If there was something that most Kings could agree on, it was that dealing with family members of their Peerage members was quite frustrating, especially when said family members were either very stubborn, not-so open minded or uncooperative. Which was one of the main reasons why most Kings preferred to recruit orphans, which the majority of Enuma Gremory's Peerage actually were, the only exceptions by definition being Enuma herself and her first Knight, Hermione Granger. That very reason was why the redhead's eye was twitching wildly in frustration and annoyance as the Red Duchess tried to explain the circumstances that led to Hermione becoming her first Knight and that she was stuck with Enuma and her Peerage for the fourth time to Hermione's parents.
"How many times do I have to say it? Her human body couldn't handle her power up and it was killing her as a result." Stated Enuma in a tone of very clear frustration. "I had a method to save her life and she willingly accepted the price that came with it. And I believe that her exact words were 'Just do it, idiot. You can explain later'."
"I understand what you're saying, but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that beings like that exist and that my daughter not only holds the firepower of an old warship but is also a Devil now." Replied Emma Granger, who didn't miss Hermione muttering that she preferred to be called a Demon-Ship, as she looked at her husband with a worried look. Said husband looked between his wife, his daughter and the Devil that was apparently his daughter's King with an upset looking face, before eventually just sighing and seemingly giving up thinking over something.
"I had hoped that I'd be able to live a relatively normal life with my wife and daughter after my resignation as one of the best Exorcists of the Church, at least in the British branch, but it appears that fate has different plans." Stated Daniel Granger in a tone that could pretty much only be described as defeat, surprising every single Devil present and putting said Devils on high alert. Enuma being the most obvious one as about ten golden ripples of the Gate of Babylon appeared in the air, weapons of legend poking out of the ripples, all of them with their sights locked on the apparent ex-Exorcist, who simply raised his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. "Calm down, I have no intentions of exorcising any of you. My days as an Exorcist are over. All I ask is that you take care of my daughter."
"What do you take me for? I'm a Gremory. To us, family is everything. Of course I will." Replied Enuma in a tone that conveyed something akin to being offended as the Gate of Babylon's golden ripples vanished, either forgetting or (more likely) not caring to mention that she was Blood Adopted into the Gremory family. Out of respect for her King's wishes, Hermione kept quiet about that piece of information, even if she seemed to want to bring it up.
"You've made your point. But I would like to know why the Vampire in the room isn't a pile of ashes already… and I ask that in curiosity and not as a threat."
"That's easy. Shalltear's my Queen."
"Shalltear? As in Shalltear Bloodfallen? The Bloody Valkyrie? How did you manage to make her your Queen?"
"A lot of raw power and just as much dumb luck. I managed to find her bleeding out against a tree when I ended up getting lost in the woods during a camping trip with my big sister and her Peerage somewhere in Europe a few days after my eighth birthday."
"Why'd you end up getting lost in the first place?" Asked Hermione, who had been looking back and forth between her King and dad.
"Walked a bit too far away from the campsite when nature called and stumbled across the aftermath of what appeared to be a clash between Shalltear and a pack of wolves." Replied Enuma with some embarrassment.
"It was a pack of werewolves, Enuma, not wolves. And let's not forget that I unintentionally saved both your and the rest of the campers' lives by turning those werewolves into pelts." Stated Shalltear, who had been sitting in an armchair while sucking on a blood-flavored lollipop and playing some kind of handheld game, only for her momentary distraction from her game to cause her to get a game over. "Damn it! Curse you, Shang Tsung and your shape-shifting special move!"
"What is she doing?" Asked Emma, who was looking at the Vampire with a questioning look.
"I was so close to beating my high score!"
"That would be playing a video game. Specifically…" Deadpanned Enuma before being interrupted by Shalltear's game loudly bellowing out the title of the game. Mortal Kombat. "That. Say what you will about her, but she has at least adapted with the times… even if she always ends up breaking her smartphone in some way or another."
"I've said it before and I'll say it again! The bloody things are slippery! COME HERE, you cybernetic Elsa-knock off!"
"Don't mind her. She gets enthusiastic about anything that catches her interest… and vocal about it occasionally. Recently that interest has been jumping back and forth between amateur spellcrafting and Mortal Kombat."
"How come that we only now realize she's here and didn't do so before?" Asked Emma, who seemed a bit more relaxed regarding the Vampire playing video games in the armchair.
"I've been asking how she does that for years and she's refusing to tell me… mostly because she likes to occasionally sneak up on and scare me." Deadpanned Enuma as her Queen just finished off her opponent. With a Fatality.