Hello again, and welcome to another chapter! :D Work has been kicking my ass and made me realize that if I keep a focus on all my stories at once, it will take ages before I get something out. So, I'm focusing on one at a time. This also gives me time to actually plan out what I want to do with each story. Currently, they are just here because I got the idea for them and didn't want to forget them.

But other than that, I hope you enjoy this chapter :D

Manarath was making his way over to Vali, both ignoring and enjoying the way the boy backed up, almost falling over himself, trying to get away. Only to stop when he lost control of his bodily functions and despite him trying to fight against this force that had taken control of his body's movements, he made his way to a chair and sat down.

Manarath made his way in front of the chair he had sat Vali down in and started sitting down as an intricate chair appeared behind him, exactly where he would end up sitting.

"Now I have had a talk with Azazel here about what a sacred gear is," Manarath said, the smile he had when he came in gone, replaced by a blank face. "But I want to see for myself firsthand how it actually works. So just sit tight and let me do a quick examination." And before Vali even had time to respond, a holographic screen appeared in front of his face. But anything that appeared on it was mirrored, so Vali had a hard time reading it. If he could read it, that was. The language was the same as the one that appeared on the dome outside.

"Hmm interesting, It really is a connection to the soul. Being locked in a vessel that gets transferred around, how dull your existence must be currently Albion." Vali's anger flared at the comment, Albion was his partner and was training to continue Albion's fight against the Red Dragon Emperor. But before Vali could say anything, Albion answered.

"I have created a deep connection with most of my previous hosts. And found an even deeper one in young Vali here. While it can be boring to only exist in a Sacred Gear, I make do with what I can."

Manarath didn't seem to register anything Albion said, most likely because he was just muttering and anything he said was more about Manarath making mental notes. With a wave of his hand, a book appeared, floating. It Looked like one of those old tomes Vali often saw Azazel slave over when he was researching. It flipped open, and without a command, writing started appearing on the page.

"Is that a book filling itself with notes?" Azazel asked. "Because if you have another, I would absolutely love to have one. Taking notes manually is a hassle."

"I will make another if you keep up your end of the deal we made, Azazel, but a mentor of sorts gifted this one to me," Manarath said, his tone clearly distracted by the holographic screen in front of him. "But my observations are finished. Thanks for cooperation even if you didn't have a choice." Manarath said, standing up and making the chair he was sitting on disappearing. "You are welcome to stay as long as you would like. If you need anything, simply ask out loud and if it's possible, it will happen. When you leave, simply have a location in mind, and when you step out of the entrance, you will arrive there."

That was all Manarath said before he left, along with his wife, leaving both Azazel and Vali to their own devices.

It would be another hour before Manarath felt Azazel and Vali leave. He had made his way to his office, where he spends some time planning their next move in this universe. His lovely wife, entering his office, interrupted his planning, her usual smile in place, but laced with someone who wanted answers to questions.

"Now I have seen our guest out. Would you mind explaining this 'deal' you made with Azazel? And without me there?" Selene's tone was one of fake hurt.

A laugh escaped Manarath. "And have him give up his soul? No thank you, this was more like an exchange of favors if you will."

That piqued Selen's interest. "Oh? And what did we get, and what are we giving?" Selene made her way over to Manarath, sitting herself down in his lap and draping herself over her husband. Oh, how she enjoyed these moments of peace.

Taking a breath and just enjoying the presence of his wife, "We have agreed to share research on topics we have a shared interest in." The way Manarath was explaining this whole deal, Selene knew there was more to it than just an exchange of information. "Azazel also agreed to secure lodging for us, but it's in a place where he needs someone to monitor some of his subordinates who haven't been reporting back to him."

Selen's brow furrowed. "You agreed to be an errand boy to someone less powerful than you?" Selene put the back of her hand to her forehead and leaned back from Manarath. "Oh, what happened to my all-powerful husband who didn't take orders from anyone?" Selene didn't have time to continue her over-dramatic performance because she found herself falling to the floor. Letting out an 'EEP' in surprise. But she never hit the floor, because Manarath had caught her, one arm around her waist and a hand at the back of her head, making her unable to move because of the iron grip Manarath had on her.

"You should be careful with what you say, dear. You never know when it will come back to bite you in the ass." The smile on Manarath's face was both teasing and bloodthirsty.

