-Zatren Fumigami-

Sona was right. I'm not bothered by doing some paperwork, the opposite actually, if you consider that I can practice with my mental Skills to see how fast I can process information. But this is my day off, and while my plan to mess around with her didn't really work out how I wanted, maybe just being home, baking something and catching up with Mittelt will do for relaxing.

Speaking of which…

''Mittelt! Are you home?'' I shout from the spacious living room.

I also take note that the place is a bit dusty. Probably thanks to my absence. Maybe I should look into getting a maid or something? Shouldn't be too hard…

The sound of a sudden thud coming from the second floor and the sudden rush of light yet hurried steps makes me pause, but the magical signature is definitely that of my petite Fallen Angel girl. It doesn't take long at all as someone comes down the set of stairs, and I give a big smile to the Fallen herself. Dressed up, as always, in a loose hoodie of mine. If she's wearing anything below that, is a mystery for now.

''Zachen!'' Mittelt exclaims with a grin, that dramatically turns sour as she crosses her arms. The sleeves of her clothing went beyond her hands and flopped to the sides. ''So, you just go do your mysterious, heavy-duty training and not even call for an entire week? Some boyfriend you are…''

Oh, right… I was so focused on training that I haven't really messaged anyone. I don't think I even charged my phone at all this week, considering how little use it has seen. Should probably get to that and send a message to Aika as well. I don't know how much she could have worried, even knowing about the supernatural and all…

Back to the girl in front of me, who has an eyebrow raised and a glare full of mock anger— Well, not entirely fake. I can see that hint of annoyance. So at the very least, I need to make it up to her in some way or another.

''I know, I know. My bad, little crow…'' I raise my hands in a placating manner as I step closer to her. Her blue eyes narrowed. The spark of anger clear in them even as her posture relaxes. ''Sorry about that. Can I try and make it up to you?''

Hook.

Mittelt sneers, now staring up at me, even straining her neck a bit to glare directly into my eyes. ''Oh yeah? And how do you plan to do that, you prick?'' I feel like it needs to be studied. It's either the Fallen Angel in her making her be so bratty all the time, or it's the fact that she's a short girl. And short girls like her and Koneko always come with a temper.

''Well, you know…'' I pause and give her a grin. I even cast a use of [Shadow Step] to get behind the girl. She jumps slightly in place as my arms cover her waist. Pressing the back of her head against the lower part of my chest (Did I get taller?).

''I was thinking that we could spend some time together, I'm taking a break from training today…'' I bend my neck slightly, just to whisper the words into her ear. The shiver I get in return, and how she lets her weight rest on my chest, makes me grin wider. ''I could make you some nice and tasty food… Maybe some spaghetti? I know you loved those last time…~''

Line.

Because yes, both of the girls that currently reside in this house (mostly, in Koneko's case) have one crucial and unbeatable weakness.

They love food. Koneko likes sweet things better, especially milk or white chocolate. Mittelt prefers saltier, more intense flavors. Like hot sauce and some heavily seasoned foods. If I'm being honest, I believe all the food that they eat goes directly into fueling their sassy attitudes. Because I don't have a clue where it's going otherwise.

''Hmmng…!'' Mittelt's posture tightens up again, and she actively looks up. Straining her neck backwards and glaring at me with all the force of a puppy. ''I'm not falling for your enchanting words, tasty food, or stupidly handsome face!''

Sure you aren't.

I give her a grin and shamelessly plant a kiss on her lips. The position makes it a bit awkward, but the reaction is still positive. Instead of blanking out, this time Mittelt stiffens before melting in my arms. She searches for more contact, but I back away, making her whine. And she immediately blushes afterwards, when she realizes the pitiful sound escaping her mouth.

''F-fine! she states, turning around and ripping herself away from my arms. She gives me a glare before strutting to the kitchen. Even through her usual mannerisms, I can clearly see the little pep to her step. ''But you better give me the best pasta you got, you hear me?!''

And that is Sinker. Ladies and Gentlemen.

