"I'm starting to get worried; Kota's been missing all morning now." At the living room, Kota's family were all sitting, waiting for the quarantine to be lifted. A freak earthquake had struck and the entire neighborhood had been locked down while emergency teams were working. And ever since it happened Kota was missing. They figured he was just on one of his excursions with Beth and Carter, but they were concerned he may have gotten in trouble since it happened.

Roland and his dad were both sitting at opposite ends of the couch, across from the in the loveseat was Kota and Roland's mother, Himari. She was the one speaking up for their concerns, her entire demeanor nervous as she looked down to her water. Next to her seat was a wheelchair and a small table with vials filled with pills.

"I'm sure Kota's okay." Their father comforted. "He's always been adventurous, but he's careful. I'm sure he's just being held up and he'll get here as soon as possible. Right Roland?"

"Yeah, of course." Roland smiled. His thoughts however contrasted his words, as he thought back to the last memories he had. He had been caught by a Stray Devil, ambushed in his sleep preventing him from even putting up a fight. And with venom being injected into him, he was lucky Kota charged in when he did, as much as he hates that it was him that had to be saved.

It scared him, thinking about what might have happened to Kota since he crashed through their room. Kota was athletic, more so then anyone their age and possibly pro in some categories, but he was still human. Roland had tools, a means to fight Devils and keep them from causing destruction, but he failed in his duty, and it made him scared to think if Kota lost steam and was caught by the Stray and its master.

'Please God, if there's ever a moment you can help, make sure my little brother is alive.' Roland prayed, holding Kota's cross tight in his hand, the memento the only thing that's helped him keep his nerves calm for his parents, who were evidently under an alteration spell he saw through.

"Mom, dad, are you okay! Roland, are you here!?" The voice of the youngest family member immediately had everyone raise their heads in surprise, Kota opening the door as he appeared in a hustle, panting as he looked and saw everyone in.

"Kota!" Everyone brightened at seeing him, and unsurprisingly the first Kota ran to was his mother, who returned his embrace enthusiastically as he clung to her.

"I was so worried, after what I heard I thought everyone… I'm so happy you're okay." Kota whimpered, his mother noticing and carefully rubbing his back to comfort him.

"Hey, hey it's okay. We're all fine. We were worried sick for you, we thought you might have gotten caught in the earthquake." She whispered, trying to calm him the best she could.

"Were you with Beth?" His dad asked, him and Roland joining the hug. It was clear he had gone through a lot, his shaking taking a few minutes to stop. But when it did, they all finally separated and he sat down on the floor next to his mom, his usual spot as he was handed a bottle of water.

"Yeah… yeah I was with her before it happened." Kota explained, taking a deep gulp of the water and had nearly finished it in one go. In truth he was thirsty, having barely drank anything since his run in with the Stray.

Roland figured as much, but he wondered if Kota remembered it that way. He mentioned the earthquake, so he was grateful that it meant he managed to escape. Perhaps a Devil intervened to deal with the Stray and mage. He'd never thank one in person, but an exception could almost be made for that.

"Oh, you forgot this." Roland remembered, walking over with Kota's necklace in hand.

"Thanks Roland, everything that happened I forgot about that." Kota smiled about to take the necklace when he suddenly pulled his hand back. The motion confused Roland, until he just noticed the trace of steam, a reaction often that was the result of demonic energy being disrupted by holy magic.

'It couldn't be…'

"Actually, it might be best you hold on to it." Kota said, looking between his family with concern before he sighed. He hated this, every last bit killed him a little inside. But he had to do this, it was the deal he made and it was all he could do before the last preparation for the memory alteration was adjusted.

"Mom, dad, Roland… I'm going away." He said, his voice soft as he looked to them. "Something has happened, and I can't stay here anymore… I can't even stay in the country. It's hard to explain and I… I don't even know how to explain it without saying it as plainly as possible. And even then it hurts to think about that."

"Kota? What's wrong?" His mother asked, scared for him as he stood up. "Are you in trouble, did you get attacked? Are you-"

"I absorbed what is known as a King Piece, a relic forged by devils in the shape of a chess piece." Kota said, his parents confused while Roland stared in shock and horror. "They have many types, they refer to them as Evil Pieces, it's to help with their population as it suffered a serious drop during a war four hundred years ago, along with a civil war that ended less than a hundred ago. But this one… it possessed something evil." Kota then lifted his hair off his forehead, his family starring in horror at the scars from Satan's horns.

