Alexander stood by the window of his room, his gaze fixed on the moon, oblivious to the fact that his mental "scouting report" was being transcribed by every major faction leader in the Underworld.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: If I'm going to build a Peerage that can stand beside an Outer God, I need to look beyond the obvious. There's so much wasted talent in this world. Xenovia, Irina, Rossweisse, Ravel, and Asia... in the 'canon,' they were Rias's backbone. But with Malty in the picture, Rias is at a disadvantage. I might have to intervene to make sure Malty doesn't corrupt them first.]
Rias Gremory: (Frantically writing) 'Xenovia, Rossweisse, Asia... I have to find them before Malty does! If she gets her hands on a Dragon Slayer or a Holy Sword user, I'm finished!'
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Then there's the school. Katase and Murayama have the discipline for Kendo; with the right breathing techniques, they could be mid-tier powerhouses. And Aika Kiryuu... she's a pervert who can measure a man's 'assets' with a glance, but her brain is sharp. She has a high affinity for magic. If she studied under someone like Lavinia Reni, she'd be terrifying.]
Sona & Sytri: (Exchanging a look) "Katase, Murayama, and Aika... they're right under our noses. We're recruiting them tomorrow morning."
The Truth of the Leviathans
Alex's thoughts then drifted to the tragedy of the Leviathan bloodline, causing the atmosphere in the Underworld to shift.
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Ingvild Leviathan is a must. She's a half-blood with a talent that would make the Great King Bael look twice. And Katerea... she's not evil, just brainwashed by Old Satan fanatics. She thinks being a Maou is about glory. She doesn't realize that Serafall would probably hand over the title in a heartbeat if she could.]
Katerea Leviathan: (Hiding in the shadows, stunned) 'She would... give it back? Is the throne really that much of a burden?'
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Being a Maou is a nightmare of paperwork and political enemies. Serafall isn't just a 'Magical Girl'; she's a workaholic holding the faction together so Sona doesn't have to. I wonder if Sona knows how many assassination attempts Serafall has blocked? I've seen the scars on that girl's back. She acts cheerful around Sona to relieve her own stress, but she's carrying the weight of a world.]
The Heartbreak:
Sona Sitri: (Burying her face in her hands, sobbing silently) "Onee-sama... I'm so sorry. I always pushed you away because I thought you were being annoying... I didn't know you were bleeding for me."Serafall Leviathan: (Tears streaming down her face in her office) 'He saw them... he saw the scars I hide from everyone. Alexander... how can you be so kind and so observant?'
The Fallen and the Forbidden
Alexander's Inner Voice:
*[Internal Thought: As for my pieces... I'm thinking Lavinia Reni as a Bishop—her 'Absolute Demise' is a game-changer. Katerea as a Rook for raw power. Ingvild as a Pawn. And maybe I'll save those three idiots—Raynare, Kalawarner, and Mittelt.
They aren't evil; they're just following Kokabiel's orders while thinking it's from Azazel. Killing them is a waste of Fallen talent. If I take them as my Pawns, I can give them a purpose beyond being sacrificial lambs in a fake war.]*
The Fallen Trio: (Hiding in the Kuoh Church, shivering) 'He knows our names... and he wants to save us from Kokabiel? Is this... is this our salvation?'
Alexander's Inner Voice:
[Internal Thought: Monday is going to be busy. I need to claim my pieces, protect the girls from the 'Nipple-Poking Hero,' and maybe buy Serafall some high-grade healing ointment for those scars. Ciel, set a reminder.]
Ciel:[Reminder set, Master. You truly are a King who cares for his subjects... even the ones you haven't 'claimed' yet.]