9

The group bath session lasted longer than it should've since inevitably it turned into a foursome. Currently all of them were dressed in clothes, occupying the living room and kitchen area. The reason being is because they presently have guests.

One of Rias' long-time close friends Sona Sitri paid a visit to the Tempest Residence with her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.

Growing up Rias never cared for having any pure-blooded young Devils around her age. Most of them were either arrogant, annoying or just flat out both. It helped that her reputation for her power and chaotic nature at an astonishing young age made most of them avoid truly getting on her bad side.

They were lucky that Rias saw them no more than ignorant children with insignificant potential.

Harsh, but the truth.

So Rias barely had any friends among her Devil peers.

Which is why it was surprising to the Gremory heiress that Sona still ended up being a childhood friend to her in this alternate DxD universe.

Not only Sona either, Latia Astaroth and Seekvaria Agares are also good friends of hers. They sometimes travel to the human world to visit her.

Sairaorg doesn't count since he's Rias' cousin who she treats more like her younger brother even though he's older than her.

Rias made sure to train him well and heal his mother from the Sleep Disease she had been suffering from.

She even went as far as to grant him his missing Bael family claim trait, the Power of Destruction.

With Sairaorg's immense strength combined with the Power of Destruction, Rias trained him to be an absolute monster in battle. She even went as far as to gift him Armament Haki.

"Rias, you should think about attending Kuoh academy with me next year." Sona said.

Shuri sat the tea she just finished brewing on the living room table, she smiled and sat next to Kuroka.

Her tea was unanimously declared to always be very delicious.

Rias sighed. "Sona, for the 5th time I'm not joining the academy. Yes I adore Japan and its culture but it doesn't mean I want to attend a school full of human teenagers."

"You should consider it, don't you want to at least scout out any potential members for your peerage?" Sona asked.

Rias scoffed. "Hell no, sure Sacred Gears are useful but I'm not interested in any of them. Well actually that's a lie, you'll be surprised to know that the Red Dragon Empress resides in our little town."

Sona's eyes widened in shock, as did everyone else's outside of Rias. "Huh? You know the location of the boosted gear? No, you know the identity of the Red Dragon Empress??"

"Uh huh, I've known for awhile now and before you even think about it, I already called dibs on her. She's a milf Sona." Rias replied.

Sona, Shuri, Shirone, Kuroka and Tsubaki all rolled their eyes. All of them knew how Rias felt about milfs or older beautiful women in general.

"Of course she is, fine you discovered her first anyway so it's only fair." Sona sighed.

"Oi don't act like I didn't think about you, a wielder of one of Vritra's Sacred Gears Absorption Line also resides in this town. I'll show you the guy sometime this week so you can recruit him." Rias grinned lightly.

Sona nodded and voiced her appreciation. "Thank you Rias, I appreciate it."

Rias waved off her thanks. "Don't worry about it, just promise me you won't be upset if I one day get your older sister into my harem."

The Sitri heiress shook her head. "Do what you want, it wouldn't surprise me at all if you succeeded."

'Oh I will succeed, it helps that a couple years back Serafall told me she'll be interested once I'm older.' Rias thought.

"Now Sona, why don't you tell me the real reason you keep asking me to go to that human academy? It's not like you to keep asking me something after I already gave you an answer." She questioned her friend.

Sona stared at Rias for a moment before sighing. "Because I want you to join the student council with me."

"So a club? You want me to cut into my precious manga time for a high school club, Sona? You do understand that unlike you, my peerage members are over 18. I don't think either of them would like being separated from their master for over 7 hours 6 days out of the week." The Crimson-haired Ruin Princess replied with an raised eyebrow.

Kuroka, Shirone and Shuri all nodded, showing their agreement with Rias' words.

"Just please think about it, Rias, for me?" Sona nearly begged.

Rias sighed. "Fine, I swear if you weren't such a good friend I wouldn't even be entertaining this shit."

Someone of her caliber going to school? She's done that plenty of times in her past lives. Why would she want to do it again if she has the option to choose?

Contrary to the canon version of herself, Rias did not have any desire to set up the Occult Research Club. It was mainly used as a base at Kuoh Academy anyways. Her home is her base.

Then again…maybe…just maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she only went to school for a year as a 3rd year. The year the canon story is supposed to begin.

Back in her past lives watching High School DxD as a spectator, she always did enjoy how the Kuoh Academy uniforms looked. Especially how they looked on the original Rias, Akeno and Sona.

Though she can always use her magic to make herself a Kuoh Academy uniform.

Decisions, decisions, still Rias hopes Sona knows to not get her hopes high.

An hour later Sona and Tsubaki left, Rias and the other three were talking.

"Are you really considering going to school, Rias?" Shirone asked.

"I would like to say no, but I did tell Sona I would think about it. If I do then going for a year wouldn't be the worst thing. Also I can always send a clone of myself to attend schools on days I don't want to go." Rias answered, her arms were crossed.

"Nya~ it would be interesting in my opinion. However, enough about that, how come you never told us you found the Red Dragon Empress?" Kuroka wondered.

"Well I didn't really see a point since she's not aware of her status. For the time being I plan on leaving her be, the main reason being I'm curious which factions will either try to recruit or kill her. I'm quite shocked she has yet to awaken the Boosted Gear at her age as an adult. Most Longinus Sacred Gears become aware of their powers before they become adults." Rias explained.

"Ara~ knowing you Rias-chan, Red Dragon Emperor or not, you're only taking interest in this woman because she's an attractive older woman. You wouldn't have mentioned the topic at all if the wielder of Boosted Gear was a man. If I may ask, what is this woman's name?" Shuri questioned.

The name of the Red Dragon Empress, now wasn't that a true shocker for Rias when she learned of their identity? It only emphasized even more to Rias how different this DxD universe is. A slight smirk on her face came to be as she answered Shuri.

"Miki Hyoudou."