"When I absorbed the King Piece, it had a guest in it. The Devil himself, Satan. Apparently he hijacked the Evil Pieces' creation after his death and split his soul into them, waiting for someone stupid enough to grab it and die. And guess who was the unlucky idiot was?"

"Wait, died? Kota what are you talking about?" His dad questioned. "And what is this talk about the Devil, has Beth been having you meet some Satanist cult?"

"No, that would be easy." Kota chuckled, wishful for that to be the worst of the problems. "A lot of stuff, angels, devils, gods; a lot of that is real. And I've been dragged into it because I was able to absorb Satan's soul and resist his control." He added, letting go of his hair to pat his chest.

"He's stuck in here, and now I'm a real actual devil. Not their usual reincarnation method, but with a body similar to that of a direct descendant of Satan. I'm not human anymore, and now I've inherited the burdens of Satan's grudges."

"Kota.. what are you saying?"

"I've been dragged into the middle of the devils' politics, taking the responsibility of the Vessel of Satan to permanently keep his soul from returning." He answered, turning his head down. "I'm only allowed to tell you this because once I give the signal your memories will be altered to completely forget about everything that happened. It'll change to where no earthquake happened, and you'll believe you signed me up to study abroad and leave the country."

"Now hold on a second. Kota, this is all too farfetched to take in all at once. You're really going to tell me that you, my own flesh and blood, who I raised since birth, is the second coming of Satan himself?" His father questioned. "You've had a streak of getting into fights, but you aren't a monster."

Kota didn't respond, instead he walked over to Roland, seeing his brother flinch causing a pain in his chest before he grabbed his cross, fighting his instinct as he felt it burn his flesh.

"Hey, hey what are you doing?" Roland responded, knowing what the cross was doing to his brother and tried to pull back. "Kota, let go!" Before he could try to force it out, Kota released it without resistance, turning to show his parents the nasty burn on his palm now.

"A silver cross blessed by a priest… it doesn't do much good for me anymore." He said, seeing the horror in his family's eyes. He wasn't surprised, learning your family has become a devil and holds Satan in his body would make him a monster easily. But it didn't make it any easier, as he tried his hardest to avoid looking at any of them. "The preparation for the spell will be done soon, so if there's any curses you want to throw at me, now's the time so I remember them."

It was silent in the living room as Roland and his dad stared at Kota was confusion and horror, neither fully able to comprehend what to say at the moment as the youngest was avoiding their stares. The shame in his eyes almost had them second guess who was in front of them, before his mother spoke up.

"Kota… please look at me." Kota flinched at first, looking up to his mother, wanting to stop himself but unable to do so. But when he met her, he saw a warm smile on her face, as she fought against her straining body to stand up and walk to him.

"Mom, wait, your wheelchair-!" He couldn't finish as his mother wrapped him in a tight embrace, freezing him in place as she both comforted him and kept herself up.

"Don't ever think I'd stop loving you. My brave boy." She said, feeling Kota tremble at the gesture she gave. "You could never turn away from someone who needed you. And what kind of a mother would I be if I hated my son for becoming a part of such an important fight."

"Mom…"

"It's okay. Just let me hug you, I want to know my son is going to save people, and help like he's always done." Kota couldn't hold it any longer as tears began to fall down his face, returning the embrace as he cried.

"I'm sorry, I just don't want you… if I'm far away you'll be safe… I'm sorry…"

"Shhh, it's okay." She shushed. "Any of us would do the same thing, it's the hardest part of being a family. But your responsibility is too much, just promise to call. Even if we don't know the real struggles, don't cut us off forever. I'd hate to lose my brave little boy."

"I… I promise…"

Seeing Himari and Kota embrace, Bertrand felt a crushing weight of guilt at his reaction to Kota's condition. He was ashamed to have even think that Kota could have been dangerous, or that any of this was because he wanted it. He felt disgusted with himself, unable to bring himself to comfort him at his reaction.

"Oh God Bertrand, don't just stand there all day." He was surprised when he heard Himari call him out, waving him over. "Your son is going away, the least you can do is give him a hug goodbye."

