AN: Following a new theory for storyboarding. This story is a bigger experiment than my other works. It's also a side-project until I figure out what the shit I'm doing for everything else. Don't expect frequent updates.
But other than that, I still hope you like it and let me know what you think.
On with the show!
"Rias, we can't ignore this any longer," Sona said. A small frown could be seen at the corner of her lips. "Our usual method is no longer producing any results."
"I know, I know," Rias sighed. She also had a frown as she lazily swayed her chair left and right. "I haven't had to send my peerage out to deliver coupons since we first enrolled. We've gotten a good amount of new clients but…"
"But none of them have returned," Sona finished. "Yes. We're having the same problem on our side. Most don't fill out the survey. But those who do…"
"They are satisfied with our work but think the prices are too high," Rias finished this time. "We're even beginning to lose some of our loyal repeat customers. Something has to be up."
Both Sitri and Gremory Devils were troubled. They started to see signs of their clientele starting to decline as early as half a year ago. At first, none of them paid it any concern other than to treat it as a slight in their peerage's handling. But as the months progressed, the number of contracts dramatically declined. It reached a point to where hardly anyone was summoning anyone from their peerage. There were days where they had nothing to do.
They couldn't figure out what went wrong. None of their customers were ever unsatisfied with their summoning. Whatever they wished for was met with professional efficiency and courtesy.
See, that last part was a big deal. Try finding a nice Devil who will dress in cosplay and not smite you just for asking.
"Do you think it's the Fallen?" Sona asked.
"You mean the ones laying low at the abandoned church?" Rias pondered the idea. "No, I don't think so. They're too few in number and have been keeping to themselves. Something like this would need a bigger force."
"Rias," Sona spoke sharply, "something is taking our contracts away from us. My investigation shows their minds haven't been tampered with. Nor is there any residue from a holy affinity. Simply, they are going somewhere else."
Rias blinked and looked straight at Sona, "You think so? As in… another Devil has opened up shop? In our territory?"
"Buchou~" sang Akeno, appearing into the clubroom in a flash of light. She approached the desk with a flier in her hands. "I have the answer to our little problem."
The three of them peered over the desk to read the flier.
"…A maid café?" Sona asked with a raised brow.
"Akeno," Rias leaned back into her chair. "There are hundreds of them across the city. They're nothing special. Where did you even get this idea from?"
"From one of my regulars," she answered with a sweet smile… and a disturbing blush gradually increasing. Both knew what it meant. "He's been ignoring me for the past month. I assumed he was busy with his job, being a CEO and all. But making a girl wait… I just couldn't have any of that. So I invited myself into his office and… asked."
Akeno looked away as she began to cackle quietly to herself, lost in a dreamy, heated memory.
"…I see," Rias said simply as she picked up the flier to read it in better details.
"So he's been going there instead of to you?" Sona inquired. "Did he give any reason as to why?"
Akeno pouted, "He said it was more convenient for his schedule. Something about no longer needing to wait until night and make his wife suspicious. He gets to go there during lunch. Oh, and apparently, he can get away with it by using it as a work expense! He gets to hold business meetings there!"
"…At a maid café?" Sona asked with a heavy amount of skepticism.
"The wine selection is top quality, or so I've been told," Akeno muttered.
"But that's just one client," Rias sighed as she put the flier back down. "Let's even assume it took all of our male clientele. It doesn't explain why some of Kiba's regulars haven't requested anything lately."
"Flip it over," Akeno responded, twirling her finger in gesture.
Rias did. She said nothing as she stared at the other side.
"And it's a butler café?!" Rias slammed the paper back down. "What kind of place is this? No, I absolutely refuse to believe a single establishment like this is the reason for our problems. I can understand if it took some of our clients. I'll even believe if it took half of them. But all of them? There's just no way!"
"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth," Sona recited while fixing her glasses. Despite what she said, she had a sour look. "It is the only lead we have, Rias. We should at least check it out."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," Rias shrugged. "They are still open. Best to get this done as soon as possible. Akeno, do you mind staying here and managing everything while I'm gone?"
"You mean I can't give them a piece of my mind?" Akeno sulked. "I suppose. Though there isn't much to manage with the way things are."
The Sitri and Gremory Devils nodded to each other, went to the furthest corner of the room, and used the magic circle etched under the carpeting to teleport to a nearby address listed on the flier.
Akeno was left by herself. She looked around. Due to the boredom of nothing to do, she had already scrubbed the room clean. The paperwork was filed. There were no new messages or urgencies that needed her attention as Rias Gremory's Queen. She even had her homework finished.
She could only sit on the couch and daydream about all the wondrously terrible things she was going to do to whoever was at fault for her boredom. She had accumulated a lot of stress over the past couple of weeks with very little to vent it on.
Before she knew it, Kiba had returned from his request. She knew he had done everything he could to drag it out as long as possible for the same reasons. She told him where Rias had gone. A while after that, Koneko returned, who had been lucky enough to be double booked. Akeno repeated the same story to her.
But after that, they received no more requests for the night.
"We should call it a night," Akeno said. She had switched over to Rias' seat and played around with her things. She was reading the manga Rias thought was hidden with her fake glasses. "It's not even midnight."
"Shouldn't we wait for Buchou?" Koneko asked.
"I have no idea when she'll be back…" Akeno said but started to let her voice drift off as soon as she started to feel a familiar energy. A second afterwards, the room lit up as the magic circle came alive.
Rias stepped out when the light died out. She had a very satisfied smile on her face as she held a Devil's contract in her hand.
"Oh good, everyone is here," she said as she looked around the room. "Listen up everyone. I have an announcement. As you are aware, we've been struggling to make our quota for contracts. This is because our hunting grounds are no longer wild. They have been cultivated due to the human's ability to progress their civilization at a rapid pace while we have been left to starve.
