I'm so sorry for the long wait again. It was completely irresponsible of me, unacceptable and inexcusable. I really hope you enjoy the new chapter!
A couple of weeks after meeting two of the Four Great Satans and training with their servants, Allegra thought it would be best for the children to interact with humans to expand their view of the world, so she bought a mansion in a place called 'Kuoh Town', close to Japan's capital Tokyo, for her and the children to move into. When Seth learned of this, he was originally quite against the idea of returning to their old home. However, Luke managed to convince his older brother that they should return to Kuoh Town, so they could find their parent's church friends and tell them that they were all right. Speaking of the Church, Allegra knew they had some control of the territory, but the cold truce between the Biblical Factions likely meant that the children would be safe if they didn't agitate the Church.
"Melody won't have to worry about any Exorcists attacking her, not unless they wish to incur my wrath." This was Luke's response to Allegra's concerns about the Church.
Melody merely hugged Luke affectionately at his declaration. "You're so protective, Lukie!"
"Would you also protect me, Master Luke?" Annabelle asked Luke with puppy eyes.
"What about me, Lukie-kun?" Misaki copied the young maid.
"I won't let anyone hurt any of you, be they Angel or Devil!" Luke proclaimed with all of his heart.
Luke was then hugged affectionately by Annabella and Misaki as well, making Seth and Alastair nod with smirks on their faces.
Smooth, Luke/Master Luke. Seth and Alastair thought in unison
Luke noticed Grayfia and Allegra staring at him and he simply gave them an assuring smile to imply that he was talking about them, too. Allegra giggled happily with a hand over her mouth while Grayfia merely closed her eyes with an amused smile.
After a day of packing, Allegra and Grayfia took the children and some of the maids to a transportation circle and they immediately arrived inside the large mansion in the human world. As the maids and the Wright twins began moving everyone's things into their new home, Luke and Melody practically begged Grayfia to take them to Kuoh Park. As for Seth, he decided to head off and find the old Sigmund residence with Misaki tagging along with him after she declined going to the park. Allegra watched as Grayfia took Luke and Melody to the park just before she was approached by a maid with velvet hair tied into a long ponytail that reached her backside and emerald eyes, her enormous breasts straining against her uniform.
"Lady Allegra, may I have a word with you? It is rather important." The seductive sounding maid said with a small bow.
"You may, Vilvetta." Allegra turned to face the busty maid with a serious expression.
"I have looked around the area near our new home as you requested before you all arrived and I have discovered a Holy Sword inside a house to our right." Vilvetta informed her lady with a grim expression. "It would seem that we unfortunately have an Exorcist as our next door neighbor."
"Here's hoping that Exorcist is one of the Sigmund family's friends." Allegra expressed.
"Oh? Young Master Luke and Young Master Seth have friends from the Church? I was not informed about this. Regardless, do you think we should be concerned about Young Mistress Melody's wellbeing?" Vilvetta raised her brow.
"No, I don't believe we have any reason to be concerned about Melody's safety." Allegra's eyes began to glow ominously. "After all, they would be foolish to incur not only my wrath, but Luke and Grayfia's as well."
At the park, Grayfia watched as Luke and Melody played with each other. The young boys around them couldn't take their eyes off of Melody and the young girls were very much the same way with Luke. While Luke was perfectly fine receiving attention from pretty girls, he wasn't fine with other boys looking at Melody like she was a piece of meat. He gave those boys a sharp glare underneath his new pair of glasses, causing the lenses to gleam menacingly. Those glasses were designed to disguise his Kaelian eyes from being seen by mortals unaware of the supernatural world. However, the agitation within Luke's body began to melt upon feeling Melody hug him.
"Don't worry, Lukie. You're the only boy for me." Melody whispered into his ear.
Luke seemed to blush slightly at Melody's words before he responded by hugging her back, getting the other boys to leer at the young Kaelian with envy.
Grayfia couldn't help but smile at Luke and Melody's innocent embrace. Ahhh, young love...
The children continued to hug each other until a cute girl's voice caught their attention.
"Wow, your hair looks so pretty!"
Luke and Melody saw a young girl with short, chestnut-colored hair and bright violet eyes looking at them.
"Oh, thank you." Melody responded as she fiddled with her hair a bit.
Luke narrowed his eyes slightly at the chestnut-haired girl as he adjusted his glasses. Huh... she looks kind of... familiar…
"You don't look like the other kids." The girl said. "Are you from, um, what did Tou-san and Kaa-san call it... 'Your-rope'?"
Melody giggled at the cute girl's pronunciation while Luke smiled in amusement.
"I believe the word you're looking for is 'Europe'. And yes, I suppose you could say that." Luke's voice caused the chestnut-haired girl's eyes to turn their focus onto him.
The girl stared at Luke for several seconds before taking off his glasses.
"H-hey!" Luke exclaimed.
The chestnut-haired girl felt her violet orbs slowly widen in disbelief when she saw the blue galaxies within Luke's void-like eyes and eventually teared up. "Is... is it... really you... Lu-kun?"
There's only one person in the entire world that's ever called me that. Luke thought in realization. "I... Iri?"
'Iri' broke down into tears and hugged Luke, barely able to speak through her sobs. Luke swiftly returned the hug and fought back his own tears, knowing he needed to be a man right now. Melody was confused, but her mother always told her not to interrupt people 'having a moment', so she remained silent and watched Luke and 'Iri' hug. Grayfia was surprised and perplexed when the chestnut-haired girl suddenly started hugging her young master, only for her body to stiffen when she felt an all too familiar aura approach her.
That aura... It's holy! Grayfia realized before she let out a small hiss upon feeling a small yet sharp object poking her middle back.
"What are you doing with that boy... Devil?" A voice whispered to Grayfia from behind. "Don't make any sudden moves or you'll be reduced to dust in an instant."
An Exorcist! Grayfia's skin turned pale but she retained her stoic expression. "... I take it you're one of Young Master Luke's Church friends?"
"Answer my question first." The Exorcist demanded.
"I refuse to utter another word until that holy dagger is moved away from me because if you so much as wound me, Young Master Luke will never forgive you."
Grayfia felt no movement, but she could tell the Exorcist was looking directly at Luke before sensing the dagger slightly move away from her back.
"Talk. Now." The Exorcist hissed.
"My lady is busy with our move, so I am looking after Young Master Luke and her daughter." Grayfia informed the Exorcist.
