"If you don't share someone's pain, you can never understand them."
— Nagato, Naruto Shippuden
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The other girls were progressing well. Aside from Yuriko, whose new body had required a significant expenditure of Roy's demonic energy, excluding Saeko, they all possessed the strength of Low-Class Devils. Of course, to fully utilize this newfound power, they would need to learn how to wield magic.
Roy himself, due to the power feedback from his servants, hadn't quite reached High-Class Devil status, but he had advanced to the intermediate of Mid-Class Devil.
Having accomplished his goals in this world, it was time to return to the world of *High School DxD* with the girls.
"Are we going back to Roy's world?" Saya asked, her voice full of anticipation.
"Roy said it was in the Underworld, didn't he?" Saeko added, equally curious about the world Roy had described.
"Eh? The Underworld?" Shizuka's imagination ran wild at the mention of the term, conjuring up images of a hellish realm.
"You'll see when we get there. Is everyone ready?" Roy asked, looking at the girls.
"Yes, ready!"
"No problem!"
"I can't wait to leave this place!"
"I'm so excited! I wonder what it's like!"
Amidst the girls' excited chatter, a white light enveloped them. In the next instant, they vanished from the room.
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Kuoh Academy, Kendo Club.
A white light flashed within a private training room.
As the light subsided, Roy and the girls reappeared.
"We're back!" Roy glanced around, confirming that nothing had changed since their departure. The sounds of girls training drifted in from the Kendo club's practice area outside.
Despite spending several days in the *Highschool of the Dead* world, time in this world seemed to have barely elapsed.
"Eh? This is Roy-chan's world? It doesn't seem that different," Shizuka remarked, puzzled. Her imagined vision of the Underworld was quite different from this normal-looking room.
"This is the human world, so naturally, it's similar. Let's head home first," Roy explained, activating a teleportation circle. A blue light enveloped them.
It wouldn't be prudent to simply walk out of the Kendo Club with so many unfamiliar faces, hence the discreet use of a magic circle.
---
They materialized within a large castle in Kuoh Town.
Emerging into the castle's grand hall, the girls gazed around in awe and curiosity.
Shizuka: "Wow! Is this Roy-chan's house?"
Saeko: "It's a castle!"
Alice Maresato: "Amazing!"
Yuriko: "It needs a good cleaning!"
Rika: "So, this is our new home?"
"Yes, this is our home from now on. Let's all tidy up a bit first," Roy declared, initiating the cleaning process.
"Alright!!!"
Excited by their new beginning in this unfamiliar world, the girls tackled the task with enthusiasm. Even Alice Maresato joined in, eager to help.
The castle had been provided by Roy's older sister, Grayfia, but he rarely stayed there. Its sheer size made it feel lonely and empty. As a result, it had been quite some time since it had received a proper cleaning, and it was in a state of disarray.
By evening, thanks to Roy's judicious use of magic to expedite the process, the enormous castle was finally clean.
With the cleaning complete, Saeko took charge of preparing dinner with the other girls.
A warm and comfortable atmosphere filled the castle.
As they were about to start their meal, a magic circle shimmered into existence next to Roy.
His heart sank. He instantly recognized the signature of the teleportation circle. It was Grayfia, his older sister.
He felt a twinge of apprehension. Would she be angry that he had brought back so many girls?
Grayfia was always stern and serious in Roy's experience, especially when it came to his training.
The magic circle's light faded, revealing Grayfia Lucifuge in her usual maid attire.
"Um… Sis, what brings you here so suddenly?" Roy asked.
Saeko and the others exchanged surprised glances, realizing the woman in the maid uniform was Roy's sister.
Grayfia stepped out of the circle, her brow furrowing slightly as she took in the sight of the numerous girls. She scrutinized them carefully before turning her gaze to Roy.
"Are these your new… servants?" she inquired.
"Ah, yes!" Roy replied.
"With the exception of her," Grayfia indicated Saeko, her expression serious, "they're all normal humans. As the heir to the House of Lucifuge, your choices regarding servants should be more… considered. Evil Pieces are a finite resource."
Her concern was understandable. From her perspective, none of the girls, apart from Saeko who seemed to possess some inherent strength, were particularly noteworthy.
Of course, she was unaware of Roy's unique circumstances and his access to unlimited pieces.
"I understand, Sis. But before you judge, Have a look!" Roy said, releasing his aura.
"Oh? You've Advanced!" Grayfia's stern expression softened slightly with surprise. Roy hadn't advanced in his demonic power for over a decade, yet he'd managed to achieve an Advancement in just a few days.
"Yes, You can rest assured, I will make the House of Lucifuge the strongest Clan!"
A rare, genuine smile graced Grayfia's lips.
She didn't enjoy being so severe with her younger brother, but the weight of their family's legacy rested entirely upon his shoulders. It was a burden she felt compelled to prepare him for.
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