Chapter 3 – The Dangerous Game We Play

After an intense game of tennis and dodgeball involving liberal misuse of demonic energy, the winner privileged to choose their familiar first ended up being Rias' group. As they've previously agreed, Iselia and Sona were waiting for Rias in the sanctuary post house after their visit to the forest. Of course, to stave off boredom, the two wasted their time through idle chit chats. Their topics ranged from the latest devil society gossips to school matters, and their family while the rest of Sona's servants idled about trying to be surreptitious in their eavesdropping.

"You know Rias is unhappy about it. Why do you have to say something that provoking, little aunt?" The Paimon heiress lamented with a sigh, placing her chin on her palm which was resting on a circular table. Seated in the observatory deck built on the tallest point of the post-house, they were all enjoying some snacks while some were trying to catch a glimpse of one of the sanctuary's famous residences. So far, they've only seen one of the crystal dragons species flying over them which was enough to awe most.

Adjusting her glasses slightly, Sona tilted her head, catching what little light that reflected on her glasses. "It wasn't my intention to provoke her. Did I say something that isn't true?" Resisting an urge to facepalm or faceplant on the table, Lia eyed the perfectly neutral expression on the short-haired girl's face. "..." This one might be scary smart, but she's surprisingly a bit insensitive sometimes. Or it might be because she didn't understand Rias' feelings as she hadn't experienced the same problem.

"Sona, you know how Rias viewed her engagement. It isn't in a favorable or positive light." Magenta colored eyes met one another, one imploring the other in deep thought.

"Hm... Regardless, she still cannot escape her obligation." Opting for a soft exhale rather than tearing out her hair in an undignified manner, she declared her aunt a lost cause. Who would have thought Sona became such a stickler to the rules, agreeing to whatever the council cooked up and believing all of it for the betterment of their race instead of catering to the nobles' selfish desires? She might have sung a different tune if she didn't escape her engagement though. Maybe that was just it?

"Should you not be concerned with your fiance instead, Iselia?" Frowning slightly, the white-haired teen wondered what everyone saw in her relationship with Ajuka Beelzebub to come into a weird conclusion. Was it the way he treated her? While there was an undercurrent of affection somewhere, she was pretty sure it wasn't the romantic kind. It was just different from how Sairaorg and Vali treated her regardless of how intimate Ajuka acted in public.

"I have no problem like Rias is facing right now. And even if I do, I can't do anything about it considering who exactly he is. If anything, the council and our society will eat me alive if I do anything rash." Granted, with her parents around the damage wouldn't be as extensive and can be mitigated easily. Besides, she also had a feeling that her engagement wasn't quite as simple as it looked. Massaging her forehead to relieve an incoming headache, she peered around the deck to check on the others, particularly the only male exuding a very distinct aura of a draconic race.

Unlike his peers who were discreetly eyeing her in curiosity, his steel-grey eyes fixed upon the horizon on a mountain where she knew many dragons made their lairs, without a doubt unconsciously attracted to the same kind. There were surprisingly a lot of dragons in their generation, which might have foreshadowed something. A creature representing absolute power coming out by the droves was never a good thing, especially during peaceful times.

"Perhaps one of the more adventurous ones will be interested in forming a contract with him?" She mused quietly.

"With Saji?"

"Huh?"

Both the King and her pawn called out one after the other, one curious and the other looking startled. Iselia smiled, somehow making the pawn retreated in shock. Geez, was her smile scary?

"Nothing. I was thinking about the perfect partner to introduce to Saji." Tapping her nails against the tabletop thoughtfully, she decided to bring the groups to see the dragons first to check their compatibility. Would it be comparable to Vali's affinity with the dragons where they often mistook him as one of their young? If so wouldn't it be amusing to lump the three dragon-based sacred gear users together and throw them to dragon lairs and enjoy the scene?

"I have a feeling that I do not like where your thought is going." Little aunt murmured in muted apprehension, triggering an amused smirk from her. If there's anything she enjoyed more than spending her time leisurely, it was enjoying the shenanigans others went through when she wasn't required to clean up after them. It was therapeutic in the strangest of way.

"Be at ease. This one is certain that all of you are capable of handling it."

"If you think that sounds remotely assuring, you think wrongly. And the way you speak, it usually means trouble."

Ah, how little aunt knew her so well. Smiling ruefully and waving her hand nonchalantly while getting up from her seat, Lia signaled for them to follow.

"Well, let's get going."

"Rias and the others haven't-"

Glowing red light originating from a crimson crest rotating slowly in the middle of the room lent a rather gloomy atmosphere to the deck, signaling the arrival of the Gremory group. The eerie red light right behind her obscuring her front with shadow until only her glowing magenta eyes were the clearest.

"You were saying?"

"How did she-"

"Ara ara~ what's going on?" Lia turned and smiled happily at Akeno, scanning the Gremory group carefully for any injuries and glad to find none. However, a flash of indigo scales on the cute blonde priestess caught her attention.

Oh? Interesting. To catch the attention of the dragon race regardless of its species' behavioral pattern, this girl might be something after all.

Made no mistakes, Lia didn't dislike Asia Argento neither did she favor the girl. In a way, she detested the girl's weakness yet envied her at the same time for being able to rely on others to keep her safe. Was there a time when she was allowed to be weak? Relying on others when she had yet to obtain her strength to defend herself was fine, but it wasn't a permanent solution. There was never a choice but to grow stronger, to become more. Because she just knew that her parents wouldn't be able to shield her under their wings forever, not like how this emerald-eyed blonde would be treasured just because of her sacred gear ability. Lia knew she was petty, as selfish as she was, she also knew Asia didn't grow up surrounded by loving family.

