My Familiar Cries Not the Devil’s Tears

by L1ght0fFanf1cs

Nearly 20 years after the events of DMC5, Dante, Vergil, and Nero get summoned to the world of “The Familiar of Zero”. With three devil hunters in a world full of monsters and magic, things are gonna get wild. Warning: themes of bullying, suicide, discrimination, and physical abuse. If such themes bother you, do not read.

12. A Lesson In Manners: Lecture Part

AN: As a famous Sleeping Detective once said, "...Purposefully raise, then lower it." Get ready for the conclusion of this 6 chapter saga.

Different fonts denote different languages.

Normal font is English, Italics is Halkeginia's language,and underline is Japanese.

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER DEPICTS AN INSTANCE OF PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSE. IF THIS BOTHERS YOU, DO NOT READ.

-o0o-

"I'm sorry. I am so very, very sorry. Please, accept my apology, I beg of you," the old hunter spoke.

At that, the young noble grinned.

"Well, well, well. It seems you finally learned your lesson in manners," the young mage replied.

He then stood tall, proudly taking Dante's words in stride.

Dante then raised his head.

"I was not talking to you."

A scowl formed on the noble's face.

"Excuse me?" the mage replied.

Dante rose to his full height, and the noble stepped forward to admonish him.

"Did you say you were not speaking to me, peasant? Perhaps you hit your head too hard when you got down on your knees, because there is no other explanation for you-"

The next thing the boy knew, he was flat on his back and looking up at the sky.

The whole crowd went silent. An air of tension lingered in the air.

The old hunter had landed a harsh front kick to the boy, sending him crashing into the ground behind his comrades.

The boy sat up, albeit a bit dizzy, and immediately began hurling insults at the old hunter.

"You f****n* pig! Have you gone mad?!"

Dante clenched his fists.

"Mad? Yeah, that is the right word. I am mad."

He took a step forward.

"I am mad because a spoiled kid like you decided to cross the line and ask for more than what he is valued. I was going to leave you alone because Louise was concerned enough to shed tears over this fight."

He stopped, only ten paces away from the small group.

"Now… now you've gone too far. I do not care anymore what comes next, because you hurt someone like Louise and Siesta, two people who are worth far more than you are."

The pink haired girl had looked up from her place on the ground, a few small tears rolling down her cheeks. She glanced just in time to catch Dante addressing her and Siesta.

"You two," he called to the girls behind him, "I am sorry. I am so very, very sorry. Please, accept my apology, I beg of you. You wanted me to take a path that have little consequences, but I cannot accept it. Not if it means you two take the punishment instead."

He raised his hands, and slammed his fist into his palm.

"So excuse me, I think it is time someone taught these dirty kids some real manners."

-o-

Silence reigned over the field, as the whole crowd was stunned, but only for a moment.

"He's gone senile! A commoner teach a noble a lesson?" A student cried out.

"What? Why would he waste all his efforts?" Osmond said.

"I am actually quite surprised he did not do this sooner. Had it been me, the boy would have already lost an arm," Vergil added.

The small group around the hunter turned to him, shocked faces on all. Nero and Vergil merely gave a knowing smile.

"Watch closely. The lecture is only beginning."

-o-

The noble shakily got to his feet. His tongue wriggled in his mouth as he did, noticing something hard and loose rattle in his mouth. Finding the object, he spat it out, expecting a tiny rock to have invaded his personal space. His eyes widened when it turned out to be a tooth.

He quickly placed a hand in his mouth, finding that one of his canines had come right off.

"You mutt! You dare make me lose a tooth!? I will have your neck for this!" He yelled.

Dante scoffed.

"First a pig, then an ant, now a dog? What is wrong, you cannot make up your mind as to what we are? Or maybe you just have some very weird morning dreams," the old hunter taunted.

The noble's face flooded red with anger.

"You cur. Are you making fun of me because you think I am weak?"

"I never said you were weak. I said you were scared. And you are. You are scared now that someone is finally standing up to you."

"F*** YOU, I WILL SHOW YOU WHO IS SCARED!"

The noble pointed his wand out, and chanted.

"Converge upon the, thine sprites of water. Lend your aid to strike my foes! Water Pillar!"

An extremely fierce jet stream of water burst forth, headed straight at the old hunter. It crashed into him with a loud 'pang'. The shock wave from the impact had blown right past him, affecting the still kneeling Saito, and the downed Louise and Siesta.

-o-

Several members of the audience cheered at the sight of the attack making contact, and others started to walk away, deciding that the duel was over.

"Ah. It was a fine spectacle while it lasted. His passion at the end however… truly something incredible. It is a shame it had to be put out so soon," Kirche said.

Tabitha, however, said nothing, her book still in her hands, and her eyes glued to its pages.

"You severely underestimate my brother. His lesson is not finished yet. It is only the beginning," the old hunter replied.

Kirche turned to Vergil and raised a brow in confusion, before turning her sights back to the clearing before her.

"What in the heavens?!"

Her cry caught the attention of those who had left, and the entire crowd once more widened their eyes, save for a few.

-o-

Dante stood in his strange stance, looking no worse for the wear. A fierce gaze cutting straight through the light mist.

"HOW?!" the noble cried out. "HOW ARE YOU STILL STANDING? WHAT TRICK DID YOU PERFORM TO DO THIS?"

"Are you going to chatter or fight? This is a duel, is it not? One you wanted," the older man responded.

"A duel you already surrendered! This is MY victory you're stealing."

"Louise said those words. Not us. We do not agree with her. So as far as I know, me and Saito are still fighting."

The noble's eyes twitched.

