Are you all ready? I tried all my stops for this one. Honestly, it was a blast doing these 3 chapters. So, once again, I've managed to do a triple update.

I've also tried to dial up the FEELS TRAIN all the way to hit you guys as hard as I can with happiness and sentimentality.

Also, let me answer some questions just in case other people were wondering the same thing. That way, I don't have to PM everyone about the same thing all at different times. It'd be more practical to just answer several people all at once:

1. Someone asked me why Issei still had 15 months left to live. Well, it's simple. Issei used up 1 month when he got put under house arrest by Rizevim. Issei didn't use up any of his lifespan when he went to Purgatory. That was just a test to see if Issei was willing to give something up in exchange for entering Purgatory.

2. Another person asked why Draig isn't in here. Well, that's because I don't want to do it all over again. There are a ton of stories out there where Issei is the Red Dragon Emperor. In one of my other stories "The Dragonic Will", Issei is the Red Dragon Emperor. I felt like it was overdone and wanted something fresh. I wanted to experiment, so I created "The Heroic Calamity". With this story, I could experiment and write an MC with a different personality and different abilities. Basically, I was playing around with my own imagination and creativity and to test myself.

There are a ton of stories out there that are close to canon too. I didn't want to deal with most of them, like Irina being a childhood friend. Hence, I didn't mention her once in this story since I grew to dislike repeating events in my stories. Like the Rias Rating Game with Riser. Goodness, I got real tired of writing that one. Doing it twice was enough for me.

I wanted to get as far away from that as safely possible because I don't want to write stories that were too close to Canon for my comfort, lol. I wanted to write my own stories. So, Draig will not be in here because it's been overdone. Irina won't be in here because she's just not important to my plans for this story at all. There are dozens of stories where Issei was partnered with Draig and I don't want that with this one. I want some more uniqueness.


Chapter 35: Beach Bash

Issei's Lifespan: 15 Months

Day 12

The resort was unlike anything Issei had expected of it. Several buildings were put in one area like a city, with elevated railways going all over the place. The skyscrapers were several dozens of floors on top of each other. There also a section of the island left for the boardwalk and pier, which was popping with business.

When the group dropped off their luggage, they all met up in the lobby to figure out their plan.

"Alright, there's a ton of stuff to do, with nearly no end in sight. So, let's all split up and just do whatever. We'll get back together for dinner at 7. Sound good?" Issei suggested.

There was a round of agreements before everyone went their separate ways. Now, he could engage in the part of the plan that he wanted. The whole point of this trip was to get Vali to feel jealous for Sairaorg. Vice versa too, if he could.

"Alright, Sairaorg, how about you suggest we spend a day at the beach and boardwalk?" Issei murmured into his earpiece.

"Why me?" Sairaorg responded.

"Because they all like you." Issei reasoned.

He glared at Sairaorg.

"So, how about we spend the day at the beach? We've got a week here, so let's make the most of it."

"Yep."

"Alright!"

"Let's move it!"

The younger people shouted in agreement.

To spend time together in each other's company was something they all relished. The recent conflict with the Khaos Brigade had woken everyone up to the fact that any of them could die. It made them treasure each other that much more dearly.


Issei disliked showing skin, so he wore a black shirt over swimming trunks. Yes, black was a bad idea under the Sun, but it wasn't like he cared. He decided that he'd be the one to strategically place their spot, so he grabbed parasols and trekked over to a part of the beach that was closer to the edge. The last thing he wanted was interference from regular people. Thankfully, he managed to get a table and grill too, which were placed there by the staff.

Setting down mats, Issei turned around to see a beautiful sight that would force any man to unhinge their jaws. A load of beautiful women in several ways were walking over. For the ladies, many men of great appeal also came with them.

Despite that, the only one who really had his focus was Vali. She wore a cerulean-blue two-piece bikini and her long silken silver hair was tied into a ponytail. Issei had the urge to drool as he admired her curves, gifted bosom, and rear. When he looked into her eyes, he felt like he was being pulled into a nexus that he didn't want to leave.

"Is something off?" Vali smiled at him curiously.

"Nothing, not at all." Issei shook his head.

