This is the start of the first original arc of this story! With Luke beginning his search for the Aegis and Fumiko and Akira's backstory getting the spotlight. A bit of warning before you start reading: There are going to be points in this chapter and the next where things get really heavy. I hope you all enjoy!
Nearly everyone in the Occult Research Club was completely caught off guard after hearing Akira claim that she is Fumiko's older sister. The only ones who didn't seem surprised were Fumiko, Misaki and Katherine.
"Akira-chan, why didn't you tell us that Fumiko-chan is your sister?" Issei questioned her.
Akira didn't give any verbal response, merely looking down at the floor with an expression of sadness and shame.
"Fumiko, is Akira really your older sister?" Luke inquired.
"Mm-hm." Fumiko nodded.
Misaki went to the middle of the room to draw all attention to her.
"Let's not pressure these ladies into answering questions they're not comfortable answering." Misaki suggested. "Rias-sama, we should begin the club activities for the day."
"You're right, Misaki." Rias agreed. "There's still a topic I would like to discuss. Regarding the Kokabiel incident, the Church has sent a message to the Great Satans. I quote, 'We wish to extend our condolences regarding recent events involving Kokabiel and the Fallen Angels following him'. They go on to apologize for Valper's actions, as well. Azazel, the governor of the Fallen Angels, delivered a similar message to both the Church and Great Satans. According to him, Kokabiel was acting alone when he stole the Excaliburs and the other Grigori leaders claim they were unaware of his actions. They sentenced him to eternal imprisonment in Cocytus, the deepest strata of the Underworld. That said, it seems that it was only because of the Vanishing Dragon's attempted interference that the Fallen Angels aren't facing heavier scrutiny, as they likely wanted to send someone from their faction to deal with Kokabiel."
"We're lucky that incident didn't result in another Great War." Misaki stated.
"There will be a meeting coming up between the major figures of the Church, Devils and Fallen Angels." Rias continued. "I surmise that Azazel has something he wants to discuss. There are rumors that he wants to apologize for what Kokabiel did, but that doesn't seem like him. We were invited, too, as well as Seth and his servants. Since we were directly involved in the incident, they want us to report on what transpired."
"… Is the Vanishing Dragon with the Fallen Angels?" Issei inquired.
"Yes, Azazel has been gathering Longinus possessors to his side. The Vanishing Dragon is among their strongest members, ranked about fourth or fifth, and that's including the leaders of the Grigori. He's already mastered his Balance Breaker. Even our dragons are no match for him."
He's THAT strong?! Luke thought in shock.
"I also looked into this Karlel individual that Kokabiel mentioned. Based on what I've heard, Karlel is a newer leader of Grigori. She's very young compared to the other executives, but she's among their top fighters and researchers."
This Karlel lady sounds really dangerous. Encountering her or Azazel would surely end with me being reduced to nothingness.
With Devil jobs completed for the night, Luke and Rias arrived home to see Seth speaking with someone on the phone. Hana was sitting next to him on the couch and Emery was chugging a beer in one of the lounge chairs.
"All right, how about I meet you at your place after school tomorrow? … Okay, thank you, Allegra."
Seth hung up his phone and noticed Luke and Rias had come in.
"What did Lady Allegra want?" Rias asked.
"I might be getting a Knight soon." Seth answered.
"Wow! Really?!" Hana exclaimed in joy. "That's amazing, Seth-san!"
"The Knight's former master was apparently killed recently, and they are seeking a new one." Seth explained. "Allegra asked if I had any unused Knight pieces and she's going to have us meet tomorrow after school."
"I wonder what they're like…" Hana placed her finger on her chin in contemplation. "Did Allegra-sama say anything?"
"No, just that they only used a single piece." Seth replied. "She wanted to keep everything a surprise. We won't know who they are until tomorrow."
"Well, I hope they are a wonderful addition to your peerage, Seth." Rias wished.
"Thanks, Rias. How was today's club meeting? I heard Melody's servants are now members."
"President has a new Knight." Luke said.
"The Durandal wielder, Xenovia." Rias followed up. "She was excommunicated from the Church after finding out God died."
"Well, that sucks." Seth commented. "Still, adding a legendary weapon like Durandal to your arsenal is quite something."
"Actually… that's something President and I discussed earlier today, too. We decided to begin searching for the Aegis."
"Tomorrow, I'm going to try to get in touch with someone who might know where the Aegis is sealed. The only thing we know for sure is that it's somewhere in Kuoh Town."
