A surprise for Diehauser Belial

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

The following day, James, Scathach, Rossweisse, and the other Kuoh Academy students returned to school like they normally would. Like that, the next two weeks went by without a hitch. Then, the day the group returned to the Team DxD Base for training, James was stopped by Erza right before their departure time.

"James, can I have a moment?" Erza asked in a solemn tone.

Over the last two weeks, though it was not easy, James was able to convince Erza to drop the "Lord Sataniel" and just refer to him as James. On top of that, she found herself fitting in with the other residents of the mansion rather easily.

"Yeah, what's up?" James asked casually.

"After living with you for these two weeks and getting to know you and your peerages, I am surer than I was the last time I asked you this." Erza said as she dropped down to one knee.

Seeing Erza take a knee, James began rubbing his temples in exasperation. He honestly liked Erza's straight forward personality. And finding out how much she loved strawberry shortcake was really cute, too. He could also tell that she was fiercely loyal to those she considered friends and family, which was also a big plus.

But still, he thought she was too prone to jumping to conclusions. And this knight's etiquette she often displayed was too much for him. And something told him that getting her to stop it would be a tall order, if not outright impossible.

"Please allow me to join your second peerage." Erza said, not noticing the state James was in since her head was bowed.

"If that's what you want." James said, ignoring the potential headaches this decision may cause.

From what he could tell, Erza was just like Dante in the way that they never paid attention to the collateral damage they may cause when they fight. Even though James had never seen Erza in a real combat situation, during their last training session in the Team DxD Base, she nearly destroyed an entire city block in the cityscape training area.

"Thank you." Erza said, using her [Requip Magic] to materialize a sword before presenting it in front of James with both hands.

James just let out a long sigh after seeing Erza's actions. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was giggling and gossiping about those actions.

"Is she treating this like a knighting ceremony in the medieval times?' Rias asked curiously. "I gotta admit it's pretty rare to see something like this in real life."

"Pretty rare?" Sona replied while adjusting her glasses. "Outside of her, I doubt you'll ever see something like this in real life again."

"You think so?" Rias asked curiously.

"Yeah, I think Sona is right." Flora said with an awkward smile. "She takes not only being a knight but even herself way too seriously."

"Yeah, she should learn how to take it easy, like me." Mizore said with a bright smile.

"Says the girl who is still receiving punishment from being careless." Moka pointed out.

"Ugh... Don't remind me, I'm still having trouble raising my hands over my head." Mizore whined. "No matter when, my whole body always feels like it's under pressure."

"That's because it is." Scathach replied.

All the girls immediately turned their attention back to Scathach after that.

"After you passed out during your first increased-intensity training session, I placed a seal like the one James and Setanta used to wear on you." Scathach explained. "So, in order to do anything at all, you have to exert your demonic energy and physical strength to their maximum at all times."

All the other girls shuddered at the punishment. Although James and Cu Chulainn made it look easy for years, they could see the toll it was putting on Mizore after only two weeks. It would probably not be a problem after a week or two more, but for now Mizore was absolutely miserable.

"Hopefully, this will help you to remain cautious until an altercation has come to its conclusion." Scathach said as Mizore's expression fell. "But if you look at it positively, you will more than likely be the next to make it into the minor god-rank."

Hearing that, all the mansion's residents looked at Scathach with intensity. Mizore, on the other hand, perked up immediately.

"Really?" Mizore asked, full of expectations.

Before Scathach could respond, however, the rest of the residents began asking to have that seal placed on them as well. However, none of them noticed the slight arching of Scathach's lips while they clamored. And eventually, they would come to regret their enthusiastic pleas.

Meanwhile, once the girls changed subjects from Erza's behavior to Mizore's punishment, Irene was left with an awkward expression on her face. Although she knew what the girls were saying about her daughter being too rigid and taking herself too seriously was true, that did not change the fact that she did not like hearing people say things like that about her daughter.

"Irene, you really shouldn't mind it too much." Leona said with a smile. "I mean, look at mine, Lana, and Rhea's children. They all have some weird quirks. Two terrible sis-cons, an exhibitionist, someone who is usually too strict, and a serious prankster. I can only imagine how the bun I have in the oven will end up."

"Oh, that's right, you're pregnant." Irene said, glancing at Leona's stomach. "I guess that's why Master Scathach has let you skip out on training. Now that you mention it, you are starting to show."

"Yup, Leona said with a happy smile. "I can't wait to see what they'll be like."

"Do you know if it's gonna be a boy or a girl?" Irene asked.

"Nope, we won't know till they make their debut in this world." Leona replied. "We did the same with James, too."

While the mothers in the group chatted, James finally asked Erza to stand up.

"Erza, even though I'm the [King] of this peerage, I'm not a real king." James said as Erza stood to her feet. "So, there is no reason to bow and kneel to me like that."

"Understood." Erza said, still presenting the sword in front of her.

"And put that sword away." James said in an exasperated tone. "It's completely unnecessary."

Awkwardly, Erza stored her sword with her magic. Then, she stared at James in confusion.

"I guess she never learned about how a devil reincarnation works." James said, materializing the suitable pieces in his right hand. "Two [Pawns] and a [Knight], huh? Well, [Knight] it is."

With that statement, the [Pawn Pieces] vanished, leaving James holding the [Knight Piece]. Then, before she could react, James approached and pressed the [Evil Piece] into the center of Erza's chest.

