3rd Person POV
[Arto's mansion]
The mansion is quite quiet by the night in the living room, Arto is in his big gray wolf form and lounging on the couch with Kuroka in her cat form laying in his thick fur like a fluffy bed "Nyao~This is the best"
Kuroka purred as she stretched before settling again. "No Nami, no problem, as long as I have this big fluffy fur bed~" She turns to lying on her back, playing lazily with the cat wand toy Akeno is dangling before her face
Rias on the other hand are playing with Arto's head, and since he is in resting mode, he doesn't resist and lets she do whatever she wants with his head, snout and ears, she is currently putting a doll hat on his wolf head "How cute~" she coos, making him snorts.
Grayfia, who is reading from the couch, looks up from her book "Is he usually like this?" Rias shrugs "Well, no one in the Simulation Room knows Arto can turn into a wolf, so this is a way for him to slack off form reading research reports"
Akeno's laughter tinkled like wind chimes as Kuroka batted at the toy with increasing lethargy. "At this rate, he'll be stuck as a wolf for days," she teased, twirling the wand just out of reach. The tip glowed faintly—charged with just enough electricity to make Kuroka's fur stand on end whenever she missed a swipe.
"He is now leading Abyssgard Financial Management in Nami's stead, supervising the work in Simulation Room in Robin's stead when those 2 are away, so it's natural for him to be tired by night~" Rias kisses his wolf nose "And he deserves this, as for you, mind the white cat on your lap"
Grayfia looks down to see Koneko, who is now in her cat form, and is looking up expectingly at Grayfia. The head maid reaches one hand of hers down to pet Koneko while the other is casting a spell to make the book hover that she she can read while petting Koneko.
"How is being Baroness Atreides, Grayfia~?" Akeno asks teasingly as she plays with Kuroka "I think you're enjoying being in Albedo's stead more than you expected"
Grayfia's fingers still momentarily against Koneko's fur before resuming their rhythm. The hovering book flips a page with a flick of her mana. "It's logistical efficiency. Nothing more." The words are crisp, but the way she adjusts her posture—ever so slightly straighter—betrays her.
Rias smirks, tweaking one of Arto's wolf ears. "Liar. You wore the ceremonial mantle for three hours after the Lucifuge delegation left."
A muffled grunt rumbles from Arto's throat. Kuroka, sprawled across his flank, giggles. "Nya~ Her heartbeat sped up when they called her 'Your Excellency.'" Grayfia's eye twitches. The book snaps shut mid-air. "I was maintaining decorum."
Rias giggles as she pets Arto's head, making sure he is asleep "Oh, you don't need to deny that you like Arto, Grayfia, it's not random for a Lucifuge heiress to hand that delicate pocket watch to a man, I know how things went between your sister and Sirzechs, that pocket watch is a vow"
Grayfia's fingers freeze mid-stroke against Koneko's fur. The hovering book drops a fraction before she catches it with a pulse of magic. Across the room, Kuroka's ears twitch upright—her playful batting at Akeno's toy wand forgotten.
The silence stretches just a heartbeat too long before Grayfia exhales through her nose. "Presumptuous." Her voice is cool, but the way her thumb traces the back of Koneko's ear is anything but detached.
Rias leans forward, mischief glinting in her eyes as she props her chin on Arto's wolf forehead. "Is it? Let me just call your sister Yelena to make sure I remember your family's tradition right—"
Grayfia's teacup freezes halfway to her lips. A single drop of tea hovers mid-air—caught in the golden light—before she flicks her wrist. The liquid reverses course, splashing back into the cup with unnatural precision. "Unnecessary." The word carries the weight of a slammed door.
Koneko—still curled in Grayfia's lap—blinks slowly. Her tail flicks once, decisively, against Grayfia's thigh. A silent verdict.
Akeno abandons Kuroka's toy wand entirely, leaning in with feline curiosity. "Oh? So it is true? The pocket watch was a vow?" Her fingers drum against her knee—each tap charged with barely contained glee.
Grayfia's exhale is slow, measured. The hovering book drifts downward, landing softly on the coffee table. She adjusts her grip on Koneko—just enough for the cat to sense the minute tremor in her hands. "Tradition," she begins, voice like tempered steel, "is not obligation."
Before Rias and Akeno can tease further, Grayfia quickly changes the subject to another matter "Are you ready for the Riser Phenex's arrival, Rias? This year is the one, it's Febuary already, once you're 18...."
Rias' fingers pause mid-scritch against Arto's wolf ears. The sudden stiffness in her shoulders makes Kuroka's tail flick upright in alarm. "I've not forgotten about that arranged marriage between us, not mentioning now, their motivation in pursuing that deal is much more desperate than ever"
The whole family stopped, Kuroka and Akeno stop playing, Grayfia's hand went still on Koneko's attentive head, Rias doesn't flinch "Magic-tech that this man" she pat Arto's wolf head "made has brough an advantage too large to the table, the sheer advancement is leaving other clans behind by decades. So Phenex have more reasons than ever to secure me, the heiress of Gremory, one of the 2 main holders of magic-tech, to themselves..."
She looks back at Arto's sleeping face with a smile "But I won't let them have me by a piece of paper. The deal my father signed 20 years ago to end the war between Gremory and Phenex had one ambiguous clause when it comes to the one holding the reign in the relationship and marital property between me and Riser..."
A pause "...which was widely thought that it would go to him by default. But this clause can be used to force a Rating Game between us to settle the score because....we all know the rule" Grayfia nods "Power speaks louder than papers"
The grandfather clock in the corner ticks three times before Koneko—still curled in Grayfia's lap—lets out a small, decisive mrrp. It's the sound she makes when Robin's chess maneuvers grow too predictable. Grayfia's fingers resume their methodical stroking. "You're confident," she observes, not quite a question.
Rias' smile sharpens. She plucks a stray thread from Arto's fur, twirling it between her fingers. "Exactly, if he, a devil with hundreds of years in life, doesn't agree to face me, a teenage devil barely out of her puberty, in a Rating Game, Phenex's public face would be ruined. And if he accepts—" The thread snaps taut.
Kuroka's tail lashes once—a hunter's instinct. "Nya~ You'd crush him." Akeno's fingers hover over her pendant—the one humming with divine energy. "And the clause?"
