**Roxanne's POV**
I'm currently observing Rias and her group through my familiar's eyes. Funny enough, I learned this technique from Odin—he always uses it to spy on girls while they're bathing, but I'm using it for a more productive purpose. The meeting is going exactly as it did in the anime, and when Irina started scolding Asia, I decided it was time to intervene.
There are two reasons for this. First, I need to break Irina's blind trust in the Church—I don't want my childhood friend to become a puppet. Second, Asia is actually a true saint. She has the compassion and purity of one, and she doesn't let her faith blind her. The faith she has is actually fueling the System, so losing her would be a big problem.
Using a bit of magic, I decided to cut into their conversation.
"My, my, isn't it amusing to see someone thrown away by the Church lecturing a little naive saint?" I said, making sure my voice carried through the room. All eyes turned to me, which is what I expected. I casually raised my right wing and added, "Howdy! I'm just the audience of your little play. Don't mind me, carry on."
Everyone looked stunned. I mean, who wouldn't be? They had no idea they were being spied on by a bird and didn't sense anything at all.
The first to break out of their stupor was Xenovia. She quickly drew her sword and pointed it at me. "Who are you, and how dare you badmouth the Church?"
I looked at her calmly, unfazed. "Who I am isn't important to you. We're from different factions, after all. But let me ask you this—did you never find it strange that two girls with no backup were sent to a territory ruled by two heiresses? And that you two, with almost no combat power, were sent to face a cadre?"
Xenovia went quiet. I could see the doubt in her eyes. She must have already been questioning the Church, but as she was about to argue, I continued.
"Anyway, here's a bit of advice for all of you, since you seem to be rather... convenient pawns for others. Take it to heart or not—it's up to you. Always question your superiors, even if it's only in your mind. See if what you're asked to do is actually something you can accomplish alone. Never blindly trust anyone unless you're prepared to die by their hand." My tone grew more serious as I spoke.
They need to understand that being a puppet means their lives are at someone else's disposal. At least now, Irina and Xenovia will start to take things more seriously.
"Anyway, I actually came here to ask the Gremory heiress to deliver this letter to your brother," I said, gesturing toward Rias.
Rias raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Who are you, and what's this letter for?"
I met her gaze, my expression calm. "In that letter is information that will answer most of your brother's questions."
Rias nodded, though still wary.
"Well then, see ya. I've got to meet the other heiress now," I said before disappearing, leaving them with more questions than answers.
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**Sona's POV**
Sona was diligently working through paperwork in the student council room, her mind focused on the tasks at hand. Tsubaki, her loyal Queen, was nearby, managing documents to assist her. Despite the usual calm in the room, Sona was waiting. Her friend Rias was supposed to inform her of the Church's intentions, and her peerage was out hunting stray devils. Only Tsubaki remained with her, keeping things in order.
Suddenly, a black raven appeared out of nowhere, gracefully landing on the chair opposite Sona. The bird's unexpected arrival startled them, but they quickly composed themselves. The raven, unusually composed, looked at them both before speaking.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Sitri heiress. I'm here to ask you to deliver a letter to your sister, the Maou Leviathan."
Both Sona and Tsubaki were momentarily surprised by the fact that the raven could speak, but they quickly shifted to a more serious demeanor.
Narrowing her eyes, Sona asked, "Who are you, and why should we hand over a letter when you could just mail it to the Underworld?"
The raven tilted its head slightly before responding. "Yes, but that would take too long. So, I used the quickest way to contact a siscon"—the raven pointed its wing directly at Sona—"and that is by having the little sister deliver the letter. The Maou will see it's from her beloved sister and read it within seconds."
Both Sona and Tsubaki were left speechless at the bird's blunt reasoning. The raven's logic was absurd, yet undeniably effective.
Sona, regaining her composure, asked, "But what makes you so sure that I'll deliver this letter immediately?"
The raven fixed her with a serious gaze and said, "This letter contains information your sister desperately wants. If you don't deliver it soon, I'll cast a curse on you that forces you to wear magical girl outfits—permanently."
Sona froze, her mind racing with the horrifying thought of having to wear magical girl costumes all day, every day. Worse yet, her sister would undoubtedly find out. Her face drained of color as she imagined Serafall's reaction. Without wasting a second, she quickly summoned a teleportation circle, sending the letter directly to her sister.
Tsubaki, witnessing the entire exchange, could only think to herself, *She was cornered without even having time to fight back... Wait, isn't this basically checkmate?*
Roxanne, watching the swift reaction, was inwardly surprised. *Just how terrified is she of wearing magical girl outfits?* she thought.
After a bit more idle conversation, Roxanne gave a final warning. "You and Rias should have a way to contact your siblings in an emergency. War is coming."
With that, the raven disappeared, leaving behind only a single black feather.
Sona's POV
*What did she mean by saying war is near?* The raven's cryptic words weighed heavily on my mind. I needed more information, and I needed it quickly. Rias should be finished with her meeting with the Church representatives by now, so perhaps she knew something. But more importantly, I had to contact Onee-sama—Serafall. We needed to discuss how to proceed with the warning the raven had delivered.