A good-natured chuckle later, and I'm following the Fallen, ready to make the best I can for the hungry crow.

''Hey, Zatren…'' I blink, kind of surprised.

Not because of the four plates that Mittelt devoured with gusto, or the sudden softness of her tone. Or even the fact that she decided to eat while sitting on my lap for some reason.

No, what surprises me is the fact that she said my name right for once. Either she just hit the nail on the head this time, or she's always messing with it, and this time it's something serious.

I hum instead of answering. Feeling Mittelt fidget around my lap. I decided to rest my jaw on top of her head. Playfully using the tip of my fingers to poke and prod at her thighs and mid-section. I may seriously have a problem when it comes to annoying people I like.

Huh. I never really asked myself. Why do I like, well, the people I'm with? Koneko, Mittelt, Rias, Aika, and… Jinzui. Their strong personalities, maybe? I very much like the back and forth banter, that's for sure.

At that, I feel the chain in my neck buzzing slightly. I blink, feeling a warm embrace enveloping my shoulders and neck. The feeling lasts merely a second, or even less. Before I can focus any longer on Jinzui's sudden gesture, Mittelt speaks again. Reminding me that I didn't really answer her words.

''…did you fall asleep on top of my head? My braids are not that fluffy, you know?'' She says, equal parts confused and annoyed.

''Sorry, I spaced out a bit. What is it, little crow?'' I'm really curious now.

''Right…'' She pauses, and even hesitates for a moment. ''Say, I've been training really hard lately, haven't I? Like, full-on spars. Physical conditioning, Light Magic control…''

I raise an eyebrow in curiosity. I feel like this is the part where she wants something in return. But instead of interrupting, I squeeze her thigh softly. Indirectly saying that I'm still listening.

''So… That should earn me a reward, right?'' Mittelt mutters. Her cheeks tinted with a rosy pink.

I take no time at all to check her stats. And I have to say that yes, she has been dutiful on her own while I was absent. So much so, in fact, that her stats are already higher than whatever Raynare had when I beat her to the ground.

This is the result of helping the girl train every single day. It gives me quite a bit of hope that I would be able to make her quite the threat in very little time.

I'm reminded of the fact that Mittelt is Azazel's daughter. I don't know if the old man has sired a lot of children, but he's not actively in the know that Mittelt is related to him. Imagine his face if the first meeting he has with Mittelt, she's already on the level of a Cadre. That would be hilarious!

So, indeed. All that hard work should earn this cute girl a reward.

''Do you have something in mind?'' I ask. Not like we're short on money. ''Maybe a special dress? Or a weapon of some kind? Or maybe some kind of—''

''Touch me.'' She interruts with a whisper.

The interruption gives me pause. I'm even tempted to clean my ears to check if I heard correctly. ''Come again?''

''Are you dense?'' She immediately snaps, and I feel a little mischievous grin blooming on my face. So I didn't hear wrong. ''I said; put your damn hands on me, you half-fish freak!'' The outburst is loud, and leaves her red-faced and angry. But it's just too cute from my perspective.

''Alright.'' My words make her still completely. And her eyes widen. Did she not expect that I would agree? ''But remember; you asked for this…''

''Huh? Well, yeah. Of course I— Oh!'' Mittelt starts, but gets interrupted as I boldly slide my fingers across her inner thigh. Not like it was hard to access, especially since I now notice that she's not wearing any pants.

Mittelt shivers and bites down on her lip. Not like it helps her any as I let my other hand join the fray. At first, I just grab her side, pinching away at her soft skin, and getting some adorable reactions in the process.

''Why are— Mn! S-stop being a tease!'' Orders are orders, so I let that hand go below the shirt, sensually tracing lines across her torso until I reach her chest.

Being honest, there's a surprising amount to grab. I knew that Mittelt wasn't completely flat here, but I expected just a bit more than Koneko. Not the almost handful I have in my palm now. A nice surprise, all things considered. A very nice surprise considering the keen whimper I get from the squirming girl.

