"Wow, you're getting big Bova." Corvus said as he watched his Rook and Queen spar. After moving in to the house he'd bought in Kuoh, he'd had the basement of the house renovated to be bigger, and more durable so that he and his Peerage could train in there. The enchantments placed on the walls prevented any shockwaves from escaping and causing earthquakes in the neighborhood.

"He is indeed." Georg agreed, adjusting his glasses. It'd been almost a year since he'd joined up with Corvus as his Queen, and he quickly came to realise that he didn't regret it. Bael delivered on his promise of books, materials, and funds from his Clan, and then some. He'd learnt much, and has made use of all of it. He even put the various Traits of the Queen Piece to good use under the tutelage of his Master. Who knew Corvus was such a good swordsman? Or a Martial Artist? Though, rather than swords, Georg found himself more partial to staves. They worked better with his Sacred Gear. And there was another individual that could teach him better than Corvus could.

Case in point, when the huge, now 5m tall, Dragon of a Rook spat a massive ball of meteor fire towards the Hero Descendant, he drew the black staff he carried on his back and spun it in front of him, allowing the fog of Dimension Lost to travel along its length, creating a circular shield in front of himself, made of purple fog. The fire hit the fog and dissipated into nothing, although not without visible effort from Georg. Blocking Dragon's fire with Dimension lost was not the easiest thing to do. Not at the moment anyway, but he managed.

"Nice." Bova grinned. The prospect of an opponent who could block his attacks excited him. It meant a much more intense battle if the two ever really went at it. "And, if you think I'm big now, just wait till I'm my Dad's age!" He hit his two fists together. "I'll be towering over you like a skyscraper!" He whooped.

"Is Tannin really that big?" Georg asked of his Master, who nodded.

"He's huge, and powerful too." Corvus said, his respect for the former Dragon King evident in his voice.

"Why did he become a Devil though?" The Queen asked as he and the Rook relaxed their stances.

"Dragon Apples went extinct in the human world, so now they only grow in the Underworld." Corvus told him, crossing his arms. "Tannin became a Devil to claim the territory where they grow, so that the dragons that need them to survive can do so." He explained. "He also went on to become one of the Top 10 in the Rating Games once he got his own Peerage." He added.

"That's quite noble, and impressive, of him." Georg acknowledged, looking at the Rook. "Did you become a Devil to follow in his footsteps?" he raised an eyebrow at the look of annoyance on Bova's face.

"No…" The dragon said through gritted teeth, crossing his arms with a huff.

"Becoming my Rook was essentially a punishment for him." Corvus said with an amused smile in Bova's direction. "Bova was always getting into trouble way back when." He said, shaking his head. "Looking for strong opponents to fight, destroying things with his breath to make it stronger, even pulling ridiculous pranks on the other dragons in the territory. He was known as Bova the Destroyer." He ignored the growl Bova gave. "Eventually, the complaints got too much for Tannin. He called me to his territory with the offer." he sighed, running a hand though me hair. "Though it was ultimately his decision, I had to defeat one of his brothers before they allowed me to reincarnate him."

"Heh, I still laugh when I remember you mimicking a dragon's roar." Bova grinned wickedly, earning a sharp glare from his King.

"You did?" Georg asked in shock.

"His brother wouldn't shut up about how superior dragons were to Devils." Corvus scowled, crossing his arms. "So I put together a small magic circle in front of my face, and roared like a dragon, simulating a dragon's breath with my Power of Destruction." he sighed as Bova started laughing.

"It was the wimpiest roar I ever heard, the destruction it caused aside!" The Rook roared with laughter as Corvus' eye twitched. Even Georg looked like he wanted to laugh. Taking a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone.

"Hello, Rias?" he said into the device, making Bova freeze at the name of one of the other two Pure-Blooded Devils living in the town. "Yes, I was wondering if Akeno wanted to come and play with Bova?" he asked politely. Not wasting a single moment, Bova made himself scarce. "That's what I fuckin thought." Corvus smirked, putting away the device that he hadn't even unlocked.

"Clever." Georg said in amusement.

"Any comments you'd like to provide, Jon?" Corvus asked with a polite smile.

