When Jeanne Alter returned to the Occult Research Club through the magic circle from the pocket dimension created specifically for her duel, she immediately sensed that the atmosphere was strange.
More precisely, the looks people were giving her were strange.
Rias and her peerage, including Toujou Koneko, stared at Jeanne Alter with peculiar expressions as soon as she appeared.
Yuuto Kiba's expression was especially complicated, containing something deeper Jeanne Alter couldn't quite pinpoint.
Only Asia Argento stepped unhesitatingly to Jeanne Alter's side. Though she felt immense pressure from the many gazes directed at them, the timid girl still clenched her jaw and tightly grasped Jeanne Alter's hand.
To reassure her, Jeanne Alter patted Asia gently on the head, then turned toward Rias and the others with a prideful smile. If one struggled to picture it, they could recall the overly cheerful smile of a certain treasure-hunting Servant.
"What's wrong? Haven't you been suspecting something like this all along? Now that I've confessed, everything is exactly as you imagined, so why are you all still so tense?"
Jeanne Alter's nonchalant remark immediately dispelled the strange, heavy atmosphere.
"What do you mean, exactly as we imagined…?" Rias sighed, covering her face with her hand.
"We were guessing at most that you were Jeanne d'Arc's successor, reincarnation, descendant, or maybe some genetically engineered clone created from her genes. Who could've guessed it was something as ridiculous as Jeanne being resurrected as a witch? Can something like that even happen?"
Unfortunately for Rias, all of her guesses were wrong. To be precise, Jeanne Alter didn't actually have much to do with Jeanne d'Arc. She was an artificial Servant—a Fake created by the French marshal Gilles de Rais with the Holy Grail, embodying his twisted vision of a resurrected Jeanne. Her soul was distinct, and genetically, there was no connection at all.
Still, Jeanne Alter found this identity amusing, so she'd casually announced it. She wondered, if that self-righteous Saint Jeanne learned someone was causing chaos everywhere under her name, what expression would she have?
Would she be annoyed? Frustrated? Would she even cry?
Just imagining Saint Jeanne's distressed face made Jeanne Alter cheerful enough to hum a song.
"It might not be scientific, but isn't that exactly what magic is for? You're all mythological devils, yet your ability to accept something like this is surprisingly low."
"No, no, even magic couldn't manage something like this! It's got nothing to do with being devils or not!"
Bit by bit, any lingering reservations melted away amidst this playful banter.
Asia's worry proved unfounded. Rias and her peerage showed no hostility toward Jeanne Alter because of her declared identity.
Just as Jeanne Alter always saw Rias as simply "Rias," not "Gremory," in their eyes, Jeanne Alter remained just "Jeanne," rather than the saint.
The trust built through their daily interactions wouldn't crumble over something like this.
Nor were Rias and the others worried about Jeanne Alter harboring ill intent—after all, it came down to strength. If Jeanne Alter wanted to harm them, she wouldn't have waited until now. As a powerhouse comparable to a Maou, she might not be at the absolute peak of the world, but there was still plenty she could do.
And they hadn't forgotten—Jeanne Alter had Ophis beside her. If Jeanne Alter wanted to conquer the world, powerful beings from various mythologies might manage to bypass Ophis and kill her, but if her goal was simply chaos or destruction, even combined forces wouldn't be able to stop them.
"The Witch of Dragons, huh…" Rias stroked her chin thoughtfully, recalling the image of the ominous dragon banner billowing amid flames and Ophis currently living with Jeanne Alter.
And… something else had happened earlier, something Rias found deeply concerning.
During Jeanne Alter's fight with Riser, Rias and the others had watched the duel closely.
When Jeanne Alter stepped out from the flames clad in black armor, Issei Hyoudou's [Sacred Gear], the [Boosted Gear], had abruptly activated, causing Issei to panic.
The soul of the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig, had awakened inside the [Sacred Gear] because it sensed an irresistible attraction.
And that attraction had originated from Jeanne Alter—a terrifying charm targeting dragons specifically.
