NMHA Ch. 52 - Evaluation
A/N -
I dunno why, but I haven't really been able to enjoy video games as much as I normally do. That's probably a good thing.
I've also struggled to get motivation to do stuff in general. That's probably not a good thing.
I've also been waking up multiple times throughout the night, even though I really shouldn't have any reason to. That's probably not a good thing either.
At least I'm still motivated enough to do NMHA. I enjoy writing too much to not be.
Now, onto a few replies to some comments I got this past chapter.
Why is Luna not doing anything? Plot reasons. She's laying low.
Why is the focus so heavily on Issei the past several chapters? Because Luna's laying low, and this gives me a better chance to further expand on the AU I've made for a little while.
Turning Devils into a hate sink? Sure, they're opportunistic and callous bastards, but that's just how aristocracy works. If you screw up, your whole family's on the chopping block. No pressure, of course.
Hoping Luna is able to save Issei from the machinations of the Underworld? Hoping Rias is able to break away from the status quo she currently lives in? Me too, mate.
Issei's harem? It's a surprise. Beyond Asia, of course. Asia is a cinnamon roll and deserves all the affection she gets.
I'm not quite sure what to make of 's contribution. I'm glad that they think the story's good, but I'll be taking everything else with a grain of salt. Still, I appreciate the time they took to write the review, and it's been food for thought.
Anyway, onto the story.
Rias Gremory, heiress apparent of the Gremory Pillar of the Underworld, most pointedly did not grit her teeth as she listened to the Lord Naberius wax poetic about how Rias's Rook was, in her company, causing a loss to the scientific progress instantiated by the Naberius branch into widespread Devil enhancements.
If anyone suggested that she appeared tense, it was because she was frustrated with the Naberius Pillar's attempts to poach her oldest Piece, her oldest friend beyond Sona, and her closest confidant. Frankly, she thought it was a waste of her time.
Rias imagined that many of the Devils in the stands would agree, but it still stood that Rias was left standing in the center of the Assembly, hands crossed in front of her lap as she waited her turn to speak.
Oh, how she wished she could speak out of turn. But, that would reflect poorly on her, and by extension, her family.
That was unacceptable. Mother would figure out a way to revive her from the dead solely so she could kill Rias for the embarrassment.
To say nothing of how it might affect Akeno and Koneko...
That thought in particular stayed Rias's tongue, giving her the patience necessary to remain silent through the diatribe that left the Naberius's lips. It didn't, however, stop her from smiling when the Lord Naberius finally shut his mouth.
"Have you anything more to add to your testimony, Lord Naberius?" the Lord Bael inquired, bowing his head once.
Lord Naberius bowed his head back. "Only that if my heir were still here, they would be appalled to see all their hard work go to waste because of some girl's petty selfishness."
There were quiet mutters at that, and did Rias's ears deceive her, or did she hear a snort or two from the Lords present?
Rias cleared her throat, drawing the attention.
"You wish to speak now, Heiress Gremory?" Lord Bael asked, though Rias had a feeling it was little more than a formality. Of course she did - otherwise she wouldn't even be here.
"Yes, Lord Bael." Rias made a brief curtsy, before staring up at the Lord Naberius. "You call into question my sense of judgment, Lord Naberius. Am I selfish? I will embrace the term without hesitation. I am a Devil, much like you, and I will be quite honest when I say that Avaritia is my cardinal sin. I do not take attempts to usurp what I see as mine lightly. The only reason I even come to argue on behalf of retaining my Rook, is to see whether or not your arguments are well-enough grounded to warrant further discussion."
She sighed, closing her eyes and holding a hand to her cheek. "Unfortunately, it appears all that preparation was for naught. I truly expected better of you, Lord Naberius, but your behavior disappoints me."
"You-!"
"Lord Naberius, Heiress Gremory has the floor," Lord Bael cut in sharply, silencing the other Devil with a glare before leveling a more neutral one and a nod to Rias. Even if they were related, he was nothing if not impartial. "Your words are harsh, Heiress Gremory. I would hope you have grounds to justify them."
To that, Rias curtsied again, masking the smirk that wanted to rise with a polite smile. Oh, she would enjoy feeding this bastard who thought to take her Koneko from her to the wolves. The first time was valid. The second time was an overreach. This third time was grasping for straws. All the while taking her attention away from more worthwhile ventures.
There would be no fourth, if Rias had anything to say about it.
"Indeed I do, Lord Bael," she replied sweetly, lifting a hand to the rest of the Assembly. "And indeed, I would hope that you all take heed, because the Lord Naberius truly outdoes himself with this most recent argument to take my Rook away from me."
She didn't give said Lord any opportunity to cut in again, nor any others, lowering her hand as she lifted the other, counting out fingers as she turned slowly as to address the whole room. "You claim this is for a research project into the 'enhancement and continued superiority of Devilkind', Lord Naberius. But as far as any of us can tell, it has gone nowhere even when you had Nekoshou to study. This is after, hm, half a millennia of work? If I recall properly, you abstained from the Civil War simply so you could continue your projects. Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't you also consumed over three times as many resources as Lord Beelzebub without any results?"
Rias lifted her other hand, in a posture not unlike a half-shrug in continuation of her slow rotating appeal. "Now, I am not one to judge, but if it looks like a familiar, floats like a familiar, and obeys orders like a familiar, then I think it is fair to claim that it is in fact a familiar, and on similar logic I must suggest that your vaunted, multi-century research project is not just a waste of resources but an abject failure, the likes of which the Underworld hasn't seen since the True Satan Faction tried and failed to quash the Great King Faction."
She smiled serenely at the reddening face of the Lord Naberius. "And that is simply regarding the actions of the Pillar as a whole. If I recall properly, your heir was so underwhelming that even now, not only can none of us know their name, much less whether they were man or woman."
"Because of that bitch called the Dark Moon! She erased my child from existence!" Lord Naberius fired back.
