Late afternoon.
Kuoh Academy.
"Dammit! Why do I have to wear such embarrassing clothes?"
Irina's face was flushed as she fidgeted with the hem of her maid outfit. "There are so many people here. It's so humiliating."
"This is you keeping your promise. Isn't it right for a maid to wear a maid's uniform?"
"Are you sure this is a maid's uniform?"
Irina stiffened, then exploded. "Underneath the dress..."
She stopped mid-sentence, pressing her legs together, feeling a draft.
"Don't blame me. These belong to my servants."
Though he said that, Ayato silently gave Utaha a mental thumbs-up.
'As expected of you. That outfit really delivers.'
"What's wrong with the clothes?"
Xenovia blinked. "I think they're fine. Much more comfortable than what I usually wear."
"You have good taste."
Ayato said approvingly. "I'll have Utaha give you a few later."
Irina's eyelid twitched.
'No way!'
'I couldn't let Xenovia stay around this Devil, whose head was full of nothing but dirty thoughts.'
'Otherwise, she'd be completely devoured sooner or later.'
…
In front of the old school building, Koneko appeared after school.
Seeing Ayato, her eyes lit up. But after a few steps, she noticed Xenovia and Irina.
Stare.
Her gaze gradually sharpened.
The aura of these two women was very uncomfortable.
Seeing this, Ayato immediately explained, "Don't be so hostile. They're here to discuss something with Rias."
"Oh."
Koneko nodded, but her gaze kept flicking between Xenovia and Irina, her thoughts slowly drifting.
'Dammit!'
'Why was it one after another?'
'Everyone's figure was so unfair.'
Instinctively, Koneko looked down at herself and fell into a long silence.
Defeated again.
Noticing Koneko's movement, Ayato smiled and gave her a head pat. "Don't worry, Koneko. You'll grow too."
Koneko immediately turned red and pulled away. "Mind your own business, you perverted Devil."
"Koneko, your misunderstanding of me runs too deep."
Ayato looked hurt. "That was my sincerest blessing."
Talking this way, they entered the Occult Research Club's activity room.
"So these are the two Church warriors you mentioned?"
Having spoken on the phone, Rias didn't see Irina and Xenovia as enemies. She smiled and said, "Please, have a seat."
Akeno timely served black tea. "Enjoy."
"Thank you." x2
Irina took a sip of tea, pressed down her skirt, and said, "Though we've intruded on your territory without permission, our Church has no intention of becoming your enemy."
Rias nodded, signaling her to continue.
"Actually, our presence here is unavoidable."
Irina said helplessly. "A sacred sword belonging to our Church was stolen by Kokabiel, a Cadre of the Fallen Angels."
"What does that have to do with my territory, even if it was stolen?"
"Because we suspect he is currently in this town."
"What did you say?"
Rias finally lost her composure.
Koneko and Akeno, who had been quietly sitting nearby, also showed shifts in their expressions.
All Cadres of the Fallen Angels were truly major figures.
Almost all of them had participated in the ancient Great War between Gods and had survived against Demon Kings.
Now, such a major figure was in their Kuoh Town.
Meanwhile, Ayato was also deep in thought.
'This seemed...'
'vaguely familiar.'
'But the details were different.'
Thinking this, he smiled wryly.
In this world, it would be strange if everything were the same.
"So, you came here to retrieve the sacred sword."
Rias thought for a moment and said, "And by coming to me, you want to give advance notice and hope that us Devils won't get involved?"
"Exactly!"
Xenovia nodded. "We have no intention of causing conflict between the Church and the Devils."
"So that's why you were peeping on me?"
Ayato interjected. "But that reasoning doesn't seem to hold up, does it?"
"I told you, it was observing."
Irina said angrily. "Because you are Rias Gremory's fiancé and have great influence over her, we had to investigate what kind of person you are."
"Oh, and what was your conclusion?"
"You're just a simple, lecherous Devil."
"Then thank you for the compliment."
"I wasn't complimenting you!"
Irina glared at Ayato, then steadied her emotions and addressed Rias. "What is your answer, Lady Rias?"
"Naturally, I have no intention of getting involved in the dispute between you and the Fallen Angels."
Rias answered without hesitation. "But I do ask that you mind your boundaries and not affect my territory."
Only someone with a broken head would get involved in something with no benefits.
"That goes without saying. The Church will be careful."
Irina and Xenovia nodded to Rias.
With the business concluded, the two quickly took their leave.
Since they were two Church warriors,
half escorting, half seeing them off, Akeno and Koneko followed them out.
"Ayato, what's with the maid outfits on those two?"
Watching their retreating figures, Rias asked suspiciously, "Ayato, you aren't going to set your sights on them, are you?"
"Is that not allowed?"
Ayato said, "They are both battle-hardened warriors. They'd make excellent servants."
"That's true, but their faith should be very devout."
"Asia's faith was very devout too."
Rias's eyelid twitched.
Right. She'd forgotten about that.
Remembering the girl who had prayed in the corner that night, Rias's face flushed.
'That day...'
'Had been insane.'
'I must have been too drunk, to do something like that.'
"What are you thinking about?"
Ayato stood up from his seat and approached Rias.
Snapping back to reality, Rias smiled gracefully. "Nothing. Just hoping you'll be careful. I don't want to hear my brother nag."
"Don't worry, I won't put you in a difficult position."
Ayato pulled Rias into his arms, stroking her crimson hair. "But sometimes, even if we don't want something, others might still do it."
"What do you mean?"
Rias was slightly confused.
"The Fallen Angel Cadre couldn't possibly not know this is the Gremory Family's territory, yet he still appears here."
Ayato sneered. "What do you think his intentions are?"
"You mean... he wants to start another Three-Way War?"
"Very likely. So tell Sona to be careful too."
"I understand."
Ayato stood up, cupped Rias's face in his hands, and smiled. "How will you thank me for such an important warning?"
"...What kind of bad idea are you cooking up now?"