The following day, Alear woke up and sat on the edge of the large bed, letting out a long sigh as he massaged his shoulders with one hand. His muscles were still sore from the previous day's training, more than usual.
After Serafall had recovered enough from the intense morning they had shared, she returned to her duties as a Satan. As for him, he took the time to review all the documents Venelana had left. After that, he went to the library and, later, returned to the [World Where I Can Personify God], where he trained for two consecutive days, pushing his body to exhaustion, even though, in the real world, only two hours had passed.
Even so, there was a positive side to having his body slightly more sore than usual: thanks to the help of his future wife, the stress accumulated over the past few days, along with his repressed desire, had decreased considerably.
He got out of bed, stretching his arms above his head with a soft groan. He walked to the bathroom and took a long, hot shower, letting the water relax his tense muscles. After drying himself, he put on comfortable clothes: a simple white long-sleeved shirt and loose dark pants, brushed his pink-magenta hair back, and left the room.
He went down to the mansion's main dining hall. The maids, upon seeing him enter, gave quick and polite bows.
"Good morning, Alear-sama. Would you like breakfast now?" one of them asked respectfully.
"Yes. Please set the table."
They moved efficiently. Within a few minutes, the long table was set with elegant dishes: scrambled eggs with herbs, slices of freshly toasted bread, assorted cheeses, fresh fruits, berry juice, and a pot of hot, aromatic coffee.
Alear sat at the head of the table and began to eat calmly. The taste was good, but he ate more out of necessity than pleasure; his body needed energy after the intense training. As he ate, he couldn't help but think about his future plans. Honestly, he realized he needed allies. In his current situation, where he did not have enough strength to rely solely on himself, it was necessary to have someone he could place his trust in. Since he had not yet summoned any servants, all that remained was to start gathering his own peerage. This was an idea that had been on his mind since the moment he received his [Evil Pieces].
He already had some candidates in mind, and a few names had been added to the list recently. Mio Naruse and Maria Naruse were among them, both possessing extraordinary potential. The former was a wielder of [Gravity Magic], a power that, in terms of destruction and versatility, could rival the feared [Power of Destruction]. The latter was a succubus of exceptional talent, the daughter of the most powerful succubus in history, which by itself said a lot about her latent potential.
Moreover, both of them were in a delicate situation. That made everything even more convenient.
He could help them... and, in return, make them accept a place in his peerage.
His current status would serve as a perfect shield for the two, offering protection, stability, and something they would hardly refuse at that moment.
And in return, he would gain valuable pieces for his peerage.
The problem was finding them.
Most likely, only Maria's mother or her older sister knew where the two were, and getting in contact with either of them would not be simple, even for him.
The mother had disappeared since Wilbert's death, leaving no traces.
As for the older sister... she worked directly with Mephisto Pheles, which made any approach even more delicate.... Mephisto Pheles was no ordinary figure. He was one of the oldest demons still alive, belonging to the same generation as the original Four Satans. A legendary existence, surrounded by stories that spanned across eras. It was said that he was the demon who made a pact with Johann Georg Faust. After Faust's death, Mephisto did not return to the Underworld. Instead, he remained in the human world and, over time, quickly rose to the top of the organization of magicians known as Grauzauberer, eventually becoming the director of the Magicians' Council.
Well, he could start by looking in the city and school where they were originally supposed to be alongside the protagonist of Shinmai Maou no Testament! What was the name again...? Ah, right, Tokyo! Hijirigasaka Academy! He clearly remembered that a large portion of the events took place at that school. Maybe it would be worth taking a look there. Of course, that could be done later. There were also other candidates in mind who deserved investigation.
Fortunately, his memory was excellent; remembering the places where certain important events occurred was a huge advantage, something he could strategically exploit to his benefit in that "mixed" world.
While thinking about that, he finished eating calmly. When he was done, he stood up and promptly headed to the office. Upon opening the door, he found Venelana already there. She was standing beside the desk, organizing some documents with her usual precision. She wore an elegant, form-fitting dress that accentuated her mature curves, her brown hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders.