"If she directly commanded me, I might not be able to refuse… That woman has such terrifying appeal. If I still had a physical form and freedom, I might've already abandoned everything to fly to her side…" These words, relayed by Issei on behalf of Ddraig, had deeply shocked Rias at the time.
Issei had also confessed that merely seeing Jeanne Alter or standing near her made his heart race and body heat up, giving him boundless energy.
Ddraig had explained that it was due entirely to Jeanne Alter's draconic allure affecting him indirectly, leaving Issei crestfallen.
"So it wasn't love at first sight or a red string of fate after all… and here I thought I'd finally found my destined soulmate…"
Jeanne Alter's draconic attraction and her fire-controlling abilities intrigued Rias—after all, the historical Jeanne d'Arc obviously had neither ability.
Could Jeanne Alter have acquired these powers only after becoming a witch?
"Buzz—!"
Suddenly, the magic circle etched onto the floor of the Occult Research Club radiated a dazzling crimson glow and slowly began to rotate.
Seeing this, Rias, Akeno, and the others tensed, likely worried it was someone here to make trouble on behalf of Riser.
Under their watchful gaze, two figures slowly emerged from the brilliance.
One was Grayfia Lucifuge.
In front of her stood a man with shoulder-length crimson hair who lifted his gaze, meeting Jeanne Alter's eyes.
Though his expression held goodwill, Jeanne Alter irritably clicked her tongue—but no one else caught this subtle exchange.
Seeing this red-haired man, Akeno and the others showed surprise, while Rias, utterly astonished, exclaimed aloud, calling out the newcomer's identity.
"Brother?!"
"Yo, Rias." Sirzechs greeted her gently, smiling softly. "It's been a while. Seems you've been through quite a bit."
"And whose fault is that?!" Rias glared indignantly. "If Father and Brother hadn't made that engagement without my permission, none of this would've happened!"
"Well, I admit both Father and I rushed things a bit," Sirzechs replied with the genial air of a friendly older brother, spreading his hands helplessly. "But it can't be helped—we have too few heirs."
Asia stood dumbfounded next to Jeanne Alter, watching the siblings' interaction.
"Rias-senpai's… brother?"
"Indeed, he's Rias's older brother, Sirzechs Lucifer." Jeanne Alter's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she explained to the naive girl, "Currently one of the Four Great Maou—the Demon King Lucifer."
"D-Demon King?!"
"The D-D-Demon King is... buchou's brother?!"
Asia, predictably, turned pale in shock—even terror. For a girl raised in the Holy Church, the name "Lucifer" was genuinely frightening. It was like a child suddenly meeting Conan's sinister shadow figure face-to-face.
However… Jeanne Alter heard another startled gasp. Turning to look, she saw a panicking Issei Hyoudou.
Oh, she'd nearly forgotten about him.
"But you truly brought quite the surprise this time…" Sirzechs smiled warmly at Jeanne Alter. "Jeanne, the Witch of Dragons—and a fighter with power rivalling a Maou. Your display of strength terrified and shocked many devils. Thanks to you, even though the engagement issue isn't completely settled, at least no one dares bother Rias in the short term."
Sirzechs's insincere words stoked Jeanne Alter's irritation.
Who exactly had slipped into the human world late at night a few days ago, urging her to interfere with Rias and Riser's marriage? He hadn't even informed his own Queen.
"Siscon."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Jeanne Alter froze momentarily—the man's shamelessness far exceeded her expectations.
It was as if her punch of anger had landed squarely on a pillow of cotton… Jeanne Alter felt even more annoyed, a growing urge to burn something bubbling up inside her.
"So no one's going to pressure me into marriage anymore?"
Rias's eyes lit up instantly.
"Well, no one wants to face the wrath of a Maou-level powerhouse… especially one who happens to hold goodwill toward devils. Those old geezers might be conservative and annoying, but they're also quite afraid of death. They're even more terrified of pushing such a powerful being onto the opposite side."
Sirzechs shrugged casually. Clearly, he held a fair bit of resentment toward those rigid old devils himself.
"Lord Sirzechs, please watch your words."
"It's fine. There aren't any outsiders here."
