Chapter 34: DxD: Weaving Threads 02

I get the text I've been waiting for from Serafall shortly after dinner. Excited, I quickly [Void Travel] to the lobby of my mansion and face the teleportation room while I call Wilhelm and Sakuya with [Sound Domain] to join me. They arrive quickly, and just a few minutes later I feel a large group arrive.

Serafall comes out first, and behind her are Lord Phenex and a woman who must be Lady Phenex. Behind the two of them is Ravel, and behind her is the rest of Riser's old Peerage, now Ravel's Peerage.

"Welcome to my humble home," I greet them as they approach me. Serafall, dressed up in her normal magical girl outfit, Lord Phenex, Lady Phenex, and Ravel all stop directly in front of me, while the rest of the girls form a small group behind them.

I take a moment to get a feel for the general mood using [Empathy]. Serafall is as cool and collected as ever, I rarely get much from her. Despite her outward personality, her emotions are pretty stable. Lord and Lady Phenex are nervous, but otherwise, their emotions are also held in check.

Ravel, to my surprise, isn't nervous. Or no, that's not true. There's some nervousness there, but it's small, and it has a different flavor to it than her parents' nervousness does. Ravel's primary emotions are curiosity and excitement.

The same doesn't hold true for her new Peerage though. It's hard to pick out individual emotions from them, grouped up and distanced from me as they are. But casting a look over their facial expression in conjunction with [Empathy] gives me a decent idea of how they're feeling.

Most aren't feeling much at all besides boredom or interest as they look around. I guess maybe they're not loyal to Riser and don't care? I'll find out later. A handful of them are feeling happy or excited, and are clearly checking me out. Not necessarily in a sexual way, though a couple of them are, but most are looking at me as if they're trying to find out what kind of person I am.

The rest are nervous, upset, or confused. Especially Yubelluna, who doesn't look or feel happy to be here at all. Interesting. Maybe she actually liked Riser? It was bound to be true for some of them...I guess.

I turn my attention back to the people directly in front of me. "Lady Phenex I presume?" I ask her. She's wearing a red dress showing a modest amount of cleavage and her hair is tied up in a ponytail that separates into drills. She's just as blonde as her husband and children, and in fact, she looks like a mature version of Ravel.

"You presume correctly," she replies politely. "I came to see what sort of man my son has traded my daughter to." There's a bit of annoyance in her words, but it seems mostly directed at Riser, and not myself.

<+10 Affection with Lady Phenex>

Not great, but not bad either. As I open my mouth to reply I'm interrupted by Serafall. "Is that Grayfia?" she asks in surprise as she looks behind me at Sakuya.

"No, it isn't," I answer. "You were there when I was asking Grayfia about knowing someone who looks just like her right?" Serafall nods, realization dawning on her face. "Well, yesterday I called her up and asked if she knew who Grayfia was. She doesn't, and apparently, their similar appearances are coincidental."

"Bullshit," Serafall fires back immediately. "I mean, look at her! She's basically a shorter Grayfia. Even her maid uniform is pretty similar."

I shrug. "Both of them claim not to know of the other and I don't see why they would lie. As for why she's here, when I called her it so happened that she was looking for new employment, so I hired her."

"Uh-huh," Serafall replied, doubt clear in her voice. "And where did she work before?"

"A secluded supernatural community primarily made up of Youkai," I reply. "But I don't believe you came here to investigate my new Head Maid?"

She sighs, agreeing to back down on the subject. "No, you're right. I've come to tell you that the arrangements have been made. Ravel is now a King and all of Riser's Peerage members have been transferred to her. Getting it done took a bit of pulled strings, but not too many. Ravel already qualified for getting her own set of Evil Pieces, so it was just a matter of procuring a set for her quickly. There's a bunch of red tape you have to go through even if you qualify."

"I see," I reply. "Well, thank you for doing it."

"If I could interject," Lord Phenex says. "I know I asked this of you already, but I'd like to ask it again. What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"Primarily, it's to train her and the rest of her new Peerage," I reply. "As I said before, I see them as wasted potential. Riser raised the stakes of our fight, and I had to demand something in return. And a chance to further prove how foolish he was being was available, so I took it." I shrug. "And, again, as I said before, I'm not going to lay a claim to her forever. Once they start taking part in official Rating Games we can revisit our arrangements."

"What else do you have in mind for her?" Lady Phenex spoke up. "You said 'primarily', implying you have other plans for her."

"I have a project I need assistance with, and my gut tells me that Ravel will be the perfect assistant for it," I answer. "I can't say what exactly it is yet, the details haven't been announced yet, but Serafall knows about it."

Serafall tilts her head at me. "You mean that business? Yeah, you could use an advisor for that." She shakes her head. "Honestly, I was going to suggest someone for you soon, but your gut is right, from what I've heard, Ravel here should do the job just fine."

Ravel's curiosity grows stronger but she doesn't speak up. Lord Phenex, however, does. "And what sort of business is this?" he asks, wary.

Serafall waves her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, it's nothing bad," she says. "It's something I've been working with Axton with for a while. It should be a great learning experience for Ravel."

Lord Phenex frowns but doesn't push the matter. Serafall and I are dancing around it, but the project I intend to have Ravel help me with is my potions. Mostly the business side, as I can't possibly accurately value my potions. It's one of the reasons I've hesitated to make official announcements about my potions.

Not that information hasn't started to leak thanks to them being shown off during the Rating Game. That was deliberate though, as I knew I would be getting Ravel afterward. Lord and Lady Phenex should know about them as well, but whether or not they'll make the connection between what Serafall and I have hinted at and those potions, I can't say. I don't think they have, but it honestly doesn't matter.

"Very well," Lord Phenex says. "If that is all you intend, and since Lady Leviathan approves, I won't fight against this." His wife next to him nods. They're both accepting, and while they're still nervous, it's not as much as they were before. If you two are so worried about your daughter you really shouldn't have let her be in Riser's Peerage.