"No! None at all!" The Queen said quickly. The King put on a satisfied smile and nodded. Georg could only roll his eyes, a small, good hearted smile on his lips.

"Excellent. Now, let's go see how the other two are doing." He suggested, heading over the door which leads to the second room in the basement. With a nod, Georg followed after his Master. After opening the door, Corvus eyes widened as something shot towards him. "Jon, duck!" he yelled, dropping to the ground. Georg quickly followed as a snow white sword with a golden hilt shot right towards, and over, them.

"They're at it again." Georg said bluntly as he and his King stood up again.

"So they are." Corvus sighed, looking into the room.

Inside, there were two individuals who were supposed to be sparring. Instead, they seemed to be wrestling like a couple of children with superpowers. One was Connla, wearing his his usual suit and shades. The other was a girl, about the same age as Connla, maybe a little older, with long blond hair, and bright sky blue eyes. She wore and orange tank top, a pair of dark blue cargo pants, and a pair of black boots. Given her attire, and her skills, Corvus once actually called her 'a sword wielding Lara Croft.' A compliment that the girl really appreciated. Though it didn't quite fit with her cheery and childlike personality.

"Why are you two fighting this time?" Corvus asked of his two servants, his Bishop and his recently reincarnated Knight.

"He/she started it!" They both yelled at the same time.

"And I'm finishing it." Corvus shot back in annoyance. He sighed when the two got away from each other, grumbling and glaring. In the room they were using, there were several blades protruding from all over, and several swords having been embedded in the walls; projectiles no doubt. "Firstly, get rid of all this Jeanne." He instructed his Knight, who nodded. With a snap of her fingers, every sword she'd summoned from her Sacred Gear, Blade Blacksmith, disappeared into thin air.

Jeanne, also known as Joan d'Arc, inheritor of the Holy Battle Maiden's spirit, was inducted into Corvus' Peerage as his Knight around a month ago. It started with Corvus walking through the streets of Paris to look for a nice birthday present for his mother. She had a taste for French Grand Marnier, and Corvus ordered a very special bottle for her. Fun fact about Sylvia Baal; she actually really loved booze. Call it a weakness, call it a flaw, but she simply loved alcohol. She was by no means an alcoholic, she knew how to regulate herself, but no Devil in the Underworld could match her alcohol collection. And her tolerance was beyond impressive.

Digression aside, Corvus had coincidentally ran into Jeanne when he decided to take in the sights on top of the Eiffel Tower. He just stood there, looking over the most romantic city in the world. He did care for his Peerage, more than most Devils would, though not quite at the same level of the Gremories, but some time to himself was a welcome change. Especially with all the crap that goes on at Kuoh Academy, where he enrolled along with Rias, Sona, and their Peerages. Due to persistent request from both of them, he agreed to enroll in the same year as the two of them, despite being a year older.

Anyways, he just stood there, looking over the City of Lights, balancing nonchalantly at the very tip of the tower with his hands in his pockets, taking in the sight as his cloak flared. He didn't know how long he stood there, but he heard a voice calling out for him. Imagine his surprise when he sees someone he knew as a villain before he was reborn. Standing before him was the Hero Faction's Jeanne, also known as Joan d'Arc. She was standing on the tower's balcony, looking at him wearily, her hand resting on her rapier. He looked at her with no expression, but inside, he was grinning widely. If he could snag her into his Peerage, that would make three Hero Faction members that would not join the Khaos Brigade. Not to mention the power he'd have in his group.

After assuring her that he had no ill intentions towards the city, or the people in it, she relaxed somewhat, and they started talking. He feign surprise when she introduced herself as the Holy Battle Maiden, whilst she was quite surprised to find out that the son of the Great King Bael had decided to take a small vacation in Paris. After that, their conversation went in every possible direction. They spoke about the city, the tower, their homes, their ambitions and many other things. She surprised him when she told him that he wasn't the first Devil she'd interacted with without her sword at their throat. Apparently she's met several Devils that didn't try to kill her, or vice versa, in her career as an Exorcist.

Despite her cheerful and childish personality, she was a surprisingly good conversationalist.