"It's okay… I did drop literal world-shaking bombshells on all of you." Kota partially chuckled. "It's a lot to take in, and as far as he'll know he did hug me goodbye. So he doesn't need to-!" Once again Kota was caught off guard as Bertrand and Roland both joined in the hug, his eyes wide in surprise as his whole family held a full embrace.

"Kota… will you be alone?" Bertrand asked, Kota taking a moment to process everything before he could response, trying his best to hug everyone.

"No, I'm going to have caretakers. As it is now I wouldn't be able to hold in all of Satan's soul, so they'll be conditioning me to be more suited of a vessel." He explained. "Don't worry, I think they're good people."

"Devils as good people?" Roland chuckled bitterly, Kota letting out a small laugh in return.

"Ironic, but I really do feel that. They helped save me after all… even spoke on my behalf."

"Then don't be afraid to lean on them." His father stated. "You spend so much time worrying about everyone else's battles, now that you have your own you can start calling in some favors."

"It's still technically theirs, I just made it mine."

"We figured as much." Himari laughed. "Just also remember something important, the most important thing in this crazy world you've gotten into."

"What's that?"

"You're still a kid. Don't forget that." She said. "Live your life, make new friends, and most importantly find yourself a girlfriend."

"Mom!"

"Hihihi, someone has to remind you." Himari giggled.

"Kota, it's time." Amidst the embrace, Seekvaria entered from the front door, the family hug slowly separating as Kota helped his mother into her wheelchair.

"Kota?" Bertrand asked, looking at his son at the new arrival.

"It's okay dad, she's one of the devils I mentioned before." Kota answered, walking next to Seekvaria and raising a hand to gesture to her. "This is Seekvaria Agares, she's devil royalty if you would believe it."

"Nobility, there's a difference." Seekvaria responded, before giving a courteous bow to his family. "I apologize for this outcome being the case, it was from my incompetence that your son has been caught in our affairs."

"You're so pretty, are you going to be his caretaker?" Himari asked, much to Kota's fluster as he shrank back.

"Mom…"

"No, unfortunately I still have a couple responsibilities here before I can begin to assist." Seekvaria answered, paying no mind to the compliment. "I do however intend to contribute so that his transfer is accommodating. It's the best I can start in making amends for my failures."

"The ones that are going to watch him, are they good people?" Bertrand asked.

"Yes, they're kind and understanding. Your son will have people who he can trust to manage him without pushing him too hard." The devil heiress explained, a breath of relief coming from the man at the knowledge his son would be okay.

"Roland? You've been really quiet." Kota noted, seeing his brother had remained silent since Seekvaria entered.

"Sorry, still a lot to process." He lied, giving Kota a sympathetic stare. "If you trust them, then I'm okay. But if things get crazy, try giving us a call. Even if you can't explain everything, it wouldn't hurt to know we're there for you, right?"

"Yeah, I'll call you all the time." Kota smiled, knowing something was bothering Roland deep down. But he didn't want to pry in. If he wanted to say something, he was sure he would have said it.

"Do you need time to pack some clothes?" Seekvaria asked, Kota shaking his head in return.

"I always keep a small duffle in case of a track trip." Kota said, heading for the stairs. "It's got a couple pairs of clothes, I'll buy some more when I get the time."

When Kota left, Seekvaria could nearly feel the concern his family had, most notably from Roland who remained silent. She wasn't surprised, as Kota explained a lot of their situation with the knowledge they'd be forced to forget it all and assume he was living a normal life. Any parent would be scared, especially with the soul of Satan inside his body.

"Ms. Agares, will people come after Kota?" It was a fair question, Himari downtrodden at the girl's delayed answer.

"…I'm sorry, but I suspect as much." Seekvaria confirmed. "I don't expect it will be immediate, word traveled fast but all that is know is he's Satan's vessel. There's no knowledge of his name, face, or where he's going outside of the people that have directly interacted with him."

"So he has time, I suppose that's the best we can ask for."

"We'll do everything we can to make sure he can protect himself, and he won't be alone in this. However…"

"You can't prepare for everything." Bertrand finished.

"Yes. When the time comes, it will be up to Kota to fight. He won't be alone, but they may well face threats beyond their abilities."

"Well, I'm not worried." The man said, feinting a chuckle as he looked to the devil. "Kota's a strong kid, and if he has people with him he'll just keep getting stronger."