"I'm glad," I reply. Mostly because it would be annoying and it would sour our relationship if I had to insist. "And don't worry. She'll be free to visit the Underworld as often as she likes so long as she's not busy, and I won't be working her to the bone. She'll have plenty of time to visit and keep you two informed of how she's doing here."

<+9 Affection with Lady Phenex>

<+8 Affection with Lord Phenex>

That decreased their nervousness by quite a bit. I guess that was a big fear of theirs, not knowing what is happening. Good. Letting her visit home cost me nothing and gains me a lot of goodwill. If I were doing something nefarious, I wouldn't let it happen. Of course, I'll be seducing her, which could be considered nefarious, but I'll be making it look natural.

"In that case, we'll take our leave now," Lady Phenex said. She turns to Ravel, who's been standing silently the whole time even as we discussed her. "Ravel, be good, and visit us soon, okay?"

"Yes Mother," she says with a slight nod of her head. Very prim and proper, but [Empathy] picks up a flash of annoyance. Oh? There's something going on there. Is it about Lady Phenex specifically or the situation? I'll have to keep it in mind.

As Lord and Lady Phenex leave, I turn quickly to Serafall. "Before you go, I want to arrange a meeting with you."

"Oh?" she replies, curious. "What about?"

"That other project you mentioned the other day," I reply. "The long-term one that we discussed when you first showed me around this place. I've been thinking on it, and I have some ideas about how to go forward with it."

"Hmm," she responds as she thinks. "So like a boring serious discussion then. Yeah, I can make some time for that soon. I'll let you know, okay?"

I nod. "Sure thing, I'll keep my schedule as open as I can."

"In that case, I'll talk to you later Axton!" she says cheerfully as she skips off. I note that her skirt bounces to the perfect height to where you think there's a chance you might be able to see her panties, but it never actually goes high enough to expose her. I can only admire the skill that level of teasing takes.

I turn to Ravel. "Well then, it looks like we'll be working together for the time being."

<+25 Affection with Ravel Phenex>

<+8 Affection with Ravel Phenex>

I was wondering when I'd see this. I had asked Kyu a while back how Affection works if I hadn't met the person. Because as I became more well known, surely there will be people who gain or lose Affection with me before I meet them, but it's only as I meet them that I unlock it.

Apparently, that's what the Reputation Bonus is for. It gives an appropriate amount of Affection after their first Affection gain based on how much they liked you. And the best part is that it actually benefits from Affection increases, unlike most other bonus forms of Affection gain.

So I had some Affection with Ravel before this? Judging by her emotions now, I can believe it. She's actually feeling pretty happy right now. Not over the moon, but excited and pleased.

"I'll be in your care," she says with a deep bow. Interesting that she's using Japanese mannerisms already. Did she research those? I don't remember anything about her also being a secret fan of Japanese culture.

"We need to talk tonight about arrangements. But first things first," I say. I turn to her Peerage, who are standing there somewhat awkwardly. I look over them again. They're quite a colorful cast, and all of them are beauties. "To all of you, I know these are some big changes happening very quickly. Don't worry, I'm not going to add on to that pile tonight. We'll figure it all out tomorrow evening. For tonight I just want you to relax."

I call Sakuya over with [Sound Domain] and she steps forward. "This is Sakuya, my Head Maid. She'll show you to the living quarters, and each of you can pick a room. You can share rooms if you want, or have your own room, it doesn't matter to me. If you need more or fewer beds in a room, or if you need anything at all, ask Sakuya here."

I get affirmations at mixed levels of enthusiasm, but some of the nervousness from them dissipates.

"If you'll please follow me," Sakuya says, leading them away. They do so, a few of them shooting glances at me as they go by. I smile back at them, especially the ones that seem more flirtatious. Ravel and I watch as they all file out through a side entrance leading to the living quarters, and then it's just us and Wilhelm left in the room.

I turn to the butler. "Could you do me a favor and bring some tea to my office? Ravel and I need to get some business out of the way."

"Of course," he replies with a small bow and a hand over his chest. He takes off in a different direction, slipping through an inconspicuous door. I turn to Ravel and give her a look over. She's wearing a pink dress that covers most of her skin. I can see a pair of white stockings on her legs, and she's wearing a nice but simple pair of flats on her feet.

"Come on, my office is this way," I tell her as I walk in yet another direction. She dutifully follows me as I walk through the halls. Normally I [Void Travel] through the house, but I decide to hold off on that for now.

"So, Ravel," I start as we walk towards my office. "You've been fairly quiet so far, but you're probably the most affected by what's happening. What are your feelings about this situation?"

I want her to open up a little bit to me so I can get her Affection up as quickly as possible. Ravel is cute and useful and I'm extremely excited to finally have my hands on her. Metaphorically speaking at least. I'm still waiting to literally get my hands on her in the way that I want.

"I'm mostly still curious, sir," she replies.

"Please, don't call me sir, I'm not that much older than you," I reply. "Call me Axton. And curious how"

She nods. "Axton then. And I'm curious about what your plans are. I admit that I haven't been able to get much of a read on you since we haven't interacted much. And the few times I have seen you, you've either been relaxed or sharply focused and implementing a strategy, such as when you baited my brother."

Ah, so she noticed as well. I wasn't being subtle about it I suppose, and Riser didn't notice, which is all that really matters. "And how do you feel about working under someone who did something like that to your brother?" I ask her, not bothering to deny it.

There's a little surge of satisfaction from her. Was she not sure, and is proud to be right? "If I can speak candidly?" she asks.

"I insist that you do so," I reply. "Especially when you think I might not want to hear it." I need her to trust me and like me after all. Plus, as someone who I hope to have in an important position, truthful feedback is important.

"The truth is my brother is an idiot," she says. "I love him, but he's also extremely frustrating. I joined his Peerage at my parents' insistence that I get some experience before forming my own Peerage. At the time, it made sense to me, and I agreed. But I regret that. Riser put the bare minimum amount of effort and thought into his games and relied on our Phenex trait to see us through the Rating Games. It worked, but I knew it was only a matter of time before it didn't."

