the Lord's grace, it's the greatest blessing ever to my prayers! I am finally saved from these devils by a pure angel! I knew I wasn't truly thrown out! Now beat down this evil black-haired devil trying to corrupt my Sari! You can also show the lord's light to this half-devil who worships some evil God! There is only one true God!"

We all sweat dropped there as the devils not me clutch their heads in pain. I throw a look at Issari and Xenovia, which makes Issari look at her friend in pure horror, while Xenovia looks at Raynare with a sigh that amplifies her new sudden depression. Raynare pats Irina on the back while sweat dropping more.

"My Great King worships a very good deity, young exorcist. He is one of many things that will one day save our planet."

Irina froze and looked at Raynare fully. She gasped out.

"How did Dieter's brave savior become a devil! Oh Lord, why have you forsaken me!"

Raynare answered there with a genuine grin.

"My Great King seduced me!"

Akeno fufufuing there at Raynare's tone and at Irina suffering from this new knowledge. Xenovia seemed to brighten up, as her eyes met Raynare's. She asked in a very polite manner.

"Perhaps you can give me tips on how to win his affection?"

What! That got more fufufuing from Akeno and a pissed Issari, who glared at me in hate for coming out further ahead of her in our supposed 'contest'. She was ready to strangle me again. Only head pats stop the pervert from doing the deed. Raynare unhelpfully smiles again.

"Absolutely! His favorite color is red!"

Xenovia somehow found a pen and a notepad. She started to take notes on it extremely quickly as Raynare told Xenovia things. Irina wept her sadness here looking at Xenovia with puppy eyes.

"How can you want him Xen! He's evil!"

Xenovia stopped taking notes and just shrugged at Irina.

"He isn't. He understands me completely like he does my sibling and the ones who will come later. He can give me what I have always wanted."

Sibling! Oh, fucking shit! I looked rapidly at Raynare, and she answered with a nod. I widened my eyes at Xenovia, and the blue-haired woman smiled sadly.

"I have always wanted my Cesario and Luana. I didn't see the other half of them until you said that place. They both will be masters of that style and be like their father. My brave little knight and ruler."

Raynare took a seat next to her fellow psyker, and she provided me with more information.

"Her strength is visions while mine is senses. Don't think less of her. She saw the truth and was punished for it by them. Give her a chance like you did me and be my Great King again."

Akeno kept looking at the two like they were crazy until Issari whispered into her ear and our god filled her in more. Her purple eyes widened, and then she looked at the two, and things clicked. I asked Xenovia.

"How long have you seen them?"

Xenovia smiles softly, remembering a memory that must be very important to her

.

"Since I was seven that's when they first appeared. I thought they were new kids at the chapel that we were living at. When no one else could see them, I wondered before taking it as a sign from him. No one ever believed they were real, and the only one who halfway believed was my mother. They have been with me every second of the day since. I only ever saw their faces as everything else was blurred. I began trying to find someone with red eyes after I heard them call me mommy last year. When you said that place, they bloomed out, and I finally saw their hair and everything else. My boy was wearing a sigil, where he would eventually rule. My baby girl was equally proud wearing the sigil of something to do with mech walkers. They were beside me, and you were beaming proudly at them."

I'm dumbstruck there, as is Irina and everyone else in the kitchen. Raynare pats Xenovia in support while Xenovia smiles the widest I have ever seen her, and her eyes hold tears. Irina continues to be dumbstruck until Issari explains psykers to her fellow knucklehead chestnut. Xenovia looks down, blushing before she continues.

"I was so down after because I realized that they might not happen. It wasn't until last night with her that I began to hope again. Please let me have them. I promise you will never have a problem with me I just want my Cesario and Luana!"

That was pure begging at the end. I note that it could become manic extremely fast. Raynare also saw that, extended her wings to wrap around her fellow psyker, and stilled her. Irina looked at the silver and was completely silent, gazing at the feathers and scales. I looked at Xenovia and replied with a sad tone.

"They might still not happen. Visions should never be the basis of a relationship. We are strangers and could be completely different people who don't click."

Instead of angering Xenovia, she instead smiled bigger than ever.

"Thank you! It's a reasonable one and not a closed-minded one! Now, sibling, tell me what he likes! I have a Red King to win!"

The two settled down to talk about me while I didn't know what to say. Issari finally growled and glared at me in hate. Her growls made Akeno show that she was enjoying herself today and head-pats her angry, sad dragon. I sighed.

"Pervert, I need your help for the next few days. I will be ultra busy today and tomorrow I will be undergoing an enhancement session for two procedures I will need you to get with Ravel and hit some of Kokabeil's bases. I will hit another today. Fair warning: We ran into a dangerous foe at the last one. They called him Siegfried Reborn."

Issari immediately stopped being sad. She instantly nodded her head yes, she will do this. Irina finally broke from her stupor, and she gasped.