"And how did she get her hands on him?" The Exorcist asked.
"A woman by the name of Nimue Evergarden, a contracted Magician of my lady, began taking care of Young Master Luke and Young Master Seth for a short amount of time after they used a Mirror Portal she gave to the Sigmund Family as a gift to escape their family's attacker. Unfortunately, the Mirror Portal was destroyed before their mother and sister could join them." Grayfia said with a grim expression. "However, because Nimue was already caring for her own daughter and a cousin of Young Master Luke's, she summoned my lady to take in the Sigmund brothers and raise them like they were her own children. I trust that should be sufficient information?"
"... Has your lady been raising Seth-kun and Luke-chan with love and care?" The Exorcist asked softly as they completely moved the dagger away from Grayfia's back.
A small smile graced the Ultimate Maid's features. "Of course. So much so that Young Master Luke has become especially attached to her. And not just my lady, but myself and her daughter, Young Mistress Melody."
The Exorcist walked out from behind Grayfia, revealing themselves to be a woman with violet eyes, which were brimming with tears, and long black hair tied into twintails. "I apologize for my actions just now, it's just... I thought Seth-kun and Luke-chan died in that accident. My daughter was especially hurt by the news... she thought she lost two dear friends that day..."
Grayfia's eyes softened as she pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to the female Exorcist, catching her somewhat by surprise before she smiled at the maid.
"Th-thank you." The female Exorcist wiped away her tears with the handkerchief before handing it back to Grayfia.
"It is of no concern, Ms. Exorcist. I am merely doing my job as a maid. Now then, might I have your name?" Grayfia inquired as she discreetly made the handkerchief vanish with magic.
"... Shidou Yui. That is my name." The Exorcist introduced herself.
Grayfia lightly bowed to Yui. "It is nice to meet you, Yui. I am Grayfia Lucifuge, Head Maid of the Chernobog House and servant of Lady Allegra Chernobog. My lady does not wish to cause trouble or harm to the Church. She just wants the children to be exposed to other humans so they can properly develop empathy."
Yui could hardly believe what she was hearing, a Devil wanting children to develop empathy. "I... have heard of the Extra House of Chernobog, but I thought they were allied with the Extra House of Morag."
Grayfia gave off a small sneer. "I apologize for being rude, Yui. But please, never affiliate me, Lady Allegra or her children with the House of Morag ever again. Lord Sterling Morag is a terrible man who had the gall to call poor Luke an 'abomination' when he attacked him for striking my lady."
Grayfia may have just barely contained her rage, but Yui held no such calm as her body began to give off a small amount of holy aura.
"He... he dares to call a boy, blessed with divinity... an abomination?" Yui questioned ominously.
It would appear Ms. Yui is just as protective of Luke as you, Lady Allegra. Grayfia thought with a small smile before placing her hand onto Yui's shoulder. "I think you and Lady Allegra will get along very well, Mrs. Yui."
The holy aura immediately faded as Yui gave Grayfia a big smile with a hand on her cheek. "Oh, you think so? Would you mind if I brought my family over for dinner then? I'm sure Irina-chan would be thrilled to hang out with Luke-chan again, and to see Seth-kun alive and well. I'll let my husband know that we have nothing to worry from you and your lady."
Grayfia gave Yui a small smile. "Of course, Mrs. Yui. And I'll be sure to inform Lady Allegra about you and your family's arrival."
"Grayfia!"
Both women turned to see Luke running over to them with Melody and Irina in tow.
"Grayfia, you won't believe who I found!" Luke spoke excitedly.
"Your childhood friend, right? I believe you called her 'Iri'?" Grayfia asked with an amused expression, realizing that Luke hadn't even noticed Yui as of yet.
"How did you know?!" Luke exclaimed until he finally saw Yui sitting next to the maid. "... HUUUHHHHHHH?! Auntie Yui?!"
Luke was suddenly and immediately hugged into Yui's large bosom.
"Luke-chaaaaaaan! Your Auntie Yui has missed you so muuuuuuch!" Yui sobbed with comical tears running down her face, causing beads of sweat to roll down the heads of Grayfia, Melody and Irina.
Luke could only let out muffled noises as Yui's breasts were preventing his words from reaching her ears.
"Kaa-san! Stop smothering Lu-kun like that! He's going to suffocate!" Irina cried after snapping out of her stupor.
Young Master Luke is buried in bosoms on a regular basis. I wouldn't be surprised if he learned how to breathe in them by this point. Grayfia thought before speaking. "That and no one can hear him, Mrs. Yui."
"Oh!" Yui exclaimed before she released Luke's head from the marshmallow hell, allowing the young Kaelian to breathe. "I'm so sorry, Luke-chan! I didn't mean to smother you like that!"
"I-it's okay, Auntie Yui... I'm used to it by now..." Luke spoke in a somewhat dizzy state.
Surprised by Luke's words, Yui sharply glared at Grayfia. "Are you and your lady trying to corrupt my precious Luke-chan with your bodies?"
"I just really like pillows." Luke spoke up innocently.
Yui was then left shocked, making Melody and Irina giggle at her reaction.
"Yes, Young Master Luke happens to love mine and Lady Allegra's pillows. He has a small habit of sneaking into our rooms at night so he can rest his head on or in between our pillows." Grayfia smirked while speaking with an awfully smug tone of voice for some reason.
"I used to do it with Mom all the time." Luke said. "I even did it with Auntie Yui when she slept over once."
Yui blushed profusely while Irina pouted at her mother.
"When we're bigger, you can come to my room and rest your head in my pillows, Lukie." Melody chimed in.
"Huhhhh?! No way! Lu-kun can come into my room and rest his head on my pillows when we're older!" Irina argued adorably.
"Can I rest my head in both of your pillows?" Luke asked without a hint of an ulterior motive.
"Okay!" Melody and Irina chirped happily with pink blushes coloring their cheeks.
Grayfia and Yui did not expect how fast Luke could diffuse a potential argument.
"Now that everyone has calmed down, how does dinner together later tonight sound?" Grayfia asked the children.
"Wait, we're having dinner with Lu-kun?!" Irina asked excitedly.
"That's right. Grayfia-san here invited us to have dinner with the family that took in Seth-kun and Luke-chan." Yui confirmed.
"Seth-kun is alive, too?!" Irina snapped her head towards Luke in surprise.
"Yup, that's right." Luke smiled.
