Well, based on the feedback, I'll go ahead with the plan and turn this fic into Xenovia x Issei x Valerie double pairing, it can't hurt to try new things, amirite?

How can I develop the romance between the trio? I have no idea mate but I'll keep tryin, the hardest part is Xenovia and I dun have any idea how to execute it properly. Sure, Issei and Valerie got something in common, being NEETs and enjoying a form of art. I'll be able to link them up here and there, even gaming nights would suffice.

Anyways, I'll deal with it when push comes to shove.


"You… You!" The position Issei found himself in, was a double-edged sword.

At one edge, he was being pulled by the collars.

On the other, he was being pulled by the collars by a stunning baddie.

Even the look of absolute anger in her eyes, was mesmerizing. How could a human be perfect? To be fair, it only made him believe more in Kami, as he demonstrated that he could, indeed, create perfection. Packing enough strength in her petite hands to lift him above the ground slightly, Valerie stared deep into the boy's soul. There had to be some sort of cheat that allowed him to soft-lock her character!

"Somebody's still pissed." Issei could understand her fury, after all, he had been the only one she hadn't been able to PK in the Alpha. Not because Valerie didn't have the necessary DPS, her avatar could shred even Adaptivists, another class that excelled in tanking whatever came their way. DvDCat's extraordinary build and knowledge of the game made the difference against everyone, almost everyone, cue in HK12.

"Damn right I am! Do you know how many hours I spent on earning my reputation, jerk?" She was feared, rightfully so. To be able to slaughter the entire population of the Alpha was an achievement, doing it in Hardcore? Outright impossible. Yet, Valerie did exactly that, and planned on doing it again in the Early Access.

"I totally get ya, believe me I do. Yet, I'd like if we could solve this like two civilized people. Violence is never the answer, right?" It might seem unnatural of him to be frightened, as he's been accustomed to getting beaten to a pulp by the Kendo team. However, the brunette wasn't feeling a little scared due to physical trauma about to be dumped on him, rather, missing out on the opportunity to befriend the beauty.

"The only thing I know is to beat jerks like you, HK12." She wasn't joking, Issei could see that clearly. Being this spiteful came with experience.

"There are customers staring at us, if you really want to pay me back, drop by after my shift, pretty please. Got a reputation here I need to keep afloat." For the past few minutes, the duo had all the eyes over them, understandable as someone like Valerie lifting him off the floor was quite the sight.

"It's rather ironic of you to say that, after you made fun of me during Alpha." The fact that she lost her cool during their battle made Valerie pissed to this day. It was one of the few times she got her ass handed to her on a silver platter.

"What can I say? It wasn't a fair matchup. You should've been able to wipe the floor with me, if you had enough DPS, DvDCat." Her grip on him tightened, meaning that she clearly didn't appreciate the comment.

"What do you exactly mean, prick? I took down the best Adaptivist of Alpha, under three minutes. I find it veeeeery hard to believe you're tankier than that." Her most prized hunt, Nxelestor. A PvP oriented Elven Adaptivist that actively hunted down PKers with his supreme build. Due to the system, Adaptivists are the best counter to Cursebearers, as they can negate almost every spell and cleanse party members. Almost every spell, as one of Cursebearer's evolved spells, Concept of Death Imbuity, was an exception.

"I mean it. You may have gotten lucky with Nxelestor, but against me? You had no chance. Because you walked in on a fight you couldn't win." It's not that she couldn't win, but rather, the conditions which Issei pushed her in were unfavorable from the very beginning. One of the most devious plans he had ever come up with, and his most prized accomplishment…

1v0 against DvDCat

"Luck…? LUCK? There is not a single fight I can't win; I got the entirety of Alpha shivering upon the sight of my avatar. You must have cheated, there is NO other way." It didn't make sense for her to be beaten by the worst PvP class. She could've taken it had she been erased by another Cursebearer, as it would prove that the other player was the better one out of them. A Manipulator? Never in her wildest dreams.

"I didn't cheat, and I can prove it." Issei was thankful of Mats for his idea to record the carnage, as DvDCat was intending to end the player population in the final hours of the Alpha.

"Show me, then." The fire in her eyes, such a competitive spirit. Couldn't take the loss, Issei liked that.

"I mean… I can't exactly do that at the moment, y'know." With a light smile, Issei looked down, indicating that he would be of no use unless Valerie releases him. To be able to look in her hazel eyes from above, it felt as though a privilege.

Taking the hint, the beauty released her hold on him, allowing the brunette to move and breathe as he pleased. Issei had to admit, even if she didn't put him down, he would have no issues with it as long as he was still conscious, and could stay being strangled by her all night. He had to get his priorities straight after tonight.

