Chapter 407 Target: Grayfia
Chisato Hasegawa cast a deep glance at Haruto, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
"Not bad, faster than I expected. It seems I won't have to remain self-sealed for much longer."
"Chisato-nee, it's not a success yet. Whether it's really what I think still needs verification."
Haruto embraced the enchanting goddess with long black hair beside him, his large hands wandering restlessly across her jade-like fair skin.
He didn't dare speak with absolute certainty. Although his inner demons had been almost completely eradicated, until he broke through to God-class and completed the qualitative transformation of his soul, he couldn't be sure his realizations were flawless.
But as he had said before, regardless of success, this seal had already lost its purpose.
Moreover, what Haruto planned to do next carried risks and required strength. Rather than going through the trouble of breaking the seal himself later, it was better to release it now.
"I believe you will succeed."
Chisato's aura gradually intensified, emerald green divine power circulating around her exquisite figure. Her hip-length raven hair began flowing without wind, gradually transforming into golden strands.
Her fair, slender hand pressed against Haruto's firm chest. As divine power surged, layers of magical array patterns emerged one after another, only to shatter consecutively.
With each shattered magic array, Haruto felt his strength returning bit by bit.
Mana, Qi, spiritual power, soul, personal subspace, Sacred Gear...
When all seals were broken, Haruto felt torrential power surging endlessly within him, requiring considerable time to fully control it.
The changes in Haruto drew amazed murmurs from the young women around him—not only because of his suddenly restored strength, but also because with the elimination of his inner demons, his power had grown substantially, bringing him infinitely close to God-class.
"Haa—"
Feeling the formidable power within him, Haruto exhaled deeply with heartfelt joy.
After he fully adapted, Rias slowly leaned against his shoulder, teasing his cheek with her crimson hair while asking, "Haruto, how do you plan to take the final step?"
Actually, what Rias wanted to ask was who his target would be, but feeling it might be inappropriate, she rephrased her question.
They all knew about Haruto's worldly tribulation training, and had a general idea of what he had been doing these past days.
Though they couldn't perceive everything as clearly as Chisato, they could roughly guess what the final step to overcome his inner demons would be.
Haruto's wandering hands on the goddess paused briefly before he finally said slowly, "I want to... well... confess to Miss Grayfia."
After several days of contemplation, Haruto ultimately realized that Grayfia remained the greatest challenge in his heart.
This silver-haired, buxom beauty who bore a striking resemblance to a certain flat-chested maid, renowned as the strongest Queen in the Underworld and the wife of Satan Sirzechs—making her Rias's sister-in-law—was not only his obsession but also someone he'd connected with during the Azazel incident.
Everyone, including Grayfia herself, believed Haruto had been unconscious and unaware of his surroundings at the time. But Haruto knew that, in order to verify a certain hypothesis, Grayfia had already been intimate with him back then.
Had he been able to move at the time, they would have likely crossed the final boundary that day.
It was precisely because of that incident that Grayfia held a unique position in Haruto's heart.
Before overcoming his inner demons, he had deliberately avoided her. Now, however, he was determined to charge forward without hesitation.
Haruto originally hadn't planned to tell Rias and the other girls, intending to sneak off to the Underworld alone. Whether Grayfia accepted or rejected him, he was going to take that step.
If he managed to break through even after being rejected, that would naturally be ideal.
If he failed to break through...
Then he'd just confess a few more times and put some effort into pursuing her. He believed Grayfia would eventually agree.
Come to think of it, Haruto had never seriously pursued anyone of the opposite sex before...
But since Rias asked, after a moment's hesitation, Haruto decided to be honest.
After all, he wasn't planning to use any underhanded methods—just going to confess, as he said.
Haruto had many women in his life, and there would be more in the future. If he had to hide every single one, he simply wouldn't have the energy, and it would go against his true nature.
Managing a harem or being a time management master might work with five or six girls, but with fifty or sixty, or even five or six hundred...
Who could possibly have the means and energy for that?!
Hearing Haruto's response, Rias was unsurprisingly stunned. Even the other girls in the room hadn't expected that Haruto's final step would involve Grayfia.
The silver-haired beauty served as a bridge between the Underworld and the Occult Research Club, so she had plenty of contact with everyone. But before Haruto spoke up, none of them had detected anything unusual between the two.
Haruto glanced around and noticed that while Rias's expression was somewhat strange, the other girls showed no particular reaction beyond surprise.
Feeling relieved, he briefly explained what had happened during his unconsciousness.
After hearing his account, all the girls nodded in understanding.
"So that's what Miss Grayfia did back then..." Maria wagged the little heart-shaped tip of her tail, giggling. "It seems she's been quite lonely for a long time~ In that case, Brother Haruto's chances of success are pretty high~"
While Rias and the others were aware of Grayfia's actions, Mio and her group hadn't known about them.
The girls from the Occult Research Club only knew that intimate contact was involved but weren't aware of the specifics of what Grayfia had done. They couldn't help but entertain some private thoughts.
Who would have thought that the strictly proper and solemn Miss Grayfia harbored such desires deep down...