"Have it your way!"

He then turned to his two closest cohorts.

"What are you waiting for? Attack!"

Both mages outstretched their weapons of choice, a wooden rod with a branching end and a brown wand with the end pointed like a leaf. With a quick incantation, two orbs, one made of water, and the other of sediment, burst forward. Dante stepped ahead, catching the ball of stone first and shattering it. He then turned and stepped into the orb of water, dispersing it as well.

The noble took the moment to fire another stream, but the attack once more dissipated when it struck the old hunter.

-o-

From the rear, being pelted with droplets of water and stone, sat Saito. His eyes were wide as he watched the scene before him.

"DANTE-SAN! What happened? Did he not accept our apology?" the boy cried out in confusion.

"Saito!" A voice cried out in response.

The teen turned to see Vergil call out to him.

"Vergil-San! What's going on? Did we offend him again?"

"It is the other way around. He offended and hurt both Louise and Siesta. Dante is now fighting for their behalf."

"Eh?" The teen gasped as he turned to see Louise and Siesta on the floor behind him.

"Are you going to sit there? This is your duel too, is it not?"

The teen glanced at Vergil, then at the next stream of attacks aimed at Dante.

-o-

One very loud "pang" echoed as the trio of wind, water, and fire spells struck him at once.

"Keep going! The fool cannot hold these for very long! We must show him the true might of nobles, so that filth like him can stay down in the-"

"Are you unable to shut up and fight?" Dante retorted. "Tch, listen to me, I sound just like Vergil."

The noble glared at the old hunter with hatred. He and his comrades readied their next incantations. They pointed their wands and staves at the hunter, ready to fire another stream of attacks.

"Die you- Ahh!"

A stone pelted the noble's forehead, sending him stumbling back. Several more struck the other mages, either in the head or their hands. The latter of which caused them to drop their weapons.

Dante peeled over his shoulder, spotting Saito holding an armful of stones, courtesy of the destroyed spells he had blocked.

"Thanks for the assist kid."

"No problem, Dante-San!"

"You rat! I'll make you suffer-"

He then recoiled and gasped when the old hunter appeared in front of him in a blur. He stepped back, but his shirt was caught. Stepping forward with his left, Dante hooked his leg around the noble's back foot, and pushed him. The Sambo takedown he had learned from Lady, sent the boy crashing down into the grass. His black wand tumbled from his hand, landing in the grass.

"I will give the rest of you a chance. Yield this match and I will not discipline you as I will him," Dante spoke to the crowd.

The ladies for a brief moment, taking the man's words into consideration, but quickly dismissed it. The boy's closest friends rushed the old hunter, who shook his head in response. He grasped the divining rod like staff, and pushed its wielder back behind him, spinning and avoiding the other cohort who attempted to punch him. He then twisted the rod out of the owner's hand, and delivered an underhanded blow to its wielder's family jewels. The boy fell to his knees, eyes tearing up in pain and his hands wrapped around his privates.

The other boy grit his teeth and stopped his movement. He turned around again to lunge at the old hunter, who only gave him a passing side glance.

The fellow bully was soundly thrown off course by a heavy weight tackling his midsection.

As he landed on the ground, he was greeted with the sight of an angry Saito on top of him. The Japanese teen reeled a fist back and slugged the boy in the face. The younger teen recoiled as he took the blow, followed by another. In defence, he raised his hands to shield himself, but the Japanese teen bated them away and relentlessly struck him again and again.

"Ahh! S-stop! I-I yield! I yield!"

Dante looked over his shoulder.

"Saito, he surrendered. You can stop."

"Ah? Oh! Okay." The young man said as he held a fist in mid-air. Blood has covered his hand courtesy of the nosebleed he had given the bully. He then dismounted the mage, who rolled over and crawled to the sidelines.

Dante then turned to the other student.

"You heard what your friend said. We keep going and you'll suffer worse. Do you yield?"

"I-I yield…" the boy said weakly.

He then grabbed the boy's collar and lifted him to his feet. Shoving both the staff and the boy, he ushered them to sidelines, still clenching his privates.

"The offer is still open to the rest of you," he said out loud.

The others shared a small nervous glance. Their minds now questioned how they were able to make two mages yield so easily, granting a lull to flow into the duel.

"What f****n* nonsense. Do you take us for dunces?"

Sìmon rose to his feet, having crawled a short distance away.

"You're just pigs. Why should we yield to farmland animals? You belong in the mud where you belong! And we will put you there!"

He then eyed his friends who were now watching from the side lines.

"And as for you two. I will make sure a harsh punishment is met for you both so you can be punished harshly!"

Dante folded his arms and mocked the boy.

"Well now you are repeating. Was the fall too hard for you, your highness?"

The noble grit his teeth.

"Silence! What are the rest of you waiting for?! Attack him!"

The noble then moved to the side as the other mages recovered their weapons and began chanting, their will to fight somewhat renewed by the boy's speech.

Dante moved to the side and grabbed Saito. He "tricked" out of the way of the way, just as the mages finished casting their spells.

Four blasts, each a different element, converged upon where they stood. Eyes darted around, having seen the man seemingly vanish long before the attacks landed.

The four stepped closer together, backing up to get a better view of their surroundings.

"Looking for something?" A voice said from behind them.

The four turned around in shock to see the old hunter with a finger raised.

"One chance. Take it or leave it."

They responded by throwing hands.

Dante easily brushed them aside, pushing the mages back as he did. He then cast a glance behind him, noticing that Saito had not stepped forward.

The young teen had his hands on his knees, his face aghast and was breathing deeply.

