(You know, while I wanted Kharn to stay small, the Everchoosen(Romonus) needs a mount. What is cooler than a cracked-up giant Honey Badger with rage issues and Demonic Armor?)
Romonus did not expect it, but just the sheer Chaotic Aura radiating from Archaon seemed to make him feel right at home. He was a bringer of Chaos, and now that he had almost reached the level of a Super Devil and he was no longer a child he was able to do as he pleased.
One of his first goals would of course be to recover Valerie for her Holy Grail and Gasper, but not for his Peerage. He was going to give him to Rias as the Dampher was just weird. Cross-dressers weirded him out a bit.
'Thank Rahvdall, Carla never was into that.'
He shuddered at thinking of that. Suddenly he heard Archaon speak to him.
'Who is this Gasper? And why does this Carla disgust you?
'Gasper is a Damphar, a half Vampire Half Human. Carla is someone I loathe.'
'Are we to kill them, Father?'
'No, we are not. Gasper has power and we want that power. Carla is beyond our reach.'
'Ah, so we shall eat this Gasper's soul for the power?'
Romonus was almost laughing as Archaon seemed to just be a child. Well, he had just been formed so he could not fault him.
'No, we will turn him into a Devil, well my sister will.'
Archaon went silent for a time before speaking.
'I understand.'
Regardless once Archaon settled down, Romonus looked at the giant purple and red glowing sword in his hand.
"This sword needs a name, how does Ruin Maker sound?"
He turned to Latia who walked over to his side and placed a hand on Archaon. She pulled her hand back instantly as it was hot.
"It's hot, does it not hurt."
Archaon answered.
"The master shall not be harmed by a meager flame such as this."
Latia pulled her hand away almost confused.
"So why is the armor alive?"
If he could Archaon would frown.
"My name is Archaon, son and True Armor for the Master."
She rolled her eyes.
"In that case why is Archaon alive?"
Romonus was the one to answer that question.
"Simply put, it was a result of many factors. Senjutsu granted him a spark of life, my Blood Metal bound him to me, and the many organic materials used in his forging all worked together to grant him this life."
Archaon as a Living Armor could move on his own, but would only function at his peak when his Armored wore him. In this case Romonus.
"Archaon, if you will."
Under the gaze of everyone the armor, sword, and shield burst apart into streams of darkness leaving Romonus behind. Once Archaon reached Romonus' soul he felt at home.
'I like it here.'
'Welcome home then.'
Romonus noticed how MacGregor seemed disappointed.
"Damn, I thought I was going to get some study materials. By the way, you have some leftover ingots, quite a bit at that so-"
Romonus thought about it before walking over to one of the 5 remaining ingots. He picked one of them up and looked at it.
"Everyone who helped can get an equal share of this one."
Surtr would not want it which meant MacGregor, Ajuka, and Latia. Romonus opened his hand and summoned Ruin Maker to cut the ingot into three equal pieces. Each one with a weight of 400 pounds (181 Kg).
He caught each piece and walked over to his three helpers.
"Here you are. The least I could do."
When Ajuka grabbed his piece he found it ungodly heavy.
"How are you even walking?"
"I am insanely strong. Oh, before I forget, Uncle, is it at all possible to have a second Peerage?"
Ajuka thought about it.
"It has never been done before because each Evil Piece is linked to the Soul. Even your brother never thought to do something like that. I will say no, that it cannot be done with my Evil Piece System. However, if you make your own who is to say it won't work?"
Romonus nodded as he started to think about it. He could in theory make Evil Pieces from this metal that would probably never be made again. He would then need to bind them to his soul and Demonic Energy.
It could be done, but it would have to be a plan for the future.
"Regardless, I am grateful you all came to help me."
Ajuka simply patted his shoulder.
"Of course, that is what family does. We help each other, good look on your new engagement."
Romonus had almost forgotten about that.
"Are they going through with it? I haven't heard a thing from anyone."
Ajuka did not know.
"All I heard is that they ended up picking a girl from the Berith Clan. Clan Berith is a clan very similar to House Bael and the Former House Amduscius because they focused on raw destructive power. Their Black Flames of Anarchy were legendary in the Great War."
MacGregor took his piece of metal and stored it away. He pondered on this as he had a spy network through the underworld.
"I didn't get a name or anything weirdly enough, all I know is that she is not from your generation."
Romonus was now confused.
"Is she from the generation before mine?"
MacGregor nodded.
"From what I got to gather because House Berith keeps to itself I don't know much. The girl is 37 or something. That is all I know."
Romonus nodded.
"Got it. We spent 4 days forging Archaon and the ball is in 6 days. Guess I will be meeting her then. I just hope she does not end up being a-"
Latia finished for him.
"A spoiled pretentious sow?"
"That."
MacGregor walked over to Surtr and picked him up.
"Come on big guy. Be seeing you Romonus, oh and you still up to learn under my mentor."
"Tell him I am ready any time."
With that out of the way, MacGregor teleported away with Surtr. Ajuka smiled as he turned to Latia.
"I will leave you here, you must have wanted to see each other more."
Latia nodded as she held onto Romonus' arm.
"That is true, thank you, Uncle."
"Of course."
Once Ajuka left as well, that just left Romonus, Latia, Akeno, Shirone, and Itsuki who were all dead tired. Even Latia seemed about to pass out which Romonus noticed.
"Oh, I guess it's time to sleep."
Akeno yawned and without skipping a beat fell onto his bed. Since this was a Devil's bed, it was a giant bed.
"Can I sleep here?"
Romonus rubbed the back of his head as he nodded.
"Sure, I don't mind, but you would be in bed with me? Isn't that weird?"
Akeno looked over to him and looked him up and down before grinning.
"Nah, I don't mind."
