*Beep* *Beep*
Leo is stirred awake by the noise of beeping. He opened his eyes and saw a white ceiling and smell of sanitizing chemicals that reminded him of a clinic or hospital.
"Leo? You finally wake up!"
Leo heard Mittelt's worried voice before he felt something land on his stomach, knocking the air out his lungs.
He pushed himself up a little before lowering his head to see Mittelt nuzzling on his chest. He also felt someone holding his left palm which turned out to be Ophis. Leo offers both some head rubs while he is trying to calm Mittelt down to ask her what happened after he passed out.
He look at himself and noticed his Hunter attire were replaced with hospital gown
"Hmn… What happened to me?" Leo asked the pacified Mittelt.
"You passed out immediately after the battle and went into a coma for a few days." Mittelt answered while trying her best to latch on him as long as possible.
"Coma?" Leo wondered but interrupted when the doors were pushed open and a doctor accompanied by a few nurses entered the room.
"Good morning, Mr Ashford. We are glad you finally woke up. I hope you will allow us to run a few checks to make sure you are alright." The doctor requested.
Leo agrees and they mostly just check his blood pressure, heart rate, etc to make sure nothing is abnormal. After that, they immediately allow Leo to be discharged.
While Rias and her Peerage waiting for him isn't strange. But having Riser waiting for him to be discharged is.
Leo worries he might hold grudges at him which he didn't blame because he definitely would if someone ripped his beating heart out. But he cannot feel any hostility or anger from him at all. Also, his little sister, Ravel is giving him a weird stare which made Mittelt become protective and cling to him like she is defending her territory or something.
"Is there anything I can help?" Leo asked Riser while putting Rias and her Peerage aside for now.
"Nothing. This Riser only wants to make sure his friend is alright. Also, he has a gift for you." Riser said before Yubelluna stepped forward and offered him a pouch.
Inside the pouch is Phoenix Tear. Five of them slotted into a special holster in the pouch to protect the vial from breaking. He looks at the Phoenix Tear and then turns to Riser who is grinning, confused about what just happened.
"What? Do you find the gift insufficient? Of course it is, the man This Riser acknowledged as a friend cannot be a simple person."
"No. That's not it. I'm just… confused." Leo mutters. "I mean, I literally just rip your heart out. I expect you will be holding a grudge or trying to get revenge or something."
"Why should I?" Riser asked. His grin still unchanged and he lifted an eyebrow to question Leo's statement.
"Your speech and act during the Rating Game moved my heart and made me realize something important. In fact, you have saved me from a lot of trouble." Riser turned his eyes slightly to glance at Rias before looking back at Leo and dropped his arrogant personality.
"I previously became obsessed with Rias because of her beauty and status. I become blinded by a momentary desire I forgot about the consequence. But thanks to you, you made me realize something."
"She simply wasn't worth the trouble. The forced marriage will only bring me endless trouble and I would rather have a competent wife that can care for the family and the business rather than a pretty vase."
Leo immediately understood. The words he spoke before fighting Riser reminded him of Rias' nature. He probably imagined his married life wouldn't be happy either and Rias is only pretty but mostly useless in most other departments.
Leo sneaks a peek to the side and he can see Rias' face burning red with embarrassment.
"But everything went well because of you, my friend. With the marriage called off. I can look for a better wife for myself." Riser laughed heartily while tapping Leo's shoulder.
"It's a shame I cannot spend more time with you because I have business to take care of." Riser's laugh died down and said his farewell. "We will definitely meet again next time and we can go out together. I really wanted to bring you out to drink and introduce you to some ladies in the city."
Riser then left with his Queen while laughing without restraint for a few moments.
Right… it felt odd that Riser suddenly was all friendly like this. He always remembers him as a villain from the fanfics he read before.
"Also, Mittelt. Can you stop holding me that tightly?" Leo lowered his head and saw Mittelt hugging his leg with her dear life.
"No, I cannot allow F- Leo to be corrupted by the vices of the Devils." Mittelt refused.
Leo can feel the reason is different from what she just said. Also, the ability to pull up her profile and read her thoughts didn't help in the slightest.
(She wants to ride her daddy basically if anyone still hasn't caught up.)
What did he expect? Mittelt is a Fallen Angel and they are a race synonymous with debauchery. But the thought of Mittelt being obsessed to pop Big G's cherry made him want to roll on the ground and laugh but he held it. Desperately.
Rias approaches him and talks to help divert his thoughts away.
"I am glad you are alright." Rias politely said but she looked like a disobedient student that was scolded by her teacher.
The way she immediately diverted her eyes, refusing to meet him and lowering her head slightly while burning in shame. Leo sighed and thought he must fix this before he got his ass whoop by Satan Lucifer himself.
"Rias. I know what I said about you previously sounded harsh. But it's not spoked to shame you. It's merely my analysis of you and I am not angry if that is what you assumed. Instead, I hope you will know your mistake and change for the better." Leo is trying to make up a few positive words and make it sound like life advice from a senior to her.
After that, he and everyone left the hospital and departed back to Kuoh Academy. They had stayed longer than expected and been absent from school because of Leo. But when they are about to board the magic train, they just realized they have an uninvited guest tagging along. Specifically, she is tailing Leo.
"Why are you following us, Ravel?" Leo spoke out after noticing her boarding the train secretly.
Somehow, he smells trouble.
———
"How long are you going to follow us?" Leo stopped and turned to Ravel with a flat stare.
On the train, Leo asks why she is following them. She answered that she is interested in the human world and her parents arranged for her to be enrolled in Kuoh.
After disembark from the train. Instead of following Rias and the others, she follows Leo and the girls. At this point, he already guessed what she was doing. But it's too much of a hassle to deal with.
