章 22: Home is where the heart is

Once everyone disperse Masaru and Diehauser was alone in the room, Diehauser looked deeply at Masaru feeling variety of emotions but he was not sure if he should praise Masaru or scold him. Should he act as a father or as a Family member of the Belial Family, honestly he felt more proud than angry for his son's courage to not only face the dangers to learn about hidden enemies but he also went to save his own peerage member including the target he was after.

"Honestly... I too want to scold you yet at the same time I am proud of you my son... Just don't be too reckless next time okay?"

Masaru smiled wryly feeling that even his father was troubled after hearing what he went through,

"I will be working with Lord Ajuka for a while, so I doubt I will have chances to be reckless"

Diehauser smiled nodding

"I am certain that man will train you efficiently to deal with those creatures... He truly is a genius in researching after all... Despite being powerful"

"Do you have the confidence to convince that girl to join your team?"

Masaru looked at his father, for the first time he was uncertain. He only had minimal information about Jeanne after all, this recruitment mission was complete chaos ever since he came across those strange creatures.

'Would she join me because of gratitude for saving her? If not what can I offer her to join my team?'

Masaru chuckled nervously

"Honestly I do not have the confidence, despite knowing some information about her I have no idea what to offer her..."

Diehauser nodded thinking it was about time Masaru faced a difficult situation when recruiting peerage members,

'The times he gained peerage members were truly by luck, unlike the others this one he saved but unlike devils, she as a human can still choose to go back to the human world. Well, she only has the choice because of Masaru's personality, if it was a different devil it would not be strange if they forced her to join'

"Take it slow, leave her in the hands of your peerage members and allow her to rest today. Think about it tomorrow, you too should go rest."

Masaru agreed to his father's proposal as he did indeed feel tired, the continuous battles one after the other truly drained him and if he did not have the regeneration potion Circe gave him back then he might not have even lasted till now.

>\/<

"Ara, so your Jeanne?"

Akeno was currently taking a bath together with Angelica, Stephani and Ingvild, when the door slid open their attention was attracted to Shirone, Jeanne and Everest who were completely naked.

"Pleased to meet you! You must be Akeno right? Then the cute blonde girl should be Stephani, the busty silver hair will be Ange and the cute innocent Ingvild"

"Pleased to meet you too"

Ingvild despite feeling shy towards strangers she still greeted potential peerage members as she felt that since she was the queen she needs to at least do this much till she gets stronger, Jeanne smiled brightly thinking this girl who was the queen of that boy was truly cute! She went over quickly and hugged Ingvild from behind

"Kyaa!"

A lecherous smile form on Jeanne's smile

"Ara? Your breast feels larger and more sensitive than I imagined"

"No--... Don't"

Before Jeanne could continue a shiver run down her spine when she felt a finger trace her back all the way to her bum, she never experienced such a manner of touching and when she turned to look behind her, she saw Akeno's smile that made her feel like a puppy.

Slowly Akeno's hands moved towards Jeanne's breast starting softly while teasing the nipple till they became hard, when she pinched it even Jeanne could not help but moan loudly.

"Ara, your breast is quite sensitive"

"Kyaa...."

Jeanne's eyes became misty as she looked at Akeno with a complicated gaze.

Angelica kept her distance from the girls as she was the most sensitive one among them all, Everest did not even bother hiding and relaxed in the bath even if they start teasing her this dragon does not feel ashamed except for if Masaru would do it. Ingvild moved away from Jeanne and sat next to Everest with tears forming at the corner of her eyes saying

"I have been sullied, now I won't be a bride anymore"

Everest who heard this looked at Ingvild

"Then have Master take responsibility for you since he was the one who brought you here"

Shirone similar to Angelica peacefully relaxed in the water, since her body was small despite being well endowed in certain areas the number of times she was targeted was lower but it would change if she ever changes into her Neko-mode since Akeno especially loves to tease her ears and tail the most.

"We are all girls here, tell us are you interested to join Masaru's team?"

Jeanne was still a bit dizzy but the question still snapped her out of it since Akeno entered her "manager" mode,

"Well I am grateful for him who came to save me and all, but to join and become a devil all of the sudden? It's hard to decide"

Akeno nodded feeling relieved that this girl was seriously considering it,

"But right now I don't have a home to go back to, the church betrayed me and the only choice I have is to go back and struggle to survive or discard my humanity for a new life...."