"But we are Devils. We adapt and follow their lead. We blend in. And that is why, as your King, I managed to score us the contract of the century. No, of the millennium! With this contract will we be able to make a hundred others!
"Everyone, we are going to start employment at this servant café!"
She probably expected cheer. She came in giddy and excited. Almost to the point she was nearly hysterical.
All she got in return was silence.
0-0-0
Two hours before…
"Welcome back, Hane-san," greeted the female receptionist at the lobby. "It's so good to see you again. How have you been?"
"Oh my goodness…" the woman, Hane, who was dressed in a prim and proper no-nonsense business suit, nearly drew her hand to her lips. "It's been over a month. I didn't think you'd remember me."
"As if we'd ever forget a refined woman," the male receptionist quipped back. "I also believe your waiter last time was… Yusuke-san."
"He's available tonight if you don't mind waiting another twenty minutes," the female receptionist looked down at a screen hidden behind the counter. "Or would you like to select someone else in the available list?"
The girl pulled out a tablet. On its display was a list of names and characteristics. And beside each slot was an image of the employee.
"Yu-kun was so charming last time…" Hane muttered below her breath. She blushed, cleared her throat, and looked back at the two with a dignified look. "I don't want to insult him by choosing someone else. I will wait for Yusuke-san."
"Would you like your arrangements the same as last time…" the girl gave a mischievous smirk. "Or would you prefer something a little more… private? It is a little noisy tonight. All our rooms are soundproof."
Hane began to sway. She paused before answering.
"T-That… sounds reasonable. Yes. I would like a private room."
"Certainly," the girl pulled the tablet back and began to fiddle with it. She pulled out a buzzer and handed it to the woman. "Here's your number. We'll give you a call when everything is ready."
Both receptionists bowed. Hane accepted the buzzer, clutched it close to her chest, and went to wait on a nearby couch within the lobby. She kept staring at the buzzer like an impatient schoolgirl, glaring at it to hurry up and activate.
Rias and Sona exchanged a look.
The place was set up like most restaurants. There was a lobby at the front with a few couches and benches for waiting. There was an archway to the left which led to a bar. And there was a hallway to the right which led to the facilities.
Behind the reception desk was a clear view of the restaurant itself. There were rows of tables set up in no particular order with booths lined up against the walls. Some booths were the traditional facing-each-other sort and some were circular where you had to scooch towards the center. The entire setup was simple.
Last, at both the left and right ends of the dining area were a set of archways that led deeper into the restaurant. And towards the absolute back were the swinging doors that led to the kitchens. They saw a long table taking the majority of the room on the left while they could not see what was towards the right.
Everything had been set up to let the employees of the establishment to not only move freely and swiftly without bumping into anything but to be visible to everyone. Be the observer be dining, walking around, to even just walking through the front door.
True to the word of the flier, it really was a combined maid and butler café. All of the servers were dressed in modest serving attire of Victorian style.
"Hi there," the female receptionist gave an elegant and delighted smile. "Is this your first time visiting?"
"Yes," they both answered right away.
The male receptionist gave them an appraising look with a charming smile. He didn't say anything as he went to examine something behind the desk.
"Welcome!" the female receptionist perked up. "Since this is your first time, we would like to give you either one free activity or desert. That's one for each, by the way."
"Thank you," Sona nodded. "We're a little new to all of this. My friend and I just recently came across this coupon and thought to try it out. Can you explain how things work?"
"Of course," the girl's grin grew as she saw the flier in Sona's hands.
"Hey guys, I can help you over here," the male receptionist spoke up suddenly, gesturing to the group of boys waiting in line. "Ah hey, it's you three again. Sup?"
"Lolifor-sama! After this visit we'll get our ninth stamp!" said one of the boys.
"Aw yeah! We're back for some of the ladies!" said the second.
"One more and we get another free VIP treatment!" said the third.
Rias recognized them. These boys were known (and despised by the female populace) as the Perverted Trio. She didn't know much about them. Only by reputation. It was said they enrolled into Kuoh Academy for the sole purpose of obtaining girlfriends. But… their lust is simply out of control. They had no shame in expressing their love for anything perverted. They also had no sense of boundaries or privacy.
Nothing was beneath them if it meant they could see a little extra skin.
But Rias also heard their habits had been gradually dying down. They were less eccentric. In fact, the rumors about them were starting to fade away. They were becoming less the gossip of the day to mere reminders of fearful days.
Surely… it couldn't have been because of this establishment.
"Hey, you," the female receptionist pulled out a pen and jabbed it into her coworker's side. It shocked him and he jumped. "You're being too loud. I'm trying to work here."
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled while rubbing his side. He returned to the three. "Alright. Your stuff is ready. Thanks for setting an appointment this time. Oh, and all the girls you requested are available tonight. Ise, Asia's been looking forward to this all week. Take good care of her."
"Eh, Ise, you chose Asia-chan again?" asked one of his friends.
"Asia-chan is the innocent-type," commented the other clinically. "Plus she's a foreign beauty. Of course our Ise fell to her charms. But, come on man, I thought you were a breast man."
"I will always be a breast—" the boy, Hyoudou Issei, began to raise his voice in protest.
"Rules!" the male receptionist leaned over the counter and stuffed one of the buzzers into Issei's mouth. "Remember the rules! I feel you, bro. But this is a public place. You don't want to have another chat with Mil-tan again, do you?"
The three's faces turned ashen white.
"Good," the receptionist fell back to his side of the counter. He eyed the pager in his hand… covered in Issei's spit. He tossed it into a trash bin underneath while using his clean hand to fiddle with a tablet. "Please wait right here while I call the girls."
"…Did you get all that so far?" the female spoke up.
"Yes," Sona nodded. She looked towards Rias when there wasn't a follow-up response. "Rias? Did you hear any of that?"