''Someone's sensitive~'' I tease. But instead of waiting for a snarky response, I let the hand that was tracing lines on her inner thigh go further. Ready to feel the dampness, or even outright wetness of her chosen underwear—!

Only to be met by a sticky, hotter feeling than anticipated. ''O-oh fuck! Don't just escalate like— Ah~! Like thaaat~!'' The Fallen moans out, and sure enough, I'm directly touching her tight and sopping wet cunt. Feeling her lower lips just close and open on the tip of my fingers.

I didn't know it at the time, nor did Mittelt, but the outright devilish grin I had on my face is something that at some point, all of my lovers will experience.

''Someone's being naughty…'' I trail off. Loving how Mittelt's body just squirms, and her hips try to grind into my fingers. A mewl of pleasure escapes her mouth at the loss of stimulation, or maybe at my remark. ''You were expecting this to happen, didn't you? Bad girl. Do you just waltz around the house like this every day?''

I squeeze one of her nipples, and her face turns red. There's even a bit of drool escaping the corner of her lip. ''N-no! Not all the time! Just- Ohhh~ Just sometimes, I swear!'' The fact that she feels the need to justify it is incredibly cute.

This bratty girl, always with her strong character and snarky attitude, is now becoming putty on my hands. Trying and failing to give any excuse as the why she goes commando around the house.

''No excuses,'' I state, a bit firmer than usual. Yet, that seems to send a shiver down her spine. Without waiting, I prod at her cunt and spear her lower lips with my index and middle finger. I half-heartedly pay attention to the girl's moans, more focused on the sheer tightness gripping my digits, and the hot feeling around them. It felt… almost too hot? Like something trying to burn my skin but falling way too short.

''FuckFuckFUCK! Please keep going! I'm—!'' I blink, and I realize that I've been unconsciously fingering the girl. Faster than the pace I was going. Maybe I was just that mesmerized by the strange feeling. Yet, before she can finish off her climax, I outright stop. ''W-wha…?''

The sudden loss of pleasure makes her cry out shamelessly. Her hips try and roll across my fingers to chase down her fleeting orgasm, to no avail. Then, her head half-turns to me with a glare.

''What was that for…?! I was so close to…'' Mittelt trails off, and to no surprise. Considering how I'm looking at her as if she were lunch. Her brow is covered by a thin layer of sweat, and I see a small amount of fear in her eyes. ''Why are you looking at me like that…?''

I said she was a bad girl, didn't I?

I decide to relay the message directly. I bite her earlobe, which gets me another shudder, before I whisper the words that seal her fate. ''Bad girls get punishments before they get rewarded, do they not?'' I state, clearly enjoying the sudden realization dawning on her face.

I start moving my fingers again. Also moving circles across one of her erect nipples. It was time for some correction~

Squelching sounds fill the dining room as I hum. Quite entertained really. Though maybe I can't say the same for my partner. It's not only a wet sound that fills the room, but Mittelt's pleading moans as I overstimulate her entire nervous system.

''Z-zatren! Phwease! I can't… I can't take iiiiiiiiiiit~!'' She whimpers out. The shirt on her body is completely sticking to her figure due to sweating. Which doubles down as a show for me, since it really accentuated her smaller curves. ''I'm begginggg! Lemme cum! PleasepleasePLEASE!''

I give a grin to the girl I've been edging for at least half an hour. I made it a little game, trying to decipher what she says as her words get more nonsensical and garbled up as time goes on. I didn't even mind how her juices, now dripping down the chair and making a small puddle on the floor, are actively staining and soaking my pants. It was just so much fun~

But I don't want Mittelt's reward turning to pain thanks to my fun. So, I chuckle and go all out on the stimulation. Three fingers pumping in and out of her tight entrance with a burst of [Reinforcement]. I made sure to pay special attention to her clit too. ''Alright, little crow. You want it so much? Then cum! Taint the floor with your orgasm and get your reward for being a good girl~!''

''Ohhhhhhh~! YEEEees~! I will! I wwhill!'' Mittelt moans, as her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her entire body locks up. Her tight hole convulses and threatens to snap my fingers clean off as she finally gets that last touch to cum.

