"Grrhh…. h-haah… *sniff*" A series of growls, sniffs and sorrowful sighs escaped Lady Phenix as she placed the ashes that remained of her sons in an urn.
The mausoleum housed the remains of Phenix family members who had died in the Civil War and in the war between the Three Factions before that… And for years it had stayed in uninterrupted silence, until today.
In mere weeks the Phenix family had been all but destroyed, her sons killed, and even Lady Phenix was lost to the Phenix family. Only two members of the Phenix family remained- Lord Phenix and Ravel… At least if one discounted their new adopted member, Momon.
Lady Phenix didn't know what the monetary situation of the family was, as a mere mistress wouldn't be told of that, but she had a feeling that since most of the people capable of producing healing tears, their main source of income, had been killed then the family's fortunes would also soon take a sharp downturn. After all, while families like Gremory had multiple sources of revenue from banking to trade of precious minerals to taxes levied from devils of lesser clans within Gremory, the Phenix family had only a handful of revenue sources.
Namely, the distribution of Dragonfruit, which was now essentially destroyed due to the attack on Dragon Mountains, and Healing Tears, which would be essentially drained due to the deaths within the family. While they had a few lesser clans within the noble family's umbrella, the taxes levied from them would be nowhere near enough to sustain the noble family by themselves.
'H-haa… And hubby has to bear all of it on his shoulders, while I can't even console him because I contracted myself to another… I-I shouldn't add to his burden…' The woman retreated from the urn that was placed into a decorated mausoleum deep below Phenix's castle-mansion. 'That must be why he's so cold towards me… H-he's just lashing out, but I know he still loves me…'
Lady Phenix's hatred of the Supreme Being grew and grew, until she could barely breathe and her heart beat with molten fury. 'I'll never forgive… Never, never, never, never, never…'
A cold, furious and mournful scream echoed in the mausoleum as Lady Phenix swore vengeance as bitter, terrifying and cruel as a mother laying her children to earth could.
.
.
"Lord Phenix! A moment, if I may!" A voice interrupted the disguised undead being's walk back from his new quarters in the dungeons, where he had changed his ruined clothes.
"...And you are… Hm, the dog who barked during my son's engagement ceremony and was justly put down?" The undead creature recalled the insect's name. "What madness has you interrupting the contemplations of a lord of a noble house?"
"I have grave news, my lord." The insect, Saji-something, bowed deep. "I have a grave suspicion- Your wife is being blackmailed by Momon!"
"My… Wife?" The Overlord Wiseman shook his head. "If you speak of my son's mistress, then I care little."
"No- I mean, not that… S-she was blackmailed into leaving you!" Saji seemed to be making some sort of point.
The disguised undead sighed. 'Living are such foolish creatures... '
"A-and, um…" Saji seemed to deflate as his words didn't find much purchase in 'Lord Phenix'. "Ahem! I have reasonable suspicion that Momon… That Momon is the enemy of the Underworld, that he is the Supreme Being!"
The disguised servant of said Supreme Being froze. "...When did you learn of this?"
"Ah- It was clear from the beginning." Saji seemed to sigh in relief as 'Lord Phenix's voice turned inquisitive. "First from his way of acting, of the despicable and evil things he did, and then he started to blackmail your wife and Sona-kaichou, and then it all clicked, and…"
'...Hm.' The Overlord Wiseman was somewhat puzzled.
On one hand he knew for fact that his master wouldn't let his 'true nature' slip as a mistake, and neither would someone as simple as the insect in front of him be able to deduce 'Momon's true nature by himself. And on another the Overlord Wiseman felt a steady stream of sweat building on the back of his fleshy head, specifically on the neck, as he compared the claims of the insect with the fact 'Lord Phenix' had 'framed' the Supreme Being as the one responsible for attacking Dragon Mountains. 'What is this? Was I wrong? Is this a test?'
'However, since Master would know that I framed the name of Supreme Being as the one responsible my actions, and he'd know this insect knows, does that mean that he intends this one to be my tool?' The Overlord Wiseman felt more than little worried about the tasks he had been given. He knew that he could just ask his lord for clarification, yet such action felt like admitting defeat and incompetence, if such action came from one named 'wiseman'.
'...He is apparently part of 'Sona Sitri's Peerage', who is my lord's fiancee, so technically this insect is a servant of my lord as well…' The puzzle seemed to open a bit. 'Yet, he has been used as a fool and instigator, which means… Yes, of course. That must be it.'
"Ahem. Those are grave accusations indeed." The disguised undead coughed to his fist. "We need to discuss this at length… Come. My quarters are nearby…"
Saji had gained almost euphoric expression on his face as 'Lord Phenix' took him for his words and nodded eagerly. "Thank you my lord!"
'Thank you, my lord… I should be able to use this…' The Overlord Wiseman thanked his lord as well.