Rias snapped back around. She had an apologetic smile, "I'm terribly sorry. I missed your explanation. Sona, do you think you can decide for me?"
Sona gave her a look. It told her they weren't here to mess around. She needed to focus.
"It's perfectly understandable," the receptionist offered with a patient smile. And then she stabbed her counterpart with the electric pen. "It's best you both understand so to have the most enjoyable experience possible.
"It's like any dine-in," the girl went on, waving a hand across for emphasis. She brought up her tablet for them to see the roster. "Any one of our servants here is available right now. If you like, I can take you to a table and a random servant will be yours for the evening. Or, you can look through our list and choose any that catches your eye. From there, they will explain the finer details of your visit as well as optional entertainments and delights you may be interested in."
Sona flicked a finger through the tablet. A brow was raised at the number of selection working tonight. There was also a filter to discern the gender, personality, appearance, and age-range.
She tapped on one random boy. His profile expanded to give greater detail. Such as his current education level, his hobbies, his hopes and dreams, and a short message from himself to the client.
At the bottom was a confirmation button… as well as list of options.
"I can request how he treats me?" Sona asked. "How does that work?"
"Well, some girls like the total Onii-sama character," the receptionist gushed out. "Or the timid younger classman. To even the rough street punk with a heart of gold. Though, I will warn you now results will vary depending on the chosen."
Rias and Sona exchanged another look.
"We would like to request the best butler you have available," Rias spoke up. "We want our experience to be the absolute best. First time being here and all that."
"The best… huh?" the receptionist pulled back her tablet and began to scroll through the roster. But her eyes weren't focused on it. They were sharp with something else on her mind.
The two receptionists exchanged a look.
"Would you like your arrangements to be in the dining room or in a private room?" the girl asked.
"An open table is fine," Sona answered for them.
"It will be just a moment then," the girl said in a simple tone while keeping up her smile. "Here is your buzzer. Please wait while we setup the arrangements."
"Thank you," both said and went to take their seat in the lobby.
Rather than playing with the tablet, the girl picked up the phone and dialed a number. She cupped the receiver with her hand while speaking quietly into it. Her expression was calm and practiced, as one would after making a profession of doing so, but her eyes said otherwise.
"What do you think?" Sona asked.
"So far I don't see what makes it so special," Rias admitted as she looked around again. The furnishings were lovely but not spectacular. "I'm a little overwhelmed with the options. But I guess that's why they have the choice to take a random table. What about you?"
"I can't say," Sona said with a tilt of her head. "Remember what we're here for."
"I know!" Rias gently pushed her friend. "I haven't forgotten. Honestly, Sona."
They didn't have to wait for very long. The business woman, Hane, was received by a scandalously young man who couldn't possibly be older than a first-year of high school. Shortly after, the Perverted Trio were escorted by a trio of maids— two of which were Japanese beauties while the third was a foreign girl with blonde hair and green eyes.
"It's Quinn!" a group of girls across of Rias and Sona gasped. They all huddled together at the couch with the center one clutching her buzzer as if it was the winning lottery ticket. "Did we get the VIP raffle?! We won a night with Quinn-sama?!"
A man in his early twenties entered the lobby. He was tall and built with lean muscle despite the layers of the butler suit he wore. His hair was blonde and fell pass his shoulders and eyes as blue as the sky behind thin-framed glasses.
He had a porcelain beauty to him. He had the features of something inhuman. The combination of a Devil's charm, a Fallen's seduction, and an Angel's discipline all bundled together in everything about him.
He stopped to ask something at the front desk.
The female receptionist gave him a look and hit a button.
At that moment, the buzzer in Sona's grip came alive. It vibrated and flashed red.
"Please, allow me," the young man, Quinn, crossed over the room to reach Sona before she could stand. He extended his hand for her.
"Thank you," Sona said, trying to discern the man's origins. Already her mind was going through possibilities. His grip was gentle but without a doubt powerful enough to crush her hand with a hairline's layer of control.
He wasn't human. He couldn't be. A vampire, perhaps? He certainly didn't belong to any of the Biblical Factions.
Quinn performed the same feat to Rias, who gladly accepted. She was just as unfazed about him as Sona. And she too had come to the same conclusion and tried to solve the problem inside her head. All without giving away a single expression.
Whether Quinn noticed or was off-put by their reaction, he didn't show. Instead, he gave a courteous bow, introduced himself, and asked them if they would like to have him as their butler for the evening and how honored he would be for it.
He was certainly charming, they'll give him that. But it felt like they were in the scene of a shoujou manga.
They followed him (ignoring the cries of disappointment from the party of girls in the lobby). He led them to a small table at the center of the room, pulled out their chairs— Sona first and then Rias— and then went over the menu with them.
More options. More overwhelming options. He pulled out a hand-held tablet from his inner pocket and showed them what could be purchased. Meals, drinks, deserts, to even activities.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An exotic special of the day. Not on the menu? Then a request to the chef can be made.
There were so many different blends of sodas, teas, coffees, and beverages in every color of the rainbow. Not on the menu? Then a request to the bartender can be made.
Oh. There was the wine selection Akeno had mentioned. It certainly made Rias and Sona blink. Some of the selection was high-class. As well as other alcoholic beverages.
The desert menu was more of an inventory list of things found in a candy store and a bakery. Not on the menu? Then a request can also be made.
Activities were games available at the table. There was a long list of card games— and not just traditional playing cards; things like Pokemon, or Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic the Gathering, and other things neither of the girls recognized. And there was a long list of board games as well.
"It certainly is something…" Sona leaned into her chair as she thought aloud. "I see why this place is so… regarded. There is always something to do. Endless combinations."
"I can just sit here and read my series?" Rias blanched as she continued to look at the activities section. "Manga? Anime? Movies? Music? Video games? Honestly, is there anything you don't provide?"