With a soft exhale and a rueful smile, the Paimon heiress shook her head to dispell her silly thoughts. Admittedly, she was petty and jealous of the blonde former saintess, or Rias' servants in general. But she did have something they didn't have, despite all the responsibilities that came with it. Even if she did wonder what it would feel like to be treasured if she wasn't born as privileged as she was now. Then what about Sairaorg and Vali?

"Haa... What am I even complaining about?" Iselia Paimon chuckled, earning concerned and curious looks from the others at her melancholic tone. Indeed, shouldn't she be grateful instead? Just how many in this world could boast like she? Where did these strange thoughts come from, to make her question her fortune like an ungrateful fool?

"No, it's nothing. Please don't worry about it. Anyway, let's go, to where the crystal dragons dwell!"

"Wait a minute, Lia-chan! Crystal dragons!?" Ignoring the apprehensive and terrified look Rias shot her, she dragged the other two heiresses with her down and into the depths of the sanctuary.

...

...

In a lavish rococo-style office done in various shades of blue and platinum cast furniture, Lukrezius Dantalion Paimon sat atop an ornate blue cushioned armchair, personal seal stamp in hand, a subtle frown furrowing his brow. A thick stack of files laid on the elaborately carved desk being the subject of his stare would have burned to ash were he a Phenex. Placing the seal back into the top drawer, the silver-haired man leaned back into his seat a soft almost inaudible sigh escaping his lips.

It hadn't been a productive day for him, what not with his inability to escape from memories that haunted his thoughts. One said that time would eventually heal all wounds, and Lukrezius wondered on the verity of that belief. Time didn't heal all wounds. Sometimes, it rotted and festered them, causing even more harm, just like how it made him thought about the countless possibilities that he missed had he been given a choice.

At that time, if that person had given him a choice, a chance to prove that there were other ways, how different would it be? For one, he wouldn't be here or meet the others, nor would he meet his beloved daughter. But would it have been better? That perhaps the loss and the tragedy that was that person's death wouldn't have happened. If he had said no, would that person denounce him regardless?

"There are no other ways, my son. You have to do this. Only you can do this."

Shifting in his seat slightly, he crossed his legs with another exhale and a quiet groan.

He remembered very clearly when those melancholic eyes stared imploringly at him, so unlike the dignified and affectionate looks usually directed his way. It was the very last time the blue-eyed male had ever seen that affection. Because the next time they met, that love had turned into sorrow and regret. As if that person regretted deeply of his request, his last order when it was himself who said that there were no other choices.

If you regret it so much in the end, why did you ask me to do it, Father? Is it worth all the sacrifices, in the end?

They were questions he had no answers to, nor would ever have.

His shadow on the carpeted floor writhed, showing multiple pinions bursting out of his back, some stretching and arching against each other. In reality, there were no such appendages on his back. He knew what it represented, like how Sirzechs' power was the symbol of his very being. A true form.

The door clicked open gently, bringing in the familiar scent of winter rose and sweet berries. A flash of smooth obsidian and purple magenta caught his attention as the owner tip-toed close. Dressed elegantly in a royal purple dress, hair down and curled slightly at the end was Serafall Leviathan, his wife. Gone was her usual childish style, replaced by this mature and elegant woman who would make any hot-blooded male sit up and pay attention. There was no hesitation when her alabaster arms reached out to circle his neck or when she pressed herself close, settling into his lap.

He made no move to dissuade her when she tugged on his already opened collar to bare more of his skin, instead, leaning back further to allow her more access. It had taken him a significant amount of time to build her confidence to come close, to touch, and to take what she needed from him. And even then, he knew she still feared and felt insecure despite the confidence she outwardly portrayed. It had been a while since the last time they shared an intimate moment, with all the work they needed to do.

Soft velvet lips trailed kisses down his chin to the column of his neck, affection lacing the deed instead of lust. He allowed himself to relax under her gentle ministration, not even batting an eye when his wife found the need to mark his skin. Gently pulling her hair to get her head away from his neck, he decided to return the favor by dropping his head right between her collarbones, nipping on the exposed skin and suckling gently to leave a mark of his own. With that done, the man sighed, resting his weary head on the soft surface that was her breasts.

"You've been holed up in the office since morning, Lu-kun." Her dainty fingers carded through his messier than usual hair, smoothing it into a semblance of order. "Is something the matter?"

She was patient, waiting for him to answer in his own time rather than rushing him like she usually did the others. To others, Serafall was a hyper and cheerful woman who had the dubious honor of serving as the devil race's head of foreign relations. Many wondered how any work finished when that kind of personality was in charge. Most speculated that it was he who was working behind the scene and Serafall let them thought all they wanted, having no qualms in using him as a visible shield. He had no idea whether he should scold the woman for her audacity of pulling him into the spotlight when he was trying hard to disappear into the background or commend her for the intentional misdirection.

"You are aware of Sirzechs' plan." It wasn't a question but a statement. With her practically in charge of contacting representatives of other factions, Serafall was the core of their current project.

"I am." The obsidian-haired woman hummed, pausing in her ministration to place a hand on his chin and tilting his head up to look into his glowing gaze. "Is it about Lia-chan?" His silence was answer enough for the mother of their subject of conversation to understand everything. She sighed then, framing his face with her small hands.