'Ah, Trick-sickness. Almost forgot about that. Nero was the same when he first did it,' he thought to himself.

Deciding to let the boy rest, Dante kicked himself up a notch. He stepped forward, and caught the arm of one of the mages. He spun him around, letting the boy's body crash into one of his allies, sending them both to the floor. Another aimed his green wand at the hunter. He kicked the small tool out of the mage's hand, and followed swiftly with a light spinning back kick. The impact sent the third mage tumbling into the grass. The fourth used his twisted staff like a mace, bringing upwards to send crashing down onto Dante. The old hunter swiftly turned and grasped the rod, and flung the fourth mage over to the third. Dante held onto the staff, however, immediately proving itself useful as he used it to parry and counter the combined assault of the other two mages. He quickly threw them off balance with a strike to head for each, making them shut their eyes and stumble. He followed by bending low, and used the staff to trip the mages forward, face planting them into the ground. The two quickly attempted to get up, but were stopped but the staff being pressed into their backs. They struggled against Dante's strength for a moment before finally giving in.

"We yield! Please! We surrender the match!"

Dante eyed the two on the ground.

"A little late to say that, no?"

Their eyes widened at his meaning. However, the man soon spotted a small smirk.

"But you and your friends are different from me. Get up and leave."

He released them from his pin, and the two scrambled off to the sides.

The remaining two stood up, legs shaking slightly. The old hunter stared at them, ready for their next move.

-o-

To the side, Saito had regained his breath. He stole a glance towards Dante, who effortlessly fought off his attackers.

"You!" A voice cried out.

Saito turned to see the leader approach with a pointed finger.

"I feel like that word has been said a lot today," he commented absentmindedly.

"You pig! You dog! You miserable insect! It was you who first disgraced me and now you dare to fight back!? You should have stayed subservient to your superiors!"

Saito blinked.

"I have no clue what you are saying, but if you want to fight, then…"

The noble flared in anger when Saito had nonchalantly brushed off this threat.

"Bow down to me!"

He ran forward, fist reared back. He grit his teeth in anger and fury, his vision clouded from his rage. So much so that he did not see Saito's fist collide with his face.

Sìmon recoiled, with blood trickling from his nose. He angrily glared at the Japanese teen.

'Dante-san just fixed my hand, so I'm in no hurry to break it. I better watch my blows this time around.'

The raven haired teen then looked at the noble.

'His cheek isn't swollen anymore, so he must have used magic to heal it too.'

"Why you-!"

He was swiftly cut off by another punch by Saito.

"Argh! You wretched cur!"

Sìmon reeled back a fist, letting it fly and catching Saito off guard. The teen was sent aback, and the noble stepped forward to continue his assault. Saito stared at his opponent from the corner of his eye. He bent down and clutched some of the loose dirt, and flung it straight into the bully's face. He yelled and stumbled back, dirt caught in his eyes, and Saito took the moment to strike him where it hurts. Taking a page from Dante's book, he gave a kick into the boy's cherished possessions. The mage's breath hitched in his chest as he was sent to his knees.

-o-

"Such a cheap trick!" One of the other mages yelled!

"They're cheaters! They violated the rules of the duel!"

"Pigs, just admit you cheated and we'll let you go!"

At these words, a loud boisterous laugh echoed throughout the audience.

"What rules would they be? A duel is a fight to restore one's honour, but unless otherwise stated, there are no other rules as to how one can chose to fight."

The crowd turned to the origin of the voice, the head chef who now spotted a wide grin on his face.

"Though I will admit, this is more akin to a childish brawl than a traditional duel."

The crowd then turned their gazes back to the match, the snobbish mages having no words to duel their arguments. Vergil and Nero smiled as the "duel" went on.

"Is this what you wanted to demonstrate to us?" the head chef asked. "If so, then I look forward to seeing what you do next."

-o-

"Y… you… you stupid pig… you dare to… disgrace a noble?"

Saito stood triumphant before the kneeling noble, his last attempt to get a rise out of the teen failing.

"You talk a lot, but I have no more words to say to you."

Saito then backed away, seeing the fight before him as finished.

"W-wait! I am… not done! Come back!"

However, the young man did not grace him with any reply.

-o-

Dante pushed the last two mages out into the sidelines, their fight with man ending quickly. He tossed the staff he had procured back to them as he did so.

Wiping his hands on his pants, he turned to face the last opponent.

He found him on the ground, wand out, aiming a spell at Saito's backside.

-o-

Sìmon grinned in a crazed anger.

"If you will not face me, then let it be your doom! Converge upon the, thine sprites of water. Lend your aid to strike my foes! Water Pillar!"

Dante Tricked to Saito, who turned around a moment too late. The noble finished his chant, just as Dante appeared before Saito.

Yet, nothing happened.

The three stared at each other, with complete silence ringing over the field for the third time.

"W-what… what happened?" A voice asked among the crowd.

"Is… is Sìmon out of fuel for his spells?"

"Impossible! They must have cheated!"

"Yeah! He should still have enough for at least half a dozen more spells!"

Dante's ears perked up when he heard that.

"Half a dozen spells? Like the ones you wasted in the cafeteria?"

The noble's eyes widened.

"Heh, I guess you forgot to count your attacks," Dante said as he relaxed his stance. He walked over to the noble, the teen's mind racing as he scrambled to his feet. He threw a wild haymaker at the old hunter, who easily caught it. He returned his attack with a loud slap across the mage's cheek, sending him reeling around. He held his face, swelling once more as the hunter approached his backside.

The noble spun around to face the man.

