Human World, Japan, Kuoh.
The weekend following the night Scathach and Mizore chose their pacts, the Alaverus Estate in the Human World was scheduled to receive some guests. Namely, the contractors of those who had made their decisions about their pacts. Currently, the residents of the mansion were seated around the dining room table having breakfast and chatting about the day's visitors.
"So, how many people are gonna be here today?" Leona asked. Then, as she scanned the residents of the mansion, she asked a more specific question. "Rather, how many of you have chosen your contractors?"
"There will be two for me." James replied, raising his hand like the student he is. "Irene and Shiba should be here around lunch time."
"Miyuki-Chan should be here at the same time." Mizore added in. "Since she'll be traveling with her brother."
"Master Genkai should arrive in the evening." Scathach said while slicing her stack of pancakes.
"I never thought I'd hear you refer to someone so respectfully, Scatti." Leona said with a giggle.
"Unlike you, Leona, I know when respect is due." Scathach replied nonchalantly.
"Anyway, who else among you have made, or rather, picked out your contracts?" James asked. "I know Sona and Lancer have. What about you Ri Ri?"
"*Sigh* I haven't." Rias replied. "I've spent most of my time trying to stop Issei from picking his contractor with his lower body."
"Haha! That's our Ise." James replied in an amused tone.
"That pervert will never learn." Koneko said as she nibbled on a biscuit. "He's probably gonna get himself dissected one day if some evil chick promises to let him touch her boobs in return."
At that, everyone at the table, except for Scathach, felt sweat forming on their backs. Even though they just wanted to laugh it off, they could not rule Koneko's statement out of the realm of possibility.
"*Sigh* He'd probably calm down a lot if he got some." James said, thinking aloud.
The virgin girls at the table, except Maria, all blushed after James' statement. However, they, like everyone else, agreed with what James had to say.
"I thought he would have gotten some by now, honestly." Akeno said in response while spreading some jam on a slice of toast. "I mean, Asia is pretty intent on making it happen."
"Yes, but Irina keeps getting in the way." Xenovia said. "She basically guilt trips Asia into not doing it. Saying that is against the teaching of the L... Oh, sorry, I mean, you know who."
Xenovia quickly corrected herself when she could see the other devils began to wince in pain at her words.
"I'm amazed that girl hasn't fallen yet." Moka said. "I mean envy is a deadly sin too, right?"
"Seriously, even I feel bad for Hyoudou a little." Mizore said. "His balls are probably bluer than Xenovia's hair at this point. Irina's got cock-blocking down to a science."
Once again, many of the girls around the blushed at Mizore's blunt comment.
"Okay, take it easy, Mizore." Leona said with a smile. "You're gonna cause the less experienced girls to pass out if you say stuff like that."
"Anyway, Lancer, did you seal the deal with that Tosaka girl?" James said after getting his laughter under control.
"Yeah, everything is settled." Cu Chulainn responded. "She won't be summoning me until she's finished with a magic experiment she's been working on."
"Wow, Tsubaki sure is trusting." Moka said. "You're gonna let them meet away from your sight?"
In response, Tsubaki simply adjusted her glasses then shrugged her shoulders. She actually trusted Cu Chulainn implicitly. Unlike James, he was not prone to disappearing and reappearing with a new girl on his arm. Even if James had not done that since he picked up Moka.
"I know you're thinking of saying something that would be too much, Mizore, so stop right there." James said before taking a bite of his pancakes."
First, after James said what he did, Mizore wore a surprised expression on her face. She could not believe that James already knew what it was that she was thinking. However, a moment later, she began to pout. Making fun of Cu Chulainn was one of her favorite things to do in this life and James was stopping it.
"This time, James is right, Mizore." Moka said as she leaned in close to whisper to Mizore. "We all know what you were about to say. And that's way over the line."
"*Sigh* Fine." Mizore said with a pout. "I get it."
"She really is on the level below Lancer when it comes to sticking her foot in her mouth, huh?" Mio asked.
"Why is she on a level below me?" Cu Chulainn asked, not happy with the categorization.
"Because we can at least tell when she's gonnna do it from time to time." Reya replied. "But with you, it's always a shot from left field."
"Seriously, have you ever seen any of us able to stop you from saying something stupid?" Tsubaki asked with a playful smile on her face.
Though he wanted to flare up with indignation, Cu Chulainn could not refute what everyone normally says about him. On top of that, Tsubaki had made the last point and he had learned over the years that he was not skilled enough in the art of debating to even consider rebutting her claim.
"Whatever." Cu Chulainn muttered before stuffing a fork full of pancakes into his mouth.
"Anyway, as much fun as it is to make fun of Lancer relentlessly," Leona said, "you all need to start getting ready for your visitors in a few hours, right? Then, how about a few rounds of DOA?"
"*Sigh* She's totally hooked on another fighting game." James said. "I would say she needs a hobby, but gaming is her hobby."
"At least she's not addicted to Smash Bros." Rias said. "I've seen Smash Bros. addicts ruin their lives."
Before theycould decide how they would spend their time before their guests would arrive, James and Scathach, who created the warding around the house felt someone teleporting into the living room. Noticing that it was a familiar magic signature, they did not rush into the living room on high alert. Instead, they finished their meal and began to make their way to the living room calmly.
"I'm back, Nya~!" Kuroka shouted from the living room before the group could even enter.
"Welcome back." James said with a smile after entering the living room. "You've been gone for quite a while. How was training with Chiron?"