"You know, Lu-kun. The moment Lia-chan showed an indication of that ability, the first thought that crossed my mind was to hide her far away from everyone."

Funny, he also had the same urge too.

"Because at that moment, there will be no escaping from what both of your futures entailed." Icy blue gazed steadily into watery magenta, ending with him averting his eyes to the side in a rare show of defeat.

"And I don't want that. Not for our daughter, and especially not for you. I want you to stay here, by my side. Is it so wrong to be that selfish even if it costs the world? Why must it be you and no one else?"

Why must it be me, huh?

"There are no other ways, my son. You have to do this. Only you can do this."

No other choices but this. Truly? But,

Serafall's soulful gaze searched his own, beseeching.

She was giving me a choice, Father.

Instead of answering, he dropped his arms around her tiny waist, pulling her body closer to plant a kiss onto her pliant lips. She paused for a few seconds before winding her arms around his neck, nails digging into his scalp as he licked the seam between her lips to request entry which she had no reservation of granting. He twined their tounges in a sensual dance, inviting the wet appendage into his mouth to give it a nip, only stopping when they required some oxygen. The silver-haired man didn't spend much time and continued his assault as soon as she gasped her first intake of air, tasting the salt of her tears on their lips and set on the task of devouring her, sorrow and all.

She already knew his answer despite his silence, and there was nothing he could do about it. She knew he wouldn't apologize for his choices, nor would he regret it. What she wasn't aware of was just how much he wished it could be different, and while he wouldn't regret his choice, he would regret not staying with his family.

Lukrezius chuckled ruefully, letting the overwhelmed woman buried her face onto his chest as he took a turn in carding his long fingers through her hair.

"It seems like the only thing I am good at regarding you is giving you pain."

She shook her head faintly, nuzzling further into his hold.

"I keep hurting you, again and again. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, even with the decisions I make. But despite that, you still stay with me where I would have given up. You are too good to me, Serafall."

"N-No!"

Blinking at the rather forceful denial, he allowed her to pull herself away slightly to stare back at him, taking in her determined teary face.

"I have g-given up once. I thought that no matter how much I tried, you would never look at me the same way you look at Rhia. But I was content because you agreed to let me stay by your side. Because you allowed me to love you and for me, that was enough."

His breath stalled for a moment as he stared at his wife, feeling a bit overwhelmed, and something else he couldn't name. There was fierce love in her orbs, the intensity almost scaring him, and thawing his icy heart at the same time.

"I..."

"But then you suddenly looked at me with affection, touched me as if you treasured me, and when I see how much love you spare for our daughter, I just- It wasn't just enough anymore! I want-"

He cut her tirade off with a well-placed finger on her trembling lips.

"I know." With a quivering smile on his lips, he shushed her gently and dragged her back into his embrace. He had almost forgotten how it felt to be that little boy who always felt overwhelmed, unsure, and insecure. But of course, Serafall just had to be the one to drag that part of him, buried deep somewhere unknown back out again.

"Thank you."

...

...

"LIA! I SWEAR TO THE SATANS! CALL THESE THINGS OFF!" Gorgeous multicolored faceted gems of varying sizes perched on top of the nearly buried crimson-haired girl, with various others in the same position. Over half of them sprawled on the floor of the cave system they found themselves in, buried under an avalanche of moving and purring gems on closer inspections were serpentine or dragon-like creatures. Most of them sported light-colored schemes as opposed to their darker colored cousins, which dwelled deeper under the tunnel and were less friendly.

"A- Ahaha..." Lia smiled amusedly at the blond knight trying to extricate himself from curious hatchlings without hurting them, wary of the watchful eyes of the adult dragons perched on various vantage points in the darkness of the cave. "Iselia-senpai, may I be a bit presumptuous in requesting your assistance?" Stormy gray eyes gazed at her pleadingly, the owner then flicking his gaze on his feet where the creatures accosting them were attached. The varying shades of green, purple, and gold didn't catch her attention as that tiny kind of crystal dragons weren't that rare. Instead, her eyes strayed to the sheepish' ikemen neck where a bejeweled slender creature with close resemblance to Asian dragons if not for its shorter body, sharp stained glass-like wings and long slender feet coiled.

The small dragon has beautiful vivid crimson scales, adorned with golden filigree paired with clear round blue gems on its joints and stained glass crystals as wings, mane, and underbelly. It was a Sacrilis Dragon, a species incredibly coveted by imperial courts and religious organizations for its abilities. These dragons could calm an enraged or agitated mob with its presence alone, also inducing confessions and truths out of sinners and liars. She had no idea how Vali managed to entice an entire group of this particular species to follow him back home, but she never expected one of them would even approach someone other than the three of them.

Lia laughed softly, plucking close to half dozen protesting hatchlings from her polite underclassman. How peculiar, to find these silly dragons liking strangers enough to swarm them to the ground. But of course, whether the more dangerous and bigger ones took a liking to them or not has yet to be seen.

"Thank you very much, senpai." Yuuto bowed slightly, reaching out a hand to steady the unexpected passenger on his shoulders. He shot it a troubled but fascinated look, glancing at her in askance.

"You're welcome." Shooting a calming smile at the troubled knight, she nodded at the purring creature on his shoulder. "It seems like you will end up with a new contract by the end of this trip. She likes you."