.
.
Serafall finished hugging Sona in Sitri mansion after she had more or less grabbed the girl from Phenix mansion and teleported both back to Sitri's territory so the two could speak and lounge in peace.
Sona looked quite… content. Not quite 'super-happy', and neither 'super-sad', but almost as if she had aced some test or something equally 'good' had happened. Which made a stark contrast to the despair she had been in the last time Serafall had seen Sona, back in Underworld's central hospital after Momon had healed the sick Maou.
"Are you super-sure everything is alright?" Serafall pat Sona's cheeks and got an eyeroll in return.
"I am quite good. Everything is going as planned." Sona adjusted her glasses, albeit there was something quite not-good in her pose. Not like there was something wrong with Sona, but Serafall felt as if she had some sort of grander-than-life super-plan going on.
Normally Serafall would have dived into the mystery, at least until she made sure Sona was in super-happy state (or at least annoyed in a way that made her busy in a way that allowed her to move forwards to her goal, and in turn, happy). But as it was, the Maou was busy trying to ensure the public face of Underworld was pristine and proper, or at least as 'proper' as Serafall considered it, and had to choose between digging deeper into Sona's psyche and her duty to the whole Underworld.
It was a close call, but Underworld won. And only because Sona looked happy at least on the surface level.
"Haa, but remember! So-tan is here for you!" Serafall pat Sona's shoulders. "And if anything were to happen then-"
"...Then I'm sure that you remember the title you bear, and won't disgrace both the Underworld and Sitri family." A biting voice entered the conversation, prompting Serafall to turn around with a grand flourish akin to the ones used by her perhaps-maybe-boyfriend-of-sorts-whom-she-technically-shared-with-her-little-sister-and-had-too-long-title.
The movement caused glitter stuck to Serafall's skirt to fly all over the room, which oddly enough seemed to mostly land on the woman who had entered the conversation.
A gale of icy water moved over Lady Sitri without touching neither her body or clothes, and washed away the glitter in a display of her fine-control over her element. "Amusing, Serafall. But such tantrums are below your position. However, rest assured that Sona's future is well taken care of."
"Nyeh." Serafall poked her tongue out at the woman, reminding her that technically while the woman was the Maou's mother, she was also a lady of a noble house and thus a direct subordinate of the Maous, or in other words, Serafall.
...Even though that also meant that technically speaking Serafall wasn't part of house Sitri anymore and had no reason to be in Sitri castle-mansion, as she was carrying both the title and name of 'Leviathan' and technically had no official business to take care of.
"...I see. If you consider that to be a position appropriate for a Maou to take, then I'll withdraw my comment for now." The cold woman curtsied just slightly. "But I'd like to remind you that tyranny was but one of the reasons the Old Maous were overthrown."
Serafall rolled her eyes at the jab, and then reached to grab Sona's hands. "Awrighty. Just remember that if anything happens, I'll be here for you So-tan! I'll have to go prep up stuff for tomorrow, stay safe and keep your head down!"
"I'll play the role I am assigned, as I have always, and always will." Sona's words caused a cold shiver in Serafall's spine, but the fact Sona didn't look at all distressed dismissed a lot of the Maou's sudden fears. "Rest assured. We'll meet again, Serafall, if we are so decreed."
'She must be using a mask to confuse mom- ha! That's my little sis! Go get 'er, sis!'Serafall felt quite proud of Sona's growth, as she was fairly sure that the old Sona would have turned to argue against anything the two's mother would suggest on the principles that the woman's ideas were extremely archaic even by devil standards, whereas Sona was definitely a forward-thinking person.
"Hm. It seems that Momon's presence has helped you behave." Speaking of the devil, the woman seemed to approve of Sona's words. "However, it seems that a tragedy has fallen for the noble house of Phenix, and both of its remaining pure-blooded sons have died. Alas, the engagement contract between Sitri house and Phenix house had a clause that required the two sons, and thus, it seems that I must dismiss your union."
"What? But Mo-kun- uh?" Serafall's words turned to a surprised blink as she noticed the change in Sona's expression.
The girl's expression was borderline maniacally happy, yet she hid the expression from all but Serafall by looking towards the floor. "Kukukuku… Ahaahaa! So… Have I played my part well, master? Is this the reward you give to me?"
"...Sona. Control yourself." Lady Sitri seemed quite disturbed by the normally prim-and-proper girl's muttering.
"Kukuku… Of course, of course…" Despite the Lady's words, Sona's expression turned only more maniacal. And then her expression returned to normal. "And for the two sons to die… And the daughter of Phenix is married to him, which means there is only one heir left for Phenix family… Kukuku... And if my marriage contract was going to be dismissed because of the two son's deaths, means that I am to take over Sitri house as well. I understand, master..."