"You ran into Siegfried Reborn!"

I immediately looked at the chestnut, and my question must have been clear, as Irina wasn't as offended by my ignorance this time.

"He's an extremely strong exorcist that many in the corps love. He was like Dieter in being a spokesperson for us Protestants until he took a serious head injury that changed him completely. He stopped caring and eventually just wanted more and more bloodshed. He was excommunicated earlier this year by all three of the faiths. He was in Rome at the time and went berserk on the Swiss Guard. He killed many of them and then stole several important things from one of the vaults underneath the Vatican before fleeing."

So, my theory of him being a closet sociopath was correct. Head injuries can fuck people up and change who you are completely. That checks out, and he's on the other side of the scale here.

"What was stolen?"

Irina's fingers poked together and was now hesitating to answer. Xenovia sent her a look that made Irina finally say the items.

"Two Excalibur blades being the big things. He also stole several holy relics and a suit of armor made from the dragon Saint George defeated in Britain at Fauld."

That made my blood run cold. I looked at Issari, and she had the same horror-filled face. The dragon Saint George defeated in the Warhammer universe was a C'tan by the Emperor in the guise of Saint George. Oh shit Excalibur is bad, but a possible C'tan is worse. Xenovia stopped writing her notes, and Raynare stopped talking simultaneously. I looked at Raynare, and her purple eyes were fixed on mine. My patron and the Shinto focused hard here, too, as the Shinto have been told what a C'tan is. Irina thought my new sudden concern was for the fragments of Excalibur, and she seemed pleased that I was 'frightened' by that. That joy turned to dread when she remembered her best friend, and she paled. I looked Raynare dead in the eyes and asked her.

"Was it the void one?"

Xenovia froze, and Raynare grew serious.

"Yes, it was them. Father immediately leapt into action when they came and tasked the first one like you to stop them. He, with Ascalon, fought the void one and mortally wounded them. However, Saint George was killed in the last stages of the fight. Father acted afterward, and he broke the dragon up. The scales went to the churches to store. The other parts of the dragon were made into the strongest twice-critical gear ever made. The gear would be designed to secure, contain, and protect the eventual wielder from its influence. Father is sorry for what he would ask of you, my Great King."

Saint George was a perpetual and had permanently died to stop the Void Dragon. Big G wants me to be its new prison warden. My patron said he would look through the system to find the user of the Void Dragon. He was getting deeper into the system and could use it to a degree because, unlike others, he was not hostile, and the system seemed to accept him.

He told me that Big G was not liked by many of the other pantheons, and they had always been hostile, trying to attack said system before and after his death. He also informed me that he had found something interesting but would fill me in later. Whoever they are, this person must be found as quickly as possible. I resent Big G a little here because it's another thing on the to-do list. This also explains why Freed escaped with his life during the fight. Issari saw my worry and immediately stepped up.

"I will see that he's killed. I'll get the armor so we can keep it from others. We will eventually need a place to store these things."

Irina got the tic mark again.

"Those things are holy relics of the church and the Lord! You will not hide Excalibur from the faithful!"

I rolled my eyes and snarked at the knucklehead.

"I don't want the swords, Fish Skull Taker. The armor is my priority. If it makes you feel better, I will return the swords to the churches after I have them."

That made the coming rant from the other stop instantly before the tic mark returned full force.

"I am not a fish skull taker! I have had many fish with all living long and happy lives!"

Issari has her tic mark now, and she points in repressed anger at her best friend while jumping out of the chair.

"You killed Swimmy-kun and more fish besides him, you liar! You are the Fish Skull Taker and I will have vengeance for Swimmy-kun!"

That started a brawl between the two as Issari leaped at Irina and tackled her to the floor. Akeno smiled wider than ever before and licked her lips.

"I will wear that costume again, my dragon girl, if you get vengeance for this fish!"

That egged the fight to new heights as Issari dragon roared and Irina spat out while punching back.

"I will save you from her, Sari. These impure thoughts are her way of corrupting you! I will be the greatest exorcist ever, saving the next Crimson Dragon of Righteousness from evil!"

The fight descended into a smoke ball with Akeno egging on her dragon while Irina gave as good as she got in the fight. I sweat drop badly. This showed me the two's relationship in their childhood. Tomboys that just wanted to bang each other while being too knuckleheaded to notice that.

Xenovia looked my way again, and her brown eyes flashed blue. I gulped, and Xenovia's eyes returned to brown. Whatever she saw in that moment made Xenovia look at me in pure lust and reveals her sin to me. Son of a Grox! Her eyes traced me up and down before she smiled seductively.

"I see where Cesario and Luana get their noble hearts from. Now, sibling, do you know what his favorite thing is?"

Raynare realized the threat and cryptically replied to the now massive horn dog that was her sibling.