"Iselia!"

"Oh dear, we better go help them. Here, bribe the little ones with these. Be careful not to let them climb onto your limbs." At Sona's flustered shout, she magicked a few medium-sized bags filled with low-quality gems from her spatial dimension, handing a few to Yuuto who looked puzzled. "These are snacks for them. You can ask the little kitten, Yura, and Saji for help." True enough, only the rooks, and surprisingly Sona's pawn was still relatively free and standing despite the mob of heavy purring gems perched on various parts of their bodies.

"Ah, okay."

It took them fifteen minutes, with a few of the more stubborn ones requiring intervention on her part involving higher quality gems that attracted a few of the adults, which startled the group to near panic as some of them landed with an alarmingly heavy thud. If any of them landed on their person, they would no doubt become a pancake smeared on the ground. As it was, they continued their way deeper into the end of the cavern where the tunnels opened towards a seaside cliff, an artificial environment requiring a lot of help from her parents and Ajuka to make. The salty breeze generated from a magic device and formation was spot on, giving birth to rolling waves and tides that crashed onto the cliff's lower surface with a reverberating crash. Everyone except her two childhood friends gaped at the magnificent sight, startled that something of this magnitude existed in the Underworld.

Rias giggled softly at the agape mouths sported by the former humans, looking out at the horizon where clear blue water stretched endlessly.

"Akeno had never been here, nee."

"Incredible." Koneko murmured with a cookie she was munching on. Briefly, Lia wondered where the snack on her hand came from before dismissing the random thought.

"It took my parents and Ajuka-sama around two years and a half to get the sea environment ready. I think they shouldn't have because it gave Vali and Sai more excuses to hunt seafood." In the last part, she grumbled in resignation. There was no dissuading the two when they made their mind, not even with her puppy dog eyes.

"I thought you only have water dancers for water-based familiars?" Sona tilted her head questioningly, shooting unfathomable gaze at the deep blue surface that denoted its depth.

"Well, not quite... You see-"

A few kilometers off their standing surface, the seawater frothed and bubbled as something seemed to rise, a hint of a dark blue crystalline blade bearing a close resemblance to a massive sail-structured fin with sharp ice blue spikes cut through the water surface followed by a large splash of beautiful barbed tail shaped like an elaborate fan. Massive tidal waves that might as well be a tsunami crashed to the stone surface, with Lia freezing the water closing on the group with a negligent wave of her hand. The wall of ice crumbled and melted back into liquid, floating eerily still for a moment before a graceful, sharp serpentine snout poked through, prompting the others to take hasty steps back.

"Um... Morgenstern-senpai?" Hyoudou's voice shook, a wild look that was his fight or flight instinct triggered in the face of something they knew was dangerous. Lia glanced at them, spotting most of them with terrified looks as they tried to stand their ground, legs shaking. Rias' peerage was mostly okay other than Sona's. At least they were still standing even if they were shivering like leaves in the wind.

"It's alright. Regis didn't mean any harm. He is just here to greet us." As if agreeing with her words, the serpentine creature let out a soft and beautiful keening sound, slowly nudging forward to let its sharp snout rested against her shoulder with another questioning croon.

"Unbelievable." Sona fixed her askew glasses, wiping some water droplets off with her handkerchief.

"Iselia-sama is that... It can't possibly be a Leviathan-class water dragon, can it?" Tsubaki near stuttered in complete shock, trying hard to gain her composure under the sharp icy gaze of those slitted eyes. The silver-haired heiress didn't blame her for losing composure. The first time she saw Regis, she almost went into a panic attack until Vali coaxed her back to calmness. It was a somewhat understandable reaction, considering that Regis was the pinnacle of his species. There were a lot of water and flood dragons, but there were only less than half a dozen Leviathan-class water dragons in the world, and all of them fell into Dragon King Class right under the Five Great Dragon Kings.

"He is." She confirmed happily, prompting those who understood the implication to pale a shade further.

"A-and it's your contract beast, Paimon-sama?" One of Sona's bishops, the wavy white-haired one exclaimed in a wide-eyed fascination.

"... No. Consider him as Vali's familiar instead."

"... He gave it to you, didn't he?" Rias deadpanned dryly.

"A-Ahahaha. Regardless, Regis will only obey Vali, right?" A soft croon of confirmation followed by another large splash somewhere behind the scaled gigantic water dragon prompted the others to relax.

"Vali? You meant that basta err- I meant your brother, senpai?" Saji corrected himself in the nick of time, with Hyoudou perking up in interest. Vali, what did you do to these underclassmen to have them despising you this much?

"Indeed." The look on the two boys' faces was as if they lost faith in the world. "Although he isn't my brother. We just used the same surname for convenience's sake."

"Wait, what!?"

The questioning croon rumbling close on her front prevented her from answering them.

"My apologies, Regis. Vali was a bit busy and can't spare time to visit you. But I will tell him that you miss him when I see him, okay?" An agreeing nod was all she got before the great head turned to look at Sona's group curiously. Iselia blinked, now even more curious when Regis bend closer towards Saji who froze on the spot. Did he sense the dragon residing inside the boy's sacred gear? The serpent dragon snorted, moving his focus to other members, this time the two quivering bishops, Kusaka and Hanakai.

"Is he sniffing them?" Rias came up to her side, a frown between her brow as she questioned over the puzzling behavior of the gentle giant.