Jeanne looked into Akeno's eyes

"What does your Master have to offer for me?"

"Nothing much, since the Belial family is still a Baron but there are talks about it getting a promotion to Count rank... So for now, I believe what Master would tell you is...."

When Jeanne heard this she could not help but laugh feeling this offer was naive, way too naive yet she could not help but feel attracted towards it.

"Your master truly is somewhat odd but truly kind. I will wait for him before I make my choice"

Akeno who saw the smile on the girl's face, she was no longer worried since Masaru promised her that his peerage pick up will be banned for at least a few months which should give them time to form stronger bonds.

>\/<

It has been two days since that night, instead of one Masaru extended his talks with Jeanne for two days instead. Within these two days, he and his peerage came to know this girl's personality, she enjoys giving everyone a nickname and even agreed that "Ma-kun- suites Masaru better.

Masaru naturally did not know what happened during the bath time and at nights when the girls would gather to chat with one another, even he felt that he was getting surrounded by girls and still did not have a single friend (Same-gender)!

On the second day Masaru took Jeanne out for a walk next to the farm fields, at first they began to talk randomly and honestly he was quite surprised at how girly this girl truly was compared to her natural talent as a swordswoman. That was his misconception of a swordswoman being manly instead of girly, thanks to Jeanne he fixed it before he might just get beaten for it.

Apparently Jeanne never knew of her parents as she was in the orphanage for as long as she could remember, she was planning to become a waitress to repay the orphanage for the care they gave her.

She did not make any friends because of her sacred gear that manifested when she was eight years old when a drunkard wanted to smack her, out of fear the sacred gear responded to her feelings and sliced off a few fingers scaring the drunkard away. Since then, no children actively approached her out of fear.

She never imagined the nanny whom she trusted the most was the first one to sell her towards that group of stray devils and priests, when she met Shirone it was her first time meeting a devil which she was supposed to hate but instead she felt more comfortable and even though becoming a devil might not be so bad after all.

"I have asked Akeno this before, but since I know you came after me because of a vision... I want to know what can you offer me for my life, my loyalty?"

Masaru smiled

"My family is still small and almost everyone had to find jobs at other places instead of our own business, it was only recently we began starting our clothing and restaurant business after all. What I can offer you is my support and my word I would always have your back, and most of all I can offer you a warm home who will welcome you as a family member"

Jeanne looked at him before saying bluntly

"You're trying to drag me into your Harem?"

Masaru's face turned beet red for a moment before he coughed a few times to calm himself down, He looked to the farm fields feeling a bit embarrassed since it was a girl that said such a thing so frankly.

"Ahem! Although it looks like this from the outside whether the girls in my team wish to be married to me or someone else, I will not stand in their way. What I wish is to build a team that can trust each other, stand up for each other, care for each other... Honestly, a team that is no different from a family"

Jeanne who saw Masaru's sincere smile looking at the field while speaking his heart out could only smile.

'Naive, selflessly naive yet kind... It's no wonder the girls in the team still stay together, but then again I can also see why they are having trouble managing this troublesome master. I will give it a try.... to trust one last time. If you break it, I will cut off your manhood'

Jeanne thought and if Masaru were to know, he would even Dogeza for the safety of his crotch.

"Very well, I am willing to join your peerage"

Jeanne kneeled in front of Masaru, she once received training as a knight, especially manners.

Masaru turned to face her as he took out his knight piece,

"Jeanne, I hereby announce you, my first knight... Use your sword to protect our family from our enemies... I look forward to many years together"

Jeanne allowed the knight piece to enter her body, behind her back a pair of devil wings materialized as she smiled brightly.

"I, Jeanne hereby swear as your knight. I shall use my sword at your will and be the guard of our family... Please take care of me from now on for many years to come... Master"

After a while of chatting Jeanne laughed

"To think you were naive, no wonder the entire peerage is full of girls!"

She felt it was funny the fact her master done something so stupid and now at this point, he could only recruit girls,

"Well, hehe I don't regret it. Each girl is competent and has brilliant potential. I honestly can't wait for the time we start participating in the Rating Game"

Masaru raised his hand towards the fake sun as if to grasp it.