He of course wanted to make a contract with Ravel. But she is Riser's Bishop. Not to mention Ravel is a noble of the Devil race. He doubts their parents or even the Devils would approve her relationship with Leo, a human which the Pure Blooded Devil looks down upon.
But Leo didn't know that while his statement is true that most Pure Blooded Devils wouldn't approve of their relationship. Ravel's parents at least did. They saw what Leo is capable of and his connection with Ophis.
Besides, the Phenex clan already have enough sons to secure their political interests. Ravel didn't need to be involved with arranged marriage because of that and they will support whoever she finds fancy. Leo being in particular because of his connection to the literal second strongest being in the world. Though, they might make requests like Leo must change his race to Devil or something similar.
Ravel jumped a little after Leo caught her again stalking him. She played with her fingers while her mind quickly thought of an excuse before she quickly said, "Ah… I just want to look around the town…"
"Sigh… Do you really think that excuse will work?" Leo resigned and gave up on trying to kick Ravel off his trail.
He didn't make any more detours and walked back to his apartment. Mittelt however were sending death glare at Ravel, waging their own war in the background. Meanwhile Ophis said she was hungry because Leo was asleep for a few days and didn't cook for her.
"Did they not provide you with any food?" Leo frowned.
The Gremory shouldn't have issue feeding Ophis for a while. In fact, they might gladly do it in hope to get on her good side.
"Their food taste… different. I like Leo's cooking more." Ophis replied while her hand was still holding on to Leo's shirt.
"Well, that made me sound very happy. But also somewhat miserable too." Leo sighed with complex emotions. "Just watch TV for now. I'll whip up something for you." Leo brings Ophis to the couch before he enters the kitchen.
Leo hopes he still has enough ingredients to cook for Ophis, knowing her large appetite.
The following day after his return.
Leo feels odd that Ravel left him alone after following him all the way to Kuoh. He slept without thinking much about it. But the next morning when he wakes up, he feels something odd has happened.
Leo woke up early in the morning and made breakfast as usual. After eating, he went to dispose of the garbage. When he exits his door, the hallway looks different. But he didn't pay much attention to it, dismissing it as his imagination.
He entered the elevator and went all the way to the ground floor and then he exited the building to the garbage collection place at the side of the building.
He noticed there is no one in the whole building when using in the morning there will be people leaving for work or school.
Again, he dismissed it as a coincidence. Maybe it's a public holiday and he isn't really keeping up with the calendar and stuff.
When he walked back to the entrance, he finally noticed something that was unusual.
He stared at the entire building. The previously 5 storey tall apartment building now turned into a 30 ish storey building covered with gold. Or maybe it's just paint. But just staring at it hurt his eyes.
"Oh, what a coincidence. I was about to meet you and tell you about my new gift."
Leo hears a familiar voice and creaks his head toward it.
"Riser?" Leo saw the blond man with his usual dark red blazer and his devoted Queen next to him.
"Haha indeed. The one and only Riser Phenex. I hope you like my new gift." Riser laughed and approached Leo before putting his arm over Leo's shoulder.
"I was thinking very hard what gift that I can give you. Then my cute little sister ran to me and asked me for help." Riser explains to Leo the reason behind his gift.
"She said she wanted to live close to you. Coincidentally I was looking for a gift and then I figured why not. So, this building is now yours." Riser slips to Leo's hand a key card.
"This is the master key to all doors in the building." Riser explains.
"Wait. Wait. Hold on a second." Leo quickly stopped Riser when his head finally registered what Riser said. "You allow your sister to stay here? In this building?"
"Yes." Riser answered, confused why Leo is all that surprised. "Is there a problem?"
"You goddamn right. I have a problem. You allow her to stay here? She's your peerage member right?"
"Ah, it's about that." Riser nods as if he understood why Leo is worried. "You didn't need to worry. My mother trades her with a Free Piece. So, she is no longer in my peerage or any peerage since my mother is also no longer a King as she is my father's Queen."
Leo sighed. He would expect at least some resistance. He didn't think they would allow this to happen that easily.
"How about the other reason?"
"You mean her feelings for you?" Riser lifted his eyebrow, not really surprised.
"Then you didn't need to worry, my father approved of your strength and my mother supported whatever decision Ravel made." Riser assured Leo while tapping his shoulder.
"But I do have a reminder for you. If you hurt my cute baby sister, even if you are my bro. I will make sure you pay." He said with a face that promised pain before it went back to normal. "Anyway, that's all the time I have. I need to go soon. See you later."
Riser laughed while a magic circle appeared below his feet and surrounded him and his Queen. Yubelluna made a curt bow to Leo as they vanished.
Leo simply stands there speechlessly and not knowing what to do or how he should react to this information.
"I guess I have the family's approval then." Leo sighed.
It's still around 7 in the morning. Yet he already felt drained of energy.
———
A being wearing an outfit similar to a Yharnam Hunters stared at the DxD world from inside the void of space. His expression is hidden by clothes hiding his face below his milky white eyes.
He mutters indescribable words in a trance before his eyes return to normal.
"I sensed a vermin hiding in this world… Those abominations must be…" The being paused for a moment before his eyes glow with the light of madness. "Exterminated…must be exterminated… Vermin must be exterminated!"
Like an insane and deranged person. He shouts and screams the same sentence over and over again while he claws his face, his skin, digging his finger into his eye socket and into his brain to scratch the itch.
When he is done. He returns to normal as if all that happened previously were just an illusion. He then pulls his fingers out and also a bloody centipede like creature from his brain.
"Vermin!"
He suddenly lost his temper again and roared in anger before crushing the creature in his hand into pulp, spraying dark crimson ichor all over his body.
"Must…exterminate…vermins…" He mutters before he vanishes from the void.
—————
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