We arrive at my office and I silently open the door and lead us in. I gesture at a seat in front of the desk and she sits down in it, still talking as I sit behind the desk. "This whole situation between you and him has been...cathartic. He's ignored my advice at every turn, claiming he knows better than me. I tried for a long time to have him change his way of thinking, to be more like our older brother, but I recently gave up. So, to answer your question, I'm quite thankful for what you did, and I'm excited to be working under someone competent. I'm nervous about suddenly having my own Peerage, but with your guidance, I'm ready to take on the challenge of leading them."

"I see," I reply. That was a better answer than I dared to hope for. I knew she wasn't overly loyal to her brother. She started crushing on Issei after he beat Riser after all. "I'm glad you feel that way, and I'll do my best to meet your expectations," I continue. "But tell me. Does your new Peerage share your feelings?"

She grimaces and squirms a little. "It's...mixed for them," she admits. "Most of them had a certain kind of relationship with him…" she says, trailing off.

"I already guessed he picked them based on how much he wanted to sleep with them rather than anything else," I say. But to my surprise, Ravel shakes her head.

"No, well I mean, yes. Kind of," she says. "That was definitely one of his requirements for picking members. But that's pretty normal when making Peerages, especially for male Devils. But Riser did care about quality, not just in the bedroom, and he made sure they had talent as well. It's part of the reason why I'm fine with accepting them as a Peerage."

"True, none of them seemed useless," I agreed. "I noted their potential myself already. So what is the issue then?"

"Well, it's just that each girl had a different relationship with Riser," Ravel explains. "And now that they've been taken away from him, they of course have different reactions to that. Some are glad, either having to come to dislike my brother for one reason or another, and most are apathetic. But a few did like my brother, and are upset." She sits up straighter. "I'll do my duty and keep them in line though. I'll make sure they do their part, even if they're unhappy."

I wave away her worries. "I'm sure you will, and there's no need to push them. A transition like this can be challenging, and I can be understanding. There's no time tonight, but tomorrow evening you and I will sit down with each of them and talk to them individually. I want to know how they feel, what they want, and what their plans are for the future."

"That sounds like a very good idea Axton," she says, relaxing a little. "That will help put many of the girls at ease. Right now they just see you as a sort of bogeyman. Most of them didn't even see you in the fight, and they were knocked out before they realized anything was happening. Talking to you would help with those fears."

Ah, yeah. I guess my method was pretty frightening for the recipient. "I would think that would apply the most to you," I say. "While I didn't face you directly, my familiar kept you trapped in ice. Surely that wasn't a fun experience."

She blushes slightly and looks down while squirming. "It wasn't exactly," she admits. "But it wasn't horrible either, and it was a good idea. I know you could have taken me out as easily as the others, but I also know you were going for the shock and awe angle and had to split up with your familiar to go as quickly as possible. Having your familiar lock me down since it was incapable of using the same methods as you was a smart move. I didn't need to retire from the game, you just needed me unable to support Riser."

It calmed down while she was explaining her personal analysis of the match, but at the start there her arousal definitely spiked. Did she enjoy it more than she's admitting? Hmm. I haven't checked her out with [Lewd Scouter] yet.

<------>

Ravel Phenex

Arousal: Moderately Low

Perversion: Moderately Low

Affection: 33

Orientation: Straight

Fetishes: Powerplay, Masochism, Kissing

<------>

That's a combination I hadn't expected. But the first two explain her arousal, and the first one explains her attitude. She really does like being under powerful people, and I certainly showed off in the Rating Game. I wonder how she'd feel if she got to see me really show off.

It's also cute that kissing is tacked on as well. She has her tastes, but she's still a cute girl who likes a bit of romance. I like the contrast.

"She could have actually used one or two of my Holy weapons," I say. "But while she's very skilled, she's also young. I deemed it a little too risky for her to use Holy weapons considering the ice option was available to us. Part of my reasoning behind my plan was to minimize how much I had to hurt you girls."

<+8 Affection with Ravel Phenex>

"Because you were going to lead us after that," Ravel guessed. I nod, confirming it. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Consider that your first lesson then," I reply. "It's not enough to plan for how to defeat an enemy. You need to take everything into consideration, even your relationship with the enemy after you beat them. And not just the enemy, but anyone who sees the match. Rating Games aren't just about the two sides fighting, it also has an audience. How the public sees you is important as well."

Her brow furrows as she thinks over that. "I see," she murmurs. "Is that why you did what you did in the Rating Game? Surely you could have taken Riser out as quickly as the rest of us."

"Partially yes," I admit. "On top of teaching Riser a lesson in humility and the limitations to his 'immortality', I was sending a message to the world. I've mostly operated by keeping my head down until this point, but I decided to take the opportunity to change tracks.

"And what message did you send out?" she asks, curious.

"Each person will probably interpret it a little differently," I say. "But the core of it was pretty simple."

I pull at my soul and partially use Void Form, focusing on my hand. My skin and clothes are replaced up to my elbow by a pitch-black silhouette, and the fingers end in sharp points rather than rounded edges. I clench my fist. "Don't fuck with me or mine, or I'll put you down," I state in a serious tone.

Ravel's eyes widen as she looks at my Void-covered fist, and I feel her arousal spike again, which I encourage with a nudge of [Erotic Pierrot]. If she's attracted to strength, I'm going to make sure it's my strength she gets off on.

A knock at the door interrupts the moment. "Come in," I call out as I drop the transformation, returning my hand to normal. Wilhelm enters the room bearing a tray with two cups and a pot of tea. "Thank you, Wilhelm, just leave it on my desk," I instruct him.

"Very well," he replies as he does so. He quickly bows to me and then to Ravel. "I will be nearby if you require anything else." He leaves as quickly as he came, closing the door behind him.

I pour myself a cup of tea and then pour another for Ravel. I can feel her surprise as I do so, but she doesn't say anything. "Please, help yourself," I tell her. "Wilhelm makes a pretty good cup of tea."