"Just… make sure he doesn't push himself too far." Himari spoke. "I want to see my sons live long and happy lives, I don't want him to feel like he has to do everything by himself."

"…Mrs. Price, I swear on my name that Kota will never be alone. And we'll be sure he lives for a long, long time." Seekvaria promised, wishing to put the mother at peace in this stressful time. It wasn't an easy promise to make, Kota now walks on a path filled with turmoil, and would endure hardship after hardship. As much as they'd help, at the end of it Kota will be the only one that can steer his fate.

It was a bittersweet goodbye when Kota left, recalling that Seekvaria had used the memory alteration before he came back, likely to make it somewhat easier for everyone. It made it easier to say bye, but it still hurt him to know he was now living a double life, and that his parent's wouldn't know that he was going to be in the center of an entire dispute in devil politics, and maybe even further if he survives long enough to make a name for himself.

The ride to the airport was relatively quiet, Kota unable to think up any small talk and Seekvaria respecting his privacy on the matter. He wouldn't have minded some chat, but they didn't know much of anything about each other, and it'd be difficult to get much out at the time. He also was missing Beth a bit, the Pawn being busy and wouldn't be able to see him off. It also bothered him to realize he wouldn't be able to say goodbye to Carter, no doubt left with a fake story like everyone else. But something did come to mind when they made it to the airport.

"Hey, so I get I'm leaving the country, but why like this?" He asked, carrying his bag as they headed into the terminal. "Why not just do that teleport thing, you know save the money and fare?"

"Simple, it saves us trouble." Seekvaria answered. "You'll be traveling to a new country as a citizen, having you arrive naturally saves the difficulty of analyzing the entire arrival record. Avoids an error in time so that you or an innocent person doesn't get arrested, and no further memory adjustments are needed that may eventually clash and raise more questions than answers."

"Okay, that's fair." Kota mumbled to the side. He couldn't really argue with that. "So who am I staying with? I figure if I'm flying there it must be set."

"It was agreed that Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri will be your caretakers, given they are one of the few aware of your condition, as well as being far away enough from the United States that you'll be harder to find."

"Those two?" He was surprised, he knew he made a decent impression with their fathers, or what counted given the situation. But he couldn't imagine being put into the care of their daughters, especially since Satan has made it clear he wasn't a fan of the new lifestyle of devils. Not that he was complaining though, there's a lot worse they could do to him. "I guess that's nice, I can apologize for what happened and thank them for talking to their dads."

"They also are well accommodating, there's a solid range of skill their servants possess. After all, lessons help but your physical body will need to be conditioned for your new abilities." Seekvaria informed.

"Guess that makes sense, keeps me on my toes." Kota shrugged. "And where am I going?"

"A town in Japan called Kuoh." Seekvaria's answer had Kota stop in place for a moment, confusing her as she looked back to him. "Something wrong?"

"Just caught off guard… I'm glad I charged my phone." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'll be brushing up on my Japanese, haven't spoken a lick in years."

"That shouldn't be a problem, devils process all information from mortals regardless of origin."

"Oh, cool. I think?"

"You understand every language and everyone understands you." Seekvaria explained simply. "People will understand your writing and speech as if you were fluent in Japanese, if with an English accent."

"Oh, that's awesome!" Kota's grin and cheer drew some attention, Seekvaria giving a small smile as the boy showed some enthusiasm. "That's a relief, I did not want to spend the entire flight to Japan relearning it."

"You know Japanese?"

"Little bits, mom taught me what she could."

"Hmm, didn't take you for being bilingual."

"If you think that's interesting, remind me to show you what two years of ballet did for my footwork."

"Seekvaria!" Hearing Rias call out to the pair, it didn't take long to spot her and Sona, the two sticking out like sore thumbs near the entrance to the gate checkpoint.

Kota's memory faintly remembered the two when he was under Satan's control, but seeing them in person without the blur of their souls clashing put to perspective just how much he wasn't able to take in details at the time. They radiated confidence in their souls, and he'd be a damned liar if he didn't say they were beautiful, something that resulted in him lagging behind Seekvaria for a moment before he shook his head, keeping focused when he reached them.

"Kota, as you recalled, this is Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri."

"It's a pleasure to meet you proper this time." Rias said with a smile, offering a handshake.