He went over to clean the grill but turned around to see where everyone was. He saw Vali, Rias, Sona, Sairaorg, Kiba, Jeanne, Akeno, and Izalana playing volleyball. Arthur, Elaine, Lefay, Kuroka, Bikou, Lianshi, Kuisha, and Kiyome were swimming. Saji, Tsubasa, Momo, Reya, and Tsubaki were surfing. Everyone else was exploring the boardwalk or just sitting down.

"Issei, are you just going to stand here alone?"

Issei turned around to see Vali walking over, sand smearing her bare skin.

"Yeah, I'm not much of a swimmer or sportsman. I think I'll just chill." He shook his head.

"Oh, no you don't." Vali smirked.

From behind, Sairaorg, Heracles, Izalana, and Tsubaki grabbed him and lifted him into the ocean.

"Not fair!" Issei laughed as he fell into the cold water.

It was slightly too cool for his taste, but it was refreshing, all the same. Issei rose out of the water, laughing.

"And that's payback for all the messing around you've been doing." Vali flashed a cheeky smile.

Issei nodded.

"I'll admit. I deserved that." Issei waded through the water.

For a bit, everyone messed around, splashing each other with water, swimming, surfboarding, and tanning. However, Issei had work to do.

"Hey, guys, how about someone get drinks? The cooler's running dry." Issei suggested.

"Already?" Bikou asked.

"Well, it's hot, and everyone's dug at the cooler. Besides, it's a chance to go and explore. Sairaorg, Vali, how about you go get some?" Issei suggested.

"Sounds good." Sairaorg nodded.

Vali agreed. While they walked, Issei snuck off somewhere to call Sairaorg.

"Alright, what we've got planned is high-risk, high-reward. If we don't handle it properly, it fails…bad. So, don't panic, and don't screw it up."

"Okay…what's the plan?" Sairaorg asked nervously.

"Flirt with the most beautiful girl you walk across who happens to be single." Issei flatly said.

"Are you trying to help me or screw me over?!" Sairaorg barked.

"Do you want to hold her?" Issei flatly asked.

"Yes."

"Do you want to please her?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to be with her?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to know how she feels?"

"Yes!"

"THEN JUST DO IT!"

Sairaorg's head was spinning. At times, he wondered if Issei's ideas were truly going to work. Not only that, but it made him question himself. Yes, he accepted Issei's offer, but at times, he had a hard time figuring out how all the pieces would realistically fit together. It was like trying to figure out the behavior of a madman.


When Sairaorg got to a vendor, he found a young woman eyeing him. Vali certainly noticed too. The lady had long auburn hair, brown eyes, light skin, a green bikini, and a slim and lithe figure. Without a doubt, she was beautiful. Sadly, Sairaorg had no real interest in her.

"Turn on the charm and talk to her. Make sure Vali's watching."

"Hey." Sairaorg smiled, nodding at her in greeting.

"Morning. You new here?" She asked.

"Yep. I came with a big group for vacation. What about you?" Sairaorg asked.

"I'm the same. I'm just here to have fun with friends. The name's Kisaki Yukiko."

"Well, my name is Sairaorg. It's a pleasure." Sairaorg shook her hand.

"Tell me, are you a body-builder or athlete?" Yukiko asked.

"Kind of. I only do local competitions, though." Sairaorg said.

"I see. You've certainly got the body to go international." Yukiko eyed his six-pack.

Vali's brow twitched.

'She's looking at every inch of him.' She growled.

'Are you jealous?' Albion asked.

'Maybe…'

'Be honest with yourself, Vali. Didn't you swear that you'd confess?' Albion asked.

'I did but…something doesn't feel right. Whenever I buck up and get ready to tell him, something stops me. It's like my heart tells me that it's not the right time or maybe even…' Vali trailed off. She felt her heart ache, beating with sharp pain.

'Still, if you don't do it, you'll end up regretting it. You've liked him for the longest time since you were children. Suitors are piling on top of each other to win his heart.' Albion advised.

'I know, Albion. But…' Vali sighed.

"Then you should hurry up before he gets taken away by some floozy." Issei said.

"EEK!" Vali jumped and yelped.

She whipped around to see Issei smiling mischievously at her. It was like he'd learned how to warp or something.

"Would you stop doing that?!" Vali asked, exasperated.

"Sorry. You just looked troubled, so I thought I'd mess with you." He chuckled.

Vali had nearly forgotten that the team had developed the skill to communicate through expressions alone, to an extent.

"Keep doing that, and you'll scare off all the girls." Vali huffed.