Selene placed a hand on Manarath's chest. "And there he is, the man I fell in love with."

Manarath raised the both of them to a standing position. "He never left; he has just been tempered through the years." Manarath said, "Now, get ready to move. Azazel had set up a house for us in this town called Kuoh, should be an interesting town since it's technically run by a pair of young devil girls from important families."

"Devils, you say?" Selene asked, her voice filled with interest. "Well, this world just got more interesting."

Issei Hyoudou's life has been nothing but chaotic since his untimely death and resurrection. Resurrection into a devil, to be specific, and wasn't that a shock? Devils, angels, and fallen angels all existed. Issei was now a resurrected devil, and that came with responsibilities, apparently. He had to create contracts with humans so he could become more powerful, and in the future become the Harem King!

Normally devils would teleport to a flier they gave to humans, but he was so pathetic when it came to magic power, so he had to use a bike to get to where he was being called. Showing up at someone's house and saying you are a devil was always awkward.

Arriving at the house where his next client was supposed to be, Issei couldn't help but give the building a weird look. This neighborhood was filled with houses for families, but this house couldn't have more than three rooms. Plus, it just looked out of place, and Issei couldn't for the life of him remember this house ever being here, and not that far away from where he lived.

Walking up to the door, Issei noticed that there was no light coming from inside the house. But he knocked on the door, anyway. Issei had a job to do and didn't want to fail Rias again.

5 minutes went by, and no one answered the door. Issei started fearing he was at the wrong house. Issei was so preoccupied he didn't notice the figure walking up behind him and didn't know it before a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, startling him. Issei tried to turn around, but the hand was keeping him in place.

"Hmm, from your smell I take it you are the devil that has been called to my home?" The deep voice of the person holding Issei in place said. "I told my wife not to call you before I got home, but with you being here, I take it you have been called?" Issei simply nodded. Even his increased strength, as a devil, didn't give him a chance to move. Either this man, Issei assumed it was a man, was using something to hold him still, or he wasn't human.

The man simply sighed. "Sorry about that, young man. We would have called you when we had set things up properly, but you know how a lady doesn't like to be kept waiting. Let us head inside and see what's going on with my wife."

The hand lifted from Issei's shoulder, and he turned in a hurry to get a look at the person who was holding him.

"The name is Manarath, and I should have been the one to call you here." Manarath gave Issei a sheepish smile. "Now come, have you eaten? I've just come back from grocery shopping and was going to start dinner."

Despite his fear, Issei accepted the offer and walked into the home with the man he only just met. Feeling strangely calm despite the way he introduced himself.

Rias Gremory heiress to the Gremory clan of devils, known to all at Kuoh academy as one of the most beautiful girls at the school, along with her classmate and sister in all but blood, Akeno Himejima. her skin as flawless and white as porcelain. Her eyes were a beautiful, rare blue-green color that drew you in, and a figure even models would kill for. But the most eye-catching feature Rias had was her blood-red hair. She was perfect in the eyes of the entire school. Everything about her seemed to be perfect. There was just one problem on this day.

Rias Gremory was not having a good day.

"What do you mean you don't know where he is? Did your familiars lose him?" Rias asked her queen Akeno Himejima, her fellow devil and queen of Rias' Peerage. her voice exasperated. How could they lose Issei? This was becoming a trend, and she didn't like it one bit! She knew he was the Red Dragon Emperor, but this was getting out of hand!

"Oh no, we know where he is supposed to be, but my familiars can't cross a certain line. But they came back with a message." Akeno said, her normal graceful smile still on her face beautiful face despite the situation. Akeno opened her palm and made a magic circle appear that showed what her familiars were seeing.

A raven was sitting the only thing you could see, but in the background was a house. The raven opened its mouth wide, its eyes glazing over as a voice spoke through it.

"Hello Ms. Gremory, I'm a newly arrived magician, and I wanted to have a talk, sadly my wife took the initiative to summon one of your… Peerage members, I believe they are called? He is still safe don't you worry, if you want to check for yourself and have that talk right away you can come to the house my familiar is circling and I'll let you in no problem. If not, he will join you again in less than an hour your time."

And with that, the eyes of the raven returned, and it started flying around the house that could be seen in the background.