"...Yes, you will become lady of Sitri house. In time." Lady Sitri eyed Sona warily as Sona's words seemed to be quite disjointed, almost as if she was speaking to someone who was not present. "You are the only heir of Sitri family. That was meant to change with your engagement, as the two pure-blooded sons of Phenix would have been able to give you true-blooded sons and daughters which would have born the name of Sitri... And your fiance would have kept you in line. However, as the two are dead, I'll have to find another fiance for you."
"Ha… hahah… I see now, that was to be my role, had I failed his expectations. Histest. How horrific… yet, I succeeded… my master..." Sona's whisper was so quiet that Serafall had to strain to hear it. "...In other words, this killing was him telling me that is my fate no longer… And instead… If the engagement is to be ended because of that contract's clause, yet it is not done so automatically and thus means it requires the approval of the family's head... then my role is clear..."
"...So-tan?" Serafall's tone turned worried as Sona walked over to her mother and hugged the woman who seemed quite surprised by the normally-proper acting girl's sudden and fond action.
And the next second the Lady of Sitri house fell to the ground with a spike of ice through her body, driven through by a blow to her waist and out of her neck.
"Long live the Sitri house. May it reign prosperous under my... no, his rule. And as the head of Sitri family, I declare that my marriage contract with Momon will continue." Sona Sitri declared as she let the shocked-looking corpse of her mother fall from her hug and land on the floor. "Serafall. Sister. I require your assistance in… finalizing… my rise to power before you go."
"S-So-tan!" Serafall felt thoroughly shocked.
She had seen the blow happen, and could have intercepted it, but the fact her prim-and-proper yet always lawful sister had committed matricide so casually and unrepentantly had shocked the Maou to her very core and beyond, and thus held her hand.
'If- If- If if ififififif-' A thousand scenarios flashed through Serafall's mind in a nanosecond, each of them ending on a death or execution more gruesome than next for Sona if the knowledge that she had killed her mother spread- The fact that she had not only killed the lady of the noble house, but also had done so as an act of matricide would not be taken lightly by the Pillars. 'So-tan… My cute, adorable, innocent, So-tan… T-they'd…'
"Sister." Sona's voice was sweet as she hugged Serafall. "I love Momon. You know how much I love him. I know how much you must love him..."
Serafall froze.
"You know why she had to die…" Sona's voice whispered to Serafall's ear like hammer-strikes banging on her responsibility as a Maou, a responsibility to bring Sona to justice. "She would have tried to go between me and Momon, no, she did go between me and Momon… And he knew that, so it fell to me to end her… You know that her fate would have been far worse in his hands… Kukukuku…"
"S-sona-nee…" Serafall's 'cutesy' act had evaporated in face of the atrocity her cute sister had committed so casually. "Do you realize what you did? What this means?!"
"Yes. That father must die too." Sona's words caused Serafall's spine to run with ice. Yet the feeling was only metaphorical, instead of what had happened to the two's mother who had felt the same in literal sense.
"You-"
"Kukuku… I told you, no? That I would play the part that was required of me…" Sona's whisper continued before Serafall could truly recover. "This was that part. After mother and father are gone, the Sitri family is mine as the last living heir… and by marriage, it is merged with Phenix house. In other words… All is going as planned by him. Kukuku..."
Serafall felt a bit faint. "Mo-kun?"
"Of course, who else? Kukuku…" Sona's tone was amused, which conflicted horribly with the blood that had started to pool on the floor from the corpse in the room and reached to the two sister's shoes.
'But, Momon-kun… He's… Fallen god, yet… Oh.' Serafall felt as if she had realized something a bit too late. '...I thought it a bit odd that he would side with Devils, instead of getting all buddy-buddy with the Fallen Angels, but since I thought it was because of me and So-tan… I didn't think too much about it…'
'...If that was Sona-chan's mission, from Mo-kun…'Serafall felt her whole body go numb. '...He's conquering the Underworld. All clandestine-like. He lost the last war… But this time he's trying to conquer us from the inside.'
"Kukuku… You're starting to realize… In other words, you didn't know." Sona's expression was quite horrifying to see, as it was both incredibly euphoric and at the same time victorious. "Kukuku… Come, sister, there needs to be one more murder tonight."
Serafall felt as if a massive, horrifying weight had landed on her shoulders as Sona must have realized her words were a double-edged sword. "So-tan… Please, don't make me do this."
"Se-tan." The warm pet-name almost caused Serafall's strength to fail her utterly. "I succeeded in my mission. I passed his tests. I became his, and he mine. But you're still wavering... "
Serafall's face felt numb, as if her skin had turned to porcelain and hearth frost.
"I passed my test… Now it is time for you to pass yours." Serafall withdrew from the hug but held onto Serafall's hands… And then placed both of them on the lithe girl's chest. Which made the weight on Serafall's shoulders even heavier as she knew that Sona knew what her responsibility as a Maou would require her to do. "So… Will you choose me, him, us… Over them?"