After some time, Corvus had noticed that Jeanne didn't seem all that happy with the things she spoke of. It took a bit of pressing and convincing, but he managed to get her to open up a bit more. Her words surprised him. She wasn't happy with her life as an Exorcist. Not just as an Exorcist, but as Joan d'Arc. In her own eyes, she was Jeanne, not Joan d'Arc, not some Holy Battle Maiden, just Jeanne. But everyone at the Church expects her to be Joan d'Arc; not since she was a child did she have an opportunity to just be herself.

Her parents, devout Christians, were elated to find out that their daughter had inherited the Holy Maiden's spirit, and did not hesitate to hand her over to the Priests when she was only two. They thought they were doing right by their God, and by their daughter. Their hearts were in the right place, so she really couldn't be too hard on them, but the only thing she really, truly, longed for was a family again, something she'd never have. Not so long as she was loyal to the Church. But she couldn't just leave either. She was stuck.

She looked so vulnerable and hurt, Corvus' heart bled for her. He wanted to offer her a spot in his Peerage, he really did, but despite his greed and selfishness as a Devil, he could never take advantage of someone so vulnerable. Instead, he said what he could to comfort her and assured her that things would get better. Though she wasn't totally convinced, she was happy that someone could understand where she was coming from. It warmed her. They continued their conversation until they had to part ways, though Corvus did give her a summoning pamphlet for if she wanted to talk again. With that, he transported back to his house, hopeful for his next servant.

It wasn't a week later that he was summoned back to France by her. He'd found her being attacked by what looked like a group of women draped in cloaks. They seemed familiar to him, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Regardless, he was quick to assist the young blonde in fighting off these women. By the power they displayed, he could tell they were Devils, reincarnated no doubt. But where was their Master? They weren't Strays. Why would they be attacking a Holy Maiden?

Nonetheless, he was able to chase the gaggle of girls away and get Jeanne out of there. Something that unsettled him was the presence he could feel, a strangely familiar one. Given Jeanne's background and looks, it didn't take him long to guess who was hiding nearby. Clearly, he Jeanne was meant as his next conquest. Young Bael refused to let that happen. That in mind, he brought out his wings, grabbed onto the girl's waist, and shot into the sky, flying a good distance before landing safely.

Imagine his surprise when the girl thanks him a tight hug and a big kiss to the cheek.

After they'd calmed down, Jeanne explained what had happened. Apparently, she had been found out in her interaction with Corvus. Somehow, word had gotten out that she hadn't killed him on sight, which wasn't a bad thing, given the fragile peace they'd established, but the fact that she'd actually gotten friendly with him didn't sit right with the higher ups. Any other Holy Maiden would have been given an intense lecture of reprimendation and some punishment, but because of her status as Joan d'Arc, they'd been much harder on her. They saw no other alternatives than excommunicating her as a Witch and a Heretic. Days pass, and she gets attacked by other Devils.

The story made Corvus' blood boil, and he would have been much angrier, if it hadn't been for one thing; Jeanne's expression. She didn't seem upset, or sad, or angry. She seemed… happy. Her expression showed one of relief, and freedom. When he questioned her about how she felt, she surprised him with the brightest smile he'd ever seen from her. It actually made him blush subtly. She told him that she felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She said she never felt such relief. She told him she had never felt such freedom. For the first time in forever, she was her own person, with her own life, and her own choices.

One such choice was to accept Corvus' offer to become his servant. He was going to tell her that she's free to decline, or take time to think over the offer, but he didn't get the chance. She accepted without any resignations, saying that for the first time ever, her loyalty was her own choice. And that's how Corvus Bael got his first Knight. He'd offered her a different Piece, but she insisted on the Knight, stating that it was the piece she wanted. She was going to strive to be the greatest swordswoman this world has ever seen, so she chose to be Corvus' Knight.

A Knight that seemed to always be at odds with his Bishop. No matter what he does, no matter what he says, he just can't seem to stop them from going at each other's throats every time they're in the same room together. He didn't understand why, and he didn't think the two reincarnated Devils knew either, but these two just can't work together. That is something Corvus would need to work on, and soon.