As she picks up her own cup and takes a sip, I pick the conversation back up. "So tomorrow we'll be speaking with your new Peerage. As for training, we'll also hammer out the details then, once I have a better feel for everyone. There's no need to rush." Ravel nods in agreement. Good. I have a lot of training to do on my plate already. "The other thing I wanted to talk to you about is that other project I mentioned earlier."

"Is it related to those potions?" she asks.

"It is," I confirm, mildly impressed that she guessed. "I'm curious, what made you think that?"

"You used the Rating Game between the Gremory heiress and my brother to show them off, right?" Ravel asks, causing me to nod. "And it's something you've been working with Lady Leviathan on, and potions like that made by a non-Devil would be handled by her. And if you think I can help, then it makes sense that it's related to those potions, considering my family deals in our own healing products."

"Solid reasoning, and totally correct," I praise her, causing her to smile in satisfaction. "What I'm about to tell you is still a secret, though it will be announced soon. Until then, I need you to not mention this to anyone, okay?" She nods. "I can make a variety of potions like that one for a relatively small material and time cost. One of those is a fertility potion that guarantees conception." Her eyes widen. "Exactly. That's what put me into contact with Serafall in the first place, and we've already worked out a deal for trading some of those. Not just with the Devils, but the other Factions as well."

"I- I see," she replies, still reeling from the bombshells I just dropped on her.

"You don't need to worry about that aspect of it, I'm taking care of it," I reassure her. "But I do need help with another part of it." She nods, gathering her wits. "Truth be told, I'm not very good with money or the value of things. I have no idea what price I should sell these potions at, nor how to start a business or market them. That's what I'm hoping you can help with."

"I can absolutely do that," she says, almost excitedly. [Empathy] picks up relief, probably because I'm giving her something she can actually do instead of dealing with the politics between the three factions. "I've worked with my family several times. I can't speak for the other factions, but I've spent time studying the Devil market and can certainly help price products and set your business up officially. There's a pile of paperwork that is necessary for that."

"I believe Serafall has sent much of it over already," I admit, indicating another desk in the room. It's to the side of the room, perpendicular to my own desk, and it's smaller than mine. On top of it is a stack of papers that I've been ignoring. "Also, that will be your desk while you're working for me. That way you can be close by and we can more easily work together."

"Understood," she says with a nod. "Do you want me to get started tonight?"

I'm about to tell her no, but I pick up on her emotions again with [Empathy]. She's excited and eager to get to work. "Sooner is better than later," I say after a moment. "I planned on letting you rest tonight, but if you don't mind…" I trail off.

"Not at all!" she enthusiastically replies. "I'd be happy to start immediately. As you said, sooner is better with these sorts of things."

I nod and stand up, walking around my desk. "In that case here, let's go over the paperwork together and I'll fill you in on the details." She stands up as well and I lead her over to her desk, where she sits down. I stand to her side and lean over her as the two of us start sorting through the paperwork Serafall dropped off.

[Touch of Pleasure] requires skin contact, but [Increase Sensitivity] doesn't. I use it to slightly increase her sensitivity and I casually put a hand on her shoulder as I point at something on one of the documents.

<+8 Affection with Ravel Phenex>

I can feel her react. She doesn't flinch or jump, but she tenses up slightly before relaxing, and [Empathy] picks up joy and arousal. Oh yeah, she wants it. And I want her too, but I hold myself back. As much as I want those lips of hers wrapped around my cock right here and now, I push aside those thoughts. Rushing to that would set the wrong tone for our relationship.

Still, this is good progress. Especially since she's now at 49 Affection. Which means this is my last chance to use a Heart Crystal on her. I don't hesitate to do so. I don't want to rush events, but if her own feelings increase quickly, then that's fine.

As I silently crush a Super Heart Crystal behind my back, I grin. Besides, as soon as I saw the number she was at, I knew what I had to do.

<[Shortstack Special] - Increases Affection gain with short girls with big boobs by 20%>

--<Lewd Skill Gem Used!>--

Pick a Lewd Skill!

[Alter Size]

[Imbue Tightness]

[Summon Appendages]

[X-Ray Vision]

[Lubricate]

[Seal Orgasm]

[Link Sensations]

[Phantom Hands]

[Bind]

--<>--

The list is getting pretty short, but all of the skills on there are still so good. But now that my harem is growing, there's one important skill I need to get.

[Link Sensations] - Level 1(0%)

Link up to 1 secondary target to a single primary target. Secondary targets feel everything that the primary target feels.

Perfect. That way no one will get left out when my bed starts to get crowded. Only so many of my girls are interested in entertaining each other while I focus on others. So long as the number of secondary targets increases quickly, I won't have to deal with that issue.

I keep my hand on Ravel's shoulder during the rest of our time in my office. I don't push it any further than occasionally giving her a light squeeze in response to something she says. My only goal right now is just to get her used to and comfortable with my touch. More will come soon, I just have to be patient.

-x-

The next day finds me once again in my home waiting for new arrivals. Sakuya is right behind me, but no one else is. That's mostly because it's noon right now, and Asia is at school, while Ravel and her Peerage are hanging out in another part of the mansion. But I got a text from Azazel, who said he got my number from Serafall, saying that someone was coming by to drop off Raynare and Mittelt. So I decided to cut class a bit to get them settled in. Lunch just started, so if I'm quick, that's all I'll miss.

Thankfully I don't have to wait too long. After just a few minutes of standing around, I once again feel new arrivals in the teleportation room. Wilhelm, who was waiting inside, greets them and invites them into the lobby, where Sakuya and I are waiting.

I see Raynare and Mittelt as expected, both dressed in a maid uniform that straddled the line between slutty and modest. Mittelt feels wary, but also accepting of what's happening. I don't think she'll be an issue. Raynare feels bitter and angry still though. I'll definitely have to do something about her.

But what catches my attention the most is the third person, the person responsible for escorting them. Azazel said he didn't have time to come himself, but I certainly didn't expect him to send Vali Lucifer, wielder of Divine Dividing, counterpart to Atsuko's Boosted Gear.

"Welcome White Dragon Emperor," I greet him as he approaches me. "I didn't expect to run into you anytime soon." I quickly hit him with [Observe].