Maintaining eye contact with the boy before he departed, Valerie contemplated the possible reasons for the utter defeat she had succumbed under in the Alpha as she awaited him to present the evidence. Her avatar back then was quite strong, arguably the strongest in the peak of Alpha, boasting more than seven-thousand Magicka, all her stats on 201, in contrast to the usual limit of 100 due to her unique class Perk, which enhanced every single stat by 5 every time the threshold of 50 PK had been reached, along with Stat-Stealing on a smaller scale, of one percent per PK.

There had to be a reasonable explanation, because the Manipulator class is by far, the worst class in the game, even if HK12 is able to influence story-lines. They didn't have consistent DPS, nor advantage over other classes, and this madman played Humankin, which meant that he had no advantage over anyone, but disadvantages over Elves and she had DMG amp. No matter where she looked at the problem from, it all pointed out to him having Admin privs.

No racial advantage, no class advantage, no level advantage, as HK12 was three levels below her, on 68, not even enough to trigger Class Evolution for the second time. Valerie was sure she made every possible item required ready when she published the timer on the forums, a warning to every player on the Asia Superserver. Countless Scroll of Replenishments, Dragon Tears, AMs. Even a spare Marble Whisperer, the most powerful Cursebearer weapon in the end-game, in case she ran out of durability mid-fight.

Truly, it was quite the puzzle to solve.


"What does that spell even do?" Watching the VOD in front of her with bright eyes, the beauty couldn't understand anything, whether due to her not being accustomed to the ways of Manipulator, or that she really didn't know anything about the system was something she had to educate herself further in the future.

"That is, Perspective Alteration, a Low-Class Manipulator spell. It's pretty simple, actually, the intended target of the spell is subjected to an idea I plant in their avatar, and it's not dismissable without the help of another Manipulator. There aren't any debuffs that come with it, so most players outright ignore it, like you do." One of the most crucial spells in the early game, Perspective Alteration played a pivotal role in his attempts to corrupt the NPC's. It wasn't until a while ago that he solved how to use it on Players, as well. Matsuda's poor avatar suffered from his experiments.

She couldn't understand, her avatar at the moment was fighting Nxelestor, not even aware of the debuff imposed on her due to the intensity of the fight. The cute bartender did say that he forced her into a fight she couldn't win, it seems that he had been planning to clash with her long before she faced him. The spell didn't have any visual effects, either, so it was natural for her to ignore it in the moment of heat.

The commentary behind the 3 hours long Vod was getting slightly irritating, as both HK12 and FedeBaldy had been shit-talking non-stop. Valerie also came to acknowledge that the bouncer of the bar turned out to be the Baldy from the Alpha, who saved her avatar from being erased due to his heroic action of accepting the 1v2 and coming out on top. The beauty had to offer her thanks in person too, after she finished reviewing the footage properly, of course.

After Nxelestor, she would go on to the Palace area and wipe out the remaining players from Aethereus. By the time Valerie had committed to taking on the Adaptivist, the beauty had already wiped out every single Elf on the megacontinent. She'd been taking down avatars left and right for almost five hours by then, and the strain was beginning to catch up. However, after she'd brought down the Elven players, there weren't any active and strong avatars left that could stand against her.

FedeBaldy had his fair share of damnation as well, due to her commitment to the cause. What a shame. The only active 50 Level players could be counted with one hand by the time she'd reached the Palace, and only one of them she hadn't heard anything of. HK12, who became the first one to stop her advances, and fight to death against her. She didn't know anything about Manipulators back then, and that fact hasn't changed now either. Only by reviewing the VOD and trying to make sense of the unorthodox gameplay could Valerie find the answer she'd been searching for.

The first step came in the form of a pseudo-Debuff, a non-damaging spell that only had one debuff, and didn't even amplify the damage received. HK12 hasn't made any advances on her avatar, just observed from afar as she moped the floor with his friend. FedeBaldy alone didn't cause any trouble against her 71Lv. Cursebearer, as much as she would like to admit otherwise.

Still, another hour to go until she meets Issei-kun's avatar.

Might have another glass of Manola as well.


Night's been getting worse and worse by the hour.

Dividing the attention between Valerie and other customers was getting a bit tiring, as the beauty kept asking questions every minute, of how the spells worked, how he managed to corrupt her avatar and why was this vod so long, vice versa. Issei tried to be considerate and kept replying back with a smile, but even against a bombshell like her, he had to draw some boundaries to keep himself clean and focus on his duty.

It didn't help that Valerie supposedly spilled her drink on the counter, as she demanded another Manola right after and splashed it on his face because of the replay getting more and more disturbing and embarrassing with each passing minute, for her of course.

'Okyakusama-wa kamisama desu, my ass. I ain't a believer in the first place.'

