Chapter 23
Reinforcements sent by Rias' brother Sirzechs arrived shortly after our battle had concluded. By the time the first of the devils sent by the Satans teleported into Kuoh, the White Dragon Emperor was already gone, together with the unconscious Kokabiel.
The whole battle was quite draining on everyone involved, both on an emotional and physical level, so we mostly went back to our homes afterwards; only Rias and Sona remained to debrief the newly arrived devils on what had transpired.
I felt kind of bad leaving Rias behind, but I really needed a shower, and Rias was not the kind of person who needed her hand held; she would take care of it.
Going back to our shared apartment, I immediately headed for the shower, shedding my clothes and letting the pleasantly warm water envelop my body. I think I stood there for at least 15 minutes, just enjoying the droplets falling on my skin, the warm water almost a healing balm for my sore muscles.
What would I give for a hot bath right now, I thought with a pleased sigh escaping my lips.
It was a wonder that Rias didn't have a bath in her own apartment; if I were in her place, I would get a very large one—nobody would be able to remove me from there for at least two hours. Actually, why not? I had the money. The construction was not really a problem with magic involved; I just had to ask Rias, and she would arrange it.
Any further thoughts of long baths were interrupted by the bathroom door opening, revealing a tired Rias. She quickly stepped inside, closing the door to keep the warmth inside. With a wave of her wrist and a slight application of magic, she shed her own clothes and joined me inside the shower.
As always, I admired her naked body as she closed the gap between us, enveloping me in a hug, which I returned, letting her lean her head on my shoulder.
"Hey," I said to her, resting one of my arms on her hip and gently holding the back of her head with the other.
Rias just hummed as her own arms encircled my back. I stood there with her for a few moments, just letting the warm water do its magic. After a while, I broke the silence. "So? How did it go?"
Rias hummed again, snuggling into me, and I tightened my hold on her; silently thanking my good fortune for having this beautiful woman as my girlfriend. "It's all taken care of; the damaged parts of the school will be rebuilt by tomorrow, so no one will even know what happened. Sona's barrier held, so no humans died during the battle, and I was told by my brother to offer you congratulations. Turns out Sona had the wherewithal to record the battle, and Sirzechs was able to view the footage."
I hummed in response, softly scratching the back of Rias' scalp, making her sigh pleasantly.
"That is good to know, but you know that's not what I meant," I said, pausing slightly. "Were you able to speak with Lord Lucifer about the whole affair? Did they know about Kokabiel beforehand?"
Rias remained silent for a little while; I let her process her thoughts. There was no need to hurry, not now.
"…I did not ask," she replied eventually. "My brother… if he wished to keep something like this from me, there must have been a reason he did so. If he wants to tell me, he will do so at his own time… I didn't want to act spoilt, demanding information from him. He is a Satan, he has higher responsibilities than just to his family; I trust him."
I nodded my head, still resting on top of her own. I could see how that made sense to Rias; as long as I had known her, she had always valued her independence. She made an assumption that in this case, Sirzechs was acting as Lucifer and not her brother, in which case her demanding information that was not offered to her willingly might be seen as favouritism to her. Whether Rias was correct in her assumption or not, that I could not say, but I trusted her that she knew her way around devil nobility and politics better than me.
Instead of continuing, I changed the topic of our conversation; if Rias wanted to speak more about this, we could do so once all the excitement of tonight's events settled down a little. "Have you thought about getting a bath?"
Looking up, her face showed a slight surprise at the change of conversation. "That's a little random, no?"
"I don't think so. What better time to discuss such things than in the shower?" I said with a small laugh.
Rias smiled as well, letting her head rest against me once more. "I suppose we could do that. A big one as well, at least for two people," she said, humming.
"At least two? Why would we need more? Are you planning to bring someone else aside from us?" I asked with a chuckle.
In response, she gave my rear a playful squeeze. "Who knows? Perhaps I require a harem of young women to slake your lust, so you leave me in peace for at least a little while; you have been ravenous lately."