"I… if you expect me to apologise. Know that only the threat of death will make me do so. A insignificant rat like you will never get me to beg."

Dante gave a small smile.

"I had a feeling you would say something like that. So let me finish my lesson with help from a trusty tool."

Dante extended a hand outward, and the crowd watched with bated breath. He then faced towards the kitchen staff, spotting his family members nearby as he did. He placed their presence to the side of his mind as he called out.

"You. Hand me your mop."

The crowd was stunned. Eyes fell toward a brown haired maid, the same one who had offended the noble in the first place. She had absentmindedly brought the kitchen mop with her, and now she was stunned that she had done so.

"Umm…what?" A voice spoke out for the whole crowd.

"What? Did you expect me to bring out a sword?" Dante replied. He then directed his attention to the maid. "I promise to return it in the same condition. I simply need to borrow it for a quick moment."

Staring at the piece of janitorial equipment for a moment, she then tossed it over to the hunter. With a one handed catch, he graciously thanked the girl and twirled it in his hand.

"What do you plan on doing with that thing?"

Dante slapped the handle against his other palm as he spoke.

"I am going to beat your a** is what I am planning to do with this."

The noble widened his eyes.

"You wish to duel me with a peasant's weapon?! Fitting for a piece of s*** like yours- mmmphgh!"

The noble's voice was soundly cut off by Dante shoving the wet mop head into his face, pushing the noble back as he tried to remove it.

"The first part is to wash that dirty mouth of yours. A little bit of water should not be strange to a mage of your element, yes? Once it is nice and clean, we can move on to the next step."

Dante gave a harsh push forward, which spun the mage around as he freed his head. He soon found himself falling as Dante used the wooden handle to sweep his legs. The noble quickly tried to get his feet under him, placing his hands and knees on the ground. His attempts were soundly routed by Dante's foot pressing the boy into the ground.

"Wh-what do you think you're doing?"

"Moving on to the next part of my special lecture in manners."

The noble asked with a gulp. "And what would that be?"

Dante gave a mocking glance at the boy.

"Did you hear me a moment ago? I said 'I am going to beat your a**.'"

The eyes of the nobles, as well as many others, rose upon hearing those words.

"Y-you you wouldn't dare! Striking a noble's behind, do you know what the consequences are for this!"

Dante lifted his arm high in the air.

"You think after everything that has happened, these consequences scare me?"

The noble began to struggle squirming and wriggling his entire body to break himself free.

"Do not worry. I promise, this is going to hurt you, a lot more than it is going to hurt me."

He swiftly brought down the stick onto the noble's rear. The thundering echo of the blow accompanied a loud yell from the teen.

"Y-you b****. Filthy piece of ***t. You are going to regret this, I swear!"

"You can say I am crazy, but I do not think that will happen."

Another strike landed, followed by two more.

"Ahhh! S-stop! Stop, I command you to stop!"

"Only if you say 'please'. Otherwise…"

Three more sacks followed. Several members of the audience could no longer watch, having turned their eyes away from the humiliation of one of their own. The eyes of the servants however, remained glued and fixated as Dante landed more and more strikes.

"Ahh! Stop, stop! Please, I command you to stop!"

"'Please' what? Say it correctly."

He landed another harsh whack.

"Please…" he said as he choked out tears, "Please stop. I yield. Please, no more."

At that, the old hunter ceased. He stared at the teen, tears flowing from his eyes.

"Now who is crying?," he replied.

He removed his foot from the teen's back, and turned around, spotting Saito staring with his mouth agape. He then turned to face Louise and Siesta, and nudged his head to the side, signalling for Saito to go and help the girls. The crowd went silent for the final time for this duel, as many were dissatisfied by the end result. Those who were not happened to be a smirking Vergil and Nero, followed by the staff of Tristain Academy.

However the fallen student had one last move left to offer.

-o-

The young water mage lay in the grass utterly humiliated. He no longer had the will to stand, his pride utterly shattered and broken. Tears fell from his eyes in the most humiliating defeat in his life.

'There is no coming back from this… those stupid commoners. F***. They should die, they should all die,' he thought to himself.

He then felt something heavy in his coat. Placing a hand on it, his eyes grew in recognition of the item.

Eyeing Dante's backside, he slowly drew the item from his coat. A ceremonial dagger, given by his father for being accepted in Tristain. The sheath was decorated in a sky blue, adorned with white streaks and a swan. The handle was wound in white cloth, and the hilt was dusted in gold and the family crest.

He pulled the blade from its sheath, seeing the afternoon sun reflect off its metal surface. The boy steeled his resolve. If he was going to suffer such a deathly humiliation, then he would do so by dragging down the one who brought it upon him.

He stood on shaking feet, dagger clutched between his hands and charged.

-o-

Hushed whispers and murmurs swept the field as the onlookers spotted the young mage gun for the old hunter. Several voices cried out to warn him, but they only succeeded in drowning each other out.

The young noble grinned with madness as he neared closer and closer to his target. He was within arm's reach and he lunged forward, pushing the ornamental steel towards the old hunter.

Saito felt something was wrong. He turned to face Vergil, and saw the staff members all clamouring for something behind him. Turning, he spotted the noble Dante had beaten lunge for him. Saito pivoted and attempted to run and push the man out of the way, but the distance was far too great.

The dagger neared its wielder's destination, its sharp edge inches away from the Devil Hunter's flesh. Sìmon grinned wider, all the voices around them blurred in his mind as everything came to a finish.

With the exception of two people, everyone in the crowd had greatly underestimated the strength of the man before them.

