Human World, Japan, Kuoh.
Several weeks have flown by since James and Rias' peerages had a day at the pool. In those few weeks, not much has happened. Mio, Maria, and Xenovia began their training with the Gremory peerage, with a focus on demonic energy control. Also, Xenovia's transfer was made official, so as soon as normal classes resumed after the pool day, Xenovia became a classmate in Issei and Asia's class. And, like most of the devils in Rias' peerage, she joined the Occult Research club.
Surprisingly, Rias did not ask Mio and Maria to change clubs as she did with Issei. Although Issei still shows up at the MMA club to train with them. Instead, she thought it made more sense for them to work with James. They were much further behind in terms of training than the rest of her peerage after all. So, she was basically getting James to train them for her since he was much better at it than she was.
In Class 3-A, standing around Reya's desk were James, Rias, Sona, Akeno, Tsubaki, and Flora while Reya was seated. As they waited for the first bell to ring, they could not help but discuss one of the hottest topics in the Underworld.
"Is that true?" Reya asked in disbelief. "Didn't he get promoted to High –Class only, like, three years ago?"
"Actually, it was four." James said while raising four fingers on his left hand.
"That's not the point!" Reya exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of the other students.
"Calm down, Reya." Sona said as she rested a hand on her [Bishop's] shoulder. "This shouldn't be all that surprising if you think about it."
"How can this be anything but surprising?" Reya asked as she looked at Sona incredulously.
"It's because of all that he has done and the missions he's accomplished since becoming High-Class." Rias replied. "He's taken on the mission of being mine and Sona's guard. He received the credit he deserves for protecting Kunou. He led us in fending off the rebel Youkai. He rescued the kidnapped yuki-onna. And last, but certainly not least, he defeated Kokabiel in single combat."
"Oh, and don't forget the incident with the Temen-ni-gru." Akeno said with a smile. "Although Dante did most of the work, James was there, and he did have to step in to finish the job."
After hearing everything James had done over the last few years, Reya was surprised. Then, she turned toward James and stared at him with pity in her eyes.
"You know, Reya, I'm not really feeling the way you're looking at me." James said with a wry smile. "It feels like you're looking at a terminally ill patient."
Reya did not respond right away, however, and even the other girls were starting to look at her with questioning gazes. Then, after a few more moments, Reya finally spoke.
"I'm really sorry." Reya said as she maintained the look of pity she was directing at James. "I didn't know you were so sick."
Everyone was taken aback when they heard Reya's words. James' eyebrow began to twitch as he could not figure out what it was that Reya was talking about.
"Sick, what are you talking about?" James asked in confusion. "I've never been sicka day in my life."
"If you exclude that three-day coma you fell into as a kid." Sona said off handedly.
Hearing that, everyone, except James and Rias, turned their attention to Sona with shock in their gazes.
"What do you mean by that?" Akeno and Flora asked simultaneously.
"Why don't I know about this?" Akeno asked.
"James, why haven't you told us about it?" Flora asked.
"Because it's not all that important." James said as he glared at Sona and waved off Akeno and Flora's questions. "It happened when I was six. Damn, it's already been twelve years since then, huh? Anyway, like I said it happened when I was six. I fainted while playing with Ri Ri and Sona. Then, I was unconscious for three days."
After seeing James' glare and the other girls' reactions, Sona realized she had chosen an inconvenient time to bring up that incident. Because of that, she could not help but blush and lower her head, which James found quite cute.
"They never were able to figure out what caused it, either." Rias added. "The whole time he was sleep, James was as healthy as a bull."
"So, like I said, it was unimportant." James said, once again waving dismissively. "Now, back to the topic..."
"Hold on." Tsubaki interrupted. "I have just one more question. It's not about your coma, though."
"Sure." James said with a smile. "Go ahead."
"If you've known both Rias and Sona for so long, why do you have a nickname for Rias but not one for Sona?" Tsubaki asked curiously.
Stopping to think about it, Akeno, Reya, and Flora were also curious. James almost exclusively called Rias, "Ri Ri." However, he always called Sona by name.
"Now that you mention it." Akeno said while shifting her gaze between the three [Kings] present.
"Yeah, that seems like favoritism to me." Flora said while staring at James, waiting for his answer.
Tsubaki and Reya just nodded in response to Flora's statement. James and Rias, however, just laughed. Sona, on the other hand, began to blush even harder. Also, her expression became more annoyed as time went by. Seeing this, Akeno, Tsubaki, Reya, and Flora were a bit confused.
"Uh... Did I ask a question that...?" Tsubaki began to ask.
"No, don't worry about it." James said with a chuckle. "Do you all know what Sera-Tan calls Sona?"
After James question, the other girls took a second to think about it. Then, Reya was the one to answer, as she spends the most time with Serafall thanks to all the magic training she is forced into.
"If I remember correctly, she calls her So-Tan." Reya replied.
"That's right." James said with a nod. "I was the one who coined that nickname, though."
Once again, everyone was surprised. No one expected James to be the one who came up with that nickname.
"Unfortunately, after Sona was old enough to be embarrassed by her sister's actions, she forbade me from calling her that." James said with a shrug. "Probably out of embarrassment, if I had to guess."
"It's probably because it reminds her of Serafall's embarrassing actions." Rias said with a giggle.
"Oh, shut up, Ria-Tan." Sona said with a scowl and a flush on her face.
"Don't call me that." Rias shouted as she began to shudder instinctively.
"Yeah, having sis-con older siblings must suck." James said with a smile. "You never know when they're going to say or do something to embarrass you in public."
"But your mom is also liable to embarrass you in public." Flora said with a smile. "So why aren't you all jittery like those two when she's around."