For half a moment I wondered whether Rias was actually joking or not, but I decided not to dwell on that for too long; right now I had a challenge to respond to. Moving my own hand to her supple behind, I squeezed the pale cheeks, enjoying the feeling of my fingers sinking into pliant and soft flesh. "Ravenous, am I?"
Rias let out a pleased hum, and I hoisted her upwards, my hands still supporting her weight from her bottom. In response, she let her long pale legs encircle my waist, hooking herself to me as I brought her to my eye level.
Despite our position and the charged lustful energy between us, I kissed her softly, lightly letting our tongues battle each other in a languid slowness. Holding her bottom lip between my teeth for a moment, I retreated from our kiss, resting my forehead on hers, losing myself in her sea-green gaze.
With a sudden movement, Rias moved one of the hands she had around my neck; glowing with magic, she went through a series of gestures. I recognised the minor cantrip spells she used—small domestic spells for cleaning. I raised my eyebrows, asking a silent question.
Finished with her spells, Rias rested her hand on my jaw, slowly running her fingers on my cheek. "Take me to bed, Kairos."
My own eyes widened slightly; despite almost no words spoken, I understood her meaning perfectly.
"Are you sure?" I asked, hesitation battling with excitement and lust.
Rias nodded, her own eyes half-lidded. "With today's fight, we could have died… I don't want to live with regret."
A thousand thoughts swirled in my mind, but I focused singularly on the woman in front of me.
Kissing her softly again, I carried us out of the shower. With another wave of her hand, Rias dried our bodies, our lips still locked, kissing.
I gently laid her on the bed, hovering over her, our lips still connected. With one hand, I palmed one of her breasts, feeling the nub hardening. I ran my other hand over her thigh, feeling the lean muscles of her leg, squeezing softly.
With a slow, deliberate movement, Rias parted her thighs. She reached down, her warm fingers wrapping around my length, and adjusted my position. She nestled me against the very entrance of her heat, just enough for me to deepen our kiss, my lust and longing reaching their zenith.
Parting our lips, I looked into her turquoise eyes. She gave me a slow nod. With a slow, deliberate thrust, I finally pushed past the threshold, entering the incredible heat of her flower. Rias let out a breathy sound, her head falling back as her inner muscles tightened around me in a rhythmic, possessive grip.
We moved together; each one of my steady thrusts was met by her own, and each sigh that escaped her mouth was echoed by my own shuddering breath. The pleasure was all-consuming. The incredible heat that enveloped me, the softness of her – it was all too much.
I leaned back from our kiss, straightening slightly from my prone position flush against her body and using one of my arms to hold myself upwards. I palmed one of her heavy breasts, focusing my gaze on their hypnotic movement.
Her own arms left my back and softly caressed my arms and shoulders.
I looked down on her face, flush with pleasure, eyes half-lidded and gazing on me, full of longing. Her crimson hair sprayed behind her like a demonic halo, the deep red tresses glinting in the soft moonlight streaming through the windows.
The tension reached a breaking point. I watched her face—the flush creeping up her neck, the rosy colour clearly visible on her pale skin, and the way her lips parted in a silent, beautiful scream of pleasure. It was too much. With a final, crushing surge, I felt the world tilt. My body shuddered as I found my release deep inside her, my voice caught in my throat.
Rias followed instantly, her eyes squeezed shut as she rode the wave of her own climax, her body trembling beneath mine in the aftermath of the mutual release and spent tension.
The heavy silence that followed our first climax didn't last long. The air between us was still charged, thick with the scent of roses and the lingering heat of our skin. I was still catching my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs, when I felt Rias stir.
She didn't pull away. Instead, she shifted her weight, her silken skin sliding against mine with a friction that made my pulse quicken all over again.