"To think that a famed weapon from Greek mythology would be here." Emery said after finishing her current bottle and not being the least bit drunk. "I guess if you're gonna hide something, do it in the last place you would look."
The next morning before classes, Luke had just gotten to his desk and after a few minutes, he looked at the empty desk next to him.
Fumiko's still not here yet. I wonder if an emergency came up.
"H-Hello, Luke-san."
Luke heard Fumiko's voice and saw her standing behind her desk, but there was something unusual about her today. She was wearing sunglasses and she seemed to be more anxious than usual.
"Did you forget to put away your sunglasses or are you wearing glasses now and you happened to get transitions?" Luke asked.
"Uh-uh, I-I must have f-forgotten to take-take them off!" Fumiko stammered.
Sensing something was off, Luke motioned his eyes toward the window and saw that it was a cloudy day, with no sign of the sun in sight. When he looked back at Fumiko, he noticed there was a bit of purple underneath her left eye.
"… Fumiko, take off the sunglasses."
"Wha-N-no, it's fine. I can still see with them on."
"Fumiko, take them off!"
"Bokkiko is forcing Fumiko to take her panties off!" Another student shouted.
Luke's eye twitched in frustration at the student's off-base accusation, and he took a deep breath to calm himself down.
"… Fumiko… what are you hiding?" Luke whispered.
Fumiko was extremely hesitant to do so, but she eventually slowly removed her sunglasses and what Luke saw left him in complete shock. Her left eye was completely bruised and swollen.
"Fumiko, who did this to you?" Luke asked with a bit of anger in his voice.
"Uh-eh-uh…" Fumiko was incredibly reluctant to answer.
"You need an ice bag for that. I'm taking you to the infirmary right now."
"B-but we'll be late for class!"
"This will be our first tardy. The worst we'll get is a slap on the wrist. And I think that hardly matters at the moment."
Luke guided Fumiko to the school's infirmary and on the way there, Akira was walking towards them and when she looked up, her eyes widened upon seeing Fumiko's black eye. After they passed her, Akira went from trembling in shock to tightly clenching her fist in fury.
In the school infirmary, Fumiko was holding a bag of ice over her left eye while sitting in one of the beds as Luke watched her. The door suddenly opened, and Rias immediately ran up to Fumiko. Luke had sent her a message about Fumiko's black eye and headed to the infirmary right away.
"Fumiko! Are you okay?!" Rias asked with great worry in her voice. "Who did this?"
Once again, Fumiko remained silent and looked away from Rias.
"… He did this to you, didn't he?" Rias seemed to have figured something out. "Damn it! This is why I've been telling you not to go back there!"
"President, do you know what's going on with Fumiko?"
"… Yes. I'm sorry, Fumiko, but Luke should know." Rias then turned to her Pawn. "Luke, do you know why I made Fumiko into my servant?"
"Wasn't it in exchange for helping Fumiko overcome her shyness?"
"That's what I told her, but it wasn't actually true. Fumiko, do you remember what happened shortly after you summoned me?"
"Um, y-yeah… Otou-san heard something in my room, so he came to check. Buchou hid in the closet while he yelled at me."
"And… what was he yelling at you about?" Rias quizzed.
"Mm…" Fumiko seemed very reluctant to answer. "He… He said I should be studying b-because he and Okaa-san are working very hard for my classes."
"Yes, your parents want you studying… and nothing else. When I was in Fumiko's room, I didn't see anything girls her age would have. Just stacks of textbooks. Fumiko, when I asked if you had any hobbies, you replied with 'I can't have hobbies, my parents say they get in the way of my studies'."
Within Luke's mind, the words Akira told him rang again and he was finally starting to put the pieces together.
"President… are you saying that…"
"Yes, Luke… I made Fumiko into my servant… to get her out of her abusive household."
"M-my parents aren't abusive, Buchou. I-It was my fault for not studying enough. Don't parents punish their children for getting bad grades all the time?"
"Never by hitting them so hard they get a black eye! President, if you took Fumiko in to help her, why does she still live with her parents?"
"I keep telling Fumiko to stay with me or Akeno, but she insists on staying there."
"I have to! They're my parents!" Fumiko resolutely stood up.
"Fumiko, until you finally learn to stand up to your parents, you will be staying with me and Luke." Rias declared.
"But-!"
"That's final!"