"I take it as my professional pride to always be able to cater to the needs of my mistresses," Quinn answered in a humble voice. "If there is anything you have in mind, please do not hesitate to ask and I will serve you to my utmost best."
Sona and Rias exchanged another look.
Here was their chance. They needed to get to work.
"How often do you get strange requests?" Rias jumped in. "I mean things like… cosplay dress-up or… treating the girls like princesses?"
"Both are more common than you might think," Quinn answered without hesitation. "In the activities section you will find some examples. Though those can only be performed within a private room otherwise it distracts the other customers, you see. I can pretend to be any particular character in any media and fulfill any role. The café also has special events such as ballroom dancing, performances of plays, date-nights with any servant of your choice, private movie screenings, and concerts. Those, however, are exclusive to our VIP ticket holders."
They exchanged another look. This time full of worry.
"This is all a bit… much," Rias admitted.
"I am terribly sorry," Quinn said and sounded like he meant it. "You wouldn't be the first to be so distraught over the selection. Might I suggest starting with something simple? Perhaps some tea and a sweet snack? Do you have any preferences or shall I surprise you?"
"Surprise us," Sona requested.
"Any allergies I should be aware of?" Quinn asked next. "I wouldn't want anything to happen through my carelessness."
"Nothing from either of us. Thank you."
He excused himself and headed towards the kitchens.
"Do you think we should throw parties?" Rias asked with a thoughtful tone. "You know, invite our clients and have them dance with us or something? Either as a reward or maybe a chance to draw up more contracts during?"
"…If it comes down to it," Sona considered. "Rias, look over there. The man with the orange tie."
Rias was able to see where Sona's eyes drifted towards without having to turn her head. The sight of a Devil transcended that of a human's. She saw the young man in his early thirties chatting away with one of the maids. He looked stressed while she was comforting him.
"That was Ruruko's client," Sona said. "And the bald man to your left; that was Yura's. Looking around… I recognize a lot of the people here."
Rias let her frown show for the moment as she looked around. Nobody paid her any attention while they were distracted by their own fantasies. Unfortunately, she too recognized a good number of people.
"So it is true then…" she sighed and went back to facing Sona. "I don't believe it. This place, just one place, has taken our clients! What do they provide that Devils can't? We grant wishes!"
"At a cost," Sona pointed out. She picked up Quinn's tablet and looked through the contents. Her eyes flicked across the screen while scanning both the items as well as their listed prices. "You can eat whatever you want. You can experiment. You spend time with impressive looking company. You can even customize your experience to fit your fantasies. You can wish for seemingly anything."
She put the tablet down and looked squarely at her friend. "Rias, they are offering exactly what we provide as Devils. At a lower cost than what we charge."
"…We seriously can't be losing to a maid café," Rias said bitterly.
Sona tapped her under the table with her foot. Her eyes had flicked up and spotted Quinn returning with a silver tray. He had a very lovely tea set, the kind that wasn't cheap even to the standards of the pair of High Class Devils. He thanked them for waiting and poured them each a cup while preparing a dish of a baked good.
He also asked them if they wanted fresh crème with their strudel. Sona declined; Rias accepted.
Sona cut into the strudel with a fork and knife and took her first bite. Rias first took a sip of the tea.
Both paused after the first taste.
Slowly, they put their hands down and stared in silence.
"Is everything to your liking?" Quinn asked. He stood erect and ready to ready to respond to any of their requests.
"…It's better than Akeno's," Rias said in a low voice. Her hands cradled around the cup before taking another sip.
"So that's it then…" Sona muttered below her breath. She adjusted her glasses before speaking up to Quinn, "Quinn-san, are you permitted to join us at the table and exchange a few words?"
"If I have your permission I would gladly join your company," he responded. "You are my mistresses for the evening."
"Then please," Sona nodded.
He grabbed a chair from a nearby table and seated himself between them. He smiled at them both and began to converse, "Based on the uniforms… you are both students from Kuoh Academy?"
"We are," Rias responded, still refusing to let go of her tea. "We are both third-year students. But never mind about us. Tell us about yourself, Quinn-san. I didn't see your profile at the front desk."
"Ah, that is because I am not a regular butler," he locked eyes with Rias while gesturing with his off hand. "I am what you might call the Head Butler of this establishment. I am tasked with training the new male employees and managing their duties. I do, on occasion, step in and perform from time to time. Such as right now."
"Are you the manager of this place?" Sona cut in.
"No, I am but a simple servant," he said quickly.
"Where do you come from, Quinn-san?" Rias went back in. "Your Japanese is flawless, by the way."
"Thank you," he smiled at the compliment and took it sincerely. "America, actually. Most of my time was spent in Los Angeles but I regularly traveled across the country on business."
"Do you know any other languages?" Sona asked.
"I can also speak English, French, Italian, Arabic, and Spanish," he answered without a hint of pride. "America is a very broad country with many different dialects and customs."
"That's quite the number of languages…" Sona muttered slightly impressed. He could be telling the truth. Or he could have an ability like Language of the Devils. "Was there a reason for you learning so many languages?"
"I must say it was due to the demand of my profession of choice," he said, looking away with a thoughtful expression. He adjusted his glasses before looking back at Rias. "Mistress, would you like another cup?"
"O-Oh," Rias blinked as she realized she had finished her tea. She did want another cup, but the light kick to her shin under the table said they had higher priorities. "No thank you, Quinn-san. Please continue telling us about yourself. How long have you been working here?"
"Since the founding of the establishment," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.
"And how long has this place been here?" Sona asked. "It's a little out of the way from our normal route to school. Tonight was the first time we've heard of its existence."
"We will be celebrating our seven month anniversary on the following Friday," he stated.
The two Devils exchanged a look. Seven months. A little more than half a year and around the same time their summoning requests began to dwindle.