<------>

Vali Lucifer

Level: 905

Race: Half-Devil

HP: 42,200

MP: 40,040

SP: 37,880

CON: 1,055

STR: 947

DEX: 998

INT: 1,001

WIS: 1,012

CHA: 741

LUK: 654

<------>

Hmm. Not as high as I expected, but then again, the same could be said for Atsuko. Her Boosted Gear makes her a monster despite her relatively mediocre base stats. I'm not sure how Divine Dividing impacts his stats, but I can say that his stats are almost certainly not indicative of his actual threat level.

I also note that his stats are roughly equal to mine but his level is almost three times mine. I pretty much already knew that my levels were worth more, but it's nice to have such an easy comparison to confirm it.

<+5 Affection with Vali Lucifer>

Vali shrugs casually. "The old man asked me to escort these two and pick up the potions, and I had the time," he replies. His eyes flick to Sakuya standing behind me, and I see as he sizes her up. Is it because she looks like Grayfia, or does he recognize her power? Or both?

Vali being here is a chance though. Right now, he still works for Azazel. But in canon, after the Kokabiel incident, he received an offer from the Khaos Brigade and joined them. Although outside of one event, he seemed to join them in name only as he created his own team and did whatever he pleased.

But that hasn't happened yet, and I believe I can head that off and further my own plans in one fell swoop. "I'm glad you're here though," I reply, causing him to look back at me. His face is blank but [Empathy] picks up a smidgen of curiosity. "I've heard about you, and there's actually something I'd like to talk to you about, if you have just a few minutes."

He narrows his eyes slightly, suspicious of my intentions, but his emotions barely waver. "Fine, I can spare a bit of time."

I nod gratefully. "I appreciate it. Give me a moment to get these girls settled in and we can talk." He nods in acceptance, crossing his arms.

I approach the two Fallen Angels. "Long time no see," I say with a grin. Mittelt lowers her eyes and actually curtsies, but doesn't say a word. Raynare just glares at me.

<+10 Affection with Mittelt>

No reputation bonus despite us having nearly met already? Well, I guess I didn't really do anything to her that would gain Affection. I should probably consider myself lucky I didn't immediately lose some instead.

"Nothing to say?" I prompt them. "I know we had that misunderstanding before, but I think that we can put that behind us, and start anew. What do you say?"

"Yes sir," Mittelt replies in a slightly meek voice, still not making eye contact. Hmm. She's maybe just a bit too scared of me.

Raynare, on the other hand, is struggling to contain her irritation. "Yes sir," she replies, practically spitting the words out. Well, whatever Azazel did certainly taught them the motions, even if their hearts aren't behind it. No use trying to fix that now though. Maybe when I have more time.

Speaking of things to do when I have more time, I hit them both with [Lewd Scouter].

<------>

Raynare

Arousal: Low

Perversion: High

Affection: -24

Orientation: Bisexual

Fetishes: Sadism, Domination, Degradation

<------>

Mittelt

Arousal: Moderate

Perversion: High

Affection: 10

Orientation: Straight

Fetishes: Submission, Masochism, Rough Sex

<------>

Raynare is the same as the last time I used the skill on her, though she's not very aroused and her Affection is pretty low. Both of those are expected though. Mittelt is more interesting. I'm going to have a lot of fun with her as my maid and those fetishes. Especially if this situation is enough to put her at moderate arousal.

Still, that's future fun. Right now I have business to take care of. "I'll leave you two girls in the hands of Sakuya, my Head Maid," I tell them. "She'll catch you up and assign you your tasks." I've already explained the situation to Sakuya, so she knows what to expect.

"If you'll come with me, I shall show you around the mansion as I explain your duties," Sakuya says behind me. Both of the Fallen nod and start to move towards her. But I place a hand on Raynare's shoulder as she passes me, stopping her. Anger and fear flare up at my touch, but I ignore it as I make eye contact with her.

"I know that Azazel likely told you already, but I expect you to be on your best behavior," I tell her, tone cold. "If you do anything to my guests or my property," I pause and pull at my Soul, switching to my Void Form. "You'll regret it," I finish, my voice warped by Void.

Her anger disappears, replaced by more fear, and she shakily nods her head. I drop the transformation and smile at her. "Good, so long as we're clear." I remove my hand from her shoulder, and she practically darts to Sakuya's side. Mittelt also looks pretty spooked. Oops, I didn't mean to scare her more. Ah well, I'll take care of that later.

As Sakuya leads the two Fallen angels away, I turn my attention back to Vali. He's definitely looking at me with more of an interest now. Good, that was another reason for my little intimidation show. It's perhaps a bit strange that with such a useful skill I'm getting more use out of its appearance than the actual benefits I get from it, but I find myself in social situations more often than I find myself in combat ones, so there's nothing to be done about that.

"Come on, there's a sitting room nearby that will be private enough for our talk," I tell him, leading the way. He shrugs indifferently and follows me.

So far I've allowed events to progress pretty naturally, and events have more or less followed what I recalled from the anime. But I'm reaching the end of my knowledge pretty quickly, and my incentive to keep the plot 'on track' is disappearing. So I've decided not to, and to leverage the knowledge I have to set myself up in the best position I can for the storms that are certainly approaching without any concern for how it affects the timeline.

And this talk with Vali might prove to be a crucial step in that.

-x-

Twenty minutes later I'm shaking Vali's hand as we're back in the lobby. Throughout our conversation, I managed to increase his Affection a little, but only to twelve. He's a hard guy to get close to. But overall, the conversation went well.

"And here you go, the potions that Azazel ordered," I say, handing him a wooden box with said potions carefully stored.

He nods as he accepts them. "I will consider your words, but until you have something to show, I won't make a decision."

"That's more than fair," I accede. "Let Azazel know what I'm thinking of, and that I'd like to talk to him personally about it when he gets the time."

"I will," he promises, before turning and leaving with the potions, teleporting away using one of the arrays set up in the teleportation room.