The next instant, the mage felt something push against his knife. No, rather it was the force of his own stab was redirected back to him, added with another immense weight. This strange power blew the teen back, but not hard enough to make him fall over. He dug his heels in the ground, stopping himself. His knife hit the ground beside him, the blade wedged within the dirt. He glared up at the old hunter, but gasped in shock at what he saw. Something red and unsightly, moving in and out of his vision, wrapped around the man's face. As Dante's gaze met his, the noble stumbled back when the terrifying face seemed to meld into the bearded man's.

He could only describe the horror he saw as one thing: the face of a demon.

His knees began to shake, and a cold chill ran down his spine. He took one tentative step back… and that was all it took for the monstrosity to charge at him. It was clad in orange flames, wings large and black, and over twice his size. Its maw was jagged and its eyes hollow with an orange glow. It let out a roar that shook the boy to his core, sending him toppling onto his sore behind.

The pain was the last thing on his mind as the fiend grew closer, as was the stain and foul smelling puddle that formed beneath him. Fear clouded his brain, and in such fear, he shouted the first thing on his mind.

"I am sorry!" He shouted. "I am so very, very sorry. Please, accept my apology, I beg of you."

The mage then bent forward, pressing his forehead to the ground.

"Please have mercy on me. I beg you. I am so, so sorry."

When no response came he tilted his head up. However, instead of a demon, he saw Dante, looking as normal as a human could be. There was no indication of the fiery demon to be seen, only an old hunter armed with a mop.

"Good," he replied, "It seems you finally learned your lesson in manners."

The noble blinked once. Then twice. Then he laughed. He laughed in anger, sadness, relief, and humiliation. The tears fell down his face as he realised now he was completely defeated.

-o-

"That ends my lecture," he said with a bow of his head.

No cheers followed the final end to the scene, but Dante did not expect any. He had a suspicion that none would cheer for a scene like this. He was sorely mistaken when the sound of one man clapping echoed through the field.

Dante stole a look over to the side. It was the head chef, slowly but firmly clapping his hands together with a smirk on his face. The brown haired maid looked at her leader, then followed his example. Soon the entire group of servants were clapping, with Colbert, Nero, and Vergil joining them. He smiled and gave a wave to the group of supporters as they cheered on his and Saito's victory, much to the dismay of the other mages.

"Perhaps you two have learned something now, yes?" Vergil addressed the two second-year mages beside him. They both eyed him wistfully, and left, joining the rest of the crowd as they dispersed. Dante sauntered over to the staff, tossing the mop back to the owner before walking towards Saito and the downed girls. He placed a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"It's over."

Saito then let out a breath he did not know he was holding. His shoulder slumped forward as he gave Dante a tiring stare. The old hunter nodded in confirmation as he went over to the two ladies who volunteered themselves to be his shield.

"Are you two okay?"

Both still stared, stunned. They were only shaken from their stupor by the extension of a hand from the old hunter. Both shared a glance at each other, and each took a calloused hand. He pulled them both up to their feet, and like Saito placed a hand on their shoulder.

"I am sorry for the trouble I caused you two. And for breaking my word, but I do not regret what I did."

Louise was the first to shake herself out of her shock.

"No… Thank you. Again you saved me. I admit… I distrusted you before when you said you could handle such people, but… I see that I was wrong."

She faced the old hunter with admiration.

"Thank you once again."

"I as well," Siesta added. "I apologise for doubting you, and for making you endure such humiliation merely due to my desire to see you unharmed."

"Apology accepted," he replied, "But you're forgetting someone."

He then glanced over his shoulder and walked back to the young teen. The Japanese boy tilted his head in confusion to Dante's return. In response, the old man slung his arm around his neck, grinning as he spoke.

"Couldn't have done it without my trusty partner here. If it weren't for him, things would have gone completely differently!"

"O-oi, Dante-san!" the teen cried as he tried to pry the older man's arm off.

Dante let out a chuckle.

"Thanks kid. You're the real Saiyūshūsenshu y'know that?" (AN: The Japanese equivalent to MVP)

"Eh? But you did most of the work!"

"But you were the one who started this mess, and you saw it to the end. That makes you just as worthy of this victory as me," he said as he proceeded to rub his knuckles on the teen's head.

"Dante-san! Let me go!" he cried.

"Hehe, he's right, thank you Saito," Louise said with a laugh. She then gave a curtsey.

"Thank you once more for your efforts Saito. The staff and I owe you a great debt as well," Siesta spoke and mirrored the pink haired mage.

A fist was then raised in the air, courtesy of the head chef.

"Let's hear it for our champions! Dante and Saito! Rah!"

"RAH! RAH! RAH!" They cheered. All except for Vergil and the headmaster.

"Vergil," the old mage said, "There is an important matter I need to discuss with you and your family. And Saito as well."

Vergil eyed the mage from the side, and Osmond did the same. The old hunter then turned his head back to the scene before him and nodded.

Osmond mirrored his motion and tapped Colbert on the shoulder. He spoke quietly to the man, and he frowned in response. Regardless, he nodded in agreement to the headmaster's words. Together the two left the scene behind him, the deafening cheers that would soon be silenced.

-o0o-

A door opened to a small room, and a robbed figure snuck inside. It was dimly lit, with only the rays of sunlight that passed through the large back windows illuminating the space. Others awaited the hooded figure's presence, sitting in lavish chairs and enjoying light snacks.

"I bring news," the figure spoke, reminiscent of a servant addressing their master in a tv series.

"Have you now?" a figure in the most lavish chair spoke.

"Yes! It is about Sìmon. Some-"

"Commoners beat him in a duel?" the figure spoke as they placed down a teacup and saucer. "We've already heard."