Fumiko then turned to Luke. "L-Luke-san?"
Luke could see Fumiko's eyes shaking, and his heart sank as she kept looking at him.
"… I'm sorry, Fumiko, but I agree with President."
"L… Luke-san…"
Luke couldn't bear to see Fumiko's face after hearing what he had said.
After school, Issei and Asia arrived at the Velvet Suite where nearly everyone had already gathered, but it felt like there was someone missing.
"Where's Akira?" Asia asked.
"She wasn't in class today." Spiral stated as someone who was in the same class as Akira.
"And she didn't call in sick, either." Melody added.
The sound of a ringtone went off and Melody answered her phone.
"Hello? … Akira?! Where have you been? Nobody's seen you all day… You're where?!" Melody let out a long sigh. "All right, I'll call Mother and we'll come pick you up." She hung up. "Everyone, Devil jobs are cancelled for today. Hikaru, get the vuvuzela track ready. Issei, you're staying here with Hikaru."
"Roger dodger." Hikaru saluted as she typed on her laptop.
"What did Kazuya-san do?" Issei inquired. "Where is she?"
"Jail."
"… Huh?" Issei stared at Melody with a blank expression.
Meanwhile, the members of the Occult Research Club had gathered in the old school building. Fumiko's black eye was now covered with an eye patch as now that her classmates had seen it, it would look suspicious if her Supreme Aid or Asia's Twilight Healing were used on it.
"Everyone, starting today, we will begin searching for the location of the Aegis." Rias announced.
"'The Aegis'? As in the legendary shield from Greek mythology?" Xenovia asked. "Why would it be here in Japan?"
"A little over a month ago, I was doing a Devil job and was given this as a gift by a ninja." Luke pulled out the key to the Aegis's seal and showed it to Xenovia. "The smithing god Hephaestus hid it here thousands of years ago, where no one would think to look for it. The glow it's giving off right now indicates that I am 'deemed worthy'. All that's left is to find out where the seal is hidden."
"Luckily, there's someone I know who may be able to help." Rias said.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Rias announced.
The sliding door opened and entering the room was Kuoh's English teacher, Belinda Green.
"Greetings, Rias Gremory." Belinda said in her usual expressionless manner. "How do you do, today?"
"M-Ms. Green? What are you doing here?" Luke asked.
"Ah, Sigmund." Belinda turned to Luke. "Did you find a mate to cure your erection?"
Xenovia spat out the tea she was drinking and coughed while the faces of Rias and Fumiko had become red.
"My, my…" Akeno smiled with a blush on her face.
"Dh…" Luke felt extremely embarrassed. "Th-that's really private! And no! It went away on its own!"
Belinda's eyes then motioned downward, and Luke immediately covered his crotch with his arms.
"Ahem! A-anyway, Ms. Green." Rias tried to get the conversation back on track. "First, on behalf of Lord Lucifer and I, we thank you for subduing those Fallen Angel soldiers the other day."
"You're welcome, Rias Gremory." Belinda politely bowed.
"Uh… President? Wha-what do you mean by that?" Luke asked.
"I am a Devil." Belinda pointed at herself. "Were you not told?"
Luke was completely dumbfounded. Ms. Green… was a Devil this whole time?!
"Belinda was the one who forced Kokabiel's followers to surrender." Rias stated.
"… Huh?!"
"I have spoken with Executive Director Red about your inquiry regarding the location of the Aegis." Belinda resumed her conversation with Rias. "He says he will meet with you in the clubroom tomorrow after school."
"I never expected that the Executive Director of Genesis himself would be willing to meet in person." Rias said. "He hardly makes public appearances."
"I shall see you tomorrow, Rias Gremory." Belinda bowed her head before turning around and leaving.
"… I have sooooo many questions." Luke spoke up.
"Genesis is a Devil research institute." Rias explained. "Their primary fields involve divine weapons and items. Their origins are shrouded in mystery, but from what I've heard, the organization existed long before their current Board of Directors took over."
"And how does Ms. Green have connections to Genesis?"
"She's on the Board of Directors herself."
"What?!"
"Each of its Directors is extremely powerful, and Belinda is the second strongest among them."
"Ms. Green is that strong?!"
"So, this Executive Director Red must be the only one stronger than her, no?" Xenovia guessed.
Rias nodded. "Both Red and Belinda could easily qualify for the position of a Great Satan."