'Too bad, I guess. The only one I see is you.' Issei retorted in his head.

"Eh!" Vali gasped.

Issei looked where she was looking and saw that Yukiko had put a hand on Sairaorg's chest.

'Okay, getting too close for comfort here.' Issei sighed.

"Hey, Sairaorg, how about you help Vali with carrying the stuff back. I'll get the rest." Issei suggested.

He handed bags to Sairaorg to carry back to their spot as he stayed behind.

"Hey, cutie." Issei turned around.

A lady with long blonde hair, a large bosom, and blue eyes had walked up to him. She was about his height, with a red bikini on and a green cap.

"Excuse me?" Issei pointed at himself in disbelief.

"Yes, you. I don't see anyone else like you. Are you new here?" She asked.

"Yeah, kind of. I'm here with a group." Issei laughed.

"Oh? Wanna tour around then?" She asked.

Vali turned around, surprised that someone was trying to pick him up. To be honest, all the members of the peerage got hit on at some point, except for Issei. It kind of worried her. She wasn't sure if Issei was sure of what to do in these situations. Despite that, he looked like he was fine, since he was laughing and joking with the lady.

Vali looked at her suspiciously before turning around. Something didn't feel right.


Moments later, Issei returned with ice cream and drinks. As a test, Issei bought dark chocolate syrup. Vali always ate dark chocolate when she was upset. The worse it was, the more she ate. At the moment, she was slathering her sundae with the dark chocolate syrup.

Issei smirked. Just as planned.

Sairaorg saw how much dark chocolate she was putting on her ice cream and how slowly she was eating it. He knew he'd done wrong. He looked at Issei, who was oblivious to what was going on.

"So, what's wrong?" Sairaorg asked.

"Nothing." Vali mumbled, her spoon in her mouth.

'Boy, she's really upset.' Sairaorg realized the depths of which it drove her.

"You know, you can talk to me about anything." Sairaorg reaffirmed.

Vali didn't respond.

"Did I do something?" Sairaorg asked.

She had been perfectly fine before they went to go get drinks. It was only after he'd stopped flirting with Yukiko that she looked troubled.

"I'm not upset, Sairaorg. I'm just trying to sort some things out." Vali reassured him.

"Truly?"

"Yes. I'm just to figure things out for myself." Vali explained.

"What sort of things?" Sairaorg.

"About how I feel about the people around me." Vali flatly answered.

That was a sign that Vali didn't want to be bothered.

"I understand. Still, remember that you're not alone. You've got friends and family who're concerned for you. If there's any trouble or you just wanna talk, I've got an ear to lend." Sairaorg smiled.

From a distance, Issei watched, proud of the progress. On the side, Issei wanted Sairaorg to develop the habit of seeing the troubles that Vali felt. He wanted him to be willing to take his own steps to make sure that Vali was alright. After all, he wasn't going to be around forever.

Issei wandered around, taking in the sights. This place truly was beautiful. There wasn't a single piece of trash on the ground. The sky was completely blue and unblemished with any clouds. The warm sun was blanketing his skin as a gently breeze whistled by his ears.

'So, what's the plan now?' Rexis asked.

'Well, we've got Vali to worry and think about Sairaorg more. Next, we got her to think about him more often. After that, I'm confident that she's reflecting on her relationship with Sairaorg. Now, I think she's starting to uncover some feelings or coming to terms with certain things. So, let's not push things too hard. I also wanted Sairaorg to be able to take the initiative and to be there for Vali on his own.' Issei responded.

'So, are you just going to walk around for the rest of the day?' Rexis asked.

'I'll let Sairaorg take the reins for today. For now, it's time to snoop in on the others.' Issei replied.


Issei wasn't worried much for Lefay anymore. In the days leading up to the trip this morning, Lefay's performance went back to normal. Actually, she was even better than before. People were giving her rave reviews with contracts. Her research was making breakthroughs. Also, she was even closer with Embern than before, holding hands publicly and was more comfortable than before with being affectionate.

Still, what was worrying him right now was Arthur and Elaine. Things were still a bit awkward there. Arthur was trying to find a way to make things up to her but wasn't sure how. Elaine was staying tight-lipped about whatever was bothering her. The lack of communication was seriously looking bad.