Grayfia's teacup clinks against its saucer. "If Rias wins, she can deliberately terminate the deal because of a reason we all respect and uphold as devils" Akeno smirks "'Power speaks louder than papers', and no one would be able to say otherwise when a guy with hundreds of years in life couldn't win against a teenage girl, he would have to terminate the contract himself out of shame"
Rias' fingers tighten in Arto's fur—not enough to wake him, but enough for Kuroka to glance up with narrowed eyes. "And if I lose?" The words taste like ash. Grayfia's exhale is slow. "Won't likely, the power bar of your peerage is way above him, you've been training in Adaptive Training Ground, hunting high-ranking strays, training under Arto's Abyssgard Legion regimen, going through hundreds of simulated scenarios of that Rating Game, every week for an entire year. Do you know what Riser did in that time?"
The grandfather clock's pendulum swings twice before Kuroka stretches lazily, claws kneading Arto's flank. "Nya~ He hosted twelve orgies for his friends, disrupted 3 more auction sessions at King houses' Auction Halls, banned from attending anymore sessions in the future, and of course, still licking his father's shoes by women he bought with the clan's money to overthrow his own older brother"
Grayfia's teacup freezes mid-air, her gaze sharpening as she processes the implications. "That... explains the fluctuations in their decision-making recently, it seems Riser is taking side with his dethroned father against Ruval and clan's council." She sets the cup down with deliberate precision.
Rias keeps on rubbing the sleeping wolf's head "Well, gotta thank this man for setting the flame to burn that clan to the ground, he beat the shit of Razer Phenex under the name of Baron Arasto Atreides, delayed your arranged marriage with the leader of Phenex clan..." she turns to Grayfia with a smirk, the head maid rolls her eyes "Don't mention it"
Rias continues "...and caused a disruption in Phenex clan as their Grand Marquis was dethroned, and Ruval was chosen, leading to Riser's bitter behavior. This led to Riser mad-buying at Auction Houses, disrespecting King-ranked houses, leading to the loose of credibility of Phenex" Grayfia smirks "Not mentioning he made Atreides domain into a magic-tech channel for clans with negative relationship with Gremory-Sitri"
Hearing that, Akeno smiles sadistically "Ohh~I love seeing Riser's twisted helpless face when having to defend the one who humiliated both him and his father against Gremory-Sitri's advancement in the staged heist for magic-tech core schematic"
Kuroka's tail curls smugly around Arto's paw. "Nya~ And now he has to beg Albedo for Atreides contracts while she makes him wait in reception for three hours every time." The cat's grin is all teeth.
Grayfia's fingers pause on Koneko's ears. "Albedo enjoys theatrics too much." The disapproval in her voice wars with the upward twitch of her lips.
Rias stretches, her fingers brushing the Arto's thick fur. "This man, with one victory, has triggered the entire internal and external conflict of a clan, now I get it when my mother said Arto is a formidable political player." She sighs, resting her chin atop his wolfish head. "He has lived up to his 3000 years old of experience" A kiss on the side of his snout "Love you~"
The wolf stirs to that sentence like a princess receiving kiss of true love "Oh, hi everyone, what did I miss?" The wolf asks in Arto's voice, ear twitching at Grayfia's scoff. Kuroka stretches across his back like a living fur stole, purring smugly when he doesn't shake her off.
"Just discussing how you politically castrated the Phenex clan with one duel," Akeno sing-songs, dangling her pendant's chain just out of Kuroka's reach. The electricity dancing along its surface makes the cat's whiskers twitch backward.
Arto's wolfish huff ruffles Rias' bangs. "Ah, Phenex things, it's coming, right?" Rias shrugs "2 months from now, when I turn 18, that's when it started, I doubt he would refuse to fight, his ego has been wounded too much to back down now....and he is not Razer Phenex"
Wolf Arto nods "True, but we can't discard the possibility that Razer would hold his son down by the head, ordering him to take the shame and secure the heiress of the clan who holds magic-tech."
The wolf sits up on the couch, letting Kuroka slide down his body into Akeno's arms "Razer is arrogant, but he is not stupid like Riser, his clan's recovery and rise to power lays all on the contract your father signed 20 years ago. It would also serve Riser's agenda to overthrow his brother using you as the Queen piece, holding the gateway to magic-tech, the biggest advancement in the Underworld at the moment"
Grayfia's teacup clicks against its saucer with deliberate precision. "So, if he doesn't agree to the Rating Game proposal from Rias..." she looks at the princess of Gremory clan
She shrugs "I will just announce his refusal, and with the clan credibility of Riser Phenex in other clans' eyes, especially King-ranked ones and the principle of devil world, his refusal will be viewed as weak, afraid, and most humiliating of all...cowardice, a hundreds years old devil didn't dare to face a teenage devil girl, what could be more shameful than that?"
Koneko raises her voice, even in cat form "So what if Phenex pushes even further than that, taking another shameful humiliation to uphold the contract? What would you do, Buchou?"
Rias shrugs "That's the thing that is the least likely to happen, but if it does..." Her fingers trail along Arto's wolf muzzle with deliberate slowness. "Then the clan will file a piece of paper that would make all their endeavor pointless....that is an announcement that Millicas will be the next direct heiress of the clan, skipping me to force them back into the Rating Game"
Kuroka's ears twitch upright. "Nya~ That'd burn their entire scheme to ashes." Her claws knead Arto's flank absently. "But wouldn't that—?" Grayfia's teacup clinks. "Disinherit Rias publicly? Yes." Her gaze flicks to Rias, assessing. "Your mother would never allow it."
Rias smirks, scratching behind Arto's ears. "No, of course my mother would not allow it, but Phenex will be one to decide, because making that move means even if Riser marries me, he would never have the access to magic-tech he needed, destroying his leverage against his brother in the fight for the Grand Marquis position, that would make the war Razer waged 20 years ago viewed as a meaningless victory in the eyes of the clan"
Grayfia's fingers pause on Koneko's fur. "So, if Razer refuses the Rating Game, you force him into a corner where he must accept it regardless, or lose everything he fought for?"
Arto's tail thumps against the couch—once, decisive. "And that's when we remind him who holds the Atreides contracts." His voice is a low rumble, more felt than heard. "Albedo can make Phenex's supply chain vanish overnight."
Akeno giggles, twirling her pendant. "Oh, I'd love to see Ruval's face when Baroness Atreides 'regretfully informs' him that his clan's magic-tech orders are… indefinitely delayed."
Kuroka stretches, claws flexing against Arto's fur. "Nya~ And when it comes to Ruval's faction..."
Arto nods "He will not allow that to happen, he and the council will have to accept the Rating Game for the sake and credibility of the clan, because regardless, the face of Phenex clan is Ruval and he won't let his brother and father run wild ruining his reign, which was built via the respect he gained from other noble houses" the wolf lays back down the couch, Kuroka seizes this chance to jump on her favorite mattress again "Ruval Phenex is not his father nor brother"
Grayfia's fingers trace the rim of her teacup thoughtfully. "And if Ruval pushes Riser into the Rating Game?"
