Culture Shock

"Man, being a Devil is the best..." remarked Issei, his nostrils flaring and a lascivious smile adorning his face as he groped and ogled the breasts of a busty, brown-haired Maid. She had noticed him stealing glances at her as they waited to file into the dining hall, but instead of getting offended, she smiled and asked if he would like to inspect her, followed by maintaining a composed, closed-eyed smile as Issei jostled, poked, rubbed, and gently kneaded her nearly E-Cup breasts.

"Just remember that we're about to eat dinner. Try not to get too carried away..." expressed Rias, combing aside the bangs framing the right side of her lightly flushed face. It hadn't been long since her mother separated from them after a bath, so she was still feeling a little flustered, uncertain if she even had the right to admonish Issei for his behavior when it hadn't even been an hour since Vahn was sliding between her and her mother at the same time...

"Are you okay...?" asked Vahn, his voice low, barely audible, as he gave Rias's hand a gentle, supportive squeeze. He didn't think he had made a mistake, as Rias had been right beside everyone else, observing his and Venelana's educational intercourse with intense focus, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

"Oh, I'm fine..." reassured Rias, adopting a cramped, embarrassed smile as she quietly confided, "I just feel like my horizons have expanded a great deal in a short period. You're not put off by perverted women, are you...?"

"I've also become pretty perverted..." replied Vahn, adopting a smile as he gently nudged Rias with his shoulder. Deep down, he was concerned that a similar situation might play out in the future, but with Rias or one of the other girls, he was involved with teaching someone else. However, as that was a matter for the far future, potentially hundreds or thousands of years from then, he decided not to fret over it.

Interrupting Vahn's and Rias's moment, Grayfia appeared alongside a cute Maid with ash-blonde pigtails, her hands folded neatly atop her lap as she cooly announced, "The table is set, and Lord Zeoticus and Lady Venelana are prepared to begin. Everyone, please form two lines and prepare to file in as we rehearsed."

Spurred by Grayfia's words, Vahn bent his left arm and held it at a steady thirty-degree angle, allowing Rias to link her right hand and arm through it as they would be entering the hall together. Akeno formed the head of the second line with Kiba, Koneko, Asia, and Xenovia, while Issei and a teary-eyed Gasper queued up behind Vahn and Rias. From there, they entered what was considered one of the smaller, more intimate dining halls of the castle, a mere fifteen meters across and thirty in length, with a large table covered in a deep red cloth, encircled by thirteen high-backed red chairs, one of which was markedly more elaborate than the others, positioned at the table's head. A trio of three-pronged candelabras that produced pale purple flames decorated the table's top, along with two bouquets of red and white roses, a massive chandelier dangled from the roof, and sixteen identical arrangements of fragrant red roses lined the room, eight flanking the four entrances and eight evenly spaced at the far ends of each room, occupied five Butlers and, with the addition of Grayfia and her twin-tailed counterpart, five Maids.

As his position was tentatively considered higher than Rias's, Vahn was set to sit in the second seat on the left side of the table, facing away from the Lord's seat. Once everyone was in their respective positions, standing to the left of their chairs, Venelana, escorted by a tall, handsome, middle-aged man with long crimson hair fastened into a loose ponytail and with prominent bangs framing his well-groomed, goatee-adorned face, arrived, entering the room with relaxed smiles. Vahn didn't look directly at him, but thanks to his domain, he could make out that the man, Zeoticus Gremory, was wearing what appeared to be a predominately white military uniform with a black-and-gold trim and cuffs, a black and gold-patterned mantle with a crescent moon motif, and a long, lavender skirt over black pants and sleek white greaves, giving the impression he was a powerful Mage despite his aura being weaker than the nearby Grayfia, his wife, and even Rias...

After separating from Venelana, who took the seat to his left, Zeoticus unhesitantly sat in his throne-like chair, smiling as he said, "Please, take your seats and make yourselves comfortable..." with a deep, charismatic voice.

Though he couldn't help being aware of Venelana's presence to his right, Vahn was able to maintain his composure in the form of a relaxed smile as he sat at the same time as everyone else. At that exact moment, the team of Maids and Butlers brought forth their many dishes, filling the table as if stocking a banquet. Vahn was somewhat taken aback to see what looked like a whole-roasted pig with three small horns brought out, but that was fairly tame compared to the platter of amethyst purple grapes set a short distance from him, each bearing tiny, scrunched faces.

Noticing the uncertainty in Vahn's gaze, Zeoticus's relaxed smile became marginally more prominent as he remarked, "I understand that our cuisine and customs are still alien to you, especially as you have only just arrived in the Underworld. If there is another dish you would prefer, regardless of its complexity or origin, you need only to inform our staff. They will have it brought out within three minutes."

"I thank Duke Zeoticus for his consideration, but as this is what has been prepared, I will accept it with grace and gratitude," responded Vahn, his expression and tone serious, causing Venelana to narrow her eyes, cover her mouth with her gloved left hand, and exhale a faint, lady-like chuckle.

"Come, now, there's no need for such formalities between us. As far as I'm concerned, everyone here is already a precious member of my family. Please, feel free to address me as father-in-law or simply Zeoticus-san in private settings such as this..." expressed Zeoticus, offering Vahn a slight nod and raising a glass of glistening red wine in his direction.

"It would be my pleasure, father-in-law..." reciprocated Vahn, raising his champagne or port glass, three-quarters filled with a bubbly orange liquid that smelled of citrus and creme. Afterward, he and Zeoticus took a drink simultaneously, nearly resulting in a spit take as Venelana leaned closer to Vahn and whispered, "And you can call me mommy..."