There was no more doubt this place was connected to their problem.
"Quinn-san," Sona's eyes became sharp as she regarded him. "Can you tell us a little more about this place? It all seems so interesting."
"Certainly," he said with a charming smile. "Anything for my mistresses."
0-0-0
An hour later, the two Devils learned what they could without raising suspicions. They blended in their questions with inquiries about Quinn and a few topics to gossip about. The way he spoke with them was familiar, friendly, and charming without any clear intentions. It was as though he had been their friend for a long time and the three of them were catching up on past events.
"Thank you for a wonderful time, Quinn-san," Rias smiled back at him when she felt it was time enough.
"I'm very glad you enjoyed yourself, My Lady Gremory," Quinn stood and gave a bow. "You are both always welcomed here and I hope to see you again soon."
Rias had slipped in her name to get a reaction out of him. He didn't respond in any way they could observe. He either didn't recognize the name or was that great of an actor.
"How do we settle the bill?" Sona asked.
"My mistress," Quinn put a hand on his chest and gave another bow. "Everything as of this evening has been complimentary. The owners wished for it personally."
Alarms started to sound off in their heads. Why would the owners give them such treatment? That girl at the front desk… she must have recognized them. The owners must have known they were here.
"Are they in?" Rias asked, continuing to play the act of innocence until someone called her bluff. "That's awfully nice of them and we would like to give them our thanks. It's the least we can do for such wonderful treatment."
Quinn adjusted his glasses as he pondered for a moment, "…Yes, the owners are present this evening. But they are rather busy. I apologize on their behalf if it seems rude."
"Are you sure there isn't anything you can do to reach them?" Sona asked, tipping her glasses and using a glamour against Quinn. Her eyes met his without fail as she transferred her demonic energy into her intentions.
Quinn blinked once. It was the only sign he was affected by her hypnotism.
"If that is your wish," he said while gesturing with his hand for them to follow him. "If you will please come with me, I will take you to a private room while I fetch them."
And he did. He took them to the largest room placed at the side of the building. It was the one that held conference meetings with a long table for twenty people and a stocked bar in the corner. He pushed their chairs in as he excused himself and sealed the room.
The two didn't say a word. They already knew the plan.
The door reopened but Quinn wasn't the one who entered.
The two receptionists from the front entered instead. The boy shut the door behind him and took a few leaps to catch up with the girl who didn't wait for him.
The two Devils had disregarded them completely when they first entered the café.
Not a word was exchanged as they sat across of each other. The boy leaned forward with his hands cupped together on the table. He had a crooked grin as he waited for something to happen. The girl had dropped all pleasantness she had before in exchange for an analytical gaze. She leaned most of her weight against the right armrest.
"…Hi," said the boy as he looked from Sona and Rias and back again. "How's it going?"
"You are the owners of the establishment?" Rias asked to get things rolling.
"Yup," the boy smacked his lips as he said. When he smiled, the slant of his lips was crooked as though he couldn't stretch his mouth the right way. It made him look wolfish.
"Yes," the girl said simply with a tint of impatience.
"So!" the boy said, drumming his hands on the table before leaning back in his seat. Everything about him was dramatic. "What can the two of us do for you? Quinn didn't do anything, did he? Ladies, ladies, I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding before suing us. Let's not resort to— GYAH!"
The girl jabbed him with the same electric pen. She gave him a dirty look, "If anyone's going to resort to sexual harassment, it'd be you."
"I did not say sexual harassment," he pointed out, and then quickly scooted his chair away to get out of her reach.
"What my colleague is trying to say…" the girl shifted in her seat to regard the two Devils. "What is it you'd like to discuss? It must be so important to demand the both of us… as well as to try and horrendously fail at mesmerizing my Quinny."
Sona's glamour had failed. Quinn hadn't been affected at all. Instead, he played along and fetched the owners while telling them about it. He also put them in a private room rather than bringing the owners to the table in order to keep the conversation away from the public.
"We meant no disrespect," Rias began in an apologetic tone.
"I don't drug any of your servants after being politely declined," the girl snapped back. "Especially after being treated with my best hospitality."
"Don't mind her," the boy leaned back against the table. "She's just a little touchy whenever it involves her favorite toy. Let's try something else. We know who you are, Sona Sitri, Rias Gremory. I'm Tony P. Lolifor, owner of this pleasure bin and manager of the maids. Hi there! And this is…"
He smiled at his partner while rolling his wrist to get her to join in. He kept going until she rolled her eyes and spoke up.
"Shotalini," she said. "The other owner."
"…You can just call her Momo," the boy, Lolifor, shifted once more in his seat. "Everyone does."
"It's better than giving a pair of Devils my actual name," she muttered.
These two were the owners? They couldn't be any older than Sona and Rias. Seventeen or eighteen, really. It was hard to tell with their mannerisms and appearances. Most would have assumed to be kids working a spare-time job for some spending money.
They also knew who Rias and Sona were. Sona never once gave out her name so Quinn couldn't have told them. It would also explain why they chose their house's best to serve them.
To serve them… or to keep an eye on them?
"If you are aware of who and what we are, then you must be aware of our position within the city," Sona spoke up. "We are both the overseers of the city."
"We haven't broken any rules," Momo cut in. "This is a mortal business. We've gone through all the inspections and whatnot with the human government. Some of our employees and customers might be of the supernatural side of things, but that's also none of your business. There are these things called confidentiality.
"If your business with us concerns the supernatural, you didn't need to sneak in pretending to be customers. Making an appointment would have sufficed."
"…She gets really touchy," Lolifor defended. He put up his hand when she went to stab him again. "But! But… she kinda raises a good point. What, uh, why do the overseers need to see us? Seriously this time, did one of our employees do something?"
So they knew about the two Devils but not why they were here. Both of their minds raced to use this opportunity.