Rias' smirk sharpens like a blade. "Then we'll crush him. Publicly. Brutally." Her fingers tighten in Arto's fur—not possessive, but grounding. "Every humiliation he's inflicted, every auction he's disrupted, every girl he's discarded—it'll all be laid bare before the entire Underworld."
Koneko—still curled in Grayfia's lap—lets out a soft mrrp. Her tail flicks twice against Grayfia's thigh—a silent signal. The maid exhales through her nose. "You've planned this down to the last detail."
Akeno's pendant hums as she twirls it absently. "Oh, Buchou's had contingency plans for contingencies. Right down to the—" The pendant abruptly stops spinning, suspended mid-air by a thread of lightning. "—wardrobe malfunctions."
"There, now you get the plan, the amount of outcome is one and one only, it all lies in the Rating Game between Rias and Riser, where the knot of this entire ordeal is, and Riser won't know what hits him" Rias states before going back to petting wolf Arto.
Wolf Arto sticks his tongue out as he rolls to lay on his back, signalling that he wants belly rub, Rias chuckles "It's hard to tell you apart from a real dog, Arto my love~"
Kuroka wastes no time—she pounces onto his exposed belly with a triumphant nya, kneading mercilessly. "Fluffy trap confirmed!" Arto's tail thumps against the couch in protest, but the twitch of his whiskers betrays his amusement. Grayfia watches the spectacle with arched brows, though her fingers never stop their absent stroking of Koneko's fur.
Akeno leans in, dangling her pendant over Arto's nose. "So, oh wise wolf, what's our next move while we wait for Riser to trip into his own downfall?" The pendant glows faintly, casting shifting shadows across his muzzle.
Arto's ears flick backward—a thoughtful gesture. "Weaponized patience," he rumbles, shifting just enough to dislodge Kuroka without dumping her onto the floor. "Ruval's faction is already fracturing under Riser's antics. Every auction house snub, every reckless spending spree—it's all fuel for the eventual Rating Game tribunal." His tongue lolls in a distinctly un-wolfish grin. "And while they tear themselves apart, we'll be refining your pieces, Rias."
Rias' fingers pause mid-scritch. "You mean recruiting more members for my peerage?" Arto answers "I meant drafting the clarification for the ambiguous clause....but yes, maybe that too, of you need more members for your peerage, have you had any potential picks?"
Rias looks up the ceiling, thinking for a moment "Not yet, I've been focusing in honing my current peerage to crush Riser into a mush, when this matter with Riser is done, I will find candidates for the 8 pieces of Pawn, one Bishop, one Rook, the Knight is reserved for you as your last surviving resort so I won't use it yet"
Arto's wolfish ears perk up—an unnatural motion for any real canine. "I see, you're still missing a lot of pieces, but I am still confused about them, how powerful one must be to wield multiple pieces?" He looks down at Kuroka "Like cat here, she has like 2 Bishop pieces from her former Master" his wolf paw is playing with Kuroka.
Grayfia sets her teacup down. "It has 2 factors to consider, one is the power of the King and the gap between the power of the King and the piece. You see, each piece has 2 functions, leashing the soul of the person to the King and boosting the piece's power based on the power of the King."
Rias continues "Exactly, each piece carries a part of the power of the King based on the value of the piece Queen > Rook > Bishop = Knight > Pawn, so the stronger the King, the stronger the piece can boost their wielder."
She taps Arto's wet nose with a fingertip. "But if the King is weak, the power of their pieces is low too, that's why in many cases, with one person, a King can leash them with one piece while other needs 2 of the strong pieces like Knight, Rook or Bishop, or 3 and more when it comes to Pawn, it all comes down to power"
A pause before Rias continues "In Kuroka's case, her former Master, Kunal Naberius is not a powerful devil when it comes to raw strength, he is a scientist, so as Kunal's Bishop, Kuroka received many perks from her former Master when it comes to mind, magic and intelligence"
Koneko nods to the answer of Rias "No wonder she could teach me Senjutsu that quickly. So, Buchou, what do I get from being your Rook?" Rias turns to the white cat "Well, you receive strength, and endurance from me, each of you in my peerage also have a...lite version of my Power of Destruction, boosting your ability to break things"
"But with me training under Arto's tutelage in magic, fighting skills, strategy and leadership, my power rises, which leads to you all being stronger too in those aspects, it's a double boost" Rias's explains, making Koneko understand why she has been able to follow Rias and Sona's complicated plans in training sessions in Sector 1. "Ohh, now I get it"
Arto turns his head to look at Rias. "Wait." The single word slices through the room like a blade. "If Rias' power grows exponentially through Arto's training..." Her gaze flicks to Kuroka, who suddenly stiffens atop Arto's belly. Koneko's ears flatten. "Then Phenex clan's pieces are—"
"—stagnant." Akeno finishes, her pendant sparking with vicious delight. "Riser hasn't trained his peerage in decades. They're still relying on their natural talents." She draws the word like it's a curse.
Arto's wolf form suddenly rolls upright, nearly dislodging Kuroka. His ears snap forward—an eerie mimicry of a predator catching a scent. "Which means Rias' Pawns, if there is any, could overpower his Knights." His muzzle splits into something too sharp to be a grin. "Imagine the humiliation."
"But that's the matter of 2 months from now," Rias announces with ease before moving on to the next matter of the family talk "What's next is the matter regarding a Fallen Angel appearing in Kuoh Academy today, the one under the name Yuuma Amano, and she is spying on this one....Issei Hyoudou"
The whole family is staying alert again "Grigori?" Arto nods to Grayfia's question "Likely, based on the documents Robin got spying their base, that Fallen's name is Raynare, she is operating under the order of Azazel, the leader of Grigori in an effort to secure powerful Sacred Gear users for that foundation. And it seems, they found something in that boy that we haven't noticed"
Grayfia's teacup meets its saucer with a precision too sharp for porcelain. "So you think this....boy has a powerful Sacred Gear?" Arto shrugs "Well, I don't know, it's not like I know or care much about Sacred Gear"
Koneko's tail flicks sharply against Grayfia's thigh—an unspoken warning. Across the room, Kuroka's claws extend just enough to prick Arto's belly fur. "Nya~ You'd better care," she purrs, voice dripping with faux sweetness. "If Grigori's sniffing around Kuoh, it might something worth minding, maybe that boy is holding something special in his body"
Arto rolls over to be on his feet again "Then keep an eye on him, maybe he is a good addition for your peerage, Rias." His wolfish grin widens as Kuroka clings to his back like a living scarf. "Though I doubt Grigori would send a mere Raynare to scout something ordinary."