"I want to see how far the team I am building up can go, in the Rating Game League"

"Well being able to train and even fight unrestrained in an area against other teams sounds interesting, so you can count me in"

Jeanne smiled, while the two of them continued to talk they started walking back into the Manor where the family already prepared a welcoming party for Jeanne.

"So you finally going to relax this time Masaru?"

Calfa pulled Masaru into her embrace, the family did not tell her the entire detail behind Masaru's adventure but she knew it was dangerous.

"Yes, don't worry grandmother. I remember I have a party I have to go to in a months time?"

Calfa nodded

"Yes, it will be your debut as the Heir of the Belial family, even if our Family is only a Baron we still need to make our appearance in the Noble society"

"Heh, I can imagine trouble happening with Big brother going to a Noble Party"

When everyone heard what Shirone said broke out in a peal of laughter, at least they held trust that Masaru would not bring shame to the Belial family at all.

"Luckily Shuri and I gotten some extra hands so the production of our designs will be faster from now on"

Diehauser thought for a moment before breaking the silence

"There will be families who will be trying to arrange marriage with Masaru once he debuts, it will be best we prepare for this especially you Masaru. I know some of the girls already chosen to live their lives together with you, but as a Noble, you are obligated to marry someone outside your peerage since you are the heir of this noble family"

The room was eerily silent, it was after all not an uncommon topic about Heir or Heiresses become engage from an early age but because of Masaru's late debut, he might get flooded with proposals.

So other than marrying Akeno and Shirone who already declared that they will stay together with him, from the Society's view he will have to marry someone from a different family and not within the peerage. This was after all necessary for Belial to gain support and also rise in Status, Masaru smiled wryly at his father who felt a bit apologetic

'The life of a Noble is not an easy one'

"Well I will consider it when the time comes, but for now I wish to enjoy our peace and quiet we finally earned... My two years and six months ever since I came home, it has been hectic with training. Meeting excellent peerage members I can fully trust and the thrill of life and death battles I have endured so far... So now I will be taking it slowly, study under Ajuka. Train together with my team and finally when the time comes... I will be facing you in the future, father"

Everyone especially the girls felt a bit touched at Masaru's sincere words, he truly considered them important, never pushed for a relationship but each of them could not help but start to become conscious of him as the opposite sex.

After a few talks the family began to share plans they already drew up for Masaru's team, Masaru will have to draw up his own plans but in two month's time for the next two years all the team members of the Masaru team will split up and be trained properly before the team reach the age where they have to start doing things on their own. Diana looked towards Masaru

"I intend to take Ingvild, Akeno and Ichika with me to the Military where I will continue their training and they will also work part-time"

Jacob finished swallowing his food added,

"I will be taking Shirone and Angelica with me to train while they will work part-time as part of the Royal Guards for the Bael family"

Julia smiled while looking at Stephani for a moment

"I will be taking Stephani with me"

Edward felt left out so he decided on the spot

"Since everyone is taking someone, I will take Jeanne and train her myself as a fellow Knight"

Everest smiled wryly at Masaru

"I will be going back to the dragon clan to request my father to train me from basics again"

Masaru understood the pressure he, Shirone and Everest experienced from the creature on the aeroplane was truly dreadful so it will only be natural as a Dragon she did not want to lose to anyone.

"I see, while I will be studying under Lord Ajuka I will be formulating a plan for my own company I intend to build. The company I intend to start will be a travelling agency where customers can call in, state what places they wish to visit and the company will then plan the entire trip including contacting other businesses to formulate a complete price. Well, just a company you can call to plan your vacation on your behalf without the hassle of researching prices and such"

Masaru added

"I have mentioned it to Lord Ajuka and he agreed to give me a plot of land on Agares, where I can then build the same branch Restaurant we have in the UK over there including a Branch for the clothing store for Grandmother and Shuri-san. And my Main branch for my Tourism Travel Agency will be based there"

"That is quite the ambition"

Dominic nodded thinking that it would do Masaru good if he were to start a company of his own from the foundation up. This will grant him experience for the day he takes over the entire family business in the future.

"The idea of starting a company in the Tourism is truly good since we do not have such companies in the Underworld yet, but if you intend to build it I suggest you wait till you have enough capital and manpower to man a branch in Lilith the Capital City as well and not only in Agares"

Masaru smiled at Dominic's advice which meant his grandfather also approved of his plans.

"Thanks, Grandfather, I will keep that in mind"