The light stopped and they had been teleported to a spacious room.
"Welcome. Are you a servant of Rias Gremory-sama correct? I have heard about it. Please show me something to identity yourselves," the staff of the exam asked with a firm expression. He wouldn't let them go without showing their identification.
Issei, Kiba, Akeno, and Koneko showed their seals with the Gremory symbol on it and also the recommendation paper.
This seal is made from the bone of a certain creature and it is ground into a palm-sized circular shape. It's a crimson color and it has a mark engraved into it.
The staff confirmed their identity and nodded, "This way please." He walked in front of them and guided them to the location of the exam.
They walked into a corridor made from rocks. It does not seem like a gorgeous interior but is made very simply and accurately.
"This is a promotional test center for the middle-class Devils located in the territory of Glasya-Labolas," Kiba said.
"It seems like they built a middle-class promotion test center here because of the influence of their strategist, Falbium Asmodeus," Akeno said.
"It seems like there is also a test center in the territory of Astaroth, which is the household from which Ajuka Beelzebub-sama came from. "
"There are test centers in various places throughout the Underworld, but the one with the most authority is the one held in the territory of Astaroth. After all, there are also noble schools for the noble Devils located there. Prez also had trouble choosing between the school in the territory of Astaroth and the one in the area of Maou. But she ended up going to school in the area of Maou," Kiba said.
"Then why are we here?" Issei asked.
"Well, remember the accident in the past?" Kiba asked.
Issei tried to remember something but he thought that there were a lot of things that happened in the past that it was quite hard to remember.
"It's an incident of Diodora," Koneko answered quietly.
"Oh!" Issei nodded and understood. He still remembered it and was very angry toward Diadora.
"Astaroth's family almost lost their authority. Luckily, they avoided the worst-case scenario because of the influence of Ajuka-sama who is the chief advisor for the Technical Equation Programme. But it's certain that they are being looked at with strict eyes from the civilians living in the other territories as well as the other nobles. They also lost their right to send out a candidate to be the next Maou as well," Kiba said.
Akeno looked at Issei and asked, "What's wrong, Issei-kun? You're not happy to become a mid-ranking demon?"
"A - Akeno-san, i - it's just....." Issei sighed when he thought about it.
"Is it about Prez?" Kiba asked.
"You should have asked her for a date earlier," Akeno said.
"Coward...." Koneko said.
"...."
Issei dropped on the ground while holding his chest.
"...."
Kiba patted his back and said, "Issei. Even if your first love is gone, there is me here." He gave Issei a gentle smile while looking at him.
Issei wanted to cry in response, "Now, what should I do?"
"Ask her for a date," Koneko said.
"What if she rejects me?" Issei asked.
"So try again, if your love is that small then you better give up now," Akeno said.
"..."
"There are Asia-chan and Irina-chan who are waiting for you," Koneko said.
Issei wasn't sure but when he heard about both Asia and Irina his heart became warm.
"Isn't there a Ravel too?" Akeno said and added, "That girl is quite shy."
"Everyone, let's become mid-rank demons together!" Issei became spirited and raised his hand.
"YEAH!!!!!"
"Everyone, I have brought you the document. You can fill it out directly then you can enter the test right away," Ravel said to them while bringing them a document for their promotion test.
They thanked her and went to the test room. They needed to do a written test before they continued with the practical test.
"Good luck!" Ravel said while looking at their backs.
---
Yuuki, Kuroka, Le Fay, Fenrir, and Ophis were staying together in the hotel while watching the promotion test on the screen.
Yuuki thought that they were a bit similar children and he was a single dad that was taking care of them.
"Yuuki-san, do you want me to help you?" Asia said while smiling kindly.
"Thank you," Yuuki looked at Asia with a grateful expression. He raised Ophis who was on his lap to move to Asia, only this 'infinite dragon' was hugging him as tight as a koala. He wasn't sure but he felt that this little girl might be similar to Koizumi for some reason.
"....."
"It doesn't seem like she wants to," Asia said.
"Yeah...." Yuuki decided to give up and let this 'infinite dragon' to sit down on his lap, 'Is this really 'infinite dragon'?'
"Nyaa, do you want to make a kitty, now?" Kuroka asked him.
"Hmm...." Yuuki looked at Kuroka and wondered what kind of children that both of them would make together. He was wondering whether they would have cute cat ears and tail on them when they made a kitty.
"W - What, nyaa? Do you really want to make a kitty now?" Kuroka blushed and somehow felt happy.
"Yeah, is that wrong?" Yuuki asked.
"...."
"Sigh, can you not flirt here?" Rias sighed and felt quite uncomfortable to hear their flirting.
Yuuki looked at Rias and asked, "Rias, how about you? Does Issei confess to you once again?"
"No..." Rias sighed.
"So will you accept his confession when Issei confesses to you again?" Yuuki asked.
"I am not sure. I'm not thinking about love right now," Rias said.
"If you say that then there is a chance that you won't marry anyone in the thousands of years from now," Yuuki said.
"....."
"Rias-onee-sama....." Asia was worried about Rias.
"No! I will get married quickly too!" Rias said.
"I am not sure but I have a feeling that Issei will ask you a date after he has succeeded in his promotion exam," Yuuki said while smiling toward her.
"That might be interesting," Rias nodded. She wasn't sure but she didn't feel that much excitement when she heard it. She turned toward Yuuki who was playing with everyone and felt quite jealous for some reason. She shook her head and thought that she needed to think about her peerage more.
"Oi, don't bite my head, Fenrir!"
"...."