Underworld, Gremory Territory, Alaverus Estate.
Three days have passed since James revealed the secret behind his three-day coma. On the morning of the fourth day, in James' bedroom, James can be seen sleeping, cradled in his mother's arms.
Even though Leona was able to interact with the Gremory and Sitri Families without letting her anxieties show, she was, in reality, suffering from nightmares ever since James first fell unconscious. During James' coma, her nightmares depicted her trying to live her life while her son was unable to wake up. However, ever since James came out of the coma, her nightmares have shown James going to sleep at night, like normal, then not waking up the next morning. Because of these nightmares, even though she would first fall asleep in her own bedroom with Cassiel, she would wake up shortly after 1 a.m. and make her way to James' room, before wrapping him in her embrace to alleviate her fears.
Because of these nightmares, James has been waking up in his mother's arms ever since he came back from the Sitri Medical Center.
James' eyelashes began to flutter. His eyelids opening shortly after. The first thing he saw, much like he has for the three previous mornings, was his mother's bosom. Unlike what he has come to expect for the last three days, when he looked up to Leona's face, there were tears flowing from her eyes.
Panicking at the sight of his mother's tears, James began to struggle and call out.
"Momma, Momma! Are you okay? Why are you crying?"
Feeling James struggle and hearing his voice, Leona also began to awaken. Groggily looking down at her son in her arms, she saw the frightened look in James' eyes. Immediately, her sleepiness was blown away.
"James, Sweetie, what's wrong? Was I holding you too tight?" Leona asked in concern.
James shook his head in response, then asked his questions again. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?"
Surprised at James question and the concern she could see in his eyes, Leona raised a hand to her face and felt the tears on her cheek.
"Don't worry, Baby. I was just having a nightmare." Leona replied with a smile.
Hearing that, James hugged Leona tightly, and said, "Momma, I'm sorry. I won't sleep like that anymore."
With James' declaration, Leona felt a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart. That feeling was coupled with Shock. Shock that James could understand the source of her nightmares.
Outside James' bedroom door, Cassiel is leaning against the wall. Listening to the mother and son comfort each other.
James frantic cries when he saw his mother's tears woke Cassiel from his own slumber. Even though James was not particularly loud, as a devil, not to mention being at the ultimate rank, Cassiel could hear him from down the hall.
"Thank goodness you came back to us, James. We would have both broken if you hadn't." Cassiel murmured to himself.
===Eight Hours Later===
In about an hour, all those who were made privy to the circumstances behind James' coma would be reconvening. While Leona was in the kitchen preparing dinner for the group, James and Cassiel were sitting face to face in Cassiel's office, having an important, father-son conversation.
"Poppa, I wanna start training and taking devil jobs as soon as possible." James said with conviction in his tone and expression.
Hearing that, Cassiel thought back to what Leona told him about James' curiosity when it comes to harems.
With a teasing smile, Cassiel asked, "Oh, are you planning to make a move on Rias or Sona? Or maybe both?"
James blushed at Cassiel's question but ignored his embarrassment, for the most part.
Shaking his head in response to the question, James began telling his father his thoughts on the matter, "Ri-Tan and So-Tan are my friends. But I... I..."
James' speech stalled. He was neither old enough nor experienced enough to put his thoughts into words. Frustration mounting at his inability to express his feelings, James clinched his fists as he began to tear up.
Luckily, Cassiel was there to calm him down and help him express himself.
"You want to feel like you are equals, right?" Cassiel asked, his previous teasing expression replaced with one of pride.
Nodding his head in response, James answered Cassiel's question. "That's right!"
Looking at James' expression, Cassiel decided to test his son's determination to be on equal footing with Rias and Sona.
"So, James, have you decided whose peerage you're going to join when Rias-Chan and Sona-Chan are old enough to receive their [Evil Pieces]?
James shook his head, clearly unsure whom he should choose.
"Why do you want to join one of their peerages?" Cassiel asked, gently leading his son to an answer that would truly lead him to be an equal to the girls.
"So I can help them." James answered without hesitation.
"I see." Cassiel Nodded. Then asked his next question. "Why do you have to choose? Do you plan to help only one of them?"
James eyes opened widely. He had no idea how to answer those questions. Cassiel, however, had no intention to stop.
"For that matter, why do you have to join either of their peerage? Are you telling me you cannot help someone if you are not in their peerage?"
Yet another two questions James did not have any answers to.
"You want to be their equal, right?" Cassiel asked.
Once again, without hesitation, James nodded his head and answered, "Yes."
"Can you really be considered their equal if you become one of their servants?" Cassiel asked with a little more intensity than before.
*Boom*
***
James' Mindscape.
A pair of eyes cracked open before shutting shortly after.