"Honestly, for someone who is supposed to be our messenger, you're pretty lousy at getting information quickly," another voice spoke.

The hooded figure cast their glances at their surpriors, and hung their head in reply.

"I-I apologise. I-I came as soon as I heard and-"

A hand cut the messenger off, waving in front of them.

"It's fine. You're always like this, so we'll let it slide."

"Th-then…?"

"You're dismissed," the figure in the most lavish chair said.

The hooded figure bowed.

"Then I take my leave. Thank you."

They then disappeared though the door from which they came from. As soon as the entryway closed, the second voice addressed the first.

"Honestly, how long are we going to make 'em run around like a chicken for us? The others already tell us everything they see and hear."

"Because it is amusing. Seeing a back be broken for such a futile effort is quite humorous. Do you not agree?"

The second voice shrugged.

"Eh, I just think we could use 'em in another way."

"Such as?"

"Well… I'm always up for more test subjects to try some experiments on," they said with a devious tone.

The first voice shook their head.

"You are already on thin ice with the headmaster after being caught once. Do not test your luck. Sìmon has already done so and failed."

"Tch. Sìmon was being stupid if he and his entourage lost to two commoners," a third voice spoke.

"Too true," the first voice replied, "but his overconfidence led to his defeat nonetheless. A matter I do not want to see repeated."

"So what is to be done?" came a fourth voice.

The first voice smiled in the darkness.

"Is that not obvious? A good farmer tears out the weeds in his farm before they grow too large, and we must do the same."

-o0o-

Thirty minutes have gone by, and the foreigners once again found themselves in the headmaster's office. Longuevuille was nowhere to be seen, but in her place stood Colbert.

"I trust none of the others followed you here," Osmond asked the group.

They all shared a nod.

"Very well… Then I'll begin."

He closed his eyes, and sat forward.

"You four are in a lot of trouble."

-o0o-

"First, we purge that filth, Sìmon, from our ranks," they said as they reached for a pastry and took a bite from it. He chewed and swallowed the sweet dessert before continuing.

"There is no need for such a humiliating noble to be a part of us. Second," they said as they set down the half-eaten food, "we deal with the commoners ourselves. And we will not hold back."

"Oho~ is our leader going to showcase his strength?" a fifth voice added. They sat forward in their seat, a grin adorned on their face.

"Nonsense," the first voice responded. They grabbed a hold of their handkerchief, and pated the elegantly sewn fabric to the corners of their lips. They then brought the cloth to their hands, which they gently wiped clean.

"I would not waste my time with such low-lives. No, I leave the matter up to our juniors," the first voice said as they eyed the four figures sitting closest to the door.

-o0o-

"What exactly are we being punished for?" Vergil asked. "All four of us have done nothing wrong."

"I never said I would be the one to pass on punishment," the headmaster replied.

All eyes flew to Colbert, who himself looked to the headmaster in shock.

"No! Not what I meant at all!"

"Then be precise, who exactly will be punishing us?" Vergil asked.

The old mage inhaled, closing his eyes, and placing his folded hands over his mouth.

"…There is something I neglected to mention when you first arrived. In hindsight, I should have warned you about the attitudes our nobles have to commoners much sooner."

He then looked at the foreigners with a weary gaze.

"You have already seen it first hand, and I assume as well in the town. For withholding such information, I must extend my sincerest apologies."

The group nodded, and let the old mage continue.

"To be honest, this part of our nation is one I am thoroughly disgusted by. Treating commoners, and those without talent, like pebbles among a dirt road has been rooted into our foundation for many generations. When you first came here, I was reluctant to speak about my nation's darker side, but now I see I should have done so regardless."

He placed his hands on the table, and straightened his back.

"What you did today, Dante, has now cemented the fate of you and your allies. You did the unthinkable. You beat, and humiliated a noble."

The man nodded.

"And the consequences your actions will bring shall be inevitable."

-o0o-

"In my four years of attending this group, not once has an issue arisen that netted my concern. Now it is my final year here," the first voice said. They then rose from their seat, taking hold of their cane as they approached the four junior members. "And I wish to graduate without any issues. These commoners have already put a mark on our good name, and I expect you four to erase it."

They stopped in front of them, both of their hands resting on top of a cane as it.

"Or am I presuming too much from you all?"

-o0o-

Dante nodded again.

"The consequences, right? I am aware. Louise told me about them. How the families and other nobles will come to attack me."

Osmond nodded.

"Indeed. Nobles are a prideful folk. Perhaps too prideful. They will see your victory over their heir as an injustice that needs to be corrected. And others will join them"

"Then I welcome them to try. I will not do nothing if people such as the staff and Louise get treated so unfairly."

"I am aware of that," the old mage said as he leaned forward. "I did not call you here to scold or persuade you, I called you here to warn you. From what I have seen today, I know that you cannot be stopped from being your righteous self. I only wish to advise you of what will happen next."

Vergil raised a brow as he finished translating.

"And what will happen next?"

The headmaster took in a breath.

"They will attack you. Not openly on the school grounds, nor will they move themselves. No, they will send others after you.

"Others?" Dante asked as he finished his turn to translate.

The headmaster nodded.

"I assume you have seen the Adventurer's guild, Vergil, yes?"

The man nodded.

"I have seen more than enough of it."

Osmond closed his eyes as he acknowledged the old hunter's words.

"Then I shall keep it brief for Dante, and for him to translate."

Dante nodded and leaned over to Saito, ready to repeat what the old mage was about to say.