I stare attentively as she squirts on the floor. Her entire body shuddered. Her gaze was lost and glassy, and I got worried as her body limped against mine. I take my fingers out and shake her slightly. ''Mittelt…? You okay?''

''…'' I don't get any answer that isn't a soft mewl or a twitch on her overstimulated body. And it doesn't take a genius to understand that Mittelt just passed out. Straight from cloud nine to completely tuckered out.

…I may have gone overboard. Edging may have been a bit too much for my first experience with her, but I was just so tempted. It was fun too!

I stand up easily, with Mittelt in my arms. Even unconscious, she nuzzles up to my body. Her legs are shaky, and she's still leaking a bit, like a dripping faucet. I'll have to clean her up, and the mess too. ''Haa… Didn't even get to have my own release. But that's fine. I'll just say sorry in advance to Koneko tonight. I may get a bit more enthusiastic…~''

''Better just apologize for your crimes against womanhood. Look how you left the poor girl, parter.'' Jinzui's voice chastises me for some reason. ''Please be considerate to a maiden's heart.''

''Come on, it's not like she didn't enjoy it,'' I say, and even grab Mittelt's head. Looking at her completely lost eyes, and wobbly, fucked stupid smile. ''See? Big smile and all!'' I reply chipperly with a smile of my own.

''…You're the worst.''

''I'm not!''

''Huh, so that's where you were.'' I blink, looking at the roof of the master bedroom in my home.

I was just finished with cleaning up the dining room, even went to the bathroom and gave Mittelt a wash. And myself too, since my pants were soaked with the Fallen's juices. It was pretty easy. Having such precise control over water in general helps with getting through any spot I could have missed.

All the while, the girl stayed passed out. So now, wrapped up in a fluffy bathrobe, I was about to tuck her in bed. Maybe stay with me and also take a nap of my own. That's when I looked up and saw it.

A cocoon, similar, but also different from the one Rei used to evolve. Yet, unlike the silky, white material that my spider used, this one is basically rock-solid crystal. Very beautiful too. The pattern reminded me of a leaf. Carvings of lines and mismatched colors. Different tones of green, from lime to a deep forest. And even some yellows here and there.

Chrysalis. The bound larvae I got from the Gacha. I could feel her in there, but unlike Rei, she wasn't unconscious or sleeping.

'I'm happy that my hand-crafted maturation process is to your liking, Master. But of course, that's to be expected of someone such as I.' There it was. I almost forgot how Chrysalis sounded. Not like I really heard her in person. Only getting mental messages like this.

It's a strange mix between cocky, pompous, and endearing that makes one joke cross my mind.

''Sasuga, Ojou-sama.'' I repeat, and immediately snort. Unable to hide my amusement.

Yet, even that joke seemed to make Chrysalis mentally preen. However, that worked. It seems that, unlike Rei, this one was a lot less shy and a lot more communicative. Well, if I remember correctly, she's a creation from that one dragon without scales from Dark Souls. Maybe the personality is hard-coded?

''Ah, when you come out, could you save some of the material for me?'' I ask. Not only would it be interesting to see if I can make any weapons out of it, but it surely unlocks a nice Weapon Form.

I get a half-hearted response in the form of a mental nudge. As if my question was dumb, and she already planned to give such materials either way.

With that done, I place Mittelt on the bed and tuck her below the covers. I get some resistance, in the form of the sleepy Fallen trying to cuddle up to my body. But the warmth of the pillow and the soft mattress managed to win in the end, and she curled up into the sheets.

'A question, Master. It's of utter importance.' Chrysalis 'says', and I turn once more to the cocoo— Chrysalida. To the Chrysalida.

''Yes, Chrysalis?'' Bit of a mouthful. Maybe I should shorten it to Chrys? ''Do you need help with that? Some mana or a class selection?'' I remember Rei needing me to put some magic, along with choosing what type of spider she would evolve into.

'Nothing like that.' She reassures. Then, she confidently asks. 'What's your ideal type of woman, Master? I see you are quite open to many tastes. But surely, you must have a favorite?'