I glance at the time. Sadly, I have just enough time to get back to class. Being home already is making it tempting to just stay home, especially with the two new maids I just got. But Sakuya is more than capable of taking care of them, and since I can make it back in time, I should. Besides, the girls would miss me if I skipped.

Also, I'm in a pretty good mood after that conversation, and I have plenty of fun times to look forward to. So with only a bit of hesitance, I [Void Travel] back to a hidden spot at school and head back to class.

-x-

"My customers so far have been kind of weird," Atsuko tells me as we sit around in the Occult Research Club room. I'm sitting in the middle of the couch with Atsuko and Aika on either side of me. And of course, Koneko is on my lap, her tail curled around her waist as she eats some cookies.

Aika and Atsuko have started doing their duties as Devils, which means making deals with humans. I don't have to pretend too hard to not know what they mean since I was legitimately pretty unsure about the details, but they've been telling me about their jobs. Aika's customers so far have been people with complicated issues that they need help solving, usually having to deal with social situations. Aika was pretty humble about it, but from what I could tell, she was able to easily untangle complicated social interactions and offer solutions and plans to her customers.

"Weird in what sort of way?" I ask Atsuko. "Hopefully not in a bad way."

She shakes her head. "Not really no. They were just oddballs and all wanted help with really weird or specific stuff." She slumps a little bit. "Not that I can usually help them."

"That's something we can work on," Rias comments from the other couch, where she, Akeno, and Kiba are sitting. "Besides, despite that, they've all given you very good reviews."

"I'd still like to actually help them though," she says with a sigh.

I wrap an arm around her and pull her into a side hug. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. And if it's anything I can help with, feel free to let me know. I can drop by really quick."

She beams up at me, spirits lifted. "Thanks, Axton."

Rias, however, frowns. "I understand you want to help your girlfriend, but as a Devil, she should be handling these sorts of things herself."

"She should be using whatever abilities and resources she can, no?" I ask. "After all, you only get your payment if she completes the job. I don't see why I can't be considered a resource at her call. And if you're worried about her relying on me for free, I can think of a couple ways I can get her to pay me back for my services." I wink at that last sentence and move my hand suggestively on her side.

Atsuko blushes and looks down, but [Empathy] picks up a thrill that goes through her. Akeno and Kiba look amused, and I can feel the same from Aika. Koneko in my lap also gets a little embarrassed, and also a little aroused, but doesn't outwardly react.

Rias just sighs. "Fine, fine. She can call on you occasionally. But she should work on her own ability to fulfill contracts, and as she does this more she'll start getting regulars suited for her talents. But if she gets a client that only you can help with, I'm fine with her asking for your assistance."

"Woo!" Atsuko cheers. "Thanks a lot, Rias! I promise I'll train extra hard."

"Good," Rias says. "Because today we're going to keep working on your magic. You need a lot more practice."

Atsuko immediately slumps, "Ugh, but it's so hard."

"That's what sh-" I hear Aika start to say, but she's cut off by Rias's phone ringing.

Rias looks at her phone and tilts her head. "Brother?" she says to herself. She then looks back up. "Sorry everyone, I need to take this." She stands up and moves to the other side of the room as she answers it.

I pat Aika on the shoulder in consolation of her interrupted joke, and she leans into it appreciatively. But I'm curious, so I use [Sound Domain] to eavesdrop on Rias's conversation, though it seems like I missed the beginning of it.

"-really? No, no, I want to. I'm just surprised. Thank you brother, I won't let you down." She hangs up and quickly rejoins the rest of us. "I just received some excellent news," she tells us. "Due to our performance in the Rating Game against Riser, they've decided to allow me to unseal Gasper and start training him."

Koneko perks up, and I feel a sense of excitement and joy from her. Kiba and Akeno also look pleased. "That is wonderful," Akeno comments. "He's been down there for too long."

"Uhh, sorry," Atsuko timidly interjects. "Who's Gasper?"

"Gasper is my other Bishop," Rias explains as she taps away at her phone. "However, he doesn't have very good control over his Sacred Gear, so my brother and the other higher-ups decided to seal him until I became strong enough to control him."

Aika frowns. "How dangerous is his Sacred Gear?" she asks.

"It's not too dangerous," Rias replies. "His Sacred Gear is the Forbidden Balor View, and it allows him to stop time for anything he looks at. The problem is that he frequently accidentally activates it, freezing whatever he happens to be looking at. Most of the time it's not really an issue, but in some scenarios, that can be dangerous."

"That's a powerful ability," I comment. "Even when limited to line of sight, time stop is no joke."

"But isn't it kind of mean to just seal him away?" Atsuko comments.

It's Koneko who shakes her head. "He's a shut-in anyways," she says. "Doesn't like people. We visit him sometimes though."

"And we're all going to go visit him right now," Rias says. "I've been wanting to introduce him to our two newest members anyway."

Koneko hops off of my lap and all of us get up. "Where is he staying right now?" Aika asks.

"There's a basement room in this building where he stays," Akeno answers. "It's safe and close by." I had already noticed the room, it being in the range of [Void Detect], but I hadn't paid much attention to it before. I noticed Gasper within it, but I knew it was just a matter of time before we'd be introduced, so I pretended like I didn't know about it.

Paying attention now though, I watch as Gasper picks up his phone and looks at it. He suddenly stands up and looks around. He's too far away for [Empathy], but his body language makes it obvious he's panicking. Spotting it in the corner of the room, he immediately dives into a box and pulls it closed above him.

I struggle to keep my face neutral and not smile in amusement. Thankfully, we reach the room quickly. The basement doesn't look much like a basement at all, as it's furnished exactly the same as the rest of the building, just without any windows. The stairs we took opened into a long hallway, and Gasper's room is only a few doors down.

It's obvious which one is his. The door itself is covered in caution tape and paper seals. With a nod from Rias, Akeno starts casting magic as she slowly takes off the seals covering the door. She makes quick work of it, and in less than thirty seconds I feel the magic of the seal fade.

Rias doesn't hesitate to burst in. "Gasper! I've come to get you out of this room."

"I don't wanna!" comes the muffled reply from the box in the corner. "This room is safe and it has everything I need."