"Yay! Lucy-chan is going to be so happy when Tou-san tells her you and Seth-kun are okay!" Irina cheered.
Luke looked at Irina in confusion. "... Lucy-chan?"
"Huh? You don't remember your twin sister, Lucy-chan?" Irina asked with a confused tilt of her head.
Luke suddenly grabbed Irina by her shoulders. "Lucy is still alive?!"
"Y-yeah." Irina nodded. "Tou-san sent one of his friends to save her from the bad man."
Luke's body began to tremble when Irina mentioned the 'bad man', causing him to have flashbacks of the day that he lost his parents.
"Lukie?" Melody asked in concern as she gently hugged Luke from behind.
Grayfia noticed Luke's fearful expression and swiftly snapped her fingers, causing busty maids to appear directly behind her. "Take Young Master Luke back to the mansion and hand him over to Lady Allegra... He's having flashbacks again."
"Yes, Miss Grayfia." Both maids politely bowed before they grabbed Luke and carried him away.
I... I didn't even know they were behind me. Yui thought in shock with a pale face, realizing she would have been dead ten times over if she had actually killed Grayfia.
"Lady Melody, shall we head home?" Grayfia asked the heiress.
Melody nodded at Grayfia with a worried expression before she pulled Irina into a hug, surprising the chestnut-haired girl greatly.
"Thank you for being Lukie's childhood friend, Iri. We'll see you at dinner." Melody spoke softly before she and Grayfia swiftly followed after the retreating maids.
"Let's go home, Irina-chan." Yui went over to Irina and picked her up. "We'll meet Luke-chan and the others in a few hours."
"Okay." Irina said.
Allegra was currently sitting in her new room with a communication circle by her ear before she let out a small sigh.
"Serafall, for the last time, you don't need to send Nobunaga to Kuoh Town to keep Luke safe. He's got Grayfia, the other maids and I to protect him, he'll be fine." Allegra said in slight annoyance.
The doors to Allegra's room suddenly opened up with two maids carrying Luke in their arms.
"Sorry, Serafall. Something just came up. I'll call you back later." Allegra dismissed the communication circle as the maids reached her. "What happened?"
"Lady Allegra, from what Miss Grayfia told us, Young Master Luke started having flashbacks of the day his parents were murdered." One of the busty maids replied in concern.
"Oh, poor sweetie..." Allegra got up from the chair, walked over to Luke and embraced him into her bosom.
Once Luke caught the scent of Allegra's perfume, he instinctively hugged her back.
"It's okay, sweetie. That monster of a man isn't here to hurt you anymore." Allegra cooed into Luke's ear.
"Lady Allegra, Grayfia has invited the family of Exorcists next door for dinner tonight. We will begin preparations." The other maid informed her mistress.
Allegra was surprised at first but she quickly understood. "I see, are they anyone Luke knows?"
"Yes, their daughter happens to be the 'Iri' that Young Master Luke always talked about." The first busty maid said.
"We also learned that apparently Lucy Sigmund, the twin sister of Young Master Luke, is alive and well. We have reason to believe that she may currently be living up in Italy at the Vatican Church." The second busty maid added.
"That's... quite a lot of information, but at least it's all good news." Allegra said. "Is that all?"
"Yes, Lady Allegra." Both maids answered in unison as they curtsied. "We will now begin preparations for dinner tonight."
"Very well, you're both dismissed." Allegra permitted the two busty maids to promptly leave her bedroom. Once they left, she returned her attention to Luke as she sat down on the edge of the mattress, which was still without sheets. To think that monster of a man is still haunting you to this day... I hope Seth is having a better time then you, sweetie.
A magic circle suddenly appeared beside Allegra's ear.
["Lady Allegra, we found Young Master Seth and Young Mistress Misaki as you requested. Apparently they went to check out the house for a moment until they went to Kuoh Town's cemetery... Young Master Seth broke down into tears before we had to comfort him."] The maid over the communication circle relayed sadly.
"Keep him company until he and Misaki are ready to return home." Allegra ordered.
["As you wish, Lady Allegra. How is Young Master Luke doing? Did he have fun at the park with Young Mistress Melody?"] The maid couldn't help but ask.
"He seemed to have fun until he was reunited with some old friends of his and reminded of that horrible day. He's in my arms as we speak."
["I see... perhaps me and the other maids could cuddle with Young Master Luke after dinner tonight? I'm sure he would appreciate the distraction."]
"I'm sure Luke would love that."
["Splendid! And thank you for allowing us this chance, Lady Allegra. We shall be home shortly, as Young Master Seth is finally starting to calm down."]
Allegra chuckled when she could hear the cooing of the other maids in the background. "Very well then. Just make sure your fellow maids don't cause Seth to faint again." She dispelled the communication circle, pecked Luke's head and gently petted him to make him feel safe. "It's okay, sweetie. I'll always be here to protect you."
A couple of hours after everyone else returned home, Grayfia answered the doorbell and saw Irina and Yui accompanied by a middle-aged man with chestnut-colored hair and dark blue eyes wearing a sweater vest with khakis.
"Greetings, Shidou Family. I am Grayfia Lucifuge, Head Maid of the Chernobog Family, and I welcome you to our humble abode." Grayfia lightly bowed, making Yui giggle and Irina tilt her head in confusion. "Please follow me."
Grayfia walked ahead of the family and showed them the way to the dining room where Allegra and the children were waiting.
"Uncle Touji!" Luke exclaimed as he got up from his seat.
The middle-aged man chuckled as the little Kaelian barreled into him for a hug. "Ohoho, it's good to see you healthy and hearty as ever, Luke-chan!"
Seth smiled in amusement at Luke's actions before he stood up from his seat and approached his little brother and the Shidou Family.
"Seth-kun, it's been so long, I think you grew quite a bit!" Yui said in delight.
"I suppose you could say that." Seth smirked.
"Seth-kun! I'm so glad you're okay!" Irina cheered as she suddenly hugged the older brother.
"Still the same ball of energy as before, eh, Irina?" Seth hugged Irina back.
"You boys look like you're doing well under Miss Chernobog's care." Touji said.
"Yup! Ms. Allegra's the best!" Luke chirped, making Allegra blush with a loving smile and a hand on her cheek.
Everyone took their seats just as the maids came out with dinner.
"... Hey Uncle Touji, was Big Bro Masaomi unable to tag along?" Luke asked out of worry. "I know he's quite the busybody when it comes to the Church, but I thought he would've wanted to see me and Seth again after so long."