Grayfia, Sirzechs's Queen, had suddenly interrupted him. Oddly enough, despite being the King and Grayfia his Queen—wearing her usual maid attire—Sirzechs always seemed slightly subdued when interacting with her, as if naturally pressured.
Though, based on Sirzechs's wording, did that mean he didn't even consider Jeanne Alter and Asia outsiders? They weren't even members of Rias's peerage…
Sirzechs's gaze returned to Jeanne Alter, prompting her to raise her eyebrow impatiently.
"What?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking… are you really Saint Jeanne?"
As soon as those words left his lips, everyone except Jeanne Alter and Sirzechs stiffened immediately.
"Brother!"
Rias hurriedly tried to intervene. Though she too had many unresolved questions, directly asking such things felt a bit tactless.
Sirzechs merely waved his hand casually, urging Rias to calm down.
"How interesting." Jeanne Alter curled her lips into a slight smirk. "You don't believe Jeanne d'Arc can return from the dead either?"
"That's not it. Methods of bringing back the dead may be rare, but they certainly exist. For instance, some [Sacred Gears] can do something similar… But what's puzzling me most isn't your resurrection; it's your abilities. Jeanne d'Arc never had fire manipulation or dragon affinity… Did you gain them after becoming a witch?"
Rias blinked, startled—Sirzechs had voiced the very questions she'd been holding back.
"Hah! Is it really that hard to grasp?"
Jeanne Alter grinned darkly. "The saint who perished by flames returns to reduce humanity and the gods alike to ashes with the fire of vengeance—what's so confusing about that?"
"Well… I suppose that makes sense. But what about your dragon affinity?"
"To deny God, of course."
Jeanne Alter shrugged, smiling mockingly. "If godly lapdogs like Martha and Saint George have legends of subduing dragons, then as a witch who denies both gods and saints, shouldn't I naturally command dragons instead?"
Hearing that, Rias's feelings grew extremely complicated.
Even Saint George, the famous dragon slayer, wasn't guaranteed victory against Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor. When alive, he'd caused tremendous headaches for God, the Fallen Angels, and even the Maou themselves. And then there was Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God above the Heavenly Dragons, now living meekly with Jeanne Alter—gentler and more obedient than a domesticated kitten.
"Hmm… I see." Sirzechs nodded slowly, his expression entirely calm, seemingly accepting Jeanne Alter's explanation. But what he truly thought remained a mystery.
After some small talk, Sirzechs left the Occult Research Club, apparently in a hurry due to Grayfia urging him multiple times.
"Miss Jeanne vented her frustration splendidly, but she certainly left me quite a headache. Your terrifying flames combined with Saint Jeanne's identity have left those devils who witnessed your battle extremely unsettled. I came here precisely to meet and get to know you a bit more, Jeanne."
Before departing, Sirzechs smiled politely, explaining his reason for visiting.
"Now that we've become somewhat acquainted, I must hurry back to pacify those panicking nobles."
After all, as Maou Lucifer, he had plenty to worry about.
Even after Sirzechs left, Asia remained somewhat dazed.
"The Demon King Lucifer… after actually meeting him…"
"He wasn't anything like you expected, was he?"
Jeanne Alter easily guessed Asia's thoughts.
Having lived so long within the Holy Church, Asia had probably been constantly told things like "devils are evil," "devils are hideous," "devils must be eradicated," or even "devils are disgusting monsters with twenty-four tentacles and thirty-six eyes."
In Jeanne Alter's memory, ironically, angels were the truly monstrous, sanity-shredding creatures, while devils had always been attractively charming to entice humans.
Otherwise, why would an angel's first words upon appearing always be, "Child, fear not"?
Jeanne Alter wondered if the angels in this world shared that Lovecraftian horror aesthetic from her memories. So far, she'd only met devils and fallen angels—she had yet to see a living angel.
Since fallen angels descended from angels, surely the angels here were also humanoid… right?
...
Despite revealing herself dramatically as "Saint Jeanne" and roasting the flaming chicken thoroughly, Jeanne Alter's daily life returned to normal as if nothing happened.