Akeno and the other girls simultaneously thought to themselves, their exquisite, beautiful faces filled with sudden realization and disbelief.
Haruto ignored the Succubus Loli who kept drooling over him and focused entirely on Rias.
After all, it was just a confession—no one could really interfere with that, no matter who it was.
Simply expressing affection for a married person, or even pursuing them, is generally acceptable as long as one avoids underhanded tactics such as persistent harassment, stalking, surveillance, drugging, or coercion.
In the legal framework of the ordinary world, the worst outcome might be getting beaten up by the husband or being scolded by moral guardians. Hmm... if the beating is severe enough, reporting it to the police could even land the aggressor in trouble.
To be specific, if Haruto were to compliment a married woman's beauty, give her gifts, or confess his feelings, and her husband responded by assaulting him, it might seem like Haruto was asking for it. But in a society governed by law, the one who resorts to violence is in the wrong.
Although the underworld lacks laws and police, and such actions could get someone killed outright, as long as Haruto is strong enough, it doesn't matter.
Rias felt a bit uncomfortable for a moment, but she quickly grasped Haruto's true intentions. Still, she couldn't resist quipping, "If my brother beats you up, I won't help you."
Noticing that Rias referred to Satan as "brother" instead of "Lord Satan," Haruto understood she was still uneasy—especially given her intelligence, which likely led her to suspect that her mother, Venelana, was also one of his targets.
"Don't worry, it's just a confession. Nothing might happen. You should have faith in Miss Grayfia," Haruto reassured her, pulling Rias closer and planting a kiss on her fair cheek.
Rias rolled her eyes elegantly. If she had any confidence in Grayfia or her mother, she wouldn't feel so awkward.
She knew her family well: the underworld was inherently open-minded, and with her brother and father wholly dedicated to revitalizing their family and the underworld, they had long neglected her sister-in-law and mother. Moreover, Grayfia's past behavior gave her no reassurance.
But boundaries are meant to be broken, and with demons' liberal nature, Rias quickly adjusted. At this point, aside from trusting her mother and sister-in-law, there wasn't much else she could do.
As for stopping Haruto from confessing—that option never crossed her mind.
In this world, strength reigns supreme. The higher one's status and power, the clearer this truth becomes.
With threats like the Khaos Brigade and other malevolent forces lurking in the shadows, and even worlds beyond the Three Realms eyeing them covetously, the next Eternal War loomed near—a crisis where even Dragon God Class experts could fall at any moment.
"When do you plan to make your move?" Rias asked after snuggling in Haruto's arms for a while. "Or should I call Grayfia over?"
"Better to go to the Underworld. I have a feeling I might break through this time, and the commotion could be significant."
Seeing Rias return to her usual self, Haruto felt a weight lift off his shoulders. If she had objected, he wouldn't have known what to do.
"For a breakthrough, the Underworld is indeed better. Not only is the energy denser, but it's also less likely to attract too much attention," Chisato chimed in. "If a God-class expert appears in the human world, many would become restless."
The other women nodded in understanding. Even the current strength of the Occult Research Club had drawn the Hero Clan's attention, prompting them to send monitors—let alone the arrival of a God-class being.
Although the Naruse Sisters, who were originally tasked with surveillance, had now become allies, Haruto knew the Hero Clan would soon send new monitors.
With the most serious matters temporarily settled, Haruto and the women immediately transitioned into their carefree time together.
This grand gathering had originally been Haruto's preparation before taking the final step. Though he was ninety-nine percent confident, it felt natural to engage in an unrestrained battle before undertaking such an important endeavor.
...
By noon the next day, after some brief preparations, Haruto activated spatial teleportation and directly arrived at the Gremory family's territory.
The moment he appeared, an enthusiastic maid came forward to greet him.
"Lord Red Dragon Emperor, is there something you require from your solo visit?"
The Gremory family servants were quite familiar with Haruto—after all, he was both the next clan head's chosen partner and the renowned current Red Dragon Emperor.
Haruto initially intended to dismiss her, as he didn't want too many people knowing about his upcoming business. However, seeing her maid uniform sparked a question in his mind.
Since Sirzechs' Satan castle and the Gremory family residence were in different locations, where was Grayfia currently?
Haruto stroked his chin and asked the maid beside him: "Well, is your head maid currently at home? The President, that is, Rias, asked me to retrieve something from Grayfia."
"Ah?" The maid who had greeted Haruto clearly froze for a moment before responding somewhat nervously: "Y-yes, Miss Grayfia just went to the accounting room."
"Lucky me."
Haruto muttered quietly with pleasure—if she had been at the Satan castle, he would have needed to find another opportunity.
If possible, regardless of the outcome, this matter was best kept from Sirzechs.
Haruto was neither a masochist nor an NTR enthusiast, so there was no need to deliberately inform Sirzechs about this matter.
Even though he was confident about breaking through to god-class, and knew the red-haired Satan probably wouldn't mind as long as he remained devoted to the Underworld and the Gremory family.
After walking some distance forward, Haruto noticed the maid still standing nervously in place. After a moment's thought, he understood why.
With teleportation magic and communication magic being so convenient, logically if Rias needed something, she could either have it delivered or send a message. Unless it was something very important, there would be no need for someone of his strength to come personally.
Whether this maid was particularly timid or overthought things, she had clearly misunderstood the situation.
"Thank you, you may return."
Haruto smiled at her and said: "It's nothing major. The President just didn't have time, and I happened to be free, so I'm making this trip."
Hearing this, the anxious maid finally breathed a sigh of relief, lifted her skirt slightly, and curtsied.
"I see, thank you, Lord Red Dragon Emperor."
After this minor incident along the way, Haruto smoothly found the silver-haired beautiful wife checking this month's expenses in the accounting room.
Though called checking, it was really just verifying the account books.
Although the Underworld had advanced technology and good integration of magic and technology, most noble families still maintained the habits of European medieval nobility.
Logically, accounts should be managed by the butler, who would then report to the family head.
But as head maid Grayfia was also Sirzechs' wife and the Gremory family head's daughter-in-law, the butler directly had her verify the accounts after preparing them.
After all, even if submitted, the current family head would either give the accounts to Venelana or still have Grayfia check them.
Seeing Haruto's arrival, Grayfia looked quite surprised and instinctively asked: "Haruto, what are you doing here?"
"Of course I came looking for you."
Though he had made up his mind, facing Grayfia directly, Haruto couldn't help feeling somewhat nervous.
Fortunately, he was no longer some innocent young boy, and quickly adjusted his mindset.
"Grayfia, please continue with your work. I'll just sit here for a while."
The bill verification wasn't difficult, just tedious. If interrupted midway, she'd likely have to start over from the beginning.
The silver-haired beauty holding an account book in one hand and various documents in the other was debating whether to stand up and greet him. Hearing Haruto's words, she relaxed visibly.
"Alright, just a moment. I'll be finished with this soon."
Haruto had no interest in accounting. After glancing around the accounting room and finding nothing novel, he focused his attention entirely on the silver-haired beauty diligently working.
Grayfia remained dressed in her modest blue-and-white maid uniform, her smooth silver hair parted by a pure white lace hairband. The fringe at her forehead fell loosely and casually, while the rest of her hair was braided into three plaits.
Besides the main braid hanging down her back, two thinner silver braids resembling chain decorations framed her face on either side, accentuating her delicate features with mature charm.
Her crimson lips parted slightly as her slender phoenix eyes moved constantly between the account book and documents in her hands.
Yet what captivated Haruto more than her exquisite face was the prominent swell of her bosom beneath the loose maid uniform—a figure so alluring it couldn't be concealed by the modest clothing.
Haruto's gaze was so direct that Grayfia found it impossible to ignore. Several times she looked up, wanting to say something, but ultimately forced her attention back to her work.
As time passed, the silver-haired beauty found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Gradually, an inexplicable warmth began spreading through her body.
Her voluptuous, mature frame shifted uncomfortably, as if trying to escape Haruto's intense scrutiny.
But whenever she moved, Haruto would adjust his position accordingly, making no attempt to hide his intentions.
Rather than feeling offended by Haruto's attention, Grayfia felt only surprise, shyness, and a hint of pleasure and pride.
What woman wouldn't feel accomplished knowing such a handsome, radiant, and powerful young man was so captivated by her?
Haruto, meanwhile, had become absorbed in planning his next 'bold move,' either not noticing or subconsciously ignoring Grayfia's unusual reactions.
Just as the atmosphere in the accounting room grew increasingly intimate, the silver-haired beauty finally completed her task through sheer force of will.
The moment she set down the account book and documents, Grayfia let out a soft sigh and turned to find Haruto had moved beside her at some point.
"Haruto, what's with you today? Have you become enchanted by me?"
As they grew more familiar—especially after starting to address each other by first names—Grayfia had become increasingly casual with Haruto. Now that they were alone, she abandoned her usual proper demeanor entirely.
The silver-haired beauty was never particularly conventional to begin with—some might even say rebellious. Otherwise, she would never have ended up with Sirzechs.
She came from Lucifuge, an esteemed external demon family that had served Satan for generations.
As a member of the Old Maou Faction fighting against the reformists, competing with Serafall for the title of strongest female demon, she had encountered the reformist hero Sirzechs Gremory on the battlefield...
What happened afterward needed no explanation, given Grayfia's current status.
"You're becoming more beautiful every day, Grayfia."
Haruto, who had been struggling with how to begin, immediately seized the opportunity and said, "I came here specifically to see you today."
"Specifically for me?"
The silver-haired beauty had been secretly pleased by Haruto's compliment, but his next words made her heart skip a beat.
As adults, she had already sensed something unusual in Haruto's attitude. She had intended to use humor to dispel the awkward yet ambiguous atmosphere between them, but it seemed Haruto was serious.
"Yeah." Haruto nodded firmly while moving closer to Grayfia.
The already narrow gap between them nearly vanished entirely. If not for the loose fit of her maid uniform, they would likely be able to feel each other's body heat by now.