Kouske's POV
After just a night of rest, Lavinia returned to her bright and cheerful self. The three of us reached school without any interruptions.
Today, Saji also came to school, visibly exhausted and profoundly sad. It was apparent to everyone, and efforts were made to cheer him up, with the teachers being particularly mindful.
Feeling a sense of empathy, I decided to give Saji a gift, hoping it might alleviate some of his future pains, as I didn't really harbor any ill feelings towards him.
I purchased a C-ranked Sacred Gear from the Shop.
Starlight Haze (C): It enables the control of beams or arrows made of Light.
Though not extravagant, it's still a High-tier Sacred Gear, particularly effective against devils, who are so weak against light. Sona would likely appreciate having someone like Saji in her peerage. After school, when no one was looking, I injected the Sacred Gear into his chest. Now, all that matters is for nature to take its course.
I also bought an A-ranked Sacred Gear Extractor. I went to the park to find Issei, and there he was, being himself, absentmindedly staring at the street. Utilizing the Sacred Gear Extractor, I removed a glowing red orb emitting a significant amount of dragon aura from his body.
Thankfully, I cast a barrier around us and used Time Magic to halt time, ensuring privacy. After extracting the orb, I stowed it away in my inventory. It seemed to vibrate, possibly indicating a desire to communicate, but I wasn't in the mood for dealing with Ddraig's antics at the moment.
[Do you not even want to talk with him a little?] asks Clarice.
"Not now. I will talk to him later," I replied to Clarice. Dispelling the barrier, I was heading home, but not before casting a pitiful look at someone who remained oblivious to having lost the most precious thing in his life, still staring lewdly.
But before going I thought about it a little and concluded that I should at least give Issei some kind of a Sacred Gear so that he can protect himself in this world. So I purchased a Twice Critical from the Shop and injected it into him. Then I went back home in a pleasant mood.
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It's been a while since then. During this time, I have also met with Sona a few more times. She's a chess ADDICT, that's for sure. She actually believes chess can reveal everything about a person and can be used strategically in life, especially in times of war.
I won't deny its usefulness, but life is not so simple. It's not just a game of chess. No one in the supernatural would just abide by a set of rules in times of war. That's just wishful thinking. I have had many chess matches with her but never won any, unfortunately.
Currently, I find myself at Akatsuki's Headquarters in the Demiplane, where I am overseeing the construction of additional buildings for lodgings and related purposes. I am also establishing spaces for entertainment, playgrounds, and various shops to cater to everyone. The vision is to transform this into a fully functional city in the future.
The gangsters have identified numerous individuals responding to the device, a considerable number of whom are children. They most likely remain undiscovered and unaffiliated. My priority is to reach out to them before other factions do. In the meantime, I am diligently tidying up the place.
Lavinia and Momo are in the Slime Dungeon, accompanied by Sakuya. Meanwhile, I plan to discuss dungeon matters with the Azusawas.
After a while in this location, I make my way to the hidden chamber within the Alchemy Lab Building, where my magnum opus resides. The machine is tirelessly churning out EEE and various other potions, having already produced thousands. I plan to gradually incorporate more of these into the laboratory.
For now, I am focusing on crafting Mana Potions. After what seemed like months within this time-encased space, I (we) have at last discovered a formula for these potions.
Mana Potion Recipe:
Ingredients:
1. 3 Crystalized Silverfern Petals - Harvested under the ethereal glow of illuminating green crystals in the Demiplane and later crystallized.
2. 2 Celestial Crystals
3. 5 Essence Blossoms
4. 2 drops of Mystic Nectar taken from the roots of the Nectar Tree.
5. 1 Crystalized Moonlight Petal taken from the Moonlight Tree.
Instructions:
1. Begin by finely grinding the Crystalized Silverfern Petals into a powder using a mortar and pestle.
2. Gently infuse the Celestial Crystals in purified water for an hour to extract their celestial essence.
3. In a cauldron, combine the powdered Crystalized Silverfern Petals, the essence of the Celestial Crystals, and the Essence Blossoms.
4. Add 2 drops of Mystic Nectar to the mixture, stirring clockwise for optimal infusion.
5. Carefully place the Crystalized Moonlight Petal into the cauldron, allowing its properties to meld with the concoction.
6. Simmer the mixture over low heat for 30 minutes, ensuring a thorough blend of magical components.
7. Let the potion cool, then strain it to remove any remaining particles.
8. Bottle the resulting liquid in a vial, sealing it tightly.
After confirming its proper functionality through testing, I decided to utilize the MagiAlchemix Enchantifier for the production process. Remarkably, it efficiently crafted a sizable batch in a surprisingly short span. With the machine now brimming with carefully selected ingredients, I entrusted it to carry out its alchemical tasks, allowing me to return home with a sense of accomplishment.