The brunette had no choice but to tolerate it, otherwise he'd lose a valuable customer, a friend, even. He could choose not, too, as Tobio-san often covered him in matters of not yielding under customer's wishes all the time, as he's keen on keeping his employees respected under the Bar. The pros simply outweighed the cons, thus Issei handed Valerie her refill for the third time in the past five minutes.

Just as he leaned against the wall to check his phone, a rather interesting duo stepped inside, catching him in complete surprise.

Xenovia Quarta and Shidou Irina.

The latter came in first, waving the bouncer off along the way in a friendly manner. Dressed in her casual clothes, Irina took a minute to digest the view as she's been here for the first time. As far as Issei's been concerned, she hadn't taken up the habit of drinking, since she's been raised by Touji-san, who is known for his commitment to religion and strict upbringing. It felt unnatural for her to be here, if Issei were to be honest. Irina's not the type to hang out late at night.

However, the second individual seemed to be more careful as she observed the customers around, finally noticing his figure behind the counter. She didn't look exactly pleased by his presence, Issei could tell. No one from the Academy would, he's been used to it. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't serve them, quite the opposite, even. Quarta might not like him, understandably, yet, Irina's been always his friend, childhood friend, a few antics of his wouldn't get between them.

"What can I do for you, ladies?" As they've taken their seats, facing him with disinterest in one hand and excitement on the other, Issei transitioned into work mode, effective immediately. Sure, he's been eager to have a talk or two with Irina as they've not been able to for a while, due to her so called "duties". Ever since she relocated back to Kuoh from England months ago, there had been a glazing longing between them, Issei could feel it but didn't push it any further to not make her uncomfortable.

"I'll take the handsome bartender, pretty please." A compliment, one that he hadn't been expecting, for sure, handed in by none other than his childhood friend. He could see it in her eyes that she was surprised by his presence, and wanted to talk about it, whether or not it would be private was entirely dependent on Irina. The brunette could feel it in her eyes that she clearly missed him, even though she could always see him at school.

Maybe, it was due to the fact that she had the opportunity, but not the time to hang out with him. That was far more plausible.

"Your favorite is not on the menu tonight, I'm afraid. May I suggest something else?" Issei would love nothing more than spending some quality time with Irina, but like the beauty on the other side of the counter, she picked the worst time to catch up, while he's on the clock. This night was getting more and more uncomfortable as it went on.

"Mmm… Something sweet, delicate and light would do me wonders. I'm leaving it up to you, surprise me, Ise." The way Irina looked at him, filled with joy in her being. She's taken that from her mother, who had taken care of him back in the day, due to a misfortune. Irina's always been a soft spot for him, especially when she left for England. However, every rocky road has a consequence, ever since their parting, Issei's haven't been able to find himself back on his feet.

"Gotcha. What would Ms. Quarta like?" Her companion's been giving him the worst kind of signals ever since they stepped inside the Bar. What could he say? The Perverted Mastermind of the Academy had been the absolute nightmare for every girl, except Irina, as he couldn't bring himself to peep on her due to their shared past. The harsh look in her brown eyes told him exactly how favorable he is, and Issei was no liar in front of Kami.

"Sake." The venom in her voice… It made Issei feel proud. To be able to garner that much hatred, from someone that he wasn't even personally interested in with. It was also, surprising, of how people could be misled about others with a little gossip. To be fair, everything that's been going around about him was absolutely correct, an unrepentant pervert that knows no boundaries. That's what he was trying to achieve, as well.

"Coming right up!" In contrast to her, and those like her, Issei stood proud of who he is. If someone wanted to get to know him, like Iri and Mats, approaching him even against his tendencies was the way, the intended way he paved for years. Issei didn't need anyone's approval or favor, he never did, he's fine with the people around him, and would keep it that way. If someone knew him by his reputation, and still wanted to be around him, he couldn't ask anything else. That is how he made friends that he could call his brothers, and sisters.

And he would keep doing the same, even in college, even in adulthood.

He could briefly hear Xenovia's comments, spewing out how he didn't even deserve to be working here, serving them as he'd been preparing their drinks, the concoction he specifically made for Rossweisse-san would suffice for Iri. In contrast, Iri was trying to calm her down and explain that he isn't some sort of Devil to strike down, to which she replied he was way worse than Devils. It made him snicker, too. Even Lucifer wouldn't want to be associated with him, huh.

Did it hurt? A long time ago, it did.

Now, Issei considered those insults as compliments.

He wouldn't stoop down low enough to lick someone's feet to gain reputation, in contrast to every single adult he knew, even Tobio-san. Issei didn't care whether someone thought highly of him, he never did and never will. He refused to comply with the wishes of society to find a place amongst them. What good would come from it if he didn't feel comfortable? If he weren't a pervert, Issei had no doubt that he'd be the typical japanese teenager that would constantly be taken advantage of. Because he is pictured as infamous as the Unabomber in the Academy, no one even dared to try it.