"I think he sensed Vritra's presence. But it doesn't seem so now." Lia answered with an amused smile. "They might have gained a great boon from this trip, Rias. Although, your knight caught me by surprise." The crimson-haired Princess flicked her hair back from her face, turning to look at the said knight who was cradling a beautiful crimson-blue colored specimen, surrounded by a fascinated Asia and Koneko. An equally tiny purple-scaled dragon on the blonde bishop's arms peered curiously at the crimson bundle, completely mesmerized to the point of not shocking the males in the vicinity with his thunder for once.

"A sprite dragon for a first familiar. I can't tell whether your new bishop has an affinity with dragons or it's just her purity taking effect." The Gremory heiress gave a conspirational wink, twining their arms together with a cheerful hum.

"Aren't we talking about Kiba just now? But why, are you jealous of our Asia-chan?" A brief flashback of being chased around by nesting dragons caused her to shudder. "I think I am." She muttered under her breath. "It's a different kind of 'favored' altogether."

"Huh? What did you say just now, Lia-chan?"

"Nope, nothing."

Another disturbance from the water below and startled cries of Sona's group caught their attention, with her sighing quietly in the back when everyone approached the newcomer. A smaller looking deeper colored serpentine form staring curiously at them. Unlike Regis, this was an inferior species of dragon, specifically a flood dragon, and Regis' mate. For a moment, the smaller dragon seemed to communicate with the larger Regis with quiet melodic trills, going back and forth for a while before she turned to look at Lia. The mated pair trilled out questioningly, curling their upper body over the baffled groups of devils towards her on the back.

"Hm... Since the two of you approve of it, that means it's doable. I will ask if they agree or not." Petting the sharp protruding snouts reassuringly, Iselia turned to look at her little aunt with a victorious smirk.

"It might not be a water dancer, but what do you say about water dragon as a familiar, Sona-nee?" The speechless and floored expressions were amusing enough to induced trilling laughter from the flood dragon.

That surmised how Sona's peerage became a caretaker to an unhatched water dragon egg, and later a mischievous baby water drake.

...

"To think a Leviathan took a liking to Sona. Should I say it's fated considering who her sister is?" Rias sighed with a wry smile as they made their way through thickly forested areas without the Student Council President's group. Since Sona's group more or less fulfilled their reason for being here, Lia excused them first. Besides, with a treasure like a dragon egg in their hand, it wasn't possible to explore further. Along the way here, they've also encountered countless fierce exotic beasts that, if given a chance would have devoured the egg.

Some of their appearances legit scared some of them to jumping and screaming like a schoolgirl. And despite some of them being beautiful, Issei himself who was the one searching for a familiar didn't seem enthusiastic when countless others would have jumped at the chance.

Sighing ruefully, Rias paid close attention to the girl who might as well be her sister from the corner of her eye. There was no hesitation or caution in the glimmering purple orbs that was staring straight ahead, unmoved by the beauty of the artificial ecosystem or the occasional dangerous yet beautiful beasts surrounding them. Despite growing up together, Rias thought that Iselia ended up more mysterious by the day. It was as if a yawning abyss with no end in sight was standing or staring right at her whenever the silver-haired girl was around. It was a very familiar feeling, as if-

Like Luka Onii-sama whenever he visited Onii-sama.

Of course, considering that Iselia was Lukrezius' daughter, the feeling, flavor, and depth of her energy would be the same as his. But to even possess that imposing tint that was the signature of every current Satan? She only knew of one person their age with this kind of atmosphere around them, but that very same person was of impressive lineage and therefore excused. The reason Rias felt complicated about the matter was that she had never seen Lia fought before, not even training her power. Indeed, there were many examples of aristocrat children being powerful even without proper training, and Lia's parentage itself was already a guarantee to her might. But then, shouldn't Millicas be the same?

But he wasn't; outside of his proficiency in using his demonic power, which meant that Lia had been training hard for a long time. But why wasn't anyone aware of this? Not even Sona! A complicated expression briefly made way to her fair face, causing her companion to look at her with concern.

"Rias? Is something the matter, you look troubled."

"Ah? Eh? No! I was just wondering how much further we have to go before we can see the hell liger!" She answered hastily with a sheepish laugh. A dazzling smile answered her back.

"Oh! I thought you sensed Sirzechs-Nii's presence. But we're not that far from where the Pride is now." Rias nodded absent-mindedly, wondering if the sardonic tone Lia used was just her imagination or not before the first sentence registered in her mind. Her brother!?

Sure enough, when she concentrated, she could sense a familiar energy signature quite a distance away that was rapidly heading in their direction, seemingly gaining speed. A frown marred her brow as Rias turned her full attention to Lia, who barely managed to suppress a grimace. Instead, the silver-haired beauty sighed and massaged her forehead briefly. It took her a few more seconds to understand why the Paimon heiress acted the way she did. Because following after her brother's familiar imposing all-consuming hunger-devour, an unfathomable black hole of an abyss followed. And as if feeling her focus on it, Rias felt as if that bottomless pit gazed back at her, sending bolts of icy coldness down her spine.

When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you.

It was the very first time she fully understood these words a famous philosopher had once said, not in just the interpretation but also the literal sense of the sentence itself.

"Papa is furious." The spell was broken from this sentence as Rias wondered just what exactly her Onii-sama did to make Luka Onii-sama lost his calm for the nth time this time. It wasn't much of a rare sight considering how close their households were, with her brother obnoxiously making excuses to invite himself or the taciturn Paimon King into each other's mansion or castle. But this level of fury was reserved only once every five years -yes, they counted and even asked Ajuka-sama about it-.