"The pleasure's mine." Kota responded, shaking Rias' hand and then Sona's, keeping his composure before chuckling awkwardly. "I um… I can't thank the two of you enough for what you've done for me. First helping try to free me from Satan's control, then speaking to your fathers to help in my trial, and now this… I feel like a burden and I've only just met you."

"Given the context, it's the least that could be done." Sona argued. "It was through our failure to act and prepare for Satan's scheme and his manipulation of the King Piece that had you possessed the way you were."

"I still grabbed the thing, so it's fair to point out I played a heavy hand in what happened still."

"Which you only knew about because of my Pawn." Seekvaria countered, getting Kota to sigh with his shoulders lowered.

"I'm really being triple teamed about who takes the blame." He muttered, before recollecting himself and giving a proper bow to the devil heiresses. "Regardless, I owe you both a serious debt by my accord. I will try to live up to what is expected of me, and to one day repay you for the trouble that might follow us."

"I suppose we'll settle with it being a mutual debt, given the one you're taking for our people." Rias agreed. As much as the boy believed he was being a burden, in reality the burden of being Satan's Vessel outweighed anything like relocation. He perhaps didn't yet understand the full weight of it, but as it stands now it wouldn't be wrong to help make him comfortable.

"That works for me." Kota nodded, before standing upright again. "So, are we heading to the gate? I think there's still an hour or so but I'm no stranger to airport security."

"We actually have a few more discussions to have with Seekvaria, but we were actually waiting on someone before you came." Sona revealed, getting the boy to blink.

"Waiting for someone? Who else is coming with us?"

"The only person that can keep up with your stupidity." Kota's eyes widened when he heard Beth and turned around to see her, wearing a backpack and a smirk on her face. "I know, I know, you were expecting a trip all to yourself, unfortunately I'm not passing this up too."

"Given our role in your possession, I wanted to contribute to your safeguard while I complete my duties here." Seekvaria explained. "So for the time being, I traded Beth with Rias."

"You can do that?" Kota asked, getting a nod from the redhead.

"It's common amidst Peerages to do so. Especially for devils as young as us, often our servants desire a new master or temporary trades to help integrate them into areas without their masters."

"We'll be sure to properly explain the Peerage structure and its role once we're at Kuoh. For the time being, I suggest taking the time to relax, it's a long flight."

"You heard the bosses, you're on break until we're in the Land of the Rising Sun!" Beth grinned, grabbing Kota's wrist and dragging him with her as she led them to security.

"Be sure to behave!" Seekvaria called out to her. "You may be with Rias' group now, but you still represent me."

"Understood Ma'am! I'll be on my best behavior!" Beth responded. "Thank you for this, I owe you big time!"

"How long did she beg?" Sona asked, flashing a rare smile at Seekvaria's exhausted sigh.

"Over two hours, she didn't give me time to even consider the option."

"It's a nice sentiment, this is good for both of them." Sentimental or not, Beth crushed herself in guilt over what happened to Kota. His death and resulting corruption by Satan forced the boy into a world he was not prepared for, and she like everyone else claimed full responsibility for it. Being able to help him, and be there for his early days as a devil would do both of them good. And after such an emotionally charged event, separating would have been difficult for both of them, as Kota's mood seemingly jumped up just at the sound of her voice.

"So, there was something you wanted to talk about?" Sona asked, Seekvaria nodding as she took her glasses off to clean them.

"Yes, I met Kota's family before the memory wipe took full affect. I can see how he became the way he is, but I saw who was the biggest influence on his outlook." Seekvaria explained. "You two are already have more than enough on your plates, but if I need you to find an herb for medicine, would you object to getting it when it's found?"

It was a strange request, one Seekvaria didn't often make. All three of them were commonly self-sufficient. They only asked for help when all other options were used, and even then it was often difficult to get them to bend their pride. If she couldn't get ahold of it, she was making sure one of them could get it. Which meant finding it would be difficult, or out of reach of the Agares heiress until she is free of her duties.

"Of course."

"Compared to safekeeping Satan's Vessel, I'm sure finding a plant won't be a challenge."

Sona and Rias were no strangers to a challenge, and they were always willing to help their friends when asked. Seekvaria smiled gratefully to them, the three sharing a hug before goodbyes were extended. It'd be awhile before they saw each other again, and there was certain going to be trouble. Among the most immediate was on Rias' part, however neither Seekvaria or Sona liked to bring it up, given her own feelings on it.