Sona tilted her head just minutely in the direction of the corpse.
Serafall shook to her very core. "But… But… The Supreme Being… I have to defend..."
"Ha- hahahaha!" Sona's eyes glinted with mirth. "So, I was right… You were but a red herring for my fall. And in turn, for your fall... How masterful, my master… No, Se-tan. Momon is the Supreme Being."
Serafall felt her whole world tumble down in a second. "No- no! That- that can't be it! It's impossible!"
"Remember what you've seen, what you've talked about… You know it to be true." Sona's words, which both tickled Serafall's show-offish fancy, also caused her heart to flicker with feelings of dread, terror, fear for Sona's life, and also… more fear.
"But… but…" Serafall's hands shook. "I'd… I…"
"You've seen the golden church he has built, no? The future he aims to take the Underworld towards... " Sona's words turned as sweet as honey… And then she nodded towards the corpse on the floor. "All who do not follow him will face death and worse. All who follow him and accept him will be granted a future so bright it eclipses even the sun… So, sister, will you follow him, with me, or will you die out with the old, like mother? Cold, stagnant, rigid? Alone?"
Serafall felt her heart break apart as the bonds she had forged with the other Maous, the entire Underworld, and her bond with Sona stretched her as if her mind was being quartered by horses. "S-Sona-neechan… Please… You can't do this… This… horror… you died, he… if… his servants killed you!"
"And he brought me back." Sona's expression was gentle, which tore at Serafall. "Life and death are meaningless concepts to the Supreme Being. Only loyalty remains. Loyalty to him. Trust in him. In the end, this conversation is meaningless as well- If he decrees that I will not die, then I will not. If he decrees that I do, then I will. I play the role I am given, and I trust in him as much as he trusts me. That is my bond, and that is my love."
Serafall's vision swam. 'My dear, cute, innocent, frowny but dutiful little sister… What… What happened to you?'
"The question remains- Will you trust him? Will you trust me?" Sona's voice felt like razor-cuts on Serafall's head as she moved the Maou's hands to caress the wayward sister's cheek. "You know you cannot win against him, neither as a schemer, a warrior, or a leader… He has already shown you this much. Will you choose a meaningless, stagnant world and die alone, or the new, brilliant one he will forge with us by his side? I have already chosen my side, dear sister, and you know what he has offered to you, to us… Will you follow me to the bright future he makes for us?"
"I… I…" Serafall shook violently. 'I… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… Sirzechs-kun…'
"...W-we need to find dad…" Serafall finally got out through her shaking. "In- In order for you to… to…"
"...Thank you, my dear, beloved big sister." Sona smiled. "...Yes, I think we'll need to find him."
Serafall did not know if she had made the right decision.
The next time she met with Momon, she'd have some pointed words for him.
"Ah, ah… I'd be careful, Se-tan." Sona smirked, almost as if she could tell what Serafall was thinking. "The Supreme Being can read your mind as easily as I can tell your mood, and that hesitation of yours just now… Kukuku... Did you think you could keep secrets from him? We both dance on his strings, whether we know it or not..."
Serafall's apprehension only grew.
.
.
"...And an attack happened." Momonga sweated more than a bit as he explained what 'Momon' knew about the attack on the Dragon Mountains to Ravel.
The girl was sitting on a couch in a room within the Phenix castle-mansion, still clad in a back and yellow gothic lolita-style frilly dress.
The girl seemed quite shocked, yet at the same time tired and resigned. And more than all that, outright insane.
"Kukuku… Of course, of course… For mom to act like that, against you, it's only fitting that she'd be punished… She should have just accepted to be your breed mare like an obedient slave..." Ravel's muttering was causing quite a bit of cold sweat to run down Momonga's neck, specifically as she wasn't looking at him but rather at her own shaking hands that she had on her lap.
'...I think she's gone off to the deep end. Assistance required.' Momonga asked for help from the passenger inside his head, and Ddraig just shrugged.
"No clue. You sow the wind, so reap the typhoon." Ddraig rolled over on its back and went to sleep.
'You… dammit…' Momonga gulped and reached to pat Ravel. "So… How are you feeling, Ravel? Do you need anything?"
"...'How am I feeling?'" Ravel's eyes turned towards Momonga. "Was this also my test? To see if I would defy you? Ahahaa..."
The girl doubled over in apparent pain in her gut. "Haa… Phahahaha! Of course… You must have asked mom… And realized how much I loved my brothers… Of course..."
'...Not good…' Momonga reached to stroke the girl's hair. "...For what it's worth, umu… I..."