That would mean Ms. Green and this Executive Director Red are on a similar level to President's brother, Sirzechs.
"By the way, Luke." Xenovia raised her hand. "What did Ms. Green mean when she asked if you found a mate to cure your erection?"
"Please, let's not talk about that!" Luke sobbed.
"… Luke got a boner during class once." Koneko spoke. "That's earned him the nickname 'Bokkiko' around school."
"I see… Does that mean Luke regularly copulates with one of you?" Xenovia asked.
"Th-that's none of your business, Xenovia!" Luke exclaimed back.
"With the Executive Director visiting tomorrow, I want everyone to be on their best behavior." Rias's eyebrow twitched. "So, no inappropriate discussions, understood?"
At the Velvet Suite, Issei remained behind with Hikaru while Melody went to pick up Akira. Misaki and Asia went to do some grocery shopping for dinner, and Spiral, Azusa and Katherine went home. The reason Issei was asked to stay was to use Boosted Gear's Transfer on the headphones to amplify the sound of vuvuzelas.
"Hey, Ueda-chan, do you know what happened with Akira?" Issei asked.
Hikaru continued working on her laptop. "Kazuya-senpai barged into a factory and punched her old man in the face. That's what landed her in the slammer."
"Not what I meant, b-She did what?!"
"That's what she told me through my Sacred Gear."
"I know Akira-san is tough, but I didn't think she would just punch her own father like that."
"Well… I wouldn't say it wasn't justified."
"… What do you mean?"
"… You remember Fumiko, right?"
"Her little sister? Yeah."
"… She had a black eye this morning. Kazuya-senpai knew that the person responsible was their father and she lost it."
"That piece of shit!" Issei slammed his fist into his palm. "And he called the cops on her?"
"No, apparently her father didn't even know what was happening. Security was just responding to a trespasser and took her to the police after assaulting one of their employees."
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about what Akira-san was like before she became a Devil, do you?"
"Sorry, the only ones who know are Melody-sama, Misaki-senpai and Katherine-senpai. If anyone can tell us, it would be one of them or Akira-senpai herself."
"… I see…" Issei looked down.
"Let's change the topic to something more lighthearted." Hikaru suggested.
"Yeah, don't want to lose my appetite when dinner is around the corner. Mum, Misaki-senpai and Asia make the most delicious food!"
"Hey, um, Hyoudou-senpai?"
"Hm?"
When Issei looked up, Hikaru seemed to be acting more shy than usual.
"You… you and Misaki-senpai… or you and Asia-senpai… wouldn't… wouldn't happen to… to…"
"We wouldn't happen to what?"
"… Uum… You wouldn't happen to do ecchi things to each other every night, would you?" Hikaru's face was heated, her breathing was heavy and there was a lustful look in her eyes.
The only word that could best describe Hikaru's expression was 'lecherous'.
"… Wh… what?"
"Asia-senpai's skin looks so soft, I want to strip our clothes off and feel it against my bare bod! And Misaki-senpai's oppai look so delectable, I want to be a baby again so I can suck on them!"
Well, I don't blame her for feeling that way about Misaki-senpai. I, too, want to suck on her tits! Issei thought with a perverted grin, but quickly regained his shock. But what is this side of Ueda-chan?!
Within the span of a couple of seconds, Hikaru got up from her seat, went up to Issei and straddled on top of his lap, her lecherous face right in front of his.
"I saw you use that Dress Break on Kaidon's Pawn in that Rating Game." Hikaru breathed out her words. "I never thought there could be anyone more perverted than me, but you easily take the cake."
Ueda-chan is a lecher like me, too?!
"Whenever I masturbate, I can't help but think about you going to town on me. Sometimes Misaki is in those fantasies with you, and I get to bury my face into her bosom."
I'm flattered, but why is she telling me this?!
"I've never felt like this about a 3D guy before." Hikaru then leaned her lips towards Issei's ear. "Call me Hikaru from now on… please."
The way Hikaru said those words made Issei's hairs stand up and his body warm.
"Uh, okay… Hikaru-chan."
"Oooooh!" Hikaru let out a pleasured moan. "Take me now!"
"What?!"
"I can't hold myself back anymore! Let's do it right here, right now!"
"Huh?! Wait!"
"We're both Reincarnated Devils, so there's a low chance of me getting pregnant."
Hikaru unbuttoned the top of her uniform and threw it onto the floor, and since she wasn't wearing a bra, her flat chest on was full display.
