Marvelous Shop, Chapter 21

You would think that with so much happening over a couple of weeks with a Cadre Fallen Angel hovering over you. And only letting you use the toilet alone. That time would feel so slow.

But in reality... The couple of weeks passed by in a blur of violence, exhaustion, and magical training that filled my over moment that wasn't spent within school.

And was going through school shit annoying and boring? Oh hell yes, it was, though most of the time at that point. I was spending my time with Rias and her peerage as I like her, and wasn't going to spend eight hours doing homework and going to cram sessions.

Still, it was with Rias and Akeno that they helped me refine my magic, as Penume was mostly focused on training my combat skills.

With such a full schedule, it was no surprise that weeks passed by without me hardly noticing.

And now I was drinking some fantastically made tea that Akeno brought me a chuckle as I just lazily lay partway across the plush couch in the ORC.

"So, how has your training been with Penume?" Rias asked rather abruptly out of the blue.

To which I said dryly. "Utterly exhausting. Her idea of training is draconic. No pun intended." I said with Koneko, who was laying the opposite ways of myself, sneaking one of the cookies we were sharing with a munch munch.

"Ufufu poor boy... Do you need a nice massage to get all of that stress out of you." Akeno teased me while I just shamelessly nodded, which made her giggle again.

"Well. I am at least at High Class power for sure." I said with a bit stretch which was interrupted as Ddraig said blandly within my soul.

[You had the undivided attention of a being who could as you younglings in these days say. She could throw hands and kill lesser gods. So is it any surprise your potential is being quickly found?]

'That is fair enough.' I sent the thought back to the dragon bro chilling in my soul with him huffing in amusement at my easy agreement.

But then I noticed in the corner my vision Rias startling in place with her saying quickly. "Wait... Peneume said you are high class in power already?" She asked with some stress in her voice.

I nodded in confusion with Rias standing up quickly and saying in hurry. "Jake can I try something real quick?! I need to check something!"

"Go ahead?" I said unsurely, and then my face twitched as she rushed over with her Evil Pieces set, and I watched as she left all eight of her pawn pieces on my chest... Only for nothing to happen.

She was clearly just testing the Evil Pieces, as she didn't use the incantation to activate them, so I didn't freak out at her trying to forcefully reincarnate me. Still I just watched her dumbfounded expression as the pawn's remained dormant.

"Ah... Well, that complicates things." Koneko said dryly.

Then the disguised catgirl looked over at the stunned form of Koneko and said in the cruel amusement only a cat could have for their 'owners' misfortune.

'Better start doing some situps Rias... Jake is legit already stronger than you haha." 

Then Koneko made a muffled noise of discontent as Akeno began aggressively stroking her head to shut her up as Rias's face and body twitched.

Meanwhile, I helplessly shrugged and said. "Hey... I have had a Cadre riding my ass every day for the last few weeks, so there is nothing to be done. I pushed myself to the limit every damned day in heavy combat training that resulted in my ass being a quarter way to death."

And that quarter way to death wasn't a fucking joke, as Asia Argento had been transferred here to this church specifically to keep me in good health and also discreetly help any wounded exorcists that were in the area.

Though I wasn't spending much time with Asia as the Fallen in this world weren't stupid evil and were going to rip her sacred gear out. Or at least if Raynare tried... Penueme would beat her death for several hours.

"Whelp, I said I wasn't interested in being in someone's peerage." I said with a shrug with Rias sighing and replying helplessly.

"Even still. It's painful to see you go from a normal human friend who just stepped into the supernatural world. To someone who is by all metrics stronger than someone born to one of the top bloodlines of the world."

I raised a finger to refute... Like, going to mention the Olympians, but actually in DXD, who of the Olympian bloodline that wasn't already a god was actually relevant?

"Eh, still I have no interest in having a master." 

"I respect that Jake. Even if I have already made you part of our family." Rias said softly as she patted my shoulder and then carefully put away her peerage pieces.

Then with a hum, I asked thoughtfully. "Anyway, so have there been any stray devils or monsters?" 

Koneko actually responded with a chuckle as she said happily. "Nope... The stray exorcists who followed that Cadre have been roaming the city and dealing with issues like that." 

I smacked my lips together before I shrugged helplessly and said. "Whelp. How about we play some Bario Cart before we do some light training?" I asked with the girls in the ORC nodding.

Though I was a bit bummed that Kiba wasn't here as well as he was busy doing contracts for single mothers who wanted a handsome prince to dote on them for devil contracts.

Though in the corner of my eye, as we all settled in to play some four-player 'Bario Cart' I saw a giant ass overly colored bird hanging out on the tree next to the window and looking pointedly into the room.

I leaned into Rias a bit and then whispered. "Weird familiar is watching us through the window."

And Rias nodded letting me move away a bit and then her head snapped to the side and the moment she saw the overly colorful bird that exploded into flames as it teleported away.

I saw her scowl in frustration even as I inwardly thought. 'Whelp, here comes the Rating Game. I probably only got a month left in this world before I leave.'