The man called Mephisto was Mephisto Pheles…
A man listed among the Extraordinary Devils. He was one of the legendary devils known for contracting with the first Georg Faust, a renowned astrologer, necromancer, and alchemist.
His hair was a mixture of red and blue, slicked back neatly. His narrow, elongated eyes were odd-eyed, the right one red, the left one blue. Renya's own eye color was inherited from Mephisto's left eye.
Basically, he did not reveal his true identity publicly, only disclosing it to magicians who had gained a certain level of privilege within the association.
As a liberalist, he had a poor relationship with the original Demon King, who made constant demands, but his relationship with the second-generation Maou, who wasn't so fussy about things, was good.
This Mephisto currently had a human wife and had fathered one son. That son was Kurosaki Renya, the second generation of the Pheles family.
Because of this relationship, Mephisto, whose true identity wasn't public knowledge within the association, often contacted his son. The reasons ranged from simple father-son conversations to discussions as an association board member and as fellow magicians.
This sudden contact from Mephisto started with a father-son talk.
"No, no, it's fine. It was a sudden summons after all. Besides, as someone who will also become Lavinia-chan's father-in-law in the future, it makes me happy to see Ren-chan and Lavinia-chan getting along so well."
Mephisto responded amiably like that.
"That's fine, but can you stop with the 'Ren-chan' already, Dad? I'm seventeen this year, a second year in high school, you know."
"Hahaha. To me, you're still my cute, troublesome little boy."
"Well, I guess from the perspective of you, Dad, the first generation of the Pheles family, someone like me who hasn't even lived twenty years probably still seems like a baby forever."
Even though Renya lodged a complaint he'd lost count of making, Mephisto just laughed cheerfully without seeming bothered at all, and Renya let out a short sigh. Lavinia watched the two of them with an affectionate smile.
Noticing this, Renya decided to pull himself together and quicken the conversation forward.
"So, what's this about today, Dad?"
"Yeah, actually, I have a favor to ask of Ren-chan."
Saying this, Mephisto stood up and offered them the sofa.
Renya and Lavinia sat down side-by-side on the leather sofa, and Mephisto sat on the sofa facing them across the table.
Mephisto snapped his fingers, and a teapot, cups, saucers, and such danced through the air, brewed some tea, and placed cups on saucers for the three of them on the table. Sugar and milk were also provided for each person.
Seeing Renya and Lavinia moisten their throats with the tea, Mephisto waited for them to take a breath before speaking.
"Now then, about the favor. I'd like you two to make a trip to Japan for a bit."
"To Japan again?"
"Has something else happened?"
Renya and Lavinia narrowed their eyes. The 'again' was because the two of them had also been dispatched to Japan four years earlier for various reasons.
"No, rather than something having happened, it's more like something might happen in the future, I suppose."
"...That's vague again."
"Haha, sorry about that. I tried a bit of divination for amusement, just to pass the time. And it indicated that in the near future, there might be some movement in Japan."
This was a divination by Mephisto Pheles himself. It was different from a fake. Even Renya, who had been half-doubtful, turned serious.
"...Does that mean the current stalemate between the three major powers might change?"
"That remains a mystery. In this cold war, for better or worse, no one knows what might happen or how things will turn. However, it's certain that Japan will be the center of it."
Mephisto's answer to Renya's question contained both ambiguity and certainty.
"Now then, what will you do? I'll leave it all up to you, Ren-chan."
'Well, lately I've only been doing magic research and training in spearmanship and hand-to-hand combat. Going to Japan... my mother's homeland for the first time in a while might not be bad.'
Faced with Mephisto's smile, Renya thought this to himself. He also figured Mephisto probably already knew the answer anyway.
"...I don't mind going, but we had a bit of trouble four years ago. If we head to Japan again, won't the various factions get noisy?"
"At least the Five Great Clan Houses and the Fallen Angel faction might have something to say," Lavinia added.
"Ah, that's fine. I've already coordinated with all relevant parties. Living arrangements and such are already secured, too."
The concerns of Renya and Lavinia were easily dismissed by Mephisto.
"You're quite well-prepared."
"It's almost like you knew from the start that we would go."
"Haha, not at all. It's just a coincidence. Just coincidence. When you live a long time, you get the urge to pave the way for things in advance, you know."
Renya and Lavinia looked at him with half-closed eyes, but Mephisto just laughed merrily and brushed it off. As usual, he was hard to read, but the two figured that at least he probably wasn't trying to set them up.
Renya exchanged a glance with Lavinia, nodded, and then turned back to Mephisto.
"...Well, fine. Anyway, even if it's Japan, where in Japan specifically?"
"Ah, it's a local city in Japan called Kuoh Town."
"Kuoh Town... Is it someone's territory?"
"Yeah. Rias-chan, the next head of the Gremory family, and Sona-chan, the next head of the Sitri family, are there. Rias-chan has Kuoh Town, and Sona-chan has the neighboring town as her territory."
It was a town he'd never heard of, but the names that followed were familiar, and Renya's expression soured.
"Those two..."
Rias Gremory.
Sona Sitri.
Both were young devils famous in a certain sense, and for better or worse, they embodied the image of High-class Devils.
"Hahaha, you seem quite displeased."
"It's not 'seem,' Dad, I am displeased."
For better or worse, they were like High-class Devils; two young ladies from devil nobility sticking together.
Knowing he was going to a place like that, even Renya found it a headache.
'If I remember correctly, they jointly manage a single academy? It's unusual, but are they the same as the rumors, or different...? Either way, if this is going to put me in the middle of something, it's fitting in a sense.'
Though it was exasperating, since he only knew them by rumor, Renya reconsidered, thinking he should first meet them, confirm things for himself, and then think about how to handle it. He made it a rule to judge things only after seeing with his own eyes, hearing with his own ears, and getting directly involved.
There was a glimmer of hope that they might not be as rumored.
'Not that I'd have any hope for devils, though.'
Thinking this sardonically, Renya resigned himself to doing his best and adapting flexibly.
"...Understood. I accept this job."
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Early Chapters At: patreon.com/c/Mike_Kun