I blink. Looking strangely at the Chrysalida. Why does my type of woman matter right now?

Still, it seemed important to her, so I shrugged and thought about it for a bit. Should I give a serious answer? I mean, I don't really have a type in what physical body is concerned. But that one scene from one of my favorite shows crosses my mind, and I have my perfect answer.

''I don't get it, but if I had to say?'' I ask rhetorically. Then, I give a confident smile with a thumbs-up. ''A tall woman with a big butt.''

…

I jump, as I feel the mental connection with Chrysalis go still. 'Thanks for the help, Master~' She suddenly says in… a sultry tone, and I feel the connection go completely slack.

''Wait. It was a joke…'' I say. ''Chrysalis?''

I get no answer back. And all of a sudden, I feel like I've made quite the mistake. Don't really know the why, though.

The sudden ringing of my phone gives me pause, and I decide to take a look.

'Zatren. A situation came up. It has to do with Rei. Could you come back for a bit?' It was a message from Rias. And I got incredibly worried. Mostly by the way she didn't fuck up her texting this time.

I curse, looking at Mittelt, still asleep. I decide to leave a small note, but even then I feel bad. Since I did tell her that I was going to spend the day with her. But emergencies are emergencies, especially considering it's my…

I frown at the thought, but don't hesitate to silently call out Portal Spear. The rift opens once more, but strangely enough, this time it's a lot duller. And the transition from one space to the other is a lot easier. The weird feeling of crossing through it is gone too. And just like that, I'm once again at Gremory's resort.

My magic sense covers the entire place. But it's almost not needed. There's a massive accumulation of mana outside.

I rushed, passing through an unaware Sachi, who was just enjoying her food in the living room. But also a worried Kiba, who has more than enough reflexes to see me blitzing past.

It's then that I see it. Close to the woods, there's Akeno, Rias, and Koneko. All three of them standing directly in front of a MASSIVE cocoon. This one I easily recognize as the ones Rei makes. To either rest, catch prey, or that one time when she evolved.

''Zatren.'' I turn to Rias, who looks at me in worry. Akeno looks intrigued, but also nervous. And Koneko is feeling around the construct with a misty white aura around her body. Probably checking inside with Senjutsu. ''She just… made this, and immediately closed herself up. Do you know something about it?''

Almost immediately, a screen pops up. And I manage to take a sigh of relief.

Evolution In progress…

Please, choose one of the available paths.

[Paralyzing Spider]

[Titanic Arachnid]

[Devouring Crawler]

…

Rei, just like Chrysalis, is in the process of evolving once more. I don't know if to praise or curse my luck. The former for letting me have one last power-up for my familiar before the Rating Game, and the latter because I was damn fucking scared. Thinking that something bad happened to Rei.

…which is a bit of a fucking dumb thought. She's bound to me. I would have felt it if something really bad happened to her, no matter how far.

I look through the options. Yet, there's one that intrigues me the most.

[Royal Arachne]

Not only did this one feel like the rarest one, since the other ones have some words on repeat like 'Spider', 'Arachnid', and the like. But it also has a sense of familiarity. Probably because the 'Royal' monsters are something related to the Cardinal Heroes, or specifically, the weapons.

If a monster is raised by a Hero, it has a guaranteed probability to get a Royal Monster later down the line. But I thought that was only with hatched creatures…

I shrug and press that option. The change almost gives me whiplash.

The magic power inside the cocoon was almost duplicated. So much so that the tree that the silky, oval-shaped sphere is on starts to actively rot. Not only by the sheer amount of magic, but by how foul and toxic it feels to the touch.

My eyes widen, because unlike the last time, where Rei used her own mana pool, and a small part of mine, to evolve. She's actively draining my reserves. I look in astonishment as my bar empties. My natural regeneration is not enough to keep up. Instinctively, I change my spear into the Low Mana Spear. A form I got by feeding small mana potions I got from my Dungeon diving.