Touji sighed softly. "You are right, Luke-chan. Masaomi-kun truly wanted to see you and Seth-kun again, but unfortunately he wasn't able to make it."
"Well, maybe I'll see him in town in the next few days." Luke said.
"Oh, you most definitely will, Luke-chan. I actually gave Masaomi-kun a call when Irina-chan and I got back home, and he said that he'll come to see you and Seth-kun tomorrow afternoon. He says he's very excited to his little brothers again." Yui gave a big smile to the now happy boys.
Everyone could hear some light growling, which was coming from Irina as she tried to chew off a piece of meat with her teeth, causing Luke to blink and stare at her in surprise.
"My goodness Irina, when did you become such a tomboy?" Seth asked teasingly.
Irina managed to tear the meat and spoke with her mouth full. "Whaf fo you fean?"
Melody slapped a hand over her mouth to try and muffle her snickering, while Touji and Yui blushed in slight embarrassment.
"I'm sorry for our daughter's poor table manners." Touji apologized.
Allegra merely waved it off. "Oh no, I don't mind. Irina is still a young child, after all. Let her enjoy her youth."
"I wonder if Irina possibly copied how Luke used to eat because he used to practically rip the gristle off of chicken bones like a wild animal before Mom slapped some manners into him." Seth chuckled.
"I was really hungry!" Luke complained with a blush.
Everyone at the table, except for Grayfia, laughed heartily at the embarrassed expression on the adorable Kaelian's face.
Luke tried to find a way to change the subject and he came up with the perfect topic. "... Uncle Touji, is it true that Lucy is alive?"
"Yes. I felt an ominous and dangerous aura in your house, so I immediately contacted my fellow Exorcist Griselda Quarta in Vatican City, who transported herself straight away with the Church's teleportation magic." Touji confirmed. "When she arrived, she managed to fend him off enough to allow her and Lucy-chan to escape back to St. Peter's Basilica."
"Why didn't you just check on us yourself if you were closer?" Seth questioned.
"Uncle Touji would have died if he tried to fight that man by himself!" Luke quickly interjected. "He was a Kaelian like me and Dad! We're twice as strong as regular humans!"
Touji cleared his throat to end the argument. "Well, after being rescued, Lucy-chan wanted to train at the Vatican so she could become strong enough to protect the people she loves."
"Does... does Lucy know we're still alive?" Luke asked after calming down his emotions.
"She said she saw you and Seth-kun escape. However, I would imagine she didn't want to contact you to protect the Evergardens since they are a family of Magicians contracted to Devils." Touji explained.
Luke's galaxies vanished from his eyes as he gained an ominous expression. "... Are you saying the Church would've killed Auntie Nimue, Big Sis Morgan and Ruby if Lucy tried to search for us, just because they associated with Devils?"
"That... might have been the case." Touji spoke with uncertainty. "There are some in the Church who believe any association with Devils is a grave offense to the Lord."
Silence permeated the dining room until Luke took a deep breath before exhaling.
"... If they so much as harm my new family, they will all die." Luke practically snarled.
"I should see if the Evergardens are willing to move in with us." Allegra said.
"If they are willing, then I'll run all the way to England to help them pack. I refuse to let anyone from the Church get near my family, especially ones I don't trust." Luke's galaxies reappeared as he looked toward Touji and Yui with a soft smile. "However, I trust Big Bro Masaomi and the Shidou Family with my life."
Touji and Yui smiled softly at Luke, while Irina pulled her precious childhood friend into a hug.
"I trust that as long as we behave ourselves, we will be permitted to live in this town peacefully?" Allegra asked Touji.
Touji's expression grew serious and he gave Allegra a curt nod. "That's right. As long as you do that and don't get involved with the Church here in Kuoh Town, you may stay here for as long as you wish." I should call Masaomi-kun and have him tell the Devil Overseer of Kuoh Town about Allegra's current residence. Perhaps she'll want to speak with some fellow Devils.
After everyone's bellies were filled, the children were sent off to play in the living room while Allegra, Touji, and Yui conversed in private. Currently, Luke was being cuddled by various maids on the couch. Luke blushed profusely as some of the maids pressed their large assets against his body, causing him to feel rather warm on the inside.
"Is our cuddling to your liking, Young Master Luke?" Vilvetta, the maid who warned Allegra of the Shidous, asked as she gave Luke a soft smile.
"Y-yes, I feel v-v-very warm..." Luke stuttered.
All of the maids cuddling Luke giggled at how cute he was acting while Grayfia watched from a distance with her right eye twitching.
"Lu-kun sure is pop... um... pawpular with the maids." Irina said.
"Yes... a little too popular." Grayfia spoke through gritted teeth as she focused on nothing but the busty maids hugging Luke's head into their boobs.
Melody looked down at her chest. Will I be able to hug Lukie like that someday?
Misaki and Annabelle also looked down at their chests thoughtfully, wondering if they'll grow big breasts like the maids one day.
"Do you enjoy our pillows, Master Luke?" One of the maids cuddling the Kaelian asked.
"Y-yes... they're... th-they're very soft..." Luke mumbled shyly, making the maids coo and squeal at their young master's cuteness.
"Grayfia, how do girls get pillows like yours and Mom's?" Melody inquired innocently.
Grayfia snapped out of her stupor with a flinch before she looked down to see Melody, Misaki and Annabelle looking up at her with puppy eyes, clearing her throat before speaking. "When you turn 13, your body will start changing and getting bigger. It's called 'puberty'."
"Huhhhhh?! We have to wait that long?!" Misaki exclaimed in shock.
"Unfortunately so, Young Mistress Misaki." Grayfia responded to the young Kitsune. "I know it seems like a long ways away, but you're already halfway there."
Misaki was happy to know that she was closer than the others to becoming a teenager since she was the oldest of the children. "That means Lukie-kun can play with my pillows a year early..." The high school girls I always saw passing my house were always so pretty and had really big pillows. I hope I grow up looking like them!
Over the next couple of weeks, Allegra, her maids and the children had been living peacefully in Kuoh Town. All of the children seemed to be getting along with the human children relatively okay. Luke was currently walking through the streets after stopping at a convenience store to pick up some groceries for Grayfia when he thought he had heard something. He stopped dead in his tracks as he tried listening for the sound.
