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64.1% Living as I Please (LAP) / Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"___" Text speech

'___' Internal thoughts

[___] status

(___) skills

(Great Sage:___)

{Author:___} author notes

Some things are subject to change depending on how I develop this story

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Grayfia's sharp eyes narrowed as she processed Meelis' words. Her hand still rested on his shoulder, and she felt the pulse of his demonic energy stabilizing, though her concern didn't fade completely. "A holy sword?" she repeated, her voice steady but laced with caution. "You were lucky, Meelis-sama. Most devils aren't as fortunate when facing exorcists equipped with such weapons."

Meelis let out a dry chuckle, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, luck, or maybe I just have some strange charm about me." He leaned back against the headboard, trying to shake off the lingering pain from the clone's death. His mind was working faster than ever now—everything was falling into place, but the incident had sparked an idea.

What he was going to do was petty, but that was who he was.

"Grayfia," Meelis began, shifting the subject slightly, "this exorcist was skilled. Very skilled. I think its best to head to Italy sooner than later. I'd rather not run into any more holy weapons, especially while we're still scouting for peerage members."

At that last comment Grayfia inwardly thought, 'Not run into holy swords, in Italy?' but did not say them since their trip was already decided.

Grayfia's gaze remained fixed on Meelis. She was still skeptical, but she knew better than to dismiss his words. "I agree," she said, her tone more formal now as she went back to her usual Maid Mode. "We need to remain cautious. But tell me, Meelis-sama, if this exorcist was so skilled, how did your clone get caught? I thought you were being careful."

Meelis grinned despite himself. Grayfia was perceptive, too perceptive, as expected of a centuries old Devil. "I was being careful. But the clone was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe I underestimated how many of them were patrolling the town." He chose his words carefully, keeping his knowledge of the DxD plot close to the chest. No need to reveal everything, even to someone as loyal as Grayfia.

She nodded slowly, though her sharp eyes lingered on his face. "This exorcist… do you have any information on him? Who exactly did you encounter?"

Meelis paused for a moment, contemplating how much to share. He didn't want to give too much away too soon, but withholding details might make Grayfia more suspicious. "From what I could tell, his name is Touji Shidou. He's strong, fast, and definitely no rookie. He had a holy sword, which explains the clone's unfortunate demise. But don't worry, I'm not going to make the same mistake again."

"Not to mention I especially disguised myself so that I wouldn't have any issues correlated with my identity, now it seems it both came in handy, and it probably was also the reason I got attacked." Meelis said with a wry look.

Grayfia's expression softened a bit at the name. "Touji Shidou..." she repeated. "That's someone we should keep a close eye on, but at the same time we should not worry about him for now. He's one of the most capable exorcists in this area. He has ties to the church, so he will not act out without any orders especially in this area since it is devil territory."

Grayfia stood up, her usual calm and controlled demeanor returning. "I'll begin preparations for our trip to Italy. But Meelis-sama, please exercise caution. You may have been attacked by accident, but you never know when something similar can happen again."

"Yes, you're right, I definitely don't want to be slashed again, Ill be more careful next time don't worry."

Meelis watched her as she left the room, her form graceful but imposing, as always, specially from behind. Once she was gone, he let out a long breath, his body still aching from the clone's experience.

'Touji Shidou, Masaomi Yaegaki, Cleria Belial.' Meelis thought to himself. 'Cleria's doomed lover should be here if Touji is here, the tragedy isn't far off now.'

He knew he needed to keep his distance, for now. If the characters from the plot were already here then too many eyes were currently watching Kuoh Town, and until he could secure more power and influence, he'd have to tread carefully and act from the shadows. But the fact that almost everyone from that event were here meant that the clock was ticking on Cleria's tragic fate.

As Meelis lay back in bed, he closed his eyes, mind racing with possibilities. Italy would offer new opportunities, but he couldn't let his guard down in Kuoh. The pieces on the board were shifting, and soon enough, he'd be ready to make his next move.

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-Scene Change-

The next morning, the group prepared to depart for Italy. Meelis, now recovered, was feeling more confident as he stood alongside Rias, Grayfia, and both of their peerages. Rias, ever the optimist, was eager for the journey, oblivious to the undercurrents of power plays that Meelis was calculating.

As Grayfia prepared the teleportation spell, Meelis caught one last glimpse of Kuoh Town from the window. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting long shadows across the familiar streets.