"And the Dark Moon was a mere commoner," Rias replied, the dismissive words flowing from her tongue just as easily as her mother taught her. "Truly, if your son or daughter had any chance of achieving greatness, then they would have been able to at least escape the Dark Moon's fury. One need only look at Lord Phenex to see that Lunarunn Noname's wrath was a litmus test of potential... and one that your child failed." She shook her head and sighed. "The apple truly does not fall far from the tree, it would seem."
"You speak out of line, girl," another Devil, Lord Sallos, intoned.
Rias was about to respond, to soothe the raised hackles of the OSF that Lord Sallos represented, but someone cut in.
"Personally, I am in agreement with Heiress Gremory, and support her claims."
There were footsteps, and mutterings across the gathered Assembly as a tall blond Devil stepped through, flanked by his two Rooks and two Knights in a square formation with him at the center.
"Lord Phenex," the Lord Bael bowed his head. "I was under the assumption that you would not show for this meeting."
"Forgive me. I would have been here on time, but I am afraid that I lack that patience the rest of this august convention has for the prattle that Lord Naberius claims is a valid argument for the poaching of a Piece already claimed." Ruval Phenex ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. "Do not worry, I heard everything, and merely refrained from entering before on account of giving him fair say."
Rias eyed the polite smile of the youngest Lord in the Assembly, as well as the suspicious glares sent his way. Mother had mentioned that his not-so-little pet project was causing a lot of collars to chafe within the other Pillars. It was interesting to see it unfold in person, however, and his seeming indifference at the scorn leveled his way. Even her own father, Rias noticed, watched Ruval with an expression of suspicion. His, however, was more caution than distaste.
"Then consider your support noted, Lord Phenex, and take your seat," the arbitrator in the room stated coolly, to which Ruval complied.
His eyes remained fixed on Rias though, scrutinizing her closely.
She wouldn't let it shake her, however. Whatever the Lord Phenex's relations with the other Pillars, his support meant the Glasya-Labolas, the Sitris, the Agares, and the Astaroths would most likely stand by her as well, to say nothing of the Baels and Gremorys due to familial preference. That formed quite a strong bloc, and one that Rias would gladly use to bludgeon the name of Naberius six feet under.
"To continue from where I left off," the redhead continued, turning her own eyes back to the clearly incensed Naberius. "If Lord Phenex himself agrees that my statement of the Dark Moon's wrath is valid, then I have little reason to argue it further. Your child could have survived. They didn't."
Rias put a finger to her lower lip, eyes flicking upward in thought. "I also believe that Lady Naberius was also filing for a dissolution of your marriage with her, was she not? I worry for her future prospects, given that she will forever be marred by divorce, but if she is willing to accept even a sullied name and a reputation in shambles in exchange for freedom, then... doesn't that mean that her opinion of you is even worse?"
"That is none of your concern." The glacial tone would be enough to put many people at unease, perhaps even make them backtrack.
Rias instead met the ice with a contemptuous sweetness, the finger on her lip now lifting slightly from skin to point at herself. "I disagree, Lord Naberius. Is it not important to question the worth of the individual when regarding their claims of a piece of property, as you so eloquently label another living being? I am Heiress of a Dukedom, one whose short life of nineteen years has already been replete with achievements such as multiple successful archeological expeditions, a mastery of the Power of Destruction that even Zekram Bael has commended, and a finish at the last Young Devil's Rating Game Gathering seconded only to the kin of the Phenex Flame of Sinai, with only two Pieces at my command."
Rias nodded her head to Ruval, who nodded back once. "To say nothing of the connections I have. I could go on, but I would loathe to waste the valuable time of my elders."
She turned back to the Lord Naberius, who was beginning to turn a nice shade of puce. She smiled, just as saccharine and fake as she so wished she could make her tone, but instead she flooded her voice with sympathy. "What do you have to your name in that timeframe, Lord Naberius? A late child who bit off more than they could chew, a fishing expedition of a science project, and a marriage that is failing? I wish I could say otherwise, milord, but between my accomplishments and your lack of them, I believe it is a foregone conclusion under whom the nekoshou who operates as my Rook should be placed. Especially if we go by your argument of general returns on investment."
Rias lowered her hand back to the front of her lap. "If I may, am I correct in assuming that you are searching for a reason to claim that you still deserve the title of Pillar, Lord Naberius? This is the third time you've gone after my Rook. I would even say that your persistence is impressive, were it not for how desperate it appears."
She tilted her head, rotating slowly to address the Assembly once more. "It's unbecoming of Devils of our standing to act as such, and on account for the Naberius family showing itself as invidious and avaritious beyond their means not once but thrice, I humbly beseech the Assembly redirect its focus from debating on Koneko Toujou's transfer of ownership to debating the expulsion of the Naberius family from these noble chambers."
The chamber was silent, either in introspection or shock at her audacity, but Rias's eyes were focused firmly on the Lord Naberius, who was shaking with rage.
'Just a little more...'
Rias stepped back, letting out a quiet sigh. "Though perhaps I am overstepping my bounds. It is not right for one such as I to direct the Assembly to such a place, nor to be so harsh as to critique your character. I am sure you have your fair share of accomplishments, and I do not belittle the breakthroughs you played a part in creating. Simply that as of late your performance as a Lord is lacking, and your actions... distasteful."
The redhead stared up at Lord Naberius, a smile playing at her lips. "My Rook is off the table, but if you truly insist on some form of reparation, then perhaps it may be possible for my father to give the Naberius Foundation a charitable donation? It is not my place to discuss terms, but the Gremory family is happy to extend a hand to our fellow Lords when they have no other option but to ask for aid." She lifted a hand to the top of her sternum, a gesture of fealty as she bowed her head and closed her eyes. "I, for one, am happy to let my progenitors, the honored elders who sit here today, manage this with all the benevolence they believe you are due."
Somehow, Lord Naberius didn't erupt with that last barb. She'd expected him to challenge her to a duel for his remaining scraps of honor then and there, but his rapidly clenching and unclenching fists as the redhead looked back up indicated that he was just holding himself back from doing so.