"As Devils, we are drawn towards humans with large amounts of greed," Rias began to weave a story. "We were drawn towards here but… admittedly, a little distracted by the services. We came here in hopes of making a contract with the proprietor of this café."
"There's also a matter of learning all we can about the potential client for negotiations," Sona interjected. "As successful entrepreneurs, surely you understand this importance? We wanted to experience what you had to offer before making an offer ourselves."
"Contract…?" Lolifor said in a low voice as his brows furrowed slightly. "You mean like a trade? I get to make a wish?"
"As Devils we can grant any desire," Rias leapt in with her best smile to date. "Within reason, of course. And if you can pay the price."
"I always wanted one of these!" he replied back with excitement, almost like a child. "I got it! I would like… a donut!"
His partner looked a little more intrigued this time.
"…I can grant you that, if you'd like," Rias spoke slowly and unsurely. "But are you sure that's all you want? Don't you at least want to hear the terms and conditions? Or even the price?"
"It's fine," he waved it off. "I know how these things work. I can afford it. One donut, please! Glazed and with sprinkles!"
"Rias," Sona spoke. "He's toying with us."
"Actually… he's not," Momo said.
"Sorry if it seems that way," Lolifor apologized. "I'm actually pretty serious about it. Think about it. I love donuts. We bake them here. Now, while I think she's the best baker I know, I'm pretty sure she's nothing compared to something the embodiment of man's desires can concoct. Gluttony is one of the biggest sins out there. I'm pretty hungry for the best donut I'll ever have."
"…V-Very well," Rias said, struggling to put her smile back up. "One donut it is. Glazed and with sprinkles."
She raised her hand over the table. A magic circle sprouted from her palm.
In a flash of light, his request manifested on a silver plate. She slid it forward for him to reach.
Lolifor's eyes lit up with wonder. He thanked her, took the plate, and brought the donut up for a bite.
"Hmm," he said as he chewed. His head bobbled around with every chew. "Hmm! Hmhmm… Hmmmmmm! Hmm… Hm."
He swallowed, smacked his lips, and stared at the donut. "Oh yeah, this definitely beats any flavor I've ever had. Majestic. It reminds me of a griffon! Proud and mighty and certainly something we mortals cannot question nor hope to match."
"…Thank you?" Rias wasn't sure how to respond to the strange compliment.
"But," his expression softened to one of disappointment. "It is a very sad and lonely creature. A little too unique. A little too proud of itself and doesn't know the purpose of its existence. It's only hope of filling the hole— no pun intended— is to gather all the little toys no one wants to buy and give them a home. It rules over the island of misfit toys and they are its family."
She didn't know why, but his words struck a chord with her. There was a deeper meaning lined with his words and they were meant for her exclusively.
"…It also makes me want a glass of milk," he said next, wiggling in his chair to reach for his cellphone, and bringing it to his ear. "And another donut. Anybody want anything? I'm going to call… Hey, Moé, I need a glass of milk. Nobody wants anything? No? Tea? Cookies? No? Alright. And one, a donut. Cool!"
He hung up and continued to eat the donut Rias conjured.
"So what's the damage?" he asked between bites.
"Normally we would charge something of equal value but… consider it on the house. A thank you for your generous hospitality this evening."
"Sweet," he gave her a thumbs-up while stuffing the rest into his mouth. He kept a hand pressed to his lips as he chewed, making sure nothing fell out.
"My turn," Momo spoke up as she looked straight at Sona. "I'm thinking about ruling the world. How much would that cost me?"
"An astronomical amount," Sona answered straight away. It wasn't the first time someone has asked for the same thing. "Something of equal value must be given. I'm sorry, but most can't afford the bare minimum price that would ruin them financially. And even if they could, it is the bare minimum. The rest of the cost would be your life. You'd simply drop dead the second the world is yours."
"Suppose I'm not ruined financially," Momo grossed as she rested a few fingers on her cheek. A coy smile started to spread the longer she talked. "Suppose I have more than enough money to buy a small country, demolish every building and rebuild them again, purposely start a rebellion, support both sides, and then create a third faction to blindside them both. And still live comfortably in the palace I've refurbished once every season because, let's face it, looking at the same tacky wallpaper gets boring very quickly."
"…We have an app for such purposes," Sona chose to say rather than to respond to her ludicrous example. "It will provide you with a much better detailed quote."
She pulled out her phone and punched in the command. Taking over the world. And when it requested the client's name, Sona punched in 'Momo Shotalini'.
The cost wasn't her life or eternal soul. It was…
"Ten years of your life?!" Sona lowered the phone to gaze at the girl.
It would only cost her ten years.
Momo frowned at the idea, "Is that ten years as in I age ten years or ten years off of my maximum expectancy? I'm going to assume the former because shedding my last ten years doesn't sound profitable. Especially if I die early, which I probably will. I'd sooner kill myself than let myself get old and wrinkly. Gross. No thank you. I'm going to have to withhold my wish. I'd only have two years left of my prime."
Meanwhile, Sona kept punching in the wish into her phone. The same result kept popping up. Maybe the app was acting up today? Some new glitch or virus in the server? It must have. There was no way someone could actually afford to overthrow the entire world while needing a little bit of help from the Devils. Just ten years, which was basically ten percent of her life.
Meaning, she would only need ten percent of her total expenses to be covered by the Devils.
Ridiculous. That couldn't be possible.
The door opened and a tall, lanky young man entered. He had a tray with a single donut and a glass of milk.
"High school girls?" he asked as he handed the things to Lolifor.
"High school girls!" Lolifor responded with his wolfish smile.
"…Thank you," the young man said as though he had received a blessing.
"Always, Moé," Lolifor's smile broadened while giving him a thumbs-up.
The young man, Moé, slipped out of the room.
