"What, you mean… you took care of Holy Son-sama when he was a child!?"
"Could I trouble you to wait a moment? I'll report your situation immediately."
"Honestly, what on earth has the Northern Europe branch been doing!?"
After cursing them quite fiercely, the Trial Saintess quickly sent up a report containing all of Maki Shidou's information.
…
Although the position of Trial Saintess was newly established, because she was directly responsible for the Holy Son's Holy Lance, her status within the Church was extremely high.
Very soon, the Trial Saintess received a response from her superiors.
"Saintess Shidou, Holy Son-sama has personally given an answer regarding this matter."
"Holy Son-sama says Irina has already been reincarnated into a ten-winged angel, and not just that, but a ten-winged seraph of exceptionally pure rank. If you wish to see the current Irina, you may go to him at any time."
"As for the trial, if you want to go through it, you may. If you do not, that is fine as well. On the Church's side, we will maintain your status as Saintess regardless."
After relaying Akuto's words, the Trial Saintess looked toward Maki, waiting for her reply.
"I see… so Irina really has been reincarnated as an angel."
Maki nodded lightly.
Well, since Akuto-kun had become the Holy Son, it was only natural that he would reincarnate Irina as an angel.
Her train of thought shifted, and the look in Maki's eyes as she gazed toward the Holy Lance grew even more gentle.
After so many years apart, the little boy she had once taken care of had already grown up. On top of that, he had become the Holy Son of legend. Maki's eyes were full of emotion.
If possible, she wanted to pass the trial first, and then go to that boy's side.
…
"Very well, I understand. I'll set up the trial for you right away." The Trial Saintess nodded.
To be honest, it was still better if she passed the trial first.
With Maki Shidou's "background," she could rely on personal connections if she wished. But in the end, only those who had gone through the trial would receive general recognition within the Church.
"Vmm~"
Golden radiance flared. The Holy Lance's light enveloped Maki and the three phantoms all at once, drawing them into the small world within the Lance.
…
On the other side.
Akuto's past two days had been extremely packed.
Just granting trials to the warriors of the Church had taken quite a bit of time.
Later, after Akuto finished eating those dozens of Saintesses and nuns and returned from the Akame ga Kill world, it was already late at night.
Even so, although the schedule was tight, Akuto himself felt that his condition was very good.
Compared to a pure "partner" relationship, Akuto found it hard to say which was better. All he could say was that each had its own merits.
Of course, if Akuto was merely "feeling good" from the experience, then in contrast, Griselda was clearly far too invested.
Ever since Griselda had completed her own mental "closed loop," she had harbored an extraordinary maternal love and possessiveness toward Akuto. Up until right before the Three Faction Meeting began, Akuto had basically been staying with Griselda the entire time.
"All right, Griselda, I need to go keep my appointment with Grayfia now."
Akuto gently lifted Griselda's long legs wrapped in white pantyhose, trying to pull himself free. Griselda subconsciously tightened around him to keep him from leaving, and only in that up-and-down tug did she finally jolt awake.
Recalling the words she had vaguely heard Akuto say to her a moment ago, Griselda finally remembered that their "official" reason for coming to Kuoh Town this time was for the Three Faction Meeting.
"Yes, Holy Son-sama. I look forward to the day you completely bring all three factions to heel."
With that, Griselda let out a soft "pop" as she rose to her feet. She walked over to the coat rack, brought over the outfit Akuto was supposed to wear today, and looked like she wanted to help him straighten his appearance.
"No need. I don't need to wear that set today."
"At Grayfia's place?"
"That's right, at Grayfia's place. The reason Grayfia contacted me was precisely to get all the etiquette preparations done before the meeting."
…
Just as Akuto had said.
Before the Three Faction Meeting began, Grayfia had come alone to Akuto's house to help him with etiquette and grooming.
After leaving a seal in his own room, Akuto went downstairs to keep his appointment with Grayfia.
When she saw Akuto, Grayfia's reaction was a little different from what Akuto had anticipated, and not quite the same as before.
Grayfia's feeling was not wrong.
After Akuto successfully shifted the Church members' faith in the God of the Bible onto himself, while it did not drastically affect the "faith reservoir" that Heaven had accumulated, it did subtly affect Akuto's own level of life and his overall aura.
On top of that, the moment he saw Grayfia, Akuto had been pushing his succubus bloodline to full throttle, so it was perfectly normal that Grayfia felt something different about him.
"…"
Pressing down the faint flutter in her heart, Grayfia, after giving a formal bow, slipped into the standard pre-meeting preparation routine.