Upon seeing him enter, Venelana turned with a respectful and slightly concerned smile.
"Good morning, Alear-sama." She greeted him, inclining her head. "I apologize for my absence over the past two days. I had to deal with some urgent matters concerning the Gremory family. I heard about the attack in Agreas the day before yesterday... I was quite worried at the time, but I had to help my husband with some administrative issues. I hope you are well. If you need anything, just say the word....."
Alear closed the door behind him and walked to the armchair, sitting down calmly.
"I'm fine, Venelana. Don't worry. I don't mind if you need to leave for a day or two. They are matters concerning your family, after all....."
Venelana relaxed her shoulders slightly, though her gaze remained attentive.
"Even so, I promise to make it up to you." she said, with a slight teasing tone that wasn't quite overt. "Now, could you tell me all the details of what happened at the meeting with the Agares family? I would like to understand the situation better."
Alear summarized the events clearly and objectively: Lord Agares's direct proposal, the political marriage with Seekvaira, the alliance against the pressure from the Great King Faction, the surprise attack at the café. He avoided mentioning the discussion about possible culprits. At the end, he took the copy of the alliance and marriage contract he had brought with him and handed it to her.
Venelana took the document elegantly and read it carefully, her violet eyes scanning every line. After a few minutes, she looked up and nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips.
"It is a very good agreement. The Agares family's influence in Agreas and among the Pillars is significant. The political protection this offers is valuable, especially now that your position is still consolidating. Lord Agares was quite generous in the commercial clauses. Congratulations, Alear-sama."
She returned the contract carefully, her eyes shining with a mix of professional approval and something more personal.
Alear leaned back in the armchair and stored the document while thinking for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, he looked at Venelana and asked casually:
"By the way, changing the subject. Venelana, how old is your daughter Rias?"
Venelana blinked, clearly surprised by the sudden question. Then a slow, mischievous smile spread across her lips, her eyes gaining a playful glint.
"My, my..." she tilted her head slightly, her tone teasing and amused. "Why ask that out of nowhere, Alear-sama? You already have the mother in your hands, and now you're interested in the daughter too? How ambitious… a full oyakodon? How greedy."
She covered her mouth with her elegant fingers, laughing softly, the neckline of her elegant dress shifting slightly with the movement of her shoulders.
Alear's lips twitched for a moment, his expression becoming slightly displeased.
"I was just making small talk..." he replied dryly.
Venelana stopped teasing him, though the satisfied smile remained on her lips. She composed herself gracefully and answered normally:
"Rias will turn seventeen in a few months. She is in the human world, studying at a private school together with her sister-in-law, Sona Sitri. The two are very close and attend the same academy. Rias is... well, a girl full of energy. She inherited quite a bit of the family's temperament." She paused briefly, observing his reaction with curiosity. "Why? Were you really just making small talk, or do you have some special interest in my daughter?"
Alear shrugged, maintaining a calm and casual expression.
"I just heard that she is very beautiful and got curious about her age. Nothing more."
In truth, he was not merely making small talk; it was a way to confirm where he was in the timeline. Although he had already formed a hypothesis in the days following his rebirth, he still lacked concrete evidence to be certain. Now, however, the situation was clear: he was exactly somewhere between a few months and one year before the beginning of the main events of the story.
Venelana raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, but the mischievous smile returned to her lips.
"Very beautiful, is she?" she replied, amused. "Well, I can't deny that my daughter inherited the best traits of the family. But be careful, Alear-sama. If you start looking at Rias with those eyes, I might get a little… jealous."
Alear shrugged, maintaining his calm and direct tone.
"You have no reason to be jealous. I don't even know Rias personally." He paused briefly, as if considering something, then suddenly continued, "By the way, changing the subject… I want to go to the human world soon."
Venelana blinked, clearly surprised by the abrupt change of topic. Her violet eyes widened for a moment before she regained her composure.
"To the human world…?" she repeated, tilting her head slightly. "That was… sudden. May I ask the reason?"
Alear did not give specific details, simply answering naturally:
"I want to take a look around and see if I can find someone with potential to recruit into my peerage...."