"I might not be big like the other girls, but I hope my oppai are to your liking."
"Of course! I like breasts of all sizes!"
"That makes me so happy."
Just as Hikaru was about to remove her skirt and panties, the door opened with Melody and Akira looking blankly at them. Akira just sighed while placing her palm against her face.
"… Hikaru came onto you, didn't she?" Melody inquired.
She knew?! Actually, as her Master that shouldn't be surprising to her.
"I don't care if you have sex, just don't do it behind Misaki and Asia's backs, use protection, and don't do it in the Velvet Suite." Melody stated. "We don't want to clean the stains."
Hikaru groaned, got off of Issei and put her uniform back on as she readied Akira's punishment.
Luke and Rias returned to the Sigmund residence with Fumiko in tow. Upon entering the living room, they saw an unfamiliar face sitting on the floor in a seiza position. It was a young woman around their age with jet-black hime cut hair tied into a short ponytail behind her head. She appeared to be wearing a men's kimono consisting of a dark blue hakama and a black shirt. She turned her gaze toward them with her sharp eyes.
"Welcome home." Seth greeted them from the couch before realizing that Fumiko was also with them, and she was wearing an eyepatch. Since he had discussed this with Rias a couple of days before the Kokabiel incident, he was aware of what had happened. "… Is Fumiko staying with us for the night?"
"… Things are getting rough for Fumiko at home." Rias tried to avoid giving away too many details around the young woman she didn't know. "Do you mind if she stays here for a while?"
"Fumiko can stay as long as she needs." Seth replied with a welcoming smile. "I just cleared out the basement, so we have some more room for guests. Although at this rate, we may need a new place to fit everyone."
"Thank you very much, Seth." Luke said.
Fumiko was fidgety and anxious, despite how welcoming everyone was trying to be.
"And may I ask who this young woman might be?" Rias inquired as she looked at the stranger in the room.
"This is the Knight Allegra introduced me to earlier. Although, it was cut a little short because Allegra had somewhere to be."
The young woman finally spoke up. "I am Setsuna Kazama (Age 16), sole successor to the Kazama samurai clan. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Setsuna politely bowed to them. Her expression was calm and stoic, as if she had no weaknesses.
"I haven't made Setsuna my Knight just yet." Seth added. "I want to see her potential before I make a decision."
So… she's a real samurai?
Luke then looked to Rias and saw her face light up like a child opening presents on Christmas morning.
"You're a real samurai?!" Rias joyfully exclaimed as she knelt down in front of Setsuna, her eyes sparkling like stars.
"Uh, y-yes." Setsuna nodded slightly bashfully.
"You're the first samurai I've met since coming to Japan!" Rias clasped Setsuna's hands into her own. "The closest I've seen was a university student in samurai armor."
"That was a really weird job…" Luke muttered to himself upon being reminded of a bizarre event.
"You have to tell me everything you know about samurai!"
For several seconds, Setsuna looked at Rias with a blank expression. Her stoic expression dissolved into a beaming grin and wide, glittering eyes.
"Of course!" Setsuna exclaimed back. "You're the first person I've met since becoming a Devil who's interested in samurai like me!"
Luke just watched on as the girls got along in a way he did not expect. Seth turned to him and Fumiko, and grinned as he realized something. He then starts whispering something into Fumiko's ear.
"… Wh-what?" Fumiko blushed at Seth's words. "… I-I don't know… Really? … W-w-well… okay…"
Seth went up to Luke and whispered into his ear. "Congratulations, Luke. You get to spend the night with Fumiko."
… I'm sorry, what?!
Rias and Setsuna were still talking about samurai stuff, so it was just Luke and Fumiko lying in his bed together, facing away from each other. Luke was wearing a white shirt and light black shorts, whereas Fumiko was still in her uniform with only her socks and shoes removed. Both of them were trying to fall asleep but were unable to as their minds were racing.
"Fumiko?" Luke spoke up. "Are you still awake?"
"Y-yes…" Fumiko replied. "My parents must be furious."
"They should be worried, not furious."
Fumiko tightened her grip on her arms.
"You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, but if you and Akira are sisters, how come you haven't seen her until recently?"
"Akira… she… ran away."
"And she didn't take you with her?"
Fumiko didn't answer.
"… She tried to, didn't she?"
"I… My parents gave birth to me. I can't just leave them behind."