"... Meeeeeeeeeew!"
Luke could hear what sounded like a crying kitten and he hurried to the source of the noise in a nearby alley. He eventually came across a young kitten with brilliant red fur and red eyes seemingly crying out for its mother. The kitten then saw Luke and backed away in fear. Luke noticed this and felt his eyes soften, so he merely crouched down onto his knees before tilting his head.
"What are you doing out here all on your own, little kitty?" Luke asked softly, trying his best not to scare the kitten. "Did you get lost from your family? Oh, you might be hungry. I think I got some salmon in here." He rummaged through one of the grocery bags and pulled out a packet of raw salmon.
The kitten's nose twitched at the scent of the salmon, but still seemed uncertain of Luke.
Luke opened the packet slightly and tore off a small piece of salmon before holding it out to the kitten with an open palm. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
The scent of the salmon became more potent now that it was released from its packet, causing the kitten to slowly start walking towards Luke. Eventually, the kitten got right in front of Luke, taking a sniff of his hand and the salmon before eating the raw fish.
Luke grinned and chuckled as he watched the cute kitten eat the salmon from his hand. "It tastes good, doesn't it?"
The kitten let out a meow while its mouth was full, which Luke had a hard time not laughing at.
I don't see a collar on them. Luke thought. And this fur isn't a color I've seen on a cat. There's something... off about this kitten, but I'm not sure what. Maybe Allegra or Grayfia will know something. "Hey, do you want to come back home with me? At the very least until I find your family. You'll have nice food and a warm bed in the meantime."
With its meal finished, the red kitten looked up and into Luke's eyes, only for the cat's own red orbs to widen at the beauty of the young boy's galaxy-filled globes. Luke noticed the kitten's eyes staring directly into his own and he could have sworn there was awe in them, almost akin to human eyes rather than those of an animal.
... Could they be one of those Nekomatas that Misaki told me about? Luke wondered before he smiled at the kitten in amusement. "I guess you've never seen eyes like mine before, have you?"
The kitten looked up and shook its head like it understood every word he said.
So they can understand me. Luke thought before he tilted his head cutely. "... Are you a Nekomata, little kitty?"
The cat nodded with a soft meow.
Luke put the salmon packet back into its grocery bag and reached out for the kitten. "Do you mind if I hold you? I promise I won't do anything bad. I just want you to be safe."
The kitten looked back at Luke for a moment before they rubbed their cheek against his hand, confirming to Luke that the kitten trusted him.
Luke smiled brightly at the kitten before he gently scooped them into his arms. "Thank you for putting so much faith in me, little kitty!"
The kitten meowed one more time and Luke walked back home.
Upon arriving at the mansion and closing the door, Luke called out to Grayfia as he headed toward the kitchen.
"Grayfia! I'm home! I got your groceries for you!" The boy called out.
"Grayfia's in the kitchen, Lukie." Melody walked down the stairs and saw the kitten in Luke's arms, barely able to contain her excitement. "Is that a kitty?"
"Nope, it's a Nekomata." Luke replied with a grin while he and Melody made their way to Grayfia. "I'll explain everything when I show Grayfia."
"Does the Nekomata have a name? Also, are they male or female?" Melody inquired.
"I don't know yet. They can only meow." Luke gave the best response he could.
"Well, most people check the lower regions of cats and dogs to learn their gender... at least that's what Mother told me." Melody said with a hand under her chin.
Luke blushed at the thought of invading a Nekomata's privacy like that. "... Maybe we can just ask." He looked down at the kitten. "If you're a boy, please nod."
The red kitten swiftly shook its head side to side, revealing that they were female.
Luke sighed in relief. "Good thing I asked first."
Luke and Melody soon arrived in the kitchen and Grayfia turned toward them upon hearing the door open.
"I'm back Grayfia, and I got the groceries just like you asked." Luke said with a smile.
"Thank you, Young Master Luke." Grayfia then noticed the kitten in Luke's arms, walking over to him and crouching down to get a good look at the furry baby. Crimson red fur... that's not a color seen on any ordinary kitten. "... Young Master Luke, where on earth did you find this kitten?"
"I found her by herself in an alley, crying." Luke answered honestly. "I think she might be a Nekomata separated from her family."
Ah, so Young Master Luke came to the same conclusion as I. Young Mistress Misaki did a great job teaching you about Youkai. Well done. Grayfia smiled proudly.
"I'm sorry, Grayfia, but I gave her some salmon so she would be more comfortable with me." Luke apologized.
"That's all right, Young Master Luke. It's merely part of your helpful nature, and I'm sure you didn't give her the whole packet." Grayfia said.
"No, there's still more than enough for dinner tonight... but what are we going to do about the Nekomata?" Luke looked down at the kitten in concern.
"We'll discuss that with Lady Allegra. For now, she looks rather dirty. Why don't you and Lady Melody clean her up while I finish making dinner?" Grayfia suggested.
"Nyaaaaa~!" The kitten cheered, as if loving that idea.
After Luke and Melody bathed the kitten and removed all the dirt, grime and bugs from her fur, everyone in the mansion had dinner alongside the red feline, who got a nice helping of some cooked salmon. With their food finished, they all moved to the living room where Luke told Allegra everything he knew and suspected about the cute kitten.
"I see... you did a good thing, Luke, helping out this poor Nekomata like you did. However, it shouldn't be possible for a Nekomata to be able to transform into a cat, only Nekoshou are capable of doing that as they are a much stronger breed of Nekomata." Allegra stated.
Misaki nodded in agreement as she used her tails to play with the kitten.
"Then why is this Nekomata transformed?" Seth questioned.
"Nya!" The kitten exclaimed while batting her paw through the air, catching everyone's attention.
"What is it, girl?" Luke asked curiously before the kitten moved its arm in certain way that the Kaelian recognized before showing off her claws. "... Oh! You want to write on something with your claws?"
The red feline nodded. "Nya!"
"I may have an idea." Grayfia briefly left the living room for a few minutes and returned with a box filled with soil. "I took some soil from the garden so our Nekomata can write in it."
The red feline jumped off the couch, ran over to the dirt-filled box, and started to write something with her claws before backing off. Everyone moved over to the box to see what the kitten wrote and they all saw the name 'Akane' in the dirt.
"Is that your name? Akane?" Luke asked to confirm.
The dubbed Akane nodded before she wrote another word, 'Shinku'.