'A pity,' Rias thought, the smile falling from her face to a more neutral one. She would have loved to tear the last shreds of his reputation to nothing before killing him for causing Koneko so much stress. Her mother would have been rather pleased with the opportunity to absorb the Naberius holdings as recompense as well.
Ultimately, the redhead got what she came for, though. Continuing to discuss transferring Koneko over to Lord Naberius would be a massive faux pas by anyone who attempted to do so in face of the vast difference in noble quality between her and the Lord of the Naberius house, his divorce all but assured after this humiliation. Judging by the looks the Devils all along the high seats of the Assembly were giving each other, it was likely that he'd lose the Naberius a position in the Assembly too.
Even a few of the Old Satan Faction Lords were giving him the stink-eye, perhaps for just how pathetic she made him out to be. That was certainly a good sign. Though perhaps she overdid it just a bit, given the way she got her fair share of stares as well.
Now Rias just had to worry about assassination or kidnapping attempts in retaliation. Wonderful.
"I concur with Heiress Gremory," Ruval stood, pulling out a manila folder that appeared filled with papers. "A secondary reason I arrived at the Assembly today is to discuss the circumstances which forced me to battle the criminal my late fiancee had become. I believe that House Naberius wasn't just the victim of the Dark Moon's rage, but the instigator."
'Oh?' Rias blinked slowly, Turning to look at Ruval, as he passed the folder to Lord Gremory, who viewed the contents with a growing expression of distaste. Ruval had worded his description of the Dark Moon oddly, but that was an afterthought given the way that Zeoticus passed the manila folder to Lord Sitri, face set in a scowl toward the Naberius.
Then Zeoticus spoke, speaking slowly as he finished looking through the contents of the folder. "I would ask Lord Bael to discard the transfer of Peerage member ownership in favor of discussing this evidence. Though the Dark Moon remains guilty of heir-killing, I now have reason to believe that the Naberius family had an active hand in inciting Lunarunn Noname to her rampage."
He'd voted to refrain from excising the Dark Moon from the Assembly, so perhaps there was some form of desire to lay her specter to rest?
"...I concur." Lord Sitri added.
"I, as well." Lord Astaroth confirmed, passing the folder onward.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree." And that one was Lord Glasya-Labolas.
Then the manila folder entered Lord Bael's hands, and he looked it over. A stern frown came over his face, staring hard at the supposed evidence.
Finally, he spoke as well. "This... is rather concerning proof. How do we know that this is not forged or doctored?"
"I will stake my family's reputation and title on these findings," Ruval didn't so much as blink. "If they are wrong, I'll even hand over our place in the Assembly to Lord Naberius, and bestow unto him our status of Marquese."
That got the entire Assembly chattering. Just what did Ruval uncover to even move Lord Bael? Moreso, how was he so confident that he'd put millennia of realpolitik on the line just for a single accusation?
There were one of three answers. One was that he had gone mad. The other was that he was trying to get the Phenexes booted off the Assembly. Both were clearly not the case.
The third was that his confidence in what he found was ironclad, and the whole Assembly knew that Superbia was not Ruval's cardinal sin.
"Order! Order!" Lord Bael declared, slamming a gavel on his table, silencing the Assembly. "Your claim has been accepted for review, Lord Phenex. Heiress Gremory, you are dismissed and may take your leave. The demands for your Rook have been dropped, and we will now discuss the Naberius Pillar's recruitment of mercenary Devils from the outlands for the kidnapping of Lunarunn Noname, as well as the murder of her parents Loedrick and Thelastia Bael."
'Oh my.' Taking commoners from another family's lands? Ruval just double-tapped the remains of the Naberius Pillar's reputation.
Somehow, Rias felt robbed. This was supposed to be her moment to gut the Naberius, but Lord Phenex swooped in and stole her prey!
No. No, she couldn't look at it like that. It was more likely an opportunistic lunge from the Marquis since Rias had done such a good job savaging Lord Naberius's reputation.
She expected a thank-you letter from him for doing so, though!
Three hours later, Rias walked around the foyer of the Assembly, shaking hands and thanking various heads for their support and consideration. Even as she did, however, her mind was on other things.
According to her father, the Assembly had a slim majority in favor of stripping the Naberius of their Pillar status and removing them from the Assembly altogether. Even that was primarily along party lines, and it was only because of a brief defection from one family that caused the motion to pass.
But there was also a unanimous agreement to not make public the knowledge of the Naberius's involvement in the Dark Moon's fall into madness.
Zeoticus didn't seem all too perturbed, nor did most of the other heads, but there was one nobleman who seemed rather displeased with the outcome, which gave Rias some modicum of relief that she wasn't the only one who didn't necessarily agree with the ruling, even if she understood why it was taken.
It wouldn't do for the commoners to see how openly a noble could take their lives into his or her hands, after all.
Oh, the noble who mirrored Rias's quiet disapproval didn't show it on his face, but his body language told another story. She was just reading that instead, something he let slip ever so slightly as he spoke to one of his Knights.
...No, that had nothing to do with her staring at his back, where she knew the blackened scar that the Dark Moon inflicted on him laid bare against his skin.
The black-haired young man speaking to the one in question nodded, and started walking off, before noticing Rias's gaze upon his liege. Said gaze turned to the Knight as the Azure Blade of the White Flame approached, stopping in front of her.
"Rias Gremory, am I correct?" Albus, if Rias remembered correctly, asked with a bow.
She bowed her head in turn. "You are. What may Lord Phenex's Knight wish to discuss with me about?"
"Lord Phenex wished for me to collect you for a brief talk. Do you have a few minutes to converse with him?"
Rias would be a fool if she didn't take this opportunity. "Of course. Lead the way, Sir Albus."
The vampire nodded his head and turned, gesturing for Rias to follow with a brief wave. Naturally, she did so, and not ten seconds later found herself in front of the most eligible bachelor in the Underworld.
She tried very hard not to think of that last bit.
"I've found her, Lord Phenex."
"Thank you, Albus. You are free to mingle as you wish until further notice." Ruval nodded at his Knight, who stepped back to leave Rias and Ruval alone.