Rias sighs. "Come on Gasper. I know you're nervous, but it's not healthy to stay in here all the time."

"No!" came the enthusiastic reply. "Put the seals back up!"

"I'll get him," Koneko offers, striding to the other side of the room where the box with Gasper in it is. She throws open the box and reaches in. There's a bit of a struggle as Gasper resists, but Koneko succeeds in hauling him out of the box.

"Nooooo!" Gasper cries as he's yanked into view, and I can feel Atsuko and Aika's surprise as he's revealed. Gasper is small and effeminate, easily mistaken for a girl. Especially considering he's wearing a girl's uniform for Kuoh Academy.

He looks out into the room, clearly panicking, and I realize what's about to happen a second before it does. I see his eyes change shape and everything freezes. I can't breathe, blink, or feel anything at all. In fact, the world is dark. But [Void Detect] still works, and I'm able to use [Void Sight] to see clearly.

Everyone around me is similarly frozen, except for Gasper, who looks more scared than ever.

"I did it again!" he wails, frustration and regret clear in his voice. I can't feel it with [Empathy] though. Still, with the senses I do have available to me, I watch as he untangles himself from Koneko's grasp and flees back into the box, tears streaming down his face. Sensations flood back to me and everyone starts moving again.

"Eh?" I hear Atsuko say as she looks around. "Where did he go?"

"He stopped time for us and hid in the box again," I explain.

"Oh wow, that's weird," she replies. "One second there, and then the next he's gone, without even a blink."

Rias nods. "That's his Sacred Gear. Whatever is caught in his sight freezes entirely, not even noticing that they've been frozen until he looks away and time resumes."

Wait, is that how it works? It sure didn't work like that for me. I mean, sure, without my sensory skills I wouldn't have been able to tell what was happening, but I was still aware and able to think.

Does [Gamer's Mind] protect against time stop? I wouldn't have thought that was the case, but I can't think of any other reason I was able to maintain awareness. I'll ask Sakuya later to help me experiment a bit. I decide not to mention it though, no need to advertise another way in which I'm different.

Rias looks back at Koneko. "I know we need to push him a bit, Koneko. But please, be a little gentler. Him panicking won't do anyone any good."

Koneko nods, and I can feel a bit of guilt from her. She approaches the box again but doesn't open it this time and instead, she just speaks. "Sorry for scaring you Gasper," she apologizes, and unlike her usually flat voice, there's some real affection and warmth in her words. I guess the two of them are pretty close.

"I-it's fine," I hear faintly from the box, his voice unsteady. I hear him sniffle. "I'm the one that messed up and froze everyone."

Koneko shakes her head. "No one minds," she says. "We know it's hard. It doesn't hurt us."

"But it could," he protests. "All because I'm no good. I'm better off here alone where I can't hurt or inconvenience anyone."

"You won't," Koneko denies. "I know you won't let any of us get hurt, not even by accident. And we want you out here, with us."

Gasper doesn't respond to that, and the silence stretches out for a few moments. I stand there awkwardly, not sure what to do in this situation. I don't think I, a random stranger, is who Gasper needs to hear from right now. Should I mention that his time stop isn't 100% effective on me? It could maybe cheer him up, or at least put me as someone he has to be less scared of freezing. But I don't know if it would actually help.

Koneko interrupts my thoughts by speaking up again. "We had a Rating Game recently. I told you about it, remember?" There's a small noise of confirmation from the box and I feel him nod with [Void Detect]. "Did you watch it?"

"No," he says. "I felt bad since I couldn't help you guys. I'm really glad you guys won though."

"Part of the reason we won is because I used Senjutsu," Koneko says, and I can feel surprise from Gasper at her words.

"...Really?" he asks. "But I thought…" he trails off.

"I was afraid," Koneko finishes his sentence. "Afraid of my powers. Afraid of hurting my family. But someone helped me face those fears. And I took control of my heritage. It's still scary, but I can do it. Because they helped me. And I want to help you. We all do. We'll be there for you, no matter what."

The room is quiet when Koneko finishes speaking. Rias shoots me a grateful smile before stepping up to the box next to Koneko, her hand on the smaller girl's back. "She's right," Rias tells Gasper. "We're a family, and we'll be here to help you every step of the way."

"But what if you get hurt?" Gasper asks. He seems torn between wanting to accept their words, but still being afraid.

"We'll be safe," Rias tells him. "And I agree with Koneko. You won't hurt us, I believe that with all my heart."

"You really think so?" Gasper says.

"I do," Rias replies confidently. "Now come on out. I have two new family members to introduce to you, and a new friend as well."

Gasper doesn't reply, but after a moment he slowly pushes his head out of the box. He looks around a bit, and then nods, and slowly stands up fully. "Okay. I'll come out for a little bit."

Rias and Koneko smile at him, and Koneko pulls him into a hug, which he returns. "Thank you," Rias tells him. She turns to the three of us awkwardly standing there and motions for us to approach.

Atsuko is there first, so Rias places a hand on her shoulder and turns back to Gasper. "Gasper, meet my Pawn, Atsuko Hyoudou. She is the possessor of the Boosted Gear."

Gasper's eyes widen. "Wow," he breathes. "Uhh, I mean," he stammers a bit. "It'snicetomeetyou" he blurts out while bowing.

"It's good to meet you too!" Atsuko replies cheerily, taking his awkwardness in stride. "I might not know you very well yet, but you can count on me too for whatever you need."

He blushes a bit in embarrassment, but nods. "O-okay," he says.

Atsuko steps back and Aika takes her spot. "And this is Aika Kiryuu, your fellow Bishop. She doesn't have a Sacred Gear, but she's been learning magic and is very good at it. You two might be able to talk about it together."

"It's nice to meet you, Gasper," Aika says with a slight bow. "You're very cute in that uniform."

He blushes even harder, his slightly pointed ears turning scarlet. "Th-thank y-you," he replies, embarrassed. I'd be jealous if he didn't look so feminine and I wasn't sure Aika was just up to her games again. Sorry, Aika, he's cute, but that's not enough for me. Though I do have plenty of genderbend potions. Hmm.

