Part I:
Caelan Lucifuge stood on the balcony of his Eastern Domain estate, watching a scene that would have been touching if it weren't so painfully ironic.
Below, in the snow-covered courtyard, his entire family had descended upon his territory like a particularly well-dressed plague.
Sirzechs Lucifer, the Crimson Satan himself, was on his hands and knees in the snow, making ice sculptures with Kino while she giggled and corrected his technique.
"No, no, Father-Grandfather! You have to make the ears pointy! Wolves have pointy ears!"
"Like this?"
"Better! You're learning!"
Grayfia Lucifuge—his mother, the Strongest Queen—had completely abandoned her usual stoic composure and was currently braiding Kino's white hair while the little girl sat in her lap, chattering about absolutely everything.
"And then Papa said I couldn't keep the giant winter wolf but I asked really nicely and he said 'we'll discuss it' which means YES and—Grandmother, are you crying?"
"I'm not crying. I have ice in my eye."
"We live in a frozen domain. There's always ice."
"...Exactly."
Lord Zeoticus and Lady Venelana Gremory—his grandparents—were having an animated discussion with Kino about her favorite foods, with Venelana already planning elaborate meals and Zeoticus promising to import the finest sweets from across the Underworld.
"Chocolate?" Zeoticus asked seriously.
"Yes!"
"What about strawberries?"
"YES!"
"Chocolate-covered strawberries?"
Kino's eyes went wide. "THAT'S A THING?!"
"Oh, you poor deprived child—"
And then there was Lucien Gremory—his twin brother, the golden prodigy—who was currently engaged in an intense snowball fight with Kino, both of them laughing like children. Which, to be fair, one of them was.
Beside Lucien stood Seekvaira Agares, his Queen and fiancée—a beautiful young woman with dark blue hair and intelligent eyes, wearing an elegant winter coat. She watched the chaos with an amused smile, occasionally ducking when a snowball flew too close.
"Lord Lucien, you're losing to a four-year-old," she observed.
"She has ICE MAGIC! That's cheating!"
"So do you!"
"I'm being a gentleman and not using it!"
"COWARD!" Kino shouted, pelting him with three snowballs simultaneously.
Hoarfrost, Caelan's massive white wolf, lay in the center of the courtyard looking extremely pleased with himself, because Kino had declared him "the best wolf ever" and was using him as a tactical snowball launcher.
It was, objectively, adorable.
It was also making Caelan's chest feel uncomfortably tight.
Because that little girl—Kino—wasn't really his daughter in the conventional sense.
She was Khinoe.
The guardian spirit who had watched over him for years in the depths of Cocytus. The presence that had kept him company through the worst of his isolation. The entity that had sacrificed centuries of existence to manifest a physical body.
And in doing so, had lost everything she was.
Her memories. Her identity. Her purpose.
All of it dissolved when she became real.
Now she was just... Kino. A four-year-old girl with white hair and dragon wings who thought he was her Papa and loved him with the absolute, unconditional trust that only a child could manage.
It was a gift he didn't deserve.
And a responsibility that terrified him.
"Papa!" Kino's voice called up to the balcony. "Come play with us!"
Every head turned to look at him.
Sirzechs. Grayfia. Zeoticus. Venelana. Lucien. Seekvaira. All watching. Waiting.
"I have work to do," Caelan called back.
"But Papaaa—"
"Kino. I said no."
The little girl's face fell, and Caelan felt like absolute shit.
But then Grayfia stood gracefully. "Kino, darling, your father has important matters to attend to. How about Grandmother teaches you how to make ice crystals instead?"
"Really?!"
"Really."
"YAY!"
Crisis averted. Kino was immediately distracted by the promise of learning new magic.
Grayfia looked up at the balcony, meeting Caelan's eyes across the distance. There was something in her expression—understanding, maybe. Or sadness.
He turned and walked back inside.
Because watching them—watching his family dote on Kino with all the love and warmth they'd never given him—was more painful than he wanted to admit.
She deserves it, he told himself. Let her have what I never could.
Even if it hurt.
Part II:
Two hours later, Caelan escaped to Kuoh Academy via teleportation circle.
Not because he was running away from his family.
Definitely not.
He just... had business at the school. That's all.
The Occult Research Club room was more crowded than usual when he arrived.