"...Might I ask what this is about, Lord Phenex?" the redhead inquired, offering the Lord of a Marquis a curtsy, a gesture he returned with a bend of her waist.
"I do believe I owe you an apology for claiming your mark. I am confident the red of your gown was to ensure that nobody notices the bloodstains from how you tore into the former Lord Naberius." he smiled winningly. "Your foes would be lucky to steer clear of your sight, lest they be enchanted by the beauty that befalls them. Such a brilliant shade does not suit many, yet you carry it splendidly."
Rias fought down the faint blush. "You flatter me, Lord Phenex. Besides, isn't blood more Sir Albus's domain? He is the vampire, after all."
Ruval glanced to the side and coughed politely into his fist. "I may have asked him for a few pointers."
The redhead's lips quirked upward. "Then you can tell him that I found his 'pointers' refreshingly quaint."
"Everyone is a critic," Ruval sighed, pressing the base of his palm to his forehead and tilting it back. "Clearly, the Crimson Ruin Princess is a rose, for she so clearly possesses thorns to match that picturesque visage."
"There is a reason 'ruin' is part of my Rating Game title, Lord Phenex." Now Rias was fighting a losing battle to the smile rising on her face. "You would do well to remember that."
"After what you did to the Naberius? I would be a fool to forget." Ruval inclined his head. "But again, I must thank you for bloodying him so thoroughly. It turned what promised to be an uphill battle into a cakewalk."
"I would assume that is due to your... strained relationship, even with your allies?" Rias asked, one brow lifting.
"The Phoenix Initiative is nothing if not ambitious. I find it ironic that so many would feel alarmed by it when following it has led me to the very evidence that I brought before the Assembly today. Even so, the Naberius is, or rather was, a significant proponent of the Old Satan Faction agenda and would have received protection as such were it not for your character assassination." Ruval slid a hand into his pocket with a sigh. "With him out of the way and his seat bequeathed to House Phenex as recompense for the kidnapping of my late fiancee and her subsequent death at my hands, this sets the OSF on a notable back foot. They will focus on cleaning house and playing nice to recoup their losses. Everybody wins, except the OSF, of course."
The Dark Moon's subsequent death at Ruval's hands. Because she went berserk and he needed to maintain his image? Or was it a mercy killing, to save her from becoming any more of a monster than she already had?
"A pity that it took your fiancee's passing and over a decade to finally find justice," Rias demurred, bowing her head.
"A true pity," Ruval agreed, the mask slipping for a moment, and in that moment Rias could see the regret and pain in the Phenex's face.
"...You loved her, didn't you?" she guessed.
"Who ever said I stopped?" he replied quietly, voice a murmur. "It's easy to tar her image when you did not know her personally, but to those who did, to me, seeing Lunarunn in those final moments and knowing that I was part of why she finally broke down... it was a painfully enlightening experience."
'Painfully enlightening?' Clearly the confusion showed on the redhead's face, since the Phenex elaborated.
"Before she went mad, Lunarunn was like the sun." Ruval smiled, and unlike the polite mask from before it was much like the sun itself; for a moment, Rias was blinded by it. "Completely brilliant, radiant, scathing and nurturing in equal measure, and one of the most genuine individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. So seeing her become a shadow of her former self, maddened by rage, it... hurt. She is still a bittersweet memory, but for helping me see the Naberius family punished for their crimes, you have my heartfelt gratitude, Heiress Gremory."
"Rias," the words left the Gremory's mouth before she could stop herself. Whether it was earnest or something more opportunistic, she wasn't sure. "Just... call me Rias. Er. If you wish, I mean. And... your gratitude honors me. The Naberius were scum and needed to be dealt with either way, but I am glad to have aided you as well."
For a long moment, Ruval studied her, then the polite mask was back. "Thank you, Rias."
Now that she'd seen what laid behind it, the smile he wore seemed so fake. But she didn't say anything about it, instead bowing her head. "Does... the Phoenix Initiative have anything to do with her memory?"
"Very astute of you." He nodded once. "You could say that the Phoenix Initiative is my vigil. She showed me how I could better live up to the title of nobleman, and now I am attempting to do so."
"And that means expanding your territory?" Rias furrowed her brow.
"The fact that she was kidnapped by outland mercenaries, that she herself managed to rise so far before crashing, shows that there is potential in even the mundane," Ruval lifted a hand to his stomach, palm facing the ceiling, and let it slide to the side. "Yet most live such meager lives, trying to survive the wilds or ambivalent rulers. The Phenexes may not be able to terraform lands to the same extent the Bael have managed, but at the very least we can try and give these disenfranchised people the opportunity to excel. Many houses don't so much as offer common courtesy."
That got him a furrowed brow. "That's an awfully negative view of the Pillars. Do you really think every other Pillar is as harsh to their commoners as you claim the Underworld was to the Dark Moon?"
"No. But can you deny that such roadblocks exist?" Ruval asked in turn. "Can you deny that some Pillars rule over their lands like tyrants, slumlords, or worse? That laws aren't put into place that further stratifies our society between those with true blood and those without?"
"...No." Rias pursed her lips. "But we don't. My family doesn't."
Ruval shook his head. "Perhaps not. There is a reason why the Phenexes still enjoy a strong partnership with the Gremory family, despite the Gremory's early concerns about our expansion into unclaimed lands. But what are you doing to actively make the lives of your constituents better? How do you, as an individual of significant standing and renown, act in such a way as to inspire loyalty in your lessers?"
An image of Koneko's face flashed before Rias's eyes. "I fight for them," she replied sharply. "Like I did here. I fight for their sake, so they can be safe and happy."
"And that's exactly what I'm doing with the Phoenix Initiative," Ruval's polite smile widened. "I'm reaching out so that I can lift them up. So that they can be safe, and have the opportunity to chase happiness, under the banner of the Phenex. What better way to ensure we are at the forefront of a new era of Devilkind, if not to encourage all who have the spark to bring it about? Perhaps in doing so, I could encourage a new generation to take up the same mantle."
