Chapter 60 — A Guest Too Grand

Issei

“Ah, well if that’s the case...”

Every eye in the room turned to me.

I had raised my hand without thinking too hard, because if I thought too hard while the current Maou of the Devil world was standing in our clubroom asking about lodging, my brain was going to lock up and die.

I scratched my cheek. “If it’s just for tonight, then...you could stay at my house?”

The second I said it, Buchou whipped around so fast her crimson hair flared.

“No!”

That was immediate. Automatic.

Strong enough that even Sirzechs-sama blinked.

For a second the whole room froze.

Then Buchou straightened like she’d noticed she’d reacted too strongly. “I-I mean, Onii-sama, that would be too much trouble for Hyoudou-kun’s family.”

“It’s no trouble!” I said right away. “I mean, my parents will probably be happy to meet Buchou’s family! Probably too happy!”

Asia nodded quickly. “I think so too.”

Akeno-san smiled. “Ara ara. It would certainly be lively.”

Sirzechs-sama put a hand to his chin like he was honestly considering it, even though I had the feeling he’d decided the moment the words left my mouth.

“That’s fine with me,” he said cheerfully. “I wanted to greet the couple whose place my little sister is boarding in.”

Buchou’s shoulders tightened.

“No, but—”

Grayfia-san cut in with flawless timing. “Then we will accept your hospitality.”

And that was that.

There’s no stopping a Maou and his [Queen] once they decide something.

Buchou looked like she wanted to argue more anyway.

Then Sirzechs-sama glanced toward the side of the room.

“Kusari-chan,” he said mildly. “You’ll come as well.”

That changed the air.

It wasn’t dramatic. Nobody shouted. Nobody gasped. 

But something in the room shifted.

Kusari-san had been standing near the shelves, quieter after Sirzechs-sama showed up than she’d been before.

Even I had noticed. 

When he addressed her directly, she went even stiller.

Her eyes lowered. 

“Yes, Sirzechs-sama,” she said at once.

Too fast.

Too smooth.

I didn’t know why that bothered me.

It just did.

Buchou opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

Her expression didn’t change much, but I’d been around her long enough by now to notice when her face got too controlled.

It happened sometimes in fights.

Sometimes when she was angry and trying not to show it.

This looked more like that than a little sister being embarrassed by her brother.

I looked at Kusari-san.

She didn’t look back at me.

She kept her eyes down and barely moved after Sirzechs-sama had addressed her. 

That bothered me too.

After that days Devil work wrapped up, we all headed to my house.

Or rather, Buchou, Asia, and I were joined by one of the Maou, his [Queen], and Kusari-san.

I didn’t have a clue as to why Sirzechs-sama wanted her to join us.

I had the strong feeling my home was about to become a diplomatic incident.

By the time we got there, I’d already imagined six different ways this could go wrong.

My parents opened the door.

They saw who was with me.

Then froze.

Well, okay, from their perspective it was probably just Buchou, Asia, and I joined by a man who looked very likely to be related to Buchou, a maid, and Kusari from the club.

The maid was probably the thing that confused them the most.

But even with the supernatural parts hidden, Sirzechs-sama had one of those faces that made normal people short-circuit a little.

He was just too handsome. Too polished.

Too overwhelmingly something.

“O-Oh,” Mom said, staring.

“W-Welcome!” Dad blurted half a second later, bowing too quickly.

We all went inside.

For the human-side explanation, Sirzechs-sama was introduced as Sirzechs Gremory, Buchou’s older brother and the heir to their family company. Grayfia was, apparently, his maid.

That was their story.

We made it almost thirty seconds before Sirzechs-sama destroyed it for fun.

“So I didn’t catch maid-san’s name...?” Dad asked.

“Yes, she’s Grayfia,” Sirzechs-sama said.

Then, with a perfectly calm smile, “She’s actually my wife.”

There was a collective sound of surprise.

My parents, Asia, and I looked shocked. 

Buchou put a hand over her face. . 

Kusari-san didn’t react at all. 

Grayfia-san pinched Sirzechs-sama’s cheek without even changing her expression.

“I am the maid, Grayfia,” she said smoothly. “I apologise for my master making such silly jokes.”

“It huwts, Gwayfwia.”

Even with the cheek-pinching, he still looked delighted to have caused chaos.

Grayfia looked calm as always but somehow angry.

Buchou switched from covering her face with one hand to rubbing the bridge of her nose. 

I got to see her brother and Grayfia interacting like normal people for about ten seconds and somehow understood Buchou a little better.

It was weird. Not in a bad way.

Just...weird.

Like realizing a legendary figure in a history book also liked terrible jokes.

Mom recovered the fastest, mostly because she was too charmed by Sirzechs-sama’s face to stay flustered for long.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet both of you. So, Gremory-san,” she said, cheeks a little red, “will you be attending the class visit while you’re in town?”