"I understand, my lord… There can only be you." Ravel's eyes had gone completely wild and she practically lunged at him… And sat on Momonga's lap instead of trying to attack him while her eyes glinted under the shadow that had been cast on her face. "There can only be you in my life… No-one else, no-one, not mom, not dad, not Riser, not Ruval, not my other brothers… Only you… Ha- hahahahahaha… That you'd be so jealous, so possessive of me... "
The girl's insane giggling caused even more sweat to run down Momonga's neck. 'Um…'
"I undersssstand, my lord…" Ravel's words came out as a hiss. "That I'd become your precious, valued so much… that you can't even risk my loyalties coming to question… Is that why you decided to punish mom so? To also see if this provocation would turn me against you?!"
The girl's words turned to a sob in the end but she froze and quickly caught herself… And then lunged forward to hug Momonga tightly. "I-I'm sorry, my lord- A-a moment's weakness, please, I… I never..."
"It's alright to be sad…" Momonga reached to pat her back, and it was almost as if the words allowed a flood valve to open as Ravel's hasty apologies with blocked nose turned to outright hiccups, and almost immediately afterward into a pained, desperate crying.
...Crying that caused Momonga to flinch and grit his teeth as the healing tears were flowing down from the girl to his shoulder and damaging his undead self's health-pool.
"Y-you…" It seemed that the flinch and grit didn't pass by Ravel as she froze while crying her heart out. "Ah…M-my lord, w-what do you wish of me?"
Momonga just hugged her harder, figuring that he should let Ravel grieve in peace… As she seemed to have drawn some odd conclusions from the fact Momonga had her brothers assassinated for being a threat to him. Or rather, to his place in the Phenix family, and through that to his cover and future profit.
'...In retrospect, that feels a bit petty… And also pretty much confirms that she knows I was responsible for the deaths, which in turn means she knows who I really am.' Momonga reconsidered raising Ruval and his brother, but decided against it instantly as both of them would have seen 'Lord Phenix' kill them, which would definitely undo his cover. And since Lady Phenix would have known her sons, it wasn't as if Momonga could just [Control Amnesia] the brothers either.
He had suspected that Ravel knew of his true identity yet the fact she seemed to accept him nonetheless, for some reason, had held his hand… And in truth, the part of Momonga that was Suzuki Satoru was quite heavily against outright killing someone who he had grown somewhat intimate with just in case she blurted his secret out. The part of him that was the 'Momonga of Ainz Ooal Gown' was quite heavily on the opposite end of the opinion, but at the moment Suzuki Satoru had the greater say on the matter.
"It's alright to grieve, Ravel. You lost two of your brothers today... "
"T-thank you, my lord…" Ravel shook like a leaf. "P-please forgive this foolish slave for… showing such unsightly-"
"Shh." Momonga placed his finger on hers, hoping that his experience as the guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown, his new class as [Actor] and as [Lover] would be enough to make him sound sincere with his next words… Even though the words were sincere at the core. "Don't call yourself a slave. You're my lovely, precious fiancee… There's nothing to forgive… No, it should be said that it is I who must ask your forgiveness..."
"H-ha… T-to offer such kind words and such cruel actions… H-haaa…" The girl shook even harder. "I-in that c-case I forgive you…"
"Thank you." Momonga felt that he had done Ravel a great disservice, yet his hands were somewhat tied between what 'Momonga' considered necessary and what 'Suzuki' considered unacceptable. "In turn I swear I will hold you and cherish you until the end of time. Both through hardship and joy..."
"M-my lord…" Ravel went limp in Momonga's lap, almost as if something had hit a limit and she had turned to a noodle. Yet, she was conscious. "...Did I pass? Was I worthy? What other horrors will you torment me with, my love?"
"Um, none…" Momonga felt quite conflicted by Ravel's words. '...Am I the monster?'
"Ha…" It seemed that Ravel got the wrong impression from his conflicted tone. "What else do you wish to torment me with? Perhaps you'll throw me at some filthy, ugly humans and tell them to drug me and group-rape me? Or…"
"No, you're mine. As I've said. You can rest easy." Momonga, or rather Suzuki Satoru felt a bit apprehensive over the girl's words, as the scenario she detailed had been somewhat common in Neo-Japan as the crime rate had been quite high and the poor or low-income girls made easy targets for people who'd wish to exploit them.
Yet the thought of someone doing the same for someone who shared Momonga's, or rather 'Suzuki Satoru's bed made him quite upset.
[Emotion Suppression] ensured that the emotion never passed the threshold of 'quite upset', as he was fairly sure he'd be quite furiously jealous otherwise.
"Ha- haha… In that case... " Ravel's tone turned quiet, yet it had an insane edge to it. "Claim what is yours, again, and again, and again until there's nothing in my head but you, until I can't think of anything but you… I don't want to think… I don't w-want to… feel this sadness…"
'...I guess Ravel really loved her brothers…' Momonga, however, couldn't feel tooguilty over his actions due to [Emotion Suppression].