Fumiko… Luke started tearing up from hearing Fumiko's words.
The next day after school, the Occult Research Club was in the clubroom preparing for the arrival of Executive Director Red. Akeno had just finished preparing the tea and Rias was sitting on one of the sofas with everyone else standing behind her.
"Executive Director Red will be here soon." Rias said. "Remember, if you have something to say, think about it before speaking."
"I've never seen you like this, Buchou." Yuuto said. "Is Director Red that fearsome of an individual?"
"All I know is that when my brother met him, he told me that not only could he feel an incredible amount of demonic power coming from him, but also that he might be hiding something." Rias stated. "Even though Director Red has allied himself with the current Satan government, we should still be cautious."
The door opened and Belinda entered the room.
"Director Red will be arriving shortly." Belinda announced.
Suddenly, everything went silent as everyone heard three pairs of footsteps coming from the first floor. As the footsteps got closer, their feelings of unease only became more tense. Everyone's eyes motioned to the door as someone started to round the corner. Entering the room first was a handsome man with long hair reaching halfway down his back, a blue-green right eye, and a green left eye, and wearing a black business suit. What everyone immediately noticed about the man was that his hair was the color of crimson.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rias." The man politely bowed. "I am Executive Director of Genesis, Grimm Red (Age 25)."
Two people followed behind Grimm. One was a calm woman with short golden hair and eyes wearing a snow-white dress and shoes, and the other was an expressive woman with long purple hair and eyes wearing a revealing black leather crop top, miniskirt, and boots.
"These are my partners, Virtue (Age ?) and Sin (Age ?)." Grimm motioned to golden haired girl first and then the purple haired girl.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Executive Director Red." Rias greeted back, unable to shake a sense of déjà vu. "If I may ask, have we met before?"
"No, I'm afraid this is our first meeting." Grimm answered.
"My sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding. Please, have a seat and some tea."
Grimm sat down on the soft across from Rias and took a sip of tea, Virtue and Sin standing behind his sofa.
"Let's get straight to the business of the Aegis." Grimm said. "Based on our information, it is the Sapphire Dragon Emperor who holds the key to the seal. May I speak with him as well?"
Rias turned her head to Luke and nodded, prompting him to take a seat next to her.
"Before I divulge the location where the Aegis is sealed, I have an important question to ask." Grimm took another sip of his tea before looking back at Luke. "What is your reason for seeking out the Aegis?"
Grimm's piercing gaze made Luke feel like he was looking straight into his soul. Since there was no point in lying and being honest seemed like the best course of action, Luke decided to tell him the truth.
"… The other day, my friends and I were attacked by a powerful enemy." Luke began. "It was mostly luck that we were all able to survive. Should we encounter another foe on the same level and luck isn't on our side… One of us may no longer be here. If the Aegis is as powerful as they say, I want to use that power to protect my friends. No, the entire town if I have to. Even if it turns out I can't use it, maybe someone more qualified and strong-willed can."
"Hm." Grimm smiled with amusement. "An excellent answer. It appears I have nothing to worry about."
"Huh?"
"Those who seek power do so for any number of reasons. For some, it is purely for their own ends. For others, it could be more noble. However, regardless of the cause, power is capable of corrupting the heart and distorting it beyond recognition. I could not give you the location of the Aegis in good conscience without understanding your character."
"So… I passed?"
"Correct. And as your reward, I will tell you what I know." Grimm looked around the room to ensure that everyone was listening. "A couple of years ago, Genesis conducted a search of the abandoned Seihai Station just outside of Kuoh Town. The humans reported its closing due to it being haunted. Heh, the sensationalism of journalism never ceases to amuse me."
"Why did they think it was haunted?" Rias inquired.
"Many train-goers and employees claimed they heard strange voices and saw apparitions." Grimm answered. "After the other directors and I hypothesized there must be a grain of truth to these claims, we decided to investigate Seihai Station. Not only did the team we sent report the same voices and apparitions, but they also found a large, sealed door. Its architecture was the same as those found in Greece and a golden gem embedded within. Until recently, we were not sure what the purpose of that door was. I originally tasked Belinda with keeping an eye on your activities, as I wanted to see if you were worthy. To my surprise, the Sapphire Dragon Emperor got his hands on the key to the Aegis's seal, which had a similar gem as the door we discovered. If my theory is correct, the Aegis is sealed behind that door."
"You were spying on us this whole time?!" Rias appeared frustrated at the admission.