Rias Gremory sat in her usual president's chair, looking regal despite wearing her school uniform. Beside her stood Ravel Phenex—now Ravel Gremory, technically—wearing a cute dress and looking adorably domestic as she served tea.
The sight of the blonde former-Bishop-now-Pawn being so wifely was still bizarre.
Akeno Himejima, the Queen, lounged elegantly on the sofa, her school uniform's skirt riding up just enough to show the lace tops of her stockings. She noticed Caelan's arrival and smiled.
"Ara ara~ Sensei! Welcome back!"
Issei Hyoudou was doing push-ups in the corner—actual training, surprisingly—while Asia Argento counted for him with adorable enthusiasm.
"Nine hundred ninety-eight! Nine hundred ninety-nine! You're almost there, Issei-san!"
Yuuto Kiba stood by the window, polishing one of his swords with that perpetual pretty-boy calm.
Xenovia Quarta was bench-pressing what looked like an entire bookshelf, because apparently, subtlety was dead.
Koneko Toujou sat on top of said bookshelf eating cookies, completely unconcerned that her weight was currently being lifted.
Gasper Vladi, the shy dhampir, peeked out from inside a cardboard box in the corner, offering a timid wave.
And standing near the door, adjusting her glasses, was Rossweisse—the silver-haired Valkyrie who was apparently Rias's new Rook. She wore a teacher's outfit that was just professional enough to be appropriate but tight enough to make Issei repeatedly glance over and get smacked by Asia.
But it wasn't just the Gremory peerage.
Sona Sitri sat across from Rias, her own Student Council gathered around her like a military unit. Tsubaki Shinra, her Queen, stood behind her chair with perfect posture.
And then—because apparently today was "everyone show up" day—there was Irina Shidou, the angel-slash-former-exorcist, bouncing excitedly near the window.
Azazel, the Fallen Angel Governor, lounged against the wall with his usual laid-back smirk, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but also mildly entertained.
Gabriel, the Seraph, sat gracefully on the other sofa, radiating that ethereal beauty that made mortal men weep. She smiled warmly when she saw Caelan.
And near the back, trying to look casual but failing, was Freya—the Norse Goddess of Love and War—wearing civilian clothes and very clearly pretending she just "happened" to be here.
Caelan stopped in the doorway.
"...What is this?"
"A meeting!" Rias said cheerfully.
"It looks like an intervention."
"It's not an intervention!" Sona adjusted her glasses. "It's a strategic consultation session."
"Those are the same thing."
"Sensei!" Issei jumped up from his push-ups. "We heard about your daughter! That's so cool! You're a dad now!"
The room erupted.
"A DAUGHTER?!" Irina shrieked. "You have a DAUGHTER?! When did this happen?!"
"Is she cute?" Ravel asked excitedly. "I bet she's adorable!"
"Four years old, I heard," Akeno purred. "How... responsible of you~"
"She manifested from a guardian spirit," Azazel added helpfully. "Ancient Cocytus entity. Very unusual."
"I want to meet her," Gabriel said with genuine warmth. "Children are such blessings."
"I also wish to meet this child," Freya said, trying to sound casual. "For... diplomatic reasons."
Koneko just stared at him. "Sensei is a dad. World officially broken."
Caelan closed his eyes. Counted to ten. Opened them again.
"She's not technically my daughter. She's a guardian spirit who manifested a physical body and lost her memories in the process. She imprinted on me as her father."
"That's the most Lucifuge thing I've ever heard," Azazel said with genuine amusement.
"Can we please focus on whatever reason I was called here?"
"Right! Yes!" Rias stood up. "We need to talk about the Rating Game tournament!"
"The one I'm not participating in."
"The one where we need your help training!" Sona added.
"I don't—"
"WE'LL PAY YOU!" both King-class devils shouted simultaneously.
Caelan paused.
"...How much?"
Part III:
Twenty minutes later, after negotiations that would make corporate lawyers weep, Caelan found himself sitting in Rias's president chair while the two heiresses explained the situation.
"The Young Devils Rating Game Tournament," Sona began, adjusting her glasses. "Seven participants. Single elimination format."
Rias pulled out a formal invitation. "The participants are:
Rias Gremory (me)
Sona Sitri (also me)
Sairaorg Bael (terrifying)
Lucien Gremory (your twin brother)
Riser Phenex (reinstated because apparently, he 'improved his behavior')
Diodora Astaroth (creepy but powerful)
Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas (young but talented)"
"Wait," Issei interrupted. "Seven? That's an odd number. How does a tournament bracket work with seven people?"