The girl's words ended with a sob. "P-please… My love… Make it stop… My heart c-cant take this anymore..."
'...I really have no idea if this is the right thing to do, but I suppose I can't really do much else…' Momonga sighed internally.
And so, he turned Ravel's head towards him and kissed her deeply to grant her request. The girl responded with equal if not exceeding fervor, clearly seeking a way out of her thoughts and grief.
The two turned to lie on the couch, and before soon the two's clothes joined each other on the floor while their owners joined on the couch.
.
.
Sirzechs Lucifer sighed as he reached to hug his sister against his chest, to provide a stable tree against which she could vent her sorrow and anger.
The Maou had asked his sister to come to Gremory territory, hoping that she'd be more comfortable on familiar grounds than on foreign one when he told her what had happened to his Peerage. Normally members of a Peerage would need permission from their King in order to visit territory not owned by the King's family, with the exception of common areas such as the capital, but Sirzechs circumvented the process by requesting Rias's presence directly as the Maou of Underworld.
A necklace felt heavier than a star around Sirzechs's neck, as it bore a simple symbol of house Gremory that had been forged out of the dust of Souji Okita and Mcgregor Mathers. 'This way I can keep you with me… To the end.'
"That… Souji-kun… Mathers-kun… That they're gone… I never thought... " Rias's sobs tore at Sirzechs's soul, as he knew he was at fault. "I didn't think that it was possible… S-Souji-kun was so steadfast, I didn't think anything could kill him… A-and Mathers-kun would just do something creepy and walk out of the coffin or something, like if it was just a giant joke…"
Sirzechs knew he should not have sent Souji and Mathers alone. He should not have been so arrogant to believe that the relatively weak undead that the Supreme Being had sent had been the extent of It's power.
Odin's theories had frightened Sirzechs, and he felt as if he had attempted to fight against them by underestimating the enemy, by trying to tell himself that they still held the advantage, still had a chance to fight on even grounds- That his Peerage could face whatever servants the Supreme Being could throw at them, and either defeat them or hold them until Sirzechs got to them..
The blow the Supreme Being had struck had wounded Sirzechs's very psyche to the core, striking at him where it hurt the hardest, and where he least expected the blow to land. Sirzechs's arrogance had been put to full display, and also the results of that arrogance.
"I'm sorry." Sirzechs kept hugging Rias even as her tears turned to anger.
"I hate it… I hate how weak I am… I hate, I hate, I hate- ow!" Rias's growl turned to a yelp as Sirzechs flicked his finger against her temple.
"Do not lose yourself to rage, Rias." Sirzechs hugged the girl who had turned wobbly as the rage had left her, leaving just weakness which was further compounded by Sirzechs using a familiar way of addressing her, likely to drive the point in from the view of a brother rather than that of a Maou. "The enemy will find a weakness within, and it will only work to make them stronger… This was my failure. I will bear the burden of it. Grieve with me, but don't lose yourself in it."
Grayfia let a small sound behind Sirzechs that might be possibly called a sob, if one was extremely good at determining the woman's mood, but she forged her grief into a steel-hard determination.
"But… but…" Rias's words were scattered, aimless. "What… What can we do? I want to fight! I want to avenge Souji-kun!"
"No." Sirzechs's words were final, causing Rias to recoil. "I understand you wish revenge as much as me. But we must tamper that urge. I've already lost two of my Peerage because of my carelessness and arrogance, I will not lose you as well. You'll stay with Momon. It is a risk... But... To go against the script right now is tantamount to suicide, when He is watching. It's not the time for us to act just yet."
"But!" Rias started to object, before she heard the rest of Sirzechs's speech and got confused.
"Listen. You need to know this- Tomorrow we march to the Human World, and Momon will accompany us as the conference between Three Factions is held in Kuoh… And more specifically in Momon's estate, as there are few other places that are both easily defended and suitably grand for the meeting. Mostly because Serafall leveled Kuoh academy…" Sirzechs shook his head before he could start getting off-track. "But more importantly, the reason we hold the meeting in his'home' is that... "
"E-eeh?" Rias seemed quite surprised by the choice of location. "U-um, have you actually told Momon that? No- wait, nevermind, Serafall leveled Kuoh academy?!"
"Serafall would have told Momon-san… I think. But listen! This is important!" Sirzechs spoke over Rias's words, feeling a lump in his throat as he had to acknowledge Odin's theory. And what entailed within… Namely, that Sirzechs alone wouldn't be enough to guarantee Rias's safety. "Listen. Your fiance… While he appears as Issei-kun, and calls himself Momon, he goes by another name."
"...Um…" Rias seemed uncertain so Sirzechs steeled himself and began explaining Odin's theory to her, hoping against hope that the knowledge would save her… Instead of damning them all.
.
.
A woman sighed at a girl. "What did I tell you?"