"Good luck with your work." Rias said to Seekvaria, before she and Sona headed to go through security.

"I should be the one saying that." Seekvaria responded, waving them off before turning to leave, her part in Kota's safekeeping done for the time being.

'You'll need it.'

It was a serious flight, in the first four hours Kota and Beth spent their time watching movies together, sharing earphones and a screen to save money, agreeing that Kota pays for the first movie and meal and Beth would pay for the next. It was the first time either had flown first class, unable to imagine just how much it cost the heiresses but not questioning the comfort given the accommodations. It was a near 20-hour flight, with two stops being needed. So they didn't object to having the space they had.

Beth especially was enjoying herself, adjusting her seat to lay it out like a bed, already under a blanket with a pillow. Kota meanwhile sat by the window still seated upward, not in any rush as he let the time go by. One movie played and ended quick, two hours blinking by fast before the two had dinner. It stunned Kota to see food as good as was served, even further wondering the cost this flight alone took. But as expected neither really complained as they started their next movie.

Two movies turned to three, and by the fourth movie Beth was out like a light. The girl slept with her mouth open, snoring while her head leaned against Kota's shoulder. Kota appeared not even the slightest bit tired, although lacking his energy as he was still seated up. He was completely relaxed, not minding Beth's head slack on his arm or her snoring, having gotten used to it after their third road trip together.

"Now that's just adorable." Rias laughed quietly, Kota just hearing her and removing an earbud as he turned to the heiress, her and Sona being at the seats behind them. Sona was asleep, however the picture of grace as she kept herself neat and quiet, Kota just barely hearing a breath leave her every once in a while.

Normally he'd assume he couldn't hear her, but given his transformation into a devil he noticed his hearing and eyesight improved, along with his sensitivity to the sun. He figured it was that devils had these enhanced senses, but he'd have to ask if there was an answer to his eyes burning and the heat he felt when he was in direct sunlight.

"Need something?"

"No, no, was just making an observation." Rias responded, the two remaining at a whisper to avoid waking the others up. "I'm surprised at how long you've been awake, normally it takes humans a couple weeks to adjust to their new bodies."

"Guess that means her transformation is still fresh?" Kota asked, motioning to his snoring arm weight.

"If that were the case, Sona would be awake too." Rias countered, motioning to the sleeping heiress. "No, sleep just becomes a luxury instead of a necessity. It still benefits you to catch a couple hours of sleep."

"Hmmm, devils are really interesting." Kota hummed at the thought, staring at his fellow redhead with fascination. He's yet to test anything with his body yet, but even he could tell he felt far more full of energy and focused. It made him wonder if every devil was like this? It also had him wonder if they were what they seemed. Rias was a beautiful, well-managed bombshell, a fact he'd have to be blind to ignore at all. But he was curious that if he was still human, was Rias just physically superior? Was she faster? Stronger? Acrobatic? Flexible? He genuinely was curious if it was case by case like humans, or if devils were just wholly above humans in that regard.

"My, my, staring rather intently there Kota." Rias said with a teasing smile, Kota blinking as he realized he was gazing far longer and concentrated then he thought.

"S-Sorry." He said, hiding a blush as he looked away. He had to kick himself later when Beth was awake. Rias had helped him avoid execution and was providing him a safe place to life, and here he was ogling her like a shameless pervert.

"It's okay, I don't mind as long as you respect the rule look but don't touch." Rias laughed silently, finding his fluster adorable. "You're a growing boy after all, it was only a matter of time before your thoughts went there."

"Don't justify it, that only makes me feel worse."

"Fufufu, strong willed enough to contain Satan's soul, but a little attention from a girl gets you flustered." Kota's head only got redder as he looked away from the teaser, all but confirming the accusation. "Oh you poor boy, Akeno's going to bully you so much."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, don't worry." She corrected, figuring the boy is allowed to be spared the revelation for now. "But I am serious, you don't have to be embarrassed about something as simple as staring. We are devils, desires like that are ingrained into us and amplified, it's what drives us."

"Well consider me an outcast, I have more in here then a need to get down and dirty." Kota responded, tapping his head with his thumb.