"That place is filled to the brim with misery, but also capable hands. It is no insult to say that it is a place for sellswords to gather. They will be among those the nobles will send first should you step outside school grounds. Others may be servants under their employment, officials bribed by their riches, and even fellow commoners if the price is right. Their reach knows no bounds."

As Dante finished translating, the Japanese teen struck a scared face. However, the headmaster was not finished. He first stole a glance at Vergil and Nero, and the two nodded as Vergil finished translating for his son.

"And I'm certain you will step outside the school once more. As you know, the nobles outside my academy are just as vicious, if not more, than those in here. I know you will want to settle scores with them as well, correct?"

Vergil and Nero nodded.

"Such a thing only adds to your burden, but I cannot deny your heart is in the right place."

The old mage then leaned forward once more.

"But the ones who will strike first are The Elites."

Both old hunters shared a glance before turning to the headmaster.

"The Elites?"

Osmond nodded.

"In our school and every other, there are always those who stand above the rest. In Tristain, those who do call themselves 'The Elites.'"

The old man held up four fingers.

"The top four students from each of the four grades, barring the first in which only one is chosen, are invited to join the members are decided upon the following:"

-o0o-

The first voice tapped his cane into the ground once more, letting the clack of his stick echo through the room.

"Well then?" They asked, "What say you? Are you able to perform this task?" The first voice asked as they began to walk around the small table. They eyed the four juniors who sat there, taking careful glances at each one.

-o0o-

"Their family background…"

-o0o-

The first voice passed by a blonde girl, who sipped her tea with eyes closed.

-o0o-

"…popularity…"

-o0o-

Walking by an equally blonde boy, the first voice watched as he set down his cup of tea.

-o0o-

"…looks…"

-o0o-

The first voice then passed by a girl with long red hair. She took a bite out of a small pastry, and eyed the leader as they went round.

-o0o-

"…and of course, skill."

-o0o-

The first voice ended his walk as he passed by the last member of the group. She wore glasses and eyed the leader, with her staff clenched in her left hand.

-o0o-

"Those who excel in these areas are invited to join their ranks, and I have yet to hear of a mage who had said 'no'."

"Tch, sounds like quite the special club. If you're a snot nosed rich kid tryin' to impress your mommy and daddy," Nero said and Vergil translated. His words elicited a stifled laugh from Saito.

"I assure you, these chosen are quite the impressive lot. The child Dante beat today was in fact their first year member."

"Well that's not much of a bar to clear if he's the standard they're using."

Once more Vergil translated the words to the headmaster, and Saito had to stop himself from chuckling.

"Trust me when I say they are exponentially more talented. The top students of each year put those in the previous ones to shame. Sìmon is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg."

"And how do you know so much?" Vergil asked. "It seems to me such information would not be divulged unless you were a part of their group."

Osmond nodded.

"You are not wrong, Vergil. I know because I used to be one of them."

The eyes of the foreigners widened.

"You?" Dante asked.

Osmond nodded.

"Yes. I am as ashamed of my younger years as I am of the dark side of this country. Back then I was just as impure and ambitious as the students in our academy. It was not until about thirty five years ago that I was humbled by a very special person."

He then shook his head.

"But a story for another time that is. For now, I offer you my insight from my early years at this Academy."

The group nodded.

"Then what can you tell us of these… 'Elites'? Who are they?"

The old man inhaled.

"I do not know who they are. The identities of the Elites are kept secret, as is their meeting place."

"What? Excuse my manners, but what kind of horse manure is this?" Dante asked. "Surely you must know, or have some idea as the headmaster."

The old man sighed.

"I do not. The names are only known to existing members, and each new member swears a magical oath to secrecy. Even if we were to be expelled from the group and/or replaced, our mouths would remain shut until four years have passed from our graduation. By then all the members would have long gone into different fields of study, unchained by their past here at the school. When I was a part of that group, we were told it was done to ensure the validity of members. Only in my elder years do I know now we had done so, so as to hide from the faculty. The smallest I can narrow down your search is to thirty people, per grade. There are just that many people here who can make that list."

The group grumbled.

"What about a meeting room? You mentioned it a moment ago."

"That too, is kept secret. It changes each year, with the head of the group deciding the location. It can be anywhere on school grounds to off-campus. Once our room was in a ballroom our leader's family had rented for us in the nearby town."

"Tch. So we got nothing there either," Dante spoke.

Osmond sighed.

"I… I am truly sorry. The most I can do is warn you now."

Dante waved him off.

"Do not worry about it. We appreciate what you are doing for us. This will just be another thing we have to watch out for."

"Thank you. Unfortunately my hands are quite tied. I sincerely wished I could do more, especially as the headmaster, but this position of mine has more limitations than I realised."

Dante raised a brow. "Is it about the funding?"

Osmond was taken aback by the man's keen insight.

"You're aware of the funding problem?"

"I heard from Siesta, when the noble brat attacked them. He said he did not have to worry because his father donates to the school."

Osmond nodded.

"Yes… that is a problem I will have to face eventually. You see, Tristan had gotten famous for producing numerous mages who went on to hold high positions in the nation. To certain noble families, we are a very good investment, and a large amount of money has flowed into the school because of it. However, I am afraid the reputation has gone on for too long. By the time I was accepted into the position of headmaster, practically all of the campus was paid for by the nobles. It is no exaggeration to say that the only things not paid for by a noble's coin are the insects and rodents who nest themselves within."

"But a single noble should not have such an impact," Vergil added.

"Yes, but it is not just one noble who attempts to make a fuss. They say birds with the same wing join in flight, and these nobles are quite similar."

Dante opened his mouth to add a comment to the headmaster's last line, but closed it after short contemplation.