He then saw Lefay and Embern making a sand palace, which was literally 4 feet high. Lefay was wearing a light-blue two piece swimsuit with her hair bobbed at the tips. Issei made sure to glare at any guys who eyed her, except for Embern.

"So, what's up with Arthur and Elaine? It's like they're distant all over again." Issei said.

"I don't know, either. It's kind of worrying me, to be honest. The last time they were like this, they didn't speak to each other for a long time. After that, my brother left home." Lefay said.

She then looked at Issei.

"Are you going to intervene again?" She asked.

She knew him well enough at this point to know he'd do that sort of thing.

"Maybe. It depends on how bad things are and what they want." Issei shrugged.

"I know Elaine loves my brother a lot. When he left, she was downtrodden and started shutting herself in her room when she wasn't busy. As for my brother, he did the same. He stopped talking as much as he used to and got more obsessed with training. At this rate, things might repeat themselves. I honestly don't know if they can handle that. They love each other but are having trouble getting to the point where they can talk about it." Lefay mumbled, troubled.

"I understand." Issei turned around.

"Good luck, Issei-nii." Lefay said.

Issei gave her a thumbs-up.

Yep. Intervention time.

Issei found Arthur and Elaine awkwardly sitting at their table at the beach. Arthur was drinking cold tea while Elaine was reading. Arthur wore only green swimming trunks while Elaine wore a black one-piece swimsuit.

'How did those two rocks ever get together?' Issei wondered, his brow twitching.

'It's been several freaking chapters. How're they this far behind?' Rexis growled.

'Chapters?'

'Nothing.' Rexis cleared his throat.

Issei sat at the table. It was like being with two divorcees.

"So, what'chu two been up to?" Issei asked.

"Nothing much. Just making contracts, doing hobbies…" Elaine answered.

Issei thought over his approach. Out of the entire peerage, Arthur and Elaine were the two that he could be direct with. They had the emotional endurance and the level-headedness to handle him.

"I see. What about your relationship? I've stopped hearing noises at night." Issei bluntly said.

Elaine blushed, trying to ignore him.

"We moved to a safer distance." She explained.

"I see. Still, take it easy. There're cracks in the ceiling forming." Issei said.

Elaine looked at him incredulously. Arthur's brow twitched. Then, silence crept around once again.

"Still, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you two anymore. Something's wrong." Issei stated.

Elaine and Arthur looked at him, cross.

"That's our business."

"Of course it is, but clearly, nobody's saying a thing. I don't think you two are aware of how much the peerage worries about you two. If something's troubling one of us, it troubles all of us. It's just that the others have more respect for your privacy. I, on the other hand, do not." Issei said, his tone growing more stern.

'Oh great, he's going into Dad Mode.' Elaine sighed.

"I get it, you two are adults. You can make your own life decisions. However, that doesn't mean a thing if you can't buck up and make a decision. So, tell me what's wrong. I'm all ears." Issei said.

"Out here in public?" Arthur looked at him with a scolding expression.

Issei slapped a talisman on the table, courtesy of Lefay. He loved her inventions. The talisman teleported them to the hotel room that Arthur and Elaine were sharing. Issei didn't tell anyone, but he left tags in everyone's room just in case so that he could teleport to them. That was the one thing he didn't want anyone to find out about. If they did…

"There. Complete privacy for us."

"How?" Elaine looked shocked.

"One of Lefay's teleporting tags. Though, to be honest, it only has a 65% chance of working." Issei admitted.

Arthur sighed. Whenever Issei got like this, he wasn't going to let anything go.

"Look, it's just…" Arthur took a deep breath.

(Final Fantasy XV OST – Tenebrae. Play Song.)

It was never easy speaking the deepest parts of his mind. Issei and Elaine waited for him to speak.

"I don't really know how to make up for what I did."

"What?" Elaine looked at him in surprise.

She was about to speak up but Issei held up a hand for her to wait.

"When I left, I thought I was doing Elaine a favor. It would keep my father from punishing her and I thought she could start over with someone better, someone that wouldn't trouble her like I had." Arthur set his cup down.

"When I returned to the Compound a few months ago, I saw what I did to her. All that crying and loneliness and the death of Elaine's father… I left her behind when she needed me the most."

"I see. So, the reason for all this on your side is because you feel unworthy?" Issei surmised.

"That, and I've done a poor job with keeping my word."

Issei nodded in understanding before turning to Elaine.

"Alright, would you mind telling us what's bothering you?" He asked.