With a predatory grace that reminded me she was a high-class devil, Rias pushed herself up. She straddled my hips, her knees pinning my arms slightly as she sat back on her heels. Her crimson hair fell around her face like a curtain of fire, masking her expression in the shadows of the room, save for the predatory glint in her blue-green eyes.
Rias leaned forward, her heavy, soft breasts brushing against my chest as she reached down between us. Her fingers were warm and sure as she wrapped them around my length, which was already hardening again under her gaze.
She lifted her hips slightly, guiding me back to the entrance of her heat. With a slow, agonisingly deliberate slowness, she took me back inside. I let out a choked groan, my hips instinctively bucking upward, but she pressed her palms against my shoulders, holding me down.
Leaning further downwards, she whispered into my ear. "Relax, let me take care of you now," she said in a breathy voice, promising further pleasure.
She began to move, lifting and dropping her hips in a rhythmic, grinding cycle. The friction of her inner muscles, combined with the sight of her arching her back against the moonlight, sent sparks through my vision.
She leaned back, her hair sweeping across my thighs, her hands moving from my shoulders to my thighs for leverage. Every time she came down, she hit the perfect angle, eliciting a sharp, hitching gasp from her own throat.
I reached out, grasping her bountiful breasts, letting my fingers dance upon the pale flesh, rolling her hardened rosy tips between my fingers.
The pace accelerated. The bed creaked in time with our synchronised movements, the sound of skin on skin becoming a frantic rhythm. I watched the way her lips parted, her breath coming in short, jagged gasps as she reached her limit.
She leaned forward again, burying her face in the crook of my neck, her teeth grazing my skin as she increased the pressure. The heat between us reached a boiling point—a velvet-soft pressure that felt like it was going to shatter me.
With a final, desperate cry, Rias stiffened, her inner muscles clenching around me in a possessive, pulsing rhythm. The sensation was the tipping point. I surged upward one last time, my body shuddering as I found my release deep within her.
Rias collapsed against my chest, and I felt her racing heart, not dissimilar to my own. I wrapped my arms around her, pressing her closer, putting a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. Rias snuggled deeper into our embrace, and I let myself be taken by the exhaustion, retreating into the arms of Morpheus.
I awoke to the soft morning sun streaming into my bedroom. With a lazy flick of the wrist, I conjured a small magical clock, dismissing it when I saw it was still early in the morning. With another flick of my hand, I sent a small telekinetic push and closed the curtains, stopping the sun's rays from robbing me of my sleep. Magic was handy like that.
I felt Rias stir beside me. She was playing the little spoon today, and we both lay on our sides. I moved my hand upwards, sliding from its place on her stomach and moving to her chest. For a few moments, I just enjoyed the softness of her breasts, closing my eyes and simply luxuriating in the feeling of the soft body next to me.
Rias moaned slightly beside me, stirring from her sleep at last.
"You know, I am beginning to suspect you just like me for my breasts," said Rias in a sleepy voice, humming as I continued moving my fingers, brushing against her nipple, enjoying the way her breath hitched, and the soft peak hardened beneath my touch.
I smiled into her hair. "Well, not only for that, but it's definitely in the top three of your physical characteristics."
"Top three?"
I hummed in agreement. "If I had to rank it, your hair is the best part of you; your personality notwithstanding, of course."
Rias stretched slightly, leaning her back into me; as I tightened my hold on her, sinking my fingers deeper into the pale, supple flesh.
"Praise me more," said Rias with a soft exhale, making me chuckle.
"Your eyes would come second, that is for sure; the blue and green colour is very pleasing," I said, making Rias hum again. "Then we have these; they are a gift to devilkind." Even as I said it, I gave her another squeeze, eliciting a low moan from her.
"And what about this? Is it not to your liking?" said Rias, pressing her backside into me, trapping my member between two parts of her very, very soft body.
I felt a surge of lust breeze through me, gripping her more tightly, almost possessively. "All this talking, how about I just show you, hmm?"
