"Ya~hoo! Did I miss the reunion?"
Serafall's cheerful voice filled the air as she twirled into the room, purple ribbons fluttering from her twin tails. Her magical-girl outfit shimmered faintly, making her stand out even among the luxurious décor of the Gremory Estate.
Rias let out a quiet sigh. "Lady Leviathan… you didn't need to make such an entrance." She also wanted tell the Satan before her to dress appropriately, but the red haired devil knew she wouldn't listen.
"Of course I did!" Serafall replied, winking playfully before her eyes landed on Kousuke. "Ahh~ so you're the famous human everyone's been whispering about! The one Sirzechs-chan talking about in the meeting!"
Kousuke blinked at her energy, unsure if she was mocking or genuinely impressed. "Glad to know Satans have too much time to be talking about an ordinary human like me, though I'm much more impressed at your... peculiar outfit." A Satan cosplaying as a magical girl of all things, no wonder this world has lust power system, cough, Issei.
Morgan smirked beside him. "I can see why the title 'Leviathan' suits you. Your presence is... overwhelming." 'In a weird way.'
"Ehehe~ I'll take that as a compliment! You can call me Sera-tan or Sera-chan, whichever you prefer~" Serafall said, spinning once before pointing dramatically at the door. "And speaking of devils with terrible timing, here comes Sirzechs-chan himself!"
Right on cue, the door opened, and Sirzechs Gremory stepped in, his calm, composed aura a sharp contrast to Serafall's playful chaos. His crimson hair gleamed faintly under the chandelier's light, and the faint pressure of his demonic power reminded everyone just who he was.
"Serafall," he said with a tired smile, "I see you've already made yourself comfortable."
"Of course! I wouldn't miss meeting your special guest for the world~"
Sirzechs shook his head slightly, though there was fondness in his tone. "You never change." His gaze then turned toward Kousuke and Morgan. "I hope my colleague hasn't been too much of a handful."
"Not at all," Kousuke said smoothly. "She has a... unique set of clothing, gotta say it widened my worldview."
Serafall puffed her cheeks. "You make that sound like a bad thing!"
"I wouldn't say that, I mean," Kousuke looks her up and down before nodding in appreciation. "It's quite well designed, did you make it yourself?"
Serafall perked up at his response. "Of course! It's pretty isn't it?! Especially this part around my arms, it took me hours to sew it!"
Zeoticus chuckled quietly. "Our home has not been this lively in a while. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I believe you all have much to discuss." Then he and Venelana took a temporary leave to another room.
"Thank you, Father," Rias said, bowing her head before stepping back. The rest of her peerage followed her lead, taking their seats or standing quietly behind her. Sirzechs took the central seat across from Kousuke, his expression calm yet subtly curious.
"Now then, Igarashi Kousuke. I trust your journey here was pleasant?"
Kousuke nodded. "Surprisingly so. The Underworld is... not what I imagined. I expected the kind that would gives the thriller vibes and chaotic surrounding, but it's actually quite peaceful."
"That's because you're in Gremory territory and there are countless layers of Underworld, I'm sure my wife, Grayfia had explained as much to you," Sirzechs replied with a faint smile. "But of course if it had other regions... those folks might be less inviting toward humans."
"Less inviting?" Morgan echoed, tilting her head slightly. "How so?"
Serafall clasped her hands dramatically. "Oh! Some territories are ruled by old-fashioned noble houses who still believe the old ways are best—oppression, hierarchy, power through fear, that sort of thing. Bleh! It's like living in a bad soap opera!"
Kousuke chuckled. "So, basically weaklings who had no actual strength but still clinging to their history and bloodline like the parasites they are?"
"Exactly!" Serafall said, laughing. "You get it, Mister Igarashi!"
"I'd prefer you call me Kousuke, it'd feels less rigid and I'm sure we had a lot to talk about." It had been a while since he lasted attend the Cosplay Convention, so seeing Serafall only reminds him of it.
"Then Kousuke! I'd also like to hear your opinions on my other costume if you could!"
Sirzechs leaned back slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes as he interjected. "As I mentioned before, I offered to guide you personally during your visit. Consider this both an official tour and an opportunity for you to understand how our society functions."
"I appreciate that," Kousuke said genuinely. "To be honest, I'm curious about your world beyond just Gremory lands. It feels like exploring an unknown land. it gives me the thrill."
"That's good to hear," Sirzechs replied. "I'll show you several regions under my influence. Serafall has graciously volunteered to join us after all."
"'Volunteered' is one word for it," Akeno murmured under her breath, she knew for a fact that Leviathan Satan had simply tagged along on a whim.
"I heard that!" Serafall said, pouting. "I'm coming along because this is fun! It's not every day I get to see a human strong enough to impress a Satan! Besides, you understand the greatness of Magical Girl! That makes you my friend!"
Kousuke raised an eyebrow. "Wow, it was that easy to be-friend Satan? I guess I must be Satan magnet or something~"
Everyone in the room chuckled softly at the exchange, even Grayfia allowing herself a faint, almost invisible smile from the side.
Sirzechs eventually stood, smoothing his coat. "In that case, I'll prepare the arrangements. But before that, perhaps you'd like some time to relax. It's not often our guests from the human world get to enjoy the Underworld freely."
Kousuke glanced toward Akeno, who had been watching the exchange with her usual gentle smile. "Actually... that's not a bad idea."
Rias blinked. "You mean—?"
He grinned. "Yeah. I promised Akeno a date, remember? And since I'm already here, I might as well make that a reality. A date in the Underworld, now that is a whole new experience."
Akeno's eyes sparkled, a mixture of surprise and delight flickering across her expression. "You're serious?"
"When am I not?" Kousuke said with a smirk. "I always thrive to make the special day even more special. How is it? I'm a pretty good boyfriend aren't I? You can give me a kiss if you want, I like it on the lips~"
Serafall clasped her hands together, beaming. "A date in the Underworld!? How romantic~! You two should totally visit the Lake of Dreams! The floating stones there make it look like the stars are falling into the water!"
Sirzechs sighed, though his smile betrayed amusement. "Just... try not to cause any incident."
"No promises," Kousuke replied lightly, he knew himself better. If someone dares to pick a fight with him, he can ignore them but it's a different story if they targeted his girlfriend instead.
Morgan chuckled softly, already walking toward the doorway. "Then I'll leave you lovebirds to it. I have a few things I'd like to investigate myself."
"Just don't get into trouble," Kousuke called after her, then chuckles after realizing the irony in him saying that.
"I could say the same to you my dear husband, enjoy your date~" she replied, her voice fading as she vanished into a shimmer of mist. Sirzechs look at her disappearance with a thoughtful expression, Grayfia who stood by his side leaned down and whispered something to his ears. He nodded and his wife vanished from the spot.
Meanwhile, Rias turned toward her peerage, her expression firm. "We'll use this time for training. The Underworld have various places good for this sort of things, it's the perfect opportunity to sharpen our abilities."
Her peerage members nodded in unison(except Akeno), each already feeling the subtle energy of the realm invigorating their senses. Though Issei have a different thought in mind. When he looked at Kousuke and Akeno, he even entertained the idea of having a date with Rias in the Underworld as well.
As for Kousuke and Akeno, they exchanged a brief glance that said more than words could.
"Well," Akeno said, smiling softly, "shall we go then, my good boyfriend?"
Kousuke extended a hand. "Lead the way, my sadistic love."
With that, the two stepped out together into the crimson-hued sky of the Underworld, ready for a date unlike any other.