Lolifor sipped some milk before beginning on his new donut.
"See," he said, paused to finish chewing, and leaned forward. He didn't lean against the table. He did so to get a better look at them. "There's your first problem. Your prices. They don't make sense. Equal value? Okay, let's say this. This donut? Do you know how much it costs to make? We average the single donut to cost at about… what was it… eighty-nine yen?"
"Eighty-eight," Momo corrected. She continued, "Do you know how much we charge per serving? Two hundred yen. We make more than twice the cost."
"That aside," Lolifor waved a hand and scooted his chair a little closer to the table. "It's pretty convenient. Expressive delivery at top quality. You made it appear out of thin air in an instant. I'm going to assume you formed it with magic… or whatever it is you use. It's just poof, there! No need for ingredients and no haggling with an annoying chef down in Hell. It literally costs you no money to make this. You make a profit no matter what!
"But to me, the consumer? Still the damn best donut I've ever had. And instant! That's the most important part. I got it exactly when I asked for it! So I really gotta ask how much you would charge. Equal value? Your bill tonight would have been 6500 yen. Even if you charge me half that amount, that's still a freakishly expensive donut.
"Between the 3250 yen donut that I can have right now or the 200 yen donut I need to get up and get myself… I'd choose the 200 yen one without hesitation. The quality doesn't matter. Honestly? Your prices are too high. I cringe at the idea of paying that much for a donut."
The two Devils tried their hardest to not look at the other this time.
As for the donut… he had asked for it for the sole purpose of finding an understanding in how they conduct business.
"Which raises the question what you have to offer us and how much we can benefit from it," Momo scooted her chair closer and leaned on both her elbows at the edge. She smiled at them. "Let's drop the charade. I have a feeling why you came here. After all… most of your— heheh— loyal clients come here."
They both broke into a cold sweat. But they still refused to let their expressions break.
However, they had nothing to further the conversation. They had no advantage. She had called on their bluff and they had nothing to counter it with.
"Quick question," Lolifor spoke up. "But what happens when a Devil can't make deals? Do you guys starve or something?"
"Devils… do grow in power the more greed they consume," Sona answered. "But it isn't sustenance. We require nourishment just as much as you humans do."
"We'd have to go back to the Underworld," Rias admitted. "It's happened before in the old days when the Church was at the peak of its power. Rarely does it happen in today's time."
"That is not to say we can't make contracts," Sona spoke quickly. "Kuoh is a large city. Millions of people live here. Each one of them full of desires of their own for us to bargain with. Lolifor-san, you are aware of Devils and of our status. But you know little about us?"
Momo knew she had tried to divert the conversation. She made a gesture with her hands; the sign 'safe' within a game of baseball.
"Never got the chance to deal with one before," Lolifor said with a toothy smile. His teeth were jagged and canines longer than they should be. Not necessarily vampiric. But it did add to his impression of a wolfish character. "Momo and I are only aware of the supernatural enough to know what surrounds us. We do our best to not get involved."
"And you say some of your employees are of supernatural descent?" she went on.
"Might be," Momo raised a finger. "But, supposing any of them are, they are here legally and have gone through all of your inspections, overseer. Is there anything you can offer us of actual interest? If not, then we need to get back to work. I don't want Quinny to work the front for too long. People get disappointed when they can't have him."
"We were considering sponsoring your café," Rias jumped in before they could leave.
"…In what way?" Momo asked with a blunt stare.
"Both of our families are of the rank of dukedom within the Underworld," Rias went on. "We're very resourceful. We can provide you with financial support, connections, advertisements, and extra staff if needed."
"That's right," Sona joined in. "Though it is a little unconventional, it is possible to make a contract since there are two of you. With two Pillar Families supporting your café, you can expect to see your sales skyrocket."
The two humans exchanged a look.
And then they started laughing.
"Sitri, sweetheart," Momo breathed out between giggles. "We already have those things. We literally have the money to do all those things I said earlier. Money isn't the issue. We have connections. And there is no better advertisement than word of mouth. I can tweet something, get a bunch of losers to show up, and they'll each tell all their internet dweebs about it. Snowball effect."
"We didn't open this servant café because of money," Lolifor chuckled. "No! We did it because we hate each other!"
They had lost Rias and Sona.
"It's a simple wager," Momo answered after looking at their faces. "To finally see which one of us is the better entrepreneur. Winner take all. We literally chose this profession by a game of darts."
"So… you have no interest at all in expanding your business," Sona stated.
"Definitely not together!" Momo retorted. "Maybe if I win and don't burn the place down afterwards. No. What you're offering is to make the fire bigger. It doesn't help us in any way."
"What if we make the same deal to just one of you then?" light shone in Rias' eyes at the opportunity. "To get the upper hand over the other?"
"It breaks the rules we set up for ourselves," Lolifor shrugged. "We gotta do this honorably. It's a matter of professional pride. I hate her just enough to prove I'm better before killing her."
"Ditto," Momo said with a solemn nod.
"But~" Lolifor's eyes shone the same way Rias' did at an opportunity. "There is one way you can help me without breaking the rules."
Momo eyed him.
Lolifor looked at the two Devils. "How would the both of you like to work here?"
"Dammit, Anthony," Momo pushed her chair back and stood. "Good night, Gremory, Sitri. Thank you for coming this evening and we do hope to see you again. You're always welcome here… provided you mind your manners."
She turned quickly and walked out of the room.
"I'm going to have to politely decline, Lolifor-san," Sona answered first, eying Momo as she left until the door was slammed shut.
"I'm going to decline as well, but thank you for the offer," Rias said next.
"Not even as a contract?" he asked with a raised brow.
The two Devils exchanged a look.