"One person gets a bye in the first round," Sona explained. "The matchups are already set:
First Round:
Rias Gremory vs. Sairaorg BaelSona Sitri vs. Lucien GremoryRiser Phenex vs. Diodora AstarothZephyrdor Glasya-Labolas (receives bye, advances automatically)"
Caelan studied the list.
Then looked at Rias.
"You're fighting Sairaorg Bael in the first round?"
"Yes."
"Sairaorg. The man who overcame being born without the Power of Destruction through sheer martial arts mastery. Who achieved Ultimate-class through pure physical training. Who has a Longinus-class Balance Breaker called Regulus Nemea."
"...Yes."
"You're going to die."
"SENSEI!"
"Statistically speaking, you have approximately a four percent chance of victory."
Rias slumped in her chair. "I know. That's why I need your help."
"And I," Sona said, "am fighting Lucien. Who is low Ultimate-class, has the Power of Destruction mastered to a degree that rivals Sirzechs in technique, and commands one of the most balanced peerages in our generation with Seekvaira Agares as his Queen."
"You're also going to die."
"Less encouraging, please," Sona said flatly.
"I'm being realistic."
"Be realistic LATER!" Rias stood up. "Right now, I need you to train us! Both of us! Please!"
Caelan looked between them.
Then at their peerages—all watching with various expressions of hope, desperation, and in Issei's case, confused determination.
"I can't participate myself," he said quietly. "My King piece is broken. Shattered during my... awakening. I'm technically not a valid King in the Rating Game system."
"We know," Sona said. "But you don't need to fight. You need to teach us to fight."
"You want tactical training."
"We want you to turn our peerages into actual teams instead of groups of individuals who happen to work together," Rias clarified.
Caelan considered this.
"Standard rates. Plus, hazard pay for dealing with the Red Dragon Emperor's idiocy."
"HEY!"
"Deal," both heiresses said immediately.
"And I'm not training anyone else. Just your two peerages."
"Understood."
"And if you lose, you don't blame me."
"Agreed."
"And—"
"SENSEI JUST SAY YES!" Issei shouted.
Caelan's eye twitched.
"...Fine. Training starts tomorrow. 0500 hours. Don't be late."
The room erupted in cheers.
Except for Akeno, who was smiling in that dangerous way that meant she was already planning something.
"Ara ara~ Early morning training with Sensei. How... intimate~"
"It's tactical combat conditioning."
"Is that what we're calling it now?"
Caelan stood to leave.
Irina, in her excitement, jumped up from her seat near the window.
Her foot caught on Gasper's cardboard box.
She stumbled forward.
Her skirt flew up.
And Caelan, turning toward the door at exactly the wrong moment, got a perfect view of her white panties with little angel wings embroidered on them.
Time slowed.
Irina's face went nuclear-red.
"KYAAAAA!" She crashed into the wall, hands desperately holding down her skirt.
"I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING," Caelan said immediately.
"YOU'RE LOOKING RIGHT AT ME!"
"I'm looking at the wall behind you."
"MY PANTIES HAVE ANGEL WINGS ON THEM!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Ara ara~" Akeno's smile was positively wicked. "Sensei saw Irina-chan's panties~ How scandalous~"
"I DID NOT—"
"Angel wing panties," Koneko observed. "Appropriate. Also embarrassing."
"STOP TALKING ABOUT MY UNDERWEAR!"
Gabriel looked confused. "What's wrong with angel wing designs? They're quite tasteful."
"GABRIEL-SAMA, PLEASE!"
Azazel was crying from laughter. "Kid's got angel panties and showed them to the Ice King. This is the best day ever."
Freya looked annoyed. "If anyone's undergarments are going to be seen, they should be mine."
"NO ONE'S UNDERGARMENTS SHOULD BE SEEN!" Sona shouted, trying to restore order.
Too late.
Xenovia, curious, leaned over to look. "Angel wings? I should get some—"
"XENOVIA, NO!"
Asia covered her face with her hands, scandalized but also peeking through her fingers.
Issei had actual steam coming from his ears. "Angel. Wing. Panties."
"Issei-san, please breathe!"
Ravel was taking notes. "I should get themed undergarments. Maybe phoenix flames—"
"RAVEL!" Rias's face was as red as her hair.
