Marvelous Shop, Chapter 19

With a crackle of demonic energy Kiba's teleporation sigil thankfully dropped us whole and hearty in the middle of the ORC meeting room.

To which I just slumped somewhat as I muttered. "That was... Entirely too damned tense." 

'Honestly, if it wasn't for the potential power down the line. Maybe snagging a Longinus from the get-go was a bad idea.' I thought a bit ruefully as Rias and Akeno who were in the room just got over their shock at seeing us teleport.

"Kiba, Jake, are you both alright? I could feel Grayfia's mana fill the city to do a wide-range hypnosis spell." Rias spoke with clear concern.

At hearing her mention her scary as fuck sister in law. I realized that it must have been Grayfia who blocked off the blinding sunlight that was literally frying Kiba under the glare of the sun.

"Yeah... We are fine, first Roygun Belphegor came to attempt to poach Jake somewhat forcefully through a forced bet. But then Lady Yasaka, and uhm."

Kiba shifted before he said, somewhat awkwardly. "Your cousin, who also sends her regards in Suzaku Himejima. Also came to make Lady Belphegor flee back down to the underworld."

Rias's face pinched, though Akeno's actually darkened with distaste before Rias took a breath and said. "I see... Then in either case, it's good that my sister in law actually came. As I would have little recourse in force the two from my territory."

The room was silent as Kiba pulled at his shirt and hissed as he was covered in a rapidly growing sunburn with Rias giving a weak smile and said kindly. "Kiba, go use the Phenex Tear we have in the medical room. I don't want you to get light poisoning or that divine-based sunburn to scar."

"Thanks, President... Please excuse me." Kiba said with a grimace and moved carefully and seeing how much it was hurting him.

And knowing that it was partly my fault, as those burns came from being around me. I offered. "Dude, you need help to get there?"

Kiba shook his head and said with a bit of humor. "I will be fine, thanks for the offer though... You have fun getting grilled though."

And then with a loud click, he closed the door leaving me in the room with Rias and Akeno, who were almost drilling a hole in my head with their stares.

Then I explained in more detail Kiba's and my own adventure, with Rias sighing as she grumbled. "Jake, she was right you know. An unattached Longinus wielder who is still weak is one of the world's most valuable prizes." 

I raised an eyebrow and I asked with some confusion. "Do any factions actually control any Longinus Wielders actually?" 

Rias blinked at my question before she nodded with D'draig actually speaking up with some interest as the Boosted Gear manifested on my chest and arm. "So the True Longinus is still held by the Hindu, and likewise with Annihilation Maker's user joining the Celt's."

"You are correct D'draig." Rias spoke respectfully, though she coughed and added. "Also, Sutr of the Norse has recently had a demi-god child who inherited Incinerate Anthem."

'Wasn't like Incinerate Anthem supposed to fall into Lint Sellzen's hands or whatever?' I mused, though in this timeline I hadn't seen either hide nor hair of Freed either here at the church where Raynare and Kalawarner were.

So for all I knew, the church may just not have done another human rights violation in the Siegfried project... Which would sense as with god being very known to be dead, the other factions wouldn't allow the church to hoard their holy/demonic swords.

"Still, it's troublesome... I need to do more training I guess." I muttered as I wondered if Kalawarner and Raynare would be up for harsher training.

Then Akeno spoke quietly. "My cousin was she-"

But she was interrupted as a powerful mana signature slammed into my nascent senses along with a red magical glyph that quickly faded away leaving the teleporting person to take in her surroundings... In which her eyes fell on me quickly.

"Hmm, you are the Boosted Gear wielder then." She spoke and I knew all to well that this was Grayfia Lucifuge the wife of the 'Lucifer' and Rias's older sister in law.

I gave a respectful incline of my head and said simply. "My name is Jake Bariss and that is correct."

Then D'draig actually chuckled before saying calmly. "So are you going to attempt to recruit my host into your husband's own peerage?"

Grayfia blinked before she shook her head and said demurely. "Jake is too young for such a thing. And him having a Sacred Gear excludes him from my husband's peerage automatically. Along with the fact that you yourself have no interest in losing your humanity, correct?"

At the end she was clearly speaking to me so I just nodded. Though I was thinking about how Sirzech's peerage was built around having strong people that could cancel out the Lucifer bloodline's ability of the 'Denial of the Divine.'

But either way, Grayfia looked away to Rias, who stiffened and sat even more upright than usual, with Grayfia saying casually.

"I spoke with Lady Yasaka and reminded Amaterasu to keep her antics away from Kuoh, but just to make sure there won't be any incidents. I will be staying here for the next couple of days."

Rias sagged a bit in her chair with an exhale, leaving her, but then Grayfia turned to me and said calmly but sternly. "Now Jake... As much as I appreciate talent, I cannot protect you forever here in this territory. Either you will need to gain the power to defend yourself quickly. Or you need to pick a side and get some form of backing." 

'That's a fair point. I can't just rely on Rias's protection without me being part of her family in some way like her peerage. And I doubt she would take me as her husband/lover so easily.' I thought.

But still, I said with understanding. "I understand, I will try not to put Rias in an awkward position. And, I do appreciate your aid earlier." 

Grayfia gave a wane smile before she looked back to Rias who grimaced as Grayfia said calmly. "It wasn't entirely for you Jake. I was also protecting the pride and face of the Gremory family in not allowing someone to run over our territory."

The silver-haired maid beauty then took a breath before adding. "Now, I must speak with Lady Rias. So young man, I must ask you to excuse us."

Akeno cleared her throat and then said quickly. "Here, I will escort you out of the school Jake." 

"Alright, I will see you ladies later then." I said before I dismissed the Boosted Gear from my body before I left with Akeno guiding me out of the room.

However, I could tell that Akeno wanted to say or talk about something. But even as I left the school and she remained. I could tell she just didn't have the courage to spit out what she wanted to talk about.

Though I was fairly damned sure that it was going to be about her cousin Suzaku. But as I got home, thankfully without any incident... My face twitched as I saw Raynare lying out across my damned bed!

While Kalawarner was sitting on my chair. And a new very busty fallen with purple hair and gleaming eyes was humming as she was in MY KITCHEN and making something!

"Uhhh hello?" I asked flatly as these three had clearly broken into my house. So a bit of sass was mandatory

But then I staggered as the purple-haired fallen eyes gleamed and she smiled at me but there was... An insanity and depth of wrongness in her eyes I couldn't rightly comprehend.

It was like looking into the eye's of an animal who had rabies and had foam coming out of their mouth, knowing their brain was Swiss cheese. Or like a deer who Chronic Wasting Disease.

Then Kalawarner spoke, and I could detect the hint of warning in her voice as she said. "Ah Jake, this is the Penemue clone who has decided to come... Watch you, and she seemed to be 'very' excited to do so."

And all to quickly, I recalled the stories Kalawarner told me of the cloned Cadre's and Seraphs who didn't come out of the oven fully baked if you get my meaning. And although supposedly the Penemue line wasn't known for its insanity.

That insanity rating was relative to Azazel's point of view... Not exactly a ringing endorsement.