"My sincerest apologies. I have a bad habit of not trusting new acquaintances until they have proven themselves. Anyway, if you can enter that door, the Aegis should be within your grasp. I would recommend a small party of select individuals to enter. I will leave that decision up to you."
"Thank you, Executive Director Red."
"Yes, thank you very much." Luke bowed his head with Rias.
"There's no need to be so formal while I'm outside the institute. Please, call me Grimm."
"Master Grimm, do you also intend to tell them that?" The golden-haired woman named virtue spoke up.
"Relax, I was about to get there." Grimm replied. "Just as Genesis was founded, I discovered the journals of a researcher who studied mythological weapons. I guess you could say it was the spark that lit my deep interest in legendary weapons and items. Those who wielded them had their names marked into history. I trust your Durandal wielder will achieve the same one day. However, these weapons also had their names marked in history thanks to their wielders. So, I had an idea… what if the weapon and wielder were one?"
"What do you mean?" Rias asked.
"Ain't it obvious?" The purple-haired woman named Sin questioned rather rudely.
"Easy, Sin." Grimm held his hand up to her and she remained silent.
"For years, I have wondered if it were possible to create through alchemy and magic a living weapon, one with its own free will, that could create emotional bonds with others to increase its power. These two women, Virtue and Sin, are the fruits of that research."
"So, those women… are living weapons?" Rias gasped.
"'Living weapon' is a rather dehumanizing term for living beings with their own agency. They are a new species, and thus deserve their own name… Regalia. And soon, Virtue and Sin won't be the only ones, but that's a secret between us for now. I will be making an announcement in the Underworld soon."
So, this guy managed to create living weapons and mass-produce them?! That's incredible!
"Pardon me, but I have something I want to ask." Yuuto stepped forward.
"By all means, young man, ask away." Grimm accepted the question.
"Your research didn't involve killing people, did it?" Yuuto inquired.
"If you're asking if I am like that fool Valper Galilei, the answer is 'no'. I could never take someone's life for the sake of my ambitions. Are there any other questions?"
A couple of seconds of silence had passed.
"No, thank you." Rias said.
"Then we shall take our leave." Grimm stood up and turned to Luke. "Sapphire Dragon Emperor, should you find the Aegis and are able to wield it, you are more than welcome to keep it."
"R-really?! Thank you!" Luke bowed his head.
"All I ask in return is that you stay true to the ideals you told me. I look forward to what you achieve, the First Sapphire Dragon Emperor."
A/N: So… yeah, those Fumiko scenes this chapter were hard to read, weren't they? I always intended for her to have abusive parents, but they actually weren't that bad in the original plan.
The Hikaru scene was tough to write at first as I needed a scenario where she and Issei could be alone, and she could start coming onto him. Honestly, the scene ended up being a lot hotter than I intended.
Originally, the reveal that Belinda is a Devil wasn't supposed to happen until after the events of Volume 21. But as I evolved the idea of Genesis, I realized there was no point in keeping it hidden for that long.
I finally got to introduce Setsuna to the story. She's a character one of my story consultants is very excited about, and you all will be seeing more of her soon.
Another major character I got to introduce this chapter is Grimm Red. He's quite the mysterious individual, but everything will be revealed in due time. And the Regalia play a pretty significant role in some characters' stories later on.
Next time, I will show Akira's backstory and prepare the team that will be going into Seihai Station. I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!
Luke Harem: Rias Gremory, Annabelle Wright
Issei Harem: Misaki Shirayuki, Asia Argento, Hikaru Ueda
Rias Gremory Peerage: Rias Gremory (King), Akeno Himejima (Queen), Yuuto Kiba (Knight), Xenovia Quarta (Knight), Koneko Toujo (Rook), Fumiko Kazuya (Bishop), Gasper Vladi (Bishop), Luke Sigmund (8 Pawns)
Seth Sigmund Peerage: Seth Sigmund (King), Annabelle Wright (Queen), Alastair Wright (Rook), Emery Belmont (Rook), Hana Sakuya (2 Bishops)
Melody Morag Peerage: Melody Morag (King), Misaki Shirayuki (Queen), Katherine Petrova (Knight), Spiral Hirano (Knight), Azusa Hirano (Rook), Akira Kazuya (Rook), Hikaru Ueda (Bishop), Asia Argento (Bishop), Issei Hyoudou (8 Pawns)