[Kiba Side]

In the Occult Research Clubroom, days after the battle with Loki, peace had returned. We attended school and club activities as usual, but subtle changes marked our routine.

First, Rossweisse-san stayed in Kuoh Town. Or rather, she was left behind. After the talks, Odin apparently rushed back to the Norse realms, forgetting her. Rossweisse-san planned to return immediately but got caught up in post-battle cleanup. With nowhere to stay, she crashed at Issei’s place. Being abandoned by her master god hit her hard—she cried for days.

Rias, unable to watch her suffer, made an offer: “Become my retainer.”

Now, in the clubroom, Rias pointed at a pamphlet. “Join the Gremory family, and you can have your own territory, plus these benefits.”

Rossweisse-san studied the pamphlet intently, flipping between two with starry eyes. “This is incredible! Far better than the Norse realms! And the salary—amazing! The perfect workplace!”

Her enthusiasm was intense, even more than during battle. Koneko-chan whispered beside me, “Such… force.”

Yeah, I felt it too.

“Must’ve been stressed at her old job,” Irina remarked.

“I get it!” Reyna exclaimed. “Serving Odin? I’d explode! Even now, I’m barely holding it together!”

Reyna’s glare shifted as the door opened.

“Hey, you lot are lively,” Azazel-sensei said, entering in a white lab coat, chemistry textbook in hand.

Reyna sighed dramatically, eyeing him. “Ugh…”

“What’s with the sigh?” Azazel’s eye twitched as he shut the door.

Seems Reyna’s as fed up with her boss as Rossweisse-san was with hers.

Ignoring them, Rias continued. “The Gremory family is renowned for producing demon kings, and our territory’s specialties sell well.”

“You could manage that business,” Rias added, pulling a red chess piece from her pocket. “Join my retainers. Your magic would make you a perfect ‘Rook’—a magical artillery unit. The only concern is whether one piece is enough. Turning a Valkyrie into a demon is unprecedented, so we’ll see.”

Everyone—except Azazel—gasped. That was Rias’s last piece. But she was right: Rossweisse-san’s full-burst magic from the battle would shine in rating games. With only Rias and Akeno as wizard-types among us, and Issei’s magic limited to… Dress Break, she’d be a huge asset.

Rossweisse-san took the piece. “Maybe this was fated since we met in the Underworld.”

A red flash enveloped the room, and demon wings sprouted from her back. It worked! Despite her demigod status, one piece sufficed.

Ajuka Beelzebub recently revealed that demon pieces evolve with their master’s growth. Rias’s training likely made this possible.

Clap! Rias struck her palms. “And so, my final retainer, Rossweisse, joins as a ‘Rook.’ Please welcome her!”

Rossweisse-san bowed. “I’m Rossweisse, now a Gremory retainer. After considering the finances, insurance, and benefits, I chose to become a demon. I look forward to working with you all.”

Clap, clap, clap. We applauded, though with wry smiles. That was bold. It felt like Rias half-brainwashed her with that sales pitch—she sounded like an insurance agent.

“Pretty reckless, huh? I became a demon on a whim too,” Xenovia said.

“Xenovia, maybe think things through next time…” I muttered.

“What’s that, Kiba?”

“Nothing, haha.”

I’m glad Rossweisse-san joined. The Gremory team just got a major boost.

“Fufufu, Odin-sama, you’d better watch out next time,” Rossweisse-san said, her smile eerie, aura intense. She must’ve had serious grudges.

“That completes your retinue,” Azazel said.

“That’s my seat, Azazel,” Rias replied. “But yes, it does.”

“Your luck’s insane,” he continued. “A Valkyrie turned demon? Unheard of. With this lineup, you’d dominate pro rating games. Well, Issei alone guarantees that.”

The air shifted at Issei’s name—the second change among us.

“How’s Issei-kun doing?” I asked.

He wasn’t here. Loki’s schemes and Fenrir’s fangs left him critically injured, now hospitalized in the Gremory estate’s medical ward.

Azazel flipped through some documents. “No issues. His wounds should’ve been fatal, but Asia’s healing fixed them. Rest, and he’ll recover soon.”

Relief washed over us. Akeno mentioned he looked pale during her visit, so we’d been worried. We hadn’t seen him ourselves, too busy with other tasks.

“This hospitalization’s convenient,” Azazel added. “We were about to administer a new drug to restore his right arm.”

“It’s ready?” Rias asked.

The drug, developed by the Underworld’s medical team and Grigori, aimed to heal Issei’s arm, which even Asia’s powers couldn’t fully mend. Azazel and Ajuka Beelzebub were involved—a testament to Issei’s importance to the Underworld.

Azazel nodded. “Test data’s promising. It’ll take a few days, but it should fully heal.”

Great news.

Azazel exhaled. “Injuries aside, you all know the deal with Issei and Miu—the Hyoudou siblings.”

The room tensed. I recalled Loki’s final words:

“It’s too late! That being will destroy your old world and this one! The twilight is unstoppable. Enjoy your fleeting peace, demon king’s daughter and Red Dragon Emperor returned from another world!”

We didn’t grasp their meaning then. What shocked us more was Issei’s panic, as if a forbidden secret had been exposed. He frantically attacked Loki’s self-sealing barrier but collapsed before breaking it.

I’d never seen him so desperate.

“We’ve asked Odin to unseal Loki, but it’s tricky,” Azazel said. “The barrier’s unique and will take time to crack.”

“So we ask Issei-senpai or Miu-senpai directly?” Koneko-chan said.

“Exactly,” Azazel replied. “Sirzechs and I want answers now. An unknown world with a being Loki claims could destroy ours? We need information to prepare.”

Another world—an unknown realm beyond any mythology. Grigori debates it, but no conclusions exist. Why are Issei and Miu tied to it?

“But,” Azazel continued, “we’ll wait for them to settle. Loki’s words shook them. They need time to process.”

Fair point. Beyond physical recovery, they need mental clarity. We all nodded in agreement.

“They’ll talk soon,” Azazel said, smirking. “Issei knows he can’t hide it anymore. I trust them—I’m their teacher, after all.”

“I agree,” Rias said. “We’ll wait for them to open up. It’s what we can do.”

“I trust Issei-kun too,” Akeno added, smiling.

Asia, Koneko-chan, and the rest shared the sentiment. So did I.

Azazel grinned, satisfied. “Let’s visit Issei for today’s club activity. You’re all itching to see him, right?”

The girls—except Rossweisse-san, who barely knew him—were restless. Rias, Akeno, and others had been off, spacing out in class, worrying classmates. Some were even sent to the nurse or told to go home.

“Oh, Miu’s already at the hospital,” Azazel added. “She bolted there after class to nurse Issei.”

“What!? Why didn’t you say that first?!” the girls shouted in unison.

“We’re going now, Akeno!” Rias declared.

“No time to waste—Miu-chan’s already ahead!” Akeno said.

“I’ve been overtaken!” Asia cried.

“She left class so fast for this!?” Xenovia growled.

“Governor, why hold that back!?” Reyna snapped.

“I let my guard down…” Koneko-chan muttered.

“As an angel, I’ll nurse Issei-kun too!” Irina said.

Irina, you don’t need to be an angel for that…

“Sensei, you dropped a bomb,” I said.

“Got them back to normal, didn’t it? Sulking doesn’t suit them,” Azazel replied.

Calculated, as expected from him.

Issei’s in for a surprise—a new retainer joined while he was out.

We teleported to the Underworld to visit him.

[Kiba Side Out]

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