"Of course, of course, I didn't mean to insinuate that's all that's going on." Rias relented, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Boys your age just become more aware of girls, and with your new body it's a bit more intense than normal."

"Can we please not have this conversation while my best friend is sleeping on my shoulder?" Kota pleaded, cherry red as he kept his face away from both Rias and Beth.

"Alright, I'll spare you this time." Rias smiled, glad to see the boy had some composure. She was pulling his leg, but there was truth to her statements. Devils have a much higher tolerance and libido than humans, and while some are comfortable and casual with it, some can be either far more lecherous and indulge themselves in abundance. It was good to know Kota was on the calmer side, at least for now.

"Thanks… and sorry again for staring." Rias didn't argue with him this time, just simply accepting the apology. Kota was stubborn in a strange way, always having to be the one needing forgiveness or seeing himself as the offending party. Humility was good to have, but he seemed less humble and more lowering himself compared to others. He didn't strike her as the kind of person to have confidence issues, but that could be a result of his circumstances. After all, who was she to tell Satan's Vessel how he should feel about THE Devil being contained by his soul, and the responsibility that could crush a person.

'I suppose he'll just need some time to adjust.' Rias considered, slowly drifting to sleep as she let the boy be. It wasn't a problem that could be solved in a night, or in a single conversation. So she and the others would just have to help him regain some composure, once he proves to himself he's able to handle his burden.

Kota stayed awake for hours longer, going from movies to instead listen to music, doing his best to keep his conversation with Rias out of his mind. Devils being more vulgar made sense on paper, they were beings that embraced their sins and seduced humans. But did that mean that's what he'd be? He didn't want to think he'd be that bad, but a part of him showed concern, especially as Beth's snoring lessened and he felt his nose twitch.

'This'll be rough.' Kota thought, being alone with everyone else asleep would make this a long flight. He didn't know how much time was passing, but he did notice his eyes felt heavier than normal. He's been tired before, often actually, but something just beckoned him to sleep. And for the first time in three years, he relented to that desire without a thought.

For the first time in a long time, Kota got a full eight hours of sleep without the aid of crashing from exhaustion or Satan's little power grab. He was surprised at how refreshed he was when he woke up. Usually he'd be about as tired as he was going to sleep, he wasn't used to being as recharged as he is now.

There were still a couple hours left in the flight, but it went by fast. Eventually, he and Beth shared space to look out the window to see their destination, staring in amazement at the terrain of Japan. In truth, the two have never been outside of the States, and to travel so far away excited them far more than it did concern them. All the stress from the past couple of days was seemingly drifting away from them, even the landing and wait through customs went by like a blink to them.

"Ah, take in that air." Kota breathed out with a grin, stretching his legs gleefully at the freedom of range returned to him. The flight was comfortable, but after almost a full day of flying it was nice to be back on his feet.

"This is so awesome, we're actually in Japan!" Beth grinned ear to ear, taking in the environment. They weren't at Kuoh yet, but the sheer excitement of being at one of her top picks for a vacation had her pacing in place, bursting with energy after the trip.

"Where do you think we should go first? Kenroku-en? Dotonbori? Oh! I bet Shibuya would have plenty of sights too!"

"What about the Imperial Palace, or Osaka Castle. *Gasp* Or we could go to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest!"

"Ahem!" Amidst the two's excitement and brainstorming, Sona's cough into her hand reminded the two they weren't actually here on vacation, turning to the devil heiress. "How about your residence in Kuoh? The reason you're here?"

"Sorry…" Both shrank at the stern gaze of the heiress.

"Don't worry you two, there'll be plenty of time for you to go touring later. But for the next couple months it's best you stay in Kuoh." Rias said, giving a small laugh at the two's excitement and Sona's response crushing of it with authority. "You should be able to scratch that travel itch you have, even if it's not the same as Japan's best attractions."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Beth repeated as she hugged Rias, the redhead laughing at Beth's continued excitement, Kota growing a smile at seeing the enthusiasm felt. It was refreshing after the stress from before, the trip already helping the two recover.

It wasn't a far ride from the airport to Kuoh, but enough that Beth and Kota could sight see on the bus before they arrived. From there it was a short walk, both staring in growing suspicion at the average house in the neighborhood. The houses were all nice, really nice to what they were used to. And their concerns were confirmed when they arrived, seeing a two-floor home with enough space for a whole family.