However, he's fine as he is, he's got a clean conscience, and Kami clearly favored him.

"Here ya go." Keeping the smile intact, Issei handed Iri her drink and poured Xenovia's sake in her ceramic cup. It entirely depended on Sake's condition whether to be poured in a glassware or ceramic cups, and in Black/Dog Bar, Issei only served it in a specific way, it's important to leave Sake in a container that will certainly keep it at the room temperature level so that it's not bitter for customers.

"Thanks, Ise." To be fair, Irina didn't expect to bump into him here. She didn't even know he was working a part time job, just how long had he been doing this? Meanwhile it's true that he hadn't been the same Issei she left, cue in his unusual perversion, newly found accountability and his longtime partner, honesty, Irina hadn't been expecting the change within him to be marginally huge after she came back from England. It made her kind of sad, as Issei probably wouldn't have spiraled down the lane had she been here for him.

"Don't mention it, that's what I do, Iri." He always admired Irina's positivity, she stayed the same after all those years. He did, as well. Just had a new bunch of hobbies, which, unfortunately for some, fortunately for him, included the milkers on her chest. He wouldn't indulge in his hobby on the clock, of course. He's a professional, in both women's anatomy and beverages, he desperately wanted to study his masters on the former, as expected. However, there's no need to slip up an embarrassing look under Tobio's counter.

Taking a glance at the side, Issei's made sure that Valerie is still indulged in the Vod, and from the looks of it, she took it surprisingly well.

"Just to be sure, you haven't sneaked in with a forged ID, did ya?" Irina's of age, he knew that. However, making her embarrassed was part of their dynamic. He made fun of her, she paid him back, severely on multiple occasions. He didn't mind it, understandably.

"Beg your pardon, Ojii-sama? Last I checked, I celebrated my eighteenth with you. If you think that I'm still too young to drink, shame on you." The legal age of drinking had been lowered to 18 in the past few years, and it allowed people like Iri to come into the Bar and enjoy the rich beverages Black/Dog had to offer. It didn't bother him in the slightest, as the whole concept of legal age didn't make any sense to him.

"Oi! I'm only a few months older than you. That doesn't give you the right to call me gramps." He's been getting older and older with each passing day, it made him completely depressed. He would be in his twenties soon and for Kami's love he wasn't even ready.

"You're a buzzkill, that's why I called you gramps, not for the fact that you got one foot in the grave. Might as well get the other one and be done with it, Ojii-samaaaa." She loved pushing his nerves, Issei knew that since childhood. The look in her eyes didn't help it, either.

"You're going in my suicide note, tonight, you know that right?" Band for band, even self roasts are welcome in their relationship.

"Well, at the very least I get to keep your magazines. I'd say it's worth it." Iri knew damn well how to be nonchalant when she needed to be. Part of Touji-san's charm.

"Nah, got a promise to keep, Mats will get them and burn them. If I ain't the one reading them, no one will, end of discussion." Issei was serious on this one, he and Baldy made this promise long ago, and both of them had taken an oath to fulfill it.

"Then, I'll defile your gravestone. Hyoudou Issei, "The Forever Virgin". Uuuu… I like the ring of that" Not that her fragile maiden heart was capable of that, she couldn't imagine a world without her best friend. Xenovia might be her partner, but Issei had a special spot on her heart that couldn't be replaced by anyone else.

"With the scope of things at the moment, I have no doubt that is the way I'll go. Damn it, Kami-sama!" Sometimes, even the toughest man can fall. Issei wholly believed his inability to pull girls was imposed on him during the mistake.

"You're charming, Ise. I have no doubt you'll find someone that you're comfortable with. You still got fifteen years left until you're no longer attractive." He would still be a charming prince post his prime, Iri believed it in her heart. Even if he doesn't get married till he's in his thirties, she is always here.

"That's easy to say when you're literally worshiped by people. I got no charm here." Pointing between his eyes, Issei conveyed the message loud and clear. He neither got the brains, nor the looks. Could've gotten a decent shot of losing his virginity had he got either, too.

"Oh come on! Stop spreading the nonsense, I believe in you!" She did, and at the same time, didn't. If he continued to be the same Issei, no one would want to be in a relationship with him, naturally. It was fine, in her eyes. Because eventually, he would be her Ise-kun and only hers.