The equip effect is a small increase in mana regeneration. But even then, it's not enough to make it so I regenerate more than Rei is consuming.

''Zatren! What's happening?!'' Rias panics, and I have to remember that I'm not alone here. ''Are you okay?!''

I nod, raising my empty hand in a placating manner. ''This happened before,'' I say. Trying to cut through her worries. ''Rei went through an 'evolution' of sorts around the time I hunted that one Stray with Koneko. It seems that it's happening again, only that on a much larger scale.''

My words seem to calm down the girls, even if Koneko keeps staring at the cocoon in a weird way. She even stepped up to it, but didn't dare touch the surface of the magically overcharged spider silk.

It was only when my MP hit the single digits that the draining stopped. I take a deep sigh of relief, and my legs feel wobbly all of a sudden. I have spent all of my mana before, to the point of passing out. But my actual reserves are a lot bigger than they were at the time.

It's like the difference between spilling an entire bucket and draining an entire lake. Quite disorientating.

CRACK.

Suddenly, a scar appears on the cocoon. The now magic-less silk tears open as something crawls out of it. Slowly but surely, a sleek and massive spider leg comes out. And the cocoon suddenly bursts open, revealing the changed form of my first familiar.

The body was as I remembered, only that BIGGER. Even bigger than what she was when I sparred with her the other day. Her mandibles twitched, but her eyes looked completely dull. And it's no wonder, since that wasn't Rei's face anymore.

On top of the spider's body rested the body of a girl. Small, in comparison to the massive spider body. I would even say comically so.

Small, thin arms. Long and black hair, the same color tone as mine. It fell down the girl's back and front. Thankfully enough, that same hair covered her breasts. Her skin was oddly pale, and it gave me the feeling of unfamiliarity. Like it was imitating how the skin of a human looked. A really good impression, but still with tiny, strange details.

Well, it was that, and the fact that her arms, torso, and shoulders all contained black markings. They looked like tattoos. But they also seemed like they belonged to her body. I looked higher, to the girl's face. There were markings there too. Not only that, but she had four eyes. Two big, human ones, and two smaller ones that rested below the former. All four of them are gold in color.

Rei opened her mouth. Her human mouth. And spoke.

''Father…?'' She asked, almost tentatively, while looking straight at me.

''Rei?'' I asked back. Yet, her words pierced directly through my chest.

Now, when she called me 'Patriarch', I could kind of brush it off. Maybe it was a weird hierarchy of bugs, or something that Rei liked to do, but now. She just straight up called me 'dad' now.

Before I could muse on it, correct her wording, or even just accept my role as a parent now, or maybe all of the above. Rei's head turns to Koneko, who stares back in muted shock. Then, without any hesitation at all, Rei gives a smile full of teeth, way too weird for it to be normal.

''Mother!'' Rei exclaims, with all the excitement of a child.

…

What?

Bonus Scene 1: A Phoenix's precautions.

-Riser Phenex-

I take a deep breath. Relaxing in the Phenex's manor sauna. This time alone, strangely enough. But sometimes, a man needs time for himself.

''Lord Riser.'' A voice speaks, and I can already feel my relaxation gone. ''Lord Phenex is looking for you.''

I open my eyes. Staring with a flicker of annoyance at the butler who has interrupted my time alone. One of the many Low-Class devils contracted into my family to tend to our needs. I would otherwise be more vocal about my displeasure.

''Father called for me, you say? Very well…'' I give a nod. The butler gives a nod and easily exits the sauna. I didn't even have time to enjoy it. But I'll just leave it like this, and come back later.

With a sigh, the hot water falls off my body and immediately dries off with a burst of flames. With a click of my fingers, clothes appear on my body.

Now, to see what my dear father needs.

I don't bother knocking on the door. Why would I? If Father called for Riser, then he's already expecting me to enter.

I open the door. Making sure to not swing it open. Satan curse me if I have to sit through another of Father's rants about the quality of the wood his studio is made of and whatnot. ''You called for me, Father?''

It's not only him waiting. To the side, my sister Ravel stands firm to the side. And by the way her usually curled twin-tails look slightly sloppy and unbrushed, I guess that she was also called out of nowhere.