“Yes,” Sirzechs-sama replied pleasantly. “I was able to take some time away from work in order to visit my little sister. It was some good timing and now I’ll be able to see her school and her class as well. Ah, also our Father will be coming as well.”

“Ah, so Rias-san’s father will be visiting too! It will be wonderful to meet more of her family!”

“Yes, in fact our Father was one of the people to help establish Kuoh Academy. It wil be a good thing for him to visit and see his daughter at the school he supported.”

Dad, deciding that an important guest was in his house, abruptly ran to the kitchen and came back with one of his treasured bottles of sake.

“Gremory-san! Do you like to drink? We have some great sake!”

Dad! You can’t just suddenly offer precious alcohol once you realize you have a high-class guest. 

Sirzechs-sama’s eyes lit up.

“That is excellent! We can share the bottle! I’ve heard great things about your country’s alcohol and would love to try some.”

He was way friendlier than I expected.

Like, suspiciously friendly.

The whole thing turned into a strange, lively little party in the living room before I knew it.

My parents were thrilled.

Mom kept praising Buchou.

Dad kept bringing out food and alcohol.

Asia tried to help in the kitchen.

Grayfia handled the flow of the room like she it was child’s play.

Buchou sat beside Sirzechs-sama, and every time Mom or Dad said something embarrassing about her, she looked like she wanted the floor to open and swallow her.

I, of course, found that adorable.

But even while enjoying the chaos, I kept noticing things that didn’t fit.

The biggest one was Kusari-san.

She was there.

Sirzechs-sama had specifically brought her here but I don’t think she had said more than two words since arriving.

And Sirzechs-sama had hardly acknowledged the person he purposely brought with him.

She sat slightly apart from the center of the room, polite and quiet, answering when spoken to and otherwise staying unobtrusive.

To Mom and Dad she was just another club friend. 

A quiet girl from school who was close to Buchou and Asia.

Nothing strange or supernatural. 

And yet...

Something was off.

Kusari-san had been a little easier around us lately.

Not by much.

She wasn’t suddenly loud or open or anything crazy like that.

But sometimes she said dry little comments under her breath without instantly closing up again.

Sometimes she looked amused instead of blank.

Sometimes she let herself feel more...present.

Like a part of the peerage rather than someone attached to it. 

Right now she felt like she’d gone backward.

The way she held herself reminded me of when she first joined the peerage.

Too neat. Too quiet.

Too careful in a way that made me feel weird and hollow inside.

And every so often, when I glanced between her and Buchou, I caught Buchou watching her.

Not openly.

Just too often.

Then looking away again.

I noticed that more than once.

And every time, it felt like there was something I didn’t understand standing right in front of me.

While Dad and Sirzechs-sama talked, I looked over and caught Kusari-san’s eye for a second.

I gave her the smallest grin I could manage without drawing attention.

You okay?

That was the intention, anyway.

She looked at me.

Her expression softened for just a heartbeat.

Then Sirzechs-sama said her name.

“Kusari-chan.”

The softness disappeared.

“Yes, Sirzechs-sama.”

“I trust you’re settling in properly.”

“Yes. I am fulfilling my duties without issue.”

That answer sounded too perfect.

Sirzechs-sama smiled. “Good. Continue supporting my little sister well.”

“Of course.”

It sounded normal, but not in the same way she spoke to the others in Bychou’s peerage.

That was the problem.

I had no idea what the problem actually was, but the whole exchange made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Buchou noticed too, because her hand tightened around her cup for half a second.

Then she smiled at her brother.

It was a very pretty smile.

It was also obviously forced if you knew her.

And I still didn’t know why.

The party kept going.

Sirzechs-sama was easy to talk to. Too easy.

Dad started treating him like a drinking buddy.

Mom got more and more comfortable.

Asia relaxed once the conversation became normal.

Grayfia-san corrected Sirzechs-sama every time he veered too close to saying something ridiculous.

It almost started to feel natural.

Then the night got later.

And later.

And eventually it was time to think about sleeping arrangements.

That was when the weirdness came back full force.

“No, this is unacceptable!” Buchou said, staring at Sirzechs-sama. “Why can’t I sleep together with Ise?”

We were standing in front of my room.

Sirzechs-sama had already had a guest futon laid out.

Grayfia-san had somehow helped Mom organize everything at an impossible speed.

Asia was beside Buchou looking troubled but resigned.

Kusari-san stood slightly behind them all, calm and quiet again. 

Sirzechs-sama smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Rias but I wanted to talk to Hyoudou Issei-kun before bed. It’ll just be for tonight so I’ll need you to lend him to me for now.”

The way he said it made it sound like I was a toy.