Rias frowned thoughtfully, pressing a knuckle into her chin as she examined Ruval carefully. His actions thus far, from what she could tell, certainly matched up with his words. And indeed, given the last public match against Diehauser Belial his power was in the top percentile of Devils. She doubted his strength has declined since then, either. She could almost feel the heat bubbling within Ruval, a testament to the power he held, and to her embarrassment her own body had started to heat up in turn.
If nothing else, she should at least keep the door he'd provided in this discussion open. He had merely given her his mission statement, and that tickled her curiosity.
"You... are not like most nobles," she decided, pushing her feelings back down with the efficiency of a trained noblewoman.
"I could say the same of you," he replied back. "To be direct, I can see a bit of Lunarunn in you. The passion, the drive to excel, and the desire to do not what is easy, but act on what you believe in."
"Up to and including killing a nobleman?" Rias drawled.
Ruval raised a brow. "Pardon me for making assumptions, but is that not why you adorned the scarlet of blood today, madame?"
A bubble of laughter forced its way out of Rias's chest. "Assume what you wish; it would be improper of me to be quite so upfront, would it not?"
The blond's smile started showing a bit of teeth. "That is not a 'no' I hear."
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about."
The smile turned into a full grin, even as he leaned against a wall and let out a drawl of his own. "Of course not. My sincerest apologies, Lady Rias."
Was this why Ruval was such a heartthrob in the court of nobles? It was refreshingly easy to speak with Ruval, almost dangerously so.
Then he pulled out a phone and turned it on, staring at the screen for a long moment before the smile died away and he stowed the device. "Blast it, again? I was not expecting time to pass so swiftly..."
"What happened, Lord Phenex?"
"Another meeting regarding a recent convoy that was hit by bandits," he grunted. "Thankfully the losses are minimal, but raiders have been a thorn in my side for years now."
"Is the problem of opportunists really so severe in your territory?"
"More like the one leading them is a tactical genius." Ruval held a hand to his face, dragging it down with a half-sigh, half-growl. "Ravel might be having a field day attempting to outsmart them, but every time I try to flush the raiders out and nip these attacks in the bud, their leader goes to ground and becomes nothing more than a memory to return in force some time later."
An idea, spurred on by a flash of duty and opportunity, formed in Rias's mind. "Perhaps I could help?"
"I appreciate the offer, but I am unsure if you have any talents that might help me root out the commander or their base of operations."
"Perhaps not," she admitted, "but I do have a Senjutsu prodigy with a specialization in hunting and tracking, who is a nekoshou to boot."
"The very one you came here to defend?" Ruval guessed, holding a hand to his chin. "Xi Fan is a Senjutsu specialist herself, but the nekoshou race are supposedly naturals with it in a way that beggars belief. Would you really lend her out to support my hunt?"
"Not without proper compensation of course, and certain stipulations." Rias put a hand on her hip, tilting her chin up slightly. "She does have a school to attend, after all, and I mean for it to be her choice to make whether or not to aid you."
"Then this is merely an offer of potential support." The blond smiled thinly. "I appreciate the gesture, but admittedly I would need something a little more concrete than a 'maybe'."
"That is understandable." Rias bowed her head. "But it is not a 'no' either. From the sounds of it, you may not be able to handle these raiders alone. Thus, is it not imperative for you to seek further discussion and diplomacy with someone who has access to unique talents that might prove crucial in solving a chronic issue?"
The Lord Phenex lifted a brow, before closing his eyes and smirking. "I see. So you would leverage aid in return for future talks. Truly, you drive a hard bargain Heiress Gremory."
She quirked a thin eyebrow upward. "Is such a thing truly a difficult agreement to come to?"
"You would be surprised." Ruval's hand brushed through his hair briefly. "Were I to speak with everyone that desires to do so with me, I would get nothing done. Even now, speaking with you suggests I may need to miss out on a bit of sleep to maintain my schedule."
"Then I would ask you to merely think on it, and contact me in two days, during the time period of Japan's evening, should you agree." Rias gestured to the hand that Ruval used to hold his phone. "I would not dare infringe on your time any longer, Lord Phenex, particularly if you must address these raiders posthaste."
"Then I shall take your offer and shelve it, for that future time," the blond decided, bowing. "Thus, I must take my leave. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Lady Rias, and I wish you good fortune in your future endeavors."
"The pleasure was all mine, Lord Phenex. I hope to hear back from you in two days' time." She curtsied once more, and with that Lord Phenex stepped back and briskly walked out of the foyer.
He'd accepted a future discussion with her, hadn't he? And compared her to his lost fiancee. That was good, right? She felt like things had gone about as well as they could have.
Rias certainly hoped her mother would agree.
"Masaomi. It's good to hear from you again. What brings you to speak with me today?"
Masaomi Yaegeki knelt, head low and eyes shut, as he prayed. Not to Heaven, but to one of Heaven's Archangels. Gabriel insisted that it was the fastest way to contact her, but to do so sparingly, as to prevent any idolatry, for Gabriel was but God's agent rather than a symbol of worship.
He had agreed, but it had been a while since his last check-in, and he had news to deliver.
"Gabriel. Thank you for hearing my words, I have... much to discuss."
"Your heart is conflicted," she noted, not unkindly. "It is clear that whatever you wish to speak of is a heavy topic indeed."
"I recently reunited with a longtime friend. Lunarunn, the Devil."
"The unique one?"
"Aren't all unique under God's light?"
"Perhaps so." There was a faint laugh from the Archangel. "But not all can be convinced by an exorcist to pray in a temple, much less follow through despite the feedback."
"Not my smartest decision," Masaomi admitted under his breath, to which Gabriel giggled.
"Everyone makes mistakes," she soothed. "Besides, from what you've told me of her, she was actually thankful for the opportunity."
"More like she was thankful for my being there to catch her when she nearly passed out," the exorcist chuckled. "Things were... not necessarily simpler those days, but they made more sense."
"Does this have to do with why I sense turmoil within you, Masaomi?"