As soon as Akeno dropped the magic circle, a magical signal could be felt by every devil, in the direction Akeno knew her familiars were currently.

"I guess our new guest wanted to make sure he could be found," Akeno said, her voice serene.

Rias grumbled, "I want my pawn back," she said, her voice more annoyed as she got up from her chair, making her way to the teleportation circle in the middle of the room.

"Selene, I told you not to scare the boy!" The voice of Manarath yelled out from the kitchen not long from the sitting room Issei currently found himself in.

"Oh, honey please, I just want to play with him a little!" Selene, who was keeping Issei company, which he didn't know if he should be happy about. On one hand, she was smoking hot, easily as hot as Rias and Akeno combined, maybe even double that! But on the other hand, it seemed like she wanted to rip him to shreds and that she would enjoy it like the best sexual encounter she would ever have.

"And I told you we wanted him in one piece, so we don't piss off the whole devil faction" The unreasonably calm voice of Manarath spoke more clearly as he made his way into the sitting room, a tray of snacks and cups floating behind him.

"Now go find something better to do than terrify our guest," Manarath said, his voice as deadpan as the look he gave his wife.

"Okay, fine! Tease me like this and leave me unsatisfied! You cruel man!" Selene pouted like a small child not allowed to have candy that wasn't hers. As she left the room to continue whatever she was cooking up.

Manarath turned to Issei with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about that. I love my wife dearly, but as a demon, she hates devils on an instinctual level," Manarath explained. "Please don't hold it against her, sometimes even instincts overwhelm one's intelligence."

Issei's thoughts about the smoking hot woman grounded to a stop. Demon? "She's a demon?" Issei asked dumbfounded, How could a human score a hot demon babe?

"Yes demon, succubus to be specific," Manarath said, like it was the most normal thing in the world to have a succubus for a wife. "And to settle it right away, I'm not human anymore, kind of like how you found yourself waking up a devil."

That information startled Issei. How did he know that?

"You see, I was sent here to check up on the fallen angels that ended up attacking you," Manarath said. Issei immediately got tense and prepared for a fight. "But don't worry, I was sent to figure out what they were doing, and if dangerous, put a stop to it, but you did that for me, so I'm thankful for making my life easier." The smile Manarath gave Issei was thankful.

"Now please just explain to me the whole situation and what went down," Manarath asked. But Issei knew it wasn't a request, but a command.

"And don't worry, your king is on her way as we speak. I have to talk with her as well."

Arriving at the house that her pawn had been taken into, Rias could only stare at it. It looked way out of place, and she didn't recall it ever being here. Had she missed a house? No, she couldn't have. Sona and she made a point of memorizing the layout of Kuoh, and this house didn't match the layout of this street.

"Well, Rias, here we are," Akeno said, also weirded out that this house suddenly showed up. But keeping it out of her tone.

"I know that Akeno" Rias almost growled. She was annoyed beyond belief. Her queen has become more annoying by the minute since they got the message from the raven familiar, which could be spotted flying in circles around the house, the same magical signal still being broadcasted.

"Oh? New arrivals?" A voice spoke up from behind the both of them, making them both let out an 'EEP' of surprise, which just got the person behind them to chuckle. "I take it you are here for young Issei?" When they both turned around, they saw Manarath standing with Issei, a hand on his shoulder. Issei had the Boosted Gear activated.

"I got what I needed from him," Manarath said, letting go of Issei. "I take it you are Rias Gremory? Half of the ruling devil duo?" He asked with a friendly smile.

Having gotten over her shock, Rias turned serious. "That's correct. What did you want with my pawn?" She asked, trying to sound intimidating.

"I just needed some information regarding the fallen angel situation. I was hired by Azazel to figure out what they were doing here." Manarath explained with no hesitation. "He didn't know what they were doing here and needed someone to check on them, but seeing as they're dead, it doesn't matter anymore. Sadly, young issei here got caught in a scheme Azazel didn't give the green light for. He would rather have recruited young Issei than have him killed."

Rias was shocked, to say the least. "I'm sorry, but did you say Azazel? As in the leader of the fallen angels?" She asked because that couldn't be correct. What was he doing sending people into devil territory? Did he want to restart the great war?