"Alright you two." he said to his two servants, who stood before. "This little war between you two has gone on long enough. It ends now." He said, massaging his temples. "I don't expect the two of you to be the best of friends, but at the very least, can you not manage to act professionally?" he asked tiredly. The two grumbled, but accepted. Hopefully, this time, it would stick. But, just to be safe, he decided to add a little insurance. "And, if another squabble breaks out, I'm quite certain Rias will have no issue with loaning me some of Akeno's time to assist with training." he said with a dangerous smile. Both the Knight and the Bishop paled at the prospect. "Understood?" he asked.

"Yes sir!" They both squeaked. Georg couldn't help but sigh. He has nothing but the highest respect for his King, but Corvus Bael can be really scary sometimes. Still, he probably should have played that card a long time ago.

"Excellent." Corvus put on what would pass for a cheerful smile on him, before letting out a breath and returning to his monotone expression. "Now, I want the two of you to keep training together. Jeanne," The Knight stood at attention at her name. "You still need to control your Knight speed. I know it was a huge increase, but the sooner you adapt, the better." he told her. She nodded with a cheerful smile and a salute. "Connla, I realise that you have a strong compatibility with your Sacred Gear, but I need you to learn to rely on Night Reflection less, and on your Bishop trait more." Connla slumped a little. Being a Bishop, he had no shortage of Demonic Power. Using, however, was proving to be difficult for him. His Sacred gear does what he wants it to with little more than a thought, that's how close he and Night Reflection were connected. The concentration and focus required for Demonic Power on the other hand, was a different story. Not to say he was hopeless with it, but he infinitely prefered his Sacred gear. "I've been lenient with that issue for a long time, but that has to stop. You are my Healer and Clergyman, my Bishop. If your Sacred Gear becomes a clutch, there's no telling what the consequences will be." Bael said firmly.

"Yes Master. I'm sorry." the teen hung his head in shame.

"Don't apologise." Corvus told him. "At a later date, you and Jon can have some one-on-one training, but for now, we're headed to the Academy." he told his two servants.

"You and Georgie are going to school?" Jeanne asked with a tilted head. "On a Sunday?"

Georg groaned loudly. "For the last time Jeanne, it's Georg, not George." he said with deep sigh of exasperation.

"But Georgie is cuter~!" Jeanne said cheerfully.

"That aside…" Corvus rolled his eyes, hiding his amusement. "Jon and I will be meeting up with Sona and Tsubaki for Jon's staff training." he explained. He may be adept at wielding a number of weapons, thanks to his mother, but Tsubaki Shinra was much better than him, and could teach the wielder of Dimension Lost much better than he could. "Any questions?" He asked.

"None."

"Nope!"

"Good." Corvus let out a small sigh. "Jon." He caught his Queen's attention. Getting the message, the Queen snapped his fingers, summoning a magic circle at his feet, and his Master's. "We'll be back before sunset. Connla, it's your turn to cook tonight." He reminded his Bishop, who nodded.

"C'ya Corvie~" Jeanne gave a cheerful farewell, waving. Corvus groaned.

"The struggle is real." He said to his Queen dully. Georg could only nod and agree, equally exasperated.

"I really appreciate you and Tsubaki taking time out of your schedule to help Jon and I, Sona." Corvus said to his childhood friend, Sona Sitri, as the two Pure-blooded Devils spectated their Queens practicing their staves. They sat at the benches in the school gymnasium, sharing a pot of coffee, while their Queens trained. Tsubaki and Sona wore the Kuoh Academy school uniform, whereas Georg and Corvus wore their usual outfits.

"It is no issue Corvus. I rather like our get-togethers, truth be told." Sona responded stoically.

"As do I." Corvus returned, taking a swig of his coffee. A few moments passed in comfortable silence. "Summer vacation is approaching." He said out of nowhere.

"Yes, it is." Sona agreed with a sigh. "As is the Young Devils Gathering that comes with it."

"What do we tell our families?" Corvus asked. Sona's cheeks dusted a soft pink as she thought it over.

"I don't know." She said honestly.

Several months ago, both Corvus and Sona's mother had contacted them and expressed interest in having their children marry. If Corvus married into the Sitri family, that would bond the two families and generate quite the profit for the Sitir family, not to mention the medical practices of the Sitri family could be beneficial for the Bael family. There would also be numerous benefits for both clans due Corvus' relation to the Baal Clan, and his Clan Traits could provide strong children.

