"What are you doing in my room? Shouldn't you be working at this hour?" The clock on the bedside table read 9 A.M.
The shop should've opened by now. If the main manager slacked off how would the rest of the employees do their work?
"This is the second nap I have taken in the four days you've been gone, and the shop with work fine with our excellent recruits." Adam sighed at her answer. He couldn't blame her for taking a rest now, in fact, he might tell her off because she wasn't taking enough rest. The shop ran in perfect condition from the bustle on the lower floors.
As for the excellent recruits she talked about. When he reached the first floor they came to greet him.
"Grayfia?" In the work uniform, she bowed her head in respect. Behind her, Euclid looked a little disgruntled but didn't say a word.
"I am happy to see you back… Mr. Adam." Her voice although cold, showed her joy in a unique way.
"Well, I am happy to see you too. But when did you join the shop, and why?" Grayfia averted his eyes along with the question.
That question came from someone who didn't know what happened in the past few days. But, someone else would tell him about it.
"Welcome back Adam." A flash of red passed through the floor and stuck to his side.
"Well, Rias…" Adam would love to give her some attention, but there were more pressing matters to talk about.
"Thanks for the tip, Roygun," Akeno said as Roygun—now in her work uniform—waved her hand to not make it a big deal.
Before Adam could tell off Roygun for ruining her surprise visit, he pulled himself back to the situation at hand.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you what happened after you left." Rias smiled after taking a step back.
It didn't take long for them to close the shop for the day and gather on the first floor. Adam sat on one side with Rias and Akeno, with Grayfia standing on the other side of the table with Euclid. For the next five minutes, he listened to Grayfia's current circumstances.
"You left the Gremory house and they branded you as a traitor now?" Adam's eyebrow rose when Grayfia nodded. But, it wasn't as simple as it sounded.
"My brother had pressure from the Aristocratic Devils that were always against Grayfia living with us." Rias held her head. If it were up to her she'd tell them to mind their own business, but things weren't so simple with their situation.
Her brother, the current Lucifer had many political opponents in the Underworld. So, when they found a weakness, they latched onto it like a pack of hyenas.
"Turning her in a wanted criminal was also something they pushed for. The Gremory family was ready to fight back over this issue, but Grayfia-sama told them not to." Akeno sighed. Though the situation took an amusing turn, she did not like that it came at the expense of someone close to her.
"Why would you do that? If you are worried about your brother, the Gremory family would've helped you hide him. You didn't have to leave them behind." Adam would've helped himself if they asked. The Gremory family also cherished Grayfia as she lived with them for so long.
"I know that it is possible. But, I do not want to live like that any longer. My brother has his faults and I do not wish to look away or hide them. And I also do not want to leave him behind again to live a comfortable life." Grayfia had thought over this for a while, and in the end, she arrived at the answer. There was only one way to deal with this.
"I do not mind being labeled as a traitor. It is the truth after all." She left behind the Old Satan faction and joined the new one. The devils had a right to resent her since she killed the people they knew in her time in the army, "But, I still have some use."
"So, you want to use the fact that you are a traitor now?" Grayfia nodded at his words.
"Using this incident Sirzechs can change the Underworld for the better. Using my name he can gather the remnants of the Old Satan faction and those opposed to the Gremory Family. That is the least I can do for them after they took me in as their family." Rias frowned hearing that.
"Grayfia you are still part of the Gremory family. Our gates are always open for you so don't talk like that." Akeno agreed with Rias's words. The Gremory family would feel empty without Grayfia.
They had a closer bond with her as she looked after them for years. To Akeno, she was a teacher and a reliable older sister, and to Rias, she was like a second mother.
"I am thankful for your words Rias-sama. But it would be troubling if you say that in front of my new employer, it makes me look frivolous." Grayfia's words went over most of their heads. Only Roygun and Akeno smiled as they saw this coming, in a way Grayfia didn't hide her thoughts from the get-go.
The moment she arrived at this shop—No, even before that, Grayfia knew what she had to do next. She stepped closer to the table and knelt before Adam. All she had to do was ask.
"Adam-sama, would let me have the honor to stay by your side as a maid?"
"I do not approv-!?" Euclid's protests were frozen just like him.
"I apologize for his behavior. He will be punished after." Grayfia bowed her head. They could see Euclid sweating even inside literal ice, the terror commanded by Grayfia wasn't a joke.
"Leave that aside for a moment, why are you doing it like this?" Adam couldn't understand. There were other ways to handle this, but why this way specifically?
"Upon interrogating my brother I have found out about the organization he worked for and the dangers that come with leaving it behind. I alone am not capable of protecting him. That is the reason I left the Gremory family too. So, I am in need of an employer that can protect me and my family. I am willing to give anything for that. So, please…" Grayfia saw Adam sigh. He couldn't deny her reason but she withheld some words.
'Even if there were others who could help me, I do not wish to serve anyone else.' Grayfia wouldn't stop trying if Adam rejected her, but she knew that the chances were low.
"You should accept it. Grayfia isn't the type to lie, so she must need strong backing because of her brother's mistakes." Rias agreed, with more enthusiasm than needed. Her face beamed with joy which looked misplaced in the serious atmosphere, but she wasn't alone.
"This is for the best. After all, it isn't like you weren't interested in her." Akeno decided to cut off Adam's escape too.
"Well, it wasn't like I was trying to back out of it, you know?" Adam sighed. It would be foolish to refuse Grayfia's proposal.
First, he clearly said and did too much to reject it now. Second, since Grayfia was related to Rias and Akeno he didn't want to leave her in danger as that would sadden them. This wouldn't sit well with him. But, the third was the most important one.
"Take care of me going forward," Adam said.
"Adam-sama…" Grayfia's downcast red eyes were filled with life in an instant, "Yes, I will do my best to not disappoint you, Master."
'There is no way I can reject her when she is so genuine about it.' After she showed such interest, no other choice remained.