The Kamiyo household's main hall was peaceful, sunlight spilling across polished floors as Tenra, Rias, and Sona sat together, sharing tea and delicate pastries. It was the weekend—no classes, no obligations, just a rare moment of quiet for the three leaders.
Sona and her peerage had been living here for several days now. Having fought and grown together, the girls had settled in with surprising ease; laughter and the thrum of daily life filled every corner.
Outside, Xuelan and Isabella had gathered Yura Tsubasa, Ruruko Nimura, and several others for training. From the direction of the practice field, shouts and the clash of sparring echoed, a reminder that even in peace, this house was built on strength.
Battle had its own thrill, but today's tranquility was a luxury—a brief respite before the next storm.
Rias glanced at Tenra, her expression shifting.
"Tenra, the vampires have contacted us. They'll be coming tonight."
"Tonight, huh…" Tenra set his cup down. "Did you let Gasper know?"
"I did," Rias nodded. "This is the first time the vampires have reached out to us directly. My brother wants us to build as strong a relationship as possible—ideally, bring them into the alliance."
She remembered Sirzechs's instructions, her tone both hopeful and wary.
Sona folded her arms, eyes narrowing. "Vampires are famous for their arrogance and stubbornness. They're an insular, self-obsessed race. Getting them to join us won't be easy."
"And I doubt their motives are pure," she added, glancing at Tenra. "They specifically asked to meet you and Gasper. There's something more going on."
Tenra didn't respond, his gaze distant. For him, this meeting was just a chance to resolve Valerie's situation. Whether the vampires joined the alliance or not wasn't his concern.
"I know it won't be simple," Rias said, "but we'll do our best. My brother wants the three of us to represent the devils. The fallen angels confirmed Azazel will attend, and the Church is sending a representative as well."
Tenra and Sona nodded. The plan was set.
Since vampires were creatures of the night, the conference would be held after sunset, at Kuoh Academy's old school building—the Occult Research Club's headquarters.
Night fell quickly.
"Tenra-sama, Rias-buchou."
"Yo, Rias, Tenra, Sona Sitri."
Azazel arrived in a swirl of teleportation light, Gasper at his side. Tenra and the girls greeted them with familiar ease.
Soon after, the Church's representative appeared—a beautiful nun, her face half-hidden by a veil.
Griselda.
"Governor, it's been a while. Princess Rias, Princess Sona, Lord Tenra."
Her voice was gentle, her smile serene. But when her eyes met Tenra's, a flicker of longing shimmered in their depths.
Azazel laughed, waving a hand. "I'm not Governor anymore, Sister Griselda. Good to see you."
Pleasantries were exchanged—old allies, new tensions. Tenra kept his distance, offering only polite words to Griselda.
With the arrivals complete, the three factions were represented: devils, fallen angels, and angels. Alongside Tenra's group, only Akeno, Yubelluna, and Tsubaki Shinra joined as staff. Xuelan, Xenovia, and the rest waited in adjacent rooms.
Vampires were known for their punctuality. Not a minute early, not a second late.
As the appointed hour struck, a chill swept through the room—sharp and unnatural. Everyone turned, instinctively sensing the presence outside.
"Looks like our guests are here," Azazel said, crossing his legs and smiling.
Rias nodded, issuing quiet orders.
"Akeno, Yubelluna, Tsubaki—please welcome our guests."
The three Queens bowed and slipped from the room. For a foreign delegation, this was a mark of respect; sending the household's top-ranked women was more than sufficient.
Gasper stood beside Tenra and Azazel, his face pale and tense.
"Tenra-sama…"
Gasper was a dhampir—a half-blood, born of vampire and human. In vampire society, obsessed with bloodlines and hierarchy, children like him were considered defective, little better than livestock. As a child, Gasper and Valerie, along with other mixed-bloods, had been confined to a castle, denied freedom.
Gasper's gentle nature meant he rarely held grudges, but the pain and rejection were real.
Tenra placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Gasper. You're one of us now. You owe them nothing."
Azazel grinned. "You're my disciple, kid. I'd like to see anyone try and mess with you."
Gasper's eyes shone with gratitude. Rias and the others offered encouraging smiles, and his trembling eased.
Moments later, Akeno, Yubelluna, and Tsubaki returned.
"Rias, we've brought the guests."
No one followed them in. Instead, the temperature dropped further, breath misting in the air. Then, as if conjured from shadow, three figures materialized in the room.
At their head stood a girl so beautiful she seemed unreal—like a porcelain doll come to life, dressed in a flowing medieval princess gown. Her features were impossibly perfect: eyes, nose, lips, all so exquisitely sculpted they bordered on inhuman, as if a master artist had dedicated a lifetime to her creation.
Behind her stood two attendants, a man and a woman. All three were pureblooded vampires—their skin utterly devoid of color, white as fresh snow.
Rias rose gracefully.
"Welcome, honored guests of the vampire clan. I am Rias Gremory, sister to Maou Lucifer, representing the devils for this conference. Please, have a seat."
Tenra, Sona, and the rest introduced themselves in turn.
The doll-like girl stepped forward, lifting her skirt in a flawless curtsy.
"Greetings, sister of Maou Lucifer, sister of Maou Leviathan, former Governor of the Fallen Angels, and Lord Tenra Kamiyo of the Two Heavenly Dragons. I am Elmenhilde Karnstein. You may call me Elmen."
Her voice was smooth, her bearing regal. The arrogance she radiated was not feigned—it was woven into her very bones, a natural, effortless pride.
And as her gaze slid over Tenra, he caught a fleeting glimmer in her eyes—
Disdain?
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