The girl pouted as the woman lifted her out of a masterfully woven wooden chest. A chest that would be part of luggage that the diplomatic convoy of Kyoto would be taking with them soon.
"No sneaking off… But I wanna go too!" The girl pouted cutely while her tails waved from side to side in protest.
The woman flared her tails around her in a warning way, and the girl gulped and hid her tails behind her back.
"S-sowwy…" The girl looked to the side. "I just don't wanna keep studying… I wanna go and play…"
"I'm going to a diplomatic event." The woman relented and lifted the girl to a hug which caused her to squirm as a pair of massive breasts smothered her. And then nine pairs of golden-yellow tails wove themselves to a protective shell around the two, giving them comfort and privacy. "You'll be safe here. A lot of mean people will be attending, and they asked me to attend as both representative of Kyoto and representative of Shinto gods… They would be mean to you, and then I'd have to be mean to them, and then a lot of people would get caught in the crossfire."
"Uuuh… I didn't want that to happen…" The girl looked ashamed. "It's just… boring here… And you've been so busy that we haven't had time to play..."
"How about this: When I get back we'll play a lot, and then take a small vacation and go to see Tokyo and Hawaii?" The woman offered. "It's true that I've been busy of late… You're right, my dear daughter. But for us to go, you need to behave while I'm gone, and also obey your bedtimes!"
"Ehe… Got it, mom!" The girl cheered up and reached to hug her mother. "I love you, mom..."
"I love you too, my dear Kunou…"
.
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Asmodeus raised his hand and the regiments of the Underworld saluted him.
"We march to the Human World tomorrow. Teleporters have been prepared. Orders have been sent. All of you know your places." The Maou's words had little room for grand speeches or rallying cries.
After all, the devils knew war. The horrors of the civil war were familiar to most of the old devils, and the young and human-made ones saw the looks of the veteran's faces and knew the seriousness of what was happening.
Asmodeus sighed. "I hope tomorrow starts the new age of peace between the Three Factions. But if it doesn't… I'm glad to have shared these two hundred years of peace with all of you. We expect there to be a fight of some kind, but you are not to start it even if you are provoked or even attacked. Hold defensive positions until you get orders from the Maous. Anyone who does attack without orders will be cast out as a stray, no matter if you are a human-born or a noble. Make your preparations. Say your goodbyes. That is all."
The devils struck a salute, and then the regiments shattered to groups and Peerages of devils, all gathering their things in preparation for what was hopefully just a march and show of force, and hopefully not a war.
.
.
Azazel sighed. "So, this thing.. Did anyone prepare a grand speech?"
The coven of Fallen Angels looked a bit uneasily at their leader.
"No? In that case it's a good thing I got one." The fallen angel materialized his eight pairs of black wings. "Tomorrow we go to tell the Heavens to go screw themselves and see their heads explode from embarrassment. But we won't be exploding their heads ourselves. We'll also go and tell Devils to stuff themselves with their arrogant noble attitudes until it flows out of their ears alongside their brains. But we won't be melting their brains either."
Some uncertain noises came from the crowd.
"So what I'm saying is… No fighting, mmkay? Unless a completely unexpected undead attack happens, in which case go apeshit and re-murder the undead." Azazel continued. "But only the undead. Not the angels, devils or whoever else might show up."
A singular 'boo' came from the crowd, and then a giant anvil materialized over the 'booer'.
"Anyone else?" Azazel asked as the disagreeing fallen angel's head let a 'boink' sound and she fell to the floor, completely unconscious after the impact upon her cranium.
A couple of girls in skimpy leather bdsm suits seemed to disagree with Azazel's orders but backed off as Azazel hovered a finger over the remote in his hand, which would materialize an anvil on top of whoever he pointed it at. The device had been the result of Azazel attempting to replicate the devil's 'power of imagination', but had managed to only partially succeed in the task.
"Good. In case someone is wondering, Kokabiel-kun led an attack on the Underworld, which went totally tits-up and managed to get everyone involved killed, at least on our side. And the devils found a true guy or something who resurrected all of theirs who died. They can recoup from their losses, we can't. If we go into a prolonged war, we die out, eventually." Azazel continued. "That's basically why we're having this conference. In addition to some other details y'all don't really need or want to know about…"
"The True God…" A whisper came from the ranks.
"Yeah, that guy has something to do with it. Anyway, I'm not going to tell you who to worship or not, but if you start turning your wings to white then we'll have a problem." Azazel sighed as he realized he had gone off-track. "Anyway, put on your best military cosplays tomorrow and try to look intimidating."
Some of the male fallen angels looked somewhat approving of the words. Although the 'cosplay' part seemed to cause a few to reconsider their stances.