"Father has been encouraging me to pursue Seek." Corvus spoke up after a moment of silence. Corvus could see the benefit there too. The Agares Clan is in charge of most of the Stray Devil hunts. If the a member of the Bael Clan married into that family, then the Bael Clan could make use of that trade as well, which could reduce the number of Reincarnated Devils Straying drastically. Not to mention, combining the Clan Traits of Bael, Baal, and Agares Clan could produce one powerful child.

"I see." Sona responded, her face thoughtful. Though Corvus had never beaten her in a game of Chess, despite their almost daily games, she would not oppose to taking him as a husband. He was a very intelligent individual. He didn't show much emotion, though it was more than her, and she could respect that. They had plenty of intellectual conversations, which she thoroughly enjoyed. He was also quite powerful. As a Devil, Sona was naturally attracted to power, mainly for the sake of having her children inherit said power in the hopes of being able to make it in the Underworld. Corvus would indeed make a good husband for her. "I'll tell you same thing I've told every other suitor I've had." She looked at him. "Beat me in Chess, and I'm yours." She said simply.

Corvus couldn't help but smirk in amusement. Seekvaira had the same condition, but with Rating Game. As did he, to avoid being forced into a marriage with a dumb, snooty Devil bitch who only wants a flashy Peerage.

"Fair enough." He said with his amused smirk. With that, Sona snapped her fingers, summoning a Chess board from her home, and setting up the pieces as their Queens continued their practice.

Having finished their Chess game, with Corvus losing, as per usual, the two Pure Blooded Devils had continued their conversation, speaking of all manner of topics, until their Queens completed their session. Georg was surprisingly fast in learning to use a staff. It worked well with his Sacred Gear, and he proved to use the speed and strength of the respective Knight and Rook traits from his Queen Piece. If Corvus was honest with himself, he still wonders if it was the right choice to use the Queen on Georg. He doesn't regret it, but it might have been a good idea to try more of his Pawns, given Dimension Lost.

Speaking of which, Corvus had made sure that nobody knew what his Queen's Sacred Gear was, or that he even had one. Like Sairaorg, he believed it to be a good idea to keep the Longinus he wields a secret. The only ones who knew were Corvus, and his Peerage. Georg also agreed. If fighting against an opponent like Corvus' brother, a surprise use of the Fog of Extinction could be the difference between victory and loss.

Now, after having dinner, prepared by Connla, Corvus had called his Peerage into the living room to tell them about the upcoming Young Devil's gathering. After Connla had finished washing the dishes he's used to cook, they'd all gathered in the living room.

"So, what's up Master?" Connla asked as he sat with the rest of the Peerage, sans the Rook.

"We're just waiting on Bova." Corvus said. Almost as he finished his sentence, the miniature dragon hopped up onto the couch, next to his King.

"Whattup?" The son of Tannin asked. Before anyone could ask…

"Bovie!" Jeanne suddenly gushed, swooping in a grabbing the cat-sized dragon into a tight hug. "Oh, you're just so cute like this!" She giggled happily, nuzzling the dragon's cheek with her own. His scales aren't as hard or sharp when he's the size of a housecat.

"H-help!" Bova croaked through the strangling that Jeanne's bear hug had caused. Was surprisingly strong for a Knight.

"Jeanne." Bael spoke up with a soft sigh, getting his Knight's attention. "You can cuddle with Bova later." he told her, giving her a blank look. "I need to speak." He reminded her.

"Oopsie~" Jeanne stuck her tongue out, winking. She let go of Bova, much to the dragon's relief, and sat back down at the couch she was on before. Bova, recovering from the vice-like grip of the over-excitable Jeanne, had opted to sit on his King's shoulder, mainly to avoid another of Jeanne's hugs.

"Now, as I'm sure you're all aware, summer is approaching, and with it, comes a yearly tradition amongst the Devils." He explained to his Peerage.

"The young Devil's Gathering." Connla spoke up. Corvus nodded.

"The Young Devil's Gathering." The Pure-Blooded Devil confirmed. "Every year, around this time, the Clan heads come together along with any of their children who are old enough to lead a Peerage. Ie, those who are 13 years old and up." He went on to explain. "The purpose of such a Gathering is to keep relations good between the Clans, negotiate possible marriages between Pure-Blooded children, and for all to keep up with the politics." he gave a sigh. "I, unfortunately, am required to attend. Connla and Bova have attended the last few with me." he said, gesturing to his first two servants.