"I'm a nonbeliever, Iri. I ain't thinking there's a girl out there for me, for real. I'm eighteen, soon to be nineteen, and still haven't gone on a date, ever." A half-truth, as he had gone on a date, just once. A year ago with a girl called Yuuma, that didn't end well as it turned out to be a futile attempt, got ghosted and she never contacted him again. What a shame, he'd have liked to be with a cutie like her. Must've been due to that bracelet he bought her, no wonder he's seen as a weirdo. Who buys a bracelet on the first date? No one but Hyoudou Issei.

"Neither Xen nor I have, as well. It's a matter of principle for us, as you can guess. Church doesn't exactly condone when their top gals interact with boys of their age, pretty outdated stuff I know." It's not like Irina wanted to date, but being imposed such a rule didn't make any sense as no one within the church could enjoy their most fruitful years. It's such a bummer rule that only encourages people to break it silently.

"Your downfall needs to be studied, y'know. Where's the naughty Iri I knew back then?" She was a real handful, Issei could confirm it with his whole being. He could even declare that she's the initial reason for his perversion. The beauty might've been doing it subconsciously, but Issei remembered the things she had done vividly. Like… What kind of friend would change with a boy behind them?

"My downfall..? I wasn't even slightly good to begin with, mind you. Just got accustomed to my surroundings, Ise. We are the result of our environment, You of all people should know that." She took a low-blow, one that shouldn't even be said in private. Whereas she'd been surrounded with beacons of goodwill and purity, her childhood friend had spent his whole life on streets, going from one fight to another with no clear aim, with Matsuda by his side. How could anyone expect him to turn out a good man?

Not that Iri could ever know what he went through after she left, as they haven't talked about it. To be fair, they hadn't had a decent conversation ever since she relocated back. She was the voice of reason in his childhood, protecting him from his bad habits. It is only natural that he fell into the void in absence of his only pillar. Issei's no man to blame Iri for the way things have turned out, but she's an unwilling culprit of the man he became today.

Could he have been better? Quite possibly with her influence and support. Not just her, but her mother, as well. Lady Shidou occupied a great deal in his heart, more than his own flesh and blood. She's been the closest to a mother figure he could ever have, and demonstrated her kindness and her care on more than one occasion. Issei knew for a fact that he would damn right be no pervert, due to Lady Shidou's constant scoldings about the importance of morality being engraved to him had she been here.

Issei's no loser, no need to cry over something that has already passed by. He didn't exactly take it negatively, the way he's turned out. Sure, there are a few cases that are similar to his, such as Genshirou Saji and Miyazaki Ren. They had responsibilities that they needed to uphold, Issei knew that, such as Genshirou needing to take care of his siblings and in the case of Miyazaki, it'd been his mother. He didn't have such people to take care of, and wandered off on the road of becoming the Antichrist of Kuoh Academy.

"Hey… Issei-kun. Can you come here for a sec?" Cutting his train of thoughts is none other than his arch-nemesis in the Alpha, Valerie. Forming eye contact with her, which made him nearly drown due to such intensity of her emotions, she didn't seem exactly hateful anymore, but more curious. Heeding the call, Issei moved over to her side and indulged in his favorite activity. Being an absolute NEET.

The night's been getting more and more entertaining as it went on.


"Just what do you find in him, Irina?" She never understood Irina's perspective, expectedly. Ever since she's moved here, Xenovia had never heard anything good about the Pervert. Be it ranging from staring at girls to the point of making them uncomfortable, to actively peep on them on occasion. Hyoudou hasn't made a move on her, Xenovia wished he did so that she could show what the real world is actually about.

"Do I need to find something in people to befriend them, Xen?" Irina knows that the old Issei is still somewhere in there, waiting to be unearthed by the right person. Xenovia didn't meet the Issei she knew, and she probably never would. The walls he erected after she left are looking to be indestructible, and Irina didn't blame him in the slightest. The one to be blamed was none other than her.

"Yes, for once, if they shouldn't be menaces to society." The beauty took a sip from her drink as she spew the words out, for her, Hyoudou Issei is a disgrace, a sinner that should be casted out, declared as persona non grata, immediately. It's because of people like Hyoudou that society is collapsing, or is on the verge of collapsing. They have no place in such thriving environments, like Kuoh Academy.

"You don't get it, I don't blame you. Issei's been a real bishonen back in the day, and he still is. The fact that he's now a pervert doesn't change that he's a good man, probably better than you picture him, as well." Irina could understand Xenovia's perspective, and would probably think like that as well if she hadn't met Ise when he was still pure. His perversion didn't bother her, at the slightest. Because she knew that deep in his heart, Issei is still the same, the honest and charming boy that she had a crush on.

"You live by a false hope, Irina. Can't you see that he's become just a hormonal, raging and obnoxious teenager?" For outsiders like Xenovia, Issei indeed was just, that. A boy that had no use but every kind of flaw, not even worth to befriend and try to convert him into a decent person. The fact that Irina kept her bond with him made Xen unnerved to the core.