"I don't know that."

Xenovia, however saw something, and she grinned even more lustily, getting Raynare and I to sweat drop together.

"I know now. My babies are exactly like their father. I will start working on that immediately to get the man of my dreams!"

Oh no. I immediately offered a concession to stop this spreading as Xenovia got ready to shout what I like.

"Talk to Ravel about their meeting! Please don't say anything about that!"

Xenovia continues her lusty grin but immediately understands something about me.

"I will keep it silent for you. They are like that, too. I will show you I am truthful about my intentions to win you!"

I want to weep that this crisis has been averted for now. Maéva, who had been deep into cooking food, turned around and saw the brawl in her kitchen. How she hadn't noticed it before, I don't know, and cursed this universe type again. Her eyes took on fire, and she drew three frying pans with her mechadendrites before advancing toward the brawl. Then, she swooped into the fray with an angry look.

"No fighting in my house! You're destroying my perfectly well-done floor!"

Frying pans make contact with heads and bodies in multiple places, sending the two knuckleheads flying together toward the fridge. Akeno continued enjoying the day, and I sweatdropped this time with Raynare and Xenovia. Maéva happily proclaimed her victory as the knuckleheads had spiraling eyes.

"I know all twenty versions of frying pan fu, and I will use them on the foes of my clean house!"

The knuckleheads clutching each other in fear as they look at the frying pans with head-shaped dents. Irina stammered out.

"She's like your mom but worse! She only knew six versions! We need to run!"

Issari shakes, too, but is a little braver than Irina.

"No fighting in pretty maid's house will be good."

The fact that the Red Dragon Empress was scared of her made Maéva extremely happy. She waved the frying pans to warn the two before returning to her cooking. The knucklehead duo relaxed a bit before Issari looked at Akeno with puppy eyes. The smile there was the answer, and a quick fist pumping happened before Issari looked at me again gigawatt grinning.

"I will talk to the Manager and get started on those bases! Senpai, let us battle together as we save the world and eventually get laid!"

Akeno fufufuing up an unholy storm there and making Irina gape at her friend.

"We will, my little kohai. With my lightning bolts, along with your sword and gun, we will be the greatest team. The exorcist is welcome to join us in these missions."

Irina grunted her answer while still looking wary at Maéva.

"Save the world, yes get laid, no! I will save you, Sari and the world will have the Crimson Dragon of Righteousness back! You're going down, devil!"

Akeno was not at all threatened and grinned sadistically.

"Oh, I won't be going down. You shall fall exorcist, and you will never look back. Come along I want to find the Manager and get my hands on some fallen!"

I was about to direct them to Ravel, but that was unnecessary. Ravel sat on my right, wearing a red shirt and short white pants.

"I will see you both after breakfast. Miss maid, may I please have your best muffins?"

Maéva beamed, showing off her culinary skills, and pulled out said muffins from a heater before handing some to Ravel and a newly arrived Rias and Kuroka. The three have star-filled eyes over muffins. They settled in for food while Xenovia continued taking notes for her horn dog ways.

The plan was for Issari and her co-captain in Akeno to take Irina, Thoron, Hetvia, and Kiryuu to take out this base that was inside an old hospital building. Hetvia would run the skulls and help an excited Mr Cuddles in his first real battlefield outing. The robot tweeted several things to his little sister, and Hetvia easily responded to her big brother. Irina looked at Mr. Cuddles in awe and a bit of fear. She also looked at the chainsword that her friend had in disgust. She glared at me when I offered her a set of carapace armor.

"My combat suit has worked well enough, grasshead I don't need your barbarism."

Issari was not amused and hefted her boltgun while scowling at her friend.

"You look like a scandal waiting to happen, Irina. While that's fun for the bedroom on the field of war, real armor is needed. Everything we use is made for real war. Stop being stubborn."

Irina looked at her set of armor and then at the chainsword. Her face showed her reluctance to use it.

"You say that like you expect one."

Issari glared back, as did Kiryuu. Issari looked unamused at her fellow.

"He tried to start a new war multiple times by manipulating the three factions. We will give him one in return. He wants us all to suffer, and despite the fact that you hate devils, who would suffer most from him?"

Irina looked down at the beige carpet.

"Us humans we have always suffered the worst of the world."

Issari holsters her gun and draws her sword before making it roar. Irina jumped at the noise and looked again at the sword in wary caution.

"This sword made me, who had no training or knowledge of fighting, ready to fight evil. That armor was worn by men and women who fought horrors and didn't flinch. You dishonor the Solar Auxilia and Tempestus Scions who wore that armor and made people like me take on things beyond the supernatural. They who were like your fellow exorcists trying to protect humanity. Wear the damn armor. You want to be like Dieter, well, here's your chance. Then do it now and show dogs like him humans are not playthings that you can use and abuse."