'This town,' Meelis thought, 'both now and in the future, is full of potential, and danger. I need to be ready.'

As the plane ascended, Meelis closed his eyes again, thoughts racing back to the young Issei and also Irina. They were still just children, unaware of the storms gathering around them. But soon, they'd be part of this grand game of fate, and Meelis intended to make sure he was the one pulling the strings.

As for that Idea that Meelis had, it was nothing too grand, he just made another clone without anyone knowing while he was resting, not even Grayfia knew he made another clone after she was gone.

The purpose? Well, Meelis left a clone to act on his behalf, its job was to meet three people, specifically, interact with Issei, and meet Irina, for that slash to his chest, Meelis would make sure to repay Touji. As for the last person, Meelis wanted to meet Odin, or at least try too, it might come in handy if he meets the top dog of Norse Mythology.

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LP: 500

Devil Nobility Class: Low, Mid, High, Ultimate, Special (these are the actual cannon rankings of DxD)

Devil Strength Rank: Low(F), Mid(E), High(D), Ultimate(C), Satan(B-), Maxed Longinus(B), Dragon Kings(B+), Heavenly Dragons/Super Devils(A), Indra/Shiva(A+), Ophis/Red(S+ to EX)

 


Chapter 24: Chapter 24

"___" Text speech

'___' Internal thoughts

[___] status

(___) skills

(Great Sage:___)

{Author:___} author notes

Some things are subject to change depending on how I develop this story

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{Author: The adventures of clone Meelis will pick off later.}

{Author: Hi guys im happy to be back, I didn t actually write a chapter today since I am still a bit busy, this is one of the chapters I already had backed up, anyways glad to be back mid terms are always stressful, unfortunately I still have some mid terms to do this week luckily its only 2 so I should be more free again by this weekend so I can type a new chapter out.}

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As everyone teleported to Italy, they immediately took a look around the surroundings.

While they were devils, and the Vatican was nearby, they weren't killed on site as despite everything The Angels and the Devils were essentially on a ceasefire to prevent their numbers from dwindling further.

The only real danger is the exorcists since humans have a more hostile view of Devils than the Angels, luckily for them the Humans of DxD usually have lower potential than the other supernatural races and aren't as strong as a high rank devil. That's not to say a human can't beat a High or Ultimate Rank devil or Angel, its just that it is very rare for a human, without the aide of a Longinus Sacred Gear or becoming another race like a Devil, Vampire, or Werewolf to reach such heights.

So, while they had to be careful and not be attacked by hostile exorcists, they were mostly unimpeded while exploring Italy.

Rias took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Italy… It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "I've always wanted to visit."

Grayfia, ever composed, scanned the area, her eyes carefully observing the humans and the faint auras of any supernatural beings that might be lurking nearby. "It's peaceful now," she said, her voice low, "but we must remain vigilant. The Vatican's influence is strong here, and while the angels won't act aggressively towards us right now, we're still at risk from exorcists and independent factions."

Meelis was less concerned with the aesthetics of the place. His mind was already racing with plans. Italy held not just history and culture but also secrets, Powerful swords, the Excalibur fragments, and more importantly, potential recruits for their cause. The humans here may not be as strong as devils or angels, but some were dangerous in their own right, particularly those aligned with the Church in some way or another, like how Cao Cao possessed the True Longinus.

Meelis crossed his arms, his gaze moving toward the cathedral in the distance. "We need to gather information first. While we're not being actively hunted, we can't afford to be careless. We should split up and scout for potential peerage members, sacred gear users, or anything else of interest."

Grayfia stepped forward, her tone cautionary. "There are several exorcist groups operating out of Italy, some of them unofficial and rogue. They might not abide by the Church's rules. If they catch wind of devils roaming their territory, we could face resistance. We should avoid the Vatican for now."

Meelis nodded in agreement. "We'll avoid any direct conflict with the exorcists. If we can stay under the radar, we'll have more freedom to explore. Besides, it's the potential recruits I'm more interested in."

Rias looked thoughtful and spoke, "We should be able to sense any strong presences nearby, especially if they have a Sacred Gear or some supernatural ability." 

Right before they all split up into groups for their safeties, Meelis added, "While we are splitting up to search for peerage members, we should meet up in a few hours in this exact spot, if we found no one then let's take a break and find something to eat, maybe we might have better luck if were not running around like headless chickens."