"That man is a slave driver, nya." Kuroka said as she flopped down on the sofa. "My feet are so sore."
"Get up, Nee-Sama." Koneko said, dragging Kuroka into a seated position. "We're going to play video games and you're in the way."
Resisting her sister with all her might, Kuroka did everything she could to remain lying down on the couch.
"No, nya~~~!" Kuroka shouted while flailing around like a spoiled child. "James-Kun, help me. Shirone is being mean."
"Yeah, yeah, sure." James replied nonchalantly. "Get out of the way you lazy cat."
Taken aback by James heartless reply, Kuroka stared at him in disbelief. She thought that James would take her side. Especially since her kimono had slipped even lower, showing just about everything that would usually remain hidden, while she struggled with her sister.
"James-Kun~!" Kuroka shouted. "If you help me, I'll let you make kittens with me!"
Hearing that, Koneko frowned and tried even harder to move Kuroka from her spot on the couch.
"You can't have James-Nii, nya!" Koneko shouted as her ears and two tails appeared on her head and lower back.
Deciding that this show was more entertaining than the round of DOA she had suggested earlier, Leona decided to throw more fuel on the fire.
"Oh, I don't think I would mind if Kuroka gave me grand babies." Leona said with a mischievous smile on her face.
Looking at his mother with a deadpan expression, James eventually turned his attention back to the sisters and their cat fight. By now, one of Kuroka's breasts were completely exposed and somehow, Koneko's panties had been pulled halfway down her thighs while her skirt was flipped up. Judging by the mischievous smile on Kuroka's face, James and the others figured that Kuroka was doing all of this on purpose.
"*Sigh* This damn horny cat." James said while shaking his head.
A moment later, James walked over to the sofa and separated the sisters. Then, as if he had done it a hundred times, James pulled up Koneko's panties and lowered her skirt. This of course caused Koneko to turn completely red after realizing that she had shown James the goods inadvertently. After straightening out Koneko's clothes, James proceeded to fix Kuroka's kimono. Unfortunately, his male instincts took over and he sneaked a few extra peaks at Kuroka's assets while doing so. And naturally, Kuroka noticed.
"Like what you see, nya?" Kuroka asked in a seductive tone.
"Yes." James replied, not changing his expression. "They're really nice."
Surprised that James would admit it, Kuroka was shocked into silence for a moment. Before she could tease him any further, though, James' smartphone began to ring.
"Yo, Lady, what's up?" James asked after pulling his phone out of his pocket and checking the caller-ID.
"{James, we have an update about the mission you gave us.}" Lady replied.
"Oh, that's faster than I expected." James said in surprise, taking a seat on the sofa between Kuroka and Koneko. "What's going on over there in Romania?"
"{When we got here, the Tepes faction was under attack.}" Lady said in response.
"Seriously?" James asked in disbelief. "Did a war between the Tepes and the Carmilla occur?"
"{Not from what we could tell.}" Lady replied. "{It looked like they had been attacked by a bunch of dragons. On top of that, The Vali team was here. Vali got seriously injured by this weird and vicious middle-aged man with silver hair, too.,}"
Since she was so close to James, Kuroka could hear bits and pieces of the conversation James was having with Lady. When she heard that the Vali team had been there, she tensed. And just as she expected, James looked at her suspiciously.
"So, what was the outcome?" James questioned.
"{We were able to secure the Shuzen sisters, as well as a seriously injured Issa Shuzen.}" Lady answered. "{Right now, we're hiding with the four of them. The dragons are doing their best to hunt them down.}"
"Understood." James replied in a serious tone. "Do you need us to make a move to extract you?"
"{No need.}" Lady replied. "{The only reason we're still here is because the sun is out.}"
After hearing that, James paused for a moment in total disbelief. Even Kuroka and Koneko, who had climbed onto James' lap while he was talking on the phone, stared at the phone in disbelief.
"*Sigh* Sometimes I wonder how you two ever complete any of your missions." James said in a tired tone.
"{What the hell does that mean!?}" Dante shouted from a little further away.
"You know that the time difference is pretty big there, right?" James asked in a flat tone. "It's 8:45 a.m. here. So, it should only be like quarter to two in the morning there, with the seven-hour time difference and all."
With that, the other side of the phone call fell silent. About fifteen seconds later, Dante spoke once again.
"{Haha, of course we know that.}" Dante said nervously. "{We meant the sun is out in Japan. Do you think we're idiots?}"
"Yes." James, Kuroka, and Koneko said in unison.
"{Damn, this moron's idiocy is starting to rub off on me.}" Lady said in a tired voice. "Anyway, we can't teleport back until we get out of the barrier set up over the Tepes Faction. Once we do, we'll teleport back into the mansion. You could probably expect us in about an hour. I guess you'll have to make sure that the living room is dark before we show up.}"
"{Who are you calling a moron?}" Dante asked angrily.
"Everything will be ready, don't worry." James said with a smile. "You can tell me the details when you get back."
"{Got it.}" lady replied before ending the phone call.
After that, James slipped his phone back into his pocket. Then, he turned his attention to Kuroka. When he laid his eyes on her, she was smiling brightly and pressing her breasts against his arm.
"Training, huh?" James asked while narrowing his eyes. "Vali got pretty banged up during your training from what I hear. Is there anything you want to tell us?"
"We... went on a field trip, nya?" Kuroka asked more than told James while tilting her head to the side cutely.