A few days after the first night with Rixia, Renya was spending his time peacefully as usual, relaxing late at night in his room at the Kurosaki residence.
"Oh my, Leon-sama. Is something troubling you?"
Sylpha, who had brought him coffee and light snacks, asked Renya as he silently drank his black coffee.
"Hm? Ah, I was just thinking how peaceful it is."
"Ah, I see. Indeed, we came to this town based on Chairman Mephisto's divination, but so far nothing particular has happened."
Sylpha nodded in agreement with Renya's words.
Four years ago, they had come to Japan to search for Lavinia's master, ostensibly on Mephisto's orders, fighting the 'Utsusemi Organization,' 'Oz,' and the 'Khaos Brigade' led by the Fallen Angel Satanael. In that process, various things had happened to Lavinia as well. Compared to that, the present was far too peaceful.
"But aren't there Fallen Angels entering this town?"
However, it was true that there were small concerns, as Sylpha pointed out.
"Yeah. Compared to Satanael, whom Lavinia and I fought four years ago, there are a few low-class Fallen Angels, and quite a number of stray Devil exorcists even weaker than that."
"How do you view the current situation, Leon-sama?"
"Well... I see it as something that might become a trigger, but there's no need for us to intervene. The Fallen Angels seem to be a bunch of low-level grunts who haven't even realized this is Gremory territory. And Gremory, along with their ally Sitri, haven't noticed the Fallen Angel intrusion either. It'll only amount to a low-level skirmish. There's no need or desire to get involved. That's our agreement."
Renya concluded, adding that last part as if an afterthought to Sylpha's question.
Yes, currently a faction of Fallen Angels had infiltrated Kuoh Town.
But the four Fallen Angels and the exorcists who followed them were all low-class.
At this rate, it would only develop into a common minor scuffle between factions.
And that was only if Gremory and Sitri, who still hadn't noticed them, ever became aware of the Fallen Angels' presence.
Renya's view was that even if these low-level types fought among themselves, it wouldn't even become a problem.
As he ate a sandwich, Renya continued.
"Since they haven't noticed the Devils' presence, they must have a different objective. Once they achieve it, they'll just leave on their own."
"Incidentally, what is the Fallen Angels' objective?"
At Sylpha's question, Renya washed down the sandwich with coffee, thought for a moment, and replied.
"...Who knows. If they're acting as an organization, it's likely securing or eliminating Sacred Gear possessors. But I doubt the opportunist Azazel would go so far as to make a move in a town where Gremory and Sitri are present."
Renya's assessment was that the leader of the Fallen Angels he'd encountered four years ago—though his methods were controversial—was at least not the type to actively start conflicts. At the very least, the fact that he still had contact with Mephisto meant he was undeniably a liberal.
"Could it be that not only the exorcists but also the Fallen Angels are rogues?"
"That's possible. In that case, they'd have their own agenda separate from the organization. What that is, I don't know, and I'm not interested in."
Renya thought Sylpha's possibility was quite plausible.
But that made their objective even harder to read.
Considering they haven't even noticed the Devils' stronghold, whether they're rogues or part of an organization, their commander is bottom-of-the-barrel.
Gremory and Sitri, who apparently haven't even noticed the existence of such low-level threats, are even worse.
The levels are so low that it's conversely hard to gauge the situation.
'Ignorance is frightening in its own way.'
Renya had no interest in whether the Fallen Angels achieved their objective or whether Gremory and Sitri eliminated them—such trivial disputes.
What Renya was concerned about was a different possibility.
"...The problem is whether these Fallen Angels are remnants from four years ago."
"When you say four years ago, do you mean those involved with the 'Utsusemi Organization' and the 'Oz' group that you and Lavinia were involved with... those associated with the Fallen Angel Satanael?"
Renya nodded at Sylpha's words.
The now-deceased Satanael had committed many atrocities to further his research on Sacred Gears.
These Fallen Angels might be the kind who had curried favor with such a former executive.
"The various incidents Satanael caused involved many factions and created confusion. Depending on their purpose, we can't say for sure that these Fallen Angels aren't the same. Though I doubt they have the capability."
However, Renya believed that the Fallen Angels' notable strength lay not in combat power but in their technological and developmental abilities. Especially with Governor-General Azazel at the forefront, they surpassed all other factions in Sacred Gear research.
"Shall we eliminate them preemptively?"
"No, there's the agreement. Besides, Gremory and Sitri can still handle it. There's no need for us to step in."
Sylpha, a sharp glint in her eyes, had shifted into a swordswoman's demeanor. But Renya dismissed the thought in an instant.
"I'll at least send some magical creatures for surveillance. If the situation gets beyond their control, we'll intervene as per the agreement."