Masaomi was quiet, before sighing. "Something like that. Gabriel... what is your opinion of war?"
"War?" she echoed faintly. She was silent for several seconds, clearly thinking over his question. "It's... war is a horrible thing. It's a raging flame that consumes all that touches it. Nobody walks away from it unchanged. Conflicts of morality and ideology always spill blood, and never does war not leave tragedy in its wake."
"I... see." Masaomi hummed. "And this is your opinion, as Heaven's strongest woman?"
"This is my opinion, as one who has seen war in its ugliest and most brutal forms. One does not simply forget the War Above the Heavens, nor the beings that fed off of the strife."
"I think I understand."
"But... if I am to hold true to my duty, then I must elaborate further."
"What do you mean?"
"War is a cruel and terrible thing. The Red Horseman did not discriminate as to who suffered within his grasp; he picked and chose victims at his own whim." Gabriel made a 'tsk'. "But that does not mean war, in and of itself, is an evil thing."
The exorcist was silent, prompting the Archangel to continue.
"God's greatest gift to us all is the gift of free will." Masaomi could almost see the way her hand drifted to the side. "Yet, when we all get to choose our own paths, naturally our paths will diverge, be it in walks of life, belief, or anything of the sort. I have spoken of understanding why the Fallen may have chosen the paths they did. Of understanding why they believe that the best way to be humanity's steward is to turn their back on God's commands. Just because I understand them, however, does not mean that I agree with them. So if our disagreements become irreconcilable and irredeemable in the eyes of the other, it is natural that we would come to blows. That is why the original Great War occurred."
"So because of free will, war is an unfortunate side-effect?"
"You could call it that." Gabriel took a deep breath. "Or it could be the body of free will's natural defense against true evil."
"...I'm unsure I follow."
"Just like there are things that can be called unequivocally good, there are things that can too be called unequivocally evil." Gabriel expounded. "The Demons, the progenitors of the Devils, were beings that not only turned their backs on God, but actively sought to bring ruin and desecration to His world. To speak of them in mere words would do the horrors they committed an injustice. I will, however, speak briefly on a few examples: the demons known as Gremory and Sitri were homewreckers of the most sadistic sort. The demon Bael was a cruel, tyrannical overlord. Marchosias was a machine of war, of its darkest impulses. The demon Dantalion took knowledge and used it to break the minds and wills of as many people as possible, to take away their ability to choose. All derived satisfaction from the defilement of good and beautiful things."
"Wait, those horror stories that the Church taught us are true? Is that why there is such a stigma against Devils today?" He'd heard of such already, but initially Masaomi thought that they were stories to set initiates against the Underworld, due to how excessive they were.
Having it confirmed by one of the highest authorities in Heaven, however... no wonder his stance on Devils landed him solely in Nineveh division during his tenure at the Vatican.
"Even now, it is not entirely unfounded. But to paint them with the same brush as their forefathers is too far. We should treat them with caution, for they are still their parents' children, but we should not force them to bear their parents' sins either."
The archangel continued unabated. "Sometimes, there are beings, or actions, that must be stopped at all cost. Does that mean it is right to do so? Perhaps not, in the eyes of God. But sometimes, when cruelty reigns, and all other options to stop it have been exhausted, we must take up our swords. To protect free will, and to protect the freedom to choose one's own walk in life."
"Or to protect those who can't protect themselves," Masaomi finished, a shiver running down his spine.
"War is a terrible thing. It's a flame that consumes all that is engulfed within it," Gabriel said softly. "But... sometimes, there is a reason to light that fire. To burn away the underbrush, so that which was trapped beneath can have the chance to grow and be all it can be."
"..."
"Lunarunn means to light that fire."
"...Yes. Yes she does."
"Do you think she's a good person?"
"I worry she's a good person gone too far."
"Like the soldiers of Sinai Division, and the fervor that would see them burn the heretic, regardless of their sin?"
"She has this... fire, behind her eyes. It reminds me of them."
"But does she remind you of them?"
To that, Masaomi had no answer.
"There is more to radicalism than just fervor, Masaomi."
"I held a bright fervor once. It blinded me to the world, until that youkai commander put his life at my mercy, for the sake of the soldiers that killed my parents."
"And you fear that she may be going through the same thing?" she guessed.
"Yes." Gabriel hit the nail on the head. "And unlike me, I don't think that she'll have someone to sacrifice their life for their subordinates."
"You're scared that you'll be swept up in the 'glory of war', so to speak." That wasn't a guess, and Masaomi winced.
"The idea of bringing those who hide behind institutions and wealth to justice is... it's tempting." He swallowed "It's so tempting, especially since it comes from someone I can call a friend. I worry I might lose myself in it."
"You don't think that it's the right choice to put yourself in that position."
"There has to be a better way than just becoming another part of Lunarunn's plans to be subsumed."
"And do you think she hasn't tried 'better' ways?" Gabriel asked, not accusing but curious.
"I think she tried, but now that her parents were killed because of it, Luna means to hold nothing back."
"I understand your hesitation." The archangel wasn't there, but Masaomi could feel the warmth of her light rest upon his shoulders. "It is a difficult decision to make. I do not envy you your position, but I am sympathetic to your plight."
"Thank you, Gabriel."
"Thus, I should ask you of your personal opinion instead. Do you trust her?"
"I trust her to do what she thinks is the right thing."
"Then do you trust her judgment?"
Masaomi didn't answer again, prompting a soft sigh from his angelic patron.
"If you do, then you fear it might pit you against Heaven," Gabriel guessed
"You are getting far too good at reading me, Archangel."
He could feel her smile. "Your silences tell a story all their own."
"I am a soldier of God, first and foremost," the black-haired man said quietly. "I would raise my blade for the people in God's name, but should I not question when the idea that fighting for the people would have me point my sword at the very stewards of His paradise?"
"You should. But if reason and belief dictates that you must fight that which claims to fight for God, then what man of God would stand idly by?"
"So you would have me betray Heaven," Masaomi's voice was flat.
