After Taking Some Time to Think

Human World, Japan, Kyoto, Youkai Sub-Dimension.

The evening after the tea party, Shuna and Shion were in their shared guest room. While Shion was stomping around the room angrily, Shuna was sitting by the window, quietly gazing at the night sky.

"That boy is unbelievable." Shion said with displeasure in her tone. "To think he would deny your request, Princess."

"Did he really do anything wrong?" Shuna asked in response, without turning her gaze from the night sky.

"Of course, you are the princess of the Oni Tribe." Shion said angrily. "You deserve to be treated with more respect."

Finally, Shuna turned her attention to Shion. When she did, she spoke softly.

"Shion, do you remember what my father used to say about respect?" Shuna asked before turning her gaze back to the night sky.

Shion stopped to think back on what the former chief of the Oni Tribe used to say about respect. After not hearing an answer for a few moments, Shuna turned back to Shion and answered her own question.

"Father used to say that no one deserves respect." Shuna said, the words spoken softly. "Respect must be earned with your actions."

Shion lowered her head as if she had just been scolded. After a moment, Shuna spoke once again, and Shion raised her head to listen.

"Also, you are mistaking respect for obeisance." Shuna said. After a moment of silence, she continued. "You must remember, James-Sama is not an oni, my status as princess means nothing to him. Just as his status as a High-Class devil means nothing to you."

At that moment, Shion finally recognized her mistake. As Shuna very rarely leaves the tribe, Shion has not left the tribe much either. Therefore, other than other youkai leaders, she subconsciously looks down on those of other races and tribes.

"Seems like you finally understand." Shuna said with a slight smile. "I must admit, I had fallen into the same mindset as you, Shion. I never once considered that James-Sama would reject my request to join his peerage. It would seem I have become far to use to things going my way."

"Princess..." Shion mumbled, not sure of how to console Shuna.

"Don't worry about it, Shion." Shuna said as the smile on her face brightened. "This will give us both the chance to grow."

"If you say so, Princess." Shion said, still a bit uncomfortable with the situation.

"Either way," Shuna said solemnly, "The first thing we need to do tomorrow is apologize."

In another room in Yasaka's residence, Leona was sitting alone with a bottle of wine. After finishing her current glass, she reached for the bottle. However, before she could wrap her fingers around it, a fair-skinned, slender hand grabbed it, then filled her glass. Following the hand to its source, Leona saw Yasaka holding the bottle with a glass of her own in her other hand.

"I hope you don't mind some company." Yasaka said with a smile.

"Drinking with someone is always better than drinking alone." Leona replied, also with a smile.

With Leona's agreement, Yasaka poured herself a glass of wine and sat across from Leona. Placing the bottle between them, Yasaka spoke after taking a sip of the wine.

"I'd like to apologize for Shion's actions." Yasaka said, not beating around the bush. "And I didn't expect them to not understand that they would be seeking James-San's approval."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Lady Yasaka." Leona said before taking a sip of wine. Then, she continued. "Actually... you should probably apologize to James for not telling him about them beforehand."

To Leona's slight reprimand, Yasaka blushed slightly without losing her smile.

"I tried to visit James, before coming here." Yasaka said with a wry smile. "But the door was locked and the room was eerily quiet. So, I decided to come back later."

In response, Leona giggled. Then, after taking another sip from her glass, she spoke.

"Those kids sure are energetic, aren't they?" Leona said with a mischievous smile. "It feels like just the other day when we walked into his bedroom the morning after he lost his virginity."

"Did you really?" Yasaka asked curiously. "You just walked in?"

"Sure did, we found him and Akeno, the [Queen] of Rias Gremory who you met during their school trip, cuddled together, naked in bed."

"Oh, my." Yasaka said, the blush on her cheeks deepening. "I think I'd like to hear that story in more detail."

"Unfortunately, I don't have the kind of details that you want Miss Cougar." Leona said with a giggle.

"I know you know it's rude to comment about a Lady's age, Leona-San." Yasaka said with a wry smile. "Besides, If I'm going to pursue a younger man, it's something I'd like to not have brought up all that often."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Leona said, raising her hands disarmingly. "But I wasn't talking about your age per se. I was just commenting on the fact that you are older than James."

"*Sigh* I never thought I'd be interested in another man after my husband died." Yasaka said wistfully. "Especially one so much younger than I am."

"I know what you mean.... Sort of..." Leona said with a smile. "My husband is almost six hundred years older than me."

"Yes, that's quite the age gap." Yasaka said in astonishment.

"Well, you would never guess it." Leona said with a smile. "He was just like a blushing schoolboy when we met twenty-five years ago."

"Oh, that's another story I'd like to hear." Yasaka said with a smile.

Smiling in return, Leona told Yasaka the story of how she and Cassiel met. And with the help of alcohol, they traded many other stories through the night.

===The next day. 7 a.m.===

Waking up early after an intense night, James found himself buried in naked bodies. With Flora hugging his right arm, Moka on his left, and the more petite Mizore sleeping on his chest. Doing his best not to wake the girls, James slipped out of bed. After taking a quick shower, James left the room and began to wander.