Elaine was silent for a time, forming her answer.

"I'm scared."

Arthur looked at her in surprise.

"Scared?"

"The reason why I've been distant lately is because I'm scared of what might happen." Elaine said.

"Of what?" Issei asked.

"I'm scared that Arthur will leave again." Elaine bluntly stated.

Arthur nearly dropped his cup. Issei looked amused.

"Why?" Arthur asked, concerned.

"I found out that you had a gigantic transaction of money transferred to your account. Not only that, but I saw that you bought a bed, dressers, tables, chairs, and other items for a new house. I also found many of your belongings packed up. I found them while I was cleaning and getting ready for the trip." Elaine's voice shook.

Issei knew what was coming next. Elaine wore a mask of calmness and a certain level of stoicism. However, she was far from cold. She simply held things within before they exploded.

The tears came as Elaine tried to cover her face with the arm she was leaning on for support.

"I'm so scared that you'll leave me again." Elaine sniffled.

Arthur felt even guiltier now.

"Do you see it now?" Issei asked.

"You two can't be honest with yourselves and each other. You're so scared of repeating the past that you've nearly forgotten to think about the future and how to approach it. Arthur, you've been so stuck on trying to find a way to make up for things that you've left yourself to stagnate. Elaine, your fear of things repeating and inducing any incidents have kept you from speaking your mind. You chose not to be honest because you didn't want to make the wrong move and now, you're hurting yourself. If you ask me, this is something that could've been easily resolved if you'd both been honest." Issei said.

It was a bit stinging for someone else to say this. Still, it helped give the two an outside perspective.

"Arthur, I think it's clear that your secrecy and recent activity have given a false impression. Stop getting caught up on what you could do and just focus on what you should do for the one you love. No more secrets, no more regretting the past. It's time to man up and do what you can in the present. Worry about the future, yes, but only after you've dealt with the present. If you want to make things up to her, then you should do it after hearing what's bothering her now and not what you think might be bothering her."

Issei the turned to Elaine.

"As for you, Elaine, I think you should stop holding back. Arthur's not the most emotionally savvy person. You've got to be direct with him so that he can address your concerns. In a situation like this, you've got to make your feelings come through or no one's going to notice and hear it, especially the one you want to hear from. For a relationship like yours, miscommunication is your worst enemy and you two need to fix your lack of it. If not, all your worries and tears will be worth nothing in the end."

"I think it's time to stop beating around the bush and just tell each other how you really feel. Arthur, if you're doing what you planned, I think you should say it before it's too late." Issei got up.

"Do what?" Elaine asked.

"That's for Arthur to decide. Good luck." Issei said before closing the door.

'That's how you're gonna intervene?' Rexis asked.

'Arthur and Elaine don't need massive intervention. Unlike the others, those two are already in a relationship. They just needed help to get over this particular hurdle. This time, the problem took advantage of their personalities.' Issei explained.

'If you say so.'

(Final Fantasy XV OST – Tenebrae. End Song.)


Inside their shared room, Arthur and Elaine were left in silence. Elaine had calmed down, somewhat. She'd wiped her tears but had still to completely calm down.

"Elaine, I haven't been fair to you. I'm sorry for all I've done. I made you dozens of promises. Yet, I've failed to keep them all. I made you worry and I did things behind your back too. I know it was confusing and scary, but I'm going to clear it all up."

Arthur took hold of her hand.

(Fate/Stay Night OST – Pride of the King of Knights/Kishi Ou no Hokori. Play Song.)

"I bought all those things because I was actually going to fix up our little corner of the mansion. At first, I was going to move out, but…I don't exactly want to leave the Lucifer home too. Everyone else that I love is there and if we do have a family one day, then I want them to learn from the people that we're with. That's why, I talked things over with Rizevim and he agreed to give us a portion of the mansion to live in. All that furniture that I bought was for our new living area. As for all the money I got in my account, it was part of what I asked for with the wish-granting. I asked for full benefits, insurances, and funds for the future, our future." Arthur explained.

Elaine was wide-eyed, surprised. All the things he'd been doing, was in preparation of ensuring their future, and not to run away. She'd gotten his motives wrong.

"It's my fault for creating this misunderstanding. I'm sorry." Arthur tenderly wiped one of her tears away.

"I also have something else that I should've revealed to you a long time ago."