"If you come to believe Heaven needs to be betrayed, then there is clearly something deeply wrong with either the way we go or the way you have come to see the world." Gabriel sighed quietly. "I am the deliverer of harsh truths, so heed my words well: Heaven is not what it used to be. Father is dead, and our power wanes. We do what we can, because we must, but until a miracle occurs, we can no longer be the ultimate force of good in this world. A force of good, certainly we can attempt to be, but no longer can we claim the pinnacle of power. Thus, we must offer the choice to our followers to be our hands, and if those hands rise to our own throat then we must understand that there is a reason for it."
"And what happens to you if that happens?"
"I will do my duty. If that means one day I must face you not as an ally or friend but an adversary... so be it."
"You would ask me to follow my own beliefs, yet stand so steadfastly to duty yourself even if it would make us enemies... do you not see the hypocrisy?"
"What good captain would abandon her ship if there are still those that would remain on it as it sinks?" The Archangel replied, resigned but resolute. "It may be hypocritical, but I dare not leave them to fall alone."
"Then...!"
"Masaomi." Her voice was still kind, but now there was a firmer note to it. "I chose you and Asia to be my aides in the human world because I trust in your character. You stood up for a family when nobody else did, even when you knew that it might result in your execution. You laid down your designs of revenge in the face of kindness. If you truly believe that Lunarunn is in the right with her mission, then I will assign you to be the envoy of Heaven in what group she may be gathering. If that results in turning against Heaven, then I will trust that you will follow your faith whichever way it leads you."
His voice fell, "...I don't want to fight Heaven, or you, Gabriel."
So did her's. "Then speak to Lunarunn, for us. Speak to us, for her. Be the bridge that allows Heaven and her to coexist. Fight not for Luna's justice, but for the love and justice of our Father, and inspire her to be able to do the same if she begins to stray."
Masaomi swallowed, glancing up at the empty air before giving a silent nod.
"...When does she plan to start her war?" his patron asked.
He didn't know the specifics. But he would be frank with Gabriel. After what she and Heaven had done for him, they deserved that much. "Soon."
"Then it's good that Michael has been rallying the troops already." The Archangel's light started to fade. "Thank you, Masaomi. I promise you that we will do everything in our power to make the best of this news. Go forth now, and be His hands unto this world."
The black-haired man nodded once more, taking a deep breath, then exhaling slowly. "I will."
Raynare could barely hold back the mixture of glee and concern that bubbled within as she pulled away from Masaomi's room. After being housed with the Yaegekis for a week and a half, she felt maybe a little bad for eavesdropping, but considering what she'd heard she felt the pang of guilt was worth the knowledge she'd come away with.
The deadbeat bitch who'd been at Masaomi's house the night she showed up was the leader of some upstart faction? Kokabiel had warned her and the rest of their subordinates that there was someone they needed to inform him about the moment they learned their whereabouts.
Lunarunn. Arunn. Raynare hadn't connected the dots before, but now that she had she could slap herself for her lack of perception.
To say nothing about what she'd heard about the Big Guy Upstairs? Dead? That was... news. News that she'd be keeping very close to her chest; the young Fallen had a good feeling that she'd just heard the kind of information that the brass in Heaven would kill to keep concealed.
'Maybe even the Grigori too.' Azazel was focused enough on his 'peace' deal that he might remove her for being a potential leak.
Not that she cared; nothing really changed, even knowing that He was dead. The fact that the solitary priest apparently had a hotline to one of the top Angels of Heaven though? Now that would be information worth sharing.
She took off into the night, spreading her wings to take to the air through a window, speeding into the sky under a cloak of invisibility magic - it wouldn't necessarily fool the supernaturally-inclined, but it would suffice for maintaining the anonymity of the supernatural world.
Once she was high above sleepy Kuoh, the few lights beneath her indicative of the town's nightlife, Raynare extended a hand, summoning forth her magic to contact a certain someone.
"Raynare." Kokabiel's voice sounded out from the magical circle that sprung to life in front of the young Fallen. "You have a report, I presume."
"I do, milord." She nodded once, the words spilling out immediately. "I found the whereabouts of the aberration you warned us about."
"The beast is operating in Kuoh?"
"I even spoke with her. She was using a fake name, Arunn. It slipped beneath my notice for a while, but after eavesdropping on a conversation between the exorcist that let me stay at his house and Gabriel, the pieces came together. It sounds like she's doing a recruitment drive for an army of some sort. Maybe even a new faction."
"Gabriel?" It took Kokabiel multiple seconds before he continued. "I will assume you heard that by name. It is peculiar for my sister to speak with a random exorcist as such, but it's a secondary concern. What did Heaven have to say about the 'recruitment drive' as you put it?"
"I couldn't tell, but from the sounds of it he's been convinced to join."
"Damnation," the cadre growled. "If even Heaven is willing to listen to that thing, then the situation is dire. We must expedite our plans. Raynare, I will be sending the usual three to back you up immediately. Do not engage the Dark Moon again, but operate under containment and damage control. I badly underestimated that thing. We have to mitigate its influence in Kuoh, lest the whole town fall under its sway."
"You sound worried."
"It convinced me to stay my hand for a brief period, despite knowing exactly what that thing was and is. It's dangerously persuasive." Kokabiel's voice was low and harsh. "I should have killed it before it could talk to Azazel, but now I have to clean up my mess instead. Mittelt, Kalawarner, and Dohnaseek is just the start; I will be joining this containment mission as well after I gather additional aid."
"Milord, this is-!"
"This is far larger than you or I," the cadre interrupted, "or even our membership in the Grigori. I do not overstate when I say that the Dark Moon's actions could very well bring about the apocalypse."
The young Fallen shivered. This... this was big. This was her big break, and it was an even bigger mission.
She refused to fail him.
"What do you need me to do?"
Lunarunn stared down at the phone in her hand, a model years ahead of the current consumer market standard, and top of the line in that supposed year to boot.
She didn't typically splurge, but for the purposes this phone held, Luna knew that it was a worthy expenditure, especially after the customizations that Georg and Le Fay applied.