I glanced at Tsubaki, my ever-reliable Queen, and issued the order, "Contact the others and tell them to come here immediately. If that warning is real, we'll need backup."
Tsubaki nodded without hesitation and moved swiftly to contact the rest of my peerage members. Her efficiency was always a relief, but even her calm demeanor couldn't quell the growing unease inside me.
*What a day,* I thought, rubbing my temple. First, we've had an increase in stray fallen angels and exorcists, and now this—an ominous warning of an impending war. If there was even a sliver of truth in that raven's words, we needed to be prepared.
*Urggh,* I groaned internally, already dreading the conversation I'd need to have with Onee-sama. She would no doubt want to take charge in her usual overzealous way, but this was no time for magical girl theatrics.
*Sigh… What is happening to this town?*
**Serafall's POV**
*Sigh... what's with this much paperwork?* I slumped over my desk, glaring at the endless stack of documents. My mind drifted to my adorable So-tan. *I wish So-tan would come and console her big sister... Urgh, I really miss my So-tan.* The thought of visiting her sparked a little joy in my heart. Maybe once this was all done, I could surprise her with a visit. *Yosh! Let's choose some cute magical girl costumes for So-tan to wear!*
Just as I was about to dive into daydreams about dressing up my precious little sister, a teleportation circle materialized before me, and a letter dropped onto my desk. *Hmm, isn't this So-tan's magic circle?* My heart fluttered. *Did she miss her older sister that much that she wrote me a letter?*
With excitement bubbling up, I quickly tore open the envelope, imagining all the cute things So-tan might have written. But as I began to read the letter, my excitement shifted into serious focus.
The contents were not what I expected.
*What is this?*
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**Serafall's POV:**
I read the letter again, trying to wrap my head around it. *Shaltier... or No Face, huh?* The way she casually threw all that information at me made me feel a mix of emotions—relief, confusion, and a bit of frustration.
*Invild Leviathan, recruited by Nightshade...* I frowned at the thought. That meant she was involved with something bigger than just the underworld's politics. But Shaltier made it sound like she was doing me a favor, saving Invild from terrorists. That part, at least, I could appreciate—if it was true. Still, I had no idea what kind of group Nightshade really was.
The letter had such a nonchalant tone, but the implications were huge. Especially that bit about assassinations. *I really don't need this stress right now!*
And then, of course, Shaltier had to throw in something about the council members making a fuss. *Great, more paperwork and politics.* I sighed heavily, feeling a headache coming on already. But the worst part? She knew exactly how to get me.
A way to "black*cough* convince" So-tan to wear my magical girl outfit? That was dangerous knowledge for her to have. *How does she know I've been planning that for So-tan?* It made me a little paranoid, but also... curious.
Then the tickets to the cosplay café. I couldn't help but smile at that part. Maybe Shaltier wasn't all bad if she was helping me spend some quality time with my little sister.
I slumped in my chair, staring at the letter. *Should I be happy that Invild's situation is handled? Or should I be dreading the chaos that's probably about to unfold?* Either way, I had to act.
"Alright, Serafall," I muttered to myself, standing up. "You just need to go talk to Zechs-chan about this letter... and maybe get those council members off my back. And if Shaltier is telling the truth, I'll get to enjoy some time with So-tan in a cute magical girl outfit."
That thought gave me the energy I needed to tackle whatever was coming. *Let's hope Zechs-chan's in a good mood.*
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Roxanne sat comfortably on the couch, her eyes focused on the TV screen, yet her mind wandered. The soft flicker of light from the screen illuminated the room, but it was the sudden appearance of the portal that caught her attention. Out stepped her familiar, the raven, perching itself gracefully on her shoulder. Roxanne's smile deepened as she gently stroked the bird's head.
"It's fascinating, isn't it?" she mused, her voice soft but filled with admiration for her own creation. "How I can gift a part of my soul to you and share everything... vision, voice... all through magic."
The raven tilted its head slightly, as if acknowledging her words. She shifted her gaze towards her maid, Luciana, who, without a sound, had appeared by her side, ever-present and reliable.
"Luciana," Roxanne said, her tone gentle but commanding, "will you inform Invild that she's free to attend school once her training is complete? And make sure the others know they can come here for backup."
Luciana bowed without a word, her elegance unwavering, before disappearing to carry out the orders. Roxanne's eyes remained fixed ahead, her thoughts turning inward. The time for their grand reveal was approaching quickly—everything had been set into motion, and soon, all eyes would be on them.
A playful smirk formed on Roxanne's lips. "It seems my so-called family member will be arriving soon to retrieve Kokabiel." She chuckled softly to herself, her voice laced with mischief. "I suppose I should prepare something special for him. It wouldn't be fun to let things go too smoothly."
Her mind raced with possibilities, each plan more devious than the last. The anticipation of the coming events, the chance to throw a wrench in her family's plans, was almost too exciting. That sly, troublemaking smile stayed plastered on her face, the kind of smile that meant chaos was about to follow.
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