"'Akane Shinku'. What a lovely name." Annabelle remarked with a smile.
Akane moved the soil around with her paws, clearing what she wrote from before.
"Okay, now that we know who you are, can you tell us what happened to you, Akane?" Allegra asked.
Once more, Akane wrote with her claws and everyone was left horrified when they saw the word 'cursed'.
"... Who cursed you?" Luke asked coldly as his galaxies vanished.
Akane wiped away the word 'cursed' and wrote in its place 'Devils'.
Allegra, Grayfia and Melody turned pale before Luke's aura spiked in a fit of rage.
"What...?" Luke growled grimly.
"Lukie-kun, please calm down." Misaki hugged Luke close.
"It must have been Youkai poachers. They kidnap young Youkai they can sell on the black market for..." Allegra shuddered at the thought of what happens to the poor Youkai sold to disgusting men.
"I'll kill them." Luke snarled.
"How old are you?" Melody inquired of the kitten.
Akane wrote the number '6' in the soil.
"Huh, she's the same age as Luke, Melody and Annabelle." Seth smiled while Annabelle and Misaki were busy calming down Luke.
"Your parents are probably worried sick about you." Allegra spoke sadly to Akane.
Akane quickly brushed away the word 'cursed' with her paws before writing 'No Tou-san. Only Kaa-san'.
"Your mother raised you by herself?" Misaki asked.
"Nya~!" Akane then wrote another word next to 'Kaa-san', 'Queen'.
"Oh? Is your mother one of the Youkai Leaders?" Allegra inquired in surprise.
Luke's aura immediately vanished and he gained stars in his eyes. "THERE'S A YOUKAI FACTION?!"
"Why yes, there are four in fact. One for each section of Kyoto." Grayfia confirmed.
"That's awesome! We've gotta go there at someday!" Luke chirped excitedly.
"Shouldn't we go to Kyoto and return Akane to her mother?" Seth asked.
"As much as I want to say we should... I don't believe that would be such a good idea." Allegra interjected. "The Youkai and Devils don't have a good relationship with each other. And if we come to Kyoto with Akane cursed, they might assume we were the ones who cast it."
"... Is there at least a way we can let Akane's mother know that she's safe?" Luke asked, knowing full well the relief of knowing a loved one is safe.
"Well, we could send her a letter, but unfortunately, we don't even have a name." Allegra frowned.
"Well, I could just dash over to Kyoto and let Akane's mother know that she's okay. I'm not a Devil after all, I'm a Kaelian." Luke smiled proudly.
"A child would be more trustworthy than an adult... but do you even know where in Kyoto to go?" Grayfia asked.
Seth chuckled and Grayfia's question. "Does Luke know where Kyoto is? HAH! You underestimate just how much Luke studied about Japan!"
"Akane, do you think you can tell me your mother's name and the area of Kyoto she rules over?" Luke inquired of the Nekomata.
Akane nodded as she wiped away her prior text and wrote the name 'Kurenai' and the word 'East'.
"Queen Kurenai of East Kyoto. Got it." Luke said.
At that moment, Luke vanished into thin air, making Akane jump back and yowl in shock.
In Eastern Kyoto, a male Nekomata in traditional Japanese clothing bowed in front of another Nekomata, one who appeared to be in her 20s or 30s with long red hair, cat ears, and tail, as well as brilliant red eyes and wearing a crimson kimono that was lowered past her shoulders, exposing her extremely large breasts.
"Kurenai-sama, we've done a thorough search of Kyoto, but there has been no sign of Akane-hime anywhere." The male Nekomata reported regretfully.
The female Nekomata called Kurenai sighed heavily before giving the male Nekomata a sad smile. "It's all right, Zoro. You tried your best."
Suddenly, two male Nekomata soldiers burst into the throne room.
"Kurenai-sama! A monstrously powerful aura is making its way here at a speed not physically possible. We might soon be attacked by whatever this is!" One of the two guards shouted, shocking Kurenai and Zoro.
"Kurenai-sama, please seek refuge while we secure the perimeter!" The second guard said.
"Uhhh... is this a bad time?"
The two guards swiftly turned around to see a little boy with brown hair... and special eyes they had never seen before.
Kurenai stared at the boy in surprise. How did this boy get in here? And... what is this aura?
"You! Boy! How did you get in here?!" Zoro demanded sternly.
"I ran inside super-fast." Luke said, not the least bit intimidated by Zoro. He looked forward and directly at Kurenai, only to blush at the sight of her. Whoa... she's super-duper pretty like Ms. Allegra!
Kurenai noticed the awe on Luke's face and found it amusing. "I presume you were the 'monstrously powerful aura' my guards sensed earlier?"
Luke came back to his senses and scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Oh... so you felt that, huh? Hehe. Sorry about that, but I have something important to tell you about your daughter, Akane."
Zoro and Kurenai's eyes widened in shock at Luke's words while the two guards swiftly aimed their katanas at his neck.
Kurenai snapped out of shock quickly before scowling at her two guards and flaring her aura at them. "GUARDS! MOVE YOUR BLADES AWAY FROM THAT CHILD THIS INSTANT!"
The guards were immediately frightened and lowered their weapons, bowing apologetically to their lady. "Sorry, Kurenai-sama!"
Luke merely looked over his shoulder at the guards with a blank expression. "Had Ms. Kurenai not stopped you both from making a huge mistake, I would've just melted those blades with my flames." He snapped his fingers, creating a small azure flame for a moment before dispelling it and looking back to Kurenai. "Ms. Kurenai, your daughter was kidnapped by Youkai poachers and cursed to remain in a cat form. However, she managed to escape... and that's when I found her."
Kurenai immediately got up from her throne and walked over to Luke, worry written all over her face.
"Akane is safe and sound at my home. Once we're able to lift her curse, we'll return her to you." Luke assured the Nekomata.
"And just how do you plan on lifting Lady Akane's curse? You are just a child." Zoro sneered.
"Silence, Zoro! Let the boy speak." Kurenai spoke sternly, making Zoro stiffen slightly.
"My auntie is a skilled Magician. I'm sure she'll figure something out." Luke responded confidently.
Kurenai smiled warmly at Luke and pulled him into a hug, making the young Kaelian blush profusely.
"Will you... truly take care of my precious Akane... until she returns to normal?" Kurenai asked with a motherly voice.