"Rias, is something wrong? Why did both of you stop?" Akeno's voice chimed in from in-between them. The two High-Class devils turned at the same time to look at the curious group's collective gazes. Rias could feel their apprehensiveness the moment they caught sight of the exasperation on Lia's face.

"Well, about that-"

BOOM!

Loud explosions made only when something massive or something with fast momentum crashed echoed loudly in the previously calm forest, scattering dust; dirt; and all manners of plant life as one huge dust cloud to the sky while sending the various form of wildlife into hiding. It might be an equivalent of a small scale bomb going off. They hastily flattened themselves onto the ground or hiding behind huge trees as the following shockwave of air currents cut through the whole area, ripping everything closer to the center of the explosion apart. As opposed to them, Iselia Paimon stood where she was, as stable as a mountain with hair waving like a silver flag behind her.

For a moment, Rias thought she caught a glimpse of her childhood friend's unfathomable power. Only selected few could withstand that kind of shockwave and remained standing, much less unruffled. Because, laced into that shockwave of air current was the tyrannical left-over energy from the clash of two Satan-Class beings. No matter how used to them Rias was, she was only accustomed to that kind of domineering power boiling lazily under their skins, remaining unused as opposed to clashing fiercely against each other. It was an entirely different kind of feeling and Lia just tanked it off like nothing.

Another shiver ran down her spine as she came into a conclusion of what this might imply. That for all her languidness and tendency to melt into the background when she wanted, Lia wasn't as simple as she had portrayed herself to be. A lion that was hidden amongst a herd of sheep, leisurely watching over them with a kind of indulgence and indolence reserved to predators with the life of their prey in their grasp.

Purple colored orbs glowing like a fluorescent lamp clashed with another pair of seafoam-blue, flashing with intent and meaningful smile thrown her way, and Rias was even more definite of her conjecture.

Lia is dangerous.

...

It took them around half an hour trek through the forest to find the epicenter of the explosion. Along the way, they also saw overturned vegetations and gouges that scarred the land, leading them into a messy clearing full of craters and scattered debris. But what caught their attention was a tall and slender man sheathed in an eerie, icy blue aura; clad in a luxurious black suit with silver trim, cape fluttering in the non-existing wind like a flag of death. In his hand was a glossy black sword with a slightly curved hilt and an eye-catching shining silver crucifix as its guard and undoubtedly the blade's centerpiece, a strange sight in Underworld.

Before the black-clad man was another in white on the ground, leaning against a loose boulder with a fearless smile on his bloodied lips. His eyes were a pair of glowing captivating crimson, clashing against the opposite color of his opponent. With the tip of the black sword against the exposed skin of his throat, he merely chuckled.

"Now, now, Luka. I was only joking. There's no need to be so angry."

A faint mist started to curl around their forms, forming into ice that crept from the ground to the seated man. It stopped just shy of half-encasing him by a baleful dark red mist hovering around the white-clad man like an obedient puppy. It didn't stop the sword from stabbing into his shoulder, drawing a pained hiss and a shocked gasp from Rias who had finally seen the situation. It was worse than any of them thought it would be.

"Onii-sama!"

Issei startled at that, gazing back and forth from Rias and the mysterious man on the ground. He showed an enlightened face as he caught the similar features, especially the crimson-colored mane.

The crimson-haired man blinked, tilting his head in the group's direction with a bright smile while ignoring the sword stabbed into his shoulder.

"Ria-tan~ It's so good to see you. Why didn't you say hello to Luka too?" The young devils stared at him incredulously while Iselia took a couple of steps closer, dropping into a formal curtsy with lowered head.

"Good evening, Papa, Sirzechs-Nii." Asia blinked, recovering from her shock of seeing such violence, lowering the hands covering her agape mouth. She was even more perplexed at the thought of both her senpais' brother and father respectively fighting each other when their relatives were friendly to each other. The men weren't the only strange one as even Iselia-senpai looked unfazed by the scene.

The man who hadn't spoken finally straightened, his body turning halfway to reveal an extremely stunning visage that drew gasps from some of Rias' servants. The icy blue aura encasing him had died down, but it was as if his very being emitted silver radiance that was bizarre for a devil. Glowing ice blue eyes with purple rims indifferently scanned their forms before flickering over to the only other silver-haired devil. Asia noted the softening of those icy eyes as they regarded Iselia with what she tentatively pegged as affection.

"Lia." His voice was smooth, with strange musical quality that made Asia stiffened in shock. The blonde former-nun dared to lift her head to steal another look, emerald eyes glistening in curiosity and something akin to hope. But then the pair of icy eyes locked onto her emerald, flashing into a beautiful deep purple for a moment, causing her to stumble back, stunned with wide-eyed disbelief. The brunet Sekiryuutei caught her stumbling form immediately, a questioning tone on his lips.

"Y-You are-"

"A rare occurrence for you to be here, Rias." The silver-haired man didn't leave any opportunity for the blonde to speak, cutting his gaze back at Rias who jumped at the attention. Even after years of association with Iselia and Serafall who was there to mitigate his overwhelming presence, Rias still couldn't get used to him. It was usually better when her Onii-sama was around, but with him visibly under Lukrezius' mercy, everything changed.