That charisma makes Irina look at her friend in awe and shame. Her desire to be like Dieter makes Irina finally take the carapace.

"Who are these Solar Auxilia and Tempestus Scions? I have never heard of them before."

Issari was blunt and told the truth.

"Warriors of another reality. Honor them who fought against the horrors of an uncaring galaxy. Honor them that put themselves through torture to become stronger and discard some of the weakness of flesh to be warriors of humanity."

Irina was wide-eyed. She looked at everyone, searching for a hint that Issari had gone mad. She found none. Akeno knew things about this, probably thanks to her dragon, and she shrugged.

"My kohai and cousin know what they went through. They indeed exist."

Irina looked at Issari and then finally said in a small voice.

"Tell me of them."

That led to the team moving out for that base, with Issari telling a tale of the Solar Auxilia. It was how they willingly charged through a life eater virus gas cloud to kill space marines. The last thing I see before they leave is Irina's face in pure fascination. Leaving me alone with my thoughts. I was worried about the reunion and how it would either break us apart or forge us stronger than steel. I doubt for a second if I can live up to the promise I made Nomie. I slowly went up the stairs, thinking about this, and went past the empty kitchen.

I made my way to the bedroom to get into better clothes, and I caught Ravel talking reluctantly with Shirone on the second floor on Rias's side. Shirone caught sight of me, and her eyes took on star hearts. I noticed now that she was three inches off Ravel's height. Her eyes looked at mine for approval, and I half smiled for her. That made Shirone blush, as her cat ears popped out, and that clued Ravel in that I was here.

"We will continue this later."

Ravel was being a hard ass, and Shirone didn't reply. Before she winked at me and started skipping off, happy with something. Ravel finally looked back in my direction, and she had a face that wasn't amused. She moved towards me with a frown, and once next to me, she finally huffed out in frustration.

"She means it, and I can't say no easily. I can't find a reason to say no after what she has told me you did for her."

There is the romantic, and I rolled my eyes internally because making a person die from a heart attack and a stroke together is not romantic when you know the details. Ravel didn't need to know that and continued.

"She said that you have agreed to be her senpai and to protect her from anyone who would hurt her. Why do you have to be so noble? It's attractive and makes me want something we are not ready for!"

So that's Ravel's kink. Nobility. I can't help that much, and Ravel glared at me with lust and frustration.

"Why are you so damn noble!"

Seeing her hot and bothered is fun. I smile smirk.

"To get my beautiful betrothed to this point. I like what I see."

Ravel glared at me, and her blue eyes were full of fire and lust.

"You are pushing it, and I am not an easy girl."

That just widened the smile smirk.

"Never would want that from my Grand Planner."

This is fun, and our flirting is making us both enjoy it. Ravel's face was scrunched up in anger and lust, and those blue eyes watched me with slit pupils. I sighed, however, ending the fun we were both having.

"As much as I want this to continue, I sadly have lunch with a Satan soon."

Ravel dropped her angry, lusty face and then dropped her mouth.

"They found him! Rias filled me in on everything regarding that this morning. Oh, I need to get properly dressed!"

Ravel ran towards her room past me. Rias and Kuroka poked their heads out of our room, and Ravel shrieked out for them.

"They found him get dressed! Our husband needs support!"

That made the others freak out and run around like chickens without heads, and I hate that this will probably make me late. I spent my time herding a freaking Rias, an equally freaking Kuroka and was eventually helped by a less freaking Ravel. When we were all ready and down the stairs, we were met by an unimpressed Grayfia. She wasn't in her maid clothes today. Instead, She was in an extremely conservative white summer dress and eyed the three standing beside me. Ravel was in a yellow summer dress, Rias was in a red one, and Kuroka was in a black one. When Grayfia looked at me in question, I sighed and didn't rat them out. Grayfia put it together and then sighed herself.

"He is nervous that you hate him for the crash and will be even more nervous about the three of them there."

Ravel showed her bravery in the face of the strongest queen and replied without hesitation.

"He's nervous about this too, and we are his support as your Lord Beelzebub's."

Grayfia didn't deny that and then thought better of fighting this. She opened a portal to the restaurant, and when I raised an eyebrow to cover my nerves, she took it as a question.

"The owner of the place has been paid handsomely for its use and knows the other side being a contractor of your sister Rias. She offered this up for the meeting."

I slowly moved through the portal with Rias, Ravel, and Kuroka all holding onto something of me, and we entered an extremely fancy Italian place. Grayfia pushed us to the back part of it, and as we entered, we moved to a fancy oak table with chairs set on the sides. Once we were seated, Grayfia kept standing and looked at the corner of the room. A portal opened there, and it bears the symbol of Beelzebub. Out stepped the man who had been missing for so long. Ajuka Beelzebub in the flesh dressed in a casual black and green businessman checkered suit.