"Yeah Azazel, he hired me. I'm a freelance researcher and he just wanted to know what happened so he could do some damage control if it was needed." Manarath answered. "Now I just want to ask when I can have a meeting with both you and the young Sitri heiress. I want to go by the protocol and not just set up shop without you knowing. Don't want to step on any toes that don't need stepping," He asked.

Rias was completely on the back foot. Who the hell was this guy?

"Ehm, I will have Sona informed about you as soon as I get home. We'll be in contact with you after that." Rias answered lamely, trying to get the situation in her favor. Not really succeeding.

"Splendid, In the meantime, I'll let you be on your way." Manarath said, "I look forward to our future meeting, young Gremory." He said, disappearing in a mist as suddenly as he arrived, but leaving Issei with his king and fellow peerage member.

"Are you okay Issei?" Rias asked, worry for her pawn clear in her voice. She decided she would focus on one thing at a time and worry about this mysterious man that suddenly showed up when she had time to talk with Issei about him and informed Sona.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry I didn't get a contract Rias…" Issei said, not really understanding what was wrong.

"That's good to hear. Now let's get back home and you can tell me about everything that happened, okay?" Rias' tone was sweet, but under that sweetness was a deep-seated worry.

"Sure thing!" Issei said, glad he got to spend more time with Rias and Akeno. Akeno was just snickering at the way Issei behaved, but she was also worried about this new arrival. Especially since he admitted to working with the fallen.

The atmosphere in the Occult Research Club at Kuoh Academy was tense beyond belief. Rias had returned after picking up Issei from this new magician's house. And had called for an immediate meeting with Sona so they could discuss the problem they now found themselves in.

Sona Sitri, the heiress to the Sitri clan of devils, is a young bespectacled woman with a slim figure, her black hair is styled in a short bob cut and her striking violet eyes giving nothing away as her face was set in stern look.

With Sona was her queen, Tsubaki Shinra. In many ways, Tsubaki mirrored her fellow queen. They both have long, black hair and an amazing figure. But that is where their similarities ended. Tsubaki had let her long black hair fall down her back, and let her bangs bring attention to her heterochromatic eyes, her left eye being violet and right eye being light brown.

Sona was looking straight at an uncomfortable Rias.

"You're telling me a no-name magician could set up shop in our town, pump your pawn for information on behalf of Azazel, and you are only just contacting me because he wanted to have a meeting with the both of us." Sona's face was impassive, the same strict look on her face never wavering when she asked for clarification of the situation, she and rias now found themselves in.

Still looking uncomfortable, Rias simply gave out a quiet "Yes"

Sona sighed, dropping her stern facade. And started rubbing the bridge of her nose, pushing her glasses up. "You Gremory's and your almost suicidal tendency to act before you think," Sona mumbled out. "Did this unnamed magician say when he wanted to meet?" Sona asked, annoyance clear in her tone.

Rias composed herself as much as she could. She recognized she didn't handle this situation as she should have. "Issei said his name was Manarath, and he had a succubus for a wife called Selene. Other than that, I have no information regarding him. I told him we would be in contact with him regarding a meeting."

Sona perked up. "Succubus?" She asked. The fact she was recognized as a succubus was weird. There weren't many of them left, not after the civil war.

"Yes, but Issei was confused because this Manarath said she was a demon, but also knew that he was a devil," Rias said. Just as confused as Sona, Succubi was supposed to be in self-imposed exile if she remembers what her brother told her regarding them. Lillith, Lucifer's wife, was a succubus, and she took her fellow succubi with her when Lucifer died in the great war.

"We most likely need to contact my sister."

Rias startled in surprise. Did Sona just suggest that? Having her sister come? Sona could handle her sister normally, so why would she suggest it now?

"I know how I talk about my sister, but she is the Moau that handle foreign affairs, and if a succubus is here with a magician that said he ran an errand for Azazel we most likely need her, so we don't cause an incident that start another great war." Sona hated that it made sense to call her sister. But she didn't want Kuoh to become a battlefield. Sona's pride was immense, but she knew when she needed to swallow it in favor of logic.

Rias cringed. Contacting Serafall meant Sirzechs, Rias' brother, would know something was wrong. All she could do was hope he didn't storm here and let Serafall take care of it for now.

But Rias knew that the peace she had here in Kuoh was slowly disappearing.

And that's a wrap! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I really don't know what I'm doing with this story, and I'm just having fun and figuring it out along the way! :D