"A-Ah, Yes! We- I meant that Lia-chan offered to give us a tour to find a suitable familiar for my new fam- servants and the hell liger now have cubs so..." Iselia discreetly nudged Rias as she straightened from her impromptu bow to cut off the ramble.

"I see." With that, he drew the sword out of the red-haired man's shoulder. The peculiar onyx weapon glowed briefly before seemingly disappeared into his palm. Without hesitation, the man stooped down to grab one of the most prominent figures of devil society as if hauling a sack of potato over his shoulder, ignoring the gaping young devils and futile protests of said crimson-haired Prince of Destruction.

"I will return first. You should-" Glowing deep blue magic circle with a crest depicting a coiled dragon serpent interrupted his words, causing him to exhale softly. From the center, a petite form of a female clad in a black-red double-layered military-style column-sheath dress gradually solidified. The silver linings on her attire were the exact style and design with the silver-haired male, even sporting the same crest on the back of their black cape. The woman blinked her magenta-colored eyes, the same shade as Iselia's own upon spotting the group of people, tilting her head curiously as she regarded the scene.

The first to respond was the silveret, followed by the younger.

"Serafall."

"Mama."

Rias blinked furiously, staring at the woman in disbelief with wide seafoam blue eyes, mouth opening and closing in a parody of a goldfish. Serafall? As in the Satan Serafall Leviathan who was obsessed with the magical girl genre? The one who more often than not acted like a hyperactive child who not even her little sister knew how to handle? This petite woman looked more like a dignified lady with a considerable position who wasn't in-line with how Serafall usually was!

"Oh, dear."

Iselia sighed, gesturing briefly to the group behind her only to pause at their various state of bewilderment. The only ones who looked remotely alright were the two baby devils who looked confused while the rest stared transfixed at her Mama who was busy scolding her Papa.

"What did we tell you about rising to the bait when Sirzechs-chan is involved, Lu-kun?"

"...Not to."

"Honestly, knowing that you still take out your weapon and swing it around. Do you know how many calls I've gotten during your rampage? Also, Sirzechs-chan, are you alright?"

"Yeap, I can manage."

The sight of a tiny woman lecturing a man towering over her while holding another man over his shoulder was a strange sight considering who was involved in the scene. Across all pantheons, only their side would act like this, something most of the current leaders' siblings all lamented about together.

"Lu-kun! You can't cart Sirzechs-chan around like that into our Palace! What will the others say?"

Lia huffed in amusement at the role-switch among her parents. The responsible and impetuous ones have switched. It was a rare occurrence few had the chance to witness, and no one would have believed it unless they saw it with their own eyes. It continued around this vein for a few more minutes, with the Paimon patriarch shooting quelling stare to the crimson-haired male over his shoulders while enduring his wife's lecture.

"Ah! That's right, Lia-chan~" In a sudden 180-degree change, the formerly dignified lady suddenly threw herself into Iselia's startled arms.

"Eh, what- Mama?"

"Come home soon, okay? Mama misses you a lot since you're never home~ It gets so very lonely, you know?" With a tone that ended in a whine, Serafall rubbed her cheek with her daughter's. Lia wondered if her mother ditched her job to sound that bored. Despite her doubts though, she still nodded obediently and allowed her mother to do as she pleased. She also did miss her parents as she rarely ever got to see them, sometimes not at all even during vacation.

"Come after you escorted your guests." The atmosphere chilled at the cold tone the ethereal silver-haired male used. The background sound that was the whining of the crimson-haired male also ceased, resulting in a sudden oppressive silence. It was a strange and rare occurrence, as Lia's father was rarely this assertive in front of the younger generation.

It might be something important.

"Understood."

The three giant-like existence of the devil society didn't linger much longer after that, directing a weak wave, a cheery smile, and a cold stare towards the bewildered group before disappearing via a giant teleportation magic circle.

"Was that truly Serafall-sama?" A voice croaked out weakly. Meanwhile, Rias was staring worriedly at Lia who was sporting a troubled frown.

"We should postpone the trip this time. Lia-chan, you should go. To cause Lukrezius Onii-sama to react like that, it must be an urgent matter." There was nothing much the silver-haired girl could do other than nodding in agreement. The group parted amicably, each deep in their thoughts, some puzzled, some excited, and some worried.

...

...

The Palace was strangely quiet and tense, even more so when Lia noted the presence of multiple powers convening in the scarcely-used meeting chamber. Her breath near hitched at the more familiar energy greeting hers in a soft longing caress before retreating obediently after beckoning her. With no reason to excuse herself from the bigwigs' powwow as she called those occasional meetings privately, Lia headed into the Palace's central building towards the audience chamber. Of course, she had also changed out of her school uniform to match that of Serafall's, minus the cape. One must dress appropriately based on the occasion to leave a good impression, which was what her Papa told her.

A few flustered and hurrying household staff greeted her politely on the way as a senior staff escorted her straight to the door of the audience hall. The butler didn't knock or wait for further instructions before pushing open the beautifully carved black door. The heiress didn't even register what was going on when she was unceremoniously pulled in through the small open gap. By the time she regained her composure, she was already standing right behind the seats of her father and Ajuka. A low, furious argument was going on between Lord Falbium and surprisingly, her mama. Every once in a few minutes, one of the others would interject with a question or quelling statement to prevent more conflict.

"No! Sending Vali to such a dangerous situation is-"

"He is the only eligible one! Or are you suggesting your daughter-"

"Out of the questions! They're both my children. I do not see Sirzechs sending his son or sibling off to such a dangerous place!"

