After an exhausting day yesterday. Here he is standing in front of the meeting room after receiving a call from the headquarter that Azazel is summoning him for an important matter. He barely even got to sleep last night because attending a banquet held by Rias Gremory in her clan's territory.
*Knock knock*
Ray knocked the heavily enchanted dark brown double wooden door.
"Come in" Ray heard Azazel called and the door swung open. From the opened door, Ray can see a line up of Cadre sitting around a wide 'U' shaped long table and an elevated seat behind it is Azazel sitting on it. They all wear heavily decorated armor similar to the Seraphs but with darker colour scheme fitting for Fallen Angel, filled with ornaments, medals and sigils which he had never seen before before his transmigration or when he arrived in the DxD world. Then along the wall are heavily armed Fallen Angels also wearing similar coloured armor like knights with their face covered by metal helmet and holding enchanted spears and swords.
Just feeling the very solemn and grave atmosphere of the room is enough to cast some shadow of fear on Ray's heart. He is questioning himself if he did something wrong because he feels like he is entering a trial room, ready to be sentenced to execution.
Ray raised his head to look at Azazel and the Cadres, the usual laid back and playfully Azazel vanished and replaced with Azazel who earned his name in the Great War as Governor General of the Fallen Angel and the Most Sinister Fallen Angel who raise hell on every battlefield he stepped on.
Carefully and with hesitation he carried his step until he reached a podium prepared for him and guarded by 4 fallen angels in armor.
"Let us begin the military council." Azazel declared with a deep and solemn voice as Ray heard the door closed loudly behind him.
"The council gathered once again since its last one, four centuries ago to address this pressing matter that will decide the future of Grigori and the Fallen Angels race. Today, for the first time since the end of the Great War, we will elect another person to join the rank of Cadre within Grigori for a special circumstance that is about to take place later." Baraqiel spoke with a slow and unhurried tone but was able to reach the entire room clearly.
"Eh?" This was Ray's response after hearing the declaration from Baraqiel. His mind panicked when he entered the room and suddenly became confused. He was at the verge of passing out from the intense heartbeat that he became light headed and missed the playful smirk on Azazel's face when he accidentally broke his act which he concealed immediately.
"Now, all Cadre will cast a vote of agree or disagree to this arrangement made by the *cough* illustrious Governor General Azazel of the Grigori to elect the freelancer agent, Raymond D'Angelo as a special Cadre to fulfill his upcoming role."
After Baraqiel finished speaking, one after another, all six Cadres spoke out their vote and each of them agreed. Ray remains dumbfounded as his brain couldn't keep up with the room as he is in confusion.
"The vote is 6:0 in favour of agreeing." Baraqiel declared the results of the vote and finally sat down before Azazel's turn to start talking. "Now we begin the election process."
From behind, a fallen clad in full armor hands Ray a contract. The contract is written with the basic rules of employment similar to the contract he signed when joining Grigori but with new additions related to his new rank as a Special Cadre then the rules, He has to work within the interest of the Governor General and the Grigori, he cannot betray the Grigori or will be declared as outlaw, etc which filled at least five sheet of papers. Then the part about his salary and benefits at the last page.
Everyone waits in silence and gives Ray time to go through the content of the contract which lasts 15 minutes as he goes through the contract twice. He didn't sign it and instead looked at Azazel.
Ray is overwhelmed by information and confusion but he at least understands that he is about to get involved with something big. He didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. Within the contract, his role as the 'Special Cadre' was stated with the duty part where his duties are fully but also vaguely stated. But generally he will lead a special task force as a leader to fight against the [*****].
Yeah, that part was redacted but he deduced this part is related to Khaos Brigade since the present threat to the three factions is the emergence of Khaos Brigade. Azazel is probably planning to create something akin to the DxD team that was created to combat the Khaos Brigade later in the anime. However he wonders why him when he isn't someone strong like the canon DxD team leader, Dulio Gesualdo. A weak person like him as a leader? What is Azazel scheming behind his back…
Ray glanced at Azazel and he was still putting on a serious expression as he and other Cadre waited for his answer. Then Ray looked at the benefit part. He gulped as all the benefits are extremely tempting. He will hold some military and political power as a Cadre. Not much but enough to deter Sirzech and he didn't need to worry about that piece of shit fucking around with him anymore.
Beside those benefits, he will also become someone relevant to most future events of the DxD world since if what he predicted is really true, he will basically be in the frontline against all threats to the future alliance of the Biblical factions. Even if he gets bored later in the future and wants to bail out, nothing can stop him and breaching the contract is impossible since running to another world didn't clash with the interest of preserving the peace of the Grigori.
After a lot of thought, weighing the pros and cons, Ray finally signed the contract which elicited a smile on Azazel's face. With this, his plan is another step closer to fruition.
Then the one who previously handed him the contract, took the signed contract and delivered it to Azazel who scanned every page to make sure the paperwork was done without mistake.