"I don't know, I suddenly feel very tired. What time is it? I feel as if we didn't get enough sleep," said Rias teasingly, still wiggling her butt into my lower half, eliciting a hiss of breath escaping me.
Losing the last of my own tiredness from the lack of sleep, I moved my hand from her breast lower, Rias already lifting one of her legs to give me better access.
"You don't seem to understand, master. When you sow the wind, you shall reap the whirlwind," I whispered into her ear, already looking forward to waking like this every morning from now on.
It was perhaps good luck that Kokabiel decided to make his move so close to the weekend, as it meant that one day after the battle, it was already Saturday, and that meant no school.
I closed the apartment door behind me, placing the shopping bag on the counter, and started unpacking.
Looking over from her position on the couch, Rias smiled at me. "Did you get the gummy bears?" she asked, closing the book she was reading.
Rummaging through the bag, I pulled out a packet of the aforementioned treat. "Sour ones, like you asked."
Getting up from the couch, Rias came to the kitchen counter and pecked me on the cheek. "Thank you, honey."
"That's awfully domestic of you." Even as I said it, I was smiling. Most likely like an idiot, but I could not find it in me to care.
Rias just grinned and popped a candy-looking thing into her mouth.
"What is that?" I asked, curious of what she was eating.
Rias pulled out a small package with unknown letters. "It's a type of candy from the Underworld; it cleans your mouth and cleanses the palate. You can use it after eating or beforehand," she explained, showing me the package with what I now recognised as Malachim, the devil script.
"Couldn't you just use magic for that? I'm pretty sure Akeno showed me a spell that could do all of that," I said, still looking over the package.
Rias smiled at me, taking the gummy bears to eat some of the sour snacks. "I still forget that sometimes you are new to the way we devils think."
"How so?"
Going back to the couch, Rias explained as I continued unpacking. "Well, we devils live basically forever; at least no one has discovered the extent of our lifespan. For that reason, devils generally prefer to take things slowly and not rush overmuch. It's like taking a walk instead of teleporting to where you want to go."
I nodded my head. "That makes sense. So it's kind of like rich people looking for experience instead of convenience."
"Exactly like that, actually. I could just cast a spell in a second, or I could enjoy some candy for the same effect, it's all about experiencing life in a more languid, enjoyable way. There is ultimately no need to rush. It's something I grew up with, so it's natural for me, but I can see it clearly in my parents and older devils. They are hundreds of years old, so they don't mind taking things slowly."
I hummed, stashing the last of the bought goods, and joined Rias on the sofa. "So hence the candy; I guess it does make sense. Sometimes just flicking your wrist is good, but small things like walking home instead of teleporting are nice as well."
Rias snuggled into me, opening her book where she left it, the packet of gummies at her side. "There is also another use for these," said Rias, motioning to the Underworld sweets she placed on the table. "They are very popular with female devils."
I raised an eyebrow and blushed when I saw her smirk.
Ah, that kind.
Seeing my look, Rias' smirk widened. "I may show you sometimes."
Summoning my own book from the bookshelf nearby, I tried to distract myself with some magical theory I have been picking up in my spare time.
"What do you think she wants?" I asked Rias.
"I'm not sure, but from the way she spoke, it's just her coming. I find that curious."
It was the next day, and we were waiting for our visitor. A few hours ago, Xenovia called Rias, requesting a meeting. Curiously, it looked like it would be just her, even though Irina was already healed. As far as we knew, after the battle, Xenovia collected the broken pieces of Excalibur, and the next day, after Irina was well enough thanks to Asia's healing, both departed.
I was pretty sure I knew what was about to happen, but as always I chose to be cautious and not assume what I knew from my foggy memories would in fact happen.
When the exorcist came to our apartment, Rias let her in, and we sat on the sofas. One of the pros of combining the two apartments was we now had two sofas, so it was a suitable seating arrangement for this discussion, if a little informal.
Xenovia began the conversation in the blunt manner that I have come to associate with her. "I have been excommunicated by the Vatican."