"Oh, the answer to that is actually quite simple." James said, maintaining his smile. "It's because I always know when my mom is going to embarrass me in public. The real question is can I stop it before it happens."
With that, everyone, except Rias and Sona, laughed. After the laughter died down, James shifted is gaze back toward Reya and spoke.
"So, tell me, why did you say that I'm sick." James asked with his gaze full of curiosity.
Rias, Sona, Akeno, Tsubaki, and Flora also focused their attention on Reya, waiting for her response. Reya then adjusted her imaginary glasses, in a way that looked quite similar to Sona, and answered James' question.
"According to my diagnosis, James-Kun, you have what is referred to as 'Protagonist Syndrome.'" Reya replied in the most professional tone she could muster. "A terrible disease that will lead you into many, many more incidents than a normal man would ever imagine stepping into. A condition that will often leave you mentally and physically exhausted and could even lead to death."
Seeing Reya's imitation of Sona, everyone, except Sona, could not help but giggle. However, when they heard her explanation, everyone, except James, began to laugh. James on the other hand, twitched his lips repeatedly. The worst part is he could not refute Reya's claim. He often found himself embroiled in events like the protagonist of a manga, light novel, or anime.
Eventually, the girls' laughter died down. But before they could continue, the first bell rang. As it did, they all reluctantly returned to their seats as their teacher opened the door and walked into the classroom.
Underworld, Satan Territory, Capital City, Lilith.
In the meeting room for the Satans, all the Four Great Satans were gathered to discuss the same news that James and the girls were talking about initially.
"What are those fossils on the Council planning?" Sirzechs said as he frowned at the newspaper. "They made James jump through so many hoops to gain High-Class qualifications. Why are they making it so easy for him to promote to Ultimate-Class?"
Although it was true that Sirzechs was concerned for James' well-being, he was also quite uncomfortable that James was progressing so quickly. James was only eighteen. Becoming an Ultimate-Class devil that young would break his own record of twenty-one years old.
"Yeah, it does seem weird that they are rewarding him properly for his merits." Ajuka said while giving Sirzechs a curious glance.
'He wouldn't deny the request to have James promoted because of his pride, would he?' Ajuka thought to himself.
And just as Ajuka was thinking, Sirzechs was indeed thinking of denying the petition from the Council. He could not stand the thought of someone being better than him at anything he deemed important to himself. And becoming the youngest devil to be promoted to Ultimate-Class was something Sirzechs took pride in.
"I'm happy for Jay-Kun." Serafall said excitedly. "He deserves it. He really has worked hard."
Hearing that, the other three nodded.
"Also, it will make So-Tan look better if she marries an Ultimate-Class." Serafall said with a smile.
And with that, Sirzechs plan to reject the promotion came to a screeching halt. He knew that Rias' engagement to James would be announced soon. And like Sona, it would also make Rias' ability to judge her partner look better if James were Ultimate-Class instead of High-Class.
'I don't know what to do.' Sirzechs thought to himself as he clutched at his flowing crimson hair. 'I don't like the fact that James will surpass me in something, but this would be good for Rias-Tan's reputation. What do I do?'
Seeing Sirzechs' current actions, everyone present was confused. Ajuka was confused for a different reason than the other two, though. Knowing Sirzechs as well as he does, he knows exactly what was going through his best friend's head. What confused him, however, was Serafall.
'Did she mention Sona and James' engagement on purpose?' Ajuka could not help but wonder. 'Did she understand that Sirzechs was about to deny promoting James for some reason or another and come up with this to give him pause? We all know she's intelligent, but maybe she's even smarter than we thought.'
While Ajuka was thinking to himself, he was also looking at Serafall with curiosity in his gaze. Noticing the strange gaze, Serafall also turned toward Ajuka. Then, not understanding why he was looking at her like that, she tilted her head cutely.
"What's wrong, Ajuka-Chan?" Serafall asked with a smile. "Is there something on my face?"
"No." Ajuka answered simply while shaking his head. "I was just lost in thought."
"I've never met this kid." The fourth member of the Four Great Satans, Falbium Asmodeus, a tall bald man with a goatee and lethargic expression, said. "What's he like?"
"He's both charismatic and mischievous." Sirzechs said with a genuinely fond smile on his face. "In terms of training he's got to be the hardest working devil in the Underworld. And his talent might only be second to mine."
"Hard work? No thank you." Falbium said while waving dismissively. "I avoid that whenever possible."
"Believe me, we all know that, Falbium." Ajuka said with a wry smile.
It is a well-known fact in the Underworld that Falbium Asmodeus, formerly Falbium Glasyo-Labolas, may possibly be the laziest devil alive. Sloth is the only sin that anyone has ever associated with him.
"Anyway, so what should we do with this petition?" Ajuka asked, trying to get the conversation back on topic. "Even if the Council is up to something, as an Ultimate-Class there wouldn't be much they could do to him in the open. And with James strength, there aren't many in the Underworld who can harm him."
Hearing that, Serafall and Falbium both nodded their heads. Only Sirzechs seemed to still be undecided. Eventually, he exhaled a sigh, then, also nodded his head. And, with a smile he spoke.
"So, I guess it would be fitting to mention it at this year's gathering of young devils, would it not?" Sirzechs asked as he made eye contact with the other three.
"Agreed." Ajuka replied with a smile.
"I bet Jay-Kun will be so surprised." Serafall said excitedly.
Falbium only nodded his head, too lazy to speak.
"Then, with that decided, let's get back to discussing the terms of the peace treaty with Heaven and the Grigori." Sirzechs said, bringing an end to the topic of James' promotion to Ultimate-Class.