Originally, since Akuto had hitherto been getting help at Demon King Alice's place for pre-meeting preparation, it should have been Alice herself who handled his preparations this time as well.
However, Alice had explicitly asked Grayfia to help Akuto instead.
There was no doubt that her reasons sounded impeccable. Since this was Akuto's first time attending such a high-level conference, and he would be bearing a heavy responsibility during the meeting, Grayfia ought to brief the inexperienced Akuto on the key things to keep in mind.
As for Demon King Alice's blatantly obvious attempt at "pushing people together," Grayfia expressed her strong condemnation!
She admitted that Akuto was outstanding, and she admitted that she had indeed had certain reactions when she saw him doing intimate things.
But that did not mean she had become Akuto's woman.
For Demon King Alice to forcefully play matchmaker like this, Grayfia expressed her strong condemnation!
…
Besides, she was practically someone from the previous era. What was a woman from the last generation doing marrying into the same household as a bunch of young girls?
Just look at Rias, then look at Ravel, and then look at their peerages. They were all young people.
For an "old-era remnant" like her, there was really no need to join in this festival of the new era.
…
Akuto also noticed that Grayfia's mood today seemed a bit different from usual.
Given that there were very few things in this world that could make Grayfia visibly displeased, Akuto only had to think for a moment. Just from the way Grayfia looked at him, that "hint of yearning but even more displeasure" in her gaze, he found the answer.
Grayfia probably hadn't come of her own will. It was highly likely that Alice had given her a direct order.
After thinking for a few seconds, Akuto casually opened a topic.
"Grayfia, if I'm not mistaken, the outfit you're preparing for me today is a restricted set only Demon Kings can wear, isn't it?"
Just as Akuto had said, what he was going to wear today was no longer the "quasi-Maou" attire from before. Its specifications had been elevated once more, to the level reserved specifically for the Four Great Maou.
Moreover, it was not a generic Four Maou design. The Maou outfit Akuto wore today was patterned after the set used by the original generation of the Four Great Maou.
To show respect and continuity toward the First Generation, the current Lucifer Maou still used the same specifications as the First Lucifer. As for the other three Maou, their current ceremonial specifications were slightly lower than those of the First Generation.
And yet today, Akuto was wearing such an outfit that, in a strict sense, could be called "overstepping his station."
Although, with Akuto's merits and identity in Heaven, even this outfit might be somewhat beneath him and could be considered "lowering himself," in the eyes of devils who did not know the truth, what he had on now was indeed a little too "elevated."
Hearing him, Grayfia paused in her neat, deft motions as she adjusted his attire, then raised her head and said:
"Akuto-sama did not missee it. This is indeed the specification belonging to the First Leviathan."
…
"The reason I came to help you with your grooming today is precisely so I could inform you of this ahead of time."
"I see."
Akuto put on an expression of "understanding."
In reality, he had already learned of every arrangement related to the Three Faction Meeting via the seraphim, and knew exactly what position he was going to be given.
Because… that position was something Akuto had forced Heaven and Sirzechs to hammer out specifically for him.
…
After subduing Heaven and the Church, Akuto moved to bring the devils and fallen angels under his control.
Compared to Heaven and the Church, the situation among the devils and fallen angels was much more complicated.
If the Church could be described as merely "somewhat unconvinced" by Heaven, then later erupting into rebellion due to Heaven's violent reconciliation policies, the devils and fallen angels had been in a state of division from the very start.
Among the devils, there was the splintered Old Maou Faction. On the fallen angel side, there were also the "Abyssfallen," a group likewise dissatisfied with the existing regime and system.
Akuto understood that, in such circumstances, using the same gentle methods he had used to subdue the Church would not yield much result.
Therefore, he specifically created an organization for himself, one that stood independently outside the three major factions and made it convenient for him to personally intervene.
In this way, he would have both the grounds and the standing to move against any existence in any of the three factions whenever necessary.
…
It was precisely because Akuto had intended to completely subjugate the three factions from the very beginning that he did not directly reveal his identity as Holy Son.
Because, while there was no problem with the "integration" work he had just started, announcing that he was the Holy Son would be the same as openly declaring that his seat was firmly on Heaven's side.
If he used the identity of Holy Son to move against the devils and fallen angels, he would only accelerate the fragmentation of the three factions.
For this reason, Akuto established such an independent structure, making it easier for him to act whenever he wished.
From here on, as long as Akuto continued to maintain this organization's presence and steadily elevated his prestige and authority within the three factions, then one day when a major crisis erupted, he would be able to swallow all three factions in a single gulp!
(End of Chapter)
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