Arthur walked over to his bag. Clutching something in his hand, Arthur looked at her solemnly.

"I was hoping to wait for the right time, but now I understand that that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter where we are because the way we feel about each other wouldn't be affected."

Elaine's heart started skipping and stopping in succession.

Arthur got down on one knee, opening a small box in his hand.

"I've been saving up for this and preparing everything to this day. Elaine, will you be my wife?" Arthur asked.

Elaine was stunned once again. Was this real? Was this a dream? Then again, knowing Arthur, he wasn't the type to joke about this.

"This isn't some illusion…right?" Elaine asked.

"It's not. I'm going to get started on making things right by you starting now." Arthur shook his head.

"Yes." Elaine quietly said.

Next thing Arthur knew, Elaine had dived into his arms, locking lips with him. At long last, this kiss felt truly liberating, unlike any of the others they'd had before. There was no emotional baggage, no worries, no withheld thoughts, and no secrets.

(Fate/Stay Night OST – Pride of the King of Knights/Kishi Ou no Hokori. End Song.)


When Issei got back downstairs, he felt a whole lot better now.

'It feels good to do some good…maybe. I hope I did the right thing.' He thought to himself.

'I think that's something we all worry about.' Rexis chuckled.

'I'll admit, I was surprised when Arthur asked me to help with picking out the ring. Still, I didn't think it'd take so long for him to pop the question.' Issei thought to himself.

'Everyone in their right mind gets scared. Our past selves did the same thing Arthur did. It's a good thing you know not to do that. If you had, then this whole 'learn-from-your-past-incarnations would've been totally pointless. You don't have much in your brain to work with as-is.'

'Let me remind you that you are me and I am you. If one of us is stupid, then we're all stupid.' Issei laughed.

'Touché.'

When Issei got back to the beach, it was already noon. However, he lost his smile when he saw what was happening. Vali was fuming now, with Sairaorg brooding in deep thought.

'ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I AM GONE FOR HALF AN HOUR AND THIS HAPPENS?!' Issei roared in frustration.

Looking around, Issei walked to Lefay to figure out what had happened.

"What happened?" He asked.

In a way, Lefay was kind of becoming his confidante. Of course, she didn't know he was dying or that he was trying to set Sairaorg and Vali up.

"Sairaorg said something and Vali got upset. Then, some girls came up to him and hit on him. That got her even more upset. After that, Vali was basically drinking the chocolate syrup. They've been awkwardly sitting like that ever since." Lefay said while feeding Embern a spoonful of ice cream.

Issei smiled, instantly evaporating his frustration. This could work to his advantage.

"Uh…Issei?" Embern whimpered.

Issei was sitting at the table, his eyes dangerous and a very wide grinchy grin on his face.

"Excellent."

He went over to one of the shops and bought a volleyball. Puffing it up, he threw it right at Sairaorg's head.

"Huh?" The moment Sairaorg turned around, the ball slammed into his face, sending him backwards, his head on top of Vali's stomach.

'Good thing I'm up in the trees. Imagine what they'd do to me if they knew who threw it.' Issei shivered, realizing what he'd just done.

When Sairaorg realized what happened and where his head was, he shot up.

"S-Sorry." He raised a hand to help Vali up.

Vali, looking timid and embarrassed, gingerly took his hand. Earlier, for a split second, his head had touched her chest, which was enough to make her flustered. For a girl like her who'd never had much romance before, this wasn't something she was too adjusted for.

In a split second, the incident and the feelings the stunt sparked were enough to make Vali forget about her anger towards Sairaorg.

'Okay…don't tell me you resorted to something cliché.' Rexis expressed his disappointment.

'What else was there to do? I needed a quick way to distract her. Besides, knowing Vali, anything sexual or romantic is enough to fluster her. She'll let things go.' Issei shrugged.

'So, what else is there for you to do? It's still only noon.' Rexis pointed out.

'It'll happen at dinner.' Issei chuckled evilly.

'Of all our incarnations, you've gotta be the creepiest.' Rexis sighed in exasperation.

'And the most lovable.' Issei fired back.


Later, Issei decided to shake things up again.

"Alright, I'm gonna tour the boardwalk. Anyone wanna come along?" He asked.

"Ooh! Me!" Kuroka raised a hand.

"Me too." Vali answered.