Caelan, meanwhile, had already teleported out of the room.
Nope.
Not dealing with this.
Not today.
Not ever.
Part IV:
The next morning, at exactly 0500 hours, both peerages assembled in the training grounds beneath Kuoh Academy.
Caelan stood before them, Hoarfrost sitting beside him like a massive white guardian.
"You have four weeks," he said flatly. "Four weeks to prepare for opponents who are, in every measurable way, superior to you."
"Encouraging," Sona muttered.
"I don't do encouragement. I do results." Caelan pulled out a detailed tactical analysis. "Rias. Your opponent is Sairaorg Bael. What do you know about him?"
"He's... really strong?"
"More specific."
"He trained his body to Ultimate-class through martial arts because he was born without the Power of Destruction. He's a hand-to-hand combat specialist with the Longinus Balance Breaker Regulus Nemea, which is basically a lion-themed super armor."
"Correct. His entire fighting style is based on overwhelming physical superiority and indomitable will. Your Power of Destruction is your only advantage—he can't regenerate from it like he can from normal damage."
"So I just hit him with everything I've got?"
"And he'll dodge. Because he's faster than you. Stronger than you. And has more combat experience." Caelan's silver eyes were cold. "You need a strategy that doesn't rely on brute force."
"Like what?"
"We'll figure that out. But first—" He turned to Sona. "Your opponent is Lucien Gremory. The Golden Gremory. What's your assessment?"
Sona adjusted her glasses. "He's low Ultimate-class with mastered Power of Destruction. His Queen, Seekvaira Agares, is a tactical genius in her own right. His peerage is balanced and well-trained. His Bishop is Kuroka—the SS-class criminal who was recently pardoned and assigned to him. Conventional tactics won't work."
"Correct. Lucien fights like a chess grandmaster. Every move has three contingencies. Every piece has multiple roles. You'll need to out-think him."
"How do I out-think someone who's been trained by the Four Great Satans?"
"By being unpredictable. Lucien expects logic. Give him chaos." Caelan gestured to both groups. "You have assets he doesn't account for."
He pointed at Issei. "An idiot with a Longinus who runs on sheer determination and perversion."
"Hey!"
"It's a compliment. Use it."
He pointed at Gasper. "A dhampir with time-stopping abilities that most devils don't know how to counter."
Gasper squeaked and hid behind Asia.
"A former angel, a former exorcist, a Valkyrie, a nekomata, and—" He looked at Akeno. "A sadist who enjoys making people suffer."
"Ara ara~ You know me so well, Sensei~"
"This isn't about individual power. This is about synergy. About making your team function as a unit that exceeds the sum of its parts."
Rias leaned forward. "Can you actually do that? In four weeks?"
Caelan's smile was cold.
"We're about to find out."
Part V:
It was a Tuesday afternoon when Caelan made his biggest mistake.
He brought Kino to Kuoh Academy.
She'd been begging for days. "Please, Papa! I want to see where you work! I want to meet your friends! Please please please!"
"They're not my friends. They're clients."
"PLEASE!"
"...Fine. But you have to behave."
"I'll be SO good!"
She was not good.
The moment they arrived in the ORC room, Kino took one look at the assembled devils, angels, and fallen angels, and made a decision.
"YOU'RE ALL SO PRETTY!"
Then she proceeded to:
Declare Rias's hair "the most beautiful thing ever" and ask if she could braid itClimb onto Akeno's lap and refuse to leave because "you smell like lightning and flowers"Challenge Koneko to a "who can eat the most cookies" contest (Koneko won)Ask Issei why he kept staring at "the pretty ladies' chests" (Issei nearly died)Declare Kiba "too pretty to be a boy" and demand he teach her how to sparkleHide behind Xenovia because "big sword lady is cool"Make Asia cry by calling her "the nicest person ever"Try to steal Gasper's box ("I want a box fort too!")Convince Ravel to let her try on her jewelryAsk Rossweisse if all Valkyries had "such big boobies" (Rossweisse choked)
And then she met the non-devil guests.
"Are you an angel?" Kino asked Gabriel, eyes wide.
"Yes, little one."
"YOU'RE SO SHINY! Can I touch your wings?"
Gabriel smiled warmly and manifested her twelve divine wings.
Kino promptly fainted from sheer joy.