Eventually, James found his way to the dining hall. Upon entering, James immediately saw Shuna and Shion drinking tea. He assumed they were waiting for their breakfast to be brought out to them. So, as if yesterday's events did not happen, James walked up to their table and greeted the young oni women.

"Princess Shuna, Dame Shion, good morning." James said with a bright smile. "How are you two this morning."

Hearing James' voice so suddenly, Shuna and Shion flinched. However, they regained themselves quickly. With a smile Shuna turned toward James and returned the greeting.

"Good morning, James-Sama." Shuna said with a smile. "I'm doing well. How are you."

"Good morning." Shion said with her head down.

"*Sigh* I guess Dame Shion doesn't welcome me." James said after seeing Shion's reaction to his presence.

Hearing that, Shion panicked. After a night to think about it, she realized how terribly rude she had been the day before. Because of that she was feeling apprehension about meeting James and Leona today. That, of course, made it hard to make eye contact with James when he showed up next to their table. Because of the panic, she stood from her seat and spoke much louder than she intended to.

"No! That's not it!" Shion shouted unintentionally. "I just... don't know... what to say..."

After shouting the beginning of her explanation, Shion's volume began to lower quickly. By the end, if it had not been for the fact that James was at the ultimate-rank, he would not have been able to hear her muttering.

"Well, if you're worried about what happened yesterday, you shouldn't." James said with a shrug. "It's true you were disrespectful. However, I understand where you're coming from, Dame Shion. It's your duty to protect your charge's honor."

Hearing that, Shion exhaled a sigh of relief. However, her sense of relief did not last long.

"But if you ever direct your killing intent at my mother again, your head will fall from your neck faster than you could realize it was gone. James said in a frigid tone.

Before long, James reverted to his cheerful demeanor. Then, he asked Shuna a question.

"If you don't mind my asking, Princess Shuna." James began while looking at Shuna in curiosity. "Why would you, a princess, want to join my peerage."

In response, Shuna repeated the initial reasons she told Leona the previous day. And hearing that, James replied just as Leona said he would.

"If you want to join my peerage as repayment for sparing your tribesman, then I'll have to refuse." James said with a shake of his head.

"Your mother said you would answer like that." Shuna said with a giggle.

"Well Mom does know me the best." James said with a smile.

After a bit of laughter, James and Shuna both fell silent. Eventually, Shuna took a deep breath and looked at James with resolution in her eyes.

"Like I said, originally, I wanted to join your peerage as repayment for sparing my people." Shuna said solemnly. "But to be honest, if you had accepted that offer, I probably would have had second thoughts and tried to retract the offer."

"And if I were the kind of person that would have accepted you into my peerage for your initial reason, you would have doomed your tribe to annihilation." James said in a tone just as solemn as Shuna's.

"What do you mean?" Shion asked, unable to stay silent any longer.

Not bothered by Shion's interruption, James explained why their tribe would have been destroyed.

"If I was the type of guy that would accept you into his peerage as a way of repayment, that would mean that my pride was high enough to believe that your life was equal to the act of keeping your tribesman alive." James said before pausing to give the two oni time to digest his words. After a moment, he continued his explanation. "If my pride was that high and you decided to pull out of the deal right after making it, what do you think I would do?"

With that, Shuna's eyes shot open. Then, she began to shiver in fear of what could have happened. Then, James smiled brightly and spoke once again.

"Let me give you a piece of advice." James said with a friendly smile. "Devils take contracts very seriously."

Although Shion was not completely sure what happened, she was sure that because James was the way he is, they dodged a bullet. Then, she looked at Shuna with concern. The revelation behind James' words hit her much harder than it did Shion. After a few moments, James spoke once again.

"Now, since that was your initial reason for wanting to join my peerage, I would assume that your reasons have changed." James said with a smile.

Taking several deep breaths, Shuna was able to calm down after a few moments. Eventually she got herself together enough to speak about the new reason she wished to join James' peerage.

"When you arrived outside the sub-dimension, your presence drew me in." Shuna said with a serious expression on her face. "Then, you began to introduce your peerage. Knowing a bit about those you had gathered; I came to the conclusion that you were a leader worth following."

Taking a deep breath, Shuna paused for a moment before continuing.

"And then we were able to hear your mother tell stories about your private life, which made you seem more approachable." Shuna smiled briefly as she spoke. Then, her expression became solemn again as she continued. "And finally, you showed off your power, and it was awe inspiring to see someone of the same generation with such power. Not to mention, you are also the Red Dragon Emperor."

Then, Shuna stood from her seat and stepped forward. When she was in front of James, she fell to one knee, surprising both James and Shion in the process.

"Princess?" Shuna said in shock.

"I, Shuna, Princess of the Oni Tribe, humbly request of you to accept me into your peerage." Shuna said respectfully with her head bowed. "I am proficient with [Youjutsu] and using my [Senjutsu] to heal.

Then, Shuna fell silent. After a few moments, James replied.

"*Sigh* You two are really good at going at your own pace, aren't you?" James said exasperatedly.

Raising her head, confusion was visible in Shuna's eyes.

"I told you yesterday, didn't I?" James said with a smile. "My peerage is like my family. I'll have to make sure you're a good fit for the family before I accept you."