Akeno taps her pendant against her lips thoughtfully. "Oh~ But Issei-kun has been such a good boy lately~" Her smile turns razor-edged. "Wouldn't it be tragic if something... happened to him before we could properly evaluate his potential?"
Arto turns back "Like...what?" Akeno's fingers trail along her pendant's chain, the static making Kuroka's fur bristle. "Oh, nothing too drastic," she murmurs. "Just a little... staged intervention. Raynare won't kill him immediately—Grigori prefers to extract Sacred Gears intact. But if she corners him in some alleyway..." Her grin is all teeth. "Imagine the gratitude when Rias swoops in to save him."
Rias' fingers still in Arto's fur. "You want to use him as bait." It isn't a question. Kuroka's tail flicks against Arto's flank. "Nya~ More like... letting the mouse lead us to the snake." Her claws knead absently. "Besides, if he does have a dormant Sacred Gear, trauma tends to be the best wake-up call."
Grayfia's teacup clicks against its saucer—a single, deliberate sound. "And if he dies?"
"I'll revive him into my devil if he truly possesses something valuable, if not, oh well...." Rias' shrug is all aristocratic nonchalance, Grayfia's expression remains glacial—"You're talking more and more like Master Arto, Rias, not everything is about functioning, Master is a leader in war time, you're not."—but Rias just leans back against Arto's wolf form, fingers idly tracing the fur along his spine. "Oh Grayfia~ You say that like it's a bad thing."
Grayfia sighs "It is, I know learning after Arto is good and all, but you can't revere him like your only light, Rias, you're idolizing him to an unhealthy rate, so it's better to follow your harem leader Robin's example, always questioning his decisions, balancing his tendencies to go too far, especially in his indifference when it comes to those he doesn't care about"
Arto was stunned before those words of Grayfia, not at her, but at Rias, he changed himself back to human form and looked at Rias, "Love....is it true?"
Rias freezes mid-stroke, fingers still curled in the air where his fur had been. The room tenses—Akeno's pendant halts its lazy spin, Kuroka's claws retract, Grayfia's teacup hovers millimeters above its saucer. Only Koneko dares blink, her golden eyes flicking between them like a spectator at a duel.
Rias exhales through her nose, slow and measured. "Is what true?" Her voice is light, but her fingers curl into fists atop her thighs.
Arto doesn't blink. "That you're..." He gestures vaguely at her, then at himself. "Mirroring me. To the point of dysfunction." His lips twitch—not quite a smile. "I'm flattered, really. But Grayfia's right. You're not a wartime leader. You're better than that."
Rias's jaw tightens. "And what's wrong with learning from you? You're—" Arto takes her hands into his "I know what I brought from the moment I came to this world, and I know what you learned from me and how much it helped you advance in power, in vision, in strategy, in leadership...."
His thumbs trace the backs of her knuckles, grounding. "But being me shouldn't be the goal you aim for, because regardless of my feats, I am not a good leader in managing people, I may do in managing efficiency and military power, but not in managing people, I don't have the patience nor the kindness for that, that's why I have Robin and Grayfia to balance me."
Rias' fingers twitch against his palms—halfway between retreat and grip. Across the room, Grayfia sets her teacup down with surgical precision. "Master Arto," she interjects, "has the emotional range of a rusted broadsword." Kuroka snorts into Arto's shoulder, her claws kneading absentmindedly. "Nya~ And yet we still love the blunt bastard."
Arto ignores them, leaning closer until his forehead brushes Rias'. "You're compassionate, Rias. That's your strength. Not my..." He gestures vaguely toward the window where Sector 80's leyline scanners hum. "Calculations."
He kisses her lips lovingly "I love you, Rias, I love you so much, and what I love most about you is your compassion, don't throw it away, don't throw it away for my sake, don't throw it away for your ambition, and don't throw it away for victory, because that compassion is what makes you my beloved princess.
Rias's breath hitches—her fingers finally curling around his wrists like a drowning woman clutching driftwood. "Then why," she whispers against his mouth, "does it feel like compassion loses wars?" The unspoken words hang between them—like it lost my parent's.
"Because compassion does lose wars, my love, it does, but...." He presses his fingers against his temple "you have this ruthless, immoral knight to win any battle you want..." His finger moves to her heart "...but only this..." another press "..could prosper out of them"
Grayfia's teacup clinks softly as she sets it down, her gaze lingering on the way Rias' fingers tighten around Arto's wrists—not to push him away, but to anchor herself. Across the room, Kuroka's tail flicks once, twice, before she slides off Arto's back with uncharacteristic grace, landing soundlessly beside Akeno. The storm-witch's pendant hangs motionless in the air, its usual hum silenced.
Rias exhales—a shaky, uneven thing—and presses her forehead harder against Arto's. "You're infuriating," she murmurs, but there's no heat in it. "First you teach me to think like a warlord, now you're scolding me for it?"
Arto's thumb brushes the pulse point beneath her jaw. "I'm scolding you for forgetting the rest of yourself." His grin is sharp, "And because I love you too much to see you turning into a weapon like me, I love a princess, not a war machine"
Rias' grip on his wrists loosens—just slightly—but it's Kuroka who breaks the silence with an exaggerated yawn. "Nya~ If you two keep being this sappy, I'm gonna vomit." She stretches, arching her back like a cat, before flopping onto the couch between Akeno and Grayfia. "Besides, we've got a Fallen Angel to stalk and a Sacred Gear to sniff out. Priorities~"
Akeno nods as she takes Kuroka into her arms "Kuroka's right," she hums, rubbing the cat's chin "Raynare won't wait for us to finish our melodrama." Her smile turns wicked. "Though watching Issei-kun flail in an alley would be entertaining."
Arto was about to say something, but stops, and turns to Rias "What is your call, my Princess?" Rias' fingers tighten around his wrists one last time before releasing him. She exhales, long and slow, and when she opens her eyes—not the cold calculation of a strategist, but the molten determination of a protector.
"We'll keep eyes on the boy, if the Fallen tries anything, we'll intercept, then we'll make sure he knows what he is possessing" she declares "What's next is up to him, either he join us to protect himself against the Fallen, or we have his family moved elsewhere under the radar of Grigori"
Grayfia inclines her head—approval without words. Kuroka yawns dramatically, draping herself across Akeno's lap. "Nya~ So boringly moral of you, Buchou~" Her tail flicks. "But fine. I'll tail the little perv. Maybe steal his underwear collection for blackmail later."