When she woke up, she immediately turned to Freya.
"And you're a goddess?"
"I am."
"YOU'RE EVEN PRETTIER! How are you so pretty?! Is it magic?! Can you teach me?!"
Freya looked genuinely pleased. "I like this child."
"She's mine," Caelan said flatly.
"I'm aware. I was merely observing that she has excellent taste."
Meanwhile, Azazel was trying to teach Kino about Sacred Gears.
"So, you see, kid, there are thirteen Longinus-class Sacred Gears, each with the power to kill gods—"
"KILL GODS?! That's so COOL! Can I have one?!"
"You're four."
"SO?!"
"Also, you're already a half-devil half-dragon with ancient ice magic from Cocytus."
"But I want to kill gods TOO!"
"Let's maybe table that discussion for when you're older."
"You're no fun."
The chaos reached it's peak when Kino discovered that Issei had a dragon living in his Sacred Gear.
"THERE'S A DRAGON IN YOUR HAND?!"
"Uh, yeah—"
"CAN I MEET HIM?!"
"I don't think that's—"
Too late.
Kino's dragon heritage activated, her small horns glowing with ancient power.
And Ddraig, sensing dragon kin, manifested partially from the Boosted Gear.
[WELSH DRAGON DDRAIG HERE. WHO DARES—]
The ancient dragon stopped mid-sentence.
Stared at the four-year-old girl.
[...You're very small.]
"YOU'RE A REAL DRAGON! YOU'RE AMAZING! Can you teach me to breathe fire?! Papa only teaches me ice magic!"
[...This child is strange.]
"She's... complicated," Caelan said tiredly.
[She has the essence of Cocytus within her. Ancient. Old. But she's also... new? How is that possible?]
"Long story. Involves a guardian spirit manifesting into physical form and losing all her memories."
[Ah. A rebirth through sacrifice. Tragic, yet beautiful.] Ddraig's voice softened slightly. [Very well, small dragon-kin. I shall teach you the basics of dragon fire. But you must promise to be respectful.]
"I PROMISE!"
[Then we have a deal.]
Issei looked confused. "Did Ddraig just... adopt her?"
"Apparently," Caelan muttered.
By the time Caelan finally extracted Kino from the ORC room—after she'd hugged everyone at least twice, stolen three cookies, convinced Koneko to be her "best friend forever," made Gabriel promise to visit, gotten a "dragon breathing lesson schedule" from Ddraig, and somehow talked Freya into teaching her "goddess beauty secrets"—the entire club looked exhausted.
"Your daughter," Rias said, "is a force of nature."
"I'm aware."
"I love her," Akeno declared.
"She's precious," Asia agreed.
"Can she visit again?" Ravel asked hopefully.
"NO," Caelan said firmly.
"PLEASE?" Kino begged from where she was currently perched on his shoulders.
"...We'll see."
"YAY! That means yes!"
"It doesn't—"
But she'd already started planning her next visit.
Caelan looked at the ceiling.
His life was insane.
Absolutely, completely insane.
But watching Kino wave goodbye to everyone, her face bright with joy—those glacial blue eyes that used to hold centuries of watchful vigilance now filled with simple, childish happiness—
He decided it was an acceptable kind of insane.
Even if part of him mourned the ancient guardian who had sacrificed everything to become this laughing child.
Rest well, Khinoe, he thought. You've earned your peace.
Part VI:
The night before the tournament began, Caelan stood in the training grounds alone.
Both peerages had gone home to rest. Tomorrow, the Rating Games would begin.
Tomorrow, Rias would face Sairaorg.
Tomorrow, Sona would face Lucien.
And tomorrow, he would watch from the sidelines, unable to participate.
Because his King piece was shattered.
Because he was broken.
"Still thinking about it?" a voice asked.
Not Khione. Not the mist.
Just... memory.
The memory of a presence that used to watch over him. The guardian who had stood vigil for years.
The spirit who was now the laughing child sleeping peacefully in his estate.
"I miss you," he admitted quietly to the empty air. "The old you. The one who understood everything without words."
No response. Because Khinoe was gone.
Only Kino remained.
And maybe that was okay.
Maybe that was exactly as it should be.
"Tomorrow," Caelan said to the darkness, "I'll prove that even broken pieces can still protect what matters."
He turned and walked back toward the academy.
Tomorrow, the tournament would begin.
And he would be ready.