"Please understand we are the Kings of our Peerage," Sona began. "That is to say, we are matriarchs with a select amount of servants. Such requests would go to them. The sort of requests made to us are things like exorcisms, eliminating of threats stronger than the average human, or—"
"The conjuration of deep fried dough?" Lolifor cut in with a bit of humor.
"Exceptions," Rias said without losing her smile or grace. "Also, having a routine schedule would block off our time with other clients wanting to summon us. And there are emergencies that demand our immediate attention when the time comes. We would need each of our servants to be available at any notice."
"There are laws about sick days and vacation," Lolifor replied. "There's also a pretty high tolerance for emergency situations. We also provide health insurance to each of our employees. Now, I say employees but everyone here are actually contractors who each get paid at their own rate. Therefore, it wouldn't be unreasonable if I pay you in an… unconventional way."
"Lolifor-san," Sona tried to not sigh because he wouldn't take a hint. "Even if we did agree, I very highly doubt you can offer us anything for payment. Not to sound shrewd, but Rias and I come from wealthy families."
"I was thinking about paying you in greed," he shrugged at the idea.
"You?" Rias asked. "In greed? I don't think you understand how dealing with Devils work. We use equivalent exchange as a medium. When you ask for something, you are giving up something of equal value in order to achieve your desires. The sacrifice is what you are giving us."
"The greater the desire and materialistic worth of it, the higher the cost," Sona went on. "We are Devils of high stature. We have pedigrees. You would be paying more than the average hourly rate of a normal waitress."
"I think I can afford it," Lolifor said, putting his hands on his chest and giving a dramatic expression of feigned harm. He leaned forward again and tapped a few fingers on the edge. "I happen to have a really sweet place. It's got beautiful girls, just like you, working it. They bring in customers, make them feel great about themselves, and reap their hard-earned cash.
"It's the exact same you do as Devils, isn't it?
"Do you think people keep coming here for the tea? Or food? No. They come here for the good company and because that company makes them feel great about themselves. Everyone who works here makes them think their lives matter. They fall in love with that feeling and come back. When they feel depressed, they come back. When they're stressed, they come back. When they're bored, they come back. Even when they're happy, they come back.
"It's why we offer so much to do, have such a variety of servants, and charge so little for it. And with the way we've been doing things, it's only going to get bigger.
"I'm offering you two exactly that. My customers! Fifty percent of anything you two bring in will belong to you. That is my contract to you. Go out and keep spreading your summoning coupons if you want. Or you can let the people flock to one convenient place and suck them dry to your heart's content."
The two of them thought about it. Really thought about it.
In a way… they would be making bank. They would still be performing their duties as Devils. They would still be catering to humans wanting something out of them. And they in turn would sacrifice something to them. If Lolifor gave them half the profit, he wasn't just giving up his greed; he would be delivering them his customer's greed as well.
He had just offered them access to what was essentially a greed-drive. Something like this hadn't been done since…
"This sounds like prostitution," Sona said once her mind came to that conclusion. Her eyes narrowed while her cheeks flushed.
"So's every other job on the planet," Lolifor said wearily. He rolled his hand around on his wrist while rolling his eyes dramatically. "You perform a feat of physical labor to a consumer, who gets some sense of satisfaction from it, and get paid for it. If you want to be specific, I'm not going to ask you to sexually please any of our customers."
"I have conditions," Rias raised a finger.
"R-Rias!" Sona blanched.
"I'm all ears," Lolifor said quickly. From his pants pocket did he pull out a notepad and pen. He was ready to write down what she had.
"This deal goes for everyone within my peerage," Rias said first. "I have two girls and two boys. However, only one of them is available for work. I understand this will mean Kiba will be working for your competition. But I will not allow him to be excluded from this."
"Two girls, one boy," Lolifor muttered as his pen scratched. "Are the girls as appealing as you are? And how dangerous is the dude?"
"A-All of them?" Sona blinked.
"Akeno holds the place as second on the school popularity charts… right underneath me," Rias added at last part with a bit of pride. "Koneko is a first-year but is called the School Mascot for her cuteness. And Kiba is in first place on the male roster."
"…Shit," Lolifor cursed but continued to scribble.
"I have all girls," Sona said quickly. There was no way she was going to be excluded from this deal! Her entire peerage depended on it! "Six of them!"
"Six?" Lolifor asked with a sharp gaze in his eyes. He flipped to a new page. "Tell me everything."
0-0-0
"…Buchou, Rias…" Akeno lowered the contract so she could look evenly at her eyes. "Fifty percent isn't equivalent exchange. He's still making a profit. And if we increase his sales, he's the one who comes on top. Sure we both share the spoils, but we still get the same amount of greed while he gets closer to his goal. From what you've told me, money was never the issue.
"If anything… this feels more like ten percent. No. Minimum wage."
"I… But… He…" Rias was sitting on her chair with her head in her hands. "I am the Heir to House Gremory. How did a human dictate the negotiations?"
"Because he had all the chips," Koneko said in her usual blunt tone.
"Because he called your bluff," Kiba added.
"Because he knew how to lie, trick you into releasing valuable information, and took advantage of your desperation as well as your rivalry with Sona," Akeno piled the heat without hesitation. "Honestly… You I can understand. But Sona? How did she make a mistake like this? I wonder if Tsubaki-san is tearing her a new one?"
"This is… embarrassing!" Rias lifted her head. "I need to go back there and renegotiate the terms of the contract!"
"You should have done that before signing," Akeno said with a smile that promised doom. "It's already too late. It's an official document with your family seal. Can you imagine what will happen if we try to shirk away from this job?"
"…So what does that mean?" Koneko asked.
The room was silent. No one wanted to answer.
With their King hopelessly banging her head against the desk, it was Akeno who was forced to speak in their leader's place.
"It seems that starting tomorrow after school… we will be working at…"
She lifted the contract again to read the name of business.
Legion was the name of the establishment.
How… poetic, Akeno thought.