Rias flicks Kuroka's ear. "No underwear theft." Kuroka's grin is all fangs. "No fun~" Arto wraps his arms around Rias from behind, kissing her cheek "That's the Rias I know" The princess of Gremory clan blushes, but leans deeper into her lover's embrace.
Koneko clears her throat—deliberately loud—her golden eyes narrowing at the pair. "If we're done with the romance novel reenactment," she deadpans, "we have logistics. Who's actually watching Issei? Because I refuse to play babysitter for a pervert."
Akeno's fingers dance along her pendant's chain, the static making the air hum. "Oh, but Koneko-chan~ You're the least conspicuous. Just blend in with Kuoh's stray cat population." Kuroka snickers into her palm. "Nya~ Little White's finally useful for something."
Koneko's tail puffs up. "I'd rather lick Grayfia's boots." Grayfia, mid-pour, arches a brow. "They're polished with venom wyrm saliva. Lethal to felines." Koneko's ears flatten. "...I'll take the stakeout."
Arto disentangles himself from Rias, stretching until his joints pop. "Kuroka can take the surveillance thing with the boy, I know she has been leading a stray cat gang in Kuoh, I don't know how she is doing that, but..." He turns to the black cat in Akeno's arms "It's time to work, kitty, I'll tripple your salmon portion"
Kuroka's ears perk up instantly—the mention of salmon overriding her usual laziness. She twists in Akeno's grip like liquid shadow, landing on all fours with her tail flicking eagerly. "Nya~ Triple? You better not be bluffing, Master~" Her grin is all sharp edges as she stretches, arching her back like a bowstring before darting to the window. "Consider little Issei watched." She leaves the mansion, maybe to inform her gang about the coming improvement in future portion.
Akeno sighs, watching Kuroka vanish into the dusk. "She's going to traumatize him before Raynare even gets close, isn't she?" Rias massages her temples. "Probably."
Grayfia, ever pragmatic, pours herself another cup of tea. "At least we'll know if his Sacred Gear manifests under feline-induced panic. Anyway, I'll go buy more salmon tomorrow, do we need some for the cat gang, Master?"
Arto rubs his chin, considering. "There is no need, just fetch them canned salmon or something, we need a mobile force working for a long time, getting them Kuroka's portion and we'll have a bunch of fat soldiers sleeping all day" Grayfia nods, already noting down the logistics. "Done, I'll prepare the logistic by tomorrow"
[Simulation Room - Sector 80: Inter-dimensional Portal]
The whole family head inside the sector where the portal is placed, the eye pendant start to purse again as the daily signal are sent to the coordinates of the world Robin, Nami and Albedo traveled to, scanning the signals of the reality to find the safety signals from the wristbands they took with them.
The family heads to the monitoring screen of the sector as Arto starts typing the code to launch the daily scan towards the target worlds "Let's see how they are doing...." Akeno takes her place behind Arto as she hugs him around his waist, pressing her whole body into his back while Rias stands closer to the screen, looking closely at the signals.
Grayfia is holding 2 cats on her, Kuroka on her shoulder and Koneko in her arms, the black eye pendant purse gently as the signals are sent, and in less than a second 2 reality bubble appeared before everyone, one is there Robin and Nami went to, which is lightened with 2 blue signals of them that signals desire to establish communication.
The next one is where Albedo headed to, another blue signal. Arto smiles "It seems everyone likes to talk today....." He taps the first signal from Nami and Robin as a holographic appears, revealing the 2 are enjoying themselves on a rocking ship standing near the head of the ship, enjoying the wind
"Boss, look where Robin and I are, we're on the ship of our pirate counterparts!" Nami's holographic grin is wide enough to split her face, her orange hair whipping in the salt-spray wind. Behind her, Robin leans against the mast with that infuriatingly serene smile.
"Can you show us more? I am eager to meet your counterparts" Arto replies, his fingers tightening around Rias' waist as the holographic feed flickers. Behind him, Koneko's ears twitch at the distant creak of rigging—Nami is taking the projection to another place "Everyone, we had a call home, here is my family...."
The hologram widens to reveal a deck crowded with pirates—a sunburned man with a straw hat grins toothily, waving at the screen while balancing a roasted leg of meat in his other hand. Beside him, a green-haired swordsman pauses mid-katana polish, eyeing the projection with mild intrigue.
"Everyone, gather up, Nerona and Nico are having a call home!" The straw hat wearer shouts loudly, calling all of his crew members to gather around Nami and Robin, introducing themselves to the family on the other side of the projection.
The swordsman's single visible eye narrows as he takes in the array of devils, succubi, and catgirls crowding around Arto. "Interesting... family you've got there, one man, 2 cats and....many women? Anyway, Roronoa Zoro." His blade clicks back into its sheath with deliberate slowness.
Nami's counterpart is the next one to raise her voice "Which one of you is her Boss?" she asks rushingly, Arto raises his hand "That would be me, Nami's counterpart, what seems to be the matter?"
The alternate Nami—wearing a red bikini top and striped shorts—plants her hands on her hips, her gold-hoop earrings catching the sunlight. "Can you take her home like....right now? She is causing a ruckus on this ship, people are choosing her over me!"
Arto's Nami, or Nerona for distinguished chimes in "Hey, that's called being elegant, you clumsy hot-head, people like me better because I don't beat them up for money!"
The hologram flickers as a rubbery arm suddenly wraps around Nerona's waist—her counterpart's captain grinning like a child with a new toy. "She's way nicer than you, Nami! And she tells better jokes!" Nami turns to the screen "See!? Wait, how rich are you, Nerona's Boss?"
Arto and his family didn't expect that question, Akeno and Rias tilt their head trying to understand why their Nami's counterpart asked that. Grayfia just sighs, already imagining the chaos—while Kuroka, now perched on Grayfia's shoulder, grins ear-to-ear. "Nya~ Someone's jealous~"
Nerona—their Nami—smirks victoriously, flipping her hair. "Oh, just enough to buy this entire archipelago twice." She winks at Arto. "Isn't that right, Boss?" Hearing that, Nami grins "Well, that's good, you can stay here, Nerona, everyone seems to like you more than me, I will go replace you and become the CFO of your Boss"
The hologram flickers violently as Nerona lunges forward, pushing her counterpart away from the screen. "Like hell you will! That's my position next to my Boss" she declares "Then stop taking mine, you imposter" Nami protests while pushing back.