Soon enough, Kuroka, Vali, Sairaorg, Lianshi, Kiba, Jeanne, and Bikou joined him. Issei had decided that they'd go to the amusement park tomorrow. For today, he'd take full advantage of the beach.

"Eyes up front, Sairaorg." Issei remarked.

Vali made sure to look at the trajectory of Sairaorg's gaze after Issei said that.

'She's going to explode if you keep pressing her buttons.' Rexis warned.

'Maybe.' Issei nodded.

With so many attractive women all around them, Vali probably felt threatened.

Eventually, Issei went to a stand to look at some souvenirs. When he turned around, he found Vali leaning against the railings at the boardwalk. He took a deep breath, seeing that his antics had truly upset her. He had the urge to go and cheer her up. The moment he took a step forward, he paused.

'What're you doing, Issei? You're supposed to help Sairaorg, not yourself.' He scolded himself.

With a heavy heart, he was about to call Sairaorg. Suddenly, said-man already walked over to her.

"I'm sorry." Sairaorg seriously said.

"For what?" Vali asked.

"I know I upset you today. I'll be honest, I don't know what I did, but…"

Vali immediately started laughing.

"What're you talking about? Ahahahaha!" She smiled at him.

"What?"

"I'm not upset about anything you did. It's just…things on my mind lately. Private stuff." Vali explained.

"Don't pursue! I repeat, don't pursue the topic!" Issei barked into Sairaorg's magical Bluetooth.

"Oh." Sairaorg dimly said.

"Still, thank you. Also, if you're going to apologize, don't do it without knowing what you did. You shouldn't apologize for things you didn't do." Vali poked his forehead, smiling brightly.

"Alright then, let me make up for time lost. What do you wanna do? I've hung out with everyone today but you." Sairaorg offered.

"True, you and Issei have been hanging out a lot. Imbara's also told me about the things you've been doing." Vali raised a teasing brow.

Sairaorg face-palmed.

(Naruto Shippuden OST – Ochihabune. Play Song.)

"Alright, for starters, let's go get some food. Just one sundae isn't good enough. It'll be my treat." Vali decided, dragging Sairaorg's hand.

The two smiled and laughed, excited for the rest of the day.

In the distance, Issei smiled.

'Pretty soon, I don't think I'll have to do much anymore.' He said to himself.

Sairaorg was starting to take the initiative. Vali was starting to reciprocate. Things were going much more smoothly than he expected.

He looked around to take a check on everyone else.

Arthur and Elaine had come down from their hotel room. Both of them were smiling brightly, far happier than he'd ever seen before. The ring Arthur bought had been left behind in safety, but it wasn't like it truly mattered. The couple was back in full romantic swing.

'Looks like she said 'yes'.' Issei happily smiled.

Bikou was being fed by Kuroka and Lianshi, both of them trying to see who could stuff his face faster. Bikou sheepishly kept his silence, looking awkward. His two ladies laughed at his distress before Kuroka wiped his mouth while Lianshi fixed up his clothes.

'And I see progress is being made.' Issei noted.

He then saw Lefay and Embern dancing across the beach, enjoying the Sun as they played tag. The two had no signs of worry and weight that they had a week before. They were being the kids that they deserved to be for the time being.

Just then, the gang was surprised with newcomers. Sirzechs and the others had finally arrived. With him, was Grayfia, Millicas, Ajuka, Serafall, Azazel, and Falbium.

"Hey!" Sirzechs greeted everyone.

Almost immediately, the entire group meshed and enhanced their fun.

"This is Millicas, Grayfia's and my son." Sirzechs introduced a young boy with crimson hair like his father.

"Hello, Millicas. I'm Issei Hyoudou."

Issei shook his hand when the boy extended.

"Hello, sir. I'm Millicas Gremory, the son of Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia Lucifuge." Millicas excitedly said.

"He's been so excited to meet you." Sirzechs said while crying.

"Oh?" Issei asked.

"He's heard a ton about you and thinks you're a hero." Grayfia explained.

Soon enough, the entire crowd went around the entire beach area, grilling, drinking, laughing, and having as much fun as possible. Well, almost everyone.

Issei got down cooking the last of the steaks before he saw Millicas sitting alone, looking up at the stars. Issei sympathized with him. He knew that look in the boy's eyes. He looked lonely. Issei couldn't blame him. There wasn't a single person around him that was his age that wasn't a stranger.

