Chapter 36: Guinea pig

"Well, kinda," Alastor began, his tone thoughtful. "But most of the things you hear about her are wrong." He sighed slightly before continuing, "Anyway, I haven't told her about Asia yet."

Sona nodded in understanding, while Rias still seemed curious, her gaze fixated on Alastor. "Hey, Alastor, can you tell me what you meant when you said Kuroka isn't what people think?"

Alastor raised an eyebrow, amused by her persistence. "You're still curious about that?"

Rias nodded firmly. "Yes. She *is* Koneko's sister, after all. I'd like to know the truth about her."

Alastor crossed his arms, thinking carefully. "Alright," he said after a moment. "Kuroka's not the cold-blooded killer most people think she is. She had her reasons for going rogue, and, to be honest, the Underworld twisted her story."

Rias looked surprised, her interest deepening. "What do you mean? I heard she killed her master and went on the run."

"That's the official version, yes," Alastor admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "But the truth is more complicated. Her master was using her and trying to manipulate her powers—something much worse than what you've been told. Kuroka had no choice but to protect herself."

Sona glanced at Rias and then back at Alastor. "So, the rogue devil label was more of a cover-up for what really happened."

Alastor nodded, his expression firm. "Exactly. Kuroka's fiercely protective, especially when it comes to her sister. She did what she had to, even if it meant being branded as a criminal."

Rias frowned thoughtfully. "I see. That does change things... Koneko's been distant about it, and I never really understood why. I guess she didn't want to talk about something that wasn't the full truth."

Alastor gave a sympathetic nod. "Yeah, it's a tough situation for both of them. Kuroka's not a saint, but she's not the villain the Underworld makes her out to be either."

Rias let out a soft sigh, the weight of the new information settling in. "Thank you for telling me, Alastor. It gives me a lot to think about."

"No problem," Alastor said. "Just remember, Kuroka may be rough around the edges, but she cares deeply for those close to her."

Akeno smirked. "Ara, ara, sounds like you two have a close bond."

Akeno said as she enter the room.

Alastor chuckled lightly. "You could say that. But Akeno, it's not a good habit to eat drop."

Akeno smirked playfully, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Well, as a devil, I have enhanced hearing, so even if I didn't want to, I heard you anyway." She added a wink, as if to punctuate her teasing tone.

Alastor shook his head with a grin, leaning casually against the wall. "Still doesn't make it any less rude, you know."

Akeno placed a hand on her cheek in mock innocence. "Oh my, how inconsiderate of me. I suppose I'll just have to be extra careful next time."

Alastor smirked at her comment but before he could respond, Sona turned the conversation back to more serious matters. "Back to the topic, Alastor. If you've already decided that Asia will be your Bishop, why did you drop her off at the church?" Her tone was firm, but curious.

Akeno, however, looked confused. "Bishop?" she asked, not following the conversation.

Rias leaned in and quickly explained, whispering the details into Akeno's ear. Akeno's eyes widened slightly in surprise but then nodded, understanding the situation.

Alastor crossed his arms, a determined glint in his eyes. "I dropped her off at the church because I have a different plan in mind. You see, it's not just about recruiting her into my peerage. I need to teach those Fallen Angels a lesson first. They need to learn what happens when they mess with us—especially after what happened on our date, Sona."

Sona sighed, placing a hand on her head as if trying to process his reasoning. "You're still holding onto that? It wasn't exactly a date, Alastor."

"Sona, you were the one who got injured. How could I just forget about that? They crossed a line, and they need to pay for it."

Seeing Alastor face, Sona knows that she couldn't do anything as he already made his decision.

Sona let out a sigh.

Akeno couldn't help but interject with her usual teasing tone. "Ara, ara, Alastor being protective? How sweet." She winked playfully before adding, "But Sona's right. If you're planning to make a move, you need to be careful. The Fallen Angels aren't known for playing nice."

Rias nodded in agreement, her voice more serious. "Yes, there's a real chance that this could escalate into a full-scale conflict between the Fallen Angels and the devils. Is that something you're prepared for?"

Alastor's gaze remained steady as he shook his head. "I don't think it'll come to that."

Sona raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Why not? What makes you so sure?"

Alastor crossed his arms, "Because I know the Fallen Angels. They're not in a position to start a war with us. They're too fragmented, too focused on their own internal power struggles. They might have the numbers, but they don't have the unity or strength for an all-out war. Especially over something like this."

He paused for a moment, then added, "And besides, I highly doubt their superiors even know that their lower-level subordinates are hunting humans in devil territory. If they did, this situation would already be handled differently. This is just some rogue faction acting out."

"And on that note, Rias, you should call your peerage, since we got some guinea pig, I should test your peerage's ability in a live combat."

∆∆∆