Human World, Japan, Kuoh.
After the battle with Kokabiel, James, Rias, and Sona along with their peerages spent the rest of the night repairing the school. The day after that, Irina and Xenovia left Kuoh to return the Excalibur fragments they recovered. Also, Kuoh Academy's mid-terms began the same day. Like that, the next week passed with the students of Kuoh Academy going through the torture of exams day-in and day-out.
"Phew!" Maria said while stretching after the final bell rang on mid-term exams. "It's finally over. Mio, we should go out and celebrate."
"*Sigh* did you forget what we discussed?" Mio said as she made her way over to Maria's seat. "We have to talk to them, right?"
"Oh, that's right!" Maria exclaimed. "Let's go, Mio!"
Seeing her half-sister's carefree personality, Mio could only shake her head. Then, after Maria gathered her things, they both left the classroom. As they did, they caught sight of Koneko and Gasper who were walking down the hall.
"Hey, Toujou-San, Vladi-San!" Maria shouted to get the duo's attention.
Hearing the shout from behind them, Gasper jumped while Koneko turned around calmly.
"Do you need something, Naruse-San?" Koneko asked as Gasper hid behind her.
"Well, we wanted to meet your [King] if that's possible." Maria said with a smile.
"Follow me." Koneko said with a nod. Then, she turned around again and started walking toward the Occult Research Club.
Mio and Maria stared at Koneko's retreating back for a moment before they also began to walk.
"She's not much of a talker, is she?" Maria asked with a smile.
"Hmph!" Mio only snorted in reply.
"Don't be like that Mio." Maria said as she grabbed Mio's hand and swung her arm. "You're not much of a talker either, you know?"
"Shut up!" Mio said angrily. "Or I'll kill you a hundred times."
Maria only laughed in response and continued to bicker with Mio. Meanwhile, Koneko pulled her smartphone from her pocket and dialed Rias' phone number to inform her that she was bringing Mio and Maria to the ORC. After a short conversation with Rias, Koneko returned her smartphone to her pocket and continued to walk.
In class 3-A, James, Rias, Sona, Akeno, Tsubaki, Reya, and Flora were standing around Reya's desk discussing the mid-term exams. Their conversation was interrupted when Rias received the phone call from Koneko. After speaking with her [Rook] for a couple minutes, Rias hung up and put her phone away.
"What's up, Ri Ri?" James asked when he noticed the smile on Rias' face.
"It looks like those girls have made their decision." Rias said as her smile widened.
"You shouldn't smile too early." Sona said, cautioning Rias of counting her chickens before they hatch. "They've only made their decision. There is no guarantee that they have decided to join your peerage. For all you know, they may decide to hide somewhere else."
"Can't you just let me feel good for a while?" Rias said with a pout. "I mean the exams just ended. Let me unwind a bit."
Seeing Rias' poutting face, the other six could not help but laugh. After chatting for a few more moments, James, Sona, and Tsubaki decided to accompany Rias and Akeno to the Occult Research Club.
"Hey, if they really did decide to join my peerage, we should go to karaoke to celebrate." Rias said excitedly.
"Karaoke, huh?" James said while stroking his chin. "We haven't done that in a long time."
"It could be a nice distraction." Sona said with a small smile. "I get the feeling things are gonna get hectic again, sooner rather than later."
James, Rias, Akeno, and Tsubaki could only nod in agreement as they made their way through the halls. Eventually, they reached the Old School Building. A few minutes later, they entered the Occult Research Club's club room. As they entered, they saw Mio and Maria seated on one of the sofas, each with a cup of tea in front of them. On the opposite sofa, Koneko was eating a candy bar while Yuuto was engaging the two younger girls in conversation with a smile. At the same time, Gasper, Issei, and Asia were seated by the wall talking among themselves.
"Good afternoon, Mio and Maria." Rias said as she walked across the room toward her desk with Akeno in tow. "I would assume you've made your decision?"
"That's right." Maria said with a nod and a cheerful tone. Then, she turned and looked at Mio.
Seeing the anticipation in both Rias and Maria's eyes, Mio took a deep breath before she spoke.
"*Sigh* Rias-Senpai, please let us join your peerage." Mio said while bowing politely.
Other than James, Sona, Akeno and Tsubaki, everyone else in the room was surprised by the request from the two first year girls. The happiest however was definitely Rias. A close second, however, would be Issei.
"Oh, yeah!" Issei exclaimed loudly. "We're gonna have two more hotties to hang out with. And one of them has a great pair of tits!"
After Issei's outburst, the room fell silent. Rias face palmed and the rest of her peerage smiled wryly. Then, Maria laughed uproariously. At the same time, a dark aura began to surround Mio.
"This guy never learns." Sona said disappointedly.
"If he did, he wouldn't be Ise." James said while smiling wryly. "But I think I'd better step in before this entire room gets flattened."
As James spoke his last sentence, the gravitational pressure in the room began to increase. Although it was not strong enough to injure anyone, due to Mio's current strength as an initial-level, middle-rank being, the club room was not quite as sturdy. Before things could get out of hand, however, James appeared behind Mio and patted her head.
"Take it easy, Mio." James said soothingly. "He's just a pervert. But he's harmless. Besides, you can tell me whenever he starts to go too far. I'll have a round of hell mode training ready for him any time."
Feeling James' gentle patting and his soothing tone, Mio blushed lightly. Then, she came back to her senses and swept his hand off her head.