"Friends are for times like these, Xenovia. If I abandon him, do you think he'll turn out to be better? No, he'll spiral down the lane even worse than before. At least, I can now be around and try to make him even a tiny bit better." Xenovia hadn't had any real friends, that's why she struggled to grasp the importance of them. Everyone, according to her, needed to have some sort of benefit to them that she could acquire by interacting with them. She's been raised, no, coded to be like this ever since Griselda took her in her care.

"Whatever, don't come crying when he finally sets his sights on you." She knew better that Hyoudou will, in the near future, realize that he's a weak spot for Irina, and would act on it in Irina's ignorance.

"Why do you have to make it sound like a bad thing, though?" Irina would gladly accept him, if there weren't any obstacles.

"Duh… and you say that I'm a thickhead. You seem to forget that you're under Michael-sama for a while now." Irina's transition, something that made Xenovia question the ways of her former home. Why did it have to be her that got excommunicated? She had no idea, but things have turned out to be just fine. If you account for her living in Devil territory as a former exorcist, that is. Nevertheless, the Devils haven't made anything hard for her, much to her surprise.

"Shh… Don't say things like that out-loud! He's gonna hear." Irina knew that this Bar wasn't exactly normal, per the customers. Ever since she set foot here, she could feel the glaring gazes of various entities. Few of them even were jealous, something that made her quite surprised.

"Hyoudou's prolly in it, too. I wouldn't be surprised if he's some sort of a reincarnated incubi. There's no other possible explanation for his unusual sexual drive." Xenovia wouldn't be shocked if that was the case, as that prick is the personification of lust in her eyes. How could a human even be that interested in seeing some flesh?

"That's… you know what, why don't you ask him directly? I haven't seen him lie, ever." It's a dangerous gamble, Irina knew that. If her Ise-kun is unaware of the reality of their world, he'll be quite surprised when someone like Xenovia asks him about a topic like that. On the other hand, Irina knew damn well that he's not linked with Supernatural. She's made sure of that when she moved back to Kuoh.

"Why would I do that?" Xen would literally slice her wrists before engaging in a conversation with that abomination.

"Causeee…These fine pieces of paper on my purse says that he isn't." However, money talks.

"Deal." Another opportunity to prove Irina wrong, Xenovia would take it for granted.

As she turned around to call the Perv, the beauty spotted an interesting sight, and an even more interesting person.

"Hey, Irina… Isn't that…"

"Oh… Yeah."

The One and Only White Dragon Empress

Valerie Lucifer.

An actual, branded terrorist that has threatened the Maous six months prior, due to Red Dragon Emperor's actions. Declaring that she had no business in her homeland as long as Red One lives in it, White Dragon made her decision to hunt down her rival, injuring countless others in her advance. She's still been searched for, declared as a Special Class Threat. Seeing her flirt with Hyoudou was definitely not on Xenovia's bingo card.

"Why is she here?" It's an emergency, as White Dragon Empress is quite ruthless, and is known for not leaving witnesses. It's only a miracle that her and Irina survived through that night, when Lucifer descended and wanted the head of the Red Dragon Emperor, who was in the shared custody of the newly formed Alliance. Only with the Gremory and Sitri's help have they been able to repel this Force of Nature.

"Got no idea, but we have to keep her away from Ise-kun." She didn't come all the way from England for Issei to be butchered by a power-freak. Over on her dead body.

"For the first time, I'm on the same page with you." The Pervert might be an abomination, but even he didn't deserve to be killed in a gruesome way. The things Lucifer had done were still fresh on her mind.

Deciding it would be for the best to solve this the easy way, Irina tried calling out to Issei. To no avail as he was pretty busy explaining something to the Empress, who was also indulged in the footage on the laptop. They couldn't approach the Empress, either. The whole Bar would be engulfed in flames once she remembers their identity.

Xenovia gave it a shot, as well.

"Oi. Pervert. Come here." Even when Xenovia screamed with everything she's got, still no response, it seems as if he's in some sort of trance, captured by the Empress. Neither of them even bothered to look in their general direction, only focused on the laptop and having a talk between them.

At that exact moment, Xenovia had a not-so-bright idea.


Blood.

It took up his whole vision.

Issei could feel the entirety of his face's left side burning. Even his eyes became watery, drops of tears sliding down his cheek mixed with blood, in response to the unusual pain he felt.

How did this happen?

To be more accurate, what even happened?

He had no idea, but it happened too damn fast. The only thing he could focus on is the fact that he had pieces of ceramic lodged into his face, he could feel the freshness of Sake just by sheer smell. Clutching his face, Issei rushed into the bathroom whilst trying his utmost to not scream out of pain. He could deal with the culprit later, he needed to wipe the blood off his face as soon as possible and calm down the situation afterwards.