As individuals with enough firepower to destroy several countries or even a continent over argued, their subconscious control over their power weakened. The consequences were only felt by those who weren't of equal standing to them. In this case, it was both her and the person standing in the shadow beside her. It felt as if an invisible pressure was squeezing them from everywhere at the same time, causing her thoughts to spin as she tried to shield herself from the onslaught. A warm callous hand gripped her own, squeezing slightly.

"Breathe." Vali murmured lowly, a steady stream of familiar demonic energy trickling into her body through their connected limb. It helped her to regain a semblance of focus to center herself again. Squeezing his hand in gratitude, she absently noted that he had been improving even faster than she thought he did. Iselia peeked curiously at the indifferent form of her father, who looked as if the situation in the room didn't concern him.

It took quite a while to notice, but before she, Sai and Vali parted, they finally took note of Lukrezius' presence, or rather the lack of it. While everyone could feel his aura and energy in the physical world, they made the mistake of assuming it as his presence. It was Sairaorg, who was training in senjutsu, who noticed this peculiarity. They spent a month stalking the man who pretended he didn't see them -to the amusement of Serafall and Misla- until Vali came into an odd conclusion.

Lukrezius Astaria Paimon was never physically present.

Or at least they thought so until Sairaorg sensibly pointed out that it wasn't possible for the man's energy to interact with the physical world unless the man was there. If so, then where exactly was the man's body? The answer came to her only a year later when she discovered exactly why not even Sirzech-nii could touch the Paimon Lord, much less harm him. Even Ajuka had admitted that it would take an ample amount of preparation to battle Lukrezius, much less winning it.

Vali had then lamented in the unfairness of it all, grumbling about fighting an opponent one couldn't hit until she pointed out his unfair advantage. He had cheered up very quickly, discussing the usage of this particular ability for her use rather gleefully.

For added safety, he said.

She rolled her eyes at his overprotectiveness.

"What do you think, Vali?" Blinking out of her thought, she shot a glance to the gravity-defying silver-haired male who shrugged nonchalantly. What did she miss?

"Honestly? I don't mind. It's not as if they haven't approached me and mine about-"

"A moment, Vali-kun. Did you say that they've approached you for something?" Mama interjected with rising disbelief, probably wondering why this unruly 'son' of hers didn't even mention something as important as this matter. Lia sighed softly, noting that her mother should have known how Vali was.

"It's just an offer to join them. Nothing else." Vali dropped the bomb casually, causing a small moment of silence where Serafall practically facepalmed while Sirzechs-nii patted her back in sympathy.

Backtrack for a moment. Join what? Seriously, what did I miss?

Shooting a questioning look at Vali earned her nothing but a headshake and a squeeze of her hand.

"Do you know the identity of the person who invited you?" Ajuka turned his head slightly to look at them, blue eyes briefly glancing at their joined hands. Vali ignored the look expertly, sending a glance at Serafall and pausing as if considering his words.

"Katarea Leviathan." Mama stiffened, rearing back so very slightly that it was unnoticeable to those not paying attention.

It was an unfamiliar name, saved for the Clan name. But her mother's reaction was very telling. It was someone her parents knew, judging by the hesitant look she shot to father. Other than a slight narrowing of his eyes, Lukrezius didn't react.

"Vali, your next task is to infiltrate the Khaos Brigade to find out their objectives and report it back to us." The Paimon Lord spoke for the first time, his tone brooking no argument.

"Sure." The teenager by her side nodded with another lazy roll of his shoulders, a confident smirk on his lips.

"But Lu-kun! That's-"

"The children can take care of themselves, Serafall..." Papa interjected firmly, maintaining eye-contact that conveyed everything he needed to at the distraught Leviathan.

"How unlike you to play such a dangerous game, Lukrezius. It's a Dragon God we're up against, you know." Ajuka Beelzebub commented idly, leaning forward on his elbow to steeple his fingers while eyeing Papa with a curious glint.

"A bet." The messy silver-haired male uttered as if it answered every question. "Blame Sirzechs." He continued blithely, closing his glowing blue eyes and leaning back as if resting his case.

"Hey! Why did you blame me for every single thing?! What exactly did I ever do to you?" The crimson-haired Satan protested immediately, almost flying out of his chair to lunge at the man across him.

Meanwhile, Vali dragged her out of the room discreetly, giving her no time to talk to her lost-looking mother. They made it back to his room before she noticed something was wrong with her childhood friend. Contrary to his earlier calm, Vali had his jaws and fists clenched tightly, a pure look of undeniable fury flashing in his beautiful golden eyes. It took her a couple of seconds to take in the image before she pulled the tense male onto a sofa, smoothing his balled-up fist softly with her hands.

"Vali, what is wrong?"

She was even more concerned when he didn't answer. He let out a soft controlled exhale, plopping sideways to rest his weight on her while resting his head on her shoulder.

"Won't you talk to me?" The energy under his skin roiled in agitation, almost making her flinch away from the sheer intensity. Oh, he was far from thrilled, alright.

Vali inhaled deeply and visibly calmed himself down by the sheer force of his will. The only thing she remembered with the capability of unbalancing him like this was a certain man, otherwise known as the root cause of his family problems.

"That man is in that organization."

Lia inhaled sharply in surprise at his words, hands tightening around his balled-up fist. The stakes they're playing for have risen significantly.