Though the Underworld was likely in turmoil from her bold self-introduction, neither Jeanne Alter nor Rias knew the specifics, since Sirzechs never shared those details.
Following that day, Rias seemed noticeably brighter, as though freed from invisible chains. Even students at Kuoh Academy noticed the change, though none understood the reason behind it. Rias had always been popular, receiving a lot of attention, so any shift in her demeanor was easily observed.
Though her problem wasn't completely resolved—eventually, without a suitable fiancé, pressure would mount again—at least for now, Rias could breathe easy. Even the blue skies seemed more beautiful to her.
And it wasn't only Rias who felt relieved—Jeanne Alter clearly noticed Toujou Koneko and Asia were much happier too.
Koneko's happiness was understandable; Rias had once saved her. And Asia—simply pure-hearted by nature—always found joy in her friends' happiness. Most people might harbor jealousy instead, but Asia genuinely embodied saintly purity.
Asia and Koneko's improved moods even influenced Ophis. Though the dragon's expression remained mostly emotionless, her eyes had grown slightly brighter since first meeting Jeanne Alter. Ever since following Jeanne Alter, Ophis had seemingly grown more receptive to her surroundings.
Peaceful days passed swiftly in Kuoh Town, calm like an undisturbed lake. But beneath the surface—much like Morioh Town from another story—lay hidden, turbulent currents.
On a starless night, pouring rain blurred the landscape like mist, the elongated raindrops weaving a hazy curtain.
Such awful weather naturally deterred people from venturing outdoors. Umbrellas were nearly useless under these conditions.
Street lamps cast dim light, coloring raindrops that passed beneath, giving them shape and form.
Rainwater gathered into streams, flowing into sewers—but beneath the dim streetlight, faint glimpses of eye-catching dark red appeared amidst the flowing water.
A man dressed as a priest slumped against a wall, a crucifix around his neck. His clothes were soaked through, the streams turning dark red as they flowed past, steadily draining his remaining body heat.
"Hahaha! This is fantastic! This is power! A seductive power, strong enough to lop off a devil's head and use it as a urinal! Kill devils, mock mercilessly! To make a living, I'll be a chef, mincing devils' flesh into sushi…"
Despite his priestly attire, the man rambled insanely—terrifying, infectious madness.
He clutched a sword—a blade shining brightly even in this gloomy night, brimming with holy radiance.
"The priest is dead! The priest laughs! The priest flees! The priest hunts again… hahaha! Bring joy to humanity! Join a singing contest! Murder like slicing bread—it's all the same!"
The sword blazed with holy fire, blood dripping from its blade.
This insane priest had clearly murdered the other priest.
The crazed priest was Freed Sellzen, who had previously betrayed Asia, delivering her to fallen angels. Now, he wielded a power surpassing even the fallen angels—a holy sword.
But—
"Didn't I warn you?"
In the cold night air, scorching wind erupted suddenly, instantly vaporizing the rain. Terrifying killing intent silenced Freed's laughter abruptly, strangling it like a crow in a vice-grip.
"Our next meeting would be your death!"
"Big talk, big talk! Don't underestimate me! I'm not who I was—I'll use this holy sword to cut you down!"
With a desperate roar, Freed lunged toward Jeanne Alter.
Unfazed, Jeanne Alter unleashed flames to consume him. Freed's sword erupted in dazzling brilliance—then, taking advantage of the flash, he fled.
"…Predictably sharp only when sensing danger."
"But… did you really think you escaped last time because you ran fast enough?"
There was no chance.
Freed died, pierced by countless iron stakes and engulfed in flame. Just a minor pest; Jeanne Alter had merely reclaimed her pride.
But the sword he'd wielded caught her attention.
"A holy sword?"
Holding it aloft, Jeanne Alter raised an eyebrow.
She sensed its sacred aura—likely terrifying to devils and fallen angels.
Then she turned toward the dead priest.
"I'll ask Rias about priests in Kuoh Town… And as for this sword, it's pitifully weak compared to the cold-blooded woman's. I'll see if Rias wants it—if not, it'll have to be destroyed…"
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T/N: salter reference