"You're saying we have to go to the Underworld for Summer." Georg summarised, earning a nod from his King.

"Come the first day of Summer, we will all be going to the Underworld, alongside Rias, Sona, and their Peerages." Corvus announced. Reactions were… mixed, to say the least. Connla and Bova weren't fazed. Georg was more curious than anything else. Jeanne however, was not reacting very well. She was once an Exorcist, a Holy Maiden. Going to the Underworld was a scary prospect for her. "Rest assured Jeanne, the Underworld is not fire and brimstone like the Church teaches." Bael said with a small, amused smile.

"I-I know." The former Holy Maiden stuttered out. "I-it's just, the thought of meeting Pure-Blooded Devils aside from you is nerve-wracking." She admitted. "How is Lord Bael going to react to his son taking in Joan d'Arc?" She asked with a bitter smile.

"His reaction is irrelevant." Corvus said with a shrug. "If it annoys him, I honestly can't find a reason to be concerned. And if he doesn't approve, he can't do anything about it." He assured her. "I will not let him lay a hand on you." He promised. He was surprised when he saw the satisfied smile on Jeanne's face, along with a blush.

"Should we leave the room Corvus?" Georg asked with a smirk.

"Excuse me Jon?" Corvus narrowed his eyes at his Queen, who simply shrugged.

"Looks like Master's charm extends to more than just maids and servants, huh?" Connla grinned, leaning back.

"W-what?" Jeanne asked, her face lighting up red, this time for a different reason.

Bova looked between his King and the Knight. "Is this some kind of mating ritual for Devils?" He asked naively. He even tilted his head, not noticing Jeanne go redder or his Master's exasperated sigh. "Strange. Very different than with Dragons." He gave a shrug.

"How do the Dragons mating rituals work?" Jon asked, his curiosity peaked.

"They fight until one can't go on any more. Whoever comes out on top, stays on top." Was Bova's blunt reply.

"Delightful." Corvus said, hanging his head with a sigh. Georg and Connla simply laughed, whilst Jeanne sat there, her face red. Bova just tilted his head, completely oblivious to the reasoning behind the Peerage's varying reactions to the current topic of conversation.

OK, let me just apologise for taking so long to update. When I first started this story out, I was SO into it. Then, for whatever reason, I got really buried in my Fire and Blood story. Now I'm a bit… 'eh' on everything. Rest assured, I intend to go far with this story. However, real life is getting to be a bit of an issue. Writing as a whole is starting to lean towards the back of my mind. I've been trying to write my own original novel, but that's a bust.

Anywho, I said before that I have spots in Corvus' Peerage open, but I neglected to mention which spots. Now, I'ma be honest, I'm kind of unsure where to go with Corvus' Peerage right now. Here it is so far:

King: Corvus Bael
Queen: Jon Georg Faust
Rook: Bova Tannin
Rook: (Secret)
Knight: Jeanne
Knight:
Bishop: Connla
Bishop: (Secret that we all know)
Pawn(M): (Secret)
Pawn(3): (Possible candidate in mind)
Pawn(4):

Now, I know I said there was not going to be anymore men in the Peerage, but there are two individuals that I believe would be awesome for Corvus to have in his Peerage.

So, you'll noticed there are two spots open. A Knight, and someone that must take up four Pawns. If you have any ideas, please let them be known. The three pawn spot is also up for grabs, just btw. That one I'm still debating. And please make sure that it's plausible. Someone like Cao Cao or Vali will not be turned by a Knight or four Pawns. Not with their respective heritages and Sacred Gears. Even if Corvus is strong.

Now, there characters that are big no-no's for me, including, but not limited to: Ravel Phenex, any of Riser's Peerage, Irina, any more Longinus wielders(One of the secrets has a Longinus), or Hero Faction members. If you REALLY want one of them, then go ahead and suggest it, but please give a good reason why. Oh, and no OCs either.

Just remember, you guys aren't deciding. You're just giving recommendations and suggestions.

Thx for being patient with me!