"Not quite enough." Said an ancient, deep voice. "It should not be too long though."
***
Underworld, Gremory territory, Alaverus Estate, Cassiel's Office.
After Cassiel's last question, James felt his emotions stir.
'Can a servant be their master's equal?' James asked himself
He came to only one conclusion.
"No."
Hearing James' answer, Cassiel smiled widely.
"So then, what should you do?" Cassiel asked yet another question.
James determined expression morphed into one of confusion. While scratching the back of his head, he answered with uncertainty. "Uhm... Make my own peerage?"
"That's right." Cassiel replied, his smile widening even more.
At that moment, Leona's voice could be heard from the dining rooms direction.
"Cassiel, James, everyone is here, and the food is ready. Come to the table for dinner."
"We're coming!" Cassiel shouted in response to Leona, then he told James, "We'll continue later, alright?"
James nodded in response then they both stood and started making their way to the dining room.
===Two Hours Later===
After dinner, the group has once again gathered in the living room. The seating arrangements are similar to the last time, except James is seated between Rias and Sona this time.
Once all the small talk was over, Leona was the one to broach the main topic.
"So, what are everyone's thoughts on the revelations from a few days ago?"
Venelana, Rhea, and Grayfia exchanged glances before Rhea spoke.
"Honestly, that story was a lot to wrap my head around." Rhea said with a tone of uncertainty, then continued. "I mean, is this a case of a soul retaining its memories through the cycle of reincarnation? If so, how will that effect James-Kun? Those questions have been occupying my thoughts since I heard James' explanation of what happened."
Hearing Rhea's questions, Leona, Cassiel, and Grayfia, although she didn't show it outwardly, began to panic. Thoughts of the worst possible outcome began flooding their thoughts.
Venelana, the eldest and most experienced devil in the room, put an end to those dangerous trains of thought.
"Well, to answer your questions Rhea-San. If James soul did retain memories from his previous incarnation, then this is a good thing for him."
Snapping out of her cycle of negative thoughts, Leona Jumped to her feat asked, "Venelana-Sama, please could you enlighten us?"
"*Sigh* You are just as stubborn as Grayfia and Cassiel. At least Grayfia's excuse of 'that would be unbecoming of a maid' actually holds water, but you?" Said Venelana while giving Cassiel a pointed stare.
Cassiel could only avert his gaze and scratch his cheek in embarrassment.
Paying Cassiel no more mind, Venelana shifted her attention to Leona and gave her an ultimatum. "Leona, Dear, I will only explain if you promise to drop the '-Sama' suffix."
Leona agreed immediately. Her stubbornness meant nothing compared to James' well-being.
"Yes, Venelana-San" Leona replied without shame.
Venelana nodded at Leona's change in address. Then continued her explanation.
This would not be the first time that something like what Rhea-San has hypothesized has happened, though it is rare."
After letting that sink in for those who would understand, Venelana continued.
"If it is truly the case that James retained his memories from his previous incarnation, over time the memories that did not create a strong impression will eventually fade. As they fade, the energy that maintained them will begin strengthening his soul."
"What does it mean to strengthen one's soul?" Grayfia asked in curiosity.
"As one's soul strengthens, their potential increases proportionally." Venelana responded.
The adults aside from Venelana let out a collective gasp.
"Is there a way to check the truth of the situation?" Cassiel asked with a bit of anticipation.
"I'm sure that Ajuka-Kun could track the strength of a soul, but do you really want to let anyone with that much authority know?" Venelana questioned.
Hearing that, they all fell silent.
"Anyway, so what do you all want to do about it?" Rhea asked Cassiel and Leona, breaking the tense silence
Cassiel took the opportunity to answer this question, as he and James had just talked about what James wanted.
"I talked to James about what he wants to do with all that information in his head just before you all arrived." Cassiel said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "James wants to use his inherited knowledge of hand-to-hand combat and swordsman ship to begin training. He also wants to start doing devil jobs as early as possible."
"It seems like he's in a hurry, why does he want to start so soon?" Rhea asked in order to sate her curiosity.
With a teasing smile, Cassiel gazed at James before answering Rhea's question.
"Because he wants to stand next to Rias-Chan and Sona-Chan as equals."
After Cassiel finished, not only James but Rias and Sona also flushed red.
"Poppa!" James shouted in order to hide his embarrassment.
The women in the room laughed. They found the whole thing adorable.
"Of course, because he wants to stand as equals, he also decided that he would not join either peerage." Cassiel continued, that teasing smile growing even larger.
Hearing that, Rias and Sona's embarrassed expressions disappeared instantly. Replacing them were expressions of extreme discontent as their stares bore holes into James.
"Poppa..." James whimpered under the stares of the two girls by his sides.