Just as he entered the bathroom, Valerie stood up.

In inhuman speed, she appeared right next to the duo.

"Care to explain..?" She knew them, survivors of that day. Valerie had realized their identities after they stepped inside the Bar, but didn't act on it solely due to one reason, that she believed they wouldn't dare to make a move on her. The benefit of doubt is no more, for they've taken an aggression on the "Cute" bartender she was trying to bond with.

"Leave him alone, Pervert's not someone you should be dealing with, especially in Red Dragon's territory." Xenovia stood up and faced the Freak, she knew damn well that it isn't a fight she could win. However, even the attempt to protect an outsider is alone enough reason for her to be involved.

"Who I am interested in, is not your business. Failed Experiment. If you think you can take me on…" Staring down on her opponent, Valerie conveyed the message clearly.

"Be."

"My."

"Fucking."

"Guest."

That she isn't here to listen to the ramblings of a second-hand Holy Sword User.

As they continued to stare each other down, both Xenovia and Valerie had clear goals in this standout. One wanted to voluntarily connect with the Bartender, the other wanted to unwillingly keep him safe. Both had their own reasons, and their own beliefs, and wouldn't back down from their aim with little effort.

"If push comes to shove, I won't back down from the fight, Lucifer." She had an advantage, and Xenovia would use it fully. Meanwhile Lucifer is known for her durability, there isn't a Devil Durandal can't slay. As long as Xen gets the first hit on her, the fight is basically over.

"Pfft… It's funny for you to say that, y'know… Weren't you two the ones that fled with their tails between their legs?" Valerie knows exactly how strong they are, hardly a match even against the Red Dragon. Against her? They absolutely had no freaking chance.

"If you have even a tiny bit of sympathy in you, leave him out of this. Ise's not someone you can murder and walk away." Irina chipped in, fuming. In her eyes, White One is a remorseless killer. That she displayed when she took a life in front of them and didn't even think twice.

"What do you even take me for, Angel? Do you really think that I'm planning something against him? Why would I even do that?" Valerie knew the circumstances in which she's in, due to her actions. However, that didn't mean she would go murder everyone left and right. The fact that they thought this is disturbing to the core.

"I know exactly what you are, Lucifer. You made it pretty clear when you butchered Gasper." The casualty Gremory Peerage suffered on that day, in a gruesome way. Irina still remembered the agonizing sound of the boy being squeezed into nothingness.

"Oh… you mean the fucking time-freezing Vampire that tried to suck the blood reserves out of my body. Yeah, I did that." Even self-defense is considered murder these days, Valerie could never get it. What did she have to do to prove that she's not the culprit on that day? She tried, she did. However, the Underworld only considers the Red One to be fair and square. They could kiss her ass, to be fair.

She knew how it happened, and why it happened. Yet, she's done trying to convince those fools.

Valerie could see that the blue haired exorcist was trying to reach onto something, perhaps to summon her weapon, but before she could do that, the cute bartender interfered.

Moving in between them, Issei reached out and separated them with simple movement, signaling that they can't fight here, with blood still spurting out of his cheek. His determination to the cause could be seen as either recklessness, or discipline.

"First of all… FUCK! Why did you do that?" He's furious, as expected. How could he even be calm with the way things have turned out? Just as he thought that tonight's going well and he's gonna survive, a freak throws the ceramic cup right onto his face, the most prized body part for a barkeep. He didn't even do anything to deserve it, didn't even take a glance at their direction and only focused on his work. The brunette had every right to be absolutely pissed.

"I-" How could even Xenovia explain herself? In a moment of heat, she made a wrong decision that didn't work like she planned as she probably left permanent marks on his face.

"No, NO! Shut up. You don't get to speak after destroying my face, ever. Why did you do that? Because I'm a Perv? Does that mean that you're free to injure me as you please? At the very least I'm harmless. Fucking psycho." Like… How does she even see the right to throw a fucking cup at his face? So much for trying to keep his posture clean inside the Bar.

"Look-"

"Keep that thing you call your mouth shut, Quarta. Do you know how close you were to making me half-blind? Do you? Look at me, look at my face, woman!" Pointing at his tear trough, on which lodged a piece of ceramic, Issei made his point. If it had been an inch to the left, he could be blind, or even worse, dead, if the ceramic pierced all the way through his left eye. That shit she pulled through classified as aggravated assault, for fucks sake.

"..." He's absolutely right, and Xenovia knew it. She didn't mean it to turn out like that, her sole objective was to divert the attention from the Empress to her. The method she used is not the right one, but the only one that could be applied in this situation.