"I told you not to do that without my permission." Mio said while looking away. "Do you want me to kill you a hundred times?"
Seeing that, most of the people in the room smile gently. Issei, however, could only look on in shock and horror. Shock because it looks like another girl had fallen for James and horror because he might end up in another hell mode training session if he does not reign it in around the new girl.
After that, the group talked and tried to get to know the two new girls before Rias decided it was time to add them to her peerage officially. Standing from her seat at her desk, Rias addressed the two new members of her peerage.
"Mio, Maria, Although I'm truly delighted to have you join my peerage, I have to asked you one more time." Rias said with a solemn expression. "Are you sure about this?"
Instead of answering verbally, Mio and Maria also stood from the sofa they were sitting on. Then, they both walked in front of Rias and nodded emphatically.
"Very well." Rias said as she also nodded. Then, she raised her right hand with the palm facing up. "Let's begin."
*Knock!* *Knock!* *Knock!*
However, before she could actually begin, there was a knock on the club room's door. Hearing that, everyone was confused. None of them could figure out who would be visiting them. James, however, raised an eyebrow as he thought.
'Hmm... I wonder why she's here?'
A moment later, Akeno made her way to the door and opened it. Then, when she saw who the visitor was, her face displayed a shocked expression for a moment. After her expression returned to normal, she stepped aside so that the visitor would be able to enter.
"Xenovia, why are you here?" Rias asked with confusion in her tone.
"I have nowhere else to go." Xenovia said expressionlessly. "I was driven out of the Church as soon as my report on the events of that night ended."
As it turns out, Xenovia was expelled from the Church directly for no other reason than knowing the truth of God's death. There was no reason given and no chance for her to repent. Excommunication was the only option she was given.
Hearing that, everyone was surprised, apart from Mio and Maria who had no idea who this girl was.
"That doesn't tell me why you came here, Xenovia Quarta." Rias said while crossing her arms under her breasts.
"I was hoping to join your peerage." Xenovia said with her head lowered.
"This is quite the ironic twist." James said with a sneer. "You were quite overbearing when you found out that Asia became a devil not long ago, right?"
To James' surprise, Xenovia did not flare up in anger. Instead, she lowered her head and apologized.
"Asia, for the way I acted the other day, I'm truly sorry." Xenovia said with sincerity. "I really knew nothing about what happened back then. Please forgive me for my ignorance."
With her eyes wide open and her hands covering her open mouth, Asia stared at Xenovia with disbelief swirling in her eyes. A moment later, however, her shocked expression turned into a smile. Then, she stepped forward until she was standing directly in front of Xenovia and gently took the blue-haired girl's hands in her own.
"There's no need for apologies." Asia said with a smile. "Before I was fortunate enough to meet all these wonderful people, I, too, believed that all devils were evil."
Xenovia could only lower her head in apology after hearing Asia's kind words.
"So, what are you going to do with her Rias?" Sona asked while adjusting her glasses.
"I'll accept her." Rias said resolutely. Then, with a smug smile, she continued. "And with her, I'll be the first to complete my peerage."
"Lancer and Dante would still be able to beat your whole peerage by themselves." James said, pouring cold water on top of Rias' enthusiasm. "And then there's Ayame, she could take out your whole peerage without them even seeing her. Oh, and don't forget that Mizore and Moka..."
"Okay, Okay, I get it." Rias said exasperatedly.
Sona only giggled at her best friend's misfortune. Meanwhile, Mio and Maria were left standing in the middle of the room, not sure if they should continue to stand there or go back to their seats.
"Do you think they forgot about us?" Maria asked with a wry smile.
"If they did, I'll kill them a hundred times." Mio said angrily.
After a few more minutes, Rias was able to get everything back on track. Now, instead of just the duo of Mio and Maria, Xenovia was also standing in front of her. Extending her hand, palm up, toward Mio, a [Bishop Piece appeared floating above it. Then, she pressed the [Piece] into Mio's chest. Not waiting for Mio's changes to conclude, Rias repeated the process with Maria and Xenovia. Turning them into her new [Rook] and [Knight], respectively.
Because of their devil lineages, Mio and Maria did not take much time to assimilate their [Pieces]. Xenovia on the other hand had her race changed. Then, when the physiological changes were completed, a pair of black bat-like wings spread from her lower back.
"I guess this means I'll have to do more transfer paperwork, doesn't it?" Sona asked with a small smile.
"Yes, please." Rias said with a smile. "This should be the last time. For me, anyway."
"I won't be adding any new students to the school, either." James said with a smile. "Oh, but I bet Lady Ravel will want to go to school when she arrives."
"Ugh... I bet she will." Sona said. "Well, it's much easier than allocating budgets."
"Anyway, I guess we should share the good news now, right?" Rias said happily.
"Yeah, now is as good a time as any." James said with a smile and a shrug.
*Clap!*
James then clapped his hand loud enough to get everyone's attention.
"Okay, to celebrate the end of mid-terms and the fact that Rias has completed her peerage, we'll be going out to Karaoke as a group tonight." James said loudly. "And you can consider this to be mandatory."
There were only two people in the room who were not excited about the upcoming trip to the Karaoke bar. Mio was dissatisfied because she feels uncomfortable around all these unfamiliar people. The other was Xenovia, who had never done any of the things normal girls experienced due to her church upbringing. However, unlike Mio, she was looking forward to the trip. Looking forward to experiencing life as a normal girl as much as she can.