Venelana remained silent for a few seconds, her gaze carefully evaluating him. Then, a gentle but firm smile appeared on her lips.
"I understand. In that case, I will accompany you..." she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "After what happened in Agreas the day before yesterday, I don't think it's safe for you to go to the human world alone. At least not for now. I may be your secretary here, but I can also be useful out there....."
She crossed her arms beneath her chest, the neckline of her elegant dress becoming slightly more pronounced with the movement.
"Besides… I know the human world well. Well, better than you at least. I can help with logistics, disguises, and anything you might need."
Alear observed her for a moment and then nodded without resistance.
"Works for me."
Venelana relaxed her shoulders slightly, her smile gaining a more satisfied touch.
"Great. When do you intend to go? I can arrange everything so the trip is discreet and safe. And of course…" she tilted her head, the mischievous look briefly returning, "I promise not to be an annoying companion."
Alear replied simply:
"Right now."
He stood up from the armchair, stretching his arms above his head in a slow and deliberate motion. His muscles still protested slightly from the intense training of the past few days, but the movement helped release the accumulated tension.
Venelana blinked, clearly caught off guard by the immediate answer.
"Right now…?" she repeated, raising an elegant eyebrow. "No prior planning, no disguises, nothing? You really are bold, Alear-sama...."
Alear lowered his arms and calmly adjusted his white shirt, turning his gaze to her with a composed expression.
"First, I think it's unlikely that the person who wants to kill me knows I went to the human world..." He paused briefly, organizing his thoughts before continuing, "And more importantly… the faster I gather my peerage, the greater my chances of consolidating power and ensuring my safety....."
Venelana remained silent for a few seconds, evaluating him. Then she let out a light sigh, mixed with a resigned and amused smile.
"You really don't like wasting time, do you?" she shook her head, but her tone was more accepting than reproachful. "Alright. I'll prepare a safe teleportation circle. Where do you want to go, Alear-sama?"
"I think I'll go to Tokyo first… in Japan...." Alear said calmly.
Fortunately, in that world, his father had taken him to the human world when he was still a child, which was why he was able to teleport there....
Speaking of which, he still retained some memories from that period in the human world, most of them unpleasant at the beginning, although there were calmer moments later.
At the time, his father had left him in an isolated village that he had visited for business, matters he was too young to understand. His previous self ended up staying there for a while, interacting with the local children. It was not a particularly easy experience, but even so, he managed to make friends with some girls and adapt to the situation to some extent. In total, he stayed in that place for about a month....
Wait… why did that feel so familiar?
A glimmer of understanding appeared in his eyes. Gradually, the pieces began to fall into place. Perhaps he had some kind of contact with the Hero Clan when he was still a child.....
If that were the case, it was quite likely that his predecessor's father had made some kind of agreement with them. That would explain certain vague memories, such as the training he had with those girls in the village.
At the time, his previous self had never paid much attention to it. He had always assumed they were just exorcists or something of the sort. After all, he was too young to question or understand what was really happening around him.
Now, however… it all made much more sense.
He could already imagine, at least in part, who those little girls he once called childhood friends really were. His expression became slightly strange as he reached that conclusion. If his suspicions were correct, then there was something much deeper behind that encounter than it appeared. This also raised an important question: why had his father gone to the Hero Clan in the first place? Considering the history of hostility and mutual hatred between the Clan and the Devils, it simply did not make sense at first glance. It was something he would definitely need to investigate.
.....But after that, he would never complain about his luck again. Although he was completely unlucky in the [Fate Gacha], he seemed to have all the luck in the world when it came to being reborn under the "best circumstances." After all, he even had a past surrounded by several stunning heroines.
"Alright, just let me finish organizing the papers, Alear-sama…"
Venelana said after hearing the destination he had in mind, snapping him out of his thoughts.
She turned toward the desk and began organizing the documents quickly and efficiently, separating the most important ones before storing them in a magical folder, which disappeared in a subtle glow.
A few minutes later, the two departed for the "Human World"....
___________________
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