Itsuki shrugged and removed her boots before instantly falling on the bed.
"I deserve to be spoiled like a princess after all that Boosting and transferring you had me do."
Shirone walked up to him and picked him up. He looked down at the cat girl as she placed him on the bed.
"No talking, sleep time."
He sighed as he looked at Latia.
"You heard them I guess."
She smiled as she lay down next to him.
"They like you."
Romonus looked at Akeno, Shirone, and Itsuki before resting his head on his pillow.
"I will neither deny nor refuse."
Akeno clenched her fingers around his nose with a frown.
"Come on, don't you know already that we care for you? You might be a training maniac, with no gentleness for fair maidens, but you do have your good traits."
"I thought those were my good traits?"
Akeno snorted before looking away from him.
"Fine then, when I get older, pretty and busty like my mom you can kiss me goodbye."
He lunged out with his hand and grabbed her arm before pulling her into his arms. Akeno smiled as she wrapped her arms around him.
"So big and muscular. I LOVE IT!"
Itsuki looked Romonus up and down but did not get it.
'Ddraig, what is up with her?'
[Give it a few years and you will be the same. Strong males draw the attention of women. It's a right of the strong. Same with strong females.]
'Oh, I get it.'
Regardless, Akeno while being close to him in age was too little. All of these girls were so he let go of her and let her roll away.
"Just go to sleep, tomorrow I will need to use the Baptism."
Once she was free Akeno rested her head on his chest as she looked at his face.
"Romonus, why do you always pull back at the end? I noticed it before. You get close and then pull away."
He just smiled at her as he tried to keep his crap from affecting anyone around him. It was his troubles to deal with and no one needed to know about them.
"Guess I am just trying to be respectful of boundaries. I wouldn't like to be forced to do things against my will so I don't force anything on you girls. Plus, your brains need a bit more time to settle down from the effects of growing up."
Akeno smiled.
"I guess I can accept that, and we are all pretty small. Where it matters?"
She winked in his direction which made him chuckle.
"True. Give it another three years and you will miss being small."
Shirone turned into a small white cat before jumping on his face.
"Don't think so."
She curled up covering his eyes. He yawned and closed his eyes as he allowed himself to sleep as he had spent 5 months awake. He could allow himself time to sleep and Archaon was currently trying to stabilize their soul bond.
His energies were still chaotic after his forging and he just needed some time to get everything in order. Quickly the girls all noticed that Romonus was already asleep which made them all smile. While he was out cold they all went to his bathroom to shower before returning to bed.
Since when he slept he was a heavy sleeper they knew he wasn't spying, but even if he was they would not mind. Romonus had proven himself to not be a creepy guy as despite having a harem he was quite the romantic rather than a degenerate.
If his incest fetish was to be ignored though, they didn't bring it up. Once they all got into bed it was clear that there was plenty of free room in the bed as it was that big. Even Kharn took his favorite place on Romonus' chest.
All in all, they were all tired so they slept like logs. Though Shirone was constantly using her Senjutsu to give Romonus good dreams which made him sleep calmer than ever. She was a perfect therapist and Romonus hadn't even told her anything.
---
While Romonus was living his best life Rias was not. 4 days ago when it was their shared birthday she had expected him to be there. However, while the celebration was ongoing she waited for hours and didn't see him.
Her father spent his time with Marcina and his new baby boy who was born 2 months ago. Marcina had tried to be a good adult female role model, but Rias only cared about what her Mother told her.
When her Mother arrived she was happy and thought she had brought Romonus, but she came alone. Venelana had been forced to tell her that he was stuck in his forge room creating his armor. Now 4 days later she was in her room angry that he missed their birthday.
However, she did not blame him at all and put all the blame on her Father. He caused the divorce that pulled him away to Castle Bael. He was the one who stopped training with her in favor of spending time with Asterion.
Ever since Marcina got pregnant, everything had gone to shit in her family. This was the first year they did not share a birthday. Zeoticus knocked on the door as she had not come out since her birthday.
"Rias, open the door."
She clenched her fists before yelling at him.
"GO AWAY!"
"I know that he missed your birthday together, but-
"I AM MAD AT YOU! NOT MY BROTHER! YOU BROKE OUR FAMILY APART! YOU CHOOSE MARCINA OVER MOM! I HATE YOU, I HATE HER! AND I HATE ASTERION!"
Zeoticus felt his heartbreak when he heard that. He was trying to make the best of his situation and thought she had accepted the divorce. When the divorce was new, she was more accepting of it. However, as time went on when she saw her Mother and Brother less and less she understood her family was broken.
She came to accept that Zeoticus drove her Mother away and that also pulled her brother away. Now she couldn't even see her twin on their birthday. Hearing those words bit at his soul, but he could not deny how true they were.
Zeoticus lowered his head before he walked away. When he was gone, Rias rushed to her closet before she started to store her clothes away. She placed everything of hers into her Spatial Ring before walking towards the window.
She placed a hand on her hair and used magic to dye it from Crimson to black. She even used magic to turn her eyes purple, but this was just temporary. She created a teleport circle under her feet as she was going to leave.
Being the heir sucked, and she was alone here. After the birth of his son Asterion, Zeoticus stopped spending time with her only training her to take over House Gremory. He started to treat Rias like he treated Venelana by ignoring her. Rias now had enough and she teleported away.
She rather live with her Mom and Brother rather than here any longer. She wondered how her brother was the heir for 11 years because it was ass. Millicas or Asterion could do it because she quit.
(The multiple chapter days I have been doing are going to end soon. I have been talking with my Father and he is pushing me to start a Patreon. in this economy, even an old-school guy like my Father sees the benefit of some extra money from my hobby. I will see what I can do about starting a Discord as well.
Though I will still upload daily, just not multiple chapters anymore.)