Kota was more surprised at the sight, his house had two floors as well, but this seemed almost double the size for only two people. It baffled him to think all this space was just for him and Beth, part of him wishing he could have brought his family with him here.

"This is crazy…"

"I'm afraid what the bill for all of this was…" Beth said, seeing the whole home was already furnished, as if someone was already living here. If it wasn't for how new everything looked they might have assumed as much.

"So, what do you think?" Rias asked, her and Sona entering after the two as they remained in the living room.

"It's… it's all a lot." Kota admitted, turning to Rias. "I don't… I don't think we can repay you for the amount you've done for us so far. But if there ever is-"

"Don't even think about it." Rias raised a dismissive hand at Kota's attempt. "This is all to make amends and give you a fair chance in this new world. A gift as small as tickets and a house is the least that could be done."

'They consider that as small?' Both Beth and Kota were taken aback at the notion, curious just how loaded the devils were if buying tickets for first class luxury flights and an entire furnished house was a simple gift to them.

"It's still early, so for the rest of the day you can explore around town." Sona stated. "We still have to finalize you two being inducted into the academy, and tailor your uniforms. So if you are able to free up time in five hours to meet us there it'd be appreciated." She then handed them a paper map, Kota blinking in realization at the request.

"Wait, uniforms?"

"Of course." Sona responded simply.

"You might be Satan's Vessel, but your education is still important." Rias explained. "You'll both be inducted into Kuoh Academy, classes for you will start tomorrow."

"Classes start at 08:30, be sure to be in your classes before then." Sona added in. "You'll have proper introductions with our Peerages after the day ends, so please don't leave until after activities have ended."

"Enjoy the rest of your day, and remember to call if you have any questions." Rias finished, nodding to the two before the heiresses left, leaving the fresh devils staring in surprise at the organization and wealth the two demonstrated.

"…What does it take to marry one of them?" Beth spoke without thinking, Kota matching her awe in his response.

"I'll let you know when I figure it out." The two shook their shock away, remembering they had a schedule given and wanted to enjoy the time they had. "So, room decision?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Beth agreed, the two exploring their new house. Neither really questioned sharing a residence, they were comfortable enough to trust one another. At worst they just needed to set a few ground rules, but that wasn't anything they haven't done before. They noted there were three bedrooms, the first two were pretty average all things considered, about the same size as the room Kota shared with Roland before he moved out.

The third one, however, was the obvious pick, almost double the size of the other two bedrooms with a king-sized bed.

"Dibs."

"Di-shit!" Kota spat in anger as Beth jumped onto the bed immediately, landing on her back and reclining into the softness with a blissful sigh.

"Oh yeah, now that's what I'm talking about." Beth chuckled, looking up to Kota with a grin. "What can I say, sucks to suck."

"You know, I am technically a king. Since my body is a pure devil's." Kota mused. "By that logic, I could overrule you and take it for myself."

"You'll have to pry my cold, unmoving body from this."

"Don't tempt me." Kota chuckled, waving behind him as he stepped out. "Alright, you're the winner this time. I'll take one of the more cramp, dull beds."

"As if you sleep more than three hours every three days." Beth countered, Kota not responding as he walked down the hall to the first room on the right. It was across from the stairs, so he'd have to make sure not to slip on the way out.

"Well… looks like my new life starts now." Kota said, sighing as he tossed his bag onto the bed and sat down. It was a nice room, no king size bed but it was comfy, and more space then he was used to.

"Hey, I'm going to take a shower before we head out!" Beth called out from the room, the sound of water running already heard by the boy.

"Good, you've reeked the entire trip."

"Said the boy who's vomited blood and ichor for the past three days." Both of them laughed at the banter, before Beth closed her door for total privacy. Having that, Kota flopped onto the bed with a huff, figuring he had ten minutes before Beth was done with a shower.

He didn't have to think long on what to do before he pulled out his phone, scrolling his contacts before finding his mom. Two quick clicks were all that was needed to start a face call, nervousness filling him as he sat up and tapped his foot on the floor.

"Kota, Hi!" Himari's voice rang with excitement as her face came into focus. "How was your flight?"

"It was good, I couldn't even begin to explain it." Kota chuckled. "How are all of you doing?"