"Nyaa~~, you hear that Shirone? Chicken" Kuroka in her mischievous style taunts Koneko knowing full well Koneko would take the bait.

"…Idiot." Koneko gives the stink eye to both Kuroka and Meelis and makes it a goal for herself to find a peerage member before anyone else, then maybe ask for some snacks as a reward.

And so, everyone split up, Meelis taking Grayfia and Rias together since they're the leaders of their groups and arguably the most important people in the group, so taking the Strongest Maid in the world with them is no big deal.

Kuroka ended up going with Koneko and Akeno, which Koneko regrated since Akeno is basically an SM, with her S tendencies at the forefront, and Kuroka has the personality of a cat, so she's constantly pulling pranks on Koneko to draw away their boredom.

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-Scene Change-

The group began their exploration of Italy with a mix of caution and curiosity. Meelis, Rias, and Grayfia moved through the city with purpose, each of them keenly aware of their surroundings. Italy was rich in history, and with the Vatican nearby, the air seemed charged with a sense of ancient power.

Despite the weird looks they sometimes got from two kids running around with a maid close behind them, they were already used to such stares by now so they focused on their tasks.

Meelis, while searching for potential peerage members, was not as enthusiastic since he doubted he'd come across anyone particularly great, so he was just killing time until the time came to pick up Kiba and hopefully Jeanne if he was lucky.

They started in the heart of Rome, where the energy was strongest. The winding streets and bustling crowds made it easy for them to blend in, though Meelis and the others kept their supernatural senses on high alert, scanning for any unusual presences.

Their first destination was Piazza Navona, one of the most famous squares in the city. The square was a mix of modern tourists and ancient Roman architecture. At the center stood the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, a massive fountain that depicted four river gods from different parts of the world.

Rias admired the view, her eyes lighting up as she took in the artistic beauty. "Even with all the conflicts between the supernatural factions, it's incredible how humans have created such wonders. You can feel the history here."

Meelis, however, was less interested in the fountain. "Humans have their strengths, they aren't all that great, their potential and lifespan are a big hindrance, but somehow their society seems more advanced than ours, well except for the magic part."

"Let's go to another area, from the looks of It we won't find anyone here." Meelis said.

While it might sound like Meelis is doing a poor job, Meelis is actually using Great Sage to search around the city for sacred gears and knowing there are no good sacred gears around he wanted to continue looking elsewhere.

"Then let's look in another part of Italy." Grayfia said as she teleported them away. Being proficient with magic has its perks, especially when it comes to travel .

Later, they ventured closer to Vatican City, the heart of the Catholic Church and the seat of immense holy power. Grayfia had advised against getting too close, but Meelis was insistent on passing by here.

The closer they got, the more oppressive the Holy energy became. It wasn't enough to harm them, but the holy auras radiating from the area was undeniable. The vast St. Peter's Basilica loomed in the distance, its grand dome casting a long shadow over the city.

"I can feel the wards from here," Rias murmured. "There's no mistaking the power of the Vatican. Their barriers are strong."

Meelis grinned, unbothered. "It's impressive, but not impenetrable. We're not here to pick a fight with the Church, but knowing their defenses will be useful in case we ever fight."

As they walked along the perimeter of Vatican City, they noticed several figures watching from a distance, exorcists, dressed in casual clothing but clearly alert. Their eyes followed the group, though they made no move to approach. Meelis could feel their hostility, though it was restrained.

Grayfia stepped closer to Meelis, her voice low. "We're being watched. We should be more discreet from here."

Meelis nodded but didn't slow his pace. "Let them watch. As long as we don't cross their boundaries, they won't act."

Despite the uneasy atmosphere, the group continued their exploration. They passed through several quiet streets that bordered Vatican City, careful not to draw too much attention. The further they walked, the closer the location of that Sacred Gear user got, according to Great Sage.

As they got closer through one of the alleys, Meelis could hear what sounded like fighting, at least on the level for humans.

As they entered the alley, they could all see several men beating a group of kids, with a blonde-haired girl standing up to fight them, only to get hit too.

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LP: 500

Devil Nobility Class: Low, Mid, High, Ultimate, Special (these are the actual cannon rankings of DxD)

Devil Strength Rank: Low(F), Mid(E), High(D), Ultimate(C), Satan(B-), Maxed Longinus(B), Dragon Kings(B+), Heavenly Dragons/Super Devils(A), Indra/Shiva(A+), Ophis/Red(S+ to EX)

 

 


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