Renya said they didn't need to do more than that, then turned to a more important topic.
"Speaking of which, we need to keep Mio, Orihime, and Isha from going out alone. As for the students, after school they'll have to return with me or with someone else accompanying them."
"Yes, those two are still far from real combat experience. Especially at night, we must be careful. Of course, we can't let our guard down during the day either..."
Mio was, for the time being, kept from getting too deeply involved in battle.
She was being trained in self-defense, but she couldn't yet be taken along like the other Servants.
The same applied to Isha.
As for Orihime, she couldn't be put on the front lines, and while she wasn't expected to have more than self-defense capabilities, even considering that, she still lacked practical combat experience. Though they were gaining experience through stray Devils and such, they weren't accustomed to skirmishes within the town.
The senior members, including Renya, were concerned about that.
Anyone caught off guard would have difficulty performing at their best.
"Yeah. I've told Lavinia and the others, but Sylpha, please look after them too. Of course, nothing should happen, but your own safety comes first, got it?"
"Yes, of course. Though if something truly unmanageable occurs, we'll cooperate and get through it."
Just as they were precious Servants and women to Renya, to Lavinia and the others, they were likewise fellow Servants, or fellow women who loved the same man, and they regarded them as younger sisters or juniors. There was no oversight in that regard.
Especially Lavinia had distributed emergency escape magic circles, summoning circles for Renya and the others, and emergency signal circles.
"Good. They're all exceptional individuals. Even without me, they would have achieved great things. Yet they decided to live alongside someone like me. I have to raise them well."
"Leon-sama. You must not belittle yourself. Your life is no longer yours alone."
Sylpha scolded Renya sternly.
Chided like that, Renya reconsidered his words.
"Ah, my apologies. I didn't intend it that way... I have a bad habit of undervaluing myself."
"Everyone, myself included, understands that you treasure all of us, Renya-san. But please don't forget that we also treasure you."
"Ah, I'll keep that in mind."
Sylpha returned a smile to Renya as he nodded.
Renya hadn't meant to belittle himself; he simply thought Lavinia and the others were such wonderful girls that he didn't deserve them.
'That's exactly what it means to unconsciously belittle yourself. No good. Rather, I should take pride in the fact that such amazing people chose me.'
"By the way, Leon-sama, do you not intend to join any club activities? Since you've transferred to a Japanese high school, wouldn't it be nice to enjoy student life more?"
Just as Renya was reflecting internally, Sylpha asked, perhaps to change the mood.
"Hm? Ah, I don't feel like it for now. Whether joining an existing club or starting one myself, I have no intention. Since I'm not doing Devil work in this town, there's no need to force myself to gather at school. If we want to meet, we can do it at home, and communication can be done verbally, by phone, or telepathically—it'd just be a waste of time."
Whether joining or starting a club, as long as it was a club activity on the surface, there would need to be some form of activity. Renya wasn't uninterested in clubs, but he'd rather spend that time on other things.
"I see, that's very like you, Leon-sama. Speaking of Devil work, how are Mio and Elfaria doing? I've given them the necessary training, but..."
"Ah, no problem. Thanks to the two of you, they're progressing well."
Renya assured Sylpha that her concerns were unwarranted.
In fact, Mio and Elfaria were doing their Devil work properly.
As per their agreement with Rias, Renya and his group distributed flyers for Devil summons outside of Kuoh Town and were active.
The contract terms also varied for each.
Lavinia was often summoned by fellow magic users, helping with magical research and offering advice.
Sylpha took on a wide range of requests, from cooking instruction to combat-related assignments.
Elfaria, being lazy, and Mio, as a precaution, only took contracts through the internet.
Thus, Renya's Servants—especially the girls—were seeing an increasing number of clients in Japan.
The reason there were no male clients was that Renya was overprotective and didn't want to send the beautiful Lavinia and the others on solo assignments.
While there were Devils like Succubi who specialized in sexual requests, and it was generally arranged so that such requests didn't come to ordinary Devils, it was still a precaution. There was always the possibility that a client might change their wish upon seeing the summoned beauty. Renya never underestimated human greed or cunning.
Conversely, requests for Renya himself were rare.
That was because there was rarely any need to summon a 'King.'
Occasionally someone did summon him, but in those cases, it usually turned into a troublesome affair.
Incidentally, the requests were mostly for rough matters—SOS from people being attacked by Fallen Angels or stray Devils, curse removal, and the like.
"Then, I suppose for now, it's peaceful with nothing happening, as it were?"
"Yeah. Busy, but happy and peaceful days."
As Sylpha said, that was ultimately the conclusion. Renya nodded and drained his slightly cooled coffee.
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