His parents weren't close by at the moment, which left him sitting at the table while others talked around him. Issei had noticed how Millicas was and thought some things were off. His upbringing must've been strict. He spoke formally, behaved formally, and thought maturely. He didn't run ahead. He didn't play pranks or jump around. He was extremely well-behaved and stayed still. Yet, he looked bored and lonely.

'Well, we can't have that.' Issei decided.

'No, we can't.' Rexis agreed.

Sometimes, a kid deserves to be a kid, no matter who their family was and how rich or poor. All kids deserved that wonder and joy that only childhood could bring.

Issei walked over and sat across from him.

"So, Millicas, you look bored." He stated.

"I'm not. I'm just looking at the stars." Millicas lied.

"Are you sure? You weren't saying anything unlike before with your Aunt Rias and parents." Issei raised a quizzical brow.

"Oh, they're just busy right now. I won't bother them." Millicas shook his head.

"You know, if you're bored, you can tell people, especially your parents."

Millicas looked down. Despite all his maturity, Millicas had some habits akin to children, like keeping weaker barriers up.

"I don't want to trouble my mother and father. They're always away at work, doing their best. I've gotta be strong too." Millicas said.

"There's nothing wrong with being strong. But, sometimes, you've gotta be who you wanna be too. It's not good to be strong for too long. Your mom and dad love you a lot. I can see it in their eyes. They want you to have fun too. It's okay to trouble them because you're still young. It's not your turn to work hard just yet." Issei shook his head encouragingly.

"Mr. Hyoudou, do you have parents?" Millicas asked.

That stung a little, but Issei had nothing against that.

"I did. My parents passed away. Before they did, they taught me all sorts of things. Most of all, they wanted me to enjoy life, as one of their most important lessons." Issei smiled.

Millicas was quiet for a while, thinking about what Issei said. Seeing that he was still internalizing all this, Issei decided to try something to get Millicas kickstarted with having fun. For a bit, Issei got to know the kid, asking what he liked and didn't like. First and foremost, he loved the Underworld's own brand of Super Sentai. That was when he got an idea.

"Wanna see something cool?" Issei asked.

"Yeah!" Millicas excitedly nodded.

Issei rubbed his hands together, creating blue sparks from magic before throwing them into the air. A rain of blue sparkles slowly dropped from the sky like snow.

"Wow! Pretty!" Millicas' eyes glinted in wonder at the beautiful spectacle.

"It's like having stars all around you, right?" Issei proudly smiled.

Clustering some sparks, Issei threw it into the air.

"Alright, Millicas, if you can catch it, I've got a secret Satan ranger for you."

Issei quickly fashioned an action figure from his [Abyssal Arsenal]. It was just a toy, but that was more than enough.

"Satan Navy!" Issei held it up.

"Wow!" Millicas' eyes lit up.

"If you can catch the glowing balls, I'll let you have it." Issei smiled.

"Got it!"

Just like that, Millicas was off.

"That was sweet of you. I also know you're going to let him have it, anyways."

Climbing into the seat next to him, was Vali.

"Well, he deserves to be a kid. Can't spend all his time reading books and being forced to be formal. There're some things that only childhood can give you." Issei shrugged.

"Making sure the past doesn't repeat?" Vali asked.

"Damned right." Issei smiled.

Vali smiled back.

"So, where's Sairaorg?" Issei asked.

"Oh, he and Kiba went to get some more stuff. All that swimming and games got everyone hungrier than we can feed them." Vali chuckled.

Sliding on a paper plate in front of him, was a jalapeno burger with extra spicy mayo and bacon, Issei's favorite burger.

"I know it's your favorite burger so I fixed one up for you." Vali said.

"Thanks." Issei said as he took a bite.

"I know you don't like all the attention, but thank you, Issei, on everyone's behalf." Vali whispered.

"You say something?" Issei asked with his mouth full.

"I said that you shouldn't talk with your mouth full." Vali broke out laughing as she wiped his jaw.

Everyone saw his cheeks puff like a goffer's, making the entire collected group laugh happily.

Issei immediately joined in.

'Oh, how I love these days. And how I love all of you.' Issei said in his head.

(Naruto Shippuden OST – Ochihabune. End Song.)


And that ends this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. I certainly did. It was great to revisit this chapter at the beach. Still, we're not done yet. Got two more chapters left to go through.