"When one family raises an issue, there are several others they can persuade to back their argument. All of these loud voices gather to make quite the flock, and their joint influence is what ties my hands down."

"I see… I am sorry. Being a headmaster seems to have issues of its own."

Osmond nodded.

"Yes… were it not for the retaliation, Colbert may have been able to give the boy a better punishment. Speaking of whom."

All eyes flocked to the man who was nearly forgotten.

"Yes, headmaster?"

"I called you here to listen because you are the longest standing staff member here that I trust. I ask that you assist in their issues and problems to your furthest extent. Should anything happen, report to me directly, and only me, do you understand?"

The balding man nodded.

"Yes, headmaster."

Vergil noticed his particular choice of wording.

"Are there issues as well within your staffing?" Vergil asked.

"Indeed," the headmaster replied, "There are some who share the same sentiments as the other nobles. I cannot fire them without a valid excuse, but even then I cannot guarantee another will not take their place."

"Even more worries to add onto your plate. No wonder your hairs are grey," Vergil added.

"Hahah! My hair has become grey long before I became headmaster!" he said boisterously.

"But I cannot deny these issues add to my worries. If we could be free from such monetary chains, perhaps we could induce real change among the school, and lighten the burden of many shoulders…"

-o0o-

"Well? I am still waiting for an answer," the first voice asked.

Three of the four shared a glance between each other, with the last not bothering to peel her eyes away from their leader.

Another clack echoed through the room.

"Please, do not test my patience. That is something only a dim-witted commoner would do."

This time all four shared a pensive glance.

"We can do it," one member said, deciding to speak for the group as a whole. "We've seen the way they fight. There is nothing that a good mage cannot outperform."

"And you are certain of this?" the first voice asked.

"We would not remain here if we were not," came the blonde boy.

The first voice nodded slowly. They picked up their cane and began to walk back to their seat.

"A fair point. Then make sure you finish them thoroughly. Otherwise your placement here would be nullified."

They turned and watched the juniors from the corner of their eye.

"I advise you to avoid such a fate. A great future can await you if you make it each year here. You all are our newest additions, and it would do you no good to squander such a glorious opportunity so quickly."

"So you t**** better not fail, hahaha!" came the third voice.

The first voice threw a harsh glare towards the third.

"You are one to talk, when you have nearly failed me several times."

"Nyahahah, I NEARLY failed. I know how to do my job, so don't patronise me."

The first voice shook their head, and returned to their seat once more.

"Decide amongst yourselves how you wish to deal with this," they addressed to their juniors.

The blonde girl and the redhead both turned to face the blonde boy. The last member had bothered to move, merely sitting in silence as she waited for the other members to decide.

"You can do this can't you? I would rather not sully my hands in this business," the blonde girl replied.

"Ah, but leave the younger one alone for a moment. I want to have some fun with him before he expires," the redhead added.

The boy nodded and he rose from his seat.

"Your wishes are my command. By my word, rest assured I will rid our school of them and their ilk, after a short pause, of course"

The redhead smiled.

"Of course," she said.

"We'll be counting on you," the blonde replied.

The boy nodded and headed for the door.

"Leaving already?" the first voice asked.

"Yes," the boy replied, "I have some preparations to be made."

"Hah… that kinda c*** is what makes you all work and no play. C'mon, be like your other group mates and live a little!" the third voice said as they raised their teacup high, spilling some of the beverage as they did so.

"I hope you intend to clean that up," the first voice replied.

"Yeah yeah. Whatever you say boss."

The sound of a staff hitting the floor caught the attention of everyone present. Sliding her chair in, the last member of the juniors silently headed for the exit as well. She opened the door and cast a glance at her fellow member, and swiftly disappeared through its entryway.

"Sheesh. Was it something I said?" the third voice asked.

"If you'll excuse me as well then," the boy said as he left through the door.

He let the stone entryway shut behind him before he leaned his back into it.

"Once more… the duty falls onto my shoulders," he said with a sigh.

He then pushed himself off, and reached into his pocket. Pulling out a rose, he placed it to his nose and took in a deep breath.

"Every rose has its thorns, yes?" He asked no one. He then glanced down the hallway his companion took, and followed her footsteps.

-o0o-

"Speaking of cash, Nero, didn't you say you had a job you wanted to tell us about?" Dante asked his nephew.

"Huh? Oh yeah. I kinda wanted to tell ya in private, but maybe it's better if the headmaster can give some pointers," Nero replied.

Vergil quickly translated for Osmond and Colbert, and the two listened quietly for Nero's response.

"So when we went to the Adventurer's Guild, one of the workers there told us how things work and where all the rich guys get the money to throw their weight around. Ticked me off to think we couldn't do anything about it, until Vergil said something that gave me an idea."

As soon as the old hunter finished translating, he quirked a brow at his son.

"I simply stated that unless he had a way to steal their wealth, not much could be done," Vergil added.

"Surely he is not suggesting you all become thieves that rob them in the night?" Osmond asked.

"Not at all. I got an even better idea," Nero responded.

The youngest hunter then turned to face his uncle.

"Hey, Dante, how do you feel about opening up a new branch for the offices?"

-End of Chapter 12-

AN: And done! This latest little arc comes to a close! Hope you all enjoyed the comeback and beating from the man, the myth, and the legend himself. Things are gonna get heated and wild from this point forward, so I hope you all look forward for what happens next. I'll post the next chapter by the next week or so, so until then, keep holding on to that SSS Rank! Peace!

P.S. Can any of you guess the identities of the junior members of 'The Elites'? Comment below if you think you know the answer!