''My son, yes. Please take a seat, or not. I'll be quick with my words, after all.'' The man spoke softly, yet his mannerisms were anything but.

Standing taller than even my older brother, Ryker Phenex was a clear example of the Phenex clan's strength. His hair, equally as blonde as any of his children, and the same went for his blue eyes. The only real difference was what I believe it's called a 'boxed beard' on his face. Along with a scar, crossing vertically through his left eye.

I decide to keep standing. If the matter was short –and it always was, considering how busy my father usually is– then there's no point in taking a seat.

Father looked at me, and then my sister, who decided to remain silent. Then, with a nod, he starts to talk. ''In less than a week's time, you will be facing the Gremory Heiress in her first official Rating Game, am I correct?'' He was, and the question feels rhetorical. Yet, we both nod.

So this was about that pesky game. I'll admit, I did not handle it the best way I could. But Rias has a way to get on my nerves, and I believe that I just naturally annoy her by existing.

''I won't dally about showing the strength of the Phenex's House. Nor bother demanding you train till you bleed. This is still a legal contract, being resolved by two adults.'' He states. Funny, considering he and Lord Gremory were the ones who signed the contract in the first place. ''The only thing I ask is for you to try your best. And with that I mean both of you.''

Now that gets a raised eyebrow on my part. Father asking Ravel of all people to actually fight is rare. Even with my sister's strength as an equally powerful High-Class devil, she much prefers books and politics of all things. Early training from Mother, if I remember correctly, for Ravel to marry into another House.

''Of course, Father. I won't shame the Phenex with anything else than my best.'' And it was true. While the match feels quite one-sided, I'm not about to pull any punches. Not after Rias decided to insult the proud Phenex Clan.

Ravel just stares. Hesitation is clear on her features. Yet, it doesn't take her long to give a nod. ''…It shall be done, dear Father.'' She really is not made for the frontlines. But if the Head of the House dictates you to do something, you do it. That's how it works, and how it will always work.

''Perfect,'' Father says, giving an ample smile. ''Now run along, children. But do remember to show up for dinner this time.

Hmph. Very well. Riser shall be there.

Exiting the room side by side with Ravel, I still wonder why Father asked this of us. Especially Ravel.

Yet, my mind goes back to the interaction with that young man. Zatren Fumigami. The way he easily took down my Rook was exemplary of not wasting time and effort on those who are less. A clear political play too. Who knew that Rias would get such a handy piece?

…Maybe some practice is in order. Just to take care of the non-existent rust.

Bonus Scene 2: Annoyance.

-?-

I stared. The silence was interrupted by something. And this time, it wasn't that bothersome dragon. Always coming and going as he pleases, like he owned the place. It was one of the few times that he wasn't making so much noise.

Yet, I still heard something.

I looked. Something, or someone, is traveling the Dimensional Gap. My resting place, once again invaded by bothersome people.

I thought of just blasting him to pieces. But no, maybe he could be useful? Maybe more useful than that group of incompetents. Trying to get me into their 'cause', when all they are worth is methods to get me my silence back, or the annoying dragon out.

So, I let him pass. And made a few adjustments. I may let him go through this place, but I'm not dealing with the bothersome noise that he makes while moving around.

…Such a bother. I can already feel Red passing through. So before the loud noise of him basically ripping through my home, I decided to go out.

Is it really that hard to find some peace?

.

.

.

Author's Note: FINALLY! You don't know how long it took me to finish this up. Yeah, it wasn't the day after like I said, but hey! Chapter is chapter.

For anyone wondering: Rei's markings on the human part of her body should resemble one thousand year old King we all know, lol. They are not the same, but similar enough. Why? Just because.

Also, this should mark the end of the training arc. I was thinking of Zatren doing a Dungeon before the Rating Game, but I feel that he already has all the tools he needs. So, next chapter, the Rating Game, and the end of the Second Arc of this fic starts!

I feel like I wanted to say something else, but I forgot.

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