Mu Team fully deployed - ready for Zero-Day operations.
She deleted the message, the contents already delivered, and slipped her phone back into her pocket as she stared out at the night sky, one much different than the one Raynare floated in back at Kuoh.
"Ulan. You said you'd support me whatever path I took," she murmured. "So... where are you now? Did I... did I scare you off? Have I done something wrong?"
No reply. There never was.
Lunarunn sighed, shaking her head and turning her gaze to the ceiling tile beneath her, running a finger over it.
She heard the tap of feet landing a few feet from her, and shifted her gaze to the side. "Hey Jasp. I take it the paperwork's out of the way?"
"It's been out of the way for a little while," the ruby-eyed Pawn replied primly, sitting carefully next to her King. "What's wrong? It isn't typically like you to be so deep in thought out on a night like this. I would have expected you to be whiling some time away with Inanna. You two certainly enjoy each others'... ah, private company."
"We're only a little while out now from the day everything changes," Luna replied simply, cupping her hands together, to which Jaspal Valac nodded in understanding.
"Ah, yes. That." Jaspal shifted, jeweled gaze sliding to the small pool of water that Luna had conjured in her hands. "Do you mean to back out?"
"I think it's pretty obvious that after staring down gods and either beating them into line or outsmarting them diplomatically that I wouldn't back down at this point." The brunette laughed faintly. "No, I'm just... nervous, is all."
"I do not blame you for your nervousness, though." The svelte ravenette pulled Luna into a brief hug. "I remember when I first took over a part of my father's company. How the pressure was on to not slip up once, to perform perfectly. He was always... very demanding."
"At least in your case, the demands are external." Luna cracked a brief grin at Jaspal as the brunette slipped out of the hug, drying herself off from the bits of water she'd gotten on herself.. "A lot of mine are internalized. Even if I know I won't be perfect, that dark side of my mind keeps whispering that I can't mess anything up at all, or everything's gonna come crashing down like the FFP did."
"That's why we're partners." Jaspal tapped her temple. "And it's why you've gathered an inner council. So that we can cover for you when you inevitably bungle something important. We're all nervous too. But we're standing with you. The mission you've espoused, the desire to pursue true justice, you can't just take that back. We won't let you."
Luna snickered. "Yeah, no pressure of course."
"What I'm saying is, you would not have gotten as far as you have with us, if you hadn't been open with us. With me." Jaspal set her hand over Luna's, twisting her own to clasp on palm to palm. "Believe me, we all know you're not perfect. Any of us who have seen you play fighting games against Georg can attest to that."
"Jackass certainly makes it a point to rub it in against anyone he plays," Luna muttered, though she was grinning as the ravenette laughed.
"That he does. But even so, you've become a beacon for the rest of us to follow. We don't follow you because we believe you to be flawless, but you're still an example to aspire to, even if some would deny it. And isn't that something; that even gods can be inspired by the conviction of a mere Devil like you?" Jaspal squeezed the brunette's hand. "We've all had our trials. You've had yours. Even if this is our biggest one yet, we're in this together. You're not alone."
"Maybe not." The Worldweaver raised her head to the stars. Admittedly, she did feel a little better. "I suppose I shouldn't let myself get bogged down by worries like that, huh? Especially since I'm sure Cataclysm Eclipse is amplifying them."
"Considering how your Tainted Gear works, I would not be surprised."
"Speaking of." Luna glanced over to Jaspal, holding up her free hand. "That's another concern I had: strength. I'm still not sure how hard I can go with Cataclysm Eclipse before I lose control, so... just at my base level, how would I fare against... I dunno, the likes of Serafall?"
Jaspal tilted her head, scrutinizing the brunette. "Against Serafall? I cannot give you an exact measurement, but based on the last reading I took, you could probably beat her in a straight fight without it. But she is also the weakest of the Satans; Falbium and Ajuka have vastly greater defensive capability, and Sirzechs is listed in the top ten strongest beings for a reason."
"Don't let her hear that and get any ideas. Either way, you speak the truth." The brunette grimaced. "I gotta hit that list myself, and I know I can, but am I close enough that I can get by come showtime?"
"Do you think you need more training?"
"No." Luna shook her head. "My progress has been plateauing again. Every time this happens, I need to have a revelation of some sort to overcome it. Unfortunately, this time I'm not quite sure what that is, and my usual method of acquiring that information is..." she grimaced. "Well, it's not working."
Ruby eyes scrunched up as the Valac smiled at Luna. "Maybe I can help act as a sounding board."
Luna stared up at the starlit sky, taking a few more breaths. "I'm not sure how far it'll go," she admitted, smiling at Jaspal, "but it's worth a shot."
So Lunarunn and the first of her two Peerage members spoke long into the night about overcoming her last hurdle before the dominoes fell.
Even if it wasn't entirely productive, the Worldweaver enjoyed the moment of peace.
A/N -
Over half a chapter of Rias completely shredding a threat to her pack and then proceeding to perhaps obtain a contact in a very high place. The girl ain't just some helpless damsel in distress. This rose got thorns, and if you try and mess with her you're gonna bleed for it.
Now, to those of you who've been paying attention, I threw in a bit of plot symmetry that I think fits well with what's been going on. Let me know if you figure out what the plot symmetry was, and what you think of it!
Then Masaomi. Finally following up on talking to Gabriel about joining Luna's party. As you can see, he has some... concerns, and some more interaction with Gabriel. Note that this is after years of working together, so I think it's not remiss to suggest that the two see each other as something approaching friends.
Of course, with Raynare being the sneaky girl she is, naturally she might peek in and get a glimpse of the conversation. Now that she has, of course, things start getting a bit more exciting. How is Kokabiel's appearance going to throw a wrench into things? That's for me to know and for you all to find out!
Finally, some time to see Luna in a more introspective position. Even as she is now, she does still have doubts and worries, and I hope this scene can drive these doubts home even though she's so clearly resolved to her mission. It also gives us a little Jaspuna fluff, which has probably been a long time coming.
Tempura Wizard out.
