Ok, I thank you all for the positive reviews, I'm trying to get into the rhythm of constant work (hope it can also work for university), because my main enemies are laziness and being easily distracted. Anyways, I think my only women for Issei's harem are Grayfia and possibly Tiamat. I think I'll cross that bridge when it arrives. On with the story...
Eira Lucifuge, a woman of an age of centuries, if not, at least a millennium. Silver hair, a well-developed body, and dressed in a crimson dress with matching lipstick. She had centuries upon centuries of knowledge through experience. This had lead her to rational decisions that helped her survive the Great War, find a decent man and thrive as part of the 34 remaining pillars. She was ready for whatever client she would deal with this time. At least, that is what she thought.
Across her sat a brown-haired woman in a business attire that consisted on a black blazer, a matching skirt and heels, and a gray shirt beneath the blazer. This woman, who so happened to be Midori Hyoudou, had a serious expression on her face, for it seemed as if the two were in a silent standoff, waiting to see which of the two spoke first. Deciding to get the deal going, Eira began.
"Tannin has informed me that you wished to make a deal," she said, opening a folder containing Issei's information. "Leukemia, half of his body rendered useless, what is there to offer, and what is it that you seek?"
"That is what I should be asking you, Eira Lucifuge," Midori answered, looking at Eira dead in the eye. Hagglers, cheapskates and charlatans had prepared her for whatever tricks the devil in front of her would use, if she used any.
"A deal concerning your son. It says here that you wish for my help saving your son from the terminal disease he has."
"Indeed. I do know, that this comes with a price. The question is, what is the price?"
"His servitude, nothing more."
"I also know that he has a powerful, new Sacred Gear. Such an item is of an undetermined but welcome value, due to the mere fact that it is dragon-related."
"Where are you going with this?" Eira asked. She had not expected such negotiation skills from an average human.
"What I am saying is that I want a better offer. If you do not wish to seal the deal, I can go with the Fallen or the Shinto, maybe even the Angels."
"Even though your son is dying?"
"Eight days are more than enough for me someone willing to make a deal. Azazel would say yes without a doubt due to his newfound interest in Sacred Gears, meaning another Dragon for the Fallen. The Shinto has rights over the child, a quick trip to Kyoto would be more than enough. As for the Angels, Uriel did say that Heaven needed a Dragon..." 'Someone has taken the time to investigate. The question is, how could she know all of this? Not even the Maou know this much about the leaders of the other factions...' she thought, before asking.
"*Sigh* What is it that you seek?"
"Aside from the cure, I want a wheelchair for my son. It must be light and resistant. Light for easier movement and resistant in case he is under attack."
"We can enhance his wheelchair with magic..." 'I think I know where she is going with this.'
"Second, I want him to receive the best education there can be, until he finishes university. After all, he cannot live off the Sacred Gear forever..." Midori said, looking at Eira dead in the eye.
"We can arrange that."
"Third, make my house resistant against attacks from the supernatural, also protected from undesired teleportations."
'At this rate, I might as well be paying for their health insurance...'
"Last but not least, cover the health insurance for my son and I. That, and I also want the permission to visit my son whenever I find it appropriate."
"Let's not get carried away, Midori..."
"I am not carried away. As I mentioned a while earlier, how much wouldn't you pay for this new Sacred Gear? People fight for these users, and they can also be treated as valuable players as if it were sports. How about you check his power level before making a choice?" A seal appeared on the ground, teleporting Eira.
Appearing in the Kuoh Hospital, Eira went to the front desk, seeing a woman in her thirties. Modest assets, white nurse outfit, blue eyes and pink hair. This woman was none other than Aki Yamamoto, a proud mother and wife.
"Excuse me, I am here to see Issei Hyoudou," Eira said.
"Third floor, room fifty- Katase, please behave," the nurse said, sighing as she observed a girl that looked like a younger version of herself that was running down the hall.
"What room did you say he was in?"
"Room 52." With this said, Eira made her way to the stairs, eventually reaching the third floor. Near the end of the hall she found Issei's room. She entered and stood beside him, watching how he was slowly breathing, accompanied by the slow beeping of the heart monitor.
"Very well then, Issei Hyoudou, time to measure your worth," she said, pulling out a set of Evil Pieces, King piece missing along with a Rook and a Bishop. She then placed the pieces she had on Issei's chest, watching how the eight pawn pieces began to glow white.
"It seems to be that Tannin's theory is correct. Now, what power could you be harnessing, child?" she asked, before she began to take into consideration what Midori said. Eight pawns were a hefty price in any faction. For starters, the dragon's loyalty. Angels could earn it due to the fact that they were known for always saying the truth and were kind. A good faction, if you excluded the church-related incidents. The Fallen, aside from earning a second dragon, would earn a powerful asset under Azazel's command. As for the Shinto, they already had the Trinity, without counting the exceptional cases the Youkai provided.
This was a hefty deal, and as the saying goes, 'in investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable'. Also, did she want to be seen as someone stingy while someone else rallied Issei to their side? This taken into account, she began her chant:
"Issei Hyoudou, you who has fallen,
soon you shall see the dawn.
Rise from the departing, young one,
Live and become my pawn!"
The eight pieces were slowly absorbed into his chest, and he slowly woke up.
"Mmh, why am I not tired?" he asked, before seeing the woman in the room.
"Because you are now a Devil, Issei, and I the head of the household you now serve," Eira said, with a smile as she demonstrated her wings. This caused Issei to panic, his heartbeat increasing along with the heart monitor's beeping frequency.
"I will teleport your mother here so she can explain what will happen from now on," she said, before leaving, returning with Midori a short while later.
"Issei, we need to talk..." Midori said.
'Out of the frying pan and into the fire...' Issei thought, sighing before he began to pay attention to his mother.
"In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable."
- Robert Arnott
Alright, I'm heading from Tijuana to Puerto Vallarta on the 19th, returning the 26th. I'll probably bring the next chapter at the end of this month or the beginning of the next one. That aside, any suggestions or opinions, please review. Questions about the story, PM me, and I'm having a difficult time with the harem (and no, no Ophis for now). And now, a goofy skit.
Long ago in a distant land, I, Riser, the third son of the Phenex clan,
unleashed an unspeakable evil by making a peerage/harem and including my sister in it!
But a foolish Dragon warrior wielding a powerful Sacred Gear stepped forth to oppose me.
Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time,
and flung him into the future where my perversion is law.
Now the fool seeks to return to the past and undo the future that is Riser!