To be fair, I was currently the favorite toy of a beautiful crimson-haired devil princess, so maybe that was accurate.

Buchou looked genuinely upset.

Which, okay, I got it.

She slept with me every night.

Asia too.

The three of us had somehow arrived at a weird, but amazing, domestic sleeping arrangement where we lined up together every night, and honestly?

I had gotten used to it enough that the idea of sleeping without them nearby felt strange now.

But still.

The current Maou of the Devil world wanted to talk with me privately.

I couldn’t exactly say no.

Buchou, hugging my arm.

I was happy, but also seriously embarrassed! Doing this in front of her brother and Grayfia-san and Asia and Kusari-san was kind of awkward

“Ise-kun, will you be able to sleep alone? Will you be alright? I know that it will be difficult for me to sleep without you next to me.

Buchou was pouting sadly. 

It was way too cute.

Too destructive.

There are weapons in this world more dangerous than any other, and one of them is Buchou acting clingy.

Grayfia-san cut in smoothly. 

“Ojou-sama, let us return to your room now. I will be stay with you tonight.”

She took Buchou’s arm and led her away to her own room.

“Goodnight Sirzechs-sama, Asia-sama, Kusari-san, and Issei-sama.”

It had been a while since she had slept in her own room. 

Buchou looked back at me like a little kid being separated from her favorite stuffed animal.

I almost laughed.

Until I saw her glance at Kusari-san with concern before turning away and following

Then Asia bowed slightly. 

“I-, um, goodnight Ise-san. I’ll have to sleep in my own room as well. So I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight to you as well Sirzechs-sama and Kusari-san.

Even Asia looked a little sad about it.

That made me feel weirdly warm and guilty at the same time.

Then Sirzechs-sama spoke up

“Kusari-chan.”

She lowered her gaze immediately.

“Yes?”

“You may return now. It’s late, and there’s no reason for you to remain here longer. But we should have a chat before you go.”

That...hit oddly.

He said it lightly. Like he was being considerate.

But something about the timing felt bad.

Kusari-san bowed her head. “Understood, Sirzechs-sama.”.

Her expression was calm. Too calm again.

“I’ll be right back Issei-kun. Goodnight Asia-chan. Come Kusari-chan, I’ll walk you out and then we can talk.”

He turned to each of us as he spoke before telling Kusari-san to follow him as he walked away.

“Good night,” she said.

She bowed slightly to Asia and I before turning to follow Sirzechs-sama

Then she left.

And maybe it shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did.

Maybe I should have just thought that he just wanted to speak to a member of his sisters peerage.

But after Sirzechs-sama specifically brought her here with us, the way he dismissed her felt strange.

Like he’d wanted her present. Then wanted her gone again.

I didn’t have the words for why that seemed wrong.

I just knew it did.

Especially with how Kusari-san acted around him and the fact that he was the one who decided to remove her from the peerage before.

I stared after them after they and then Asia had left.

I didn’t know what to do as I stood by my room’s door.

So, I went into my room and waited for Sirzechs-sama to come back.

Kusari

I followed Sirzechs-sama out of the Hyoudou home. 

I did my best to appear as neat and unassuming as possible.

I did not need to come to Isse’s home for whatever this conversation would entail.

He could have pulled me aside to speak privately at any point.

Rias may have protested, but even she knew she could not really tell Sirzechs-sama no. 

So I assume that the purpose of dragging me along to Issei’s home was to either remind me that he was still watching me and aware of my actions, or to try and reassure his sister that nothing was wrong.

I don’t think the second option worked if he had planned for that.

And now we were about to talk. Alone.

I didn’t know if this was a new order, a warning, or something else.

Sirzechs-sama turned to me.

His smile was still there, but it had lost all of the warmth and affection that it held a moment ago.

I kneeled before him and moved my gaze to the floor on instinct. 

“Kusari, I wanted to remind you of your primary goal. And to ensure you remember that you are not to speak of any of this to anyone besides Grayfia and myself. Understood?”

The friendly and approachable Sirzechs Lucifer was gone.

I was now dealing with the same version of him that had placed me in the engagement hall and treated my peerage if I made a mistake.

“Yes Sirzechs-sama. I will protect Rias Gremory by any means necessary and at any cost.”

“Good. We will have a further discussion on what happened with Kokabiel and his insane plot. But that will have to wait as Issei-kun is waiting for me now.”

He turned back towards the door and took a step before turning his head to glance back at me.

“You may go now.”

He opened the door to Issei’s home and went inside.

I didn’t move for a short while after the door shut.

When I did I stood and bushes off my skirt before turning towards the dark streets and heading home to the old school building.

Even if Sirzechs-sama still controlled me and would dictate my actions I still had that.

My home.

Something I hadn’t had in a long time.