Luke's blush slowly faded as he gained a determined expression, looking directly into Kurenai's eyes. "I swear on my honor as a Kaelian and my title as the Prince of Kaelia that I will protect Akane with my very life until her curse has been lifted. Maybe even forever." He added the last part adorably.
'Kaelian'? 'Prince of Kaelia'? What does any of that mean? Kurenai wondered curiously, much like a cat.
"Is... is that okay, Ms. Kurenai?" Luke asked.
Kurenai's train of thought came to halt before she brought her attention back to Luke, who was now looking extremely nervous.
"Akane and I might become friends someday, so I'll keep her safe even after her curse is lifted and she returns home." Luke explained honestly.
Kurenai felt her cheeks flush a bit before she smiled fondly at Luke's words and ruffled his hair. "That's perfectly fine, young man. I hope you become wonderful friends with my daughter. Now, may I have the name of the young hero who saved my little girl from the streets?" Kurenai's gaze became somewhat flirtatious. I know exactly how to repay you once you're older.
"It's Luke. Luke Sigmund."
"Then I shall see you again when my daughter is freed from her curse, Luke-kun." Kurenai gave Luke a wet peck on the cheek, causing his entire face to become the same color as the Nekomata woman's hair.
Luke returned home and informed everyone of how understanding Kurenai was of allowing her daughter to stay with them until the curse was lifted.
"So, Luke, how did it feel to meet a beautiful Nekomata woman?" Seth teased.
Luke merely pouted at Seth with puffed and blushing cheeks. Allegra couldn't help but giggle at Luke and Seth's interaction while Grayfia smirked in amusement. However, Melody, Misaki, and Annabelle began to pout when they saw Luke's pinkened face, realizing he must have found Kurenai extremely attractive. Even Akane was pouting at him, despite being in her kitten form.
"Young Master Luke, since you promised Akane's mother that you would take care of her, that means she's your responsibility." Grayfia told the boy. "You will have to feed her, bathe her and play with her."
Luke blinked a couple of times at Grayfia before tilting his head. "Well, yeah. I thought that would've been obvious."
Grayfia shook her head with a chuckle. "Ah yes, of course. I keep forgetting you're much smarter than a normal child. How silly of me." You'll become a great ruler once you're finally of age, Young Master Luke.
"Shall I make a bed for you, Akane? Or do you want to sleep in bed with me?" Luke asked the kitten.
Akane's answer was to jump onto Luke's lap with a smile. "Nyaaaaaa~!"
Melody, Annabelle and Misaki glared darkly at the Nekomata turned adorable kitten.
"Heh, looks like Akane wants to be close to you at night, little bro." Seth grinned.
Later that night, Luke climbed into his bed with Akane joining him and curling up by his arm.
"Good thing Auntie Nimue and Big Sis Morgan will be moving in tomorrow. They'll figure out how to lift your curse, Akane." Luke gently scratched underneath Akane's chin.
Akane purred happily at Luke's affections, making the young Kaelian chuckle in delight.
"Good night, Akane." Luke went to sleep, Akane's warm and soft fur causing his consciousness to slip with ease.
"Nyaaaaa..." Akane mewed softly before she, too, began to enter that land of dreams.
The next morning, Luke lightly groaned as he began to wake up. However, he felt like the bed had become a bit more claustrophobic since he went to sleep.
Huh, why does it feel so tight here? Luke wondered in confusion.
Luke opened his eyes only to be surprised by the sight of Melody, Misaki and Annabelle all hugging him in their sleep. He blinked a few times with a blank expression before his entire face turned into the same color as Rias's hair.
When did the girls get into my bed?! Luke suddenly worried about where Akane might be, only to realize that there was a soft fluffiness right on top of his head and his worry to immediately subside. Oh thank goodness, she must've moved around in her sleep.
Melody, Misaki, and Annabelle let out some cute moans as they soon began to wake up.
"Good... good morning, ladies." Luke stuttered a bit in bashfulness.
Melody, Misaki and Annabelle opened their eyes quickly upon hearing Luke's voice, only to see that he was now blushing and looking away shyly.
"Good morning, Lukie!" Melody beamed happily at the boy.
"Good morning, Lukie-kun!" Misaki chirped with a warm smile.
"Good morning, Master Luke." Annabelle greeted with a sly smirk.
"Um... wh-why are you three in my-my bed?" Luke asked with a slight stutter.
"Akane gets to sleep in your bed with you, why can't we?" Melody proposed.
"We want to sleep in the same bed, too, Lukie-kun!" Misaki chimed in.
"B-b-but my bed is too small for so many people!" Luke tried to argue.
"Then we'll have Mother buy you a bigger one!" Melody grinned.
"That's an excellent idea, Lady Melody!" Annabelle eagerly agreed. "Especially if Master Luke plans on marrying us someday."
"Of course Lukie-kun will marry us someday. He'll do anything to make us happy after all. Right, Lukie-kun?" Misaki asked with a knowing smile.
"Of course I would!" Luke answered without hesitation.
"Then marry us in the future, Lukie/Lukie-kun/Master Luke!" The girls spoke in adorable unison.
Before Luke could give the girls his answer, his bedroom door was suddenly opened by Grayfia. The children stared back at the stoic face of Grayfia, who examined them in silence until her right eye twitched.
"Excuse me for a moment." Grayfia left the room just as quickly as she entered.
The four children blinked a few times in confusion before Akane let out a yawn and stretched out her body on top of Luke's head. The kitten then jumped off Luke's head and onto his lap, right as Grayfia returned with some suitcases.
"Huh? Grayfia, what are in those suitcases?" Melody questioned curiously.
"My clothes and belongings." Grayfia responded plainly.
"Why did you bring your clothes and belongings into Lukie-kun's room, Grayfia-sensei?" Misaki tilted of her head.
"Because I'm moving into Young Master Luke's bedroom." Grayfia's left eye gleamed.
"Wh-what?!" Luke exclaimed in a bout of surprise.
"HUHHHHHHHHHH/NYAAAAAAAAA?!" Melody, Misaki, Annabelle and Akane yelled in shocked unison.
Grayfia simply smirked at the girls. "If you ladies are going to sneak into Young Master Luke's room, an adult will be necessary to make sure nothing inappropriate happens."
"But we're kids, Grayfia! There's no way we could possibly do anything inappropriate with Lukie!" Melody argued as a blush colored her cheeks.
"And you're an adult, Grayfia-sensei! Adults shouldn't be allowed to sleep in a kid's bed!" Misaki added.