Rias raised an eyebrow, motioning for Xenovia to explain.
"After the battle with Kokabiel, we took the fragments of the Holy Swords to our contact in Japan. After handing them over for transportation to the Church Headquarters, I asked about God's supposed death… it did not take even an hour before my letter of excommunication was sent from the Bishops in Rome," she explained, her hands balling into fists in her lap, despite her expression remaining carefully neutral.
"I reflected quite a lot after that, realising I have been dealt the same fate as Asia Argento. I also wish to offer apologies for that; it was hasty and cruel of me to speak to her the way I did," said Xenovia, looking directly at me, most likely because it was I who had taken umbrage at her words a few days past.
"I or Rias are not the ones you should apologise to," I said in response.
Xenovia nodded her head. "You are right; I will apologise to Asia Argento personally if I get that chance," said Xenovia, looking to Rias again. "It's for this reason I came to you actually. I have thought it over. My whole life was dedicated towards a purpose, and now I am left without one. I confess, I felt envy when I viewed the easy way you all behaved with each other. The Church can be a little cold sometimes, and I found myself craving that kind of companionship you all displayed," said Xenovia, looking down into her lap for a moment, then refocusing on Rias. "For these reasons, I would like to ask for a place in your peerage. I wish to become a devil and experience life to its fullest. I still have the Durandal; I'm sure I can be of use to you."
Rias looked to me, and I just shrugged, not really feeling anger towards Xenovia. Not after we fought together and she showed remorse for her past behaviour. I was content to let that be the past; ultimately, it was up to Rias if she wanted a former exorcist in her peerage.
"What about Irina?" asked Rias.
"Unlike Irina, whose faith is very strong, I have always been flexible when it comes to faith, but even I was shattered by news of God's death. If she found out about God… I'm not sure of her reaction," said Xenovia. "She will be returning back to the church, unaware of the revelations Kokabiel told us."
Rias stayed silent for a moment, contemplating Xenovia's request. In the end, she stood up, Xenovia and I following closely behind.
"Very well, I choose to believe in the sincerity of your words. Xenovia Quarta, you shall become a devil in my service. I shall reincarnate you, and you shall serve me as my knight. Do you accept?"
Xenovia went to one knee. Very theatrical of them both, I thought.
"I accept."
Rias laughed lightly. "You don't have to kneel, your answer would have been sufficient. Come, I shall give you your piece; a single knight should suffice. Even though you possess Durandal, you are still a human," said Rias, summoning her Evil Pieces that were stored in an ornate box.
Having only a rook and a knight piece left, Rias retrieved one of her last two pieces and pressed it into Xenovia's chest, as a slight crimson demonic aura surrounded Rias.
"By my order, I, Rias Gremory, reincarnate you, Xenovia Quarta, as my servant. Let yourself be reborn as a devil, your life spent in my service as my Knight!"
The crimson chess piece glowed and sank into Xenovia's chest, completing the ritual.
Xenovia put her hand to her chest, where the knight piece disappeared into, and breathed a deep breath.
"Thank you, I will make sure to repay you for this opportunity," said Xenovia, her eyes closed.
"You are free to stay here with us until I arrange for you more suitable accommodations within Kuoh, and of course you will have to join the academy; you will look good in the school uniform, I am sure," said Rias, smiling.
Xenovia nodded. "Thank you, it will be interesting to attend school. I've never done so aside from when I was younger; I spent most of my life training to be an exorcist."
What a sad existence.
"That's good. I will, of course, introduce you properly to the rest of the peerage. Are you feeling well? Some new devils feel drained after they are reborn with the Evil Pieces."
"No, all seems well. If you don't mind, I actually wanted to speak to Irina before she departed Japan; if I leave now, I will be able to catch her before she leaves. Could we do the introductions later? Tomorrow perhaps."
"Of course, I don't mind. Go and find closure, and when you do, come back. There will be a place here for you. I will make sure you have a bed ready; you can use mine."