Aika steps back and I take that as my cue to step forward myself. "And this is Axton," she introduces me. "He's Aika and Atsuko's boyfriend, he helped train us for the Rating Game and has been a good friend to us in general. "

"Axton?" he says with a frown, confusion on his face. He brings his head up and looks me in the face, and after a moment, his eyes widen in surprise.

<+25 Affection with Gasper Vladi>

<+45 Affection with Gasper Vladi>

<[Siren Blood] - Increases Affection gain with those that drink blood by 20%>

I struggle not to show surprise on my own face. I haven't seen an Affection gain that big since the first time Aika saw me and sized me up. He didn't know anything about me before meeting me, right? Why is the Reputation Bonus so big?

I push those thoughts to the back of my head though and greet him casually. "Hi, it's nice to meet you," I say, keeping it simple.

He stares at me, and I feel his emotions rising. Panic, surprise, confusion, and...arousal? All of them are rising rapidly. What the hell? I use [Lewd Scouter] on him. Normally it's not a skill I bother using on guys, but I'll make an exception here.

<------>

Gasper Vladi

Arousal: Moderately High

Perversion: Moderate

Affection: 70

Orientation: Bisexual

Fetishes: Crossdressing

<------>

Definitely aroused. And also bisexual. Does he have a crush on me? Once again, he's cute, but I'm really going to need him to drink a certain potion before that's an option.

"I-I-I-" he stammers, and then the world goes black again as he stops time for me, and according to my skills, for the others as well. He quickly darts back into his box, and time once again flows normally for me. But I was definitely aware while we were stopped.

"I guess meeting three people all at once was a bit too much to start out with," I joke, hoping to keep the mood light.

Rias sighs. "I suppose we shouldn't rush this." She turns to the box. "Sorry for pushing you so far, Gasper. I'm very proud of what you managed today. We'll continue another day, okay?" Gasper doesn't reply, but Rias seems fine with that.

Before we leave, I make my way to the box and squat next to it, addressing Gasper myself. "Don't worry about what just happened," I tell him. "I don't mind. I just wanted to tell you that you're welcome to drop by my house whenever you want. I live in a big mansion, but there are a lot of empty rooms in it. It wouldn't be hard to explore it without being seen by anyone. So if you want to visit somewhere new without people, or maybe only a few people, you can drop by there whenever you want. You can get Koneko to show you how to get there." I look at the catgirl for confirmation and she nods.

"Axton's place is big," she says. "We can play hide and seek."

"O-okay," he responds, but I can tell that he's reached his limit for the day, so I opt to silently stand up and step away.

"We'll be back another time," Rias tells him. "But until then rest up." All of us file out of the room, and Akeno closes the door behind us. I can feel him relax as the door closes, but he doesn't immediately get out of his box.

Rias leads us back to the main room upstairs. "Thank you all for being so understanding with him," she says. "He's been through a lot."

"It's fine," Atsuko says casually. "Though I'm curious about why he dresses up like a girl." Aika elbows Atsuko in the side. "Ow! What?"

"He says he prefers girls' clothes because they're cuter," Akeno provides. "We didn't see any harm in it and he did become happier when he started wearing them."

"I'm more curious about what he was before he became a Devil," I say, changing the subject. "His ears were a little too pointed to be human."

"Huh?" Atsuko says, shocked. "Wait, were they? But I thought only humans could have Sacred Gears?"

"He was a dhampir," Rias explains. "Half-vampire, half-human. I found him fleeing his home and recruited him."

If I remember right, she found him dead and had to use an Evil Piece to revive him. But I guess Rias doesn't want to bring the mood down with that piece of information. "I see," I reply. "That's why I didn't recognize him. I've met a vampire before, but not a dhampir."

I have a companion gem for a vampire anyway, and since I'm pretending they're all people I've met over the years, I may as well set that up now."

"Woah, really?" Atsuko asks excitedly. "What were they like? Did she try to drink your blood?"

"No, she was pretty chill," I reply. "We didn't talk much, but she was very relaxed."

"Was she part of the Carmilla faction then?" Rias asks, curious.

I shrug. "No idea, she was by herself as far as I know, at least in terms of other vampires. She was allied with a mixed group of humans and Youkai. If she was part of a specific vampire faction, then she didn't mention it. Like I said, we didn't talk much."

"You lived a pretty interesting life before coming here, didn't you?" Kiba asks.

I grin. "It's been way more interesting since I got here," I reply truthfully. I turn back to Rias. "What's the difference between a vampire and a dhampir?"

"There's not too much," Rias replies. "Dhampirs can do everything a vampire can, but they're not weak to sunlight and can survive off of normal food as a replacement for blood. And since they're half-human, they can be born with Sacred Gears."

"Sounds like being a dhampir is the better deal," Aika comments.

"You'd think so, but most vampires would violently disagree," Akeno says. "They view dhampirs very poorly, as inferior half breeds." There's a bit of anger in her voice and in her emotions, and Rias puts a hand on her Queen's shoulder, reassuring her. That's right, Akeno is half Fallen Angel. She hasn't revealed that yet though. I was hoping it would come up before the game against Riser, but it never did.

"Well Gasper seems pretty cool, so fuck that," I say. "By the way, that invitation extends to all of you as well. My house is too big, but it's got a lot of cool stuff. Feel free to drop by unannounced and go for a swim in my pool or use my nice big bath or kitchen or whatever."

"Thank you, Axton, that's very nice of you," Rias says with a smile. "Our own home is rather nice as well, but I admit, we don't have a pool. I didn't think of it when the house was built, but we usually just rent out a water park or use the school pool when we want to swim."

"Speaking of home," I say while looking at the time. "I have something there I need to take care of, and the Student Council should be finishing up soon, so I need to pick up Asia and head home. I'll see you guys later!" I give Atsuko and Aika a kiss goodbye and give Koneko a pat on the head before waving at the others before I [Void Travel] away.

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Chapter 34: DxD: Weaving Threads 02

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