"As Young Master Luke's guardian aside from Lady Allegra, it should be acceptable for me to sleep in the same bed." Grayfia retorted. "Furthermore, Young Master Luke has snuck into Lady Allegra's room on multiple occasions so he could fall asleep in her embrace." She gained an uncharacteristically wide grin. "Therefore, I have every right to sleep alongside Young Master Luke." The Ultimate Maid set her suitcases on the floor. "Now then, you ladies should return to your rooms and get dressed while I prepare breakfast for everyone. You'll be assisting the Evergardens upon their arrival afterward."
Luke suddenly vanished in a burst of speed and blurred across the room before he stopped beside his bed fully dressed. "Allow me to join you, Grayfia."
Luke walked up to Grayfia and held her hand. Grayfia smiled warmly at Luke as they proceeded to leave the bedroom, only for the Ultimate Maid to look over her shoulder and give the girls a smug smirk. The girls and Akane all pouted at Grayfia before she left the room with Luke.
A few hours later, a magic transportation circle appeared in the main entrance hall. Melody, Misaki, Annabelle and Akane were very excited to meet Luke's auntie and cousins, as he always loved talking about them. Soon enough, the transportation circle made three silhouettes appear before Luke was tackled by a red blur.
"COUSIN!"
"OOF!" Luke grunted before he fell onto the floor with a familiar weight on his chest. "Ugh... good to see you, too, Ruby."
On top of Luke was a girl who was only a couple of years older than him with short, scarlet hair and glasses over her red eyes which seemed to have galaxies within them like those of a Kaelian.
"Ruby missed you, cousin!" Ruby chirped cutely in third person.
The girls all blankly stared at Ruby, utterly dumbfounded.
"Everyone, this is Ruby. My dad brought her with him to this planet when she was a baby." Luke introduced the redhead.
"Wait, so Ruby is a Kaelian as well?!" Melody exclaimed in surprise, only to squeak when Ruby suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Are you a friend of Ruby's cousin?" Ruby asked with a semi-serious look on her face.
"I'm more than a friend of Lukie's! He's going to marry me someday!" Melody answered happily and proudly.
However, Ruby didn't seem to like that answer very much and frowned at Melody. "Marry Lu-Lu? You? Ruby's afraid that's impossible since Lu-Lu promised to marry Ruby in the future."
Everyone that lived in the Chernobog Mansion was shocked except for Seth who merely chuckled with a shake of his head.
"Don't forget about me, Ruby! You promised to share Luke with me after all!" An older girl's voice suddenly spoke up as the second silhouette walked out of the transportation circle alongside the third silhouette.
The second silhouette was a woman in her late teens with long black hair tied into twintails, dark blue eyes, and wearing a dark purple cloak and witch's hat and the third was a middle-aged woman with long white hair, violet eyes, and wearing a navy blue wizard's robe and hat.
"Ruby didn't forget, Mona, especially since Ruby planned on sharing Lu-Lu with Mama Nimue as well." Ruby pointed at the white-haired witch.
"That you did, Ruby. That you did." The white-haired woman seemed amused.
Misaki, Annabelle and Akane were left stunned upon learning that Luke asked to marry three other women before he was ever taken in by Allegra.
"Wait, but I thought a man could only marry one woman." Misaki said, with Annabelle and Akane nodding in agreement.
"Lukie is a part of a species that normally take on multiple husbands and wives." Melody clarified.
"That's right. Luke's species, the Kaelians, are an extraterrestrial race that partakes in the acts of polygamy and polyamory, meaning they can marry more than one person." Nimue explained.
"By the way, I'm Nimue's daughter, Morgana, but Luke calls me Big Sis Morgan." The black-haired woman introduced herself. "The red-haired girl goes by Ruby Evergarden ever since my mother adopted her, but her Kaelian name is Ruby Rubrum. As for Luke here, his Kaelian name is Lukas Venetus."
Morgana walked up to Luke and Ruby and ruffled their hair, the two young Kaelians laughing at her display of affection.
"Yup, that's right." Seth nodded. "Our father's Kaelian name was Laelius Venetus until he married our Mom, then he gave himself her maiden name, Sigmund."
"Anyways, now that you're here, we were hoping you could help out poor Akane here." Allegra gently scooped Akane into her arms, giving the red-furred kitten a better look at Nimue, Morgana and Ruby.
"Awww, a kitty!" Ruby cheered.
"Akane is a Nekomata who was kidnapped and cursed by Devils before she escaped, so she's stuck in this kitten form." Allegra explained.
"A Transformation Curse? If you could, I'd like to have a good look at Akane please." Nimue requested seriously.
Allegra complied and walked up to Nimue before handing Akane over to the beautiful witch. Nimue examined Akane for several long moments while everyone else remained silent so the witch could do her work.
"... Tch, this is a powerful Transformation Curse. Almost too powerful." Nimue grumbled. "However, the curse can still be lifted. The only problem is it may take me some time to collect the proper ingredients to lift this curse."
"How long are we talking about, Nimue?" Allegra asked in concern.
Nimue sighed heavily. "We're talking years, Allegra. A decade, at best."
"Meeeeew..." Akane meowed sadly, causing her eyes to tear up.
"That will mean Akane won't be able to see her mother for ten whole years. Ms. Kurenai will have missed most of her childhood..." Luke said mournfully.
Everyone watched as the galaxies in Luke's eyes slowly started to become faded until he immediately vanished before the sound of the front door opening and closing was heard.
"... He's probably gone to tell Lady Kurenai the bad news." Alastair frowned.
"The only other way to lift the curse sooner would be to find the Devil who cast it, but I doubt they would be willing to do that even if we forced them to." Nimue said.
"And Young Master Luke would've probably killed them before you'd even get the chance to interrogate them. He... he wasn't happy when Young Lady Akane told us what happened to her." Grayfia said grimly.
"That's just how Kaelians are. They are extremely emotional people." Nimue stated. "If Luke ever found those Youkai poachers, they would meet a grisly fate."
"Though I'm surprised he didn't kill that jerk Sterling over six months ago." Seth lightly sneered.
I wonder... Allegra thought. If the Church wasn't so accepting of our stay here... would Luke have done something he would come to regret?
A/N: There was a lot to cover in this chapter with a lot of characters brought in, but most of them characters that readers of Awakening of the Sapphire Dragon are familiar with. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!