Then suddenly the solemn atmosphere went away instantly as Azazel flicked his fingers and his armor goned, replaced with his usual suit. The rest of the Cadre followed too and became laid back. Few even complained the formal crap is too tiring to do since they need to act solemnly which one quoted 'like attending a burial ceremony or sum shit'. Only the Knights remain the same and act as before.
"Now, I will reveal the real scope of your duty, Ray." Azazel started with a slightly serious expression. "You will use your ability to 'mark' the unit we assigned for you and act as their leader in our efforts to prepare against Khaos Brigade. The file contains the information about every single person in the unit." Azazel said and an armored fallen handed him a thick file which he tried to skim through it.
Ray's expression changed a few times as he skimmed through the file before glancing at the grinning Azazel a few times. "Why is the information about their fertile day, three sizes, fetishes and their virginity status?" Ray asked with a deadpan face and stared at Azazel as Penemue looked away while Baraqiel is having a coughing fit.
"Don't sweat the small matter. Anyway, you will have 2 weeks before the Peace Conference between the three factions will be held. You must raise those good seedlings to at least Mid class by then. This is your first and most important mission. Your results will decide the future of the future alliance. Don't mess it up and the meeting is adjourned, ciao~" Then Azazel vanished with a magic circle, leaving Ray speechless as he received his task.
Baraqiel later came up to him to lead him to his new unit. He knew this is a ero world and polygamy is a common thing like Issei who have harem more than a dozen and other devils like Riser who have peerage filled with his lovers but being hooked up with 100? There has to be a limit. His breaking point is when Azazel suddenly sends him a message that states, "Hope you liked your battle harem" then refuses to elaborate further.
…
Within a building that was converted into his unit's new barrack. The word barrack might undermine the building because the entire dorm area around his dorm was emptied to accommodate his unit's with total 3 buildings used and 2 more in construction using magic that expected to complete by evening. Most of the time used is for furnishing than actual construction.
Sitting in front of him is unamused Raynare with Mittelt and slightly amused Kalawarna. Then on his side are exactly 100 female fallen angels that share the same amused look as Kalawarna. They didn't dare to risk offending Ray by irking him. He technically just an honorary Cadre just to hold the title to lead them officially but honorary or not, Cadre is a Cadre and they are the figurehead of Grigori with authority enforced by Lord Azazel himself.
"So, me, Mittelt and the soon-to-be lover, Xenovia, isn't enough for you that you went to get another hundred as your 'Battle Harem'?" Raynare asked in a disapproving voice to show her displeasure.
What is unknown to Ray is her displeasure isn't caused by his sudden addition of 100 subordinates/mistress but rather she and Mittelt are angry that he went out early in the morning unknown to them and returned with the said 100 subordinates/mistress without notice or head ups. Which, to Ray's defence, he also didn't know about the shenanigans Azazel cooked up for him. Raynare and Mittelt knew this but simply used Ray as the target of their frustration.
"In my defense, none of this was planned and I went out early because Azazel summoned me. You know… our big boss." Ray said to defend his innocence. To his surprise, the girls dropped the issue after the mention of Azazel and switched the topic to what happened to him this morning. He retells everything that happened without missing any details to the trio.
"So, after I signed the contract. He promoted me then dumped them on me and told me to 'mark' them with my implant. He then proceeded to give me two week time to raise them to minimum Mid Class from Low Class." Ray finished retelling everything then waited for them to process the information. They were very surprised when I was promoted to Cadre rank that they looked at me in disbelief and convinced them with a copy of his contract.
"Is… is this for real? Am I still dreaming?" Raynare asked which Mittelt smirked and took the chance to slap Raynare to verify if she was dreaming or not. "Th-this isn't a dream…" Raynare said with disbelief while rubbing her slapped cheek.
Just several months ago Raynare was nothing but a Low class nobody working trivia tasks and trying to get into Azazel's good graces. Now she is a lover of Ray who became a Cadre. Many will die for a chance to work directly under a Cadre mostly because of the benefits it gives just like her who previously wanted to serve under Azazel.
"Of course it isn't." Ray retorted as he pointed at his unit. "They are the proof. But anyway… Since I am the leader of this unit now, I will take you three sub-leader to help me lead them." Ray did this because he didn't have real experience of leading an actual unit. His operators are different cases because they understand his order very well and will not die a true death in combat that they didn't need much leadership from Ray to perform well.
The trio eagerly accepted his offer. Then he shifts his attention to the hundred fallen angels that are patiently waiting for him to finish talking with the trio. He was thinking on how to divide the group since only a squad of 4 people can enter each stage. There can be multiple stages opened simultaneously and he tried with the trio when he told them to grind easier stages before joining him at higher stages.
Then he remembered he had yet to put an implant into each of them. Ray facepalmed mentally at his forgetfulness.
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