"...The devils are going to put up their best act as well, but they know they're still reeling from their civil war and unlikely to enter a new war anytime soon, and heavens are too busy trying to not to let their god's rotting system failscade utterly so they aren't going to be a massive threat either." Azazel nonetheless pressed on. "But even so, we can't replenish our numbers so war is not good news for us either. No matter how hard you guys try to replenish our numbers. But I can't fault all of you for trying anyway."
Some of the fallen angel women had gained lewd expressions in response to Azazel's speech.
"So with that in mind, try not to get yourselves and ourselves killed in an useless war tomorrow when there's so much more fun to be had, that doesn't involve trying to deep-throat a spear through the wrong end of our anatomy. Keep cool, keep your heads down, fling insults but not fireballs. That's about it. Anyone got an idea what to do until tomorrow?"
"Who's in for a giant orgy?" A lecherous-looking curvy woman lifted her hand. Azazel noticed that she had a golden chain with some kind of vaguely man-like icon on her neck.
"For the True God!" A girl on the other side of the cove had already flung her clothes off before the woman had ended her speech.
"Uh, I was thinking about a giant LAN party but sure whatever…" Azazel shrugged.
.
.
"...You know all there is to know." The Archangel motioned towards the ground below.
The armada of angels nodded in singular motion.
"Tomorrow we will descend." Michael moved his hands back into the sleeves of his robe. Above which he wore his golden-decorated armor. "You know the new sisters we have received, those that linger in the house we will visit."
The angels nodded, with Gabriel looking specifically hopeful.
"We can only hope that the signs show true. We can only pray that He has returned to us." Michael's speech continued. "Temper your faith with patience. Temper your hope with calmness. The devils know how to make us fall- They tease us with temptation. Know the fate of the Fallen Angels, and steel your hearts against excess- Be it hope, passion or fear."
The angels nodded once more, in perfect unison and calmness.
.
.
An undead being let one more dead body fall from its bony fingers.
"At last… At last!" The creature's joy came to a sudden, crashing halt, and only calmness remained. "...I can finally fulfill the Supreme Being's expectations with this… I have finally unlocked my Super-tier spell..."
The cat-girl in the corner of the dark, horrifying room let out a miserable whimper, fearing for all creation as she saw the power the undead creature wielded through the vision Senjutsu granted her. Through the 'view of life of things' that Senjutsu enabled.
'Koneko, I'm so, so, so sorry… I… I hope you'll be safe… mmrrrowww...' Kuroka felt her whole body cramp from terror. 'How I long to be with you, my beloved little sister… I-if I behave, p-perhaps… M-maybe I can c-convince this monster, if I do my part well, to leave her alone… T-that she has the same potential as me… S-she has Senjutsu too… I-if I convince master's Master, the Supreme Being, that she'll be even more potent than me, in time, perhaps the Supreme Being won't kill her and instead takes her under his service, instead of devouring her soul… e-even if the master discards me because of it…'
A silent prayer to the True God had been for naught, and Kuroka realized that she was already beyond such salvation. In other words, the only way she could survive was to make herself useful… And hope against all hope that she'd be able to convince her new masters of the two sister's usefulness.
She, after all, knew that she wouldn't be able to assassinate her current master if they threatened Koneko, like she had done with her previous master...
.
.
"...And now we stand! Together, united, strong! For I have gathered you all here today… To form us into a singular, devastating hammer- An army of Ragnarok, to fight against the End of Time!" A loud roar answered Thor's call as legions of Valhalla, rows and rows of Valkyries, dark elves, dwarves, and other residents of layers of Yggdrasil answered the speech. "Hark from the strength of your brothers. Hark from the families who wait for you. Hark from the glory of coming battles! TOMORROW WE GRIND OUR ENEMIES TO BLOODY DUST, OR DIE WITH OUR WEAPONS IN OUR HANDS AND OUR BATTLE-CRIES AT OUR LIPS!"
"ROAA! THOR! ODIN! HAIL THUNDER! HAIL ALLFATHER!"
"We form the greatest battle-force of all pantheons! Our armies stretch reality itself, and gods march among your rank!" Odin continued Thor's speech while the rolling seas of Asgard answered his call by turning wrathful while the sky turned dark with thunder, but instead of toppling over the longboats which carried the warriors of Norse, the seas themselves carried them forth. "We are a legion! We are the warriors of Yggdrasil! We are the defenders of the world! We are the soldiers who stand at the end of all time!"
"ROAA! ROAA!"
"WE ROW! TO RAGNAROK! TO RUIN! TO THE WORLD'S END!"
The massive armada moved.
.
.
A shadow moved in the endless void.
The motion of the greatest one carried forth, a gesture carrying intent, yet no form. Neither mass nor energy, but the antithesis of both.
A slightest twitch, the smallest nudge of a sleeping one whose dream made what was and was not. A change of reality made manifest.
The shadow moved in the endless void.
.
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A pair of great eyes opened.
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