"But don't you sleep there?" asked Xenovia unsurely.
"No, I sleep in Kairos' bed, naturally," said Rias, and then put her finger to her chin, tilting her head. "I guess it's our bed now, not just yours," she said, looking at me.
"Of course, honey."
Xenovia blushed and excused herself, leaving to deal with the personal matter of Irina.
Sitting in his own apartment, Kiba Yuuto turned off the TV and leaned back into his couch, thinking. Ever since the battle with Kokabiel a few days ago, he had been thinking on the voices of his friends, the warm feeling that even now he could feel in his chest. Despite their sacrifice, they were happy for him, and he wished to honour that memory.
Ever since he attained his Balance Breaker, Kiba had been restless. He would need to contact Kairos sempai to test the limits of his new sword. Unfortunately, Kairos has been busy these last few days, and Kiba wasn't sure he envied his fellow devil; their master could be possessive at the best of times, but the Pawn didn't seem to mind, so Kiba was happy for them.
Hearing a knock on the door, Kiba got up to see who it was. Upon opening the door, Kiba was greeted with the sight of Akeno and Asia.
"Akeno sempai, Asia, please come in," greeted Kiba.
"I'm afraid I will have to leave you two; I only came to escort little Asia here. She wanted to talk with you," said the Gremory Queen, departing with a friendly wave at Kiba and a wink at Asia.
Motioning for the former nun to come inside, Kiba made his way to the kitchen adjacent to his living room when Asia was seated on the sofa. "Would you care for some tea?"
"Yes, please," replied Asia, looking around Kiba's apartment curiously.
Kiba wondered why she was here. This was the first time she visited like this. Coming back with the tea, Kiba poured a cup for Asia and one for himself.
"What brings you to my home, Asia?" asked Kiba, smiling at the former nun, who blushed.
"I... I wanted to check on you… to make sure you were okay."
"You have a kind heart, Asia. Thank you," said Kiba, smiling slightly at her. "I was actually just thinking about them—my friends. For the first time, I don't feel like I'm carrying their deaths. I feel like I'm carrying their lives."
"I'm glad. They loved you very much. When you sang together, it was beautiful; it reminded me so much of my own childhood," said Asia with a small wistful smile.
"You know, Asia, I am actually Italian as well," said Kiba with a smile, realising Asia, Kairos and he were all actually Italian.
"Really? But your name sounds Japanese."
"It's something Rias gave me after she rescued me. At the time, and even now, it felt right to me; it's symbolic of my new life, even more so now," explained Kiba.
"I didn't know that," said Asia, then fidgeted slightly. "W-would you tell me your previous name?"
"…It was Isaiah."
"Isaiah," she whispered. A small, shy smile broke across her face. "It's a lovely name."
Kiba suddenly felt very nervous. "If… if you want, you can call me Isaiah; I wouldn't mind," he said with slight hesitation, not really sure why he even offered.
Asia's smile brightened. "Really? I would like that; it's such a pretty name."
They stayed in silence for a moment, sipping their tea. After a while, Asia got up, excusing herself. "I have to go; Akeno promised me she would take me to a place that does charity work I wanted to visit for some time, perhaps help out."
"Of course, perhaps I could go with you one day; it would be nice to spend some time doing good," Kiba offered.
"W-would you mind if I texted you some time? I'm not really good in conversations, but I think texting is much easier for me," said Asia hesitantly, with a small stutter in her voice.
"Of course, I would like that," said Kiba with a small smile.
Kiba wasn't sure why he offered, but somehow he wanted to find out. As Asia left the apartment, he sat down again on the sofa, thinking of the conversation he just had with the former nun, when suddenly his phone buzzed. Unlocking the screen, he saw Asia sent him a smiley-face emoji. He looked back towards the door the blonde just left through not even a minute ago and then back to his phone. Perhaps he should ask someone about how to proceed; this was uncharted territory.
What would Kairos sempai do?