When Erza felt the tactile sensation on her chest, her eyes opened wide, and she was ready to curse James as a shameless pervert for copping a feel. However, before she could open her mouth, she felt the changes her body was going through.

At that time, Akeno and Tsubaki both teleported back into the living room in succession. Along with them, they brought Issei, Asia, Irina, and Genshirou so that they would not be left out of the training session.

"*Sigh* I wonder if she'll still bitch at me for touching her chest." James said, tired before even beginning his training.

"Did you just add Erza to your second peerage?" Akeno asked after hearing James remark and seeing Erza's current state.

"Damn, Senpai has all the luck with all the hot chicks." Issei said enviously.

After hearing Issei, both Asia and Irina pinched him on either side of his waist.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Issei yelled in pain. "It hurts... It hurts... I'm sorry!"

After issei's exclamation, Asia and Irina let him go. While Asia pouted at him, Irina looked at him with a complicated gaze.

'Am I not enough for him?' Asia asked herself. Then, she clenched her fists in front of her chest with determination burning in her eyes. 'I'll just try harder.'

'I hope Lord Michael is able to make that room that will allow me to be with Issei, soon.' Irina thought as her wings and halo appeared and began to flicker.

Ignoring Irina's usual display, everyone waited for Erza transformation to finish. While they waited, they noticed that her aura that was at the initial-level of the ultimate-rank was rising. A few moments later, it stabilized a the intermediate-level. Then, she opened her eyes as her wings sprouted from her lower back.

By now, Erza had completely forgotten her complaints about James touching her chest. After feeling the increase in her strength, she smiled brightly. Then, she grabbed James around his neck and pulled his head into her bosom.

*Clang!*

"Ow! Mother Fucker, that hurts!"

*Smack!*

"Watch your language, young man. If the little one picks up your bad habit of cursing, you'll have hell to pay."

Although she only intended to show her appreciation with a hug, Erza completely forgot that she was already wearing her armor. So, James ended up cursing in pain after his head was slammed into Erza's magical metal chest plate. Naturally, Leona reacted to his outburst by slapping him upside the head, causing his pain to increase.

Erza, on the other hand, quickly let go of James with an awkward expression on her face when she heard his pain-filled exclamation. Then, when she saw Leona hit him for it, her expression turned even more awkward.

"Oops..." Erza muttered, realizing that she was the reason for that whole exchange.

While everyone else in the room giggled at James' misfortune, he waved it off dismissively.

"Alright, let's get going." James said with his hand glowing green while rubbing his forehead, trying to heal the red mark the collision with Erza's chest plate left. "Everyone should be arriving soon."

With that, even though everyone was still giggling, they all gathered around James in an orderly manner. Then, James teleportation circle appeared underneath the group. A moment later, they all disappeared from the living room.

Underworld, Satan Territory, Capital City, Lilith.

Just as the members of Team DxD began arriving at their base, the [Rating Game] champion, Diehauser Belial, was making his way through the halls of the Devil Council building. For some reason, unbeknownst to him, he had been summoned to appear before four of the Five Great Satans.

As one of the few top rated players of the [Rating Games] who had not been using a [King Piece], Diehauser suffered no negative repercussions from that scandal when it came to light. So, he had no idea why the Satans would call for him.

'Do they know that I had been working with Rizevim so that I could take revenge on the corrupt councilmen who caused Cleria's death?' Diehauser thought to himself without changing his expression as he walked. 'No, that can't be it. If that were the case, they wouldn't summon me to the Council building. Instead, they would storm the Belial Estate.'

As he walked toward his destination, many ideas were drawn up and discarded in diehauser's mind in short order. However, no matter how he thought about it none of them were reason enough to be called in by the Satans.

'Whatever it may be, I'll find out when I arrive.' Diehauser thought as he drew nearer to the room where the Satans usually met. 'Either way, I planned to turn myself in for working with Rizevim in the past. So, while I'm here I can do that as well.'

With that, Diehauser stopped stressing over the question he had no answer for. Instead, he picked up his pace and made it to the Satans meeting room in only a few minutes.

Once he arrived outside the door, Diehauser took a moment to make sure his clothing was in order. Then, after he made sure he was presentable, he knocked on the door.

*Knock!* *Knock!*

"Diehauser Belial has arrived in accordance with the Satans' summons." Diehauser said, announcing himself through the door.

"Please, enter." Sirzechs said from the other side of the door.

Taking a deep breath, Diehauser turned the doorknob. Then, when he pushed it open, he was completely shocked at what he saw. Even though Sirzechs, Ajuka, Serafall, and Falbium were seated in the room, Diehauser did not even register their presence. Nor did he notice the human standing in the room.

Instead, his eyes immediately locked onto the grey-haired woman standing in front of him with tears running down her face. In fact, he was so focused on her that he did not even realize when his own tears began to fall.

"Diehauser, I'm back..." Cleria said in a voice that was shaking due to her emotions.

"Cleria..." Diehauser said in just as shaky a voice while walking toward his cousin, who he had lost years ago. "Is this a dream?"

A moment later, Diehauser reached Cleria's front and gingerly touched her face. Realizing that she was real, Diehauser's tears began to fall in torrents. Then, he wrapped his arms around her and cried emotionally while Cleria did the same.

Meanwhile, everyone else in the room smiled at the happy reunion.