"Mother, please..." muttered Rias, cheeks flushing as she closed her eyes and internally lamented being related to such a pervert. It didn't help that her father exhaled a throaty chuckle, remarking, "It's good to experience many things while you're young," before shifting his gaze to Issei, looking lost as he tried to recall which fork, knife, and spoon he was supposed to use for the brown sauce-covered steak that had been placed before him.

"Hyoudou Issei-kun."

Startled by the sudden address, Issei sat ramrod straight and exclaimed, "Y-yes, Hyoudou Issei here...!

"Have your parents been well...?" asked Zeoticus, having been introduced to Issei's parents during the recent Open House.

"Y-Yes! The two of them have been great, sir! Thanks—thank you for asking...!" stammered Issei, causing Zeoticus and Venelana to chuckle and Rias to sigh in exasperation.

Regaining his composure and adopting a practiced smile, Zeotius stated, "I have been informed you have ambitions of becoming a Harem King. As a symbol of friendship between the Ducal House of Gremory and the Red Dragon Emperor, please allow me to gift you and your family a castle and enough servants to maintain it. I believe those who have been tending to you these past five hours will be more than willing to continue serving you back in the human world."

"You're not just teasing me, are you...?" asked Issei, his eyes wide and filled with reverence as if he had just heard the most awe-inspiring words in Creation. As Zeoticus had pointed out, he had spent the time between his arrival and dinner being attended by a dozen different Maids, ranging from busty onee-sans to cute kouhais that were actually much older than him.

Inserting herself into the conversation, Rias plainly stated, "A castle is too much for a rural township like Kuoh. And if he wants to become a genuine Harem King, Issei-kun must gather its members himself..."

Shifting her gaze to Issei, seated to her left, Rias added, "I won't forbid you from accepting servants, but you should choose them carefully and limit the number to two or three."

"R-Right..." responded Issei, flushing in embarrassment as he shrunk in his seat, avoided Rias's gaze, and rubbed the back of his head. He knew that Rias was right, but as each of the Maids that had attended him were on the level of A-list celebrities and idols, he didn't know where to begin reducing their numbers...

"Then, rather than a castle, I will have my people renovate your home to more accurately reflect your status as the Red Dragon Emperor," stated Zeoticus, picking up and ringing a tiny silver bell, prompting an elderly and very gentlemanly-looking Butler with closed eyes and a neat mustache to appear next to him, bowing steeply and respectfully as he asked, "What is your order, Master?"

"Arrange to have Red Dragon Emperor meet with our architects tomorrow morning. They are to ensure his home has everything he requests. Cost is of no concern," ordered Zeoticus.

"As you will..." responded the Butler, rising, stepping back, and vanishing into thin air. Issei was more than a little taken aback by this, but with Rias affirming that he should accept her father's offer to ensure his family was better protected in the future, the matter was all but decided...

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"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. I understand you have much more productive uses of your time..." hummed Zeoticus, pouring himself a glass of what appeared to be scotch as Vahn stood a short distance away in a large and lavishly decorated study, adorned with various sculptures, framed items ranging from blades to pinned butterflies, and a hearth with a mounted dragon's head.

"I could never refuse an invitation from my father-in-law..." responded Vahn, wearing a smile that promptly cramped when Zeoticus turned to face him, took a sip from his drink, and asked, "Did you enjoy your time with my wife...?" with a knowing smile.

Since it wasn't something he could keep a secret, Vahn swallowed hard, did his best to appear composed, and affirmed, "I did. It's clear that Rias inherited her beauty from her mother."

"Indeed..." hummed Zeoticus, narrowing his eyes and taking another sip of his drink before making his way around and sitting behind his desk, an extravagant masterwork carved from dark, glossy, red-tinted wood nearly four meters wide, etched with scenes of Angels, Devils, Fallen, and a wide array of supernatural creatures doing battle.

Noticing how tense Vahn was, Zeoticus exhaled a faint, throaty chuckle and revealed, "You can be at ease. My wife and I have enjoyed an open relationship for the better half of a millennium. It might complicate things if you got her pregnant, but from the reports I've received regarding your powers and abilities, that shouldn't be an issue."

"I understand..." responded Vahn, his throat still tight but the tension in his body lessening as Zeoticus gestured to the chairs lined up along the wall. He promptly grabbed one and sat across from the crimson-haired man, who, in response, leaned back in his chair and broached the subject he had been called for, asking, "Is it true that you can treat any illness...?"

"As far as I'm aware..." confirmed Vahn, his expression becoming serious as he already had a decent idea of what Zeoticus was about to suggest, a suspicion that was proven correct when the crimson-haired man revealed, "Then, tomorrow morning, there is a place I would like you to accompany me. If you can heal the person there, I will give you two options for your reward—you can take any one item from our vault, regardless of its value, or my wife can assist with the management of the domain I plan to confer you until Rias and Sona are mature enough to manage it themselves..."

"I have no need for such a reward..." responded Vahn, smiling awkwardly but sincerely as he asserted, "If my power can be used to help someone close to or important to my father-in-law, it's only natural that I do what I can."

"You have my thanks..." hummed Zeoticus, closing his eyes, smiling, and finishing his drink before abruptly rising to his feet, prompting Vahn to do the same as he added, "Then I will see you tomorrow morning. Enjoy the rest of your evening..." in a playful, sing-song tone. This confused Vahn at the time, but when he was subsequently guided to Rias's bedroom rather than his own, entering it to find her and her mother wearing negligees, he understood that the one-time limitation they had set earlier that afternoon was going to be applied to the duration of his stay...

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