"What a fan-fucking-tastic world, am I right? You get to nearly turn me blind, and the day after, everyone in the Academy thinks I deserve it. To hell with you, Quarta. To hell with you, all. You too, Shidou." What hurt him more than the injury is Irina's indifference to the situation, whether due to her shock or not, Issei could care less. She didn't do anything to stop her friend from committing something like this, is enough reason for him.

"Matsuda! Come here." Calling the bouncer of the Bar, Issei shouted with all his might. There is no customer that could injure a bartender and keep being a customer, not under Tobio-san's rules.

Hearing the cue, Baldy stepped inside the Bar and was left speechless at the instant. Seeing his friend's condition, he rushed over.

"What the hell happened, dude?!" It wasn't the first time a fight broke out on the Bar, however, it was definitely the first time Issei's got his fair share of it. His face was in shambles, with blood spurting out of his cheeks and brows.

"I'll tell you about it later. Now, these two ladies have overstayed their welcome, please escort them out." His tone left no room for questions and his companion got it.

Despite Irina's protest, Issei's decision didn't waver ever so slightly. There isn't a person on this whole planet that could disrespect him like this and keep being his friend. He didn't even do jackshit! That was the most frustrating part. He could try to understand them had he done anything to them for the past two hours, yet he didn't, he fucking didn't. What gives those people the right to do him as they please?

"Fucking hell… I'm gonna be ugly." The pain kicked back in as soon as he tried to wipe away the blood with his white cloth, his face felt as if it'd been pierced with a thousand needles. That's going to leave marks on his face, he's certain of that. Goodbye being a handsome bartender, now he's going to be jobless too.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Issei-kun, or should I say, Pervert?" Valerie had to try to cheer him up, after being the reason for his face becoming a mess. If she weren't around, those bitches wouldn't be so aggressive. She also didn't understand why the exorcist called him a pervert. From the looks of it, the cute bartender had a side he didn't want to show in front of her.

"Uh… I beg your pardon?" Fuck, fuck, fuck. He's outed as the Pervert of the Academy. Now, his face is going to be soaked in Manola as well, for the second time tonight.

"They called you as such, why?" The way she asked so purely, Issei had to stop himself from smiling.

"Ah… Long story. However, they aren't wrong, and I don't like to present myself as someone else other than who I am. I… uh… am indeed a p-pervert." He couldn't afford to say that whilst looking straight in her hazel eyes. He's going to be seen as nothing more than a weirdo, and he's used to it. Just that… he wished it could last more.

"Hmm… You don't strike me as someone preying on women, don't get me wrong. I haven't felt in danger near you." It's unusual, as he admitted it as well. Yet, Valerie knew more than to judge people with their reputation. She shares the same fate, too. Issei-kun may or may not be a pervert, however, that doesn't mean there is good in him. She could see it in his eyes that he had no intention of taking advantage of her, either. His honesty over such a delicate topic is admirable.

"That doesn't change the fact that I am. That's why I asked you whether you wanted to be served by me, because most people that know me don't." He's had a few incidents back then, when he was just starting to work here. Only in time he was able to get a hold of himself and control his instincts.

"I am not most people, Issei-kun. I can understand what you are going through and yes, I still want to be served by you." To be declared an outcast due to his views, not even bothering to get to know the man he is inside. It felt… eerily familiar, to the point that an apologetic smile formed on her face by instinct.

"Then… What would you like to order, Madame?" Taking his place behind the counter once more, Issei felt… relieved. That there is someone out there that could understand him, and wanted to get to know him even after learning about his perversion. Kami clearly existed.

"I'd like to… have a pack of polyamide suture, a needle and forceps, please." Valerie knows that she isn't directly responsible for his condition, yet still, she needed to be able to sleep with a clean conscience at night. Only way for that is to treat his wounds, she owed him that, due to his positive attitude and making her night out bearable. Even if she didn't, it is the right thing to do.

"I'm afraid Black/Dog doesn't provide those without supervision from the Boss, may I suggest something else?" He could understand her wishes, yet, she didn't need to bother herself. Issei always took care of himself, he could do it one more time. No need to make someone's night worse by treating him.

"I'm a nurse in training, Issei-kun. You'll be in good hands, put your trust in my expertise." Taking his hand on the counter, Valerie grasped his hands, showing him that she didn't waver from her decision. It was also her duty as an aspiring nurse to be able to treat any patient, regardless of their origin and personality. She would breach the oath she had taken if she refused to help him.

"I… need to check in with Tobio-san first." Taking his hand away, Issei rushed without a heartbeat.

Just…

What the hell was that feeling?


Chap 3 dun.

Bond with Valerie, in progress.

Xenovia, she's our protags numero uno enemy for the time being.

Danke for reading.

Review plox

Shiwftie, out.