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Omniscient POV
hum~ hum~ hum~
On the quiet streets of Kuoh, a short, black-haired, deviously beautiful young girl, adorned in a magical girl cosplay, strolls with a slow, entrancing gait. She hums a melodic tune, the rhythm echoing through the night air as her childish face adds an intriguing contrast to the alluring atmosphere.
She's Serafall Leviathan, one of the four current Satans of the Underworld.
She walks slowly towards a beautiful mansion. Upon entering the premises, an aged butler opens the door for her.
"Greetings, Maou Serafall-sama. It's an honor to meet you again," says Hiroshi with a bow.
"Hello~!"
After that, Serafall was guided inside. In the hall, she saw all the members of Cleria's Peerage present, each offering their greetings.
"H-hello," says Maria timidly.
"Mou~. Maria-chan is still so distant," says Serafall dejectedly.
But then, Serafall suddenly hugs Cleria affectionately, which somehow embarrasses Cleria a bit.
"Hello~, Cleria-chan. How have you been?" says Serafall energetically.
"Hello, Serafall-sama. We have been expecting you," says Cleria.
After some casual conversation with everyone, Serafall shifts into her serious mode.
"So, where was it that you encountered the Cluster?" Serafall inquires.
"It was on the outskirts of the town, near the bridge. Have you found anything related to them?" asks Cleria.
"Well, the orb that you handed over was a communication device made by and frequently used by Grigori. It also contained traces of holy energy," says Serafall.
Previously, Cleria had given Serafall a strange orb that they found in the Cluster's hideout.
"Does that mean Grigori was behind them?" asks Rangiku with concern.
"We can't tell. We couldn't recover any data from the orb. It only had the function of a receiver. It couldn't be used to make contact with the opposite side. So the Cluster must have only been getting one-way orders through that thing. So we can't pinpoint their location," says Serafall.
"Oh!" exclaims Cleria dejectedly.
Given the current three-way standpoint between the three factions, she knows they cannot make moves without any solid evidence.
"So be more careful from now on, especially if you encounter any fallen angels. Though I doubt Azazel would be behind this, the biggest suspect is Grigori. I even had a meeting with him about this, but he had no idea about it. This device can apparently be obtained quite easily by their members," Serafall warns them.
"Nn." nodded Cleria.
After discussing other topics related to the Underworld, the mood shifted to a more casual one. They chatted for a while and had some drinks after lunch, thanks to Rangiku who pulled Serafall into joining for a drink.
"Now, I have to leave as I have some unfinished business. Take care, everyone. Bye~" says Serafall as she gets up to leave.
"Bye. Let's meet again, Serafall-sama," says Cleria politely.
"Let's have more drinks together sometime," says the already drunk Rangiku.
"Ha ha ha." Serafall laughs as she leaves, guided by Hiroshi.
Serafall's POV
I walk towards Momo-chan's house, knowing that So-tan is supposed to be there today. I'll use this opportunity to surprise So-tan and meet her friend. Perfect plan~.
When I entered the house premises, one of the servants approached to inquire about my identity.
Maid: "How may I help you?"
Serafall: "Hello. I am here to meet my precious So-tan. She came to play with her friend in this house."
Maid (skeptical): "So-tan?"
Serafall (jovially): "My little sister, Sona Sitri."
Hearing that, she stiffened a bit. It seems even though she's just a normal human, she at least knows some bits about the supernatural.
Serafall (with a pout): "I don't bite, you know!"
Maid (flustered): "I will take you to her."
After that, she took me to the second floor where I could see 'Momo's' written on a door. She knocked on the door a few times.
"Yes?" came a voice from inside.
Maid: "Umm...Sona-sama's sister has come to meet her."
Upon hearing her, I heard a few noises coming from inside and my precious So-tan's voice. So I quickly entered the room to find So-tan standing up... and I jumped in to hug her tightly in my chest so that I could refill my reserve of Sonalium from her. I hadn't seen her for a while.
Serafall (while rubbing her face with Sona): "So-tan! I missed you."
Sona (loud with a tint of red on her face): "Onee-sama! Unhand me!"
After a few close moments with my So-tan, I let her go. When I turned back, I saw two people inside the room, one boy and a girl.
"Hello~. My name is Serafall Leviathan, a Mahou Shoujo!" I say this while striking a pose, bringing out a wand in my hand.
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My exams are ongoing, and they will only end on March 3rd. So I am pretty busy and in tension these days. I just hope every one of the exams goes well.]