The crew bursts into laughter—even the stoic swordsman cracks a smirk—while Robin's counterpart leans in, her amused whisper carrying clearly while the 2 Nami are at it again, fighting like a twin siblings "They have been like this the whole week, but don't worry, nothing escalated. As for me, I am Nico Robin of this world, nice to meet you, my counterpart's family"
"At least someone is civilized around here" Rias sighs "Good day to you too, Miss Robin"
Robin's counterpart smiles—that same infuriatingly knowing curve of lips—just as the hologram jolts violently. The feed cuts to a blur of orange hair and flying elbows as the two Namis wrestle near the mast, their captain cheering them on while stuffing meat into his mouth.
Arto pinches the bridge of his nose. "Nerona. Behave." His Nami pauses mid-headlock—her counterpart's face smooshed against the deck—to shoot him an affronted look. "She started it!" The other Nami wheezes indignantly beneath her.
Nico—their Robin—doesn't seem to mind them as she comes to the screen, sitting down next to Robin "It's good to have a call home, good day to you, everyone, I see you're doing well while I am away?"
Arto nods "Everything and everyone is managing in your absence, but don't worry, you can enjoy yourself a while more before I am overloaded by work" Nico giggles "I will return to you soon, Arto, but to report, I'm enjoying myself here"
"And I am learning a lot from her" Robin continues "She showed me the an entire different scope of the power we both wield, I...I never thought my ability could be used in intel gathering on the scale she operates, I don't think I can ever do like your Robin, Arto, but what she taught me were invaluable"
Arto's Robin—still leaning against the mast—smiles faintly. "Flattery will get you everywhere, dear." Her fingers idly summon a spectral hand to pluck a grape from a passing crewman's plate, popping it into her mouth without breaking eye contact with her counterpart.
Behind them, the Nami brawl has escalated into a full-blown pirate brawl—straw-hatted rubber limbs flailing as the captain tries to "mediate" by bouncing between combatants. A barrel of rum shatters against the deck, and suddenly half the crew is sliding in spilled alcohol.
Grayfia's teacup pauses mid-sip. "Should we...intervene?"
"Nya~ And miss the show?" Kuroka's tail flicks eagerly. "This is better than that soap opera Akeno watches." Then...."Oh my god! 3 goddesses on one screen! How are they all so beautiful!" a voice came in as the screen turned to a blond man with hair covering one of his eyes "May I know your names, goddesses from another world?"
He stops for a moment "No, wait, where is my manner? My name is Vinsmoke Sanji, it's an honor to be in your graces, my ladies." Sanji's sudden appearance spins the holographic feed sideways—revealing a galley kitchen in chaos, where pots clatter.
"Oh, I think Nami taught him that bit from watching Arto's knightly etiquette. Anyway...." Rias clears her throat "...Good day to you, Sir Sanji, I appreciate your manners and enthusiasm in greeting us watchers from a world far away, and to return the favor of knowing your name, my name is Rias Gremory"
Sanji's visible eye sparkles like a struck match—his cigarette nearly falling from his lips as he bows deeply, one hand pressed to his chest. "Lady Rias! A name as radiant as—" His poetic drivel cuts off abruptly when Nami's counterpart kicks him in the back of the head, sending him face-first into a barrel of flour.
"Stop harassing our interdimensional guests, love-cook!" The alternate Nami snaps, wiping rum off her cheek, Nerona points at him "See!? Do you see why he likes me more, you're violating him for being polite....you're doing well, Sanji, keep the knightly manner up and don't mind this orange monkey..." The fight continues
Sanji resurfaces from the flour barrel, his face comically powdered white except for the perfect imprint of Nami's sandal on his forehead. "My lady," he croaks, still somehow managing to sound reverent despite coughing up flour, "your violence only makes me—"
"Poor man, trying to hard to be polite, yet someone is truly too cruel for you, dear chef" Akeno steps out from behind Arto, coming to the screen, she looks at him in the eyes with her usual seductive gaze and gentle smirk on her lips "I do think man like you should be appreciated more, do you think the same, Sanji~?"
Sanji's flour-dusted face turns crimson so fast it's a medical marvel. His knees buckle, hands clutching his chest as if struck by divine lightning. "A-Angel..." he wheezes, tears welling in his visible eye. "My name is Akeno Himejima, thank you for taking care of my Nami and Robin there, Sanji~" She leans closer to the projection, her fingers brushing the hologram's edge. "Would you like me to... thank you properly?"
The entire Straw Hat crew freezes—even the brawling Namis pause mid-hairpull—as Sanji's soul visibly exits his body in a spiraling mist. Robin's counterpart snaps a spectral hand to catch his collapsing form before his head hits the deck. "That's enough for today, Rias, Akeno, stop making this man swoon, we don't have enough blood to pump into his veins once they break" Robin declares
Akeno giggles—the sound like windchimes dipped in honey—while Rias rolls her eyes affectionately. The hologram flickers again as Arto taps the console, stabilizing the connection. "Okay, uhh....thank you, everyone on the ship for taking care of my family members over there, I am deeply appreciated for your hospitality, my name is Arto Abyssgard, it's a pleasure to meet you all"
The straw-hatted captain—Luffy, apparently—grins wide enough to split his face, completely unfazed by the chaos around him. "Shishishi! Your crew's weird, but fun!" He crams another hunk of meat into his mouth, talking around it. "Nerona fights just like Nami—but with better insults!"
Nami's counterpart kicks Luffy in the shin hard enough to make his rubbery leg bounce. "Stop comparing us, idiot!" Nerona smirks, flipping her hair—only for Robin's spectral hand to flick her forehead. "Enough. Let the introduction go smoothly, you 2"
Nerona sighs "Fine, but I was winning" she takes the wristband and goes to each member of the crew "You've seen the captain, Luffy, the swordsman, Zoro, and simp, Sanji, and my counterparts, now, to the rest of the crew"
The hologram wobbles as she drags the wristband toward a massive figure—a fur-clad reindeer currently attempting to hide behind a barrel despite his towering height. "This is Tony Tony Chopper—best doctor in the Grand Line!"
Chopper's hooves flap excitedly despite his embarrassed grumbling. "Idiot! You're making me blush!" His voice squeaks two octaves higher when Koneko peers at him from Grayfia's arms. "A...a talking cat?!" Koneko's ears flatten. "I'm a nekomata, you overgrown plushie."
Next comes a cyborg in sunglasses, mid-leap over the rum-slick deck. "SUUUPER Franky here!" He strikes a pose that somehow makes his metal-plated chest glisten. Akeno blinks. "Oh my...that's certainly robust engineering." Franky laughs loudly "Much appreciated my lady, but may I ask who is the one who taught Nerona mechanics?"
Arto raises his hand "That's me again, Franky. Though she learned more from poking at simulations, her base knowledge came from me...Uhm, did she cause any trouble for you?
Franky's grin turns conspiratorial as he adjusts his sunglasses. "SUUUPER upgrades to the kitchen ventilation after she tried to 'optimize' the deep fryer. Nearly blew Sanji's eyebrows off!" Behind him, the blond chef twitches violently, his cigarette stub crumbling to ash.
Nerona huffs, crossing her arms. "It worked, didn't it? Fifty percent more efficient!" Robin's spectral hand materializes to pat her head condescendingly. "Explosions aren't efficient, dear."
The hologram jerks sideways as a skeletal figure in a flamboyant afro slides into frame, violin screeching dramatically. "Yohohoho! Allow me to introduce—my name is Brook, the musician of this ship, if you have the time, may I play a verse to compliment your beauty?" Over another corner, Nerona's voice rings out "I FREAKING RAISED HIM TO HAVE THAT MANNERS!"
Arto looks at the skeleton playing violin so passionately, Arto tilts his head for a moment before pulling something out of his magical vault, another violin, the one Rias gifted him as Chrsitmas present, he has learnt to play a little, and it seems he has met his teacher "Brook, was it? I think Nerona raised you well, but I'd love to hear a duet with you"
Brook's empty eye sockets somehow sparkle—his bony fingers pausing mid-bow. "A fellow musician! Yohohoho! But I must ask—can you even see my eyes to know where I'm looking?" Arto chuckles, lifting his own violin. "Let's find out."
The resulting melody is surprisingly harmonious—Brook's playful jazz weaving seamlessly with Arto's more classical strokes. Even Kuroka stops grooming her tail to listen, her ears twitching to the rhythm. "How fast do you even learn?" Rias' eyes widened in amazement seeing Arto playing the violin after only learning for a month. His fingers dance effortlessly across the strings, matching Brook's centuries of experience with eerie precision.
"You picked that up this fast?" Nami's counterpart gapes from the rum-splattered deck. "Well, I had plenty of free time when my Nami and Robin are still around helping me with daily works, and I do learn things fast" Arto shrugs, still playing smoothly while Brook laughs, twirling mid-note—his afro bouncing.
Kuroka yawns dramatically. "Nya~ All this mushy stuff is making me sleepy." She drapes herself over Grayfia's shoulders, tail flicking lazily. "Can we check on Albedo's feed already? I wanna see if she found any undead boytoys." Grayfia pinches the bridge of her nose but doesn't protest.
The hologram flickers as Robin—their Robin—leans in. "Before you go, Arto—Thank you, for giving us this trip, for training your ass off so that we can have this unconventional travelling. Okay, you can cut the line, now, I need to stop those....Hey, stop it, Nerona, Nami, stop climbing the mast!"
The feed cuts abruptly—leaving the Simulation Room momentarily silent save for Kuroka's amused purring. Rias exhales through her nose. "They're...having fun." It's not a question.
Grayfia's teacup clinks against its saucer. "Albedo's signal next, Master?" Her fingers hover over the console, poised to input coordinates.
Arto nods, adjusting the projection parameters. The second bubble expands—revealing a blizzard filled dessert where Albedo stands atop a massive golem, her usual white dress replaced by formfitting black armor that gleams like obsidian.
Albedo turns—her golden eyes catching the light like a predator's—and smiles. "Master~ I found something interesting." Her fingers pointed down the giant golem. "I am heading down a tomb called Nazarick to find my counterpart, the environment down here is more massive and absurd than I expected, but your beloved is still managing."
"Anyway, meet Gargantua" Albedo twists her hand, the golem raises its hand towards the screen and wave at her family "I found him in the 4th floor of this tomb, so apparently, he bears no self-awareness and no intelligence, but extremely powerful, so I took control of him by altering his core and now he is assisting me in traversing the 5th floor"
Arto nods "I see, but it's quite cold down there, have you gotten enough warm clothes" Arto gestures towards the blizzard raging violently as monsters appear to stop the advance of Arto's virgin succubus, but Gargantua swats them to the ground like annoying flies with his massive fist "Don't worry, Master~" Albedo purrs, adjusting her armored bodice. "This armor you made me, Artorian Regalia, regulates temperature beautifully—though I do miss your warmth. And this place is not as cold as Grayfia when she is angry, so it's fine"
Behind Arto, Kuroka snickers. "Nya~ Someone's thirsty." Grayfia pinches the bridge of her nose—again—but the corner of her mouth twitches.
The hologram shudders as Gargantua's fist crushes another wave of iceborn creatures into dust. Albedo pulls out something from her pocket, a beautiful crystal shines brightly like a miniature sun "This is also a thing that kept me warm down here"
Rias's eyes were drawn towards it, Kuroka and Koneko also, captivated by the beauty of that shiny crystal. "Where did you find that thing?" Rias asks eagerly as her fingers reach to touch the thing via the screen, Kuroka and Koneko also share the same behavior "That's....beautiful" Kuroka whispers, her tail twitches "Nya~, I want one"
Albedo giggles—her armored fingers twirling the crystal like a maestro's baton. "Oh, this little thing?" She holds it up, "I made it myself, using the theory of Dyson Swarm I learned from Master, I concentrated the sunlight of this world, into an ambient flow of holy mana for 3 days and this is the result, the hyper-compressed holy sunlight battery that holds about 9,97x10^31 Joules of enegery"
Rias' eyes widened. "That's—that's ludicrously unstable!" Her voice cracks mid-sentence, fingers twitching like she's already calculating containment spells. Kuroka's tail puffs to twice its size as she scrambles behind Grayfia. "Nya?! You're carrying a sun in your pocket?!"
Albedo tilts her head, the crystal casting prismatic fractals across her cheekbones. "Unstable? Oh no, no—Master's stabilizer sigils are woven into the lattice. See?" She taps the surface, and the light dims obediently. "It's perfectly safe until....I used it on the vampire girl on the 3rd floor, what was he name again? Ah, right, Shalltear Bloodfallen, she didn't expect holy energy packed into physical form and thrown at her face." She giggles—a sound like shattered champagne flutes.
Grayfia's teacup freezes midway to her lips. "You...threw a condensed sun at a vampire." "Mmhmm~ And she screamed." Albedo's golden eyes gleam with unholy delight. "Like a teakettle!" Kuroka's ears flatten. "Nya...remind me never to piss you off."
The hologram shudders violently as Gargantua stomps forward—"Anyway, I have to go now, love you, Master~" She swung her flag spear up "In the name of Abyssgard Legion...." The connection goes out, leaving Arto shaking in his place "It seems Albedo has decided not to play diplomat any longer"
Rias exhales sharply through her nose, fingers tapping against her thigh. "That girl... She's going to level that entire tomb, isn't she?" Arto gazes at the reality bubble Albedo is in "Hard to say, but we know she is enjoying herself, and knows when to call home."
At that moment, the door of the sector opens, Kiba comes in, yawning "Oh, hi everyone, I heard you're here so I came, what did I miss?" Rias turns back to her Knight then comes over to him, wiping the stains and spots off his uniform "Where did you go this entire evening, Kiba?"
"Well, I was in Atreides Domain to learn from the craftsmen at the ateliers" Kiba rubs the back of his neck sheepishly as Rias plucks a smoldering ember from his sleeve. "Albedo's engineers were testing prototype mana-propelled blades—the ones that use Stabilizer-modified energy cores, I was there both to learn and to offer my own knowledge both in forging and in alchemical matters, it was very productive"
Koneko's nose twitches from Grayfia's arms. "You stink of burnt ozone and dragon-scale polish." Her ears flatten. "And you used my good whetstone again."
Kiba winces, reaching into his coat. "I...may have borrowed it. But!" He produces a small velvet box. "I brought you compensation." The lid flips open, revealing a hairpin shaped like a leaping cat—its eyes twin flecks of solidified sunlight from Albedo's earlier demonstration.
Koneko's pupils dilate to saucers. "Mine." She snatches it with both paws, clutching it to her chest possessively. Kuroka leans over Grayfia's shoulder, tail flicking. "Nya~? What about my apology gift?"
Kiba sighs, producing a second box—this one containing an identical pin with emerald eyes. Kuroka purrs, fastening it into her hair immediately. "Much better." Kuroka places a kiss on Kiba's cheek "That's for remembering me~"
Arto clasps his hand "Well, our night is concluded, the travelling birds are doing well, the flaming bird is about to die in humiliation, and the black bird is under our watch" He sighs and stretches his arms "Grayfia, how about we all get some rest before tomorrow's session?"
Grayfia nods, tapping the console to shut down the projection array. The holographic bubbles collapse into pinpricks of light before vanishing completely. "Indeed. Tomorrow's agenda includes me continuing managing Atreides clan's ateliers with your approvals on some matters in Albedo' stead, you continuing managing AFM and Simulation Room while attending school in Robin and Nami's stead, quite a lot of work to handle when those 3 are away, so a fruitful rest is needed."
Koneko yawns, still clutching her new hairpin as she hops down from Grayfia's arms. "Mn. Sleep sounds good." She pauses, glancing at Kiba. "You're cleaning my whetstone tomorrow." He chuckles, raising his hands in surrender. "Fair enough."
As the group disperses toward their respective quarters, Rias lingers, her fingers brushing the now-darkened console. "Arto…" Her voice is uncharacteristically hesitant. "Do you ever think about how…unbalanced this all is? You're managing interdimensional expeditions, military logistics, magical R&D, and high school calculus while I—"
Arto catches her wrist mid-gesture, turning her palm upward, and places a small headphone into her hand "I'll let you attend my work tomorrow as an apprentice and secretary, mostly on AFM's operation, managing Simulation Room's projects is way beyond you at the moment. So I'll guide you through how to manage a financial empire like how Nami usually does, because one day, you'll have to do that too with Gremory clan....and I really need someone to share my workload"
Rias stares at the sleek device—its surface etched with stabilizer sigils that pulse faintly—before looking up sharply. "You've been waiting to ask this." Her accusation hangs between them, underscored by Grayfia's retreating footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Arto doesn't deny it. "Well, you love me enough to care about my workload so I am sharing some with you now, but before we move on, when I mentioned secretary, I do mean serious secretary, not some overly sexy women wearing flimsy clothes dangling around the boss like in movies, I need efficiency, not eye candies....though I don't mind you, my beautiful future wife doing so, but I still need efficiency first"
Rias' cheeks flush crimson—her grip tightening around the headphone. "I—that wasn't—ugh!" She huffs, flicking her hair over one shoulder. "Fine. Show me your boring spreadsheets then." Arto pulls her into a hug, and a gently kiss on her temple "That's for tomorrow, love, no go fetch a quick bath before going to bed with me, I do need my beloved for comfortable cuddle before work punches me in the face again"
[Timeskip: Brought to you by chibi Rias putting on the headphone and immediately feels dizzy due to Arto's endless lines of explanation
Rias comes into the bedroom after she finishes her quick shower, Akeno is already there, laying comfortably on Arto's left side, her head is close to his heart while her naked body is pressing lovingly against his side, her hands intertwining with his left arm, her fingers tracing slow circles on his palm. She looks up at Rias, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief "Ah, Rias, you've finally arrived, I've taken my favorite spot~"
Rias sighs but smiles, walking to the bed and placing her hand on Arto's chest, her fingers tracing the faint scars from his early experiments with Void energy "You're hogging him again, Akeno" She leans down and kisses Arto's lips gently before crawling over him to settle on his right side, resting her head on his shoulder while her leg hooks over his possessively. Arto chuckles, wrapping his free arm around her waist "You two are worse than the cats sometimes"
Akeno hums, nuzzling closer "Only because you let us be~" Her fingers trail up his arm, teasing the sensitive skin near his elbow "Besides, after all that interdimensional drama today, don't we deserve some extra cuddles?" Rias rolls her eyes but doesn't protest, her fingers playing with the hem of Arto's sleep shirt "You just want an excuse to touch him more"
The bedroom door creaks open again—Kuroka slinks in, her tail flicking lazily. "Nya~ Room for one more?" She doesn't wait for an answer before leaping onto the foot of the bed, curling up on Arto's belly like a particularly possessive housecat. "The warmest spot on the bed, the best thing is no one can take this position from me~" She speaks with her usual grinny face.
"Anyway, goodnight, Master Arto~and you two as well~" Kuroka yawns with her feline mouth before settling down Arto's belly. Seeing the yawn of the black cat, Arto yawns as well, before turning to his lovers "I think we should sleep as well"
He kisses each of them before using magic to put the blanket over them "Goodnight, my beloved" Rias and Akeno enjoy the kiss before